Liuli City was also located very close to Yin Feng City. Ning Rongrong thanked the Emperor with a cheerful smile. For a princess like her, a noble title was just icing on the cake, but having her own independent territory held a much deeper meaning.
"Teammate, Xiao Wu!"
Everyone's gaze instantly focused on the lively girl with the long scorpion braid. Xiao Wu blinked her big, innocent eyes, looking a little expectant.
"Agile and nimble, with a naturally soft bone! On the battlefield, she charges ahead and has repeatedly achieved miraculous feats! She is hereby granted the title of Imperial Viscount, with the noble title Spirit Rabbit! Her bestowed fiefdom will be Spirit Rabbit City, in the western province of the Empire!"
The scroll unfurled, revealing the location of Spirit Rabbit City. It was also in the southwestern part of the Empire, right next to Yin Feng City, Youying City, and Liuli City. Though not a prosperous area, it was known for its tranquil environment.
Xiao Wu happily skipped forward and took the seal and documents from the attendant. She smiled sweetly at Emperor Xue Ye and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The Emperor looked at Xiao Wu's lively and cheerful appearance, and a rare, gentle smile appeared on his face.
"Teammate, Ma Hongjun! Phoenix's fierce flames, burning through all directions! His battle achievements are illustrious! He is hereby granted the title of Imperial Viscount, with the noble title Blazing Flame! His bestowed fiefdom will be Blazing Flame City, in the southern province of the Empire!"
Ma Hongjun's chubby face flushed with excitement, and his hand trembled as he accepted the seal. "Thank you, Your Majesty! I, Fatty, am a lord with my own territory now!"
"Teammate, Oscar! The Food God's wondrous hands, a pillar of logistical support! His merits are outstanding! He is hereby granted the title of Imperial Viscount, with the noble title Sausage! His bestowed fiefdom will be Sausage City, in the eastern province of the Empire!"
Oscar's mouth twitched when he heard his title was "Sausage," but he still accepted the honor with a joyful expression.
"Teammate, Tang San!" Emperor Xue Ye looked down at the scroll and paused for a moment, as if he was searching for the right words. "Steady and tenacious… uh… with a unique contribution! He is hereby granted the title of Imperial Viscount, with the noble title Blue Silver! His bestowed fiefdom will be Blue Silver City, in the western province of the Empire!"
This was an area known for its barren mountains, covered in nothing but Blue Silver Grass. The city itself was very small, a clear sign that this was lesser treatment compared to the others. The Emperor's reasoning was simple; in his eyes, Tang San's performance had been underwhelming.
Tang San stepped forward, forcing a smile onto his face, but inside, his heart was bleeding. He looked at Ye Yin's Earl title and his large, independent territory, then thought of his own "Blue Silver" Viscount title and a fiefdom that sounded completely worthless.
[Resentment from Tang San +50!]
"Teammate, Jiang Zhu! Healing saint's hands, a benevolent heart, and skilled healing! Her contributions are indispensable! She is hereby granted the title of Imperial Viscount, with the noble title Healing! Her bestowed fiefdom will be Healing City, in the central province of the Empire!"
Jiang Zhu was overjoyed and quickly expressed her gratitude. After the last of the awards were given out, the hall erupted in thunderous applause. The members of the Shrek team had now truly become new nobles of the Empire, each with their own foundation to build upon.
Emperor Xue Ye raised his wine glass. "May all our new Viscounts and Earls uphold the honor of nobility, guard the Empire's territory, and create new glories for us all! Cheers!"
The atmosphere of the banquet reached its climax.
Amidst the clinking of glasses, Ning Fengzhi smiled and raised his glass to Ye Yin. "Earl Ye, congratulations. Although Yin Feng Territory is on the frontier, it has great potential."
Ye Yin smiled slightly. "Father-in-law, what you said…"
"That's a must!" Ning Fengzhi nearly choked. I was just being polite, and you're already calling me that?
[Resentment from Ning Fengzhi +10!]
Crown Prince Xue Qinghe also walked over, his smile as gentle as ever. "Junior Brother Ye… oh, I suppose I should call you Earl Ye now. Yin Feng Territory is right next to the Star Dou Great Forest, so it's rich in resources. But you must also be careful of spirit beast invasions. If you ever need it, the Imperial Knights can provide assistance at any time."
"Thank you for your concern, Your Highness," Ye Yin's smile remained unchanged. "A few spirit beasts are nothing to worry about. When you have the time, you should come and visit my Yin Feng City. I will be sure to entertain you warmly."
Xue Qinghe's eyes flickered for a moment, and he said no more.
The grand banquet finally came to an end. Carrying the Empire's awards, the glory of their victory, and a mix of anticipation for the future and the sorrow of parting, the Shrek members left the imperial palace. Their academy life was about to come to a close.
After the banquet came the farewell.
The group gathered in a familiar clearing behind Shrek Academy. The eight students, along with Grandmaster, Flender, Liu Erlong, Zhao Wuji, and Dugu Bo, sat together around a crackling bonfire. The firelight danced on their young and vibrant faces, but the atmosphere was tinged with the sadness of their impending separation.
"All good things must come to an end." Flender pushed up his iconic crystal glasses. His eyes were a little moist, and his voice was filled with an emotion he rarely showed. "Children, all eight of you… and Zhuqing, Jiang Zhu, Tai Long… all of you are the greatest pride of my, Flender's, entire life! Watching you grow from a group of little kids into the champions you are today, reaching the peak of the continent and becoming Earls and Viscounts… my old heart…" His voice choked up, and he sniffed loudly.
"Dean…" Ning Rongrong's eyes also turned red.
Yu Xiaogang spoke in his deep voice, his tone full of gratification and expectation. "The glory of the competition is in the past. The fiefdoms are the Empire's recognition of your achievements, but they are also the beginning of your responsibilities. The road ahead is one you must build and protect for yourselves. Remember, no matter where you go, you will always be members of Shrek and each other's strongest support."
"Yes, Teacher (Grandmaster)!" everyone responded in unison.
Zhao Wuji grinned broadly, patting Dai Mubai and Ye Yin on the shoulders. "Good lads! When you become lords, don't forget to invite old Zhao over for a drink! If anyone dares to cause trouble on your territory, just mention my name!"
"Absolutely, Teacher Zhao!" Dai Mubai agreed with a smile.
Dugu Bo stroked his beard and looked at Ye Yin, his expression complex. "Kid, that place, Yin Feng Territory… hmm. Although it's a bit remote, it's close to the Star Dou Great Forest, so there are plenty of resources for you to stir things up. However, it's a place with all sorts of people, and it's right next to several kingdoms that are always causing trouble, so you need to be careful."
Ye Yin nodded. "Don't worry. Whoever comes looking for trouble with me will only find bad luck."
Dugu Bo nodded. That was true. "Oh, and one more thing," he added. "Don't forget Yan Yan. Bring her along with you. I have nowhere else to go, so I'll just come to your Yin Feng City to check things out."
Ye Yin immediately broke into a laugh. "Of course, don't worry. How could I forget Yan Yan? I'll definitely bring her. And I'd be very happy if you came. My Yin Feng City doesn't have any real fighting power yet, and the people there might not obey me. But with a Titled Douluo overseeing things, who would dare to disobey?"
Under the warm glow of the bonfire, everyone's face held both a longing for the future and the bittersweet sadness of saying goodbye.
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