Douluo Dalu II: The Peerless Tang Sect

Chapter 314 A Different Eighth Test!

Zhu Ziyang took the Angel God's position and left the place of divine inheritance, returning to the Moon God Shuttle.

"Huh? Why is Nan Nan meditating?" Zhu Ziyang looked at Jiang Nan Nan, who was meditating with her eyes closed, with some surprise and asked Zhang Lexuan and Qian Lingyi.

"She is refining the rewards from the Seven Trials of Taiyin," Zhang Lexuan replied.

"Huh?" Zhu Ziyang was taken aback, then asked with some confusion, "Why so suddenly? The Silver Moon Spirit Fish King hasn't even become Nan Nan's soul spirit yet, so how is the seventh trial already complete?"

"I don't know either, and Nan Nan herself doesn't know either." Zhang Lexuan waved her hand helplessly and said, "Perhaps, as long as the Silver Moon Spirit Fish King submits in his heart, the test will be completed."

"That's possible!" Zhu Ziyang nodded thoughtfully upon hearing this and said, "Let's ask Nannan what happened after she wakes up."

Jiang Nannan quickly refined the assessment reward, opened her eyes, and her beautiful eyes sparkled with joy and excitement.

"So? What's the reward for the seventh test?" Zhu Ziyang asked immediately upon seeing this.

"Ah! Brother, you're back!" Jiang Nannan exclaimed with delight upon hearing Zhu Ziyang's voice, then excitedly added, "The reward for the seventh trial is a 10% increase in divine affinity, a level increase in soul power, and a 1,000-year increase in the age of all soul rings. It's not much different from the previous rewards."

"Oh, I see. So your soul power has reached level 78. That's great." After a moment's thought, Zhu Ziyang continued, "By the way, Nan Nan, Sister Le Xuan, what's the content of your eighth test?"

"Let me see!" Jiang Nannan immediately checked her eighth test and quickly learned its contents. A look of surprise appeared on her pretty face as she exclaimed, "Oh! My eighth test is to replenish my soul bone, brother! It's the same thing you said before!"

"Really? That's a very simple thing." Zhu Ziyang's eyes lit up when he heard this, because completing a soul bone might be a very difficult thing for other soul masters, but for Jiang Nannan, if soul bone compatibility is not considered, she can complete her soul bone immediately.

"Mmm! I didn't expect the Eight Trials of Taiyin to be so simple," Jiang Nannan replied with a grin.

"Sister Lexuan, what are your assessment criteria?" Zhu Ziyang then looked at Zhang Lexuan and asked.

"How should I put it, what is the content of my assessment?" Zhang Lexuan's expression was somewhat strange. After thinking for a moment, she slowly spoke, "My eighth test is to make me the emperor of the Sun Moon Empire!"

"Huh?" Zhu Ziyang's expression also turned strange. He said, "Doesn't this give the 'Empress's Descent' plan another reason to succeed? That's killing two birds with one stone, isn't it?"

"Sigh! Who can argue with that?" Zhang Lexuan sighed as well, saying, "Now, it truly is a divine right of kings!"

"Then, Le Xuan and I won't be able to complete the assessment together. I'm a little sad," Jiang Nannan said with a regretful expression.

"It's alright. We'll be separated for a while after we return to the mainland. You need to prepare for the Soul Master Competition, and I need to prepare for the throne," Zhang Lexuan comforted her.

"Alright, let's go back to the Silver Moon Spirit Fish clan's territory first, and then return to the Moon South Islands!" Zhu Ziyang said.

The Moon God Shuttle quickly entered the territory of the Silver Moon Spirit Fish Clan. Jiang Nannan made an agreement with the Silver Moon Spirit Fish King that she would come to find him after she reached the Soul Douluo realm, and he would arrange everything in the clan during that time.

After that, they left the Spirit Fish Sea and the Moon God Shuttle headed east, soon arriving at the Moon South Islands.

Looking at the Moon South Islands so close at hand, the four people on the Moon God Shuttle all showed expressions of joy, excitement, and exhilaration. After a year, they had finally returned to the Moon South Islands and back to the Douluo Continent.

On April Island, Zhu Ziyang and his companions were filled with emotion as they set foot on the island. Instead of rushing to the Marquis's Mansion to find Elder Song or Xu Jianwei, the four of them strolled around the island's market for half a day before returning to the Marquis's Mansion in Yue Nan.

"Ziyang, Nannan, Lexuan, you're back?!" Old Song was overjoyed to see Zhu Ziyang and the other three. She rushed to their side, but was immediately stunned by Zhu Ziyang's aura. Her face showed astonishment as she exclaimed, "Ziyang, you...you've reached the Title Douluo level?"

"Hmm! I managed to break through by sheer luck," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile.

