The pleasant lap pillow didn't last very long. After about the time it takes to burn one incense stick, the Snow Emperor suddenly pushed Shen Hanyu away and sat to the side herself.
Shen Hanyu wasn't surprised. It was already beyond expectations that the Snow Emperor would accept this much.
After a brief silence, Shen Hanyu asked:
"Interested in going to watch the excitement tomorrow?"
The Snow Emperor glanced at Shen Hanyu, who seemed completely unaffected, then gave a cold nod.
Shen Hanyu raised an eyebrow. He knew the Snow Emperor was still struggling and hesitating, but at least… she had already begun to learn how to take the initiative to accept things, hadn't she?
…
One day passed quickly.
Today, Element City was exceptionally lively.
The originally wide and clean streets were packed with crowds. On the main roads, quite a few soldiers wearing battle armor had already begun maintaining order, yet more and more people continued pouring in from outside the city without end.
Early in the morning, Shen Hanyu received news that his own stay-at-home dad and mom had actually come to watch the excitement.
He hurried along the way and quickly entered Skywater Academy under the infatuated gaze of the girl at the gate.
At this moment, inside the dean's office.
Shen Liu Yu was happily leaning into the arms of an elegant and dignified woman, giggling and saying something. Beside them, a handsome middle-aged man listened with a face full of gentle smiles, occasionally taking a sip of fragrant tea.
Qin Yi looked at her greatly changed daughter and lovingly pinched Shen Liu Yu's cheek, then said with some dissatisfaction:
"Still, my A-Yu is obedient. Unlike that brat Shen Hanyu, he never lets us have any peace of mind."
Shen Liu Yu buried her head in Qin Yi's embrace and laughed:
"Mom, you know, big brother is really amazing now. Last night, he even fought with that Sword Douluo from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan. Though I don't know exactly who won or lost…"
Qin Yi snorted coldly and said:
"If it wasn't for this matter, why would your dad and I have rushed over? No matter what, he's still my son. At least he didn't disgrace our family. And no matter how powerful he gets, if I tell him to kneel, does he dare disobey? If he dares disobey, I'll beat his butt until it's broken!"
Shen Liu Yu giggled nonstop. Shen Jun He, sitting to the side, was choked by his tea and quickly said after receiving a glare from Qin Yi:
"Madam is absolutely right. No matter how capable that brat becomes, in front of Madam, he can only obediently listen."
Only then did Qin Yi nod in satisfaction.
Over these years, thanks to the continuous supply of precious herbs and resources from Shen Hanyu, Qin Yi had leapt from the Soul Elder rank all the way to high-level Soul King. Shen Jun He had even stepped into a high-level Soul Saint. The husband and wife had both progressed at a godly speed.
It was just a pity that Shen Jun He was still as afraid of his wife as ever. In front of his wife, he remained as docile as a little quail.
With a crisp sound, the door opened.
Shen Hanyu walked straight in.
Looking at his parents, who had both become noticeably younger, Shen Hanyu was momentarily at a loss for words.
Shen Jun He stood up first, patted Shen Hanyu's shoulder, and said with some emotion:
"You've really grown up. Your dad almost didn't recognize you."
Looking at his now much younger mom and dad, Shen Hanyu gave a helpless smile and said:
"Dad, Mom, why did you two suddenly come all the way to Element City?"
Qin Yi also slowly stood up. After a soft sigh, she stepped forward and fiercely pinched Shen Hanyu's face, saying viciously:
"You stinking brat! If Liu Yu hadn't written to tell us that you fought with some Sword Douluo, were you planning to hide it from us for the rest of your life?"
Shen Hanyu hurriedly pulled his parents to sit down and said helplessly:
"Accident, accident… And didn't your son win in the end? Next time for sure, next time for sure…"
Qin Yi glared at him without amusement, then continued:
"But your cultivation speed is really something. A couple of years ago, when you came home, you were only a Soul Emperor. Now you're already a Titled Douluo. I don't know why you cultivate so fast, but I only have one demand: you are not allowed to do anything that harms heaven and earth! Understand?"
Shen Hanyu nodded repeatedly.
No matter how famous or powerful a child becomes outside, when they return home, they are still just a child.
Driving a Maybach back home still requires you to carry potatoes. A Rolls-Royce in your parents' mouths is still not as useful as a tractor for hauling things. Wearing shoes worth tens of thousands, and you still have to go help your parents work in the fields…
Suddenly, as if she just remembered something, Qin Yi pulled Shen Hanyu's arm and asked:
"Where's your girlfriend? Call her over so Mom can take a look. Don't deny it, Liu Yu already confessed everything."
Shen Hanyu glanced at Shen Liu Yu, who had lowered her head and was pretending to be a quail, and said helplessly:
"Mom, what's the rush? Nothing is even close to being settled yet…"
Qin Yi snorted coldly:
"I'm not asking you. I'm asking my future daughter-in-law. One sentence: will you bring her or not…"
Shen Jun He also looked over with a smile. After all, in Shen Liu Yu's description, the Snow Emperor had been described as more fairy-like than a real fairy. It was hard not to arouse the couple's curiosity. They still had some understanding of how high their son's standards were.
Shen Hanyu looked at Shen Liu Yu, who had shrunk behind Qin Yi, and said softly:
"Mom, it's not that I don't want to bring her. It's just that your future daughter-in-law has a very cold personality and isn't very good at communicating. Meeting so suddenly wouldn't be good for either side."
Qin Yi's expression softened a little, and she said:
"Then you should at least tell Mom the general situation about that girl. If it weren't for A-Yu, were you planning to hide her from us forever…?"
Shen Hanyu was stunned for a moment, then pondered and said:
"There's not really much to say. Mom, you only need to know that she is stronger than your son. On the entire continent today, there are very few people who can fight her head-on."
Qin Yi and Shen Jun He exchanged a glance, gave a helpless smile, and a trace of surprise flashed in their eyes, but neither of them mentioned it again…
…
A series of dull mechanical sounds came from the Great Fighting Soul Arena in the city center. Then, under countless shocked gazes, numerous high walls inside the Great Fighting Soul Arena began to slowly move. Countless fighting soul stages started merging, and deep steel rails hidden underground were revealed on the surrounding ground.
The surrounding people watched this scene in shock. Soul guidance screens slowly activated. A beautiful hostess flew out from somewhere while standing on a simple flying soul guidance device. Her voice carried extremely strong penetration through the loudspeakers:
"Welcome everyone, to the Element City Great Fighting Soul Arena. I am the host of this Element City Academy Grand Competition, Little Deer."
"What everyone is seeing now is a set of special soul guidance rails left behind from ancient times. The entire Great Fighting Soul Arena was built upon this special soul guidance device. Unfortunately, with current technology, it is no longer possible to manufacture such precise and complex high-end soul guidance devices. Most of the soul guidance devices left on the continent today are only low-level ones, for example, the flying platform beneath my feet is the most basic kind of soul guidance device."
Accompanied by Little Deer's voice, the entire Great Fighting Soul Arena completed its transformation in an extremely short time. The massive steel doors slowly opened. Crowds surged inside. The surrounding extended steel stands were quickly filled. Even in the sky above, flying-type soul masters were watching from above.
On the preparation seats surrounding the battlefield in a circle, the leading teachers and participating students of at least fifteen academies of various sizes were already waiting in formation.
As the host, the participating team members of the Four Element Academies were also ready and waiting, though they had their own separate VIP rooms for adjustments. They would not appear in the audience's view until it was their turn to compete.
In other words, to preserve a sense of mystery.
Several comparatively powerful auras landed on the higher viewing platforms nearby.
Shen Hanyu brought his parents directly to one of the high platforms. Shui Ning Bing was already there.
Shen Jun He and Qin Yi greeted Shui Ning Bing. Shortly after, Shui Ning Bing left due to the needs of the opening ceremony.
Looking toward another high platform less than thirty meters away, Shen Hanyu immediately noticed the mild-looking Ning Fengzhi and the Sword Douluo standing behind him. Both of them nodded toward Shen Hanyu.
Shen Hanyu gave a slight response and then began watching the scene below.
…
The grand competition held in Element City was different from the Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament. The former was meant to attract attention and visibility, and also to showcase the academy's teaching quality to better recruit students. The latter was a contest between the top geniuses of the two great empires, representing honor and a kind of status.
For example, the Spirit Hall team that had dominated the championship for many years, after the competition, its members would all join Spirit Hall and take important positions, becoming the backbone of the next generation of Spirit Hall.
Sweeping his spiritual power over the situation of the academies below, a trace of boredom appeared in Shen Hanyu's eyes.
These academies had neither good sources of teachers and students, nor sufficient resource supply. Their students were eighteen or nineteen years old and still only Great Soul Masters. Some were even just Soul Masters. The highest soul power among them had reached Soul Elder, but their age was at least twenty-three or older — they had already missed the golden age for soul master cultivation.
Most of their teachers were also of average strength at best, Soul Emperors. The majority were Soul Elders and Soul Kings. A few deans of mid-level soul master academies had reached Soul Saint, but their age was quite advanced.
However, what interested Shen Hanyu was an academy called Starlight Soul Master Academy. Why was it called that? Because basically all the students in their academy had martial souls with the rare starlight attribute. Though the entire academy, students plus teachers, did not exceed twenty people.
Most of their team members' strengths were between Great Soul Master and Soul Elder, making them second only to the Four Element Academies in this competition, perhaps even slightly stronger.
Qin Yi and Shen Jun He were happily commenting on the various academies and teams below, especially discussing every single pretty girl in detail.
Anyone who has ever been urged to get married by their parents would probably understand exactly what they were doing.
Shen Hanyu only slightly raised his eyes and looked toward a certain place high up in the sky. There, he sensed a familiar aura.
Then he looked again at the extremely lively scene below, slowly closed his eyes, and waited for the final opening ceremony of the grand competition…
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