Douluo Continent: Becoming a disciple of Jing Liu, illuminating all the gods

Chapter 71 Long Xiaoyao

(The main character will appear in the next chapter)

After exchanging a few whispered words with Xu Tianran, Jing Hongchen seemed to receive something from Xu Tianran. Xu Tianran departed under the protection of his attendants, bowing once more to Fan Yu and the students of Shrek Academy before leaving. At least on the surface, this Crown Prince easily left a good impression.

"Huo Yuhao, come here." Jing Hongchen walked up and beckoned to Huo Yuhao.

"They're here!" Huo Yuhao's heart stirred slightly. After giving Fan Yu a look that everything was normal, he quickly walked up to Jing Hongchen.

"Master." He was absolutely not lacking in manners.

Looking at the young man before him, Jing Hongchen's eyes revealed a complex expression. "Fifty percent, as you said. Thirty percent for the silver dragon scales, that's the maximum I can negotiate. If you still don't agree, then there's nothing I can do. If you think it's acceptable, give me the design drawings."

As he spoke, he extended his right hand to Huo Yuhao, revealing a star sapphire ring in his palm. The gemstone on the ring was much larger than Huo Yuhao's own, and the star pattern was much clearer. The ring alone was probably worth millions of gold soul coins. Moreover, it was priceless and unavailable.

Huo Yuhao didn't pester him this time. He took the ring, put it on his hand, and said, "Deal." As he spoke, he touched his Twenty-Four Bridges Under the Moon and took out a small box, which he handed to Jing Hongchen.

Jing Hongchen dared not be careless and quickly opened the box to check. Inside was a roll of blueprints, drawn with great precision. With Jing Hongchen's keen eye, he only glanced at it briefly before determining that it was a genuine blueprint, and the contents of the blueprints immediately gave him a sense of sudden enlightenment.

Finally, they got it. Huo Yuhao and Jing Hongchen felt exactly the same way at this moment.

"Aren't you going to take a look?" Jing Hongchen looked at Huo Yuhao with a half-smile.

Huo Yuhao chuckled and said, "I believe you. If you were to try to play tricks on me in this matter, you wouldn't be the Master of Mingde Hall, would you? Right?"

Jing Hongchen snorted coldly. "You weren't like this yesterday. Do you know how hard I worked to persuade His Highness the Crown Prince to secure so many supplies?"

Huo Yuhao laughed, "Didn't you still convince them? You're second only to the emperor!"

Jing Hongchen smiled, patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder, sighed, and said, "If only you were my disciple. Let's go, I'll see you off."

Even Fan Yu and He Caitou had no idea what Jing Hongchen and Huo Yuhao had discussed. Jing Hongchen led several teachers from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy to release their flying soul tools, escorting Huo Yuhao and the others into the air, heading straight east.

Along the way, the students of Shrek Academy mostly showed eagerness and excitement on their faces. Finally, they could go home; for them, Shrek Academy was their home!

But there's also a sense of heaviness. Where exactly did Chen Qiye disappear to?

The feeling of having to be constantly on guard at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy was truly unpleasant. However, these two and a half years of study still exposed them to many of the most advanced concepts in the production and use of soul tools, and almost everyone benefited greatly. But how much they actually learned depended on their own individual efforts.

Jing Hongchen remained mostly silent throughout the journey, quietly activating his flying soul tool. Huo Yuhao silently examined the contents of the starlight sapphire ring.

He could only describe himself as dazzled. In fact, even he himself hadn't expected Jing Hongchen to produce so many items. While the trigger mechanism of the Zhuge Divine Crossbow was excellent, it was still far from worth so many precious materials. Obtaining twenty percent of it would have been satisfactory for Huo Yuhao. Even if Jing Hongchen hadn't come to him today, he would have gone to Jing Hongchen anyway and agreed to his price; he hadn't expected such an unexpected surprise. At the same time, Huo Yuhao felt a slight wariness towards Jing Hongchen's generosity.

Several hours later, with Jing Hongchen's accurate location, they arrived at the exchange point that both sides had already agreed upon.

Jing Hongchen led everyone down slowly, while the Shrek Academy students had already arrived on the other side.

The person who came to complete the exchange was once again Yan Shaozhe, the dean of the Spirit Department of Shrek Academy. Accompanying Yan Shaozhe was Xian Lin'er, the dean of the Soul Guidance Department of Shrek Academy. The presence of the two deans showed how important this exchange was. However, only these two came; the rest were exchange students from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen didn't seem to have changed much, after all, they were already adults when they started exchanging knowledge and learning from each other, unlike Huo Yuhao who was in his adolescence.

