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--- Chapter 354 ---
A few months later.
Ten Thousand Beasts Sect.
This sect suddenly emerged on the tall mountain ridge near the Star Dou Forest, which neighbors the Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou Empire.
The Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou Empire sent envoys to inspect the newly emerged sect, only to find that it was not a simple organization. Instead, it was a profound sect with an ancient inheritance.
Initially, the envoys were astonished to learn that such a hidden sect had a Super Douluo leader and two additional Title Douluo guardian elders—an impressive powerhouse that even the current Upper Three Sects could not match, at least on the surface.
After further investigation, the envoys also learned that the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect's teachings on beast spirits were truly exceptional, as they could even tap into the essence of nature.
Although the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect had few disciples, at least from what they had seen, they were young as well, yet each of them was a genius.
In fact, the disciples of this sect might be capable of rivaling students from the infamous Dao Academy, which is considered the number one academy on the continent.
And that spoke volumes on how deep the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect's inheritance was.
The Ten Thousand Beasts Sect truly deserves its name, unlike some blue tyrant lizard sect. It had truly grasped the essence of "beast," whether in cultivation or combat, making it particularly suited for spirit masters with beast spirits.
Even then, the envoys of Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou Empire were still unaware of the true nature of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, as this was merely a standard operation.
If the spirit beasts from the Star Dou Forest were unable to master their beast-like nature and powers, what would they become—human?
They would rather die with dignity than be trapped in such a fate!
Thus, the envoys remained oblivious to this truth, which led to a startling report sent back to their superiors.
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At Spirit Hall, Bibi Dong sat on her throne, silently reading the reports with a furrowed brow.
While Bibi Dong had attended Dao Academy, she hadn't expected another variable to emerge on the Douluo Continent.
Fortunately, since Han Yuan had purged Raksasha God's resentment from her mind, she wasn't as irate as before. So, she decided it was best not to provoke the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect without first understanding its true power.
"Yue Guan, have you investigated this report thoroughly?" She asked, gazing at the kneeling figure beneath her throne.
Yue Guan, also known as Chrysanthemum Douluo, lowered his head and replied, "Your Majesty, we have looked into the area surrounding the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect, and even the locals who have lived there for six or seven generations have never heard of it."
"There is also not a single piece of information about this Ten Thousand Beast Sect in Spirit Hall's database. I am afraid this sect is genuinely a hidden sect from a Lightless Era."
"Lightless Era..." Bibi Dong frowned slightly at the word.
The "Lightless Era" that Yue Guan referred to was a time before the Spirit Hall's existence, characterized by chaos among humans, rampant Fallen Ones, and darkness overshadowing the entire continent.
She finally spoke, "Hmm, try reaching out to the Sect Leader of the Ten Thousand Beasts Sect and inquire why they have chosen to reveal themselves now. Do so as politely as possible."
Yue Guan nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty."
Then Bibi Dong remembered something and cleared her throat, "Also, how is Gui Mei?"
"He is recovering well..." Yue Guan responded awkwardly.
Not long after Bibi Dong and Qian Renxue had reconciled with each other and truly mended their mother-daughter relationship, the little angel got a call from Han Yuan that Ghost Douluo had foolishly tried to ambush him and failed miserably.
Upon learning this, Bibi Dong felt guilty and regretted her foolish decision that day. The ambush was, after all, executed under her command, driven by hatred and fear of Han Yuan's monstrous potential, resulting in Ghost Douluo's suffering.
While Bibi Dong was surprised to find that Ghost Douluo was physically unharmed, he did appear paler when Yue Guan brought him back to Spirit Hall.
Once Ghost Douluo awoke from his sleep, he screamed as if he had gone through a traumatic experience.
From that day forward, he isolated himself in a dark room, suffering from PTSD after failing to ambush Han Yuan, leaving him figuratively and literally "damaged."
Although Ghost Douluo had physically recovered, he could not shake the painful memory of that incident.
