548. Ordered to Purge

"Actually, that one… I added it on my own."

Liu Erlong's eyes carried a hint of guilt.

She had originally planned to discard it, but by accident, it got mixed in.

This was a memory—it wasn’t something she should have tampered with at will.

"It’s fine. Even if I never said it before, I can still say it now, right?"

Qian Renjue smiled as he stood up.

Holding Liu Erlong’s guilt-ridden, beautiful face—shouldn’t he be the one feeling guilty instead?

"Just change the date on it."

Qian Renjue spoke gently.

Liu Erlong gazed at him, her eyes shining with a different light. She rubbed her cheek against Qian Renjue’s palm and softly murmured:

"Let’s just treat it as an extra story like you said. I’ll redraw it today."

"That works. As long as you’re happy."

Qian Renjue nodded with a smile, tucking a strand of hair behind her ear.

"I’ll go bring Ling Yuan and the others over."

"I’ll go prepare lunch then."

Liu Erlong nodded happily, tiptoed to kiss him, then joyfully ran into the house.

"Why does it feel like Erlong is getting more and more energetic?"

Qian Renjue turned around, a little puzzled, as he walked toward the outer courtyard.

Maybe she was just regaining the spirit of her dreams.

That’s why she seemed to be getting younger and younger.

As he stepped out of the courtyard, Qian Renjue saw the Snow Empress standing across the lake.

She smiled and moved lightly.

A series of fleeting reflections shimmered across the lake’s surface as Qian Renjue found himself standing before the Snow Empress.

"Qian Renjue~"

The Snow Empress walked forward and quietly leaned into his embrace.

Ling Yuan straightened her posture and greeted him respectfully:

"Your Highness."

Qian Renjue stroked the Snow Empress' pure white hair, then turned to Ling Yuan and asked softly:

"Sister Ling Yuan, the order to purge illegal academies has been sent to all Spirit Hall sub-halls, correct?"

"Yes, Your Highness. After you gave the order in the Pope’s Hall yesterday, I ensured it was relayed as quickly as possible. By now, all sub-halls should have already begun their operations."

Ling Yuan answered confidently and promptly.

"Good."

Qian Renjue nodded in satisfaction, but his brows furrowed slightly.

Snow Empress nibbled on his neck, making him feel a little ticklish.

"Sister Ling Yuan, Snow Empress, let’s have lunch here."

"Mmm~"

The Snow Empress response was muffled, while Ling Yuan, naturally, had no objections.

"As you command, Your Highness."

"Then let’s go."

Qian Renjue carried the Snow Empress, spread his wings, and took off, with Ling Yuan following closely behind.

The order to purge illegal academies…

That inspiration, of course, came from dealing with Shrek Academy.

Institutions like Soul Master Academies, which have far-reaching influence, should not allow any substandard "Three-No" institutions—no qualifications, no supervision, and no guarantees.

That would be irresponsible to the young Soul Masters.

This was the perfect opportunity to inspect all academies across the continent.

Those that failed to meet the standards…

Would be shut down until they rectified their shortcomings.

During this period, the students and teachers who had been misled or deceived wouldn’t be left to fend for themselves.

As long as they met the criteria, they would be redirected to various academies affiliated with the Martial Soul Academy.

Their growth and future would not be delayed.

As for whether other academies could survive after rectification, Qian Renjue didn’t know.

But he was certain about one thing—Shrek Academy was doomed.

After all, Yu Xiaogang’s three-month hellish training had already pushed Shrek Academy to the brink of bankruptcy.

Qian Renjue was merely accelerating its inevitable departure from Heaven Dou City.

After all, the Royal Battle Team wouldn’t be going there anymore.

As long as Shrek Academy collapsed…



Nowhere to Go, Flender and the Others Arrive in Heaven Dou City

With nowhere else to go, Flender and his group had no choice but to take Tang San to Heaven Dou City.

This much, Qian Renjue had already anticipated.

As for what happened next…

Whether Tang San and the others joined Heaven Dou Imperial Academy or Blue Tyrant Academy, it didn’t matter.

As long as they remained under his watch, that was enough.

