Chapter 285: The Crisis of the Elemental Academies
After more than two-thirds of their teachers and students left, the Divine Wind, Blazing Fire, and Heavenly Water Academies feared that the Spirit Hall might come knocking on some dark, windy night.
They decisively chose to relocate to Tian Dou City.
During this time, Huo Wu had extended an olive branch to her own academy.
Shui Bing'er, who had already apprenticed under Ka Miao, returned to sincerely invite her parents to join as well.
However, after several private discussions, the deans of these three academies chose to decline.
They believed that academies should remain neutral and not get involved in disputes between sects.
Moreover, with the Nine Star Academy under the Nine Star Hall thriving, if their academies joined, they might end up as mere branches under its umbrella.
At that moment, Thunder Academy—one of the elemental academies that had moved to Tian Dou City a few days earlier—extended an invitation.
They suggested that the four academies merge into a single, independent Four Elements Academy.
Though Thunder Academy had a slightly distant relationship with the other three elemental academies, they were all part of the Five Elemental Academies and should be considered allies.
Given the dwindled numbers of their own academies, which made standing alone rather embarrassing, the three deans accepted Thunder Academy's proposal within a few days.
Since all four academies were new to Tian Dou City and lacked a foundation, the current head of Thunder Academy—Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin, surviving members of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan—approached their uncle Yu Xiaogang and aunt Liu Erlong.
They requested that Shrek Academy, where the two taught, allocate a piece of land for the Four Elements Academy's teaching grounds.
"Isn't that a good thing?" Xiao Yu asked Huo Wu after hearing the story.
Though the elemental academies hadn't joined the Nine Star Hall, he had now secured a more critical alliance with the Tian Dou Empire.
Once Emperor Xue Ye passed and Qian Renxue ascended, these academies loyal to the empire would inevitably fall under his command.
"Good? How is it good?" Huo Wu's eyes welled with tears as she spoke.
"This whole thing was a conspiracy by Shrek and Thunder Academy from start to finish.
My father, Dean Feng of Divine Wind Academy, and Dean Shui of Heavenly Water Academy trusted Thunder Academy as a fellow elemental institution.
They didn't even closely examine the lease agreement with Shrek Academy.
Now, the Four Elements Academy has somehow become a subordinate branch of Shrek Academy.
"And that's not all.
When my father and the others realized something was wrong and tried to withdraw with their teachers and students, Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin had already set a trap for them back when the four academies merged.
In the official Tian Dou registry, the Four Elements Academy's management consists solely of those two brothers.
My father and the others have long been ousted.
If they dare to leave with the academy's staff and students, those two wretches plan to report them to the Tian Dou authorities.
They'd accuse my father, Dean Feng, and Dean Shui of maliciously abducting personnel, interfering with the academy's development, and disrupting its order."
That Flanders—what a ruthless move!
Xiao Yu instantly deduced the mastermind behind the scenes.
This kind of commercial annexation tactic could only have come from that cunning merchant Flanders.
"Tampering with official documents was likely Yu Tianheng's doing.
His wife is a princess of the Tian Dou Empire's royal family, so bribing a few officials wouldn't be hard," Xiao Yu said, his brows slightly furrowed.
"But no matter how polished the paperwork is, it's meaningless in the face of strength!
I recall that each of the three academies has a Soul Douluo powerhouse overseeing it.
Thunder Academy's backer, the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, was wiped out entirely.
Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin, those two stragglers, are at best Soul Kings.
Even if Shrek Academy, their co-conspirators, mobilized fully, they wouldn't be a match for the three elemental academies combined, right?"
"You're right. Each of our three elemental academies has a Soul Douluo powerhouse. For example, the one overseeing Blazing Fire Academy is my grandfather.
Though he handed the dean position to my father over twenty years ago and has since lived a reclusive life away from worldly affairs, he'd definitely step in if Blazing Fire Academy's safety were at stake.
The same goes for Divine Wind and Heavenly Water Academies.
Thunder Academy is left with just small fry, and Shrek Academy only has Dean Flanders, who recently broke through to Soul Douluo.
He's no match for veteran Soul Douluo like my grandfather.
My father and the others were confident in their strength, which is why they didn't bother scrutinizing the contract Shrek drafted for us!"
Huo Wu's eyes burned with barely concealed hatred. "But no one expected the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan to stick their nose in at this moment.
That young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan, Ning Rongrong, claims she's an outstanding Shrek graduate with a duty to maintain Shrek's teaching order.
She even managed to get Bone Douluo to pressure our three academies.
Because of Bone Douluo's intimidation, the Tian Dou Empire nobles who were once friendly with Blazing Fire, Divine Wind, and Heavenly Water no longer dare to step in.
Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin, those two opportunistic scoundrels, even issued an ultimatum to my father and the others.
They said that within ten days, all the teachers and students my father took must return to the academy, or once the deadline passes, they'll make sure my father and the others pay!
My brother wrote to me begging for help. He said my father's so stressed his hair's turning white, and my grandfather keeps saying he's let down the Huo family ancestors, nearly driven to suicide to atone.
Xiao Yu, you're the only one who can save our three academies now!"
"Don't worry, I've got this!"
Xiao Yu reached out to embrace Huo Wu, speaking gently. "I've been in Tian Dou City for so long, always busy, and I still haven't formally visited your family.
Didn't Yu Tianheng and Yu Tianxin say they'd make the three academies pay in ten days?
Then we'll show up at their doorstep in ten days. I'd like to see who's blind enough to dare bully my future father-in-law's household!"
"Thank you!"
Huo Wu, usually bold and brash, revealed a rare hint of girlish shyness. She buried her head in Xiao Yu's chest, whispering her thanks.
Xiao Yu felt the softness of the delicate figure in his arms, his eyes narrowing slightly.
Helping the three academies wasn't just because of Huo Wu's plea.
From her account, Xiao Yu keenly picked up on the role the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan played in this.
If this had happened before the soul hunting operation, Xiao Yu could have chalked up Bone Douluo's involvement to his affection for Ning Rongrong, the clan's young lady.
But now, with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan having just suffered a major blow and relocated to Tian Dou City, Ning Fengzhi would never allow Ning Rongrong to stir up trouble at a time like this.
So, there was only one explanation for Ning Rongrong's actions: it was all under Ning Fengzhi's orders.
Though the Four Elements Academy had lost over half its teachers and students under the Spirit Hall's pressure, the remaining soul masters numbered around a thousand.
Ning Fengzhi likely aimed to use Shrek as a tool to swallow the Four Elements Academy, ultimately absorbing these teachers and students into the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's forces.
(End of Chapter)
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