"Blue Silver Emperor?! You mean the empress of the Blue Silver Empire who was originally a 100,000-Year Soul Beast that cultivated into human form?"
Tang Xiao sighed and rubbed his temples. "Geographically speaking, although the Upper Three Sects are all located within the Heaven Dou Empire, we're actually positioned in a triangular formation around the Star Dou Great Forest. The Upper Three Sects rely on the fertile lands of Star Dou Great Forest to obtain abundant cultivation resources and Soul Rings for our disciples."
"Especially the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. Their hereditary Martial Soul, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, has treasure-seeking capabilities. They regularly organize disciples to enter Star Dou Great Forest for treasure hunts, which is how they've accumulated such vast wealth."
"But according to Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School, ever since Spirit Hall organized Titled Douluos to enter Star Dou Great Forest over a decade ago attempting to hunt 100,000-Year Soul Beasts and were repelled by the Blue Silver Emperor, the forest has become increasingly dangerous. Even in the outer regions of Star Dou Great Forest, Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts might appear, causing heavy casualties among Soul Masters who enter."
!?
Star Dou Great Forest is incredibly vast, divided into outer regions, inner regions, and the most mysterious core area. Normally, only Thousand Year Soul Beasts appear in the outer regions, with Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts being extremely rare.
That's why many academy teachers would traditionally bring their students into Star Dou Great Forest to hunt Soul Beasts and obtain Soul Rings.
Tang Xiao continued, "According to Yu Yuanzhen, the clan leader of Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, he suspects this might be because the Soul Beasts in Star Dou Great Forest have established some kind of protective alliance and counterattack against Soul Masters. If Soul King-level experts above rank 50 are discovered in Thousand Year Soul Beast territories, there's a high chance they'll be ambushed by Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts."
Tang San immediately understood. "So the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan leader means Star Dou Great Forest has developed unified thinking and cooperative protection tactics? A form of social consciousness? Just like how powerful humans in empires protect the weaker ones?!"
Rank 50 Soul Kings are precisely at the level where they can Soul Enchant Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings. Therefore, Soul Kings with five Soul Rings can easily kill Soul Beasts below the Ten Thousand Year level. Thousand Year Soul Beasts are like children before Soul Kings - easily handled.
This is why so many academy teachers at Soul King level help students hunt Soul Beasts. They just need to weaken the beasts near death, then let students deliver the final blow to obtain the Soul Rings - virtually risk-free.
For thousands of years, Soul Masters have always operated this way. From the Soul Beasts' perspective, this is natural - survival of the fittest in the jungle.
But from humanity's perspective, this creates problems. It's equivalent to killing offspring before they can mature. Soul Masters would never allow Soul Beasts to slaughter human children.
This is precisely why human Soul Masters have grown increasingly powerful - because human society has social structures and civilization.
Yet now, Soul Beasts have actually developed similar civilization and protective systems? This is truly bizarre!
Tang Xiao said somewhat helplessly, "Well, nothing like this has ever happened before. But if it's the Blue Silver Emperor, she could indeed do it. She has completely taken human form, shedding the weaknesses of a Spirit Beast. Moreover, she was born a Spirit Beast, so it's possible she could command the Spirit Beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest."
"If the Star Dou Great Forest truly gains an intelligent and highly centralized Spirit Beast emperor, it would be extremely dangerous."
After some thought, Tang San replied, "That is indeed a possibility. Over a decade ago, the Spirit Hall organized several Titled Douluo to enter the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt 100,000-Year Soul Beasts. Although they ultimately failed, this undoubtedly provoked the 100,000-Year Soul Beasts. They might believe that if they don't unite, their very survival will be at risk."
"Life finds its own way. Faced with a deadly crisis, it's not at all surprising that Spirit Beasts would adapt."
Tang San continued asking, "Father, you want me to temporarily leave the Clear Sky Sect because you're afraid that if the Star Dou Great Forest retaliates, our sect might be their first target?"
Tang Hao patted Tang San's head, his eyes filled with paternal warmth, and said, "That's one reason. Another is that you've grown up, and it's time for you to see the wider world. Haven't you often said that rare treasures don't grow in greenhouses? Heroes are as numerous as fish in the river."
"New species, Sea Spirit Beasts, the restless Star Dou Great Forest—even I can't predict what the future holds. This has already surpassed what we can foresee."
Although Tang Hao was the Clear Sky Douluo, possessing incomparable strength, even he lacked the power to change the world's course. He couldn't say for certain what would happen.
"The tides are shifting. The future may be cruel or splendid. Xiao San, with your current strength, staying in the Clear Sky Sect won't be of much help. Perhaps it's time for you to venture out on your own. You're twelve now, and your father also set out on his journey in his teens. You're old enough to choose an Advanced Soul Master Academy to join and have the chance to participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament. I heard you even have a five-year agreement with Ning Fengzhi's daughter. There are only three years left until the tournament now."
Tang San naturally hadn't forgotten his promise to Ning Rongrong. The Clear Sky Sect didn't have a school—it was a sect. They often recruited graduates from Advanced Soul Master Academies, who could join the sect after passing their entrance tests.
However, participating in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament couldn't be done through the Clear Sky Sect. He would need to join another academy to qualify.
Hearing Tang Hao's words, Tang Xiao chuckled and said, "The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament? That really brings back memories."
"Hahaha, back then, I crushed my opponents one by one," Tang Hao laughed heartily. It seemed he had also participated in the tournament when he was sent out to train.
To their surprise, Tang San nodded and agreed, "Father and Uncle are right. I should indeed step out from the shadow of the Clear Sky Sect and train on my own."
Seeing Tang San's lack of rebelliousness, Tang Hao found all his prepared words unnecessary. He took out a few application forms and said, "Here are some good Advanced Soul Master Academies. Take a look."
There were many Advanced Soul Master Academies on the Douluo Continent, though their strength and teaching quality varied greatly.
Tang San looked at the few top-ranked Soul Master academies that Tang Hao had carefully selected and murmured, "Wind, Water, Thunder, Fire, Earth—the five elemental academies. Heaven Dou Royal Academy, Star Luo Royal Academy... Shrek Academy? What kind of Soul Master academy is this?"
He had heard of the previous academies to some extent, but this Shrek Academy was the first time he had come across it.
Tang Hao explained, "Oh, that one? It's an academy that only accepts monsters."
Tang San was taken aback. "Only monsters? That's quite the bold claim. Are their teachers all Titled Douluos?"
"Well, no. Their headmaster is a Soul Saint."
Tang San was stunned again. Just a Soul Saint? What could a Soul Saint possibly teach the only son of a Titled Douluo? How to raise Soul Power to the Soul Saint level but fail to break through to Soul Douluo?
"Then do they have incredibly powerful legacies or cultivation treasures?"
"Uh... the academy is a bit run-down, and there's no legacy either."
Tang San's expression remained calm as he silently placed Shrek Academy's application form aside while staring at his father.
No father should set his son up like this!
(End of Chapter)