"Tian Yuan Pavilion?" Qian Zhiya and Qian Zhenyu were impressed but didn't understand. It had been less than five years since Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion was reorganized into the Tian Yuan Pavilion, and only a few top powers knew about it. Therefore, it was perfectly normal for other Spirit Master forces on the continent, including Qian Zhenyu and Qian Zhiya, to be unaware of what the Tian Yuan Pavilion signified.
Although Qian Zhiya and Qian Zhenyu didn't know what kind of existence the Tian Yuan Pavilion Master was, their attitude towards Zhu Ziyang changed significantly; at the very least, they no longer dared to harbor any contempt.
Qian Lingyi stayed at home for three days, and after reuniting with her family, she followed Zhu Ziyang back to Shrek Academy. When Qian Zhiya learned about the God Position from Qian Lingyi, all her dissatisfaction with her granddaughter joining Shrek Academy instantly vanished. In the face of a God Position inheritance, what did some baseless hatred amount to?
Shrek Academy, Tian Yuan Island.
Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi had been back for a few days. The first thing they did upon their return was to go to the Treasure Pavilion to select suitable Spirit Bones for Qian Lingyi. After careful selection, Qian Lingyi fused a Left Leg Bone and a Right Leg Bone. Now, the young girl only lacked a head Spirit Bone and a torso bone.
However, neither of them was too concerned, as with their strength and status, they would eventually acquire these two Spirit Bones in the future.
That evening, Tang Ya and Bei Bei found Zhu Ziyang reading in the Tian Yuan Pavilion.
"Is there something you need?" Zhu Ziyang looked at Tang Ya, who seemed a bit uneasy, and Bei Bei, who had a calm expression. He vaguely guessed their intention but still asked as a formality.
"Um, Ziyang," Tang Ya looked conflicted, but then she seemed to remember something, and her hesitation turned into resolve. She said, "I heard that the rules of this year's Pan-continental Elite Soul Master Competition have changed, allowing Sects to participate. Is that right?"
"Yes, the specific rules haven't been released yet, but the decision to allow Sects to participate has already been approved by the four Empires." Zhu Ziyang closed his book, nodded, and said, "So, you want the Tang Sect to compete?"
"Mhm!" Tang Ya nodded and said, "Ziyang, you know that my biggest wish in this life is to revive the Tang Sect. To revive the Tang Sect, we must first establish its reputation, and the Soul Master Competition is the best place to spread our name! So, I want to represent the Tang Sect!"
"Is Bei Bei thinking the same?" Zhu Ziyang didn't answer Tang Ya immediately but instead looked at Bei Bei and asked.
"That's right." Bei Bei glanced at Tang Ya, his eyes full of doting affection, and then looked at Zhu Ziyang, saying, "As the Tang Sect's Senior Disciple Brother, it's my undeniable responsibility."
"If you represent the Tang Sect, won't there be too few people to represent the Academy?" Zhu Ziyang asked.
"Even so," Tang Ya immediately said upon hearing Zhu Ziyang's words, "Ziyang, don't you think you're underestimating yourself and Nannan a bit too much? Oh, right, and Yi Yi too. The three of you—one Titled Douluo and two Spirit Saints—even without anyone else, you could sweep through all the participating teams!
Please, be a good person and agree to let Bei Bei and me represent the Tang Sect!"
"Ugh!" Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but sigh softly, saying, "Even if I agree to let you two represent the Tang Sect, you still don't have enough members, do you?"
"Hehe!" Tang Ya scratched her head, smiling sheepishly, "Well, I plan to persuade Xu Sanshi and Weiwei to join us, and also Yu Hao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao. That makes seven people, hehe!"
"..." Zhu Ziyang looked at Tang Ya speechlessly. He knew this girl was planning this, but he felt no ripple in his heart. Or rather, as soon as he learned about the change in the competition format, he had anticipated such a scene; everything was in line with his expectations.
It could only be said that the revival of the Tang Sect was an irreversible trend. Whether it was the Sea God Tang San's scheme or the arrangement of fate, it was not something he could stop now.
Moreover, he had no intention of stopping it. Instead of a thankless effort to stop it and push the Tang Sect to be his opposition, it would be better to fuel it and firmly bind the Tang Sect to Shrek Academy's chariot.
So, after a moment of silence, Zhu Ziyang said, "Okay, I agree. Whether it's Xu Sanshi, Xue Weiwei, or Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao, as long as you can convince them, I will release them."
