Poor Little Ling Escapes Her Home Academy, the Truth Behind Inspection Corps Missions, and the Heavenly Dragon Sect's Second Brother

Shrek Academy, Sea God Island.

Two slender, graceful young women strolled beside the lake, their red uniforms marking them as disciples of the Shrek Inner Court.

The black-haired, blue-eyed girl looked eighteen, her snowy skin lending her a cool, aloof beauty. She raised her head and spoke to the visibly older, beautiful woman beside her, whose manner was gentle and serene:

"Senior sister, I've made up my mind. I won't be going to the Star Dou Great Forest with everyone this time. I want to go to the Far North myself. The environment there suits me better, too."

The gentle woman addressed as senior sister had exquisite features and flawless, fair skin. Her lovely willow-leaf brows lifted slightly as she said softly:

"Luo Chen, don't act out of anger. The Far North is a forbidden land for humans, even more dangerous than the Star Dou Great Forest. Going with the academy's soul hunting team would be safer. The teacher and I would be there to look after you."

Ling Luochеn stopped and looked into Zhang Lexuan's eyes, which were filled with gentle warmth. She smiled bitterly. "Thank you, senior sister, but I'm not acting out of anger. I really can't stand that madwoman anymore.

"She's going soul hunting this time, too. Once we get there, she'll let her evil fire run wild, and I'll be the one cleaning up after her again."

"You've seen how much I've suffered suppressing her evil fire all these years, senior sister. If I hadn't been helping her, I wouldn't have the lowest soul power among the new Shrek Seven Devils. She and Dai Yueheng wouldn't be ten levels ahead of me!"

"Surely Dean Yan's personal disciple can't be his precious darling while ordinary Inner Court disciples like us are all treated like unwanted stepchildren?"

"And senior sister, are the academy's teachers really reliable? I'd rather trust you than them."

Zhang Lexuan fell silent. The madwoman Ling Luochеn meant was naturally Yan Shaozhe's sole personal disciple, a descendant of the original Shrek Seven Devils and one of the Inner Court's two living volcanoes—the Flame Maniac, Ma Xiaotao.

Her martial soul had undergone an ancestral reversion and carried potent evil fire. Once it ran out of control, she lost her reason, and an ice-attribute soul master had to expend their own soul power to suppress it for her.

Ling Luochеn, who was about her age, had unfortunately become that sacrificial victim—and remained one for years.

After getting her crushed ice fix, Ma Xiaotao felt fantastic. With her evil fire gone, she trained like mad; once she trained up more evil fire, she went looking for Little Ling.

With no one backing her, poor Little Ling had no choice but to sacrifice her cultivation time every few days, serving as a cultivation furnace for Shrek's own Miss Ma o(╥﹏╥)o.

By now, the contrast between their cultivation levels was stark. Ma Xiaotao, harvesting ice to refine her fire, had galloped far ahead, while Ling Luochеn, drained to nourish her, ranked dead last in soul power level.

Seeing that this would seriously damage her future if it continued, Ling Luochеn, who was finally about to slog her way to Soul King, decided to make a run for it. Out of sight, out of mind—for now.

Whoever wants to be that madwoman's cultivation furnace can go right ahead. I'm done serving her! I'm going out to clear my head!

At worst, you can kick me out of the Seven Devils and put some useless substitute in my place. If that ruins your title defense and costs you your ten-thousand-year glory, go cry about it!

Poor Little Ling was now making her escape from her utterly wicked home academy.

"After you've put it that way, what else can I say? I'll let Dean Yan know for you and make sure he doesn't blame you. Don't resent the academy too much, either. The tournament is only two years away."

The dazzling, glorious number-one academy in the world was nowhere near as bright and beautiful as outsiders imagined. Zhang Lexuan knew that firsthand and deeply sympathized with Ling Luochеn. But all she could do was protect her younger schoolmate within certain limits and persuade her not to give up the continent-wide showcase two years from now.

Whatever path her future took, being a member of the championship team in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Fighting Tournament was a gold-stamped credential, enough to land Little Ling an offer anywhere.

Ling Luochеn nodded glumly and smiled bitterly. "Senior sister, I'm very grateful for your help, but I really can't stay around Ma Xiaotao anymore.

"Unless that woman disappears from Shrek, I think the day I finish my Inspection Corps Mission and pass my Graduation Assessment will be the day I say goodbye to the Inner Court."

Poor Little Ling's startling words made Zhang Lexuan hastily cover her mouth.

"You can say things like that in front of me, but don't ever let anyone else hear them. Dean Yan isn't exactly broad-minded."

"Mm-hmm, I understand. Sometimes I even wonder if Ma Xiaotao is his illegitimate daughter. He indulges her in everything..."

Zhang Lexuan's face paled at those words, and she quickly changed the subject.

"You'll be going to the Far North alone, without knowing anyone or the terrain. Can you hunt the ten-thousand-year soul beast you want? Tell me your plans, and I'll help you think them through."

