Huo Yuhao's Choice

Although Bei Bei was nominally only Tang Ya's disciple and the Tang Sect Grandmaster Brother, he was mature and steady, and he oversaw many of the Tang Sect's affairs.

Just as he had said, the Star Luo Royal Academy ranked among the top three academies on the continent.

Only Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Royal Academy surpassed the Star Luo Royal Academy. Those who gained admission were all either wealthy or influential. To an ordinary person, a place at the Star Luo Royal Academy was an irresistible temptation.

But upon hearing Bei Bei's words, Zhang Lexuan inwardly sensed trouble. "Jiang Hai, you can join the Tang Sect if you wish, but my promise certainly won't change. It's only an admission slot. I can find another way. If worse comes to worst, I'll insist on convening a Sea God Pavilion Meeting and have Shrek Academy make an exception for you!"

Convene a Sea God Pavilion Meeting?

Bei Bei knew far more than Tang Ya did and understood how important a Sea God Pavilion Meeting was. Every such meeting concerned a major matter bearing on Shrek Academy's survival or the survival of the continent. Yet Zhang Lexuan had actually said she would convene one for Jiang Hai. He was only a rank-thirteen soul master, and already so old at that. What extraordinary talents and abilities did he possess that Bei Bei knew nothing about?

Tang Ya had also heard of the Sea God Pavilion Meeting and had a vague understanding of the Sea God Pavilion's importance. She looked at Jiang Hai in bewilderment.

Jiang Hai shook his head and smiled bitterly. "Sister Xuan, I'm only an ordinary person. Why muster such forces over me? I've grown used to roaming free. Whether it's Shrek Academy or the Tang Sect, joining or not joining doesn't mean much to me!"

Zhang Lexuan gave Jiang Hai a reproachful look and ruffled his hair. "You little rascal. What's so good about the Sun Moon Empire? You don't want to go to Shrek Academy because you've set your heart on the Sun Moon Empire, haven't you? Forget the Star Luo Royal Academy, then, but you must go to Shrek Academy. If you refuse, I'll tie you up and drag you there!"

"All right!" Jiang Hai nodded and gave a helpless, bitter smile. "I can go take a look at Shrek Academy, but it doesn't matter if I can't get in. As for the Tang Sect, I have little strength and no influence, so I wouldn't contribute much to its growth. I'll pass!"

"Then don't join. Bei Bei simply didn't know about your grievances with the Star Luo Empire. And you shouldn't judge the whole by one part. There are still plenty of righteous people in the Star Luo Empire!" Zhang Lexuan said with a sigh.

As long as he agreed to go to Shrek Academy, that was enough. On the one hand, Zhang Lexuan did not want to see this boy, who resembled her younger self, embark on a road of no return. On the other, she did not want a genius like him going to the Sun Moon Empire.

Although the Sun Moon Empire and the three nations of the Douluo Continent maintained peace, and Shrek Academy was a neutral party, how could Shrek Academy truly hold the scales perfectly level? It was still the Douluo Continent's Shrek Academy. Four thousand years ago, when the Sun Moon Continent collided with the Douluo Continent, Shrek Academy had led the three great empires to defeat the Sun Moon Continent. Shrek Academy and the Sun Moon Empire had always stood on opposing sides.

"Brother Jiang Hai has a grievance with the Star Luo Empire?" Hearing Zhang Lexuan's words, Bei Bei realized that he had said the wrong thing earlier.

From her words, Bei Bei could also hear how highly Zhang Lexuan valued Jiang Hai. If his words truly cost the Tang Sect a genius, the fault would be his.

Zhang Lexuan glanced at Bei Bei and sighed before saying, "Jiang Hai was originally from the Star Luo Empire too!"

At those words, Bei Bei's, Tang Ya's, and Huo Yuhao's expressions all changed.

Someone from the Star Luo Empire actually wanted to go to the Sun Moon Empire.

Although the Tang Sect had declined, it did not accept just anyone.

Huo Yuhao's father was, after all, the White Tiger Duke, who stood below only one man and above all others in the Star Luo Empire. Although he hated that man, he bore no resentment toward the Star Luo Empire. It was his homeland, after all. Huo Yuhao said, "Brother Jiang Hai, since you're from the Star Luo Empire, it raised and nurtured you. And I've heard that the current emperor is diligent in governing and deeply loved by the people. Could there be some misunderstanding between you?"

"Heh, perhaps." Jiang Hai smiled. "I don't actually have any grievance with the Star Luo Empire. Of course, I don't feel any gratitude or affection for it either. Perhaps I've simply been accustomed to freedom since birth. Those ideas about loyalty to the sovereign and love for the nation don't appeal to me. Naturally, I wouldn't reject the Tang Sect over a single remark, either. I'm not someone who fails to recognize kindness, after all, and I know what the Star Luo Royal Academy means to most soul masters."

"Brother Jiang Hai, the Star Luo Empire gave us life and raised us. What's wrong with being loyal to the sovereign and serving our country?" Huo Yuhao still sounded puzzled.

Jiang Hai laughed heartily. "Heaven and earth gave me life, and my parents raised me. What does the Star Luo Empire have to do with that?"

"A sovereign? Everyone under heaven is born the same. Ten thousand years ago, was today's Star Luo Imperial Family sovereign or subject? A hundred thousand years ago, were they sovereigns or subjects? In that case, does he have one more head than I do, or what? Why should I be loyal to him?" Jiang Hai asked, looking at Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao was struck speechless. Perhaps it was his first time hearing such treasonous words, but he did not know how to refute them!

