The three of them left the valley together and returned to the Blue Tyrant Academy in the Heaven Dou City, which now served as the entrance to the current Shrek Academy.
Through the guard's report, Yu Xiaogang and the others soon learned of their return.
Everyone came out of the main campus with joyful expressions. However, when they saw Dugu Bo, their faces darkened, clearly assuming that his intentions were less than friendly.
As for Dugu Bo, a proud little old man who cared deeply about his reputation, he merely snorted, his nostrils flaring as if he were ignoring them entirely.
Xiao Tianyang stepped forward and said proactively, "Let me introduce you. This is the senior advisor who has just been hired by our academy."
Tang San also stepped forward and added, "That's right. With this, our academy will now have a Titled Douluo overseeing things. Whether internally or externally, we'll have much more confidence."
Yu Xiaogang glanced at the two young men and quickly understood the deeper meaning behind their actions. He hurriedly took the lead in saluting and said, "Welcome, Senior Poison Douluo, to Shrek Academy. Please forgive any misunderstandings we may have had before."
Dugu Bo nodded slightly in acknowledgment and replied, "I was invited by them, but I am only here as a senior advisor. I won't be teaching students or participating in your decision-making."
"That's perfectly fine," Yu Xiaogang said, glancing at Flender, who understood his cue and stepped forward to respond.
Dugu Bo nodded again. "Prepare a room for me. I'll stay here for a few days and then leave. I don't want these two kids to say I'm being irresponsible."
Soon, Flender arranged for two teachers to accompany Dugu Bo and show him to his quarters.
"Grandmaster, please don't mind him. Senior like him tend to be a bit reserved. If you approach him directly, he might seem aloof, but he's actually quite a good person," Xiao Tianyang said, trying to smooth things over for Dugu Bo.
Although he knew that their relationship would improve over time, it was better to address these matters sooner rather than later.
After all, if Dugu Bo were to contribute in the future, it couldn't rely solely on the two of them. Dugu Bo needed to be fully integrated into Shrek Academy's circle, and that responsibility fell on the academy's teachers.
"Don't worry. You've managed to bring a Titled Douluo to oversee us. Naturally, we won't have any objections," Flender said, waving his hand. Then he added, "But you two have grown up quite fast. You've only been gone for half a year, and yet your aura and spirit feel completely different now."
"Especially you!" Liu Erlong chimed in, appearing beside Xiao Tianyang. "Your whole demeanor has changed. But you're a grown man—why does it seem like you're wearing perfume?"
Xiao Tianyang's face fell. "This isn't perfume, nor is it body fragrance... Oh, I don't know how to explain it." In the end, he could only helplessly shrug.
"Never mind. It's not a bad thing," Yu Xiaogang said, waving it off.
"Hmph, with that scent, I don't know how many young girls will fall for you in the future," Liu Erlong snorted before returning to Yu Xiaogang's side.
During this time, she had finally realized just how exaggerated Saber, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing's attitudes toward Xiao Tianyang had become.
They would often ask about his situation and even tried to sneak away to find him, which nearly drove Liu Erlong to the brink of frustration.
Of course, she could understand their feelings. After all, she had gone through a similar phase as a young girl.
In fact, she had been even more straightforward and bold than they were now. But back then, it was just her alone.
Now, with Xiao Tianyang around, three girls were vying for his attention, almost forcing Liu Erlong to play the role of a stern disciplinarian.
In the end, she couldn't bring herself to be too harsh and had to let it go. Still, she couldn't help but feel that Xiao Tianyang's handling of the situation was somewhat lacking.
But she reminded herself that this was a matter between the younger generation, and it wasn't her place to interfere. It had been that way back then, and it remained so now.
After some conversation, the other teachers dispersed, leaving only Flender, Yu Xiaogang, and Liu Erlong to accompany Xiao Tianyang and Tang San to Shrek Academy's training grounds. Along the way, Xiao Tianyang learned more about their recent situation.
Suddenly, Xiao Tianyang spoke up. "Grandmaster, I suggest you stop using the recipes I gave you for a while."
The abrupt topic caught Flender and the others off guard. Even Tang San stopped and looked at Xiao Tianyang with confusion.
Yu Xiaogang was the first to react. "Did someone discover something?" he asked in a serious tone.
"When my teacher visited last time, he reminded me not to draw too much attention in this city, or it might attract the notice of the Spirit Hall," Xiao Tianyang explained. "But more importantly, these recipes that can increase soul power are an irresistible temptation for the Spirit Hall. They can't resist it, even if there's a Super Douluo backing me."
Upon hearing this, the group immediately understood the gravity of the situation.
At the same time, they felt a chill run down their spines. For a long time, they had only seen the benefits of the recipes and hadn't considered the potential dangers.
As the saying goes, "To possess a treasure is a crime." Although this idiom might not exist on the Douluo Continent, the sentiment was clear.
Moreover, being weak was the original sin, a truth that was even more pronounced on the Douluo Continent, where the hierarchy among soul masters was stark and the gaps between levels were nearly insurmountable.
The Spirit Hall had always been dedicated to cultivating soul masters.
In fact, most of the elite soul masters on the continent now belonged to the Spirit Hall.
If anyone were most tempted by these recipes, it would undoubtedly be the Spirit Hall.
Just imagine how powerful their forces would become if they mastered these recipes. Who on the continent could possibly stand against them?
Even if they hadn't made any moves yet, one couldn't forget the ambitions of Bibi Dong, the current Pope of the Spirit Hall. That alone was enough to make her go to any lengths, even if it meant offending a Super Douluo, to obtain these recipes.
"Yes, this was indeed our oversight," Yu Xiaogang sighed. "If your teacher hadn't reminded us, we might have inadvertently caused you harm."
"But is it too late to stop now?" Liu Erlong asked, her voice filled with worry. "The school cafeteria has already started serving these dishes, and most of the students are already aware of them. How can we take it back now?"
"That's easy to explain. Before I returned, I had already thought of a solution," Xiao Tianyang said, a slight smile playing on his lips. "But we'll need Senior Dugu Bo's cooperation. When the time comes, we'll do this..."
The five of them continued walking and talking, with Xiao Tianyang primarily outlining his plan.
…
If you'd like to support me and gain access to 60+ advanced chapters, you can follow the link:
patreon.com/DarkLord621
📖 Explore my fanfiction collections:
🔹 Douluo: Infinite Lottery System - 206+ Chapter
🔹 Douluo: Peerless Gu Master - 144+ Chapter
🔹 My Disciple Are All Dou God - 50+ Chapter
Thank you for your support!