Douluo: Dragon King's Divine Elegy

Chapter 116 Shrek Elder: Has Qian Gu Die Ting not eaten enough? Why didn't he slap Long Ye Yue to death!
As soon as Nan Liujing stepped out of the elevator, he ran into two women chatting in the corridor.

He paused slightly, his gaze falling on the intellectual beauty beside Ye Xinglan, a hint of amazement flashing in his eyes.

Even though it's only been one Federation Grand Competition, Gu Yue's appearance seems to have improved again.

The soft sunlight streamed down upon her, making her skin appear as fresh as newly fallen snow, so translucent and radiant, like a crystal pastry that would melt at the slightest touch. Her silver eyes were deep and ethereal, as if a clear mountain spring had been gathered within them, giving her a serene and aloof air.

Her face was exquisitely beautiful, without a trace of worldly air. Her black hair, as smooth as silk, cascaded down to her waist. Her hands were tucked into the pockets of the white lab coat she wore only for research. Her slender and elegant figure was blossoming, exuding an inexplicable intellectual beauty.

"Brother!"

Gu Yue smiled at Nan Liujing, and the corridor seemed to brighten up.

Since she stopped performing, Gu Yue's mental strength has been soaring, and she has also advanced to the Spirit Abyss Realm, so she quickly sensed that someone had appeared.

Nan Liujing suppressed the amazement in his eyes, smiled and stepped forward, saying, "Is His Holiness the Holy Spirit having a private conversation with the teacher inside?"

"Mmm." Gu Yue nodded gently.

Ye Xinglan spread her hands and said, "I'm wondering what His Holiness the Holy Spirit wants to see Aunt Leng at this time."

"It's most likely about the scandal," Nan Liujing guessed. "We'll ask His Holiness the Holy Spirit after he finishes talking with the teacher."

He looked at Gu Yue and asked with concern, "I heard from my teacher that you've been immersed in research on spirits lately?"

Gu Yue smiled gently and said, "I have a lot of talent in this area, and every time I make a breakthrough in my research on soul spirits, it greatly helps my teacher's performance."

Nan Liujing said, "It's not just helpful for teachers' performance; I'm afraid many people in the tower will also look at you with new respect, right?"

Gu Yue did not deny it: "After helping the team reduce the cost of the century-old soul spirit to half of the original price and enhance the strength of the artificial soul spirit, I was promoted to deputy director of the research institute."

“Very good.” Nan Liujing praised, “If things continue to be stable like this, when the new generation of Spirit Transmission Envoys are selected, both of us will be able to take office. At that time, I will also do my best to support you in becoming a candidate for Tower Master.”

Gu Yue said helplessly, "But my teacher asked me to take a temporary leave of absence to recuperate. For a long time to come, I will not be able to go to the research institute."

“This is Aunt Leng protecting you,” Ye Xinglan said incisively.

"Protect me?" Gu Yue was taken aback.

Nan Liujing said in a deep voice, "We are all the core of the next generation of the Tianfeng lineage. I have made a name for myself in the Federation Grand Competition, and you have also been outstanding in the tower. It is inevitable that some people will have their eyes on you. The teacher asked you to take a leave of absence to recuperate. To be precise, it is to let you seize this time to improve your cultivation."

"If I'm not mistaken, your mental strength has increased quite a bit recently, but your cultivation level hasn't improved much, has it?"

Gu Yue suddenly realized: "It seems so."

She was preoccupied with quickly building up her reputation within the Spirit Pagoda and establishing a foundation for the Myriad Beasts Platform, so she didn't really care much about soul power cultivation. As for mental power cultivation, that wasn't really cultivation; it was something that was gradually unlocked and increased on its own.

Nan Liujing's eyes shifted.

This is somewhat different from Gu Yue in the original timeline. In this life, with his promise and support, Gu Yue doesn't need to think about using the Qian Gu lineage to rise to power. She only needs to do what she should do, so she is less sensitive to certain things.

That being said, Gu Yue is definitely accompanied by a ferocious beast, so his safety is absolutely not a problem. As for himself, he doesn't know what Qian Gu Dong Feng will do.

...

On either side of the desk, a stunningly beautiful woman, elegant and gentle, and another stunningly beautiful woman, cold and alluring, were engaged in a quiet conversation.

After understanding why Ya Li had come, Leng Yaozhu said in surprise, "I didn't expect Shrek Academy to be in such dire straits that it even has to cede its outer courtyard."

