Douluo Continent: The Eternal Order of the Azure Sky.

Thinking of Xu Tianzhen's eyes, which were always full of trust and passion, Kong Tianxu felt a surge of intense emotion.

He instinctively glanced at Cain beside him.

Cain gazed at him intently for a moment, his beautiful blue eyes filled with a mixture of emotions, which ultimately settled into a deep tenderness and acceptance.

She gently turned her face away, her toes unconsciously shuffling across the ground, and whispered in a voice only the two of them could hear:

"Old Long told me that, Tianxu, besides Ma Xiaotao from the last competition, you seem to have met another very special girl at Shrek Academy."

"It seems a third person has appeared after all."

Kong Tianxu's expression stiffened slightly.

Cain suddenly broke into a smile, a smile as vibrant as a poppy, full of cunning, yet his tone clearly conveyed a sense of helplessness:

"I can accept anything as long as you like it. But, Brother Tianxu..."

She tiptoed and planted a kiss on Kong Tianxu's lips, then quickly stepped back, turned her face away, her ears slightly red, and her voice became even softer.

"No matter what the future holds, you must always have a place for me in your heart."

After saying that, she quickly took out a cool jade box from her storage soul tool and shoved it into Kong Tianxu's hand without saying a word, saying in a muffled voice:

"Here you go. It's whale glue from a 100,000-year-old demonic killer whale that Grandpa Kong helped me hunt. You might need it someday."

Feeling the coolness of the jade box in his hand and Cain's deep and inclusive feelings, Kong Tianxu felt a surge of warmth in his heart. He suddenly pulled her back into his arms and kissed her deeply, only separating after a long while.

"Wait for me to come back," he whispered, then without further hesitation, he turned into a swift streak of light and soared into the sky towards Mingde Hall.

……

Shrek Academy, in front of the Golden Tree.

The setting sun was like blood, and the phoenix of light left a crimson tail trail. Burning blood-gold flames clung to its wings, which concealed the disheveled state of its tattered feathers.

The golden tree shimmered with light, and Yan Shaozhe, whose form was still somewhat transparent, descended after shedding his Martial Soul Possession state. Below, led by Xuanzi, several elders of the Sea God Pavilion, including Cai Meier, Xian Liner, and Elder Song, gathered together.

They were all floating in the air, their soul power emanating from them, looking as if they were fully prepared for battle.

"Shao Zhe!" Upon seeing him, Cai Meier exclaimed in surprise and rushed forward to support his arm, her eyes filled with worry. "How are you? Did you catch up with Kong Tianxu? Are you hurt?"

Although Xian Lin'er didn't say anything caring, she was only a step behind her, which made Qian Duoduo's eyes darken.

But he quickly adjusted his mindset and joined Xuanzi and several other elders in surrounding them.

Looking into his wife's worried eyes, Yan Shaozhe felt a surge of warmth in his heart and forced a smile, saying:

"I'm fine, just a bit exhausted. I caught up, but..."

He shook his head, ultimately refusing to recount his defeat and the unbelievable experience that followed. "The Sun Moon Empire's aid came quickly, but in the end, he still managed to escape."

Xuanzi frowned and said in a deep voice, "It's alright, it's good that you're back safely, Shaozhe."

"Elder Xuan, what's going on with you and the other elders...?" Yan Shaozhe was in a state of turmoil and didn't want to dwell on the matter any longer. He looked at the solemn expressions on the faces of the elders and immediately asked.

Xuanzi sighed heavily:

"According to the news brought back by Le Xuan and Xiao Tao, there is likely a Title Douluo of at least level 98 secretly protecting Kong Tianxu. Although that super strong person is seriously injured and asleep, we gathered here just in case. We originally planned to go and meet you, and try... if there is an opportunity, we will do everything we can to keep him here permanently to prevent future troubles."

"Fortunately, it seems that the mysterious expert has not recovered. You are very lucky to have escaped unscathed."

A powerhouse of level 98 or higher? Just as I expected!

Yan Shaozhe's pupils contracted slightly as he quickly made up his mind that his grandmother, Ye Xishui, whose strength was unfathomable, was probably the person Elder Xuan was referring to.

The severe injury and slumber that Elder Xuan mentioned was probably Grandma's phoenix rebirth.

However, given his grandmother's formidable strength—even surpassing that of his former teacher in his eyes—who could possibly harm her? And who could possibly force her to undergo a phoenix-like rebirth?

