Undercurrents at the Royal Academy: A Mole and Helping Hands

The journey around Suotuo City took more effort than expected. To avoid Spirit Hall's watchers, they hid by day and traveled by night, keeping to desolate mountain paths. Tang San's Blue Silver Grass remained on high alert, while Lin Ye stretched his Golden Crow senses to their limit. At the slightest sign of movement, they immediately concealed themselves.

Five days later, when the towering walls of Heaven Dou City appeared in the distance, everyone breathed a sigh of relief. The guards at the gates were checking travelers several times more rigorously than before, but their attitude turned respectful as soon as Tang San presented Yu Luomian's token. Not only did they let the group through, they even sent two soldiers to escort them to Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

"Dean Yu Luomian's token really works," Xiao Wu said. Watching the streets grow increasingly prosperous along the way, she finally felt her taut nerves relax.

"That shows how strained relations between the Heaven Dou Imperial Family and Spirit Hall really are," Tang San said. "They need strength like ours."

Heaven Dou Royal Academy stood in the northeastern part of Heaven Dou City, covering more than ten times the area of the Shrek Secret Realm. Pavilions and towers were arranged throughout the academy beneath the shade of green trees. Students in matching uniforms could be seen everywhere, sparring with Soul Power, and a rich, tranquil presence of Soul Power filled the air.

Yu Luomian was already waiting at the academy gates. When he saw them, a gentle smile appeared on the face of the white-haired, white-bearded old man. "Welcome, young heroes."

"Greetings, Dean." Everyone hurriedly bowed.

"Come in." Yu Luomian led them into the academy. "I've arranged a place for you to stay. There's no need to worry about safety. Even a Titled Douluo would find it difficult to slip past the academy's defensive formations unnoticed."

They crossed a broad training ground and arrived at a secluded courtyard. It contained five finely built wooden cabins and a small cultivation room, with everything they needed.

"I'm sorry you'll have to make do here for now," Yu Luomian said. "Try not to go out during this period. Spirit Hall's influence in Heaven Dou City has roots and branches tangled everywhere. I'm afraid they'll look for a chance to strike."

"Thank you for looking after us, Dean," Tang San said gratefully.

Yu Luomian waved a hand. "There's no need to thank me. You're Xiao Gang's students, which makes you my juniors. Besides, opposing Spirit Hall has always been our shared goal." He paused, his gaze growing grave. "Speaking of which, I've heard about what happened at your Shrek Secret Realm."

Everyone's hearts tightened.

"Have you found out who that mole was?" Lin Ye asked.

Yu Luomian shook his head. "Flender and Zhao Wuji have begun investigating, but that servant appeared as if out of thin air. They haven't been able to trace his origins at all. What we can be sure of is that his connection to Spirit Hall was no ordinary one. He was most likely a pawn planted there for that very purpose."

"A pawn?" Tang San frowned. "Was Spirit Hall's target us from the very beginning?"

"Very likely." Yu Luomian nodded. "The Three-Legged Golden Crow, Blue Silver Grass with Innate Full Soul Power, and a hundred-thousand-year-old Soft Bone Charming Rabbit. Each of your talents is enough to make Spirit Hall wary. They want to eliminate you before your wings have fully grown."

The mention of Xiao Wu's identity made the atmosphere a little awkward. Yu Luomian, however, seemed unconcerned and continued, "You can cultivate here without worry. I'll have people keep an eye on Spirit Hall's movements. Once you've grown a little stronger, we can discuss our next move."

After seeing Yu Luomian off, everyone finally let down their guard and slumped onto the stone stools in the courtyard.

"I didn't expect the royal academy to be so big." Oscar looked at the pavilions and towers in the distance and couldn't help marveling. "It's much grander than our Shrek Village."

"What good is being grand? It's still dangerous." Xiao Wu kicked a pebble at her feet. "I keep feeling it isn't all that safe here either."

"Don't worry," Tang San reassured her. "Dean Yu Luomian is Grandmaster's older brother. He won't hurt us. Besides, the defensive formations here really are strong. Even my Blue Silver Grass can't sense the Soul Power fluctuations outside."

Over the following days, everyone began cultivating at the royal academy in peace. Its resources were far more abundant than those of the Shrek Secret Realm. Besides dedicated cultivation rooms, there were all kinds of Soul Master texts for them to consult.

Tang San immersed himself in the Clear Sky Sect Cultivation Method, gaining ever greater control over his Blue Silver Grass. The range of his All-Encompassing Heavenly Net Soul Skill expanded to a hundred meters, and he could even manipulate plants into simple shapes. Lin Ye used the academy's flame pool to temper his Golden Crow Fire. The aftereffects of Golden Crow Nirvana gradually disappeared, and his Soul Power rose steadily to level forty-four. Dai Mubai and Xiao Wu grew increasingly in sync and developed a new combination technique, Netherworld Soft Bone Slash. Tai Long's strength broke through to a new limit, allowing him to shatter hard rock with a single punch. Oscar found new medicinal ingredients in the academy's herb garden and developed a Bowel-Cleansing Sausage that could neutralize poison.

