Douluo: Steal Tang San's luck and become stronger!

He gently clenched his fist, without using his soul power. This simple action caused the surrounding air to emit a barely perceptible hum, and the light seemed to brighten slightly.

"It can be said that my current strength is far greater than it was before I was injured and retired. If we only consider the quality and potential of my martial soul, it might even be..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but his confidence made everyone understand.

Moon's gaze sharpened, as if piercing through the walls of the Sea God Pavilion and looking towards a certain direction on the continent.

"If I were to encounter that 'Dragon Emperor' Long Xiaoyao again at this moment... I am more than 70% confident that I could easily overpower him!"

The Holy Dragon of Light and the Holy Dragon of Darkness, these sworn enemies who have been entangled for countless years, seem to have had their balance of power decisively tipped because of a single immortal herb from Tang Lan.

Mu En's words, like a boulder thrown into a calm lake, stirred up even greater ripples in everyone's hearts. The fact that Dragon God Douluo Mu En's strength had recovered and even improved was, for Shrek Academy, no less significant than gaining a peak-level Super Douluo! And this was all thanks to Tang Lan!
Just as everyone was digesting Xuanzi and Mu En's words, pondering the major events that had recently occurred on the continent, and the increasingly important role that Tangmen and Tanglan were playing in them, Mu En, who was sitting in the main seat, suddenly moved.

He gently raised his wrinkled hand, which seemed to contain boundless power, and then lightly patted the hard conference table made of special soul-guided wood in front of him.

"Snapped!"

The voice wasn't loud, but it seemed to carry a strange rhythm, clearly reaching everyone's ears and instantly drawing everyone's attention back to him.

Moon's gaze became incredibly serious and profound. He looked around at every Shrek Core member present and slowly spoke. His voice was not loud, but it carried an undeniable weight, as if he were setting the tone for the future of Shrek Academy.

"Since the Tang Sect, especially Tang Lan, has shown such great favor and affection to Shrek Academy and to all of us present here, then in my opinion, some of the rules and stances that Shrek Academy has followed for ten thousand years should perhaps be slightly modified to better suit the current situation and future development."

He paused, letting the weight of his words settle, before continuing, his tone resolute.

"With the situation on the mainland in such turmoil, the Holy Spirit Cult is rampant, evil soul masters are rampant, and there are even strange and unpredictable evil soul tools that can control soul beasts."

In this chaotic world, continuing to cling to so-called 'absolute neutrality' and protect ourselves is probably no longer enough for Shrek Academy to truly stand firm, let alone safeguard the peace and tranquility of Shrek City and its countless students and citizens.

Moon raised his voice slightly, with a sense of determination to break with the old and establish the new.

"Under a precarious nest, how can the eggs remain intact? The ambitions of the Holy Spirit Cult extend far beyond the southwest corner."

When it has fully grown its power, it will inevitably extend its reach across the entire continent. At that time, any uninvolved force may become its target. Rather than passively waiting, it is better to proactively choose reliable allies to jointly resist this powerful enemy.

He looked directly at everyone and said the most crucial sentence.

"In my opinion, now and in the future, only by establishing a closer and stronger alliance, or even a strategic partnership, with the Tang Sect, which is rapidly rising, acts with integrity, and has a deep historical connection and mutual debt of gratitude to Shrek Academy, can Shrek Academy and even Shrek City have a better way out and greater protection in this turbulent world!"

These words were like a thunderclap, instantly rousing all the mentors and elders at the conference table, with many even instinctively sitting up straight.

To change the academy's millennia-old tradition of "neutrality," to clearly choose sides, and to actively align itself with a "new" power that is neither a traditional empire nor an ancient sect? This is absolutely a major event rarely seen in Shrek Academy's history!
However, after the initial shock, not all that arose in the hearts of the people was opposition and doubt. Reflecting carefully on Mu En's words, considering the increasingly perilous situation on the continent, the potential and responsibility demonstrated by the Tang Clan, and... that undeniable "gratitude" that had fallen upon each of them, directly or indirectly.

Everyone present, without exception, had received some form of kindness from Tang Lan. This might be due to the sharing of advanced soul tool technology and the supply of new elixirs brought about by the Tang Sect's collaboration with Shrek Academy, which improved the academy's overall strength and the efficiency of student training.

