The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, Sword Sect.
Oscar, Dugu Bo, and Gai Yue were sitting cross-legged beside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. It had been a long time since they'd been this relaxed.
As the Sword Sect's strength and status continued to rise, Gai Yue and Dugu Bo had hardly rested for even a moment. Oscar and Dugu Yan were working hard, and the elders were not idle either.
Looking at Oscar, who was only seventeen yet had already reached a terrifying level seventy-five, both elders couldn't help but sigh in admiration.
When Gai Yue first met Oscar eight years ago, he had only just broken through to level twenty. Now, after only eight years, the boy had crossed several ranks to become the youngest Soul Sage in history.
Dugu Bo's experience was similar. He had met Oscar five years ago when Dugu Yan obtained her third spirit ring. That meeting turned out to be one of the most meaningful events in Dugu Bo's life.
Meeting Oscar had not only allowed Dugu Bo to resolve his poison problem but had also helped him reach heights he had never dared to dream of,and his future looked even brighter.
Now, as the two elders looked at Oscar sitting cross-legged, their eyes were full of pride and warmth.
Gai Yue spoke first. "Little Ao, with your current foundation, you already have enough conditions to condense a spirit core. In the coming days, Old Dugu and I will fully assist you in completing it."
Oscar nodded. That was his plan as well.
Dugu Bo smiled with satisfaction. "If you can form a spirit core while still a Soul Sage, Little Ao, your future achievements will be unimaginable."
Oscar replied, "Grandpa, what we're doing already defies heaven's will. To succeed, we must give everything we have. Besides, the Spirit Hall grows stronger by the day. We don't have much time left."
Dugu Bo sighed. "Little Ao, the burden on your shoulders is already heavy enough. Remember to take care of yourself. We old folks aren't completely useless yet."
Oscar smiled slightly. "I understand, Grandpa. Don't worry."
Gai Yue patted Oscar's shoulder. Though he didn't say much, his meaning was clear.
Oscar was no longer alone. Behind him stood a group of people who would support him no matter what.
While Oscar, Gai Yue, and Dugu Bo discussed the condensation of the spirit core and various details, at Shrek Academy's headmaster's office, Flender suddenly sneezed.
"Who's talking about me?" Flender rubbed his nose.
Liu Erlong, who was sorting through the new student files, rolled her eyes. "Who would be talking about you, you lazy man? Get over here and help me. There are quite a few talented kids this year. See which ones are fit for the elite class."
"Coming, coming, my dear wife!" As soon as he heard her voice, Flender jumped up from his chair and hurried over.
When he called her "wife," Liu Erlong blushed slightly and glared at him but didn't say anything.
Since returning from that major tournament over a year ago, their relationship had undergone a major change. Three months ago, under Flender's persistent efforts, Liu Erlong finally accepted him. Two people in their fifties finally became husband and wife.
It was a pity that Oscar and the others weren't around at the time, so they couldn't attend the headmaster and deputy headmaster's wedding.
Or perhaps the two didn't want to disturb the "little monsters," so they held a low-key ceremony without telling anyone else.
After finishing their paperwork, Flender and Liu Erlong sat down on the sofa. Flender suddenly said, "Erlong, what do you think of the headmistress of Tianshui Academy?"
Liu Erlong handed him a cup of tea and replied casually, "I haven't known Xue Qingluan long, but she seems like a good person,beautiful too, and a high-level Spirit Douluo..."
Halfway through her sentence, Liu Erlong suddenly realized something was off.
Xue Qingluan was not only stunningly beautiful but also graceful and youthful, looking no older than twenty-seven or twenty-eight despite being in her fifties. She had countless admirers in the spirit master world, yet she had never chosen a partner.
Liu Erlong and Flender had met her a month ago at a meeting among the senior members of several academies of the Heaven Dou Empire to discuss teaching methods.
Could it be that this scoundrel Flender was still thinking about Xue Qingluan? Eating from one bowl while reaching for the pot? No wonder she had felt something strange when he kept encouraging her to get closer to Xue Qingluan back then!
