"If that's the case, then you all have even more reason to agree to this. If Bing'er has the support of the Body Sect in the future, the Heaven Dou royal family will absolutely not dare to touch her.
"In fact, in the future, even a Super Douluo might not be out of reach."
In Mu Xi's view, if Shui Bing'er could obtain the Body Sect's protection, then there would be no chance of her dying young. If her own son could become a god in the future, then let alone Super Douluo—even Limit Douluo wouldn't be impossible to contend with.
As long as Skywater Academy can produce a single Limit Douluo in the future, how far can prosperity be?
At that time, calling themselves the number one academy on the continent wouldn't be boasting.
"You're still not done?"
Shui Qingmei, who had originally been immersed in Mu Xi's astounding analysis, instantly arched her willow brows when she heard Mu Xi start her that set of arguments again.
The next moment, a hand blocked her.
"Teacher, you…"
Shui Qingmei was puzzled. Why would her teacher stop her?
She was clearly defending the academy.
Qing Yun shook her head, first glancing at Mu Xi, then letting her eyes silently sweep the surroundings. She chuckled softly.
"My student came to Skywater Academy to be a lobbyist. The Body Sect wouldn't possibly show no gesture at all, right?
"Let me guess, which old friend came along? Yuan Hua? Hua Shuwen? Or is it Sect Master Chu?"
Watching her teacher talking to the empty air all around them, Shui Qingmei's expression instantly turned grave, as if facing a great enemy. Could it be that not only Mu Xi and her son had come this time, but others as well?
From their letters with Mu Xi four years ago, they had already learned that the First Elder had broken through to Titled Douluo. With his talent, he probably wasn't any weaker now than the Second Elder who had reached that realm early. As for Chu Shanhe, there was even less need to mention him—an old-brand Titled Douluo, said to be no weaker than the Bone Douluo Gu Rong of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.
No matter which of those three appeared here, none were opponents they could easily resist.
Mu Xi's brows rose. Teacher had really guessed right—but this person was definitely not someone who had come along with her.
"Hehe, it really has to be you, old sword-hag. As expected of someone who trains the sword; your sense of crisis is sharp as ever."
Before the words fell, an old man with black-and-white hair draped over his shoulders and a stern face appeared behind Qing Yun.
Qing Yun suddenly spun around, sword-light surging forth with endless killing intent, slashing straight toward the old man.
But to everyone's surprise, those flashes of sword-light dissipated into nothingness before they even came close to him.
Seeing that familiar face, Qing Yun's gaze abruptly contracted. She subconsciously glanced at the other party's right hand and then cried out in shock:
"It's you! You old Fifth cur! You actually broke through to Titled Douluo? That's impossible!"
The newcomer was precisely the Third Elder.
As the hope of the sect's rise, how could the Body Sect possibly allow Chen Yi to leave the sect alone?
The Third Elder was exactly the one the sect had sent to guard him.
Qing Yun's as if she'd seen a ghost expression made the Third Elder's heart feel especially refreshed. He and Qing Yun were of the same generation, with similar talent. If it hadn't been that Qing Yun spent some time as the dean of Skywater Academy while he remained wholly focused on cultivation, he probably still wouldn't be able to surpass this woman.
"Why couldn't it be me, Qing Yun? Could it be that this old man cannot break through to Titled Douluo?"
The Third Elder chuckled, asking her back.
"How is that possible? It's impossible!"
Qing Yun kept muttering those words. She could understand the First Elder breaking through to Titled Douluo—after all, he was a rarely seen genius in this world. If he hadn't been obsessed with creating his own soul skills and wasted his prime years, he was someone who should have climbed to the very peak. Being a late bloomer was nothing strange.
But why would it be the Third Elder?
Among the older generation of experts in the Body Sect, the Third Elder's talent and comprehension were definitely not at the top. His right-arm martial soul was not considered particularly strong, even among the body-type martial souls.
Ten years ago, when she felt her potential had been exhausted, she had personally gone to the Body Sect seeking an opportunity for breakthrough and had fought the Third Elder once. Back then she had suppressed him from start to finish with absolute superiority, displaying the might of a swordswoman to the fullest.
Now someone who had once been inferior to her had broken through to the realm she had dreamed of all her life, right in front of her. Qing Yun truly found it hard to accept.
"There's nothing impossible. Old hag, compared to you, this old man's luck is better by more than a little bit."
Hearing Qing Yun's murmuring, the Third Elder spoke bluntly. On his own, he truly had no possibility of breaking through to Titled Douluo—but who told his sect to produce such a good child?
Not only was that child's own talent peerless, he'd also brought endless benefits to the sect.
Seeing her teacher in a daze, a trace of pity flashed through Mu Xi's eyes. She fiercely glared at the Third Elder, then stepped forward to comfort Qing Yun.
"Teacher, the Third Elder's breakthrough was also a matter of timing, place, and people all aligning. You don't need to take it to heart."
"No. There's no way you broke through on your own. Otherwise, there's no reason for me to still be stuck at level eighty-seven."
