Shrek students had all become rare consumables
Inside the Clear Sky Sect's main hall, chaos had completely erupted.
The elders slammed their fists on the table, and a chorus of curses erupted.
"That wretched Tang Hao!" The Seventh Elder slammed his fist on the coffee table, sending splinters flying. "He got the 100,000-year Soul Ring, and he even advanced to the Titled Douluo, but look what he's done to our Clear Sky Sect! How many years has the Spirit Hall been hunting us down? How many disciples have died? He's the one who caused all this trouble!"
"Yes!" The Second Elder's face turned red with anger. "Back then, the Spirit Hall's army pressed in, forcing us to hand over Tang Hao. We couldn't, so we could only expel him from the sect. But the ties of the Martial Soul Hall can't be severed. We could only cower in the mountains, and that's how we've been hiding for so many years! The Clear Sky Sect went from being the number one sect in the world to this cowardly state, all because of him!"
"He's doing fine, hiding away and living a carefree life," the Fourth Elder sneered. "He dumped all the mess on us and pocketed Ah Yin's Soul Ring. Does this guy even deserve the surname Tang?"
Tang Xiao sat in the main seat, silent. He clutched his chest, his face even paler than before. Every curse from the elders felt like it was stabbing him in the back.
Tang Hao is his younger brother, whom he raised. He is also partly responsible for the trouble Tang Hao caused.
But now he doesn't even have the strength to defend Tang Hao.
He loved Ah Yin Ah Yin much, yet he ended up harming her.
If only I had persisted a little longer.
At this moment, Tang Xiao was just like Flender back then, watching Yu Xiaogang run away from his wedding.
The disciples had already gathered in the square outside the hall.
Someone shouted first, and then the voices grew louder and louder.
Inside the hall, the elders reacted with varying expressions upon hearing the commotion outside.
The Seventh Elder remained silent for a moment before speaking first, "The disciples outside are right. Tang Hao's matter must be resolved. He's been hiding for so many years, and we've been taking the blame for him for so long. Now that Heavenly Screen has revealed the truth, if we don't take action, the Clear Sky Sect will truly have no face to show its face."
"Yes, wipe out Tang Hao," the Second Elder said in a deep voice. "Take his head to atone for the disciples who died in the pursuit of the Spirit Hall over the years. Then, reappear and tell the world that the Clear Sky Sect is not a coward."
"But he is, after all, the sect leader's younger brother." The Fourth Elder glanced at Tang Xiao, not really taking him to heart, but he still had to give him face.
Tang Xiao sat in the main seat, not answering immediately. He clutched his chest, his face pale, his fingers trembling slightly.
He looked around; everyone inside and outside the hall was waiting for his words. After a long silence, he spoke slowly, his voice hoarse. "He did something wrong, and he must admit it. The Clear Sky Sect cannot hide forever."
The Spirit Hall isn't bothering us now because Qian Daoliu is being reasonable; others might not be so.
The hall fell silent.
The First Elder nodded, turned and walked out of the hall to announce the decision.
To punish the traitor Tang Hao.
In the Heavenly Screen above, in Heaven Dou City, at the Tang Sect Headquarters.
Zang Xin sat in his study, a pile of account books spread out in front of him, his brows furrowed in a deep frown.
He turned a page, sighed, turned another page, and sighed again. The numbers in the ledger looked terrible. Income had decreased by more than half, while expenditures remained unchanged.
The Tang Sect has tens of thousands of members who need to eat, the weapons workshop needs to be started, the Soul Tool laboratory needs to be put into operation, and the medicinal herbs in the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well need to be maintained.
But where will the money come from?
"Customs is blocked," the deacon sitting opposite reported in a low voice. "Xu Tiankuo's men have taken control of all the ports in the Federation, Tang Sect's cargo ships can't leave. The military has taken over the sea routes, and any ship flying the Tang Sect's flag is being strictly inspected. Even the Federation's internal logistics have been cut off. Weapon parts that the Tang Sect is transporting to various places are seized before they even cross the third city boundary, all on the grounds of 'suspected arms smuggling.'"
