"Blockading our gates? Dean Yan certainly had an elegant pastime!"
The speaker was the current Sect Master of the Xuanming Sect and Xu Sanshi's father.
Since his precious son had been slashed across the cheek, many more white hairs had appeared on his head. He looked much older than the last time they had seen him.
Though he was more than ten years younger than Yan Shaozhe, he now looked like an old man on the verge of death.
He coughed and swept his gaze over the crowd before settling on Ma Xiaotao.
"I heard the Star Luo Imperial Family funded you, Dean Yan, and you opened another academy.
"I never expected you to use the Xuanming Sect as your whetstone this time. Are you hoping to advertise your academy's teaching standards across the continent?
"I could cooperate, actually, but my subordinates aren't entirely obedient. Please bear with them!"
Xu Wuwei spoke at an unhurried pace and stretched out a hand to stop the seven Soul Douluo elders.
Meanwhile, calculations churned in his mind.
The Xuanming Sect had developed at breakneck speed over the past two years. A breakthrough in the key to evolving the Xuanming Shield Martial Soul had greatly increased the sect's overall strength.
He was now confident enough to pit the sect's disciples against the people Yan Shaozhe had brought.
He had ambitions of his own.
The Xuanming Sect was powerful, but only within the Dou Ling Empire.
Across the three great empires of the Original Continent, its strength merely placed it at the top of the middle ranks.
It could not stand among the continent's foremost powers like the Clear Sky Sect or the Body Sect.
The Xuanming Sect had originated thousands of years ago! It had wielded influence over the Dou Ling Empire for centuries