Douluo Continent: Copying Ya Li, the Carefree King of the Sun and Moon

Xu Yanli didn't disturb the students and went directly to Mingde Hall.

Hearing footsteps, Jing Hongchen looked up. Upon seeing him, she immediately put on a smile: "Your Highness, what brings you here today?"

"Choose your team." Xu Yanli pulled up a chair and sat down, getting straight to the point, "The competition is coming soon, and I need to form a team."

Jing Hongchen's eyes lit up, and he immediately pulled out a thick stack of documents from the cabinet, pushing them over with both hands: "Your Highness, these are the most talented students in the academy in recent years. Please take your time to choose."

Xu Yanli took the documents and flipped through them page by page.

Xiao Hongchen, Three-Legged Golden Toad Martial Soul, Innate Full Soul Power, Five-Ring Soul King; Meng Hongchen, Zhu Qing, Ice Toad Martial Soul, Also Five-Ring; Ji Juechen, Sword Martial Soul, Innate Level Three Soul Power, Five-Ring; Ma Rulong, Big-Headed Spirit Ape Martial Soul, Six-Ring…

He tapped his fingers lightly on the table, his gaze sweeping over the names, but he couldn't make a decision for a long time.

These people are indeed quite capable, but what he wants is more than just strength.

“Dean Hongchen,” Xu Yanli suddenly looked up, “find the information on the batch of students that Xiaoyao Pavilion sent before.”

Jing Hongchen was stunned for a moment, then realized what was happening and pulled out a thinner stack of documents from deep inside the cabinet and handed it over.

Xu Yanli took it and casually flipped to the first one.

She is a girl named Shen Muqing, seventeen years old, with the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Martial Soul, five rings.

The resume states: a citizen of the Heavenly Soul Empire; his older sister, Shen Muxin, was a former member of the Shrek Academy's inspection team and died in the line of duty three years ago.

As a result, Shrek withheld all of her sister's pension on the grounds that "tuition fees were not paid in full," and also demanded payment of three years' worth of tuition fees. The family's old house was used to pay off debts, and her parents died in depression. She herself was left homeless and was only taken in by Xiaoyao Pavilion.

Xu Yanli took this out and put it aside.

The second one is about a sixteen-year-old boy named Zhao Tiesheng, who possesses the Snow Pear Blossom Martial Soul, has four rings, and is a support-type Soul Master.

Her resume is even more heartbreaking: a student from the Star Luo Empire, a former freshman at Shrek Academy, who was expelled by Zhou Yi on the third day of school because of "failing to meet physical fitness standards".

His family sold their land to pay for his tuition, leaving him with nowhere to go. His parents were driven to their deaths by creditors, and he was sold into slavery in a mine before being rescued by Xiaoyao Pavilion.

This one was also taken out.

The third one, the fourth one...

I flipped through more than a dozen of them in one go, and each one had a similar tragic story: abandoned by Shrek Academy, oppressed by nobles, or ruined by evil spirit masters.

Jing Hongchen looked at the stack of selected documents on the table, her expression quite complicated.

"Your Highness, what's wrong...?"

“Typical.” Xu Yanli pushed Shen Muqing and Zhao Tiesheng’s information to the front. “These two are enough. Any more would be too deliberate.”

He picked out a few more from Jing Hongchen's original stack of documents, "Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, Ji Juechen, Huo Yuhao, plus me, the seven selected."

Jing Hongchen was stunned: "Your Highness is personally taking to the field?"

“The Sun Moon Empire wants to win the championship, and my father has also given the order. How can I not go?” Xu Yanli smiled and ticked the names of two reserve players. “Xiao Xiao and Tang Ling count too. They came from Shrek with me, so they’re easy to use. Gu Yuena also counts. Her strength is stronger than most people on the field combined.”

Jing Hongchen opened his mouth, but ultimately said nothing more.

"You can fill in the rest of the reserve players as you see fit." Xu Yanli stood up. "Once the players are selected, let them practice together as soon as possible. You can't cram at the last minute for this."

He turned and left, with Yue Zhengling following behind.

Once outside Mingde Hall, Yue Zhengling asked softly, "Your Highness, those two students who were expelled from Shrek Academy, are you taking them to the tournament to embarrass Shrek?"

Xu Yanli didn't stop walking, a smirk playing on his lips: "They did it themselves, do I need to slap them in the face?"

In the days that followed, Xu Yanli was extremely busy.

I went to the academy early in the morning to watch the team practice, returned to the mansion in the afternoon to handle the relocation of the angel clan, and cultivated my soul power in the evening, learning necromancy from Electrolux. I wish I could stretch one day into two.

The team's integration process went quite smoothly.

Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen are both top geniuses in the academy, while Ji Juechen is worth three people in a fight.

Huo Yuhao's mental detection ability is like a cheat code for team battles. He can see the situation on the battlefield clearly, and he can know the positions of his teammates and the movements of the enemies.

What surprised Xu Yanli the most was Shen Muqing and Zhao Tiesheng.

These two people, who were abandoned by Shrek Academy, have increased their soul power by several levels in just a few years since they came to the academy, and their combat ability is far superior to that of their peers.

Shen Muqing, in particular, possesses an absurdly large range of poisonous mist from the Jade Phosphorous Serpent. Combined with Huo Yuhao's mental detection, it can leave opponents completely disoriented by the poison.

“It’s not that they lack talent.” Jing Hongchen stood on the stands, watching the students sparring in the arena, and sighed softly, “It’s just that they’ve never been properly taught.”