"Really? That's great! Thank you, Ziyang!" Tang Ya jumped up excitedly, cheering joyfully.
"However, you need to promise me one thing." Zhu Ziyang looked at the excited Tang Ya, chuckling softly.
"What is it? Tell me, I'll agree to anything, even if it means climbing a mountain of blades or plunging into a sea of fire!" Tang Ya was overjoyed and answered without hesitation.
"Haha, don't worry, I won't make you climb a mountain of blades or plunge into a sea of fire. It's a very simple matter." Zhu Ziyang said with a smile, "You just need to establish a rule that future leaders of the Tang Sect must be Shrek Academy Inner Courtyard graduates. That's all."
"That's it? No problem!" Tang Ya didn't realize anything was amiss. In her opinion, a deep bond between the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy was clearly a great benefit for the Tang Sect.
Bei Bei, however, sensed something was slightly off, so he gave Zhu Ziyang a deep look but did not interject. Firstly, he was surprised by Zhu Ziyang's attitude towards the Tang Sect; how could he be so optimistic about the Tang Sect's future? Secondly, although Bei Bei was the Tang Sect's Senior Disciple Brother, he was first and foremost a disciple of Shrek Academy, so he was naturally happy to see the Tang Sect deeply intertwined with Shrek Academy.
Why was Zhu Ziyang so optimistic about the Tang Sect? It could only be said that he was influenced by the book titled "Peerless Tang Sect." Since the book was called "Peerless Tang Sect," then the revival of the Tang Sect, and its re-establishment as the continent's number one Sect, should be a very normal outcome, right?
He was merely preparing for the future.
After getting Zhu Ziyang's approval, Tang Ya left joyfully. Watching Tang Ya and Bei Bei's retreating figures, Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but reveal a mysterious smile.
The Tang Sect, the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, still seemed to hold things given by the Sea God Tang San to the Tang Sect, didn't it? It might be worth planning for.
"Hehe." After the interlude, Zhu Ziyang smiled, then resumed reading his book.
Time flew by, and another month passed. It had now been exactly three months since Zhu Ziyang and the other three returned to the continent, and there were still nine months until the start of the Pan-continental Elite Soul Master Competition, to be held in Mingdu, Sun Moon Empire.
That evening, as Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan returned to Shrek Academy from visiting their parents in Shrek City, they encountered a special young girl at the academy gate.
The girl had her back to them, but her figure was slender, her temperament unique. She stood gracefully by the gate, yet it was as if she stood at the center of the World, constantly drawing the gaze of others.
She wore a long white dress that reached her ankles, completely covering her jade-like legs. However, just from the exposed, fair, and jade-like ankles, one could easily imagine the pair of fair and long beautiful legs hidden beneath the dress. Equally striking was the girl's hair—fiery red like flames, wavy, and flowing smoothly down to her waist.
"Hello." Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan couldn't help but walk forward, wanting to inquire about the identity of this unfamiliar girl. Zhu Ziyang said, "Excuse me, is there something you need?"
Upon hearing Zhu Ziyang's voice, the girl immediately turned around to face Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan. Her full face was revealed to them, and both couldn't help but show expressions of awe.
Zhu Ziyang was amazed by the girl's beauty: clear, autumn-like eyes, pearly white teeth, cherry-red lips, and an exquisite nose—a rare and peerless beauty, which gave him a strange sense of familiarity. Jiang Nannan, on the other hand, was amazed by the girl's figure, especially her magnificent bosom, which inexplicably made Jiang Nannan feel a little self-conscious.
"Who are you?" the unfamiliar girl asked, but as she saw Zhu Ziyang, a ripple, though very subtle, flickered deep within her eyes, still catching Zhu Ziyang's attention. Her voice was sweet and soft, completely unlike what one would expect from a girl of her appearance; how to describe it, it had a somewhat cutesy, coquettish feel.
"I am..." Zhu Ziyang felt a growing suspicion about the girl's origins, but outwardly he remained composed, smiling as he prepared to introduce himself and Jiang Nannan. However, he was interrupted by another female voice, one that was very familiar to him.
"Huan Er, it's done, let's go!"
Hearing this voice, Zhu Ziyang instinctively looked over and saw the bright and familiar young girl.
"Sister Xiaotao!" he exclaimed in surprise.