Tang Ya walked forward calmly, showing no intention of stepping aside. Fan Yu and Yan Shaozhe had no choice but to retreat a step, giving way for the Tang Sect members.
When Tang Ya reached the gate, she turned back to look at the crowd outside and said softly:
"The Tang Sect headquarters will be undergoing renovations for a few days. When it reopens, you are all welcome to visit again. For today, that's enough—the crowd is too large, and it's far too noisy."
With that, she turned around and walked into the Tang Sect headquarters.
Elder Chen put away the Bright Mirror, but the Great Earth Mantra still radiated its yellow light above the Tang Sect headquarters, enveloping the entire area.
Wang Dong'er frowned at the sight and cursed:
"What's she so arrogant about! If not for the Sun Moon Empire backing her, would her Tang Sect even exist? Shameless! And now she dares come back to act mighty!"
"Enough, there's no meaning in saying such things now."
Yan Shaozhe glanced back at Wang Dong'er, then swept his gaze across Snow Empress before finally resting on Xue Yu.
"Your Highness, it seems Heaven Dou City will not know peace in the days to come."
Xue Yu nodded slightly.
"Do not worry. The Heavenly Soul Empire has confidence in facing all this. It is merely a Tang Sect."
Even with a rank-nine soul engineer supporting them, Xue Yu did not believe the Tang Sect qualified to provoke the Heavenly Soul Empire. The empire boasted more than a dozen Title Douluo, and among them, no fewer than three were Super Douluo! Two of those resided within Heaven Dou City itself.
With such guardianship, the Tang Sect could stir up no great storm.
But what they did not know was that Tang Ya had never come with the intent to raise a storm.
Her reclaiming of the Tang Sect headquarters at this time was only to plant a nail into the heart of the Heavenly Soul Empire. As for how effective it would be—that was irrelevant.
Yan Shaozhe was about to return to the imperial palace with Xue Yu. Before leaving, he extended an invitation to the Snow Empress.
"Teacher Xue, you are a teacher of Shrek Academy, and moreover a Super Douluo. Since the Academy is entering deep cooperation with the Heavenly Soul Empire, please join us and listen in."
The Snow Empress wore her usual faint smile and nodded.
"Very well."
After the three departed, Wang Dong'er turned to Zhou Yi.
"Teacher Zhou, come with us. We're staying at the Heaven Dou Grand Hotel! Vice Dean Fan Yu as well?"
Zhou Yi and Fan Yu both acknowledged.
"But we won't be staying long," Fan Yu said. "We'll have to return to the Academy to report all this to Elder Xuan. Ah… I truly don't understand how things came to this."
Zhou Yi snapped in anger:
"Isn't it just that little girl Tang Ya forgot the Academy's grace?!"
Watching Zhou Yi's rage and Fan Yu's sighs, Jiang Shengyu only found it laughable.
You don't know how things became like this?
Weren't these all choices you yourselves made, oh idols of Shrek?
Such pitiful public relations handling! Since Elder Mu's passing, Shrek Academy's overall caliber had plummeted off a cliff.
"At the very least, why don't my brother and I go in and talk with Sister Tang Ya? Our relationship is still decent," Jiang Qingtong suddenly suggested to Fan Yu and Zhou Yi.
At her words, Zhou Yi frowned. She knew that it was precisely because of Jiang Qingtong that Tang Ya had left Shrek Academy for the Sun Moon Empire in the first place. And now she wanted to go speak with her? What medicine was she selling in that gourd?
Before Zhou Yi could respond, Fan Yu spoke up:
"That would be best! At the very least, it might ease our relations somewhat. Qingtong, go ahead."
Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong made their way toward the Tang Sect headquarters, Jiang Feixin trotting after them.
The disciples guarding the gate recognized Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong. Knowing their unusual identities, they did not obstruct their entry.
Once they were inside, Xiao Hongchen asked quietly:
"Sis, do you think I should go in too?"
Meng Hongchen shook her head.
"What for? The Tang Sect's Sect Master and we don't have much of a relationship."
Ever since Tang Ya joined the Sun Moon Empire, she had thrown herself fully into the Tang Sect's revival. Her only intersection with the Hongchen siblings had been when they competed together in the Soul Master Tournament.
That hardly counted as a close bond.
"You're right…"
Xiao Hongchen nodded, and as Meng Hongchen turned to walk down the street, he hurried to catch up.
After the siblings left, Fan Yu and Zhou Yi, together with Wang Dong'er and Ling Luochen, headed toward the Heaven Dou Grand Hotel. They did not bother with the Hongchen siblings' whereabouts.
At heart, Zhou Yi was deeply resistant toward Sun Moon Empire folk.
Especially because the Empire's young geniuses could very well become Shrek Academy's greatest enemies in the future, along with the three native nations of the original Douluo Continent!
Thinking of that, Zhou Yi's attitude toward Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen soured all the more. Their departure was for the best—better than sparking conflict later.
Inside the Tang Sect headquarters, Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong greeted Tang Ya and Elder Chen.
"Did our teacher give any instructions? Is that why you've come so early to prepare this place?" they asked.
Elder Chen replied:
"His Majesty Silvermoon sent us mainly to gather intelligence on the Heavenly Soul Empire."
"But by moving into the headquarters with such fanfare, won't the Heavenly Soul Empire keep you under strict surveillance? How can you operate under such watch?" Jiang Qingtong pressed.
Elder Chen reassured them:
"For that, we have Yuhao to thank! Using his Spirit Eyes' mental detection and sharing abilities, he developed a wide-range soul tool for reconnaissance. I brought several prototype units here."
Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong blinked in surprise.
What Yuhao nonsense is this?
Tang Ya, standing to the side, asked:
"And what about you two? Why are you in Heaven Dou City?"
Jiang Qingtong explained their training journey. Tang Ya then asked:
"And… what about Beibei? Didn't he come with you?"
Jiang Qingtong shook her head.
"He's gone into seclusion. Ever since obtaining his fifth soul ring, he's been cultivating in closed-door training. Elder Mu gave him the Dragon Pellet—his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon is evolving toward the Holy Radiant Dragon."
At Beibei's current situation, Tang Ya's expression dimmed, and she let out a soft sigh.
Seeing this, Jiang Qingtong couldn't help but sneer inwardly: If only she knew Beibei was pursuing me on Elder Mu's advice—how would she feel then?
"You two must still have much to do here. We won't disturb you further. Farewell," Jiang Shengyu said to Tang Ya and Elder Chen, preparing to leave.
The two did not try to keep them.
After leaving the Tang Sect, Jiang Shengyu and Jiang Qingtong did not immediately return to the Heaven Dou Grand Hotel. First, they sent Jiang Feixin away, then in a secluded spot, they produced their flying soul tools and headed toward Sunset Forest.
Sunset Forest lay to the east of Heaven Dou City, with the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well hidden deep within.
Around it was a ring of heavy, poisonous mist. Even under the sun's rays, the miasma would never dissipate! But for Jiang Shengyu, such toxins posed no threat at all.
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