When Bei Bei and Tang Ya emerged travel-worn from the bushes, they spotted Qian Chen and Huo Yuhao at once. Bei Bei asked in delighted surprise, "Senior Brother Qian Chen, what are you doing here?"
"Bei Bei, I'm accompanying my disciple Huo Yuhao to hunt for a Soul Ring," Qian Chen answered truthfully.
"Ah! Senior Brother Qian Chen, when did you take a disciple? How come neither of us knew?"
"Not long ago. I felt Yuhao and I shared a destined connection, so I took him as my disciple."
Tang Ya suddenly remembered that she had never asked this mysterious senior whether he was willing to join the Tang Sect. "Senior Qian Chen, would you be willing to join our Tang Sect?" she asked softly.
Qian Chen shook his head. "Sorry, Junior Sister Tang Ya. I'm already teaching at the academy, so I won't be joining the Tang Sect."
Bei Bei still refused to give up after hearing this and urged him again, "Senior, please reconsider. I heard that as long as an academy teacher isn't a venerable elder of the Sea God Pavilion, the academy doesn't interfere with whether they join a sect."
Qian Chen glanced at Bei Bei. This child really would give up anything for Tang Ya. He said nothing more, using silence to express his resolve not to join.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya could only turn to Huo Yuhao. Bei Bei had originally only wanted to ask Huo Yuhao to help grill a few fish for them. But the instant Tang Ya got a clear look at Huo Yuhao, an incomparably firm thought arose in her heart: she had to bring Huo Yuhao into the Tang Sect.
Tang Ya immediately walked up to Huo Yuhao and said enthusiastically, "Hello, Huo Yuhao! Have you heard of the Tang Sect? It was once the greatest sect in the world. I'm its current sect master, Tang Ya. I'd like to invite you to join our Tang Sect."
Tang Ya's sudden enthusiasm startled Huo Yuhao, and he hurriedly said, "Sect Master Tang, I'm not joining a sect for now. I just want to focus on learning from my teacher."
With that, Huo Yuhao took two steps back toward Qian Chen. Seeing Huo Yuhao reject her outright, Tang Ya felt a surge of grievance, and the frustration of being unable to complete her task was unusually intense.
She approached Huo Yuhao again and said in an even gentler tone, "Huo Yuhao, please give it some more thought. I really think our Tang Sect suits you."
In the end, Huo Yuhao chose to refuse through silence, just as Qian Chen had. Watching Tang Ya force herself to remain gentle while brimming with grievance, Bei Bei's heart ached terribly. He spoke again. "Senior Brother Qian Chen, are you taking Huo Yuhao to enroll at Shrek Academy?"
Qian Chen nodded. Bei Bei hurriedly said, "Senior Brother Qian Chen, enrollment at Shrek Academy requires a city lord's recommendation letter, as well as Soul Power above rank fifteen before the age of twelve. Huo Yuhao's Soul Power doesn't look very high to me. I'm afraid he's still quite far from rank fifteen. Senior Brother Qian Chen, although you could find a way to get Huo Yuhao admitted directly, the gossip at the academy afterward would still be unpleasant."
Bei Bei paused before continuing, "Senior Brother Qian Chen, our Tang Sect has a special admissions quota personally approved by Mu En-one place each year, with no restriction on Soul Power Level. Senior Brother Qian Chen, please reconsider."
What Bei Bei had not expected was that this final condition he offered would still end with both Qian Chen and Huo Yuhao shaking their heads.
Tang Ya was anxious now. She tugged at Bei Bei, her eyes filled with grievance, pleading, and tenderness. A single glance was enough for Bei Bei's heart to fall completely. Even if Tang Ya asked for the stars in the sky at this moment, Bei Bei would agree.
"Bei Bei, don't you have a condition you can ask Senior Qian Chen to fulfill? I'm begging you. For my sake, please ask Senior Qian Chen to bring Huo Yuhao with him and join our Tang Sect," Tang Ya said, her voice tinged with tears.