"I think I finally understand why you want to go to the Sun Moon Empire," Zhang Lexuan said. "There are indeed people there who advocate abolishing the monarchy and returning power to the people. That happens to coincide with what you've said. But we were born on this land. That doesn't mean we're inherently beneath anyone, yet upholding justice and preserving peace for all the people under heaven is only right. The Sun Moon Empire is brimming with ambition and has always wanted to swallow the world. Its development has grown faster and faster in recent years. If that day truly comes, countless lives will be plunged into misery. I know you still resent the Star Luo Empire, but if that day does come, I hope you'll spare more thought for the innocent people of the world. Don't forget that your father was once one of them!"

Zhang Lexuan increasingly felt that Jiang Hai was dangerous. Without proper guidance, he might do things beyond anything she could imagine.

Bei Bei and the others found Zhang Lexuan's words very reasonable. This was how they understood the world. Still, they remained somewhat puzzled and guessed that Jiang Hai might have a grievance with the Star Luo Empire, though a certain prejudice against him lingered in their hearts.

Seeing this, Zhang Lexuan sighed. "I personally awakened Jiang Hai's martial soul three years ago!"

"Three years ago? Wouldn't he already have been eight then?" Tang Ya asked in surprise.

On the Douluo Continent, everyone awakened their martial soul at six. If they possessed soul power, they began cultivating at six as well.

Jiang Hai had awakened his martial soul at eight, which meant he had begun cultivating at eight, two years later than everyone else. In that case, being a rank-thirteen soul master at eleven did not necessarily mean his talent was poor.

Even Huo Yuhao looked at Jiang Hai in surprise. This boy in coarse hemp clothing was not much older than he was, yet he had only begun cultivating at eight. Didn't that mean he had cultivated for two years less than Huo Yuhao? Although Huo Yuhao had suffered relentless bullying at the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, his martial soul had still been awakened at the proper age.

Bei Bei also sensed something amiss. Since ancient times, awakening a martial soul at eight had never been the norm on the Douluo Continent. Moreover, Zhang Lexuan had awakened Jiang Hai's martial soul herself. There had to be much to this story that he did not know.

His eldest senior sister Zhang Lexuan was kind, but she would not go out of her way to awaken the martial soul of a child she did not know.

By now, Zhang Lexuan's expression had turned somewhat icy. "Three years ago, the Shrek Inspection Corps issued an inspection mission concerning the lord of a city in the Star Luo Empire. You've heard about it, haven't you?"

"I remember it," Bei Bei said. "I think it was the lord of Pinghai City. Many teachers at Shrek Academy flew into a rage that time. Even Dean Yan, the dean of the Shrek Academy Martial Soul Department, personally went to arrest him. But I later heard that by the time Dean Yan arrived, the man had already disappeared! Wait, Brother Jiang Hai, were you involved in that incident?"

Hearing Bei Bei's words, a trace of reminiscence surfaced in Jiang Hai's eyes. Yan Shaozhe, the dean of the Shrek Academy Martial Soul Department-he knew everything, didn't he?

Awakening his martial soul at eight-Bei Bei suddenly realized something. No wonder. No wonder so many teachers at Shrek Academy had been enraged, and Dean Yan had even acted personally. Martial soul awakening was the foundation of the soul master world's rise. Who knew how many teachers at Shrek Academy had come from common families? Dean Yan himself was of common birth.

The lord of Pinghai City had some nerve, daring to tamper with something like that!

Zhang Lexuan sighed, her voice cold as ice. "Lin Youtian, the lord of Pinghai City, was brazen beyond belief. He took bribes and twisted the law, charging ordinary commoners fees to awaken their martial souls. He deserved to be killed. He deserved to die!"

Interfering with martial soul awakening was something no one could tolerate!

After that incident, Shrek Academy had been utterly enraged. None of the three great empires could remain calm, and they had investigated the cities under their jurisdiction overnight.

But Shrek Academy could only make amends after the fact. No one knew how many people like Jiang Hai existed across the Douluo Continent.

Moreover, the matter had far-reaching implications and could even affect the people's faith in the three great empires. Thus, both Shrek Academy and the three great empires had been forced to conceal it. That was why even Bei Bei did not know the inside story.

Yet on that occasion, countless officials across the three great empires had been thrown into prison.

"I never imagined something like that had happened to you, Brother Jiang Hai. Rest assured, whether you join the Tang Sect or not, I'll do everything I can to help you enter Shrek Academy!" Bei Bei promised.

"Teacher Tang Ya, eldest senior brother, give my admission slot to Brother Jiang Hai too. He's already had two fewer years to cultivate than I have, and he needs this opportunity more than I do!" After thinking it over, Huo Yuhao finally spoke.

"Hey, hey, hey, little Yuhao, think this through! Shrek Academy is the best academy on the continent. If you join it, the road ahead will be much easier!" The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in Huo Yuhao's sea of consciousness could not help speaking up.

"I know, Brother Sky Dream, but Brother Jiang Hai has had such a hard life. He's had two fewer years to cultivate than I have, and I have your help and a second martial soul. In every way, I'm far luckier than he is. Isn't it just Shrek Academy? I can cultivate on my own too!" Huo Yuhao said.

Tian Meng cried, "Cultivating on your own and going to Shrek Academy-how can you say they're the same?"

"Brother Sky Dream, I've already made up my mind!" Huo Yuhao said stubbornly.