Ya Li smiled bitterly, "Since I came here, more than a hundred students from the first three grades of the outer academy have dropped out. If this continues, the outer academy will soon be empty. Yao Zhu, Ming Ge and I have already discussed it. If you are willing, the outer academy can be transferred to you immediately."

Leng Yaozhu wasn't in a hurry to choose: "There's no such thing as a free lunch. Tell me, what's the price?"

Yali shook her head, a rare occurrence for her: "There is no price to pay. The outer courtyard will be ceded to you unconditionally."

A ripple appeared in Leng Yaozhu's wine-red eyes: "Are you sure?"

“I’m sure,” Yali said firmly.

"Something's not right." Leng Yaozhu had to be on her guard.

Yali smiled bitterly again: "I don't need to plant a spies for you. You can hold an internal meeting of the Spirit Pagoda to make a decision on whether or not to take over the outer academy. In short, if you choose to refuse, we will soon announce to the public that the outer academy is suspending the recruitment of students. The seriousness of this scandal is greater than you think."

Leng Yaozhu lightly tapped the table with her fingertips, her delicate brows furrowing as she fell into deep thought.

There was indeed a plan within the Spirit Pagoda to establish a Spirit Academy to directly challenge Shrek Academy. However, that was a plan specifically designed to directly confront Shrek. Now that Shrek Academy has collapsed, it's uncertain whether the plan can be approved again.

Seeing Leng Yaozhu's hesitation, Yali added, "Yaozhu, you should know that the outer academy is blessed with the life energy of the Golden Ancient Tree, which is of great benefit to Soul Masters. After the cession, we will not restrict the energy of the Golden Ancient Tree from spreading to the outer academy. In other words, even if the outer academy is renamed the Spirit Transmission Academy, it will have everything it needs."

Leng Yaozhu's heart stirred slightly, and she made no attempt to hide it, saying:
"To be honest, I am indeed tempted, but if one Shrek Academy falls and another Spirit Pagoda rises, what will the Federation think? There's no guarantee that some people won't mistakenly believe that the Spirit Pagoda has a special connection with your Shrek Academy."

"This..." Ya Li was speechless. She had already unconditionally offered to cede the shares, but Leng Yaozhu clearly still had no intention of accepting them.

"Alright then." Yali stood up helplessly. "You're busy, so I won't bother you any longer. Goodbye."

Yali turned to leave, but stopped abruptly at the door without turning back, saying, "Yaozhu, if you have any ideas for what to do next, please let me know within three days."

Without waiting for Leng Yaozhu's reply, Yali opened the door and left.

At that moment, a man and two women in the corridor heard the noise and instinctively looked over.

"Your Holiness the Holy Spirit!" the three cried out.

A gentle smile returned to Yali's face: "Congratulations on your excellent results."

"Thank you," Nan Liujing said politely.

Yali didn't linger. After chatting casually for a few minutes, she took the elevator and left the Heavenly Spirit Tower.

"Let's go."

After watching Yali leave, the three of them turned and went into their residence.

Leng Yaozhu was still sitting in her office chair, not working, but deep in thought.

Upon seeing Nan Liujing and the other two approach, a smile returned to Leng Mei's beautiful face. "Please sit down."

As soon as Nan Liujing sat down, he asked, "Teacher, what is the Holy Spirit Douluo doing here?"

When her disciple asked the question, Leng Yaozhu, too lazy to keep it a secret, simply blurted it all out.

Upon learning that Shrek Academy actually planned to cede the outer academy, Ye Xinglan immediately exclaimed in surprise.

Gu Yue seemed lost in thought.

Nan Liujing was also somewhat surprised and asked, "So what are your thoughts, teacher?"

Leng Yaozhu shook her head and said, "I don't know either, but if we can take over the outer courtyard unconditionally, it would indeed be a very profitable thing."

“How about this,” Nan Liujing suggested, “Internally, you can propose a meeting to discuss the matter and let the elders decide. Externally, you can inform Vice Hall Master Yu Guanzhi and let him handle it. This will definitely reduce the hostility from the Federation. At least it will prove that we don’t have much of a connection with Shrek Academy.”

Leng Yaozhu's beautiful eyes brightened slightly, and she said decisively, "Then I will immediately convene the council of elders."

Just do it.

Soon, the summons from the Deputy Tower Master spread throughout the Spirit Pagoda. The high level of the summons caused all the elders, whether at headquarters, on missions, or out of town, to suspend their duties and prepare to participate both on-site and online.

The large conference hall was filled with twenty-five elders, including high-ranking figures such as Qian Gu Qingfeng, Xia Zheng Leng, Li Mengjie, and Da Mo. The remaining elders, who were located elsewhere, participated via projector connection.