"Arms smuggling," Zang Xin repeated, a wry smile on his face. "The Tang Sect has been creating Soul Tool for tens of thousands of years; when have they ever smuggled arms!"
"Not only that," the steward said, "Xu Tiankuo also issued an order that all businesses trading with the Tang Sect must undergo a security-wide review. Several of our long-time customers are already afraid to do business with us, fearing they'll be implicated."
Zang Xin closed the ledger and tossed it onto the table. He leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes, and remained silent for a long time.
"Hopefully, Ling Zichen can earn some money during this trip to the Federation."
It's a pity we didn't bring anything back this time.
It even cost the researchers their lives.
Of course, the worst off are the students of the Shrek Academy, who are expendable resources, non-renewable assets.
As for why it's a consumable item...
Because they can't throw feces at the college.
Each of them became a pioneer in the Federation's exploration of the universe.
That's right, the Federation people either forgot about the return-to-home device, or they simply never installed it even once.
The main issue is that it feels like a bit of a waste of materials.
Furthermore, to save fuel, they didn't pack much food. They were hungry, but didn't they have companions?
The students of the Shrek Academy are all fulfilling the dreams of the Prison Emperor.
Our goal is the stars and the sea.
Several days later, a large, gray-blue fleet of warships cut through the waves on the sea.
The ship was not flying the Federation flag. Yin Hongye stood at the bow, his red clothes fluttering in the sea breeze.
Mu Hongchen sat on a folding chair on the deck, fiddling with a portable chart instrument.
Qian Renxue, Di Qiuer, Na'er, and Yuanen Yehui each found a place to stay; some took a nap, some read books, and some stared blankly at the sea.
We've been at sea for quite some time now. For the first few days, we were all chatting and laughing, but later all we could hear was the sound of waves crashing against the boat.
"How much further?" Di Qiuer leaned against the ship's railing, gazing at the boundless sea, her voice muffled.
Life at sea is undoubtedly dull and monotonous.
"According to the sea chart, it'll be another three or four days." Mu Hongchen glanced at the sea chart. "Dou Ling Continent is a bit farther than Star Luo Continent."
"What's the situation on Dou Ling's side now?" Qian Renxue asked.
"Chaos," Yin Hongye said. "Right now, there are both natural and man-made disasters. Our Federation has added a bit of man-made disaster, burning some nobles' private grain reserves. You know what they'll do when they lose things."
"Got it, embezzlement!" Qian Renxue understood immediately.
Suddenly, a column of water surged up from the sea ahead.
A rainbow appeared under the sunlight.
As the mist dissipated, a gigantic whale emerged from the sea. It was tens of meters long, its entire body a deep blue, and with a flick of its tail fin, it could create waves several meters high.
Di Qiuer clung to the gunwale, her eyes wide with amazement. "It's huge! We won't be bored anymore, let's catch some fish!"
"It's a Deep Sea Demon Whale." Na'er stood beside her, her silver hair fluttering in the sea breeze. "A hundred thousand years of cultivation. Is it really necessary to make a move?"
Yin Hongye stood at the bow of the ship, glanced at the whale, and suddenly spoke up, "Wait a minute. Such a rare Soul Beast as the Deep Sea Demon Whale, and there's actually a 100,000-year-old one here."
In his memory, there were only three in this era. One of them was the Deep Sea Demonic Whale King, which Tang Wulin encountered when he went to the Star Luo Continent in the original novel.
The other two are Demon Empress, which can be ruled out.
Then there's the Demon Empress's daughter, Lan Fozi.
The Deep Sea Demonic Whale King outside the Heavenly Screen, upon seeing the Soul Beast Heavenly Screen, was filled with excitement, which already proved the answer.