That afternoon, Tang San was consulting a text on Soul Bone fusion when Lin Ye suddenly came rushing in.

"Something's happened!" Lin Ye's expression was grave. "While I was cultivating in the flame pool just now, I overheard two students talking. They said Spirit Hall has put a bounty on us in Heaven Dou City, and the amount is frighteningly high!"

"A bounty?" Tang San put down the text. "They're being that blatant?"

"There's more." Lin Ye lowered his voice. "They also said Yu Tianheng from Canghui Academy has joined Spirit Hall and is leading a team to hunt us down."

"Yu Tianheng really went?" Xiao Wu said in surprise. "Tang San, didn't you say he still had a conscience?"

Tang San's expression turned ugly. "Maybe... I misjudged him."

"Now isn't the time for that." Dai Mubai walked in. "An academy guard just came by. Dean Yu Luomian wants us in the council hall. It sounds urgent."

They dared not delay and immediately headed for the council hall.

Inside, Yu Luomian was speaking with a middle-aged man in armor. The man was powerfully built, with a resolute face and a longsword at his waist. He carried the sharp presence peculiar to a soldier.

"This is General Meng Zhi, commander of the Heaven Dou Empire's imperial guards," Yu Luomian introduced him.

"Greetings, General." Everyone bowed.

Meng Zhi nodded, his sharp gaze sweeping over them. "I'll get straight to the point. Spirit Hall's activities in Heaven Dou City are growing more frequent. Not only have they put a bounty on you, they've also been secretly contacting nobles in an attempt to shake the imperial family's rule. His Majesty sent me to ask whether you're interested in working with us."

"Working together?" Tang San asked curiously. "How?"

"His Majesty wants you to join the Royal Guard," Meng Zhi said. "In name, you'd be members of the guard, but in practice you could continue cultivating at the academy and receive the imperial family's protection. When the time is ripe, we'll join forces with other factions to stand against Spirit Hall."

It was undoubtedly a good offer. They would gain protection without disrupting their cultivation, and they could also draw on the imperial family's strength.

"We're willing to cooperate." Tang San accepted on everyone's behalf without hesitation.

Meng Zhi nodded in satisfaction. "Good. These are Royal Guard tokens. With them, you can move freely around Heaven Dou City. If you encounter anyone from Spirit Hall, you can even execute them first and report afterward." He handed Tang San five golden tokens.

The instant Tang San took the tokens, hurried footsteps sounded outside the council hall. A guard ran in, panic-stricken. "Dean! General! This is bad! Spirit Hall's people have fought their way in!"

Everyone's expressions changed drastically.

"What happened?" Meng Zhi demanded.

"It's... it's Chrysanthemum Douluo Yue Guan!" the guard said, his voice trembling. "He brought over a hundred Soul Masters. He says... he says we have to hand over the people from Shrek Academy!"

"Yue Guan? How dare he strike in Heaven Dou City?" Yu Luomian was both shocked and furious.

"It seems they're dead set on eliminating us." Tang San tightened his grip on the tokens, his gaze cold.

Meng Zhi drew his longsword. "With me here, he can forget about running wild! Leave through the secret passage first. The dean and I will hold them off!"

"No!" Lin Ye stepped forward. "We can't let others sacrifice themselves for us anymore! If we leave, we leave together. If we fight, we fight together!"

"Right!" Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, Tai Long, and Oscar all voiced their agreement.

Seeing their determined gazes, Yu Luomian's eyes flashed with gratification. "Good! Just what I'd expect from Xiao Gang's students! Since you're not afraid, we'll fight shoulder to shoulder!"

Meng Zhi laughed too. "What a spirited group of young people! Then let's show Spirit Hall that Heaven Dou City isn't a place where they can run wild!"

Outside the council hall, Yue Guan's voice drifted in like a specter. "Yu Luomian, Meng Zhi, stop hiding! Hand them over, and I can spare your lives!"

Yu Luomian and Meng Zhi exchanged a glance and rose to their feet together.

"Let's go!"

Everyone followed them out of the council hall. In the academy square, Yue Guan stood amid a group of black-clad Soul Masters, a golden chrysanthemum spinning in his hand and giving off a suffocating pressure. Around the square, the royal academy's students and guards were fighting a bloody battle, but they were no match for Spirit Hall's Soul Masters.

"Yue Guan! You dare force your way into the royal academy? Aren't you afraid of starting a war?" Yu Luomian shouted angrily.

Yue Guan sneered. "War? Once I have those little brats, it'll be time for the Heaven Dou Empire to change masters. If you know what's good for you, hand them over!" His gaze fell on Tang San and the others, and greed flashed in his eyes. "Especially that Blue Silver Grass and Soft Bone Charming Rabbit, and... Three-Legged Golden Crow, I let you escape last time. You won't be so lucky this time!"