What exactly happened to Xiaotao and Lexuan during their mission?

Yan Shaozhe's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately followed up with, "Elder Xuan, what exactly happened to Xiao Tao and Le Xuan during that surveillance mission? Could it really be what we're guessing..."

When this matter was mentioned, Xuanzi's facial muscles twitched, and a heavy gloom and helplessness immediately settled over his eyes.

He nodded slightly.

“It was indeed the Haotian Sect,” Xuanzi wiped his face. “Seven Title Douluos, led by a Limit Douluo, made a bold move near the Starfall Mountains and intercepted and killed Le Xuan and her surveillance team.”

Another Limit Douluo.

Yan Shaozhe's breath caught in his throat. The number of Limit Douluo he had heard about in just one day was more than he had in the past few decades!

Moreover, this Limit Douluo is from the Clear Sky Sect.

Shrek Academy can be said to be the soul master force on the continent with the most extensive knowledge of various martial souls. Naturally, they are very familiar with the famous martial soul, the Clear Sky Hammer, which was once known as the strongest offensive weapon martial soul in the world.

Even if they weren't familiar with the aura of the Haotian Locking God Formation, the powerful aura and signs of destruction left at the scene were enough to give them a pretty good idea of ​​who was behind it.

However, given the deep historical ties between Shrek Academy and the Clear Sky Sect, they dared not ask, or even think about it, without conclusive evidence.

But now, the facts are undeniably before them. Even if they guessed that the other party's actions were mostly aimed at Kong Tianxu, it was still a blatant trampling on Shrek's dignity.

A chilling rage surged within Yan Shaozhe, and his voice rose slightly:

"Elder Xuan! In that case, shouldn't we immediately send an elder to the Haotian Sect to get to the bottom of this? We must at least seek justice! Those children cannot have died in vain!"

"No!" Xuanzi categorically rejected the idea, his tone resolute. "Shao Zhe, calm down. The Haotian Sect and the academy have a very deep connection. The fact that they are willing to tear off the mask and directly attack the students must have a significant reason that we are not yet aware of."

He glanced at the elders around him, each with a different expression, and said in a deep voice, "Moreover, the current situation on the continent is treacherous, with powerful enemies all around. Shrek Academy must not afford to lose its composure!"

Although Xuanzi suppressed Yan Shaozhe, his heart was also filled with rage. However, as the master of the Sea God Pavilion, he knew many secrets unknown to the other elders, and he strictly adhered to an ironclad rule passed down since the Sea God Tang San's ascension—

Haotian is a god; we must never be his enemy.

In fact, long before Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er's speculations were confirmed, he had sent a secret letter to the mysterious leader of the Haotian Sect through special channels, but it all went unanswered.

This silence itself was a chilling attitude, making Xuanzi even more hesitant to act rashly.

Yan Shaozhe's lips trembled violently. "But what about our dead students?! Their blood debt..."

Xuanzi closed his eyes and shook his head.

"Shao Zhe, I understand your feelings; I'm just as heartbroken. But most importantly, Xiao Tao and Le Xuan are still alive. As for Gu Fan and Hua Yao, I've already been to their homes; after all, they aren't..."

Old Song, who had been silent all along, slowly spoke up to comfort Shao Zhe: "You are Old Mu's disciple and will shoulder great responsibilities in the future. At this moment, you should prioritize the overall situation."

After thinking for a moment, she added, "Le Xuan is always a reasonable and understanding child, she will understand. Xiao Tao has probably been quite traumatized this time, so her reaction is bound to be a bit extreme. As her teacher, you need to offer her more comfort and guidance."

"I'll talk to them," Yan Shaozhe said in a hoarse voice.

Having been deeply moved by Kong Tianxu's impassioned words about ending the era of evil soul masters not long ago, Yan Shaozhe was now suddenly plunged back into this cold reality full of compromise and helplessness. The nameless fire in Yan Shaozhe's heart burned even more fiercely, and an uncontrollable resentment burst forth:

“I will tell them that we, Shrek Academy, which has carried the glory of ten thousand years, can turn a blind eye to the tragic deaths of our students simply because we are afraid of upsetting our so-called allies! Not only do we not dare to seek revenge, we don’t even have the courage to come and ask about it!”

"Shao Zhe, you shouldn't be speaking to Elder Xuan in this manner." Elder Song's voice suddenly became stern.

She actually had many questions about Xuanzi's decision, but as a senior member of the Sea God Pavilion, upholding the authority of the Sea God Pavilion Master had almost become her instinct.

Moreover, she was extremely disgusted by Yan Shaozhe's attitude of ignoring seniority and being disrespectful to his superiors.

"It's nothing." Xuanzi waved his hand, but replied solemnly, "Shao Zhe, you will be sitting in my position in the future. You may understand what I did today then. But today, I am still the Sea God Pavilion Master, and the 14 departments of Shrek Academy are still on my shoulders. So, put this matter aside for now, go and rest, or go and see Le Xuan and the others."

Although Xuanzi's eyes were somewhat serious, the protective intent in his words was still very obvious. In his opinion, it was enough for him to bear the heavy burden and responsibility behind the Sea God Pavilion Master alone, and there was no need for a young man like Yan Shaozhe to know about the darkness in advance.

However, the more he tried to cover it up and protect it, the more the seed of doubt that had just been planted in Yan Shaozhe's heart grew wildly and spread like a poisonous weed that had absorbed nutrients.

Cai Meier and Xian Lin'er also quietly tugged at Yan Shaozhe's sleeve, signaling him to stop arguing.

A deep sense of powerlessness and chill, mixed with his recently shaken beliefs, slowly tightened around Yan Shaozhe's heart.

"I understand." He suddenly relaxed, and seeing this, Xuanzi finally nodded with relief.

However, just as Yan Shaozhe turned around, preparing to leave as instructed, he suddenly seemed to remember something. He paused slightly, without turning his head, and asked softly in a tone that was almost to himself, yet clear enough for those behind him to hear:

"Elder Xuan, have you ever heard of the Ascension Pavilion?"

Xuanzi's expression suddenly changed!

Turning around abruptly, a warm memory flooded his mind: the few words he exchanged with Ye Xishui before their final parting repeatedly echoed in Yan Shaozhe's mind—

"Grandma, may I ask what the name of that evil spirit master sect is?"

"It's called the Ascension Pavilion."

In an instant, the last trace of warmth in Yan Shaozhe's heart was completely extinguished.

The enemy is at Poseidon's Pavilion!

……

In a quiet tea room at Poseidon Pavilion.

Zhang Lexuan and Ma Xiaotao sat facing each other. The tea on the table had gone cold, but neither of the two women had the heart to refill their cups.

"Gu Fan and Hua Yao died tragically at the hands of those old bastards from the Haotian Sect! Is the academy just going to let it go like that? Just because of that so-called ten-thousand-year-old grudge, do we not even have the confidence to seek justice?"

Having known the academy's attitude for some time, Ma Xiaotao's eyes still burned with resentment as she spoke.

Zhang Lexuan turned the now-cold teacup and said softly, "Xiao Tao, you don't know this, but I consulted with Elder Cui. Over the thousands of years, the Haotian Sect has actually overstepped its bounds several times. But the academy has never given any meaningful response. So this time, I'm afraid it will be the same..."

Chapter 252 Zhang Lexuan: Called Senior Sister within the Academy

"So this time you can just let people die without even asking about it? Hua Yao and the others died during the inspection team's mission, what kind of bullshit eternal glory is this?!"

Ma Xiaotao slammed her hand on the table and stood up abruptly, causing the surrounding temperature to rise instantly.

Zhang Lexuan moved her lips, but ultimately said nothing. However, her tightly pursed lips revealed that her inner world was not as calm as it appeared.

An oppressive silence spread through the room.

After an unknown amount of time, Zhang Lexuan broke the heavy silence. She looked up at Ma Xiaotao, who was also looking back at her with a knowing gaze, and instead of continuing the previous topic, she said meaningfully:

"Xiao Tao, about Tian Xu... I thought you would tell me."

Ma Xiaotao's fiery eyes met hers, but after a moment, she awkwardly turned her face away, her voice muffled:

"Senior Sister, you're one to talk! You didn't say anything either, did you?"

Their eyes met, and an unspoken understanding seemed to flow through the air.

Regarding Xue Di's identity and the matter of her cocoon, the two of them tacitly chose to conceal it. When reporting to the academy, they vaguely described her as an unknown powerhouse approaching the Limit Douluo level and in a special state.

A hint of almost sly smile flashed across their eyes simultaneously before disappearing.

Zhang Lexuan picked up the now-cold teacup, moistened her lips slightly with the tea, then gently stroked the rim of the cup with both hands before asking: