Chapter 255: Stirring Trouble Han Li's Bold Move at the Opening Ceremony
At twenty years old, they were still students.
Especially on Douluo Continent, a world with no real external pressure only the pursuit of strength.
In this world where soul masters reign supreme, martial souls dictate fate, and talent defines worth, the audience found it easy to relate.
From the moment of Martial Soul Awakening, most of their lives had been spent inside academies, barely interacting with the outside world.
Their experiences were almost identical until now.
But then they heard this people just like them had already been eliminated from the stage.
And the only reason?
They chose the wrong academy.
They chose the wrong teacher.
Just the thought of it sent chills down their spines.
And the worst part?
That very same man Flender was now a teacher at Heaven Dou Royal Academy's second team.
That was Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the empire's highest educational institution.
Even if they themselves didn't attend, what about their friends, their future children?
Would they ever dare to send them there now?
"Someone like that… can be a teacher?"
"Does Heaven Dou Royal Academy not even vet their faculty?"
"How did they dare to hire someone like him?"
"Should Spirit Hall handle this? Or is it the empire's responsibility?"
"…"
After a moment of silence, the crowd erupted almost everyone was condemning Flender.
Among those present were many of Heaven Dou Empire's future elite.
For Flender, this was worse than death.
His future was over.
Dugu Yan blinked.
Had she… gone too far?
She had only wanted to expose Flender's lack of integrity, his hypocrisy a man who preached ideals but only cared about money.
But before she even finished talking, the whole thing had escalated into a matter of public trust in Heaven Dou Empire itself.
She never intended for it to get this big.
No wonder Han Li always warned her:
"Never manipulate public opinion lightly."
Now she understood why.
Once words left her mouth, some things were beyond her control.
"Don't worry it's fine."
Just as Dugu Yan was wondering how to de escalate the situation, Han Li's voice rang in her mind.
By now, he had already exchanged pleasantries with others and was sitting back with his eyes closed, using the pendant Dugu Yan carried to communicate with her.
To Dugu Yan, this situation felt unmanageable.
To Han Li, however?
This was nothing.
Shrek Academy's students had always been specially recruited based on talent.
And in his long term plans, cutting ties with them was inevitable.
This was simply the perfect opportunity.
Besides, Qian Renxue, still disguised as Xue Qinghe, had planned to ascend the throne soon.
Once she did, they could use this incident to shift all the blame onto Emperor Xue Ye.
After all, he was the one who had approved Flender's appointment.
It would be his failure.
Meanwhile, Qian Renxue could seize the moment to win favor from the three board members of the academy, further boosting her prestige.
Thinking about it this way this wasn't a problem at all.
In fact, it was a golden opportunity.
Might as well take it a step further.
They could use Xue Ye's name to remove Flender altogether and bring Yu Xiaogang back instead.
The tournament wouldn't be complete without Yu Xiaogang.
It would be like the 3D District without Jerusalem.
Not nearly as fun.
In the blink of an eye, Han Li had already formed a full strategy in his mind.
He even started coordinating with Qian Renxue.
With a prince as their inside man, this was child's play.
Dugu Yan, who had just been panicking, instantly calmed down.
If Han Li said there was no problem, then there was definitely no problem.
"You're lying! I never did that! Where's your proof?!"
Flender snapped.
At this point, he didn't care about Dugu Yan's status anymore.
If he didn't defend himself now, this wouldn't just be about reputation.
At this rate, he wouldn't just be kicked out of Heaven Dou Royal Academy he might actually end up a wanted criminal.
"Proof?"
Dugu Yan chuckled, shaking her head.
"You want proof? Fine. I can send someone to investigate right now.
What do you think?"
Flender's heart dropped.
In the past, when he expelled students, some did complain.
But thanks to his Soul Saint level strength, and the fact that most of his recruits had no real backing, no one had been able to do anything about it.
But if Spirit Hall got involved?
That was a whole different story.
If he had known this would happen, he would have stayed out of it.
He knew about Dai Mubai's history.
But for years, Dai Mubai had been one of Shrek Academy's main financial backers.
And… Flender did feel a bit of loyalty toward him.
But now?
It had all backfired.
Flender gritted his teeth.
Dugu Yan wasn't stopping.
And the worst part?
He couldn't do anything about it.
If he spoke up, she'd just dig up more dirt.
Right now, all he could do was stay silent and hope this would blow over.
"What? No more excuses?"
"You think playing dead will make this go away?"
Dugu Yan pressed further.
Flender remained silent.
"How boring."
"Hah. Figures you'd be a coward."
"No wonder you fit in so well with them.
You and your students a perfect match."
Dugu Yan mocked him one last time.
Still, no response.
With that, she turned to Zhu Zhuqing, who had just finished catching up with Ning Rongrong.
"Zhuqing, do you have anything to say?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked over at the group standing in silence.
She didn't say a word.
She simply shook her head.
She wanted nothing to do with them anymore.
"Alright then."
Dugu Yan glanced helplessly at Zhu Zhuqing before turning to face the group before her. "Since Zhuqing doesn't want to deal with you, we'll end things here today. However, since you've chosen to retreat into your shells, then stay there properly. I don't want to hear any nonsense or see any unwanted looks from any of you."
She paused, then turned her gaze to Flender. "As for you, given that you are currently a teacher at Heaven Dou Royal Academy, I will be submitting this information to them for review and disciplinary action."
