Tianshui Crisis, Reunion with an Old Friend"These past few days have been truly absurd..."
In the Sunset Forest, Dai Yao, wearing a straw hat, traversed the wild jungle, his heart filled with complex emotions.
The events of the past few days have completely shattered Dai Yao's imagination. He never imagined he would do such a thing. Looking back, it all seems like a dream. If Tang San and Tang Hao knew, they would surely be devastated.
"Now Xiao Wu has also become one of the Tiger's henchmen. Especially after this incident, she hates me even more. But under the influence of the Tiger's henchmen, her attitude towards me has changed visibly and she is no longer so hostile."
"Once I shatter her hopes for Tang San, she will be completely under my control."
Thinking of this, Dai Yao suddenly stopped and his brows furrowed.
He vaguely sensed something was amiss. Would his past self have done such a thing? Driven by desire, relying on his power, acting recklessly. But then, the ripples in his heart were soothed by a mysterious force, and the unease slowly disappeared.
"Forget it, it's too late to regret it now."
"I've finally made it to the Heaven Dou Empire, I have to see Bing'er and Xue Wu. So much has happened, the Heaven Dou Empire was defeated in the battle against the Spirit Empire, I wonder how they are doing."
Dai Yao sighed, feeling somewhat anxious.
Although Shui Bing'er and Xue Wu hadn't spent much time with him, Dai Yao already considered them his women and often thought about them.
With this in mind, Dai Yao quickened his pace and sped off towards Tian Dou City.
In the original story, due to war, the Four Elements Academy was forced to relocate to Heaven Dou City and merge with Shrek Academy. In this life, the Four Elements Academy's fate is similar to the original story: it relocated to Heaven Dou City due to war.
Unlike the original story, this time there wasn't enough teaching space, so they had to negotiate with Shrek Academy. This time, each academy not only had its own independent teaching space, but also retained its own academy name.
However, as far as Dai Yao knew, the Four Elements Academy was not in a very good situation.
In the original novel, the Four Elements Academy received the full support of the Heaven Dou Royal Family because the academy was loyal to the Heaven Dou Royal Family, led by Xue Beng. However, this life is different. The relationship between the Four Elements Academy and the Regent's faction, represented by Tang San, is extremely cold.
They are loyal to the Heaven Dou royal family, not to you, Tang San!
To put it bluntly, Tang San's actions were tantamount to usurpation in their eyes! What power does Empress Xue Ke have now? She is merely a tool for Tang San to rule the Heaven Dou Empire.
As die-hard loyalists of the Heaven Dou royal family, they could not accept such behavior. If it weren't for the Spirit Empire's army pressing in, they would have already joined forces to petition Tang San to relinquish power.
······
Tian Dou City.
On a mountaintop outside Tiandou City, facing the mountain wind, Dai Yao took off his straw hat and gazed at Tiandou City.
Despite being dozens of miles away, Tian Dou City still loomed over the ground like a giant beast. But the once bustling city was now deserted, with no one coming or going. Everywhere were guarded soldiers and soul masters, giving it a somewhat eerie atmosphere.
"Is this still Heaven Dou City?"
Dai Yao's eyelids twitched.
The Tian Dou City of today is quite different from the bustling scene Dai Yao remembers it to be.
And all of this was because of a war.
"It seems impossible for me to sneak in. In that case, I'll either have to fight my way in openly or use the stealth skill of the Vast Ocean Universe Cover to sneak in."
After pondering for a moment and glancing at the sky, Dai Yao finally decided to wait and see if anything would change by nightfall, so he could sneak in under the cover of darkness.
However, not long after, the fiery sun slowly sank below the horizon, and a sudden commotion erupted in Tian Dou City. Immediately following, chaotic fluctuations of soul power burst forth from the city gates, accompanied by a deafening explosion.
The heavy city gate swayed for a moment before finally falling silent, but the commotion inside the city intensified.
"It seems like someone's trying to break through the city gate? Judging from their aura, these people don't seem to be very old, and the highest their soul power level is only close to Soul Saint. Meanwhile, their enemies include one or two Soul Douluo-level experts. The success rate for this breakthrough isn't high..."
Dai Yao suddenly stood up, looked towards the city gate, and narrowed his eyes.
Amidst the chaotic fluctuations of soul power, Dai Yao vaguely sensed several familiar auras: the explosion of flames, the speed and sharpness of the wind, and the all-encompassing nature of water. Dai Yao's eyes widened suddenly. Wasn't this the Four Elements Academy?