Hearing Mu Xi's comfort, Qing Yun's eyes lit up, her tone firm:
"For you to reach Titled Douluo at your age, you must have obtained some astonishing opportunity. Could it be that you found that so-called immortal herb you've been searching for?"
The Body Sect had been scouring the entire continent for immortal herbs for over a hundred years. As the leader of the forces with the best relationship with the Body Sect, Qing Yun naturally knew something about this.
"No. It absolutely can't be immortal herbs. If immortal herbs truly had the world-defying creation you speak of, you wouldn't be in such a state right now."
Qing Yun was very sure. This old thing's aura was unstable—it was obvious he had only recently broken through to Titled Douluo. If she hadn't sensed wrong, he was only between level 91 and level 92. If he'd really taken an immortal herb, he should be far beyond this level. Moreover, although his blood and vitality had indeed recovered somewhat, it wasn't much different from a normal breakthrough, so he definitely hadn't consumed a true immortal herb.
The Third Elder had originally felt a bit embarrassed at being glared at. After all, he'd broken through using the method given by someone else's son and had now come to flaunt himself in that boy's teacher's face—that truly was a bit excessive.
But once Qing Yun's contemptuous words came out, his guilt instantly vanished without a trace. Fine, his potential wasn't as good as his senior brothers', but it wasn't that bad, right?
"Can't I have just broken through by relying on myself?"
Qing Yun sneered. "Don't you feel your face burn saying that?"
Seeing the Third Elder like this, Qing Yun became even more certain that the Body Sect must have mastered some method that allowed those whose potential had been exhausted to take another step forward. Her heart instantly began to burn.
If even the Third Elder could break through using this, then with her talent and comprehension, which were clearly a bit stronger than his, there was no reason she couldn't do the same.
"Tch."
The Third Elder curled his lips at her words, which basically counted as tacit agreement.
Seeing that the verbal sparring had stopped for now, Mu Xi hurriedly brought over two cups of tea with a smile.
"Teacher, Third Elder, why don't you both sit down and drink some tea while you talk?"
Once the two finally sat, Mu Xi and Shui Qingmei couldn't help exhaling in relief and exchanging a glance. If those two really fought, their thin arms and legs wouldn't be able to stop them at all!
After Qing Yun downed the iced tea, she looked at the Third Elder with open mockery.
"The Body Sect really does take my Skywater Academy seriously. Since you've even brought a Titled Douluo, it seems you're determined to get what you want?"
She obviously assumed the Third Elder was Mu Xi's trump card.
The Third Elder said irritably, "Old hag, don't look so highly on yourself. This old man truly didn't come here for your Skywater Academy, and my sect has no intention of doing anything to you. Everything you were talking about just now was entirely a decision made after Mu girl here reported to the First Elder. We're just thinking of giving you all a pull up."
The Body Sect really wasn't interested in Skywater Academy. It was mainly that Mu Xi wanted to help her maiden family; the First Elder felt that since they were already on a winning streak, he might as well drag them along too—one more helper wouldn't hurt.
In the end, just from listening outside, he had indeed heard some remarkable things. Skywater Academy had hidden itself deeply—without a word, they'd somehow produced a congenital full-spirit-power ultimate genius. If it weren't for the Body Sect's Chen Yi rising out of nowhere this generation, Skywater might have been pressing them down a head.
Qing Yun looked like, "Right, and I'm supposed to believe that," and laughed coldly.
"If not for my Skywater Academy, what matter could be important enough to trouble you, this… Titled…?!"
"Terror Arm!"
"To trouble you, His Excellency 'Terror Arm Douluo', to grace us with your presence?"
"Heh."
The Third Elder snorted dismissively, then said calmly, "This old man is here to act as Chen Yi brat's bodyguard."
From the looks in Qing Yun's and Shui Qingmei's eyes, they obviously didn't believe that. Chen Yi was so young—what right did he have for a Titled Douluo to act as his bodyguard?
Unless he were the Holy Son or Holy Maiden of the Spirit Hall, no one had ever heard of a junior being guarded personally by a Titled Douluo.
"Old hag, don't be so sure I'm lying. This old man really was ordered to protect Chen Yi. If it weren't that the First and Second Elders both need to sit in the sect, it wouldn't even be me who came."
Qing Yun's heart trembled.
Could what he said be true?
But what did Chen Yi have that could make the Body Sect value him so highly?
Congenital full spirit power?
That probably wasn't enough.
The Third Elder chuckled.
"What is it, old hag, curious? This is the highest secret of my sect. I really can't tell you."
If it were someone else, the Third Elder wouldn't say anything at all. But Qing Yun was different—her status was a bit sensitive, and after being old friends for many years, he did want to help her a bit.
"It seems the changes in the Body Sect are related to my disciple-grandson then."
Qing Yun understood. For a Titled Douluo to personally protect him, Chen Yi's help to them must be no small thing.
"Since you're willing to say this much, then say it all."
"I can tell you—but for Chen Yi's safety, you master and disciple must swear on your martial souls."
...