Or perhaps Tang Lan, during his travels and trades, intentionally or unintentionally left behind some rare resources and information beneficial to cultivation through Shrek Academy channels; or more directly, like Xuanzi and Mu En, received top-tier immortal herbs that were enough to change their fate and break through bottlenecks.

Although Tang Lan never asked for anything in return for these favors, Shrek Academy has always valued loyalty and righteousness, so how could they really pretend that nothing had happened?
To be fair, whether it was out of appreciation and gratitude for Tang Lan personally, recognition of the Tang Clan's style of doing things and its development potential, or deep concern about the threat posed by the Holy Spirit Cult, most of the people present...

Deep down, they were willing to lend a helping hand to the Tang Sect in crucial moments. In the past, however, due to Shrek Academy's ancient rule of "not intervening in the conflicts between forces on the continent" and the consideration of maintaining the academy's "absolute neutrality" and transcendent image, no one took the initiative to suggest it, or they kept their thoughts to themselves.

Now, the highly respected Dragon God Douluo Mu En, whose strength has been restored and further enhanced, has personally and clearly proposed this direction and given a sufficiently convincing reason: the world is in chaos, neutrality is difficult to maintain, and cooperation will benefit both sides.

This undoubtedly opened a floodgate for them to vent and realize the ideas that had been suppressed by rules.

After a brief silence, the Gluttonous Douluo Xuan Lao, sitting next to Mu En, nodded heavily first. His booming voice echoed in the conference hall, carrying his usual boldness and the firmness he had at this moment.

"Elder Mu is absolutely right! The Holy Spirit Cult is becoming increasingly unscrupulous in its actions. The blood sacrifice and beast tide control they have orchestrated in the southwest are clearly intended to stir up chaos in the world! Their momentum is overwhelming and cannot be dealt with by one or two sects or empires alone."

The Holy Spirit Cult is powerful and its methods are unpredictable and treacherous. If allowed to develop unchecked, coupled with its strategies of alliances and division, it could very well completely overturn the existing power structure of this continent! Shrek Academy may appear aloof, but in reality, it is already on the edge of the vortex, with no way to avoid it!

Xuanzi scanned the crowd with piercing eyes.

"Instead of waiting until the enemy is at our gates and hastily responding, it is better to plan ahead and take the initiative! Choosing to join forces with a promising, responsible force like the Tang Clan, which has close ties with us, to jointly deal with this crisis that may sweep across the continent is the wisest choice!"

After all, looking back at history, didn't the founder of Shrek Academy also... choose to help one side, stabilize the situation, and ultimately lay the foundation for the academy's enduring legacy? Times change, and rules should change with the times!

Xuanzi's words, referencing the story of the founder of Shrek Academy, gave this possible act of "taking sides" the legitimacy and necessity of historical inheritance, and dispelled the last concerns in many people's hearts—the rules of the academy are not monolithic, and even the sages had times when they were flexible and adaptable.

Seeing Xuanzi's clear expression of support and hearing him mention the founder's past, many of the elders and mentors present lit up and nodded slightly, clearly indicating that they had already agreed.

Seeing this, Mu En knew that the time was right.

He said no more, only coughed lightly, but the sound carried an invisible power that instantly silenced all the whispers and subtle noises in the conference hall.

His aged yet dignified gaze swept across the room once more, and he announced in a calm yet unquestionable tone.

"Now that the advantages and disadvantages are clear and the intentions are understood."

"Now, regarding the resolution I just proposed—'Adjusting the academy's neutral stance, establishing a closer strategic alliance with the Tang Sect, providing support when necessary, and jointly addressing threats such as the Holy Spirit Cult'—let's begin the vote." "Those who agree, please release a wisp of your soul power and gather it at the center of the table."

"Those who object may remain silent, or present their reasons to me and Xuanzi privately after the meeting."

Those who abstain may also remain silent.

Moon's calm yet authoritative words, like a pebble thrown into an ancient well, rippled heavily throughout the Sea God Pavilion's conference hall.

As soon as the words "Begin voting" were uttered, it was as if some invisible string in the air had been stretched taut.

A brief silence fell, as if even breathing was being deliberately suppressed. However, this silence lasted for less than a breath.

The next second, almost without any hesitation, all the mentors and elders present made the same move in unison.

Their hands reached for an inconspicuous hidden compartment on the table in front of them—a device used for voting at the Sea God Pavilion meetings. The compartment slid open silently, revealing two plaques placed side by side, one red and one blue. The red plaque represented "agree" or "support a radical/interventionist resolution."