Bibi Dong provided Ghost Douluo with the best physicians specializing in mental health to help him overcome his trauma, yet he refused to leave his dark room, even at night.
Months passed, and Ghost Douluo showed no signs of improvement.
If Bibi Dong were herself of the past, she would have cast Ghost Douluo away because he was useless.
Yet, when Yue Guan shared this with her, a bitter expression crossed Bibi Dong's face, and she sighed. "If he wants anything, make sure to report it to me. I will compensate him for his loss."
"I will express Gui Mei's gratitude on his behalf, Your Majesty," Yue Guan replied, touched by her unusual kindness.
After that, Yue Guan left the palace, leaving Bibi Dong alone in the throne room.
She leaned back against her throne, rubbing her temple in fatigue. "First, Dao Academy, and now this Ten Thousand Beasts Sect..."
"Can I truly achieve my plans?"
Somehow, Bibi Dong's thoughts drifted to Han Yuan, the young man she had embraced tightly on a cold night, feeling warmth and comfort in his presence. Although it was improper, she couldn't help but long for that feeling again.
She slowly caressed her own body, even reaching down there, and then trembled, "W-What am I even thinking?"
"How could I..."
"But I can't help it."
It's like a thirsty person in a vast desert finding an oasis full of delicious and thirst-quenching water for the first time after so long.
Eventually, Bibi Dong sighed, "What a sin, what a sin. I actually became an old cow who likes to eat young grass..."
"Bibi Dong, how could you be so..."
"Disgusting, mhm~!"
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Meanwhile, the Heaven Dou Empire wasn't so calm either. Emperor Xue Ye immediately gathered his loyal confidantes and princes. Yes, Ning Fengzhi and Xue Qinghe (Qian Renxue) included. They discussed how to treat the Ten Thousand Beast Sect.
"This Ten Thousand Beast Sect is unfathomable..." said Ning Fenzhi while rubbing his chin. "Their research on the beast spirit is really profound."
Emperor Xue Yue sighed and then asked, "Sect Master Ning, which one do you think is more difficult to poach, this sect or Dao Academy?"
Ning Fengzhi put on a thoughtful expression before saying, "I am afraid I can't answer this question, Your Majesty. As you know, the Dao Academy advocates for the teaching of all commoners, which shakes the nobles' foundations on the continent."
"I am sure you have heard many nobles complain about Dao Academy and even wanted it to get disbanded for good."
"Moreover, the Dao Academy has Poison Douluo and Crimson Dragon Douluo as its protector and dean."
"Poaching Dao Academy is near impossible..."
Although Ning Fengzhi liked his prospective son-in-law, finding Han Yuan not only a young man with a bright mind and tenacity, but also a one-of-a-kind prodigy, he couldn't deny that his ideas clashed with the current feudal rules.
Of course, Ning Fengzhi secretly supported Han Yuan and Dao Academy, but facing Emperor Xue Yue, he needed to show him loyalty and give him enough face.
Emperor Xue Yue's expression darkened slightly. H
ow could he not know about the complaint of those nobles?
He stayed silent because he didn't want to entertain them!
"Father, while we can't poach the Dao Academy itself, we can still gain the friendship of the students." said Xue Qinghe (Qian Renxue) calmly.
Emperor Xue Yue's eyes lit up, "That's right! Qinghe, I heard you're close with the Prince of Lightning, Godspeed Yuan!"
"We are not that close, but I have a few pleasant exchanges with Brother Yuan." Xue Qinghe (Qian Renxue) replied humbly. Yet, deep inside, she was chuckling proudly because she was very close to Han Yuan.
Qian Renxue and Han Yuan are so close that he's willing to share the Dou Technique from another world with her. And this foolish Emperor Xue Yue doesn't need to know that.
'But this Ten Thousand Beast Sect is indeed a headache.'
'Still, why do I feel Han Yuan was involved with this sect, though?' The angel girl thought to herself.