At this point, Qian Renxue smirked in satisfaction. The greatest stumbling block for the Spirit Hall in the future—the Shrek Seven Monsters—was now reduced to just Tang San, a lone remnant. Moreover, he could no longer call himself one of "Shrek's monsters," as the very name "Shrek" had been revoked by her.
However, after issuing this verdict, Qian Renxue quickly realized something was amiss.
After all, the current Shrek Academy wasn't the same makeshift operation that Flender had once run. It was a formally registered advanced academy—one of the most unique among all high-level academies. Its predecessor was the Lanba (Blue Tyrant) Advanced Soul Master Academy, an institution exclusively dedicated to nurturing commoner soul masters.
At this thought, Qian Renxue turned her gaze toward Liu Erlong and Yu Xiaogang, subtly casting a disdainful look at Yu Xiaogang.
This useless man's so-called "Ten Core Competencies of Martial Souls" were nothing but fluff. Aside from basic knowledge and conjectures, the most inspiring claim—"There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters"—had been proven wrong by Yu Xiaogang himself over decades. He had spent his life hiding in a rural elementary academy, idling away his days without achieving anything of note.
Yu Xiaogang had never considered elevating ordinary commoner soul masters to new heights. In the end, he resorted to relying on naturally gifted prodigies with full innate soul power to validate his theories.
But any sane soul master could see that someone with full innate soul power didn't need his guidance—they could reach Soul Douluo level even through unguided growth! In contrast, Liu Erlong, despite her love-struck tendencies, had genuinely practiced Yu Xiaogang's theory by striving to discover talented individuals among the commoners over the past twenty years.
As an organization centered on uplifting commoners, the Spirit Hall regretted not being able to gather all the talented soul masters under its banner. Still, Qian Renxue didn't want to cut off their path to advancement.
This! This was the kind of magnanimity that should be expected from someone with an Angelic martial soul!
Yet, Qian Renxue still couldn't fathom how her mother had once fallen for such a man. It was truly baffling!
At this moment, Yu Xiaogang was still unconscious.
Liu Erlong noticed Qian Renxue's gaze and immediately tensed up. Though she still possessed physical strength comparable to a ten-thousand-year soul beast, the loss of her soul power had left her feeling anxious and insecure.
But for the sake of her beloved in her arms, Liu Erlong bravely bared her teeth and feigned ferocity, saying:
"You've already destroyed our academy! What more do you want?!"
Qian Renxue didn't linger on Liu Erlong's defiance. Instead, she turned her attention to Dugu Bo and said:
"Lord Dugu, I have a task for you. Would your Medical Alliance be willing to take it on?"
Dugu Bo perked up instantly. Earlier, Bibi Dong had been exchanging glances with Ye Wen, leading him to believe she might consider Ye Wen the de facto leader of the Medical Alliance. Now, however, it seemed she hadn't forgotten him—she simply wanted to build rapport with Ye Wen.
Without malice, Dugu Bo speculated that Bibi Dong might intend to use her disciple as a means of forming a matrimonial alliance to strengthen ties with the Medical Alliance.
Thus, Dugu Bo responded somewhat disinterestedly, "What task does Your Holiness have in mind?"
Qian Renxue ignored the subtle undertone in Dugu Bo's words and directly stated:
"The dissolution of Shrek Academy, which catered to commoner soul masters, pains me deeply as a role model for soul masters across the continent. However, the Spirit Hall cannot intervene in another nation's internal affairs. Would your Medical Alliance, as a neutral force, be willing to establish an advanced soul master academy specifically for commoner soul masters?"
!!!
The moment these words left her mouth, the entire crowd erupted in shock.
Though the title of champion in this year's Advanced Soul Master Tournament had been awarded to the Tian Dou Imperial Academy, anyone with eyes could see that Ye Wen and his team's strength wasn't due to the academy—it was thanks to the backing of the Medical Alliance.
While the Spirit Hall had its own advanced academy, admission was restricted. Without a high-ranking member of the Spirit Hall vouching for you, only those with exceptional talent stood a chance of being accepted.
After all, top-tier resources were limited. Even though the Spirit Hall was wealthy, it couldn't open its doors to all commoner soul masters—it focused solely on cultivating elite talents.
For this reason, the commoner soul masters in Spirit City, though eager to attend advanced academies, found themselves constrained by entrance requirements and conditions. Excluding some lesser-known institutions, their options for quality education were few.
Thus, when Dugu Bo accepted this task, it meant that a new academy with excellent teaching quality and abundant resources, open to all without stringent entry requirements or post-graduation obligations, would soon emerge in the Douluo Continent!
In an instant, the commoners of Spirit City directed their hopeful gazes toward Dugu Bo, leaving him somewhat overwhelmed.
Though Dugu Bo bore the title of Medical Alliance leader, he knew his own limitations—he lacked the ability to lead such a large organization. Having previously harbored grievances about Ye Wen and Bibi Dong's interactions, he now instinctively turned to Ye Wen for help.
Just as Ye Wen had earlier hesitated to waste resources on cultivating two potential Title Douluos, he now began to deliberate carefully.
Meanwhile, the other major factions also looked expectantly toward Ye Wen.
The sects and clans of the Douluo Continent primarily developed around their inherited martial souls, recruiting talented students to become affiliated forces or enforcers.
Although the original Shrek Academy had been located in Tian Dou Imperial City, its overall conditions were mediocre, making it unable to attract many talented commoner soul masters.
But if the entity behind this new academy for commoners were the Medical Alliance, the situation would be entirely different.
Aside from Ye Wen's team replacing the original Shrek team and benefiting from the tournament's fame, the Medical Alliance itself boasted two Title Douluos and two Soul Douluos whose explosive power rivaled that of Title Douluos. In terms of overall strength, the Medical Alliance could rival the Three Great Sects.
Coupled with its outstanding medical system and other inheritances, if there were no strings attached to joining the academy they established, the majority of talented commoner soul masters would undoubtedly flock to it.
For factions seeking to cultivate mid-tier external combat forces, this would be a game-changing development—a devastating blow to their rivals!
Ning Fengzhi, who had recently suffered a major setback, now let his gaze flicker with confidence as he chuckled and said:
"Lord Dugu, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect and the Medical Alliance share close ties through marriage. If the Medical Alliance wishes to establish an academy, our sect fully supports it and is willing to provide complete financial assistance—no repayment required. In return, we merely ask that you recommend our sect to future graduates."
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