The siblings' gazes became more focused, and they immediately turned their attention to Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao, however, wore a smile, appearing completely unconcerned.

"Master Hongchen, we meet again." Yan Shaozhe walked forward with a smile. Although he was speaking to Jing Hongchen, his gaze was fixed on Huo Yuhao.

Although Huo Yuhao has changed quite a bit in terms of physique and even his temperament has changed somewhat, Yan Shaozhe naturally wouldn't mistake him for someone else.

His inner strength is understated, and his eyes are simple and honest. It seems that this kid has made great progress!

Xian Lin'er's gaze was far more fervent than Yan Shaozhe's. She understood better than Yan Shaozhe the immense contributions Huo Yuhao had made to Shrek Academy in the past two years. It could be said that, through his own abilities, he had advanced Shrek Academy's Soul Guidance Department by a thousand years.

Jing Hongchen could never have imagined that Huo Yuhao had perfectly replicated a large number of soul tool blueprints from their Mingde Hall and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy using his mental power. In the past two years, through the research and development of Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department, the department has made a qualitative leap! It can be said that Huo Yuhao is a hero of Shrek Academy!

"Dean Yan, hello. You're still as charming as ever." Jing Hongchen smiled slightly, stepped forward, and shook hands with Yan Shaozhe. The two old foxes both had smiling faces; if one didn't know better, they would definitely think they were very close friends.

Yan Shaozhe smiled and said, "Master Hongchen, I have successfully returned your grandson and granddaughter to you intact. They have made great progress in the past two years through their diligent study, and I am very satisfied. I hope there will be more exchanges and learning opportunities like this in the future."

Jing Hongchen chuckled and said, "Let's go back and discuss it to see if we can make this exchange a regular occurrence. If so, I believe it will be more beneficial to the development of both our academies."

"As for Chen Qiye, we do indeed feel a little regretful."

"Remember what you said: unless his body is found, you will conduct a full-scale search for one day."

"nature."

Yan Shaozhe released Jing Hongchen's hand, and the two smiled and bowed to each other, while also making hand gestures to their respective groups.

Fan Yu led Huo Yuhao and the others quickly to the back of the two deans. Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen did the same, each of them teleporting to a different location.

After two and a half years of exchange and learning, only they themselves know how much they have learned and gained. At this moment, the exchange and learning has finally come to an end.

"Farewell!" Jing Hongchen seemed unwilling to stay any longer. After saying goodbye to Deans Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er, he led his students to release their flying soul tools and took off directly into the sky, not caring about attracting attention.

Yan Shaozhe watched them until they disappeared into the distant sky before turning his gaze back and smiling as he surveyed the trainees who had completed their exchange program. "Welcome home, kids."

A simple sentence, yet it warmed the hearts of all the Soul Guidance Department students, some even with tears in their eyes. Yes! It's time to go home.

"Dean Yan, I have something I'd like to discuss with you," Huo Yuhao said in a low voice as he quickly approached Yan Shaozhe.

"Hmm?" In terms of seniority, as fellow disciples of Elder Mu, Huo Yuhao could be considered his junior brother. Moreover, he was well aware of how much effort and hard work Huo Yuhao had put into the academy over the past two years, and how much valuable information he had brought back.

"Fanyu, why don't you take everyone to that hotel over there and get something to eat first? We're not in a rush like Jing Hongchen; we can eat first and then continue our journey."

"Okay." Fan Yu is now the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department of Shrek Academy and a member of the Sea God Pavilion. His status is very different from before.

Everyone else left, leaving only Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er. Yan Shaozhe said gently, "Yuhao, what is it? You can tell me now."

A gentle mental fluctuation appeared silently, and without Yan Shaozhe making any move, a layer of mental energy, invisible to the naked eye, had already enveloped the three of them. Even if someone was right next to them, they wouldn't be able to hear their conversation.

As expected of a Super Douluo! Even Huo Yuhao, a spirit-type Soul Master, admitted that he could not achieve the same level of precise control over spiritual power as Dean Yan.

"Dean Yan, Dean Xian, it's like this. I think Mingde Hall is very likely to be hostile to us and might make a move on the way back."

"Oh? Does Jing Hongchen have no shame?" Xian Lin'er said with some disbelief.

Huo Yuhao said, "He's just too shameless. Before we came back, I sold him a design blueprint at a high price and extorted a lot of rare metals from him. He was very reluctant at the time, but before we left today, he agreed and didn't haggle anymore. I think he might try to take those things back from me on the way back."

Yan Shaozhe asked with great curiosity, "Yuhao, just how much rare metal did you get from him? Doesn't he, the dignified Master of the Mingde Hall of the Sun Moon Empire, have any magnanimity? Also, selling him the design blueprints, wouldn't that...?"

……

The weather was beautiful today, with clear skies and no clouds. But just then, a large patch of dark clouds was rapidly approaching them from the distant horizon. Moreover, the clouds seemed to be expanding continuously, giving the impression of an impending doom.

Xian Lin'er snorted coldly, and with a swift movement, she broke out of Yan Shaozhe's soul power protection circle. Her flying soul tool also reduced its output and hovered in mid-air.

Yan Shaozhe said to Huo Yuhao, "Yuhao, you're right behind me, you just need to watch."

"Yes," Huo Yuhao replied.

The thick, dark cloud moved faster and faster, its immense size becoming increasingly apparent as it drew closer. The black cloud gradually coalesced in the air, transforming into the shape of a gigantic tiger's head, from which a deep, booming voice resounded: "Yan Shaozhe, do you still remember your old friend?"

Yan Shaozhe narrowed his eyes slightly: "Zhang Peng, you're still alive? Are you planning to let this old man finish you off today?"

"Yan Shaozhe, your mouth is still as foul as ever. Today I'll see who's really taking whom in."

The enormous dark cloud tiger head let out a deafening roar, and a terrifying pressure instantly erupted, covering Huo Yuhao and the other two like a tidal wave.

Just then, Xian Lin'er moved. She let out a long howl and soared into the sky. Blazing flames erupted from her body. The color of these flames was actually blue. Xian Lin'er's body was growing taller. In the blink of an eye, she had grown to over five meters tall, and a layer of blue armor had appeared on her body.

Yan Shaozhe smiled slightly and said, "Zhang Peng, you're getting worse as you get older. You've actually colluded with the Sun Moon Empire. You've found a good employer!"

The old man in black roared, "Bullshit! I know nothing about the Sun Moon Empire, much less the Mingde Hall. Hand over the person now, and get out of here!"

Xian Lin'er's eyes flashed with cold light: "Aren't you afraid of biting off more than you can chew? I'd like to see what makes you think you can make us leave." With that, she shouted, her body flashing through the air like a bolt of azure lightning, appearing before the old man in black in the next instant. Her spear pointed forward, and a thunderous roar echoed in mid-air as a massive azure dragon's silhouette flashed past behind her. The tip of her spear was already upon the old man in black.

The old man in black clasped his hands together in front of his chest, and a black sphere of light immediately appeared in his palms. Two yellow, two purple, and five black spirit rings rapidly rose from beneath his feet, each emitting a halo in turn. The black sphere of light blocked Xian Lin'er's spear.

In an instant, the entire space seemed to collapse, and Huo Yuhao felt a moment of mental disorientation as the sky suddenly darkened.

On the other side, Xian Lin'er was already fighting with the old man in black, Zhang Peng.

Zhang Peng's fists were his weapons; with each punch, thick black mist appeared. Xian Lin'er's fighting style was much wilder; with each thrust of her spear, a loud dragon's roar rang out, forcing Zhang Peng to retreat steadily in mid-air.

He was also an old man, but compared to Zhang Peng, the Scorpion Tiger Douluo, his appearance was much better. The old man was tall, with his silver hair neatly combed, his face ruddy like a baby's, and long eyebrows drooping on either side of his face. His hands were behind his back. He simply floated quietly in mid-air, not releasing a single fluctuation of soul power. Yet, the soul power fluctuations released by Xian Lin'er and Zhang Peng in their battle nearby dissipated on their own ten meters away from him, unable to reach him at all.

Yan Shaozhe's expression turned serious, not only because the old man had mentioned Elder Mu when he appeared, but also because he did not recognize the old man.

Given Yan Shaozhe's age and his status as the dean of the Spirit Department at Shrek Academy, he had seen most of the renowned Title Douluos on the continent. Yet, he not only sensed extreme danger from the old man before him, but also couldn't recognize who he was.

Seeing Yan Shaozhe's cautious gaze, the old man smiled slightly and said, "I haven't left the mountain for many years. Most of my former friends are probably gone now, aren't they? Even Elder Mu has ascended to heaven. What a pity. I've come here today for you. I want to see if Elder Mu's esteemed disciple has truly inherited Elder Mu's legacy. I am Long Xiaoyao. Do you remember me?"

Long Xiaoyao? Upon hearing this name, Yan Shaozhe's body trembled violently. A name flashed through his mind, and he exclaimed in disbelief, "You...you are the Dragon Emperor Douluo, Long Xiaoyao? You're still alive?"

Long Xiaoyao smiled slightly and said, "Yes! This old codger is still alive. It's a pity that Mu En went before me." As he said this, a deep sadness appeared in his eyes.

(End of this chapter)