The Plan

After confirming that Tang San and the others had left, Yu Xiaogang finally put on a serious expression.

"Where did you get this information? Did Sword Douluo send you to do this?"

Ling Chen smiled faintly and shook his head.

"I care about everything, from family matters to national affairs to the whole world! Forget Shrek Academy—even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is busy with its own affairs and knows very little about Spirit Hall."

Yu Xiaogang stroked his chin. He couldn't deny that this was true.

Ling Chen continued, "Let me ask you this: how many Titled Douluo does Spirit Hall have?"

"Seven Great Enshrined Ones, ten elders, and two Pontiff Douluo!"

Yu Xiaogang blurted out the answer, but his expression grew increasingly grim.

"What about the Heaven Dou Empire?"

Yu Xiaogang fell silent. Even counting the Titled Douluo from the Upper Three Sects, they had only six.

Spirit Hall held so many Titled Douluo in its hands, never mind the Soul Masters under its command. Caught between the two empires, who could believe that Spirit Hall had no ambitions to expand?

"How can you be sure Spirit Hall will move against the Upper Three Sects?"

Yu Xiaogang was confused. Though the Upper Three Sects couldn't match Spirit Hall in terms of their strongest fighters, they were all top-tier sects, and their foundations weren't much weaker than Spirit Hall's.

Ling Chen naturally wasn't going to tell him that this was the plot of the original story, something bound to happen.

"Train for a thousand days to use your troops for one. If they cripple the Upper Three Sects all at once, how many sects will be left to stand against Spirit Hall in the future?"

Ling Chen spoke frankly, while Yu Xiaogang fell into thought.

He wasn't going to believe Ling Chen completely just because the boy had pulled a prank like this. He even suspected that this was nothing more than Ling Chen's way of framing Spirit Hall.

"I'm sorry, but I can't take your word for it."

Yu Xiaogang still voiced his thoughts. Ling Chen spread his hands, looking unconcerned.

"Whether you believe me or not is none of my concern. That's up to you. At any rate, I can make sure our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect won't suffer a calamity."

Ling Chen turned to leave, but Yu Xiaogang stopped him.

"Wait. Do you know when they'll make their move? If what you're saying is true, and things really turn out as you predict, the doors of Shrek Academy will always be open to you!"

Ling Chen didn't turn around. He held up one finger.

"I'd guess sometime this month. I don't know exactly which day."

Ling Chen pushed the door open and left. He also needed to make sure Chen Xin was prepared.

Only after Ling Chen's footsteps had faded did Tang San and the others emerge from the office next door. There was no need to ask—they'd all been eavesdropping nearby.

"Xiaogang, do you really believe that kid?"

Liu Erlong asked anxiously. This wasn't the sort of thing a child like Ling Chen could bring up lightly.

"Xiao San, what do you think?"

Yu Xiaogang looked toward Tang San. He wanted to know the Clear Sky Sect's stance.

"The Clear Sky Sect has sealed its gates, so Spirit Hall probably won't come knocking. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan is the foremost Beast Martial Soul sect, and Spirit Hall won't find it easy to take them down. As for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect..."

Tang San trailed off, and Ning Rongrong's heart tightened. As the foremost auxiliary sect, they would be much easier for Spirit Hall to attack.

"With Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo there, Spirit Hall would still have to put in some effort to take down the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. Still, since we've been warned, we should make some preparations, just in case."

Dai Mubai and the others agreed. For a sect, increasing its defenses against Spirit Hall simply meant adding more people.

After pondering for a moment, Yu Xiaogang picked up a pen and paper and began writing furiously.

But Flender, sitting on the roof, couldn't shake the feeling that something was off.

At midnight, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Seven Kill Sword Pavilion.

At some point, a portrait of Ling Chen had appeared in Chen Xin's hand. In it, Ling Chen's hair was disheveled, and the murderous intent in his eyes was hard to conceal. It showed what he had looked like after leaving Slaughter City.

"Gu Rong, where did you get this? Clear Sky Douluo wouldn't have had time to draw this little fellow a portrait."

Gu Rong sighed and patted Chen Xin on the shoulder.

"Prepare yourself. Spirit Hall has set its sights on Li Tianyi!"

At those words, Chen Xin unleashed a powerful sword intent. The portrait in his hand instantly crumbled into scraps.

"Spirit Hall, you've got some nerve! You've even set your sights on someone under my protection! Wait, Gu Rong, have you seen Li Tianyi?"

In an instant, Chen Xin realized Ling Chen wasn't in the Seven Kill Sword Pavilion and hurried outside.

The moment he stepped out, he collided head-on with Ling Chen.

"Ow! Huh? Master, where are you rushing off to?"

Ling Chen climbed up from the ground and dusted himself off.

"You scared me to death! I thought Spirit Hall had abducted you! Where have you run off to this time, you little rascal?"

Ling Chen chuckled.

"Rongrong called me to Shrek Academy. By the way, Master, did you just say... Spirit Hall might abduct me?"

Ling Chen secretly rejoiced. He'd thought it would be hard to find a way to get through to Chen Xin, but now he could use this to his advantage.

"Mm. You're not allowed to leave the sect without my permission for the time being."

"Huh?"

Ling Chen looked dejected, but luckily, he'd already sent his clone to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

"Come on, Tian Yi, listen to him! Your master's only doing this for your own good. If you got abducted, your master would storm Spirit Hall and kill them all."

Gu Rong rubbed Ling Chen's little head. Ling Chen looked up at him.

"Uncle, what would you do if they sent four Titled Douluo to capture me?"

At first, Chen Xin sensed something was off, but then he went along with Ling Chen's question.

"If it were only four Titled Douluo, your uncle and I could rely on Sect Master Ning's amplification to beat them flat."

Ling Chen blinked and continued, "What if they brought other people with them?"

At this, Gu Rong and Chen Xin were taken aback. They exchanged a glance, wondering if Ling Chen was worrying needlessly. Still, it was certainly possible.

"Tian Yi, what makes you think Spirit Hall would send other people to capture you? And four Titled Douluo, no less?"

Ling Chen rubbed his chin and answered with an earnest expression.

"Because some things can be done while they're at it. For example... wiping out a sect!"

Gu Rong and Chen Xin both took a step back in disbelief.

It sounded rather absurd, but these two old foxes were no fools. After considering the benefits at stake and whatever goal Spirit Hall might be trying to achieve, they quickly arrived at the answer.

"Fine. If something like that really happens, we won't be afraid. We'll leave it to your master!"

Once he saw that the two of them understood what he meant, Ling Chen finally walked into the Seven Kill Sword Pavilion, satisfied, and began cultivating.

His clone couldn't keep robbing tombs for now, in case it attracted attention, so he would simply have it slip into the shadows.

As for how to face Spirit Hall's Soul Hunting Operation seven days from now, Ling Chen would, of course, strike first.

He first stacked the Peerless Domain, while quickly gathering Martial Soul Origins to strengthen the Green Steel Sword for the fifth time.

Then saving Chen Xin's arm wouldn't be too difficult.