But what Qian Renjue hadn’t expected was that Ning Rongrong and the others had gone ahead and done something big in silence—

They completely crippled Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.

Even Oscar’s Dao Heart was shattered.

What a reckless move.

If they left any traces behind, he might have to step in and clean up their mess.


---

When Qian Renjue led Snow Empress and the others past the fence into the courtyard…

At Shrek Academy—

Outside its worn-down gate, where a green monster sign still hung—

Thomas, the Hall Master of the Soto City Spirit Hall Branch, had arrived in person.

Surrounding him were several Soul Masters dressed in Spirit Hall uniforms, holding documents as they meticulously checked Shrek Academy’s qualifications.

At this moment—

Flender, Zhao Wuji, and the other teachers, including Yu Xiaogang, were all present.

Even Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, and the other students were there.

At first, Yu Xiaogang thought Spirit Hall had come to arrest Tang San.

It gave him quite a scare.

Luckily, they were only here to inspect Shrek Academy’s credentials.

That was no big deal.

He had already planned to take Tang San and the others elsewhere—Shrek Academy was simply too small a stage.

He just hadn’t figured out how to bring it up to Flender.

But now, with Spirit Hall's actions, they were practically handing him a golden opportunity.

Zhu Zhuqing and the other girls exchanged glances, unsure if this was Qian Renjue’s doing.

But in the end, it didn’t really concern them.

Finally—

The Spirit Hall officials all shook their heads.

Right then and there, Thomas ordered Flender to shut down the academy.

"Bishop Thomas, is there really no room for discussion?"

Flender couldn't bear the thought of giving up on the academy he had founded, his dream.

He lowered his head, humbled himself, and pleaded earnestly.

"Bishop Thomas, please give me some more time. I promise I’ll complete the paperwork soon..."

"Flender!"

Thomas, clad in red robes, possessed a soul power level far beyond Soul Saint.

"I’m not here to negotiate. This is an order!"

"This command comes directly from the Pope’s Hall. If you refuse, Spirit Hall’s elders will enforce it by force. Don’t make a mistake you’ll regret!"

Flender’s heart trembled.

Spirit Hall’s elders… Those were Titled Douluo!

Looking at Thomas—an acquaintance of his—there was no sign of deception in his expression.

He couldn’t understand why Spirit Hall was suddenly coming down so hard.

"But Bishop Thomas, my colleagues and students still rely on this academy—"

"Don’t worry about that."

Thomas reassured him, patting Flender’s shoulder.

"According to the decree of our Holy Son, Spirit Hall will take responsibility for relocating you and your students to other prestigious Soul Master academies. Their environment and benefits will be far better than what you have here."

He then glanced at Dai Mubai and the others.

"Besides, look at your students—more than half of them are still severely injured. Your ability to manage an academy is… questionable, at best."

"Flender, I suggest you don’t keep resisting."

"..."

Flender cast a glance at Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun.

Guilt filled his eyes.

There was resentment in his heart, but he had no outlet for it.

It was true—he had failed to protect them.

Dai Mubai and the others avoided Thomas’s gaze, unable to meet his eyes.

Ever since their wounds had been cleaned and treated, the injuries in that area still throbbed with pain.

Ma Hongjun’s evil fire had slowed his recovery, and even now, a chicken feather was still tucked in his pants.

"Alright, we’re wrapping up here!"

Thomas waved his hand, signaling his subordinates.

Then, he pulled out a small booklet from his robes and handed it to Flender.

"Flender, I know your situation. Don’t miss this chance to go legit. With your strength, you can go anywhere."

"This booklet contains information on high-ranking Soul Master academies that cooperate with Spirit Hall. They’re all reputable institutions. Take your time to choose. If you have special requests, let us know—but don’t resist the law. This is about protecting civilian Soul Masters and ensuring their future."

"Of course, if any of you wish to join Spirit Hall, as long as you pass the assessments, we’ll welcome you."

This last statement was directed at Tang San and the other students.

"Flender, I’ll be back in three days."

With that, Thomas stuffed the booklet into Flender’s hands, then turned and led the Spirit Hall delegation back toward Soto City.