"This, this..." Old Song was speechless for a moment, stunned for a long time before finally saying, "I'm truly ashamed! I was almost forty when I became a Title Douluo. Ziyang, you're only nineteen, aren't you? Alas, there's really no comparison!"

"Haha, Mr. Song, stop praising me, or I'll get carried away," Zhu Ziyang said with a laugh.

"Teacher, I'm back." Jiang Nannan came to Song Lao's side, affectionately hugged Song Lao's arm, and showed a look of longing on her face.

"Yes! It's good that you're back! It's good that you're back!" Old Song finally snapped out of his surprise at Zhu Ziyang's breakthrough to Title Douluo. Looking at Jiang Nannan who was hugging him, and then at Zhu Ziyang, Zhang Lexuan and Qian Lingyi, a deep sense of relief appeared on his old face, and he said repeatedly.

"Old Song, tell us what has happened on the mainland this past year," Zhu Ziyang asked.

"Okay, please sit down, I'll tell you slowly," Old Song nodded and said.

Over the next hour or so, Elder Song told Zhu Ziyang and the others everything she knew and heard about, big and small, that had happened on Douluo Continent during the year that Zhu Ziyang and the others had been away.

First, there's news from the academy. Since the establishment of the First Tianyuan Academy in Anyang City, over a dozen junior soul master academies within the Douluo Three Kingdoms have been taken over by Shrek Academy and reorganized into new Tianyuan Academies. Although these Tianyuan Academies account for less than one percent of all junior academies, they are a sign of the successful implementation of Shrek Academy's Tianyuan Plan.

At this rate, before the ruling elite of the Douluo Three Kingdoms realizes it, Shrek Academy can control at least 50% of the primary academies. At that time, even if the original Douluo Three Kingdoms begins to take countermeasures, they will not be able to shake the implementation of the Tianyuan Plan.

By the way, the executive director of the Tianyuan Project is Cai Meier, the dean of the Martial Soul Department. To align with the Tianyuan Project, Shrek Academy has removed some restrictions on admissions this year. For example, anyone with a cultivation level exceeding eighteen can enter Shrek Academy even without a recommendation letter from the city lord.

Secondly, there was news from the Sun Moon Empire. Crown Prince Xu Tianran of the Sun Moon Empire suddenly launched an attack, seizing control of the Mingdu Garrison District that guarded the capital, and directly taking control of two-fifths of the Sun Moon Empire's army. This was extremely bad news for any faction within the Sun Moon Empire that coveted the throne.

Meanwhile, there was even worse news. This news came back from Huo Yuhao, who was studying on exchange at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy. The Sun Moon Royal Family had close ties with the Holy Spirit Cult. Combined with the investigation and testing of Xu Tianran by the academy's intelligence department, they concluded that there was a 90% chance that Xu Tianran had reached a cooperative relationship with the Holy Spirit Cult. This was a very serious challenge for Zhang Lexuan, who wanted to seize the throne.

Finally, Elder Song told Zhu Ziyang and the other three some news that was neither good nor bad: the format of the All-Continent Elite Soul Master Competition, which was to be held in Mingdu, the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, had changed. The participating units were no longer limited to Soul Master academies; sects and cults could also participate in this year's Soul Master Competition.

Upon hearing this news, for some reason, the Tang Sect immediately came to Zhu Ziyang's mind. Was this sudden change in the competition format specifically prepared for the Tang Sect?

While Old Song was telling Zhu Ziyang and the other three about the matter, Xu Jianwei also walked in.

"What are your plans next? Are you going to go straight back to the academy? Or will you continue traveling on the continent and return to the academy when the competition approaches?" Old Song said finally. "I have already sent Wu Ming and the others back to the academy. The Empress Project has also progressed to the third step, so only Old Zhu and I are left on the Moon South Islands."

"Elder Song, Great-Grandma, Ziyang and I discussed this on the way back," Zhang Lexuan said. "I'll stay here with you to carry out the final step of the plan, while Ziyang, Nannan, and Yiyi will return to the academy to prepare for the Soul Master Competition."

"That's wonderful!" Xu Jianwei exclaimed with delight upon hearing Zhang Lexuan's reply. "Xuanxuan, in the year you were gone, our Moon Vein has made ample preparations. Not only have we gained control of the South China Sea Fleet, but Xu Qianxuan has also transferred the Imperial Moon Soul Instructor Legion to the southern front, very close to us. We now control two-fifths of the Empire's army; all we lack is a princess to lead the army and ascend the throne!"

"Great-Grandma, don't worry, I'm back!" Zhang Lexuan replied with a joyful expression.

"Alright, it's all decided then!" Old Song said. "You all rest for one night, and start your own actions tomorrow. Ziyang and the other two will leave the Sun Moon Empire immediately and return to the academy, while Old Zhu and I will stay behind to assist Le Xuan."

"Yes!" Zhu Ziyang nodded in agreement without any objection.

(End of this chapter)