Douluo, my clone Groudon