Bei Bei's heart jolted. This was an enormous safeguard his great-great-grandfather had left him, one that could serve its greatest purpose when he truly encountered a major problem in the future. Seeing that Bei Bei did not immediately agree, Tang Ya once again unleashed her ultimate move: tenderness amid grievance.
The moment Bei Bei saw that expression on Tang Ya's face, he gritted his teeth and said, "All right."
He turned to Qian Chen and said, "Senior Brother Qian Chen, of the three conditions my great-great-grandfather previously asked you to fulfill, there's still one left. I'm using it now."
"Go ahead," Qian Chen said.
"I want you to bring Huo Yuhao with you and join the Tang Sect," Bei Bei said firmly.
By now, Qian Chen was completely certain that Tang San had indeed placed Tang Ya and Bei Bei under Consciousness Control. Moreover, judging by their unusually resolute attitudes, they had already reached the point where they would not stop until they achieved their goal.
Qian Chen swiftly weighed things up. If I forcibly prevent Huo Yuhao from joining the Tang Sect, the risk of Tang San holding a grudge against me is too high. He recalled the Plane Consciousness's advice a year ago: when necessary, do a few things Tang San liked to lull him into complacency. A true man can bend and stretch. In that case, I'll maximize the benefits of this matter while finding a way to distance myself completely from these two. A plan gradually took shape in Qian Chen's mind.
"Fine. If you're spending your final condition to have me join the Tang Sect, that's no problem. But Huo Yuhao is his own person. I have no right to force a decision on him," Qian Chen said.
Tang Ya immediately turned to Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, look, even your teacher has joined our sect."
Huo Yuhao was very clever too. He could tell Qian Chen was unwilling, so he said, "I don't want to join the Tang Sect."
Tang Ya grew somewhat exasperated and turned to Bei Bei. "Bei Bei, then change it to having Huo Yuhao join the Tang Sect!"
Bei Bei was at a loss for a moment. Just then, Qian Chen spoke. "Bei Bei, asking both of us to join the Tang Sect with a single condition is really going too far. You can choose only one at most. If you truly insist on having both of us join, I do have a compromise."
Bei Bei hurriedly asked, "Senior Brother Qian Chen, what is it?"
"I'll join as an honorary elder, while Huo Yuhao will join as a probationary disciple. If the Tang Sect wrongs us, or does anything that harms the continent and strays down an evil path, we can leave at any time," Qian Chen said.
"Agreed!" Tang Ya hurriedly accepted. This was already the best outcome for the Tang Sect: it had gained an elder at the Titled Douluo level and brought in Huo Yuhao, whom her intuition told her she had to win over, though she did not know why.
Huo Yuhao also nodded in acceptance.
Qian Chen then looked at Bei Bei and Tang Ya and said unhurriedly, "I've heard the Tang Sect has an excellent cultivation method called the Mysterious Heaven Skill, along with manuals such as the Hundred Separations of Hidden Weapon, Mysterious Jade Hand, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, and Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon. Now that Yuhao and I have joined the Tang Sect, shouldn't we each receive a copy?"
Tang Ya's heart tightened. Qian Chen's terms had been perfectly clear: as long as the Tang Sect wronged him, he could leave immediately. Cultivation methods and secret manuals were things disciples were supposed to learn in the first place. She had no reason to refuse, and she was even more afraid that Qian Chen would immediately turn hostile and walk away. She could only take the manuals from her Storage Soul Tool and hand them to him.
The corners of Qian Chen's mouth lifted slightly. "Thank you for granting us these manuals, Sect Master."
He opened the manuals and skimmed through them, immediately discovering that cultivation instructions for many crucial points were missing. These were clearly castrated versions. Qian Chen sighed inwardly. Tang San, oh, Tang San, you really are a petty villain. You even undermine the sect you founded, openly and in secret, terrified that someone who comes after you might surpass you.
Watching Qian Chen, Bei Bei and Tang Ya were momentarily unsure whether bringing him into the Tang Sect had been right or wrong.
Qian Chen closed the manuals. "All right, Bei Bei, Tang Ya, and Yuhao, come with me."
Bei Bei asked, "Senior Brother Qian Chen, where are you taking us?"
"Heaven Dou City, of course."