About to Depart

Bang!

"What?!"

"You intend to head to the Star Dou Forest alone, and you want to drag Tian'er along to study abroad at Shrek Academy?!"

Accompanied by the sound of a palm slamming hard against the solid wood tabletop, Wind Douluo let out a deafening roar.

He never imagined that after three years of working himself to the bone across the continent, to the point where his beard was nearly falling out from exhaustion, he would return to the academy only to have his seat barely warm before being blindsided.

He had just run into his young master, who came over full of excitement, claiming he wanted to take the other little ancestor on a long journey.

And to make matters worse, they were heading straight into the home of their hypothetical enemy!

What kind of old man could possibly stomach this?

"Uh, is there a problem with that..."

"Problem... Sect Master! You have to do something about this brat!"

Looking at the youth slumped on the sofa like a piece of dead weight, Wind Douluo, knowing he couldn't win an argument against him, quickly turned his head toward the main seat, his face full of entreaty.

Sect Master, you must not agree!

Otherwise, this old man will have to go back to sleeping in the wind and eating in the dew!

On the other side, Ning Hao, sensing what Wind Douluo was thinking, also felt a surge of frustration.

If he could, he wouldn't want a "blond brat" leading his own daughter off to a place like Shrek Academy.

Not only were the risks high and the rewards low, but it would also delay the cultivation of the sect's secret techniques; it was truly a case of the loss outweighing the gain.

However, he was the person who communicated with Ning Huan the most, aside from Ning Tian and Zhang Lexuan.

He knew clearly that this kid would never shoot without a target.

So, it was highly probable that he had received some information and, worried that his subordinates couldn't handle it, decided to step in personally!

In the end, Ning Hao shook his head imperceptibly, making Wind Douluo's heart skip a beat.

The Sect Master shouldn't... agree, right...

Unfortunately, as the saying goes, what you fear most is what happens.

The Nine Treasures Glazed Sect, already past the point of no return, would not stop its progress because of one person's toil.

"Uncle Feng, calm down. Since Xiao Huan has made this request to go out, he must have his own reasons. It wouldn't hurt to hear him out first."

As these words fell, Wind Douluo felt his vision go dark, his life devoid of hope.

His helpless appearance, as if he had lost all means of resistance, caused the other two elders to snicker.

"Old Feng, you really should move your body more. You're a Wind martial soul, after all; hiding in the academy all day is unbecoming."

Just as Shield Defense Douluo finished speaking, Sword Douluo, who had been watching the show the whole time, quickly chimed in.

"Exactly, it saves you from spending your days in the academy teasing cats and walking birds, showing no dignity as an elder."

"Then why don't the two of you go!"

"Look at you, my martial soul is the Armored Dragon Heavy Shield, I'm naturally sedentary, and Old Sword is the strongest, he must protect the Sect Master at all times and cannot get away."

Wind Douluo: "..."

Fine!

Ganging up to bully this old man!

Fine!

Once this kid's plan unfolds, you two will be the ones suffering!

Just as the three elders were bickering, Ning Hao, who had sat down across from Ning Huan at some point, also raised his own questions.

"Xiao Huan, can you tell me what kind of idea could make you, who have lived in seclusion for three years, take the initiative to show yourself?"

"And it's so... well, challenging."

There was no helping it; supporting him was one thing, but not understanding was another.

After all, in his view, the two things Ning Huan planned to do were too risky and too irrational.

They didn't seem like decisions he would make.

Going to the Star Dou Forest was fine.

As a level fifty-seven Soul King, plus his unfathomable methods, as long as he didn't trespass into the core area or provoke a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, there would almost certainly be no accidents.

But [taking Ning Tian to study abroad at Shrek Academy] left him completely baffled.

Who exactly is even at Shrek?!

In a daze, Ning Hao seemed to have suddenly thought of something.

As his brows narrowed, several seemingly unrelated pieces of information in his mind instantly connected.

Immediately after, he subconsciously looked up at the young man in front of him, so shocked that he couldn't help but suck in a breath through his teeth.

Could the Second Young Master of the White Tiger be Xiao Huan's doing?

Could it be that he is going this time to monitor him?

It's possible!

On the other hand, Ning Huan looked quite helpless after noticing the change in Ning Hao's expression.

He felt that the things he had arranged over the past three years were quite absurd.

Without knowing the premise, anyone would be left clueless.

Yet, even so, Ning Hao was still able to guess the general idea...

Smart people are truly annoying!

"Uncle Ning, just keep it to yourself; don't you dare throw me under the bus."

"Get lost! I'm not a child; I know the gravity of the situation!"

"Uh, I'm not worried about you; I'm worried about..."

Hearing this, Ning Huan couldn't help but look out the window.

There lay the exclusive training ground belonging to the Sect Master's lineage.

At this moment, the three elders were already brawling in the sky, engaged in an incredibly fierce fight.

There was absolutely no trace of the solemnity expected of Title Douluo elders.

"..."

Ning Hao, his head covered in black lines, fell into silence, and it was a long time before he spoke again.

"I understand. I'll find some excuse to explain things to Uncle Feng, so you can rest easy."

"As for you... be careful in everything!"

"Remember, if things become impossible, you must ensure your own safety and that of Tian'er."

"As long as the green hills remain, there's no need to worry about firewood!"

"Alright."

Seeing the worried expression on Ning Hao's face as he gave his repeated instructions, Ning Huan felt a warmth in his heart for no reason.

Recalling their time together over the past three years, he realized that, unknowingly, he had already come to regard the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect as his own home.

I clearly only intended for it to be a mutually beneficial arrangement at the start...

Forget it, who can ever truly fathom the nature of emotions...

After grumbling to himself, Ning Huan stood up, straightened his clothes, and walked toward the door.

"There's no time to lose. I'll head out first. You can arrange things with Shrek Academy and Tian'er however you like, as long as I can stay for three full months."

"I know. Aren't you going to say goodbye to Tian'er and Kei before you leave?"

"No, it's only a month; it's not that long."

"What about the supplies?"

"They're already prepared. See you later... Uncle Ning."

"...See you later."

Thud.

The dull sound of the door closing echoed leisurely through the reception hall.

Once it faded, a deathly silence followed.

A moment later, a breeze swept in.

"Sect Master, has the brat left?"

"Yes, young people have their own ideas; they cannot live under our wings forever."

"Do you need me to follow him?"

This time, Ning Hao did not answer directly. He simply returned to his desk, pulled out a sheet of letter paper, and said:

"Uncle Feng, I know you and Xiao Huan have the best personal relationship, but he must move forward on his own."

"The Star Dou Forest is the best touchstone for him to truly step onto the continent."

"Besides, with his cunning and methods, who could possibly harm him?"

As he spoke, his face, which had been as calm as an ancient well, suddenly showed a hint of playfulness and anticipation.

"Just wait and see; it won't be long before some interesting stories come out of Shrek~"

As soon as these words were spoken, the movement of Wind Douluo stroking his beard suddenly stiffened.

Sensing that something was terribly wrong, he was just about to flash away when he was pinned by the shoulders by both the Sword and Shield Defender, unable to move.

"As it happens, Uncle Feng, you can run another errand and deliver this letter to Yan Shaozhe. I imagine his expression will be quite spectacular."

"Uh, Sect Master, can I not go?"

However, the only response he received was Ning Hao's sly, mischievous smile.