Setting the Stage

After confirming that Tang San and the others had left, Yu Xiaogang's expression turned solemn.

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

Ling Chen smiled slightly and shook his head in denial.

"Family affairs, state affairs, world affairs—I care about them all! Not to mention your Shrek Academy, even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect is busy with its own matters and knows very little about the intelligence regarding Martial Soul Hall."

Yu Xiaogang rubbed his chin; he could not deny that this was indeed the truth.

Ling Chen continued, "Let me ask you, how many Title Douluo does Martial Soul Hall currently possess?"

"Seven Great Consecrated, ten Elders, and two Pope Douluo!"

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

"And what about the Heaven Dou Empire?"

Yu Xiaogang fell silent. Even counting the Title Douluo of the Upper Three Sects, there were only six.

With Martial Soul Hall holding so many Title Douluo, to say nothing of the soul masters under their command, and being sandwiched between the two great empires, it would be a fool's errand to claim Martial Soul Hall had no ambition to expand.

"How can you be certain that Martial Soul Hall will move against the Upper Three Sects?"

Yu Xiaogang was puzzled. Although the Upper Three Sects could not match Martial Soul Hall in peak combat power, they were still top-tier sects, and their foundations were not much inferior to Martial Soul Hall.

Ling Chen naturally would not tell him that this was the plot of the original work, an inevitable event.

"A soldier is trained for a thousand days to be used for a single moment. If they cripple our Upper Three Sects in one fell swoop, how many sects will be left in the future to contend with Martial Soul Hall?"

Ling Chen spoke bluntly, leaving Yu Xiaogang lost in thought.

He would not fully trust Ling Chen just because of such a prank; he even deduced that this might just be a method for Ling Chen to frame others.

"I am sorry, but I cannot believe your one-sided story."

Yu Xiaogang still voiced his thoughts, and Ling Chen shrugged, looking indifferent.

"Whether you believe it or not has nothing to do with me; that is up to you. In any case, I can ensure that our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect will not suffer a catastrophe."

Ling Chen turned to leave, but Yu Xiaogang blocked his path.

"Wait, do you know when they will act? If the situation is true and the outcome is as you say, the doors of Shrek Academy will always be open to you!"

Ling Chen did not look back, merely holding up a single finger.

"I estimate within this month. As for the specific day, I do not know."

Ling Chen pushed the door open and left; he also needed to have Chen Xin prepare.

Hearing Ling Chen's footsteps fade away, Tang San and the others emerged from the adjacent office. It went without saying that they had been eavesdropping the entire time.

"Xiaogang, do you really believe that kid's words?"

Liu Erlong asked with some concern; such matters were truly not things a child like Ling Chen should be discussing casually.

"Xiao San, what do you think?"

Yu Xiaogang's gaze turned to Tang San; he wanted to know the Clear Sky Sect's stance.

"The Clear Sky Sect has sealed its mountain gates, so Martial Soul Hall should not be able to find them. As the number one beast soul sect, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan will not be easy for Martial Soul Hall to take down. As for the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect..."

When Tang San said this, Ning Rongrong's heart tightened. As the number one support-type sect, it would be much easier for Martial Soul Hall to attack them.

"With Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo there, it would take some effort for Martial Soul Hall to take the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. However, since this is a warning, we should make some preparations just in case."

Dai Mubai and the others expressed their agreement. For a sect, increasing defenses against Martial Soul Hall simply meant adding more manpower.

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

Yet, Flender, sitting on the eaves, felt that something was not quite right.

In the middle of the night, at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, in the Seven Kill Sword Pavilion.

Chen Xin held a portrait of Ling Chen that had appeared in his hand at some point. In the portrait, Ling Chen's hair was disheveled, and the killing intent in his eyes was hard to hide—it was how Ling Chen looked after leaving Slaughter City.

"Gu Rong, where did you get this? Clear Sky Douluo wouldn't have the time to draw pictures for this little guy."

Gu Rong sighed and patted Chen Xin on the shoulder.

"Prepare yourself mentally; Li Tianyi has been targeted by Martial Soul Hall!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xin suddenly erupted with a tyrannical sword intent, and the portrait in his hand instantly turned into dust.

"A fine Martial Soul Hall! They dare to scheme against me! Wait, Gu Rong, have you seen Li Tianyi?"

In an instant, Chen Xin realized Ling Chen was not in the Seven Kill Sword Pavilion and rushed out in a hurry.

As soon as he stepped out, he collided head-on with Ling Chen.

"Ouch! Eh? Master, why are you in such a rush? Where are you going?"

Ling Chen climbed up from the ground and brushed the dust off his clothes.

"You scared me to death! I thought you had been snatched away by Martial Soul Hall! Where did you run off to this time, you brat?"

Ling Chen chuckled.

"Rongrong called me to Shrek Academy. By the way, Master, you just said... Martial Soul Hall snatched me?"

Ling Chen secretly rejoiced; he had worried that finding a breakthrough point with Chen Xin would be difficult, but now he had the perfect excuse to stir up trouble.

"Hmm, you are not to leave the sect without my permission for the time being."

"Ah?"

Ling Chen looked incredibly dejected, though fortunately, he had already sent his clone to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan in advance.

"Alright, Tian Yi, be a good boy! Your master is only doing this for your own good! If you were to be snatched away, your master would surely storm Martial Soul Hall."

Gu Rong patted Ling Chen's small head, and Ling Chen looked up slightly to meet his gaze.

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

Chen Xin felt something was amiss the moment he heard this, so he followed Ling Chen's line of questioning.

"If it were merely four Title Douluo, your Uncle-Master and I, with the support of Sect Master Ning, would surely beat them into the dirt."

Ling Chen blinked his eyes and continued to ask.

"What if they brought others along as well?"

Hearing this, Gu Rong and Chen Xin were slightly startled. They exchanged a glance, wondering if Ling Chen was worrying over nothing, yet they had to admit it was a distinct possibility.

"Tian Yi, how can you be so sure that Martial Soul Hall would send others to capture you, or even four Title Douluo?"

Ling Chen rubbed his chin and said with a solemn expression.

"Because some things can be done while they are at it, for instance... exterminating a sect!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Xin and Gu Rong took a step back in disbelief.

It sounded absurd, but these two old foxes were no fools. Once they weighed the interests at stake and the potential goals Martial Soul Hall might be pursuing, they quickly arrived at an answer.

"Fine, if such a situation truly arises, we have nothing to fear—just leave it to your master!"

Seeing that both of them understood his implication, Ling Chen walked into the Seven Kill Sword Pavilion with satisfaction and began his cultivation.

His clone could no longer continue grave robbing to avoid drawing attention, so he simply had it retreat into the shadows.

As for how to face the Soul Hunting Operation of Martial Soul Hall in seven days, Ling Chen naturally intended to strike first.

He began by stacking his Peerless Domain, taking the opportunity to rapidly collect Martial Soul Origin to perform the fifth enhancement on his Green Steel Sword.

If he could do that, protecting Chen Xin's arm would not be too difficult.