Of the four Spirit Messengers, three were present; the third was on the Heavenly Dou Continent and unable to participate.

Qian Gu Dongfeng sat in the main seat and said, "Tianfeng, what are you doing by issuing the Deputy Tower Master's summons?"

Facing everyone's gaze, Leng Yaozhu revealed that Yun Ming and Ya Li planned to cede the outer courtyard.

Immediately, the entire council hall erupted in gasps of surprise.

Even Qian Gu Dongfeng never expected this, and his face also showed a look of astonishment.

Leng Yaozhu said in a deep voice, "I convened this meeting in the hope that all the elders will discuss whether or not to take over Shrek Academy's outer courtyard."

Xu Shengqun, one of the Spirit Messengers, hurriedly asked, "Vice Tower Master, did Shrek Academy really not offer any conditions for cession?" "No," Leng Yaozhu said bluntly, "This cession is not mixed with any exchange conditions. As long as we agree, we can quickly bring Shrek Outer Courtyard into our possession. The facilities inside will be preserved, and the life energy emanating from the Golden Ancient Tree will also be preserved. In short, apart from the academy belonging to us, everything else will remain unchanged."

This statement immediately sparked a flurry of discussion among the audience.

This is practically free!

What exactly is Shrek Academy thinking?
Qian Gu Dongfeng's face remained calm, but his heart was already filled with uncertain emotions.

Ya Li sought out Leng Yaozhu, not him, the true tower master, which means that Yun Ming and Ya Li did not intend for him to benefit from the situation.

As his gaze fell upon that radiant and captivating figure, a hint of madness gradually surfaced in Qian Gu Dong Feng's eyes.

If you take control of the outer courtyard, your disciples will definitely go in, right?

So, you, the Heavenly Phoenix lineage, or the core disciples who are close to the Heavenly Phoenix lineage, will also be admitted, right?

In this case……

"Bang bang."

A knocking sound rang out.

The murmurs quickly subsided, and everyone turned their attention to Qian Gu Dong Feng, who was wielding a gavel.

Ultimately, the decision to vote rests with the Tower Master.

Qian Gu Dongfeng said in a thoughtful tone, "We had previously discussed whether to establish a Spirit Transmission Academy to rival Shrek Academy. Now that Shrek Academy is willing to cede its outer academy, this is a good opportunity and will save us a lot of resources in selecting a site to build it."

"Therefore, I support accepting Shrek's outer school."

With that, he resolutely pressed the voting button.

Qian Gu Dongfeng was the first to vote, and his vote was in favor, which quickly prompted the other elders to take action.

For a time, no one objected.

An important meeting was easily passed.

"Tower Master, after Shrek Academy's outer courtyard was ceded to us, who will manage it?" asked an elder close to the ancient families.

These words immediately changed the atmosphere, making it less harmonious than before and even creating an unspoken tension.

For anyone, possessing a well-equipped location with superior natural energy compared to the outside world is an opportunity that no one would want to miss.

The elders who supported the Qian Gu family immediately looked expectant.

The elders who supported the Phoenix Clan had solemn expressions, but they could think of the best solution: the Tower Master and the Deputy Tower Master would jointly control half of the discourse power to avoid disputes.

"The Deputy Tower Master Leng will have full authority over its management." Qian Gu Dong Feng's words astonished everyone present.

In an instant, the expressions on the faces of the people present varied.

The ancient east wind never managed to snatch food from the phoenix's mouth?

A hint of surprise flashed across Leng Yaozhu's wine-red eyes.

“Tower Master, this…” someone couldn’t help but say.

Qian Gu Dong Feng waved his hand to signal him to shut up: "Ya Li is looking for Deputy Tower Master Leng, not me. Even if we agree to take over the outer courtyard, if Yun Ming and Ya Li do not agree to let me, the Tower Master, participate in the management, in the end it will all be for nothing, and all our joy will be in vain."

"Instead of arguing about who should manage it, we should wait until it is taken over to the outer courtyard and then gradually integrate it into the Spirit Pagoda."

Qian Gu Dongfeng himself has said so, so what else can the elders who support him say?
Although I was unwilling, I had no choice but to accept it.

The Phoenix Clan, along with the elders who supported Leng Yaozhu, were secretly delighted.

With this, the matter of taking over Shrek Academy's outer courtyard can be considered settled.

However, Leng Yaozhu did not forget the Federation. After raising her concerns, she immediately had Qian Gu Qingfeng step forward to negotiate with the Federation privately.

...

"Oppose it! That's an act of defection!"

