Views on Spirit Hall; Blue Tyrant Academy Was Recruiting?

Xue Qinghe's question came suddenly.

For that instant, Lu Ning failed to react. After all, the man before him was not currently acting as Spirit Hall's young master, but as Xue Qinghe, crown prince of the Heaven Dou Empire!

There was hardly anyone around.

But Xue Qinghe's identity was sensitive, after all, and Lu Ning paused before answering.

"Spirit Hall's original intentions were naturally good."

"It awakens Martial Souls for commoners free of charge and helps them register, allowing commoner Soul Masters to receive a monthly allowance sufficient to live on while they are still weak. It has truly done good deeds for the continent's stability."

"But it is also an enormous, vicious machine."

"What matters is whose hands that machine falls into."

A measure of approval rose in Xue Qinghe's heart at Lu Ning's answer.

At least the person before him harbored no bitter, deep-seated hostility toward Spirit Hall.

That meant one thing.

The person before him could still be won over.

"Exactly."

"After all, Spirit Hall is an organization, or rather, a faith in the hearts of Soul Masters."

"Not looking at it through a prejudiced lens is the right approach."

"Keeping Spirit Hall in your hands like a tool."

"That is the best way to use it."

Xue Qinghe offered a word of praise and reached out to shake Lu Ning's hand. That seemingly broad, thick palm was actually somewhat cool and soft, making it feel a little unreal.

"Your Highness is wise."

Lu Ning offered a polite reply.

He stopped walking.

He intended to see him off only this far.

But Xue Qinghe took out a token of authority and placed it in Lu Ning's hand, speaking amiably. "This is a gift for you. Come find me whenever you need anything. Factions stand thick as trees within the Heaven Dou Empire. Young Brother Lu Ning, you should know which side to stand on so the wind won't blow you down."

"A twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor is a rare find. Young Brother Lu Ning, you really must keep close to me."

Lu Ning looked at the token representing Xue Qinghe's personal authority.

If what had come before was a test...

Then this was undoubtedly an attempt to recruit him.

To bring him into Xue Qinghe's camp!

Others did not know Xue Qinghe's background and might have held back a little before entering Heaven Dou City, or avoided blindly choosing sides and inviting danger.

But Lu Ning understood.

Xue Qinghe's true identity was the young master of the Worship Hall and the inheritor of the Angel Godhood.

The Titled Douluos backing him alone numbered at least ten.

Someone like that...

Was not putting on airs, but taking the initiative to extend an olive branch and offer his backing. It truly left one unable to find a single reason to refuse.

"All right."

"Let's talk in detail once we reach Heaven Dou City."

"We'll still have plenty to do then."

Xue Qinghe spoke calmly, then turned and left Shrek Academy with Qin Ming and the others.

Lu Ning returned to Shrek Academy with the token.

For a full half month...

Shrek Academy packed its belongings.

They sold the houses belonging to Shrek Academy.

Lu Ning had lived here for over a decade, after all. It would have been impossible to say he felt no attachment at all.

Not only did he slow down while packing, but he also found time to absorb the God-bestowed Soul Ring that the Wealth Option had just randomly distributed. His first Martial Soul successfully reached five rings, and he himself attained the Soul King realm.

[Notification!]

[It is time for the Wealth Option to distribute a random reward!]

[You may randomly receive one item from options including a God-bestowed Soul Ring, Gold Soul Coins accepted throughout the continent, a Soul Bone, a weapon, a divine object, and more.]

[This reward is...]

[A God-bestowed Soul Ring!]

[God-bestowed Soul Rings distributed by this system allow you to choose the type of Soul Skill, but not a specific Soul Skill.]

The new God-bestowed Soul Ring provided a substantial improvement.

It was nearly eighty thousand years old.

That was almost double the forty-eight-thousand-year age of his fourth Soul Ring.

The main reason was that Lu Ning's physical constitution had improved greatly during this time.

He had two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones, one of which was a Trunk Bone that greatly enhanced his physical constitution. Combined with the whale rubber he had been taking daily during this period, the age did not surprise Lu Ning.

Only, a faint hint of red had appeared in that eighty-thousand-year Soul Ring.

If anyone paid attention...

They would certainly be able to tell that Lu Ning's strength was extraordinary.

"Is that Heaven Dou City up ahead?"

The group traveled by carriage along the main road to Heaven Dou City. Ma Hongjun poked his head out, gazing curiously at the towering city walls ahead. This was his first visit to the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial capital.

The longing for triplets remained in his eyes.

He could not find triplets in a small place like Suotuo City.

Surely he could find them here?

Lu Ning shared a carriage with Flender, who was in excellent spirits. Only after Lu Ning pressed him did he learn that, beyond the terms Xue Qinghe had proposed, the old fox had demanded an additional six million Gold Soul Coins in relocation expenses.

His heart was blacker than the feathers of his Four-Eyed Cat Owl Martial Soul.

"Teacher, what are you looking at?"

Flender's smile suddenly froze, and Lu Ning followed his gaze.

A recruitment notice was posted on the city wall.

Its eye-catching wording read...

The advanced Soul Master Academy, Blue Tyrant Academy, was recruiting more than ten Soul Masters at Soul Ancestor level or above within a limited period, followed by a series of benefits that would be quite enticing to Soul Ancestors.

But those benefits could not sway Flender, a Soul Douluo.

Much less should they have swayed the profiteer Flender, who had just received an enormous sum.

Yet Flender's gaze lingered on it for a long time.

"Blue Tyrant Academy..."

Ma Hongjun repeated the name from the neighboring carriage.

The corners of Lu Ning's lips curved slightly upward.

"Teacher, you've been looking for so long. Don't tell me you're remembering someone from the past and an old story?"

At Lu Ning's words, Flender withdrew his gaze with a faint reluctance. The ripples in his eyes held thoughts he could not conceal.

"Don't talk nonsense."

"What could your teacher be hiding?"

"It's simply been a long time since I visited Heaven Dou City, and the sights have dazzled me a little."

Lu Ning did not expose his cover-up, merely saying in a lingering tone, "Yes, Heaven Dou City really does dazzle the eyes easily. We'll be in the Heaven Dou Empire from now on, so there'll be plenty of chances to look."

Flender acted as though he had not caught the deeper meaning in Lu Ning's words.

He simply nodded lightly and let the matter pass entirely.

Lu Ning rested his head against the carriage's soft cushion.

Flender really did have far too much on his mind.

In this world where strength reigns supreme...

You still want to court her with sweet talk? You even want to give away the person you love?

That smacks a little of a cuckold fetish.

In a world where strength reigns supreme...

Shouldn't it be...

I like you.

I demand that you like me.

It doesn't matter whether you like me or not. You're mine regardless.

Those three levels?

Giving away the person you love is pretty damn stupid.

The carriage came to a natural stop a short distance after passing through the city gates.

Several instructors from Heaven Dou Academy stood at the front in splendid robes to welcome them.

Flender stepped down from the carriage.

Meng Shenji spoke first. "May I ask if I have the honor of addressing Dean Flender?"

"I am Meng Shenji, a rank eighty-six Control System Soul Douluo, and also the chief of Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

Meng Shenji wore a warm, friendly smile, showing no sign of intending to make things difficult.

"His Highness the Crown Prince asked me to welcome you."

"Heaven Dou Royal Academy is just outside Heaven Dou City. Dean Flender, would you prefer to rest first, or head to the academy and meet the teachers?"