"The Four Elements Academy wants to break down the city gates? What exactly happened in Heaven Dou City? Why do the Four Elements Academy want to escape? Could Bing'er and Xue Wu be among them?"
Thinking of this, Dai Yao became extremely anxious.
As his soul power surged, Dai Yao vanished from his spot.
······
"Damn it, the enemy is getting bigger and bigger!"
A man with fiery red short hair, after exhausting all his strength to use a soul skill, looked at the enemies surging in like a tide and said somewhat wearily.
"Hmph, I'll fight them to the death! Even if I die, I will never surrender."
Beside the man, a tall woman, drenched in sweat, clenched her fists and looked furious.
The two were acquaintances of Dai Yao: Huo Wushuang and Huo Wu.
The brother and sister were both surrounded by six optimally configured spirit rings, and in just a few years, they had cultivated to the Spirit Emperor level, making them top-tier among their peers. However, compared to the endless stream of enemies before them, they were somewhat lacking, not to mention the several Spirit Douluos lurking nearby, ready to pounce.
"No, we cannot act rashly and ruin all the disciples of the academy here. The reason for our defeat today is that Tang San saw through all our actions. Moreover, Thunder Academy betrayed us, forcing us to flee Heaven Dou City."
"It now seems that we have no other choice but to surrender."
Beside the two, Feng Xiaotian, dressed in green, casually swung out a wind blade, looking somewhat tired, and said in a heavy voice.
Among the disciples, the three of them were the strongest, but even they were somewhat exhausted at this moment, let alone the disciples who were not as strong as them.
Although individual Soul Masters are strong, as long as there are enough regular troops, the difference in strength can be bridged.
This is the best example right now.
Hundreds of disciples from the three major elemental academies were surrounded by countless ordinary people. Once their soul power was exhausted, it was only a matter of time before they were captured. Despair gradually crept onto the youthful faces of many disciples, and some of the weaker ones even burst into tears.
A sense of sadness gradually enveloped everyone's hearts.
"Feng Xiaotian, Huo Wushuang, if you surrender, Lord Lan Hao will not blame you. But if you resist stubbornly, you will only face death. The decision to fight or surrender is yours!"
Just then, a powerful voice came from the end of the street, growing louder as it approached.
Everyone looked in the direction of the sound and saw that the soldiers who had been attacking had also retreated a distance and remained on guard.
When he could clearly see the figure, Feng Xiaotian's pupils constricted, and he exclaimed in surprise:
"Tang Hu, you actually came too?"
The newcomer was Tang Hu, one of the two prodigies among the third-generation disciples of the Haotian Sect. Tang Hu and Tang Long, the chief disciple of the third generation, were roughly equal in strength. If he hadn't narrowly lost to Tang Hu in one move, he would have been the chief disciple of the Haotian Sect.
Since the Haotian Sect took over Tiandou City, many of the city's prodigies have long admired the sect and have come to challenge it.
As a result, none of the elites of Tiandou City were a match for the disciples of Haotian Sect. Even geniuses like Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wushuang, who could defeat ordinary disciples of Haotian Sect, were still no match for the true geniuses among the third-generation disciples of Haotian Sect.
Feng Xiaotian was defeated by Tang Long and Tang Hu many times.
"Haha, Brother Feng, why can't I come? You'd better think this through now. Hundreds of lives from the three elemental academies are in your hands. You'd better think it over carefully."
Tang Hu strode forward, his gaze deep and intense, exuding an air of arrogance that suggested he had no equal in the world.
"Keep dreaming! We, the Three Elements Academy, would rather die than be dogs of the Tang family!"
Huo Wu clenched her fists and said angrily.
The four elemental academies are loyal to the Heaven Dou royal family, specifically to the Xue family, not Tang San.
Although Empress Xue Ke and Tang San are nominally husband and wife, they have no marital relationship. Empress Xue Ke has become a tool for Tang San to rule the Heaven Dou Empire, and is imprisoned by Tang San in the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace.
They never imagined that the once naive Tang San would become so cold-blooded and ruthless. Their once close relationship grew increasingly cold with the passage of time. And the Clear Sky Sect, Tang San's backer and revered by thousands, gradually became detestable in the hearts of many forces loyal to the Heaven Dou royal family.
Tang Hu was taken aback for a moment, then laughed:
"Brother Wushuang, I have long heard of your sister's fiery temper, and seeing her today, I can confirm it is true. However, Brother Wushuang, you must persuade your sister. Although Lord Lanhao is magnanimous, if you two remain obstinate, Lord Lanhao will not show any mercy."
Upon hearing this, Huo Wu's chest heaved with anger. She wanted to say something more, but Huo Wushuang grabbed her arm and pulled her back. She saw Huo Wushuang shaking his head at her, signaling her not to say anything more.
Many disciples looked at them with worry, awaiting their decision. This matter concerned not only their own lives but also the lives of hundreds of people from the three academies. It was best not to provoke the Haotian Sect unless absolutely necessary.
Seeing this, Tang Hu sneered and said:
"Brother Feng, Brother Wushuang, I'm giving you ten more breaths. If you still don't make a decision, don't blame us for turning on each other."
Tang Hu's words struck everyone like a boulder, creating a storm of emotions. All eyes, filled with unease, turned to Feng Xiaotian and his two companions; their choices would determine the fate of everyone.
"ten······"
Tang Hu began the countdown.
Feng Xiaotian, Huo Wushuang, and Huo Wu all looked tense.
They did not want to surrender to the Tang family and become Tang San's lackeys, but if they did not surrender, hundreds of people from the academy would turn into withered bones.
"Nine······"
Huo Wu bit her lip tightly.
"eight······"
Huo Wushuang clenched his fists.
"seven······"
Feng Xiaotian's forehead veins bulged.
"six······"
Rings of spirit rings rose from beneath Tang Hu's feet.
With seven perfectly configured soul rings—yellow, purple, black, black, black—Tang Hu had already reached the Soul Saint level in just a few years.
Dark light surged in Tang Hu's right palm, and the Clear Sky Sect Martial Soul slowly appeared in his hand. Amidst the flashing lightning, everyone felt as if they had been struck a heavy blow to the heart. Clearly, if Feng Xiaotian and the others didn't surrender, Tang Hu was prepared to make his move.
"five······"
Feng Xiaotian sighed heavily. He couldn't bear to let hundreds of academy disciples perish because of his own selfish desires.
Just as he was about to agree, he noticed a figure suddenly appear in the corner of his eye.
The man was dressed in a long, grayish-brown robe that completely covered his body, and wore a straw hat with the brim deliberately pulled low to obscure his face. Most striking was the long, narrow object wrapped in cloth that he carried on his back.
"you······"
Feng Xiaotian's pupils suddenly contracted.
This person suddenly appeared beside him without him noticing. Either this person was too weak for him to detect, or this person's strength far exceeded his expectations, which is why he didn't notice them at all. But the fact that this person remained so calm under such immense pressure clearly indicates the latter.
"Who are you?!"
Everyone was startled by the sudden appearance of the figure. Tang Hu's heart skipped a beat, and for some reason, goosebumps appeared on his arms. He gripped the Clear Sky Hammer tightly and said in shock and anger.
"Brother Feng, it's been a long time."
The figure beneath the bamboo hat did not present any question about Tang Hu, but instead uttered a voice that felt both familiar and unfamiliar to Feng Xiaotian.
While Feng Xiaotian was still wondering, Huo Wu exclaimed in surprise:
"You are Dai..."
Huo Wu clearly noticed that they were in Tian Dou City, and Dai Yao's name was taboo in Tian Dou City, so she quickly swallowed the "Yao" from his mouth. However, after Huo Wu's reminder, Feng Xiaotian and Huo Wushuang both realized Dai Yao's identity.
"Brother Dai, it's been so many years, what brings you here?"
Huo Wushuang asked in surprise.
Dai Yao chuckled softly, lowered the brim of his bamboo hat, reached out and grasped the hilt of the Trident of Poseidon, and said with a smile:
"This is a long story, but now is not the time to talk about it. Let me see you out first."
"Send us out? Brother Dai, it's not that we underestimate you, but this place is heavily surrounded. Even a Title Douluo would have to go through a lot to escape..."
Before Feng Xiaotian could finish speaking, his eyes widened.
Dai Yao waved his hand lightly, and the cloth in his hand was thrown out. With a deafening explosion, the seemingly indestructible city gate was blasted into pieces. The strong wind blew everyone's clothes, but it did nothing to affect their stunned mood.
Even a titled Douluo might not be able to break through the city gate, yet it was shattered into pieces by Dai Yao's casual strike. It was like a dream.
With a flick of his wrist, Dai Yao sent the golden trident of Poseidon flying back into his hand. He twirled it and slung it over his back.
"Brother Feng, you and your classmates should leave quickly. These people will hold them off for you."
Dai Yao said calmly.
It was as if tens of thousands of soldiers and soul masters were nothing more than clay chickens and earthenware dogs in his eyes. (End of this chapter)