Liu Erlong's phoenix eyes widened sharply, making Flender tremble in fear. He sat up straight, clutching his teacup without knowing whether to drink or put it down.
"Wha… what's wrong, Erlong? Why are you looking at me like that?" Flender asked nervously.
Liu Erlong narrowed her eyes. "Tell me the truth! You fell for Xue Qingluan back then, didn't you? That's why you wanted me to get closer to her!"
At her words, Flender's teacup slipped from his hands. His heart skipped a beat. This was a huge misunderstanding,he hadn't thought that way at all!
He had wanted Liu Erlong to get closer to Xue Qingluan not for himself, but for his brother Gai Yue!
Others might not know, but Flender, who had gone through everything alongside Oscar and Gai Yue, was genuinely concerned about Gai Yue's situation.
Despite being the Grand Elder of the Sword Sect, Gai Yue was still single. Over the years, Flender had tried to find suitable women for him but none had worked out.
When he met Xue Qingluan a month ago, he felt she would be perfect for Gai Yue. That's why he wanted to match them up.
Moreover, Liu Erlong and Xue Qingluan had hit it off quickly and become close friends after that meeting. With the help of the Lingyu Courier Service's incredible delivery speed, letters between them arrived the same day they were written, and their friendship had grown fast.
Flender thought that since his wife and Xue Qingluan were already close, it was the perfect opportunity to act as a matchmaker for Gai Yue. After all, Xue Qingluan was single too.
Now hearing Liu Erlong's accusation, he knew she had misunderstood.
Flender quickly dropped to his knees and hurriedly explained everything before she could get angry.
Since Liu Erlong didn't know the full truth about Gai Yue and the Sword Sect, Flender had to modify the story slightly,after all, the less people knew about the Sword Sect's rise, the better. It wasn't that he didn't trust Liu Erlong; he just wanted to avoid unnecessary trouble.
Only a few of the Shrek elders,Flender, Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, and others,knew the truth, and none of them had ever spoken about it.
So, Liu Erlong only knew that Oscar was the young master of the Sword Sect and that Flender had met Gai Yue years ago during his travels after separating from her and Yu Xiaogang.
After listening to his explanation, Liu Erlong couldn't help but laugh. "Alright, get up. I was just teasing you. I know you too well. But if you ever dare to do anything shameful behind my back, I'll take care of the problem at its source. Then if you still want children, you can figure it out yourself."
As she spoke, she raised her fair jade-like fingers and twisted them slightly in the air. Flender immediately felt a chill below.
He scrambled to his feet, not doubting her words one bit.
Putting on a flattering smile, he said, "Erlong, my heart belongs only to you,heaven and earth can testify to that!"
Liu Erlong smiled. "Enough joking. Let's get back to the Grand Elder's matter. With the Sword Sect's support, our academy is growing fast. It's only right that we help him find a good match."
After a moment's thought, she added, "But we can't rush this. I'll test Qingluan's attitude first. You should also sound out the Grand Elder's feelings. We don't want to make things awkward."
Flender nodded seriously. He had been so focused on finding a wife for Gai Yue that he'd forgotten to ask what Gai Yue actually wanted.
"Alright, I'll go to Mori City tomorrow," Flender said, and then began listing Gai Yue's personality traits, talents, and virtues.
Liu Erlong, taking her role as matchmaker seriously, analyzed it carefully. The reason Xue Qingluan had remained single all these years was that very few men could match her in talent and temperament. In that sense, she and Gai Yue were quite similar.
Gai Yue had once been consumed by vengeance and focused solely on cultivation, but now that the Sword Sect had risen, it was time for him to think about his personal life.
At that moment, while Gai Yue was discussing spirit core techniques with Oscar, he suddenly sneezed, leaving Oscar and Dugu Bo speechless.
Oscar raised an eyebrow. "Teacher, there's no way a level ninety-five Super Douluo could catch a cold, right? Especially one who plays with ice and even has an ice-type spirit core."
