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"This is soul ring cleansing."
Before them, the three soul rings on Tang Ya's body had lost their original light yellow, dark yellow, and light purple colors. Instead, they had become crystal clear and smooth—like three transparent glass rings, continuously rising and falling beside Tang Ya's delicate figure.
"The patterns and residual spiritual power have all been washed away."
Looking at the Blue Silver Grass martial soul that had been freed from the soul rings' influence and seemed reborn, Chen Junting recalled the process of soul ring cleansing in his mind repeatedly. With deep thought, he gained some insights.
"Alright."
Elder Mu slowly spoke, and the golden light around them gradually receded.
Tang Ya also regained consciousness from the pain of the cleansing.
"What is this..."
She raised her right hand, summoning her martial soul.
She discovered that her Blue Silver Grass martial soul, at first glance, appeared exactly as it had when she first awakened it. Although her soul power cultivation remained, the three soul ring skills no longer existed.
"Your three soul rings need to be hunted anew. I hope this experience helps you choose the right path for yourself."
Not stern, not bland.
Elder Mu's words instead carried a trace of expectation.
As if he truly held hopes for Tang Ya's future.
"Elder Mu, I will absolutely not disappoint you." Tang Ya knelt down with a "thud." This cleansing ritual was like rebirth for her, giving her a chance to choose anew.
How could she not cherish it?
"Good, good."
Elder Mu nodded slightly. A white light flashed, and the three were transported to the main hall of the Sea God Pavilion. After giving them further instructions and informing Chen Junting that Elder Song would lead tomorrow's soul hunting expedition, he naturally agreed to Chen Junting's request as well.
Afterward, the three didn't linger any longer.
Bidding farewell to Elder Mu, they left Sea God Island.
When they landed by Sea God Lake, Bei Bei could no longer contain his excitement, embracing Tang Ya and cheering!
The commotion lasted for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea.
"Xiao Ya, let me see your martial soul again."
Facing Bei Bei's request, Tang Ya naturally didn't refuse.
A blue light flashed, and the Blue Silver Grass swayed in the evening breeze.
Bei Bei looked at Chen Junting beside him and said: "Young brother Chen, please help examine Xiao Ya's martial soul and offer some suggestions."
Chen Junting naturally didn't refuse this either.
This was a perfect opportunity to closely observe what exactly happened to soul rings and martial souls after cleansing.
And this observation revealed something to him.
"Hmm. Senior sister Xiao Ya, see if you can still sense the devouring ability of your martial soul. Oh, and don't deliberately trigger it."
Tang Ya nodded solemnly, then closed her eyes.
Under Bei Bei's anxious gaze, she soon opened her eyes with a surprised expression, shaking her head: "I can't sense it anymore."
"Young brother Chen, does this mean Xiao Ya no longer has devouring abilities? Does this mean she won't become an evil soul master because of this?"
Both their gazes instantly focused on Chen Junting.
But under their hopeful eyes, he slowly shook his head.
"No. Actually, you don't know that all plants, to some extent, have the ability to devour life force. So as a plant-type martial soul, it follows the same principle—it's just a matter of whether this ability is recessive or dominant. Even the Blue Silver Emperor martial soul of Tang San from ten thousand years ago had the ability to devour life force."
"This can't be true?!"
Hearing this answer, Tang Ya exclaimed in shock!
Even Bei Bei looked completely incredulous.
"Impossible?" Chen Junting raised an eyebrow, his tone confident. "If you don't believe it, you can go ask Teacher Wang Yan. This knowledge is quite obscure, but he definitely knows."
This...
Bei Bei and Tang Ya looked at each other. They didn't disbelieve him.
It was just that saying Tang San ancestor's Blue Silver Emperor could also devour life force made them, as Tang Sect descendants, somewhat reluctant to accept.
But soon, they comforted themselves.
At least Tang San ancestor's devouring ability was determined by his martial soul's nature, but he never actually used it that way.
Fortunately, Chen Junting didn't know their thoughts.
Otherwise, he would have laughed himself to death.
The seed inside the Golden Ancient Tree was doing exactly that!
Not wanting to dwell on this matter, Bei Bei and Tang Ya quickly changed the subject, returning to discussion of Tang Ya's martial soul.
To their questions, Chen Junting also gave his response.
"Not only were senior sister Xiao Ya's first three soul rings cleansed, but Elder Mu likely also used the cleansing process to infuse Golden Ancient Tree energy into her body. Though it's not a complete rebirth, at least senior sister Xiao Ya's martial soul now has a good path in the Way of Life. As long as she chooses good soul rings, it won't be weaker than high-grade martial souls—at the very least, she has hope of becoming a Soul Sage."
"Elder Mu!"
"Great Ancestor!"
Hearing this, the two immediately looked toward Sea God Island.
Bei Bei's eyes were filled with emotion.
He naturally knew who the Great Ancestor had done this for.
...
Shrek Academy, inner court students' cafeteria.
