Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi carried the corpse of the Six-Winged Radiant Tiger northward until they reached the outer edge of the canyon.
There, in a secluded spot, Qian Lingyi began absorbing the spirit ring while Zhu Ziyang stood guard, also checking the beast's body for any spirit bones.
The result was disappointing. Although the Six-Winged Radiant Tiger was a rare top-tier soul beast, spirit bones were even rarer. With only thirty thousand years of cultivation, this one had not produced a spirit bone.
Fortunately, Qian Lingyi's absorption went smoothly. Within half an hour, she leapt to her feet, her face glowing with excitement as she burst into laughter.
"Hahaha! As expected, I truly am the once-in-a-century genius of the Qian Family!"
Zhu Ziyang looked at her smug expression and couldn't help but ask, "Alright, alright, what's your sixth ability that has you grinning like that?"
"Hehe, you wouldn't know," Qian Lingyi replied proudly. "My sixth soul skill is called Dance of the Angel God. It belongs exclusively to the Six-Winged Angel martial soul. Unless one's talent is exceptional, other types of angel martial souls could never possess this skill!"
"I see!" Zhu Ziyang laughed. "So, our Miss Qian Lingyi is indeed exceptionally gifted!"
"Hmph, naturally!" she snorted proudly. "When I activate Dance of the Angel God, my Holy Angel martial soul temporarily evolves into the Six-Winged Angel martial soul. All my attributes increase by one hundred and fifty percent, and I gain both the fire attribute and the Ultimate Light attribute. The effect lasts until my soul power is completely consumed."
"Tsk, tsk." Zhu Ziyang clicked his tongue. "That's an incredibly powerful ability. Not only does it temporarily evolve your martial soul, but it also provides a one-hundred-and-fifty-percent boost to all attributes. Truly strong!"
"Of course! That's why I can't wait to go home and show Grandma. I want to see how she reacts when she learns about my new skill!" Qian Lingyi said gleefully.
"That works. We don't have anything urgent left to do anyway," Zhu Ziyang nodded. "By the way, I still don't know where your home is."
"My home? It's in the Northern Mountains. Why, do you want to come with me?" Qian Lingyi asked playfully.
"The Northern Mountains, huh? I never would've guessed," Zhu Ziyang said in surprise, then added, "Not impossible. Who else is in your family?"
"Not many left," Qian Lingyi admitted after some thought. "Only my grandmother and a few uncles, maybe twenty people in total."
"To think that the once-glorious Pope's Clan has dwindled to this…" Zhu Ziyang sighed in genuine lament.
"Hmph! Isn't it all because of that Sea God from Shrek Academy?" Qian Lingyi snapped. "If he hadn't meddled back then, my clan might have unified the continent. Who knows—perhaps I'd be a princess or a duchess by now!"
"Hehe, that might indeed have been possible," Zhu Ziyang replied with a faint smile. Though he bore no love for the Pope's Clan, he harbored deep wariness—and even disgust—toward Tang San, the Sea God.
His impression of Tang San had grown blurry over time, but Mu En's dying words had brought everything back into sharp relief. Both his past-life memories of The Unrivaled Tang Sect's ending and Mu En's warning confirmed for him that Tang San was a man who would stop at nothing to achieve his goals.
"So, will you come home with me?" Qian Lingyi asked again, unwilling to dwell further on the subject.
"Sure. I also want to stop by Anyang City," Zhu Ziyang agreed.
The two left through the canyon's northern exit and set out for Anyang City.
Anyang City remained unchanged, and so did Beihe Village. Though both the Zhu and Jiang families had long since moved away, Zhu Ziyang's fame had already reached his hometown. The people of Beihe were proud that one of their own had become a peerless genius of the continent. Even City Lord Hong Zhen, when reporting to Longcheng's Lord, often found other lords asking after Zhu Ziyang—a source of great satisfaction for him.
Upon arriving, Zhu Ziyang and Qian Lingyi first visited his family home. Nothing much had changed, except for a layer of dust. After tidying it, they went to the City Lord's Mansion.
At the gate, the guards recognized him instantly. Though Zhu Ziyang was now seventeen, the old doorman still spotted him at a glance and exclaimed in shock and delight:
"You—you're the young master from Captain Zhu's family!"