Xu Yanli remained silent, his gaze fixed on the emerald green figure in the arena.

Chapter 98 The Person Has Disappeared

After finishing the battle, Shen Muqing withdrew her martial spirit. Her face was expressionless, but her eyes were red.

She never knew she could be this strong.

Back in Shrek Academy, everyone told her sister that the Jade Serpent was trash, worthless, and destined to amount to nothing.

But nobody says that here.

Jing Hongchen personally devised a cultivation plan for her, and Huo Yuhao's mental detection helped her pinpoint the exact range of the poisonous fog down to every step.

Xu Yanli helped him control the spread of the poison.

She is not useless, never has been.

Xu Yanli withdrew his gaze and turned to leave the stands.

The team matters are almost settled; the most important thing now is the relocation of the angel race.

A month later, a new mansion rose from the ground on the open space to the east of the Prince of Xiaoyao's mansion.

The main hall is grand and bright, while dozens of independent courtyards are scattered in the backyard, filled with flowers and plants, making it very quiet.

Deep within the mansion, a small shrine stands quietly, housing a stone statue of the first angel god.

He stood at the entrance of the ancestral hall, gazing at the stone statue, and remained silent for a long while.

"Your Highness," Luo Xu walked over, "the relocation arrangements are all done. We'll go to Angel Village to pick them up first thing tomorrow morning."

"Where are the guards?" Xu Yanli asked without turning his head.

"The Left Battalion of the Imperial Guards consists of three hundred elite soldiers, personally led by General Xiao."

"That's enough." Xu Yanli turned and walked out. "I'll go to the Crown Prince's residence first thing tomorrow morning."

In the Crown Prince's study, Xu Tianran listened to the arrangements and remained silent for a moment: "You're going to pick them up in person?"

“It is only right.” Xu Yanli sat down. “The angel race has waited for ten thousand years. It would be unacceptable for me, the one who initiated this, not to be present.”

Xu Tianran glanced at him, then suddenly smiled: "Alright, go ahead. But..."

He changed the subject, a hint of worry flashing in his eyes, "The second and fourth brothers have been making a lot of small moves lately. Your taking your men out of the city gives them an opportunity to take advantage of you."

“I know.” Xu Yanli stood up. “That’s why I went to find Elder Long, but he’s gone.”

Xu Tianran frowned: "Long Xiaoyao is gone?"

"I left a letter saying something had come up," Xu Yanli said calmly. "So I came to tell you, brother, that if something happens to me on the way, please cover for me."

Xu Tianran stared at him for a long time, and finally sighed: "You're too impatient. You do whatever you want, and I can't stop you."

He stood up, took a token from the bookshelf, and handed it over. "This is the Crown Prince's troop mobilization order. The Right Battalion of the Imperial Guards can also be mobilized. Take it with you, just in case."

Xu Yanli took the token, put it away, and turned to leave.

"Yan Li," Xu Tianran called out to him.

"Ok?"

"Be careful."

Xu Yanli smiled and said, "I understand."

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the gates of the Prince Xiaoyao's Mansion opened.

Three hundred elite Imperial Guards stood in neat rows.

Xiao Dingtian rode on his horse with his back straight and his body strong. He was dressed in general's armor and looked like a great general who was invincible on the battlefield.

Xu Yanli came out of the mansion, changed into a casual outfit, a jade fan tucked into his waist, and was followed by Yue Zhengling.

"Your Highness, the troops are ready and we are ready to depart at any time." Xiao Dingtian dismounted and saluted.

Xu Yanli nodded, mounted his horse, and said, "Let's go."

The procession marched out of the south gate of Mingdu and headed south towards the border between the Sun Moon Empire and the Douling Empire.

The road became increasingly remote, with fewer and fewer towns and villages scattered along the way.

On the third day, the area was surrounded by continuous mountains and forests, and the official road turned into a mountain path, forcing the caravan to slow down.

"Your Highness, something's not right here." Xiao Dingtian rode up to Xu Yanli and whispered.

Xu Yanli glanced at the dense forest on both sides and said softly, "I know."

He sensed it from the moment he entered the mountains. The forest was too quiet; there wasn't even a bird chirping. Clearly, someone was lying in ambush.

"Tell the brothers to cheer up," Xu Yanli said calmly. "What's meant to happen will happen."

No sooner had he finished speaking than dozens of dark figures shot out from the dense forest on both sides at an absurdly fast speed.

"There are assassins!"

"Protect His Highness!"

The Imperial Guards reacted extremely quickly, with the front row instantly raising their shields and the rear row activating their soul-guided devices simultaneously.

But those dark figures were too fast; they reached the group in just a few leaps.

"It's a Soul Saint!" Xiao Dingtian's expression changed, and he drew his sword and rushed forward.

Le Zhengling took a step forward and stood in front of Xu Yanli. The phantom of a six-winged angel unfolded behind him, and a golden sword light swept out, instantly killing the three men in black.

But more shadowy figures emerged from the woods, numbering at least a hundred.

"Your Highness, you go first!" Yue Zhengling shouted as she turned back, having slashed away the enemy with her sword.

Xu Yanli did not move.

He stood in the center of the group, his cold gaze sweeping over the men in black. He knew perfectly well that there was at least one Title Douluo, more than a dozen Soul Saints, and countless others below the Soul Saint level.

Second brother, fourth brother, you really think highly of me.