Douro Continent

Chapter 357 A Harmonious Reciprocation (Part 1)

The investigation team sent by the competition organizing committee arrived even faster than Flander had predicted. The group of more than ten people rushed into Shrek Academy.

To Flander's surprise, he had met both of the team leaders before, and he never expected that the competition organizing committee would take this matter so seriously.

The organizing committee for the Heaven Dou City preliminary rounds was composed of the Spirit Hall and the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family, and the teams led by the two sides naturally came from their respective factions. Flander was surprised because the one representing the Spirit Hall was none other than Platinum Bishop Salas, the head of the Spirit Temple in Heaven Dou City. And the one representing the Heaven Dou Empire was none other than Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.

Later, the students of Shrek Academy learned that Ning Fengzhi had come as the Crown Prince's tutor. With this identity, he could barely be considered a member of the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family.

While the fact that seven contestants from Canghui Academy had become mentally disabled was no small matter, it certainly wasn't enough to alarm Ning Fengzhi and Salas, two big shots. The reason the two of them came to Shrek Academy together was rather comical.

Salas had originally intended to send only one of his subordinates. Given the Shrek Academy team's outstanding performance and the sensitive relationship with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, he had long planned to take action secretly. However, as the head of the Spirit Hall's Heaven Dou City, he certainly wouldn't be as reckless as the Soul Master Shi Nian. Therefore, he had been waiting for an opportunity. The transformation of the seven Canghui Academy students into idiots undoubtedly provided him with the perfect excuse. This powerful Platinum Bishop immediately prepared to use this incident to kick Shrek Academy out of the competition first.

But how could Ning Fengzhi let him have his way? When the organizing committee decided to send an investigation team, Ning Fengzhi immediately expressed his willingness to lead an investigation team to Shrek Academy to conduct an investigation.

Sending Ning Fengzhi would undoubtedly undermine his own plans, but Salas was unwilling to give up. In terms of status, he was still inferior to Ning Fengzhi, and the relationship between the Spirit Hall and the seven major sects had always been ambiguous. Left with no other choice, this Platinum Bishop had to personally intervene. He came to Shrek Academy with Ning Fengzhi, hoping to find some leverage so that even with Ning Fengzhi's high status, he couldn't hinder the fairness of the competition.

Therefore, these two important figures, along with their entourage, went directly to Shrek Academy.

Ning Fengzhi was quite familiar with the place. When he heard that they had arrived at the academy gate, Flander, along with Master and Liu Erlong, hurriedly went out to greet them. Before leaving, Flander instructed Ning Rongrong that she should not acknowledge Ning Fengzhi later and that it would be best to avoid him for the time being.

"Dean Flander, I apologize for disturbing you." Ning Fengzhi smiled and nodded to Flander.

Although their soul power levels were similar, their status in the soul master world was worlds apart. Flander quickly returned the greeting, "Sect Leader Ning, you are too kind. Your presence is an honor to Shrek Academy!"

Ning Fengzhi smiled slightly, made way for Flander, and introduced him: "This is His Excellency Salas, the Platinum Bishop of the Spirit Temple of Heaven Dou City."

Flanders, ever the smooth operator, maintained his composure without a trace of emotion and quickly bowed again. "So it's Bishop Salas. I am Flanders, greetings. Please come in, both of you."

Salas nodded slightly to Flander. The group of more than ten people, led by Flander and his two companions, entered Shrek Academy.

Ning Fengzhi only brought Bone Douluo Gu Rong with him, while the Platinum Bishop Salas brought a total of twelve people. Among them were two cardinals wearing red robes.

There were also ten Templar warriors dressed in silver outfits.

Within the Spirit Hall, besides the teaching staff, there is also a special organization called the Temple Knights. Apart from the Holy Emperor Warriors exclusive to the Pope and the Douluo Warriors exclusive to the Douluo Hall, the Temple Knights of the two Spirit Halls hold the highest status.

These Templar Warriors were composed of outstanding Soul Masters from the Spirit Hall. Their strength was extremely formidable.

It is said that the entry requirement for Templar Warriors is 51 levels of Soul Power. Of course, the entry requirement for Holy Emperor Warriors and Douluo Warriors is even higher, reaching 61 levels.

In other words, every Templar Warrior possesses strength at the level of Soul King or higher. Furthermore, Holy Emperor Warriors and Douluo Warriors have reached the level of Soul Emperor or higher.

This is just the most basic level requirement for the three major samurai orders.

The leaders of the Holy Emperor Warriors and the Douluo Warriors both possess the strength of a Titled Douluo. This demonstrates just how powerful the Spirit Hall is.

As Salas entered Shrek Academy, his eyes flickered slightly, the surrounding scenery already imprinted in his mind.

In the past, he would naturally not have paid attention to such an ordinary advanced soul master academy. But now it's different; the Shrek Academy team's performance in this Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is truly astonishing. Although he hasn't really taken it seriously yet.

But at least it proves that this academy is capable of cultivating some elite talents.

Flander led everyone to the first conference room in the teaching building. The two sides took their seats according to their respective roles as host and guest. Flander gave the head seat to Salas and Ning Fengzhi, while he, Liu Erlong, and the Master sat at the end of the table.

"Dean Flander, you should know the purpose of our visit." Salas picked up his teacup and took a sip. His expression immediately turned ugly. Although the tea had just been served, the poor quality of the tea leaves was beyond his wildest imagination.

As the master of the Spirit Temple, Salas has always lived a life of luxury. When has he ever drunk such a strange tea as Starry Night Tea?

The so-called "starry sky" is just tea dust. Pour a cup of hot water, then sprinkle a handful in, and the instant feeling is like a sky full of stars.

This is a type of tea that only the poorest commoners would drink.

But the starry sky that Flanders prepared was the starry sky of starry sky...

Seeing Salas's expression, Ning Fengzhi picked up his teacup and made a gesture, but Flander didn't treat him any differently; the tea in his bowl was the same.

Suppressing a laugh, Ning Fengzhi coughed and said, "Dean Flander, your tea isn't very good!"

Flander had been waiting for this opportunity to make a scene. He sighed and said, "Please forgive me, both of you. Shrek Academy is really too poor. All our funds are used to train students, and we've worked so hard to produce a few children who can be considered elites. I don't have money for tea normally. This was bought a few years after I took over the academy."

If Salas's expression was unpleasant before, it had now turned completely ashen. If it weren't for his status, he would have vomited. Years-old stale tea, and of such poor quality at that. Waves of nausea made him want to vomit. But looking at Flander's pitiful and aggrieved face, he couldn't bring himself to do it. He couldn't exactly say anything if someone was broke, could he?

"Dean Flander, stop beating around the bush. We're not here to watch your act." Salas's voice was already cold. Anyone would be in a bad mood after taking a sip of that weird-tasting starry sky drink.

Flander looked at Salas with a blank expression and said, "I haven't had a chance to ask yet. What brings you and Sect Master Ning to our academy, Your Excellency Platinum?"

Even Ning Fengzhi couldn't help but secretly admire Flander's acting skills; they were truly superb. If he hadn't previously interacted with this dean and hadn't vaguely guessed that Tang San had tampered with the students of Canghui Academy, he would have believed that Flander was unaware of the matter.

Salas frowned slightly. "In the previous match, your academy's students used excessive force to severely injure their opponents, rendering all seven members of the Canghui Academy team mentally disabled. Canghui Academy has lodged a strong protest. Therefore, the competition organizing committee has formed a special task force to investigate."

"What? The Canghui Academy team members have all turned into idiots?" Flander looked at Salas with a 'shocked' expression.

Salas snorted coldly, "You've trained a fine student. So young, yet so ruthless. You should know the rules of the competition. The competition will not let such deliberate acts of cruelty go unpunished."

His words sounded ordinary, but they were all misleading. He would seize the opportunity as soon as Flanders said the wrong thing.

"I'm innocent, sir!" Flander stood up abruptly, his face contorted with grievance.

His eyes were visibly red. "Lord Salas, we're innocent! Those bastards from Canghui Academy dare to protest? Six of our seven team members are seriously injured, and three of them are in critical condition, currently being urgently treated by several of our academy's medical teachers. They still have the nerve to protest? I was even preparing to lodge a protest and request an investigation from the organizing committee."

Salas snorted coldly, "You should know whether I'm being wronged or not. Even if you don't know about this, call out all the students from your Shrek Academy who participated in the competition today. We need to investigate them and question them individually."

Flander's 'shock' showed no sign of abating. He stated firmly, "No, this won't do. The children's injuries are too severe. If they don't receive timely treatment, they won't be able to participate in tomorrow's competition, and their entire Soul Master careers will likely be affected. Now is the crucial time for treatment. How can they answer your questions?"

(End of this chapter)