"Yes," Zhu Ziyang replied with a smile. "I'm here to see Uncle Hong. Is he inside?"
"He is! He is!" The gatekeeper was so excited he stammered. "Is it true you won the championship at the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament?"
"If there isn't another Zhu Ziyang running around, then yes, that was me," Zhu Ziyang said with a grin before stepping inside.
The doorman watched his figure disappear into the mansion, murmuring enviously, "Truly enviable. If only my boy were half as outstanding as him, I could die without regret…"
Zhu Ziyang knew the mansion well. He quickly found Hong Zhen in the study, busy with paperwork.
"Uncle Hong."
"Ziyang!" Hong Zhen's eyes went wide with shock. He leapt up from his desk, hurrying over. "You're back?!"
"Hehe, I've been traveling the continent and happened to pass by Anyang, so I thought I'd visit you," Zhu Ziyang said warmly.
"Hahaha! Then I truly am honored!" Hong Zhen threw his head back in laughter. "Your name has spread across the entire continent, yet you still remember me. That alone makes my life worthwhile. Come, sit, sit!"
He ushered Zhu Ziyang to a seat, his expression full of pride and joy. "How time flies… eleven years have passed. The little boy from back then has now become a genius renowned throughout the Douluo Continent. Truly, I envy your father, Zhu Changhe. How is he doing, by the way?"
"My parents are well. The Academy provided them a residence in Shrek City. They spend most of their days caring for Ziguang," Zhu Ziyang answered with a smile. "My father often says he wants to return here, but because of me, he can't for now."
"Hah! Why bother coming back? I'd love a chance to live in Shrek City myself!" Hong Zhen chuckled. "Your father really doesn't know how lucky he is!"
"Hehe, he just misses you," Zhu Ziyang teased. "Actually, since Ziguang will soon awaken his martial soul, my parents were even thinking of sending him back here to attend Anyang Academy."
"Why? Wouldn't it be better to keep him in Shrek City and enroll him in Shrek Academy?" Hong Zhen asked in confusion.
"You don't know, Uncle Hong—Shrek Academy doesn't have a primary division. If Ziguang wants to attend primary school, he has to return to Anyang. My parents don't feel comfortable sending him anywhere else," Zhu Ziyang explained.
"Ah, I see." Hong Zhen nodded. "Then let him come here. Our Anyang Academy may not be Shrek, but our teaching environment is excellent!"
"Of course! Even the dormitories here are better than Shrek's outer court," Zhu Ziyang laughed knowingly. Then his tone shifted slightly. "Uncle Hong, if Shrek wanted to cooperate with Anyang's primary academy, would you agree?"
"Cooperate?" Hong Zhen was stunned, then laughed. "Why wouldn't I? You know our dream is to raise more students who can enter Shrek Academy!"
"I know. But the cooperation I mean might require some sacrifice from you," Zhu Ziyang said seriously.
"Oh? Tell me." Hong Zhen leaned forward, curiosity piqued.
"It's simple," Zhu Ziyang began. "Anyang Academy would be renamed Anyang Tianyuan Academy, becoming an affiliated primary academy of Shrek. Each year, the top three graduates would be guaranteed admission into Shrek's outer court. The rest would receive one free assisted spirit ring hunt, up to fifty thousand years. In exchange, however, the right to preside over martial soul awakenings would be transferred to Shrek Academy."
"That's it?" Hong Zhen blurted, springing to his feet in excitement. "That's hardly a sacrifice! I agree, I agree!"
"That's wonderful!" Zhu Ziyang breathed a sigh of relief, then smiled. "Within a month, the Academy will send people to finalize the details. Once it's settled, you'll be the very first Dean of Anyang Tianyuan Academy, under Shrek's banner!"
"Then… that means I'll also be part of Shrek Academy, won't I?" Hong Zhen asked, unable to hide the fiery excitement in his eyes.
"Of course," Zhu Ziyang confirmed. "According to the Elders' decision, all Tianyuan Academy deans are considered part of Shrek's staff, equivalent to elite teachers of the outer court. In the future, if you retire as dean, you'll even be eligible to serve as a teacher at Shrek Academy itself!"
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