Golden House Hides a Douluo

"Aren't you afraid of the Clear Sky Douluo?"

Chu Zhao shot back.

That single sentence completely crushed Flender's hopes of winning Chu Zhao back.

As much as he hated to lose such a peerless genius as Chu Zhao, and wanted to shamelessly beg her to return,

Tang Hao did not want Chu Zhao and Tang San attending the same academy, and Flender did not dare offend a Titled Douluo like Tang Hao.

"Forget it. We were never meant to be."

Flender shook his head and let out a long sigh, filled with regret.

Secretly, he cursed Tang Hao in his heart.

Seriously, a dignified Titled Douluo was worried about something like this? Afraid that someone might endanger his son, he used his power to drive them away. That was truly terrifying.

Flender had completely forgotten that he too had worried Chu Zhao might bring danger to Shrek, and had also agreed that she should leave.

It was only because he had now seen how astonishing Chu Zhao's talent was, how boundless and brilliant her future would be, that he wanted to bask in her glory. Perhaps someday, Shrek Academy might truly have a graduate become an elder of Spirit Hall!

That was why he regretted not keeping Chu Zhao.

And in Flender's heart, his Shrek Academy specialized in nurturing geniuses among geniuses—monsters—and was the academy best suited for geniuses.

Yet he had forgotten that he had no ability to teach Chu Zhao, nor could he meet the conditions she required.

How could he possibly have kept her?

"Boss, Boss, something huge happened!"

Early that morning, Wang Sheng's booming voice came from outside, pulling Chu Zhao out of her cultivation.

"What huge thing could possibly happen? Did the sky fall?"

Before Chu Zhao could speak, Wu Yun, who had just fallen asleep in the next room and been woken by the noise, angrily shoved open her door. Her voice was full of fury as she sent a Black Whirlwind at Wang Sheng.

Because of the special nature of her martial soul, Wu Yun cultivated much more effectively at night. She usually cultivated at night and slept at dawn.

Having just fallen asleep only to be woken up, her morning temper was truly fierce.

"Something really did happen! Those lunatics from Heaven Dou have caught up, and they even brought other lunatics with them."

After dodging Wu Yun's attack in a sorry state, Wang Sheng continued without even catching his breath.

"Those lunatics led by Dugu Yan?"

Wu Yun was fully awake now. Hearing that name made her both annoyed and afraid.

"That's right, them. And their target is very clear—they came specifically for us. They said they want to wipe away their previous humiliation."

Wang Sheng sighed as he spoke, then said in an irritatingly smug tone,

"Could it be that being too strong is our fault? Maybe. So being too strong can make people jealous too. Sigh, how about we go easy on them and lose? That way..."

"Shut up! You're giving me goosebumps."

Chu Zhao ruthlessly cut Wang Sheng off, then turned to the others who had come out after hearing the commotion.

"It's nothing serious. They came looking for a beating, so just deal with them as usual. Gold Senior and I will handle Dugu Bo."

With Chu Zhao's words, the seven of them felt as though they had swallowed a reassurance pill, and their hearts settled.

"Got it, Boss!"

Previously, when Chu Zhao had taken Wang Sheng and the other seven to train at the various Great Soul Arenas, they had encountered a team from Heaven Dou, and Wang Sheng's group had defeated them.

Jin Qianqian, also a control-type soul master who wielded poison and dual control abilities, had accidentally dealt a blow to Dugu Yan, the poison-control soul master on the Heaven Dou team.

That had stirred up a hornet's nest.

Dugu Bo had an extremely overprotective grandfather named Dugu Bo, a Titled Douluo.

That protective old poisoner did not care about reason at all. He had directly come after Chu Zhao and the others, using his status to pressure them.

Fortunately, Chu Zhao had also raised a Titled Douluo.

At the time, the Titled Douluo known as Gold had been a Soul Douluo less than half a year earlier. But a Titled Douluo was still a Titled Douluo. He had held Dugu Bo in check and stopped him from causing further trouble.

"Should we ask Gold Senior to come to Suotuo City? I have a feeling Poison Douluo might be following behind Dugu Yan."

Jin Qianqian suggested worriedly, with a trace of self-blame in her voice. She had always believed this disaster had been caused by her, and no matter how they comforted her, she continued to torment herself over it.

"There's no need. As long as Dugu Bo knows we have a Titled Douluo backing us, that's enough. I don't want to build another Golden House. Do you know how much that would cost? Don't make me poor."

Chu Zhao hurriedly refused Jin Qianqian's suggestion. That last sentence was the real point.

How could Chu Zhao, a Soul King with no backing, recruit a Titled Douluo?

With nothing but sincerity?

Of course not!

It was all money!

She had practically smashed him into submission with Gold Soul Coins!

Although Gold Douluo had only been a Soul Douluo at the time, in order to recruit that talent, Chu Zhao had specially used Gold Soul Coins to build him a house where he could live and go about his daily life.

It had cost Chu Zhao dearly, practically emptied her entire fortune.

But Gold Douluo had not disappointed Chu Zhao's trust. In the second year after moving into the Golden House, he successfully broke through to become a Titled Douluo.

Yet from then on, he seemed to have taken root in that Golden House and refused to come out.

He rejected everyone who came to recruit him or ask for his help.

He claimed that he had grown accustomed to living in a Golden House and would live only in a Golden House. If someone wanted his help, that was fine, but he needed a Golden House—an identical Golden House.

Although Chu Zhao and he had an employment relationship, the man had already gotten carried away. If she brought him to Suotuo City, he would definitely pester Chu Zhao into building another Golden House for him there.

That was a Golden House fit for people to live in! Even the furniture inside was made from Gold Soul Coins, built piece by piece from tiny Gold Soul Coins. To this day, Chu Zhao did not dare calculate how many Gold Soul Coins she had used to build that Golden House.

Even thinking about it now made her heart ache. She had agreed far too easily back then.

So Chu Zhao immediately changed the subject and asked, "Who else did Dugu Yan and her group bring?"

"I heard it's Blue Tyrant Academy, one of Heaven Dou City's major advanced Soul Master Academies. They're still some distance from Suotuo City, so more detailed information hasn't arrived yet."

Blue Tyrant Academy—wasn't that Shrek Academy's predecessor?

Liu Erlong, the ultimate Love Brain who selflessly devoted herself to Yu Xiaogang, the finest nourishment Shrek Academy could have.

But why had they come? In the original story, Blue Tyrant Academy had never come to Suotuo City!

Still, according to the plot, the Royal Fight Team led by Dugu Yan would come to Suotuo City, but this was clearly much earlier than it should have been.

Was this the butterfly effect?

Then would Liu Erlong of Blue Tyrant Academy and Yu Xiaogang of Shrek Academy meet ahead of time? Would the two academies merge early, skipping the Royal Fight Team's visit?

A wicked thought immediately surfaced in Chu Zhao's mind. She planned to stir up the plot a little.

"Why don't I give you a hand? I really am such a kind and helpful person, warmly helping a couple separated for years reunite and mend their broken relationship."