"If we abandon one of the foundations of the outer academy, or even the entire academy, is it still Shrek Academy?"

"Please reconsider, Master!"

Inside the Sea God Pavilion, a cacophony of voices mingled and mingled, creating a scene as noisy as a bustling market.

Yun Ming sat in the main seat, calmly looking at everyone.

After the meeting at the Spirit Pagoda concluded, Leng Yaozhu called Ya Li to express her stance.

Ya Li breathed a sigh of relief and informed Yun Ming, who immediately convened a meeting of the Sea God Pavilion. However, the news that the outer courtyard was to be ceded to the Spirit Pagoda caused quite a stir.

"Zhuoshi, tell me about the situation in the outer courtyard." Yun Ming tapped the table lightly, and a suffocating pressure swept out. The elder who was refuting just a second ago immediately shut his mouth with a red face and thick neck.

Zhuoshi continued in a deep voice: "As of now, 63 first-year students have dropped out of the Foreign Languages ​​Department, 58 second-year students have dropped out, and 45 third-year students have dropped out..."

As the number of students dropping out was revealed, the entire Sea God Pavilion fell into a deathly silence, and almost every elder wore an expression of disbelief.

"Tell me, with such a large-scale exodus, is there any need for the Outer Academy to exist?" Yun Ming's gaze swept over the group of elders.

No one answered.

Yun Ming said in a deep voice: "More than 14,000 years ago, the academy was prepared to abolish the outer academy and only retain the inner academy. However, the three great empires of Xingluo, Tianhun and Douling strongly demanded that the academy be retained, so it was able to survive. Today, the cheating scandal is known throughout the world, and everyone is laughing at my Shrek Academy."

"If the enemy is slandering us, we can resolve it with force. But cheating is something we brought upon ourselves. These students who dropped out entered the academy with faith in it, and what did they get in return? They were met with overwhelming ridicule and insults from all over the continent. I think it would be better to officially close the outer academy rather than keep it open, as that would be an explanation to everyone."

"My mind is made up on this matter, and no one is allowed to object. As for ceding the outer court to the Spirit Pagoda, it's only out of necessity. The War God Temple won't allow it, and the Tang Sect can't do it either, so we can only ask the Spirit Pagoda for help to divert attention from the scandal as much as possible. Besides, the foundation of the academy lies in the inner court; abandoning the outer court won't be a major blow. We can even use this opportunity to strengthen the connection between the Spirit Pagoda and us."

"From today onwards, the academy will retreat inwards, regroup and rebuild its strength, and seek another opportunity to prove itself in the future. If any family or sect behind you wishes to withdraw from the academy during this period, you may apply, and I will not stop you."

"The meeting is dismissed!"

At the command, the elders' expressions changed, and they all left.

They were also angry because Long Yeyue's stupid move put the academy in a very difficult position.

Damn it, did Qian Gu Die Ting not eat?
Why didn't I slap that woman to death back then?

The huge hall was now empty except for a handful of elders who were close to Yun Ming.

Yun Ming waved his hand to silence all sound and said directly, "I intend to relocate the outer courtyard to the Star Luo Continent. What do you think?"

"Move to the outer courtyard?" Elders such as Zhuoshi, Feng Wuyu, and Zhao Lanchun all showed surprise.

Yali said, "Ming and I were originally planning to personally lead the team in the next Federation Grand Competition to vindicate the academy, but the Federation canceled the competition. This means that for many years to come, we will not be able to wash away the shame from an official standpoint."

"Therefore, after careful consideration, we have decided to reopen the academy on the Star Luo Continent through the Tang Sect's channels."

"I agree." Zhuoshi sighed. He was in charge of the outer academy and had personally witnessed the disappointed expressions on the students' faces when they dropped out.

"We agree."

Others quickly followed suit.

“Alright.” Yun Ming nodded. “This plan is only for you to know; keep it quiet for now.”

"Yes." Everyone responded.

……

Today is destined to be a day that will go down in history. Shrek Academy has officially announced the closure of its outer campus. The campus will be transferred to the Spirit Pagoda. It is understood that the Spirit Pagoda intends to establish a brand new academy on the site of the former Shrek Academy outer campus, named Spirit Pagoda Academy! For more details, please visit the Spirit Pagoda's official website – [Sun and Moon Federation Official]

Effective immediately, the Federal Government will officially take over the daily operations of Shrek City. The people of Shrek City can rest assured that we will demonstrate our commitment to ensuring this ancient and great city remains a shining jewel in the Federal territory. —[Sun and Moon Federation Official]

(End of this chapter)