As he spoke, Oscar's expression turned mischievous. "Could it be that some future wife is thinking about you? Back in the day, you fought Sword Douluo Chen Xin to a draw,plenty of women must be dreaming about you!"
Dugu Bo burst out laughing. Gai Yue was excellent in every way, but it was true,he had never fallen in love, which was quite a pity.
Gai Yue's face darkened. He flicked Oscar sharply on the head. "Brat! Are you mocking your teacher now? Think that just because you're a Soul Sage, you can get cheeky?"
Unwilling to continue the conversation, Gai Yue stood up. A long icy sword appeared silently in his hand. "Come. Let me see how much your swordsmanship has improved."
Oscar's smile froze. Great. He'd forgotten that his teacher was still a virgin,probably not a good idea to tease him.
He turned to Dugu Bo. "Grandpa, save me!"
But Dugu Bo pretended not to hear and strolled away. "I heard Elder Yang has made a new pill. I'll go have a look."
Oscar watched him leave, mouth twitching helplessly. He looked up at the sky in despair. Sure, he'd grown powerful enough to fight above his rank,but that didn't include fighting a sixty-year-old, fully equipped level ninety-five Super Douluo with a spirit core and ten-thousand-year spirit bones!
"Teacher… I was wrong…"
No matter how pitifully he begged, the only response he got was the third form of the Frost Moon Sword Art,Frost Blossoms Across the Sky.
Who tests their students using full combat techniques?!
...
At Yuexuan, Dugu Yan was studying with the other students. Despite being nearly a Soul Saint herself, she acted like a graceful noble lady, not a powerful spirit master.
It had to be said that entering Yuexuan had benefited her greatly. One of her greatest gains was meeting Tang Yuehua, the mistress of Yuexuan, who embodied the purest elegance and etiquette.
Tang Yuehua's spirit power was only level nine, never breaking through to the Spirit Master rank. Yet she possessed a unique noble domain. Within it, Dugu Yan always felt her heart grow calmer and more focused.
Dugu Yan considered Tang Yuehua an extraordinary mentor, and Tang Yuehua was equally delighted to have her as a student.
The day after Dugu Yan enrolled at Yuexuan, the residence of the Strength Clan received a message from her.
Tang Hao read the letter his sister had sent and fell into deep thought.
The reason Tang Hao had reconnected with Tang Yuehua at this time was out of necessity. He wanted revenge but didn't want to embarrass the clan, so he sought out his sister.
Though Tang Yuehua was only a level nine spirit master, she possessed the most extensive social network since the Haotian Sect's seclusion. She was like a "social butterfly" who could connect with anyone.
It was said that Tang Yuehua even had a close relationship with Emperor Xue Ye of the Heaven Dou Empire. Because of that, Tang Hao went to her, hoping to use her connections to win support.
When Tang Yuehua first saw her brother again, she was overjoyed and emotional. After learning his plan, she tried to persuade him otherwise, but Tang Hao was too stubborn to listen.
In the end, Tang Yuehua had no choice but to agree to help him,keeping his whereabouts secret and providing useful information when she could.
Dugu Yan was one of the key figures in her plan. Titan had learned from Tai Long that Dugu Yan was Oscar's girlfriend and likely to become the Sword Sect's future lady.
Tang Hao hadn't been able to approach the Sword Sect directly, but through Dugu Yan, he might have found an alternative route.
After all, Dugu Yan had a good relationship with Tang Yuehua. Through her, it might be possible to reach Oscar,an ideal opportunity.
Titan also learned from Tai Long that Oscar's brother, Ailan, was close to the Spirit Hall's saintess, Hu Liena. From a certain point of view, they could even be considered part of the same faction.
In other words, Titan's faction could secretly support Oscar, helping him suppress Ailan and secure his position as Sword Sect leader. Once Oscar ascended, he could, in turn, assist them.
Of course, this was only Tang Hao's preliminary plan. How it would actually unfold would depend on Dugu Yan's ability to establish contact with Oscar.
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