Zhao Wuji Leaves

Xie Yue went to carry out Qian Yu's arrangements and plans.

Qian Yu himself focused on cultivating, refusing to waste a single moment.

As their strength grew, their actions became more and more conspicuous.

Qian Yu felt that sooner or later, this would attract the Clear Sky Sect's attention.

By then, the situation would be even trickier than he could imagine.

He needed to prepare a way out.

At the very least, before Tang San returned, he needed a fallback that would let him advance or retreat as the situation demanded.

(I saw some readers say that Tang San couldn't return to Douluo Continent after ascending to the Divine Realm. Here's a little bit of fanfiction: the first time Tang San went up there, the Asura God King had summoned him specifically so he could pass on his godhood and make a run for it in time. Tang San also went to the Divine Realm to help the other Shrek Seven Devils find their own Godhood Inheritances. As the successor to the God King who enforced the laws of the Divine Realm, he deserved a few privileges, didn't he?)

The best choice was to head to Sun Moon Continent.

Only there could he let loose and make a full-scale push.

He might even be able to take over Sun Moon Continent, unify it, and reap the rewards of their faith.

The problem was, how could he get there?

Where Sun Moon Continent was, and all the other details—these were things he couldn't find out just yet.

If that path wouldn't work, he'd have to find a way to make the Clear Sky Sect a target for everyone, first splitting its forces apart.

He had already put a few plans in motion. To achieve his goal, he still needed more preparations and greater strength.

Two days later, Xie Yue returned safe and sound.

"Your guess was right. Yu Xiaogang was the one who arranged for all those people to spread the news that Dugu Bo was a butcher."

As soon as he saw Qian Yu, Xie Yue explained everything he'd learned in detail.

He really admired Qian Yu more and more.

Though he'd barely had any contact with those people, Qian Yu had managed to infer all sorts of hidden truths from just a little information.

Then he'd made his arrangements, and everything had unfolded exactly as he'd predicted.

"Did you find out what kind of conflict broke out between Yu Xiaogang and Shrek Academy?"

Qian Yu wasn't surprised. If things hadn't turned out as he'd wanted, that would have been surprising.

What made him even more curious now was what had gone wrong between Yu Xiaogang and Shrek Academy.

After returning to Heaven Dou City, he'd learned that Shrek Academy had no connection at all with the God Teacher.

That made no sense whatsoever.

After all, because of various circumstances, he hadn't done much to either side. He'd merely spread a little story to mess with their heads, disgust them, and sow discord between them while he was at it.

"Apparently, it had something to do with a story..."

Xie Yue then told Qian Yu what he'd managed to learn.

Qian Yu was genuinely bewildered.

Was it really that simple?

He'd only spread a little story. He hadn't even made a move yet.

And Yu Xiaogang had already fallen out with Flender.

Was the bond between them really that fragile?

"Oh, I also found out two other things."

"First, Yu Xiaogang's wife seems to be close to giving birth. Apparently, it'll happen within the next month or two. The various factions and nobles are already hunting around the market for precious gifts to give as congratulatory presents."

"Second, there's been trouble within Shrek Academy as well. Zhao Wuji has decided to leave the academy."

Xie Yue remembered the other pieces of news and reported them too.

He thought Qian Yu might be able to do something with this information.

"Zhao Wuji left Shrek Academy? Interesting!"

"Do you know the exact reason?"

Qian Yu didn't pay much attention to the news that Liu Erlong was about to give birth. He'd known about that for a long time.

He'd even considered preventing the child from ever coming into this world, but he couldn't control how things would unfold in the end.

Ultimately, his strength was limited.

He was more curious about the other matter simply to satisfy his own curiosity.

Years later, Shrek Academy would have statues of the Shrek Seven Devils and the Golden Iron Triangle.

But there wouldn't be a statue of Zhao Wuji.

When it came to contributions, Zhao Wuji had done a great deal for the Shrek Seven Devils.

For one thing, when the Titan Giant Ape had refused to back down, Zhao Wuji had stood his ground. That alone put him far above the teachers who would lead Shrek Academy ten thousand years later.

Whether or not Tang San and the others had powerful backgrounds, at least in that moment, Zhao Wuji had stepped forward.

"This wasn't hard to investigate. It's actually pretty interesting."

"Apparently, it had to do with the nobles and Shrek Academy's rules."

"Zhao Wuji felt that Shrek Academy had completely changed. The noble scions who entered the academy had mostly been warned by their families not to cause trouble, but not all of them could keep themselves in check. When Zhao Wuji stood up for a student, he offended one of the academy's biggest benefactors, a duke of the Heaven Dou Empire. Rather than offend the duke, Flender chose to make Zhao Wuji take the blame."

"And that's how things ended up like this."

Xie Yue's tone made it clear that he thought highly of Zhao Wuji.

An enemy was still an enemy, but some things had to be acknowledged. Even they had plenty of admirable qualities.

"So that's what happened?"

Qian Yu had thought there would be some juicy scandal behind it.

He hadn't expected it to be over something so minor.

Of the people at Shrek Academy, Qian Yu didn't know much about the others, but he did know a thing or two about their dean, Flender.

His claims that he wouldn't accept gifts from nobles and would only train monsters were nothing but a facade.

Whether it was befriending Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong or recruiting those unusual students, his goal had been perfectly clear.

It was a common merchant's trick—raising the value of his own brand.

They didn't hate nobles. They hated that the nobles weren't them.

After repeating the lie long enough, they'd even come to believe it themselves.

As for Zhao Wuji, Qian Yu didn't have any plans for him at the moment.

For one thing, he was hard to kill. For another, he had no value.

If Zhao Wuji had even a single Spirit Bone, Qian Yu would already be preparing for another round of hunting.

"Could I trouble you with one more thing? Take Lüzhu to hunt for her fourth Soul Ring."

After sorting through the information he'd received, Qian Yu turned to Xie Yue once more.

"Sure. I'll find her the best Soul Ring I can."

Xie Yue didn't refuse. A fourth Soul Ring was well within his capabilities.

As long as Qian Yu didn't ask him to hunt for the fourth Soul Ring he needed all by himself.

Just as Qian Yu and Xie Yue were discussing what to do next, Dugu Yan arrived in Heaven Dou City alone, seething with anger.