"Of course, regarding your actions of fraudulently using Spirit Hall's name and harboring Zhao Wuji, Spirit Hall still reserves the right to pursue the matter."
With that, she no longer spared a glance at the silent group and instead turned to the members of Tianshui Academy. "Alright, let's go. What bad luck to run into such a disgusting bunch early in the morning."
After exchanging one last look with Ning Rongrong, Zhu Zhuqing followed along.
The surrounding onlookers, after a bout of whispered discussions, also dispersed and returned to their designated resting areas.
Left behind in place, the members of Heaven Dou's second team remained silent and unmoving.
Ning Rongrong stood at a distance, feeling quite satisfied with the outcome and not intending to get any closer.
She then noticed that Oscar, unlike the others who wore dark expressions, was quietly observing the situation with concern, particularly toward Flender.
After a long pause, Oscar took the initiative to walk up to Flender.
"Dean, let's head back to our resting area first."
Flender closed his eyes briefly, took a deep breath, and then finally spoke. "Alright."
Without waiting for the others, he took the lead and walked toward the rest area.
The rest, under Oscar's urging, followed suit, their pace sluggish and their spirits evidently dampened.
Watching this amusing scene, Ning Rongrong sighed internally. What a pity, he's just a support type soul master.
She didn't feel too much emotional fluctuation. The past few days had been so surreal that she had gradually learned to watch things unfold as a bystander. She was also beginning to understand the lessons her father, Ning Fengzhi, had been teaching her all these years.
Hanging at the back of the group, she walked leisurely, her mind filled with thoughts of Zhu Zhuqing.
Unlike the tense atmosphere among Tang San's group, the mood in Tianshui Academy's resting area was lively and filled with laughter.
Shui Yue'er, in particular, played the role of the group's cheerful mood maker, cracking jokes and bringing endless laughter, completely devoid of any pre tournament nerves.
This naturally drew the attention of nearby competitors and academy representatives. Not only was Tianshui Academy filled with stunning beauties, but their relaxed attitude toward the competition also sparked envy among many of the other teams.
Suddenly, from the northernmost part of the stadium, celebratory cannons fired, signaling the arrival of a distinguished group of figures who slowly emerged from the rear and made their way to the front of the stands under the gaze of the entire audience before taking their seats.
As the cannon fire ceased, a host with large, elegant wings, clad in resplendent robes, appeared midair at the center of the stadium.
"Honored elite students and esteemed audience members, please quiet down."
As the venue fell silent, a large projection screen appeared behind the host, displaying a live feed of the northern VIP stands.
"And now, let us welcome His Majesty, the Emperor of Heaven Dou Empire, to officially commence the tournament."
Following this declaration, the massive screen in the air focused on Emperor Xue Ye, who sat in the central seat of the first row of the VIP stands, clad in a regal crimson gold robe.
As thunderous applause erupted, Xue Ye slowly stood up.
After a slight nod to the audience, a solemn yet powerful voice, amplified through a sound transmission soul tool, resounded throughout the stadium.
"I, Xue Ye, Emperor of Heaven Dou Empire, representing the host nation of this grand tournament, officially declare the commencement of the Pan Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament!"
Applause and cheers erupted once more, reaching their highest peak yet.
Following two brief pauses, Xue Ye skillfully delivered words of encouragement to the competing students, making sure to include statements designed to win favor.
The essence of his speech?
Join me, and wealth and status are guaranteed.
As cheers resounded throughout the stadium, Xue Ye returned to his seat, feeling highly pleased.
Just moments earlier, backstage, he had engaged in a pleasant conversation with Han Li.
Han Li had promised not to actively recruit students during this tournament, presenting it as a gesture of goodwill between Spirit Hall and Heaven Dou Empire.
Xue Ye was very satisfied with this arrangement. His gaze toward "Xue Qinghe" (Qian Renxue) was filled with pride his son's diplomatic policies were proving effective.
As a result of this satisfaction, the first row of the VIP section, which previously had only three seats, had now been expanded to five.
Of course, this was partly due to the presence of Yu Yuanzhen, the leader of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.
However, the seating arrangement was telling.
Aside from Xue Ye occupying the central seat, Xue Qinghe and Han Li were seated to his left and right, while Ning Fengzhi and Yu Yuanzhen were positioned further outward.
It was a clear signal to all.
As Xue Ye settled back into his seat, the host's voice rang out once more.
"And now, we welcome His Highness, the Holy Son of Spirit Hall, Han Li, to deliver an address for this year's tournament."
The massive screen in the air shifted focus onto Han Li.
The young man in the frame, elegant and refined, smiled faintly and rose to his feet.
However, instead of stepping forward immediately, he turned slightly and, with an apologetic smile, bowed respectfully toward the two clan leaders seated nearby.
Only then did he straighten and walk toward the sound transmission soul tool.
On screen, both Ning Fengzhi and Yu Yuanzhen appeared momentarily stiff before quickly adjusting their expressions into forced smiles.
Internally, however, they were swearing.
You sly little fox!
Backstage, when we suggested you speak first, you didn't hesitate one bit.
Now that you're on stage, you're suddenly acting all polite?
What, trying to make us look bad?
Before they could dwell on their frustration, Han Li's voice echoed across the stadium.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Han Li, and I am honored to be here as a guest at this prestigious Soul Master Tournament. However, before anything else, I must first extend an apology to the two esteemed clan leaders."
On the VIP stand, Han Li turned fully toward them.
On the massive screen, the camera adjusted to capture all three of them in frame.
(End of Chapter)
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