Chapter 188: Yu Luomian Angrily Slaps Liu Erlong
Within the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan:
In the dense, fog-filled central region stood a grand palace draped in shades of blue. Inside its great hall, the air felt stifling; occasional flashes of blue lightning crackled in the air. Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian were there, both with extremely grim expressions. They had already received news of the business involving Yu Xiaogang and Tang San.
The "Grandmaster" of the soul master world, famous for his "invincible theory," Yu Xiaogang had single-handedly ruined the genius talents of the Haotian Douluo Tang Hao's son, leaving him stuck forever at rank 39. Yu Xiaogang's theoretical knowledge—and the man himself—had been reduced to a laughingstock among soul masters, which also put a dent in the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's reputation.
But even that wasn't enough to make Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian look this incensed. They'd seen plenty of scandals before. The real spark was the rumor, spread from who-knows-where, about Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong. Cousins, wanting to ignore conventional morality and be together—causing a huge stir and making the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan a total laughingstock.
Starting from more than twenty years ago, after the Seven Great Sects Re-election Assembly, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan had dropped from second to third among the Upper Three Sects. Then came a string of events: Yu Xiaogang awakened a grotesque piglike martial spirit, Yu Xiaogang marrying Liu Erlong, Liu Erlong roaming the land in a frenzy searching for him, Yu Xiaogang publishing the so-called "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Spirits"… again and again damaging the clan's reputation.
Now add on Yu Xiaogang destroying the son of Tang Hao, plus Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong, a pair of cousins, defying the norms to be together. It was all too damaging for the clan. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—already in decline—found itself deteriorating even faster under the negative influence of Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong. Fewer and fewer commoner soul masters chose to join them, leaving Yu Yuanzhen and Yu Luomian both angry and exhausted to the extreme.
Naturally, it was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan that had spread word of Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong's affair. Soul masters who joined a clan would then be bound to serve it for life, so if commoner soul masters went to the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, how could they compare to the better treatment and faster cultivation that awaited them at the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan? Either way, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's real high-level fighters—the direct descendants of the Yu family—wouldn't be hurt. Undermining them behind their backs was only beneficial to the overarching power of the "Three Upper Sects' Solidarity" and especially to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan.
It's worth noting that aside from those with exceptionally high talent, Spirit Hall no longer recruited many commoner soul masters.
"Big Brother, I'll go capture Erlong right now and lock her in our clan's confinement. This time, I won't hold back!"
Yu Luomian indeed felt guilty toward Liu Erlong because of her mother's situation, so he had poured money into building Blue Tyrant Academy for her. Being able to build such a large academy in a city as expensive as Heaven Dou, even one that was able to participate in the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament, had all been thanks to Yu Luomian's private funds.
Really, her mother had just been a beautiful courtesan—nothing more than a sex object for certain soul masters and noble scions, not much different from those female attendants in the auction houses. Her death was that and nothing more; giving Liu Erlong compensation was already a major concession. Of course, part of it was also due to her outstanding talent, having cultivated up to a Soul Douluo.
"Go ahead. You don't need to worry about my face."
Yu Yuanzhen, deeply disappointed in Yu Xiaogang, felt almost numb at this point. Sometimes, he wished he were as resolute as Ning Fengzhi, who could simply do away with anything harmful to the clan's interests. But that wasn't a step he could take.
Blue Tyrant Academy
Flender, Liu Erlong, and Yu Xiaogang were strolling through a forest on campus, joined by three other teachers of the academy. Yu Xiaogang still showed little desire to speak, yet he was not trying to flee anymore: Liu Erlong watched him closely, as did Flender.
With visible emotion, Liu Erlong guided Flender and Yu Xiaogang around the Academy grounds. Blue Tyrant Academy occupied the largest forested area within Heaven Dou City. It might not have facilities equal to those of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, but it wasn't too far behind.
Since its founding ten years ago, Blue Tyrant Academy had accepted only commoner soul masters. Though the quality of their martial spirits lagged behind that of some other advanced academies, precisely because the students were from humble backgrounds, they worked far harder than aristocrats or clan heirs. At the last tournament, they managed to defeat multiple strong opponents and push their way into the top eight—just slightly behind Heaven Dou Royal Academy Team One. With around two hundred students enrolled, the Academy had earned a solid reputation in Heaven Dou City, hailed as a cradle for commoner soul masters.
"Flend, there's nothing more to say, is there? My place is yours too. This entire Blue Tyrant Academy is solely under my authority. If you want to rebuild Shrek Academy, then just use ours. From now on, this school is yours. Tomorrow, I'll hold a general assembly for all teachers and students to announce it. After this year's Continental Advanced Spirit Master Academy Tournament ends, the name will be changed to Shrek Academy. Let me share in Shrek Academy's glory."
"Huh?"
Though Flender had always known Liu Erlong to be a bold and forthright woman, even he found it shocking that she would so casually give away an academy of this size. He was momentarily at a loss, while the three Blue Tyrant Academy teachers standing with them were outright dumbfounded.
"Who are you giving this academy to?"
A low, simmering voice full of anger rang out. Flender, Liu Erlong, and Yu Xiaogang turned around, their faces simultaneously freezing. Three people had arrived from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan. Leading them was a middle-aged man with a stern face, bristling with authority, clad in an elegant, deep-blue robe embroidered with a lifelike Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. That, of course, was Yu Luomian, the clan's second-in-command—and Liu Erlong's father.
"What are you doing here?"
Liu Erlong's expression turned to loathing the moment she saw him. She still could not forgive this man, who indirectly caused her mother to pine away and die, and also tore her and Yu Xiaogang apart, leaving them separated for twenty years.
Seeing her attitude, Yu Luomian's eyes burned with even greater wrath. He raised his hand and landed a palm strike, fully charged with anger, holding nothing back.
"Ah!!!"
Liu Erlong screamed as she flew dozens of meters away, plowing a more than ten-meter-long furrow in the ground. Her face on the struck side swelled high from the blow.
"What are you doing?!"
Flender had never expected Yu Luomian to attack so suddenly. Realizing his goddess had been struck, he erupted in fury.
Yu Luomian ignored Flender entirely, turning his gaze to Liu Erlong and the three Blue Tyrant teachers. "I paid for every brick of this academy, and you think you can just give it away? Starting now, the Blue Tyrant Academy is under my clan's control! After graduating, all students shall join the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan!"
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