"I checked. The Northern Border City closest to the Far North is Dragon City. My status as an Inner Court disciple should make things easier, so I ought to be able to find a local guide at the Adventurers' Association. My family also has two high-level Soul Kings who can help."

Humble Little Ling, born to an ordinary family, laid out her case. Shrek Inner Court disciples were generally known to hold their own against opponents from outside who were a full rank above them. Ling Luochеn plus two high-level Soul Kings, rounded off, roughly equaled one Soul Emperor.

In theory, a Soul Emperor should have no trouble hunting a soul beast just over ten thousand years old.

Somewhat reassured, Zhang Lexuan added, "There's still some risk. Why not wait a little longer? Once I get back from Star Dou, I'll go to the Far North with you."

"Senior sister, please just let me do this my way."

Ling Luochеn shook her head. Ma Xiaotao disappearing from Shrek Academy was as much of a fantasy as evil soul masters attacking Shrek Academy. Since she was destined to leave, she did not want to owe Zhang Lexuan too many more favors.

"All right. But don't go looking for someone at the Adventurers' Association yourself. I have higher clearance than you. I'll find you the best-reviewed guide around Dragon City."

"Senior sister..."

"You don't have to thank me. Sometimes I feel our Inspection Corps Missions aren't all that different from the Adventurers' Association's bounty missions. If there is a difference, it's that we don't get paid."

Recalling what she had learned after becoming a Soul Douluo and gaining greater access to the academy's secrets, Zhang Lexuan's lips curved into a bleak smile.

The academy's Inspection Corps missions were essentially the Adventurers' Association's assorted high-danger, high-risk, high-reward assignments. When none of its members dared accept them, the association reached an agreement with the academy.

It was not that the Adventurers' Association paid no bounties. They simply went straight to Shrek Academy rather than into the students' hands.

Otherwise, where would Shrek find thirty Inspection Corps Missions for every Inner Court student to fulfill their graduation quota? And who in the Three Great Empires would dare make Inner Court students risk their lives working for free?

Inspection Corps bounties were distributed according to circumstances. White Tiger Family Heirs and Orthodox Lineage Disciples like Dai Yueheng could receive some payment. As for common-born children like humble Little Ling...

All one could say was that if you endured long enough to become a Sea God's Pavilion elder one day, you would enjoy the good life. If you never made it that far, you could keep contributing to Shrek Academy's development.

You had already been given the honor of being one of the Shrek Seven Devils. What more did you need gold soul coins for?

"Team-leading assignment: locate a ten-thousand-year ice-attribute soul beast on the outskirts of the Far North. It must possess control-type talents, preferably innate abilities capable of suppressing fire-attribute soul masters. Guide fee: one hundred and fifty thousand gold soul coins. Other expenses negotiable..."

At the Heavenly Dragon Sect, Yu Tianjun studied the new assignment sheet brought by an Adventurers' Association employee. After a moment's silence, he asked, "How many positive reviews did Princess Vina spam for me in Heaven Dou City?"

The last assignment had been to find a thousand-year soul beast. This one had jumped straight to ten thousand years. That was quite a leap.

The employee wore a standard professional smile. "I can't disclose that, but I can tell you this.

"You are now the best-reviewed Advanced Bounty Hunter in Dragon City and several neighboring cities. You have priority selection rights for all assignments worth less than one million gold soul coins."

"Your talent and the Heavenly Dragon Sect's strength warrant such treatment."

The Adventurers' Association usually assessed Bounty Hunters' strength before assigning missions. An assignment to attack the Radiant Virtue Hall, for example, could only be handled by the Body Sect. Low-ranking Bounty Hunters were not even qualified to stake their lives on it.

Under normal circumstances, a Bounty Hunter's rank was tied to their strength. Under abnormal circumstances, an imperial royal family could forcibly raise that rank.

Because the powers behind the Adventurers' Association were the Three Great Empires' Royal Families.

Yu Tianjun nodded slightly, then suddenly noticed a problem.

Vina was still so young. Even if she hired people to flood him with praise every day, his Bounty Hunter rank could not rise this quickly. Could her imperial father be pulling strings behind the scenes?

Tsk, tsk. Looks like I've stumbled into the imperial household.

Having figured out whose hand was behind it, Yu Tianjun composed himself and asked the employee, "As an Advanced Bounty Hunter, can I obtain some information about the client?"

"Of course."

The employee nodded. Clearly, instructions had already come down from above.

"The person who posted the assignment is Zhang Lexuan, Senior Sister of the Inner Court at Shrek. But rest assured, according to our intelligence, she has recently gone to lead a soul-hunting operation in the Star Dou Great Forest. This time, she is merely finding a guide for another Inner Court disciple."

"We believe this disciple is very likely Ling Luochеn, the ice-element soul master who was a reserve member of Shrek Academy's team in the previous tournament. She is from the Heaven Dou Empire, has an aloof personality, and specializes in..."

The employee poured out information like beans spilling from a bamboo tube, stopping just short of listing eighteen generations of Ling Luochеn's ancestors.

Finally, the employee added, "Because you are an Advanced Bounty Hunter, the client must swear on her martial soul not to disclose any information about you." Quite considerate.

Yu Tianjun pondered for a moment, then lifted his eyes with a smile. "Has the Heaven Dou Empire taken a fancy to this future ice-element Titled Douluo?"

The employee was badly startled. The Qilin Prodigy possessed world-shaking intelligence! He could even deduce that?

"How did you figure it out?"

"People need to learn to use their brains."

Yu Tianjun wore a look that said, "Don't take me for a fool," his gaze calm.

The Heaven Dou Empire did not want him appearing on Shrek's radar, yet it had still sent this assignment his way. Besides the confidentiality guaranteed by an oath on a martial soul, it must also have plans for Ling Luochеn. Otherwise, it would not have made him take the risk.

Even an oath of secrecy sworn on a martial soul did not make disclosure absolutely impossible.

His guiding services were the highest-tier in the Dragon City area. Barring unusual circumstances, he could pocket the money without trouble. The Heaven Dou Empire was using the Adventurers' Association's platform to extend goodwill to both him and Ling Luochеn.

From this, he could also deduce that Vina and Mu Xue had not revealed his true strength to the Heavenly Soul Royal Family. Their understanding of him was a Qilin Prodigy who had "killed a four-thousand-year soul beast in one move," with talent comparable to the stronger members of the Shrek Seven Devils.

If the emperor knew he had single-handedly killed a ten-thousand-year Frostwater Ice Luan, he would never let him come into contact with a Shrek student.

Good. Everything's safe.

He could handle a single Ling Luochеn. If she showed any inclination to leak his secrets, he could bury her right there in the Far North. Shrek lost people every year. One more non-core member would make no difference.

Yu Tianjun quickly ran through his reasoning, then nodded in agreement. "All right. I'll take this assignment."

"Congratulations. Here is a deposit of fifty thousand gold soul coins. Her Highness the Princess also asked me to pass along a message: as long as you enroll in the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, there will be plenty of benefits."

Having finished official business, the Adventurers' Association employee began slipping in some private work, acting as a salesperson for the empire's princess and trying to lure the Qilin Prodigy into enrolling with generous terms.

"Her Highness the Princess can give you the best soul bone in the national treasury. The empire will cover all your living expenses, and you'll receive an annual salary of one million. In the future, a Titled Douluo will be invited to help you hunt a hundred-thousand-year soul beast..."

Yu Tianjun's gaze remained unchanged. Only after the employee had finished did he drawl:

"If we're discussing business, let's stick to business. I'm not old enough to enroll yet. It isn't appropriate for me to discuss such overly mature topics with you."

The employee's smile froze: ...

Now you're being modest, aren't you? With such meticulous strategy and effortless handling of every matter, it's honestly hard for us to treat a genius like you as one of those muscle-brained battle maniacs.

After seeing off the Adventurers' Association employee, a thoughtful gleam passed through the depths of Yu Tianjun's irreverent eyes.

First Princess Vina, then Ling Luochеn. He had only just started taking assignments, yet he was meeting important figures one after another. Was it coincidence, or was something influencing events behind the scenes?

If so, what could it be?

"Not a single clue. Forget it. Time to eat."

Unable to come up with an answer, Yu Tianjun stopped thinking about it. He clapped his hands, stood, and invited everyone in the sect out for drinks and dinner.

The atmosphere within the Heavenly Dragon Sect was good. They had no habit of discriminating against those with non-dragon martial souls.

Everyone knew Yu Tianjun was highly capable but kept it to himself, never stealing their Feng outside. They were happy to befriend him.

Of course, it also had a tiny bit to do with the fact that he occasionally took on seven at once and single-handedly swept through every member of his generation in the sect.

Yu Xiaogang also ranked second. If he could have used his Farting Pig to stink out every peer in the Blue Lightning Family, probably no one would have dared discriminate against him either.

The Heavenly Dragon Sect's Second Brother was not only generous and modest, but also knew a little freestyle fighting, holding the reins of the sect's younger generation.

As the year drew to a close, Dragon City Phoenix Flutes Sound, jade-vessel lanterns cast shifting light, and fish and dragon lanterns danced all night. Amid the clinking cups at Dragon City's largest hotel, Yu Tianjun sat with fellow disciples and elders he was close to. Laughter flowed, everyone enjoyed one another's company, and he felt that this was enough to comfort him for a lifetime.

"Joy should come while we are young; in a hundred-year life, it so often comes too late. What use are riches and honor when our hair is white, when worry and toil have worn our strength away... Let heaven and earth bring Feng and rain. I need only keep this little corner of mine. That is enough."