"That's right."
Xue Qinghe nodded, then looked outside the carriage and beckoned to Sunday.
"Look, sir. We've arrived."
As he spoke, Xue Qinghe drew the curtain farther aside so the two inside could get a better view.
Sunday and Ning Rongrong looked out the window and saw an imposing academy across the street.
Above its gates, the words "Shrek Academy" were carved in large, dark green characters.
Seeing those words, Sunday finally understood why Xue Qinghe had said Tai Tan could attend the Public Hearing.
After that fight outside Heaven Dou Royal Academy, probably everyone in Heaven Dou City knew Tang San was the Clear Sky Douluo's son.
That slave of a gorilla had probably scampered over, eager to acknowledge his master.
"Seriously? They actually had the nerve to stay in Heaven Dou City?"
Ning Rongrong was utterly speechless. She simply could not understand how Shrek Academy had the gall to stay.
There was something wrong with the student their academy had taught, and he would stand trial tomorrow. Their teachers were all street thugs and wanted criminals, too.
Their fees were higher than those of ordinary advanced academies, and their teaching funds came from Soul Fighting.
Their curriculum taught students to visit prostitutes, and they even had a fake Grandmaster freeloading off them.
With such an unbeatable lineup, they still had the nerve to run an academy.
Hearing Ning Rongrong's complaints, Xue Qinghe gave her a meaningful look, a strange note entering his voice.
"Little Sister Rongrong, aren't you a member of this academy yourself?"
Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue.
"I joined Heaven Dou Royal Academy ages ago."
Xue Qinghe smiled.
"Really? But your name is still on this academy's Shrek Seven Monsters Ranking.
"Not only that, when they recruit students and solicit sponsorships, they also say the Young Sect Master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect studies here."
Ning Rongrong's face darkened at those words. She clenched both fists, as though holding something back.
Seeing her expression, Xue Qinghe felt deeply sympathetic. After all, when he first heard about it, he too had been shocked by the shamelessness of Shrek's people.
The name Shrek had already become a target for many nobles in Heaven Dou City.
Once tomorrow's Public Hearing began, its reputation would probably stink throughout the entire Heaven Dou Empire.
At a time like this, they actually dared to open an academy in broad daylight and drag the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect into it.
Although the academy had only changed its name and begun recruiting yesterday, Xue Qinghe was certain Ning Fengzhi already knew.
He just did not know why Ning Fengzhi had neither taken action nor offered a public explanation.
"I'm going to tell Dad and have him shut this place down."
Ning Rongrong spoke angrily.
Sunday reached out and stopped her.
"Don't be rash. With such a commotion here, do you think your father wouldn't know?"
After stopping the impulsive Ning Rongrong, Sunday turned to Xue Qinghe.
"You're saying Shrek Academy will attend the Public Hearing tomorrow too? And they'll bring Tai Tan?"
"That's right."
Xue Qinghe sighed.
"Originally, Tai Tan wasn't interested in this matter. After all, it had little to do with him.
"But yesterday, who knows what Blue Tyrant Academy's dean, Liu Erlong, was thinking? She actually changed the academy's name right in the teeth of the storm."
As he spoke, Xue Qinghe truly looked as though he had seen a ghost. He could not understand how this was any different from taking off your pants to fart.
Wasn't this blatantly telling everyone, "I taught Qin Ming. I'm that problem academy"?
"Later, Tai Tan of the Strength Clan came to the academy and then acknowledged Tang San as his master.
"When Yu Xiaogang saw Tai Tan, he wanted to bring him to the Public Hearing. Tai Tan initially refused, since it would be humiliating.
"But because of Tang San, things eventually turned out just as you imagined, sir."
After hearing Xue Qinghe's explanation, Sunday nodded in understanding.
In that case, Meng Shenji and the others really were somewhat outmatched. After all, Shrek Academy had formerly been Blue Tyrant Academy.
With Tai Tan of the Strength Clan added to the mix, the situation was indeed troublesome.
Moreover, Tai Tan was not like Yu Yuanzhen and the others, who thought before acting. This fellow struck wherever his master pointed, without a moment's thought.
If Tang San ordered them to storm the execution ground, Meng Shenji would be no match for a peak Soul Douluo.
Not to mention their three-person fusion skill. Against a pseudo-Titled Douluo and a peak Soul Douluo, what were Meng Shenji and the other two supposed to fight with-their heads?
"I understand. I'll be there tomorrow."
A smile appeared on Xue Qinghe's face.
"Actually, the main reason is that Father will attend in person tomorrow. That's why I've come to trouble you, sir, for his safety."
"His Majesty is going too?"
What was Xue Ye going there for?
Sunday was taken aback. A man with little combat strength and official duties piled around him was going to watch a Public Hearing?
"Ahem. Since Qin Ming's case involves quite a few nobles in Heaven Dou City, Father fears the Ministry of Justice alone won't be able to keep them in line.
"After all, you know how divided power is within the Heaven Dou Empire, sir. Those nobles really are a force we cannot ignore."
Unlike the Star Luo Empire, the Heaven Dou Empire had a loose structure and fragmented authority.
The imperial family actually held little power, and the territory under its control amounted to only a few provinces surrounding Heaven Dou City.
Thus, the nobles had always been a troublesome tail too large for the Heaven Dou Imperial Family to wag.
"So what are you planning to do?"
Sunday did not believe that cunning old fox Xue Ye would make the trip for nothing.
Hearing Sunday's question, Xue Qinghe's eyes filled with admiration.
"You truly are remarkable, sir. Previously, the Heaven Dou Empire was in decline, and the imperial family had no powerful experts. Its control over the empire was limited.
"To preserve the empire's stability and defend against the Star Luo Empire, we have always accommodated those nobles.
"But things are different now. The Heaven Dou Imperial Family has you-a true Titled Douluo.
"That means we must gradually prune away those parasites of the empire who grow stronger by the day!"
Sunday watched the fervent look in Xue Qinghe's eyes, unsure whether these were his true thoughts.
After all, if Xue Ye really intended to prune away the nobles, the people he promoted would be his own, not the crown prince's faction.
He might even take the opportunity to remove a few threatening members of the crown prince's faction. That would offer Xue Qinghe no benefit whatsoever.
Without dwelling on it, Sunday stepped down from the carriage.
"Come on. A new academy has opened. Let's take a look."
Xue Qinghe and Ning Rongrong exchanged a glance, then both followed Sunday.
"Teacher, isn't this a little inappropriate? We only drove them away two days ago."
"Yes, sir. Aren't we somewhat in the wrong here?"
Sunday glanced at the two of them.
"What are you afraid of? If they want to reason with me, they'll need the ability to back it up."
As soon as the three reached Shrek Academy's gates, they saw an admissions notice that made their teeth ache.
[Twelve years old, level twenty-five. Registration fee: ten Gold Soul Coins. No refunds.]
Xue Qinghe frowned slightly, displeased.
"This is outright robbery."
"It gets even more outrageous. After you enter the academy, you have to pay a hundred Gold Soul Coins in tuition."
Hearing Xue Qinghe call it robbery, Ning Rongrong walked up to him and revealed the even more outrageous requirement.
Xue Qinghe's frown deepened.
"Blue Tyrant Academy managed to establish itself in Heaven Dou City not only because of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's support,
"but also largely because it admitted commoner students. Its enormous student intake made up for its shortcomings.
"Under Shrek Academy's terms, even if commoners in Heaven Dou City enjoy a somewhat higher standard of living,
"they still cannot afford such expensive tuition. The academy will soon lose its supply of commoner students.
"In that case, it won't stay open long before going bankrupt."
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