Ning Fengzhi had indeed been sincere, but he had also failed to think things through. Offering only to fund the construction of an Akademiya Branch was far too little.
"I do have a way to evolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul into the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda, but that deal wouldn't be fair to the Akademiya. My Akademiya isn't so short on funds that it needs this."
Ouyang Kong's voice was calm and businesslike.
Ning Fengzhi realized he had acted rashly. With a god presiding over the Akademiya, how could it really be short of money? His offer to fund the project made him look like a clown.
Ning Fengzhi was about to say something else when the Sky Screen showed a new scene.
It was still that secret chamber, but this time, the situation had been reversed.
Seriously wounded and unable to fight back, Qian Xunji was pierced through the body by Bibi Dong, then completely devoured.
"This is what you owed me! Hahahaha! Hahahaha!"
Bibi Dong's frenzied laughter and the evil aura erupting from her spread across the Sky Screen, clear for everyone on the Douluo Continent to see.
Beneath the Spirit Hall pope's radiant exterior lay such an ugly side. Now that the Sky Screen had exposed it, Spirit Hall's reputation was bound to plummet.
In the Worship Hall in Spirit City, Qian Daoliu clenched his fists. He had had a chance to save Qian Xunji back then, but he had hesitated.
Seeing that scene again on the Sky Screen, his numb heart still ached.
Meanwhile, in Pope's Palace, Bibi Dong laughed with delight. Devouring Qian Xunji and beginning the Rakshasa God Trial had been one of the few times since that incident when she had truly felt happy.
"Hahaha! An eye for an eye, Qian Xunji! You owed me this! You owed me! Hahaha!"
Chrysanthemum Douluo and Ghost Douluo felt their scalps prickle as they listened to Bibi Dong's laughter. With this matter exposed, Spirit Hall was likely in for a major shake-up.
They would have to think carefully about whether they should continue to side with Bibi Dong.
At Blue Tyrant Academy, Qian Renxue had truly broken down this time. She collapsed to the ground, staring blankly at the Sky Screen as the scene ended.
The first blow: her mother had been forced by her father. She had managed to hold herself together!
And now there was a second blow: her own mother was her father's killer. How could she accept that? Anyone would be unable to bear it!
They were still inside Nahida's Sanctuary of Surasthana. Without the influence of the sanctuary, Qian Renxue's mind would probably have completely collapsed by now.
She Long stepped forward and asked Qian Renxue with concern how she was doing. Qian Renxue suddenly sprang to her feet.
"Uncle She! I'm going back to Spirit Hall. I'm going to kill her and avenge him!"
"Your Highness, please calm down!"
"I can't calm down!"
Qian Renxue simply dispelled her disguise, revealing her true appearance.
Ning Fengzhi, Sword Douluo, Prince Xue Xing, and the people from Shrek all looked astonished.
After his initial surprise, Xue Beng was overjoyed. Xue Qinghe was an impostor, which meant he was the rightful crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire.
Sethos, Tighnari, and Collei also looked slightly surprised, while Nefer wore an expression that said she had expected as much.
Ouyang Kong and Nahida remained calm. Ouyang Kong had known about it all along, and Nahida had seen through Qian Renxue's disguise at first glance.
Qian Renxue paid no attention to anyone else's reaction. She spread her wings and flew off, and She Long hurried after her to ensure her safety.
"So Qinghe was an impostor! When did this happen? I never noticed at all. And who was the person pretending to be him?
"She only shouted about seeking revenge after seeing the Sky Screen. Could she be the daughter of Qian Xunji and Bibi Dong?
"The Heaven Dou Empire and Spirit Hall are both probably about to undergo a major shift in power."
Ning Fengzhi turned these matters over in his mind, but soon realized that this was not the time to think about them.
He should instead consider how to get the Akademiya to help evolve his Martial Soul from the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda into the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda.
Only then did Ning Fengzhi realize that, apart from its wealth, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect didn't seem to have much else to offer.
By then, the Sanctuary of Surasthana covering Heaven Dou City had disappeared. Kaveh had already pulled out his blueprints and begun discussing them with Dori and Nefer.
Compared to Bibi Dong's past being exposed on the Sky Screen, his work was more important.
"Kaveh, everything else can wait. Build the Statue of the Seven for Lesser Lord Kusanali first."
"Understood. You heard him, Lord Sangemah Bay. We need to arrange the materials for the Statue of the Seven first."
"I know, I know. Doing business with your own people really is the hardest."
Liu Erlong realized they had been pushed to the sidelines. She hadn't even agreed to give up the land Blue Tyrant Academy stood on yet.
"Xiaogang, what do we do now?"
"What's done is done. There's no changing it now. We can only try to secure as much benefit as possible."
Yu Xiaogang was also burning with excitement inside. A true god stood right before him, and surely a god could solve the problem of his Martial Soul's harmful mutation.
He was confident that, with his knowledge, even a god would have to look at him with new respect.
The highest level of a liar was to fool himself, and Yu Xiaogang had clearly reached that level.
In secret, Tang Hao had also witnessed the divine miracle Nahida had performed. His first thought was Ah Yin. Perhaps this goddess could bring Ah Yin back to life. The idea circled endlessly in his mind, impossible to shake.
But he had many reservations about appearing before Nahida to make his plea, and he didn't dare show himself.
Ning Fengzhi moved closer to Tighnari and asked him for advice.
"Mr. Tighnari, could you offer me some guidance? I'd be most grateful."
"Actually, Lesser Lord Kusanali is a very generous god. She listens carefully to her followers' wishes and responds to them."
Tighnari had put it discreetly, but Ning Fengzhi understood: he was being advised to become a follower of Lesser Lord Kusanali.
But how could he become a follower? By merging the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into the Akademiya? By submitting to the Akademiya? Was that worth it?
As Ning Fengzhi weighed the pros and cons, Yu Xiaogang stepped forward.
"The Akademiya has taken over the land Blue Tyrant Academy stands on. Shouldn't its students be allowed to join the Akademiya and enjoy its cultivation resources? Even a god has to be reasonable!"
He stepped forward as if demanding justice, but unfortunately, no one paid him the slightest attention. He was nothing but a clown.
But Yu Xiaogang had thick skin and didn't feel embarrassed. He continued to shout.
"So this is the Akademiya? Seizing land and driving out the original owners? How is that any different from Spirit Hall, that den of filth and corruption?"
As soon as he finished speaking, he was forced to the ground in a full prostration.
Ouyang Kong hadn't wanted to deal with this clown, but he had insisted on jumping out to make a nuisance of himself.
"Defaming the Akademiya deserves a small punishment. You'll kneel for three days. If you want to join the Akademiya, wait until the branch is built and take the entrance examination. The Akademiya doesn't accept just any trash!"
With that, Ouyang Kong sent Yu Xiaogang flying to the busiest part of Heaven Dou City. He liked showing off, didn't he? Then Ouyang Kong would make sure everyone knew who he was.
Before you continue