"So that's what happened last night."
After listening to Chen Junting's account, Ning Tian nodded in understanding. "I never expected senior sister Xiao Ya would think like this."
"This is good for them too." Taking a handkerchief from Ning Tian and wiping his mouth, Chen Junting's face was completely indifferent. "If they still want to revive the Tang Sect as before, to restore its former glory, this is simply unrealistic for them. No capability, lacking strength, few allies—how can they compete?"
"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect doesn't need a former Tang Sect."
Chen Junting's words received Ning Tian's approval.
From a personal perspective, they were friends with Bei Bei and Tang Ya.
But from the sect's perspective, the emergence of a Tang Sect as powerful as in the past to divide benefits would not be good for the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.
"Oh, by the way."
At this moment, Ning Tian suddenly remembered something.
Meeting Chen Junting's gaze, she said.
"While you were still in closed cultivation, Yuhao found me and mentioned something. He heard about the Tang Sect's mechanical hidden weapons, and he's thinking about combining Tang Sect hidden weapons with soul guide devices."
"So you want to obtain the Tang Sect's hidden weapons."
Chen Junting easily understood the meaning behind her words.
Ning Tian nodded slightly. "But to research this, we must obtain the Tang Sect's hidden weapon manufacturing methods, which is extremely difficult."
"After all, that's the Tang Sect's foundation. However..."
At this point, Chen Junting paused slightly in thought.
"Perhaps we can propose 'revitalizing Tang Sect hidden weapons,' getting senior brother Bei Bei and senior sister Xiao Ya to participate willingly. The prerequisite would be for them to provide the Tang Sect's hidden weapon manufacturing methods."
"They'll agree?"
"They will. They have no choice."
Chen Junting's tone seemed full of confidence.
"Besides, we're not forcing a sale. We're choosing an equal exchange method. They provide the Tang Sect's hidden weapon techniques and manufacturing methods, while we handle the combination and research. When we develop new soul guide device manufacturing methods, we'll give them a copy of the methods. This is a good deal."
Upon hearing this, Ning Tian immediately saw through Chen Junting's intentions. Smiling, she scolded: "Your calculation is truly clever."
"Clever? It's just okay."
As the two spoke, they exchanged smiles.
Some might say this is raising a tiger that will eventually harm you.
But even if the Tang Sect has the same soul guide devices, will they become a threat?
Of course not!
Because they understood—even if the Tang Sect had these new soul guide devices, could they compete with the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect in the market?
Even with Shrek's help, they couldn't.
Because under heaven, only the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had the most extensive financial channels. In any product sales, channels were king!
And strength did not equal channels.
Shrek Academy's business was basically limited to Shrek City. In this aspect, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had nothing to fear.
So in reality, the Tang Sect simply couldn't develop properly.
Moreover, facing the not particularly strong Tang Sect, Shrek Academy in the future would at most buy their soul guide devices out of respect for Bei Bei while he was still alive. But after he was gone...
Heh!
History was a cycle.
Without resolving the Tang Sect's deep-rooted problems, no matter how they developed, they would eventually return to the old path.
Besides, soul guide technology would continue to advance.
The soul guide technology that initially borrowed from Tang Sect hidden weapons—the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect would give the Tang Sect the manufacturing methods according to their agreement, fulfilling their promise.
But innovations based on these new soul guide devices wouldn't count.
In the end, Tang Sect hidden weapons would only become nourishment for the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's future development.
"Senior brother Junting..."
Hearing their discussion without avoiding him, Huo Yuhao glanced at Wu Feng beside him, who seemed unconcerned. When they had finished talking, he timidly raised his head.
"Hmm? Yuhao, what do you want to say?"
"It's just... is what we're doing a bit... um..."
Seeing Huo Yuhao's hesitant manner, Chen Junting and Ning Tian exchanged glances, showing expressions of suppressed laughter.
Chen Junting even chuckled lightly.
"What? Feeling sympathetic?"
"Um."
Huo Yuhao glanced around, embarrassed. "I just feel this isn't quite right."
"There's nothing wrong with this—we're helping them too. Just think this way: without our method, the Tang Sect wouldn't just fail to rise again, they'd barely have any hope of survival."
Chen Junting's tone was calm. "If we don't take certain measures, after senior brother Bei Bei, senior sister Xiao Ya, and even we are gone, do you think the rising Tang Sect won't pose a threat to our sect? Human hearts are unpredictable, and between any powers, only eternal interests exist. When interests conflict, they'll always fight to the death. So Yuhao, when considering sect matters, remember this! Don't let personal feelings interfere."
"I understand."
Huo Yuhao wasn't indecisive. Hearing Chen Junting's words, his previous sympathy was immediately replaced by firmness!
As a member of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, he needed to consider the sect's interests!
How could he ignore the sect's benefits because of personal feelings!
Thus, in this conversation between these few people, the future of the Tang Sect seemed to be casually "arranged" in a few words.
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