Lin Ye stepped forward, Golden Crow Fire blazing around him. "If you want our lives, let's see if you have the ability to take them!"

"You're courting death!" Yue Guan roared. His Soul Power erupted at full strength, and the golden chrysanthemum came crushing down on Lin Ye.

"Don't even think about it!" Meng Zhi struck first, meeting the golden chrysanthemum with his longsword trailing fierce sword Qi.

Yu Luomian also released his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul. Blue lightning poured down like a waterfall, blocking the black-clad Soul Masters' attacks.

"Let's go!" Tang San shouted. Blue Silver Grass erupted in an instant as he activated All-Encompassing Heavenly Net. The trees around the square grew wildly, forming green barriers that trapped the black-clad Soul Masters.

Lin Ye's Golden Crow Fire worked in tandem with Tang San's Blue Silver Grass, setting the vines alight and turning them into walls of fire that blocked Spirit Hall's assault. Dai Mubai and Xiao Wu's Netherworld Soft Bone Slash was astonishingly powerful, knocking down a black-clad Soul Master with every strike. Tai Long protected Oscar, continually fending off Soul Skill attacks, while Oscar's sausages fell like rain, replenishing the Soul Power of everyone and the royal guards.

A great battle erupted in the square of Heaven Dou Royal Academy. Golden chrysanthemums, blue lightning, green vines, golden flames, and black figures intertwined, while the thunder of colliding Soul Power rang through the skies.

Though Yue Guan was powerful, he found it difficult to break through Meng Zhi and Yu Luomian's joint defense for the moment. Looking down at the black-clad Soul Masters entangled with the Shrek group, he showed a flicker of impatience.

"A bunch of useless trash!" Yue Guan roared. His Soul Power suddenly surged, and the golden chrysanthemum grew enormous before smashing toward the center of the square!

"This is bad!" Meng Zhi's expression changed drastically. "He's going in for the kill!"

At that critical moment, an aged, commanding voice suddenly rang out above the academy:

"Yue Guan, do you take this old man's territory for a vegetable market? You think you can come and kill whenever you please?"

As the voice fell, a streak of seven-colored light tore across the sky like a meteor and landed in the center of the square in an instant! The light faded, revealing an elderly man holding the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. It was Ning Fengzhi, sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

Two Titled Douluo stood behind him, one holding a bone whip and the other a longsword, both exuding imposing presence.

"Ning Fengzhi? Bone Douluo? Sword Douluo?" Yue Guan's expression changed drastically, his eyes full of disbelief. "Why are you here?"

Ning Fengzhi smiled faintly, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda giving off a gentle glow. "Brother Yu, General Meng, and I go back a long way. How could I stand by and do nothing while you cause trouble here?"

Bone Douluo Gu Rong loosened his limbs with a series of cracks. "It's been a long time since I stretched these old bones. Yue Guan, how about playing with me?"

Sword Douluo Chen Xin simply drew his longsword and pointed its tip straight at Yue Guan. "Leave, or die."

Yue Guan looked at the three Titled Douluo facing him and the growing number of royal guards and knew he had nothing to gain today. He shot Tang San and the others a venomous look and gritted out, "We're leaving!"

With that, he fled Heaven Dou Royal Academy in disgrace, taking the remaining black-clad Soul Masters with him.

With the crisis over, cheers filled the square.

Ning Fengzhi walked over to Tang San and the others, a gentle smile on his face. "Heroes truly do emerge among the young. Xiao Gang is fortunate indeed to have students like you."

"Greetings, Sect Master Ning." Tang San and the others hurriedly bowed. They knew the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was the most powerful support-type sect on the continent. Ning Fengzhi's arrival had undoubtedly brought them a powerful ally.

Ning Fengzhi waved a hand and turned to Yu Luomian and Meng Zhi. "It seems we need to have a proper discussion about how to deal with Spirit Hall."

Yu Luomian and Meng Zhi nodded, determination shining in their eyes.

The last rays of the setting sun fell across the square, illuminating the smiles on everyone's faces. Although Spirit Hall's threat remained, the forces opposing it were growing stronger with the addition of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

Tang San looked at the companions beside him, then at Ning Fengzhi, Yu Luomian, and Meng Zhi in the distance, his heart full of hope. He knew that as long as everyone stood united, one day they could utterly crush Spirit Hall's schemes and restore peace to the continent.

Meanwhile, in a corner of Heaven Dou City, Salas stood before a window, looking toward the royal academy. A strange smile curled at the corners of his mouth. "Things are getting more and more interesting. I'll let you enjoy yourselves for a few more days..."

He toyed with a black token in his hand. A sinister skull was engraved on it.

An even greater storm was quietly brewing.