Blue represents "opposition" or "conservative/neutral." In Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year history, the red plaque has appeared only a handful of times, usually only used when the academy's survival or when there are dramatic changes in the continent's power structure.

At this moment, almost everyone picked up the blood-red card with steady and firm movements, and then hung it on a specific raised slot on the table in front of them.

"click", "click", "click"...

The crisp clicking sounds rang out one after another, not loud, but striking everyone's hearts like thunder. One after another, red plaques were erected, reflecting a chilling crimson luster under the soft soul-guiding lights on the ceiling of the conference hall, like silent burning flames, or battle flags about to go into battle, announcing the change of an era.

This blood-red card, at this moment, signifies that Shrek Academy, an ancient power with a history spanning millennia, has finally decided to truly and thoroughly participate in this conflict and confrontation sweeping the continent. It is no longer merely a sacred place for cultivating talent or a relatively detached observer, but a warrior choosing a side and drawing its weapons.

Looking around, behind those rows of red cards are faces that are renowned in the world of Soul Masters, the true foundation and backbone of Shrek Academy.

Lin Huiqun, a senior elder of level 97, is an old man who rarely shows his face and specializes in martial spirit theory and ancient literature research. At this moment, his eyes are clear and firm. His red card represents the judgment of the oldest faction in the academy on the current situation.

Among them was Elder Song, a woman of gentle temperament yet unfathomable strength, whose red card signified that even the moderate faction within the academy recognized the necessity of taking the initiative.

With Elder Zhuang, from the 96th grade, in charge of the academy's logistics and resource allocation, his red card indicates that Shrek Academy will mobilize its vast resource reserves to support this decision.

Furthermore, it includes the core members of the academy who currently hold power.

Yan Shaozhe, the dean of the Martial Soul Academy and a level 97 Bright Phoenix Soul Master, raised his red card the fastest, his eyes sharp as lightning, clearly having already thought it through.

The Dean of the Soul Guidance Academy, Xian Lin'er, a student of the 97th grade, is a strong-willed and straightforward female dean. With a resolute look on her face and a hint of trust in someone far away, she puts on the red card without hesitation.

The vice dean, Cai Meier, from the class of '96, had a solemn expression and decisive movements.

Qian Duoduo, the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department, a student in the 96th grade, usually wore a friendly and approachable smile, but now his face was tense, and his eyes burned with a fierce fighting spirit.

There are also a group of core mentors, including Shi Xing from the class of '92, who are all highly capable and in their prime.

Among them, Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo benefited the most from the early cooperation between Tang Sect and Shrek Academy due to their close personal relationship with Tang Lan. They received the most direct and substantial benefits, including the Tang Sect's sharing of cutting-edge soul tool design ideas and the supply of special materials.

The rare resources and elixirs that Tang Lan privately gifted them, which were highly beneficial to the cultivation of Soul Masters, greatly benefited the two deans and vice-deans of the Soul Guidance Department. In a relatively short period, thanks to these accumulated resources and their own hard work, both successfully broke through the bottleneck of level one, significantly improving their strength.

This bond and tangible progress have made their trust and support for the Tang Clan and Tang Lan even stronger than that of others.

Their red cards were also displayed very conspicuously.

There were no blue cards. There were no abstentions. No one even needed to present their objections separately after the meeting.

It passed unanimously!

Inside the Neptune Pavilion conference hall, a solemn crimson hue filled the air.

This scene is enough to be recorded in the annals of Shrek Academy's long history.

Looking at the uniform red before him, Moon's aged face showed little surprise, only a profound sense of peace and an even stronger sense of responsibility.

He slowly stood up, and with his movement, an invisible, vast aura naturally spread, causing all the red cards to tremble slightly, as if paying tribute to the leader who set the tone.

"it is good."

Moon uttered only one word, yet it carried immense weight.

"The resolution is passed. Effective immediately, Shrek Academy will adjust its external strategy and formally establish a strategic alliance with the Tang Sect to jointly deal with all enemies that threaten the peace of the continent, including the Holy Spirit Cult. The entire academy must work together to support this joint operation against the Ten Thousand Soul Douluo of Dongyang City and prepare for a larger-scale conflict."

His gaze swept over the crowd.

"Specific collaboration matters will be fully coordinated by Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er, with Xuanzi overseeing the entire academy. All colleges, departments, and functional units must fully cooperate without fail." (End of Chapter)