The Reason

"Ever since I inherited the legacy of my predecessors and took over as sect master, I haven't had a moment's rest."

"Heaven rewards the diligent. With what I'd learned over the years and the help of the three elders..."

"The Nine Treasures Glazed Sect reached the pinnacle of its strength in the past four thousand years under my leadership."

As he spoke, Ning Hao's lips curled into a faintly smug smile.

Clearly, he was very pleased with his ability and accomplishments.

But the smile vanished in an instant.

The gloom that replaced it was plain even to Ning Huan. That self-satisfied chapter of his life had clearly not ended well.

Sure enough, what Ning Hao said next answered all his questions.

"Once the sect had reached its peak, the only way to advance further was to expand outward. That was exactly what I did."

"Territory, businesses, disciples..."

"We quickly seized every resource worth bringing into the sect, through careful planning and force."

"The price was a sharp decline in the number of ordinary forces around the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect."

"In the end... we attracted the attention of Shrek Academy."

As he finished, Wind Douluo and the other two suddenly darkened, and the temperature in the room dropped considerably.

The abrupt shift in atmosphere said it all.

Ning Huan and Ning Tian knew without hearing another word that the three of them had suffered at Shrek's hands.

When Ning Hao noticed the knowing looks on his junior's and daughter's faces, a rare trace of helplessness crossed his own.

Having younger people who were too clever could make it hard for adults to save face.

"Ah, looks like you've guessed how it ended."

"Back then, I was young and arrogant, and I didn't know when to hold back. In the end, Shrek... came down hard on us."

"And their method was simple..."

"They beat us into submission?"

Ning Huan's sudden remark left Ning Hao speechless.

But it also genuinely eased the increasingly oppressive atmosphere in the room.

At least Wind Douluo and the others came to their senses and reined in the aura they had unconsciously released.

They looked as if they wanted to laugh, but were too aggrieved to do so.

"Ahem. Xiao Huan, that was... remarkably concise."

Ning Hao searched for a rebuttal, but couldn't come up with one. In the end, he could only cough a few times to ease the awkwardness.

"Back then, the sect had reached unprecedented heights."

"I believed we were only a hair's breadth behind the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect led by our ancestor Feng Zhi."

"But Shrek sent just one person to 'advise' us, and years of effort went down the drain."

"First, he defeated Uncle Sword and the other two with a single punch, then subtly pressured me to give up seventy percent of what we'd just acquired."

"After that, he sprawled in our sect like a street thug, eating us out of house and home without the slightest bearing of a powerhouse."

"Even now, when I think back on what I witnessed, a knot of resentment still rises in my chest..."

When he finished, the dining hall fell silent. You could have heard a pin drop.

Seeing the indignation on Ning Hao and the others' faces, Ning Huan finally understood this unrecorded chapter of the past.

No wonder the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect had always seemed strange to him.

It was a massive sect with an outstanding leader and one Super Douluo alongside two Titled Douluos.

And within the Tianhun Empire, apart from the royal family and the Body Sect, there was hardly any force that could match it on its own.

So why were they content to remain in a corner of the world?

The answer was right here!

But one question still eluded him.

The annexation of one force by another was perfectly normal on the continent.

Even if the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect had gone a little too far at the time, it hardly warranted such a heavy-handed response from Shrek.

They'd even sent Xuan Zi—the only level 98 Super Douluo in the entire Sea God Pavilion!

And his attitude had been atrocious!

He'd come right to their doorstep, beaten their top fighters, and eaten through the sect's food budget...

Oh, that last part did sound like something Xuan Zi would do.

No surprise there~

But Shrek shouldn't have been so domineering!

Thinking of this, Ning Huan hurriedly looked up at Ning Hao.

He was just about to ask when Ning Hao gave a bitter shake of his head and said nothing.

Then he pointed to himself with his right hand and gestured three times toward the sky.

No words were needed.

Ning Huan finally understood the reason.

The Nine Treasures Glazed Sect and Shrek Academy had something in common!

Setting everything else aside, both were forces that had once produced a god. Each represented something in its own right.

Even if their strength was worlds apart, certain things were bound to make those with ulterior motives wary.

Take those old fellows in the Sea God Pavilion, who valued honor as dearly as their lives.

Putting himself in their shoes, if a distant relative of their sect suddenly produced a capable, clearheaded leader, Ning Huan would probably have moved to suppress him too.

Not for any other reason—just to keep him from taking a share of the benefits they considered theirs alone.

It was only human nature, after all.

So they feel bad for their brothers' struggles, but are afraid they'll get a taste of success...

Ning Huan clicked his tongue and thought to himself.

Suddenly, as if a thought had struck him, he subconsciously shifted his gaze to Ning Tian.

His intense stare made the girl wonder whether something was wrong with her makeup. She sat stiffly in her seat, feeling distinctly ill at ease.

No wonder...

People who play politics are rotten to the core.

When he'd read the original story, Ning Huan had always found it odd.

As the chosen successor of the Nine Treasures, why had Ning Tian gone to study at Shrek Academy, eventually even becoming a member of its inner court?

It wasn't as if she was like those two from the White Tiger family, who had to fight over a title.

With the resources of an entire sect devoted to raising one person, and the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda's accumulated knowledge spanning thousands of years, staying in the sect to cultivate was clearly the more reliable choice.

Her becoming a Soul Elder at twelve was proof enough.

The book had said she was there to recruit talented students, but thinking it over, that was only one reason.

More importantly, Ning Tian had been used as a pledge of goodwill in exchange for an opportunity for the sect to expand further.

By contrast, when Ning Hao saw Ning Huan's reaction, a little relief finally appeared on his formerly gloomy face.

"Looks like you've already guessed what I had planned."

"Planned?"

A question mark appeared over Ning Huan's head.

"Of course. If circumstances hadn't forced my hand, who would willingly put his own daughter through that?"

"So because of me, Uncle Ning, you have more choices now?"

"Mm. As a father, I have to thank you for your help."

"Then I feel a little embarrassed. I just happened to stumble into it."

The conversation between the uncle and nephew left everyone else baffled.

Especially Ning Tian.

She knew it had something to do with her, but she was too young to understand what they were getting at.

Only Wind Douluo, the quickest to catch on, seemed to understand the gist. He stayed silent.

There was no other reason. From the sound of it, their so-called plan had most likely died before it could begin.

There was no need to bring trouble down on himself.

Meanwhile, the two continued their conversation.

"But there's still a problem before us that needs to be dealt with."

"I'm all ears."

Ning Huan knew exactly what problem Ning Hao was referring to.

After all, he'd deliberately made sure everyone was watching.

It was a gamble he'd made for himself.

Win, and he would indirectly force Ning Hao to make up his mind and join him on this path, no matter where it led.

Lose, and he would simply sneak away from the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect and spend some time roughing it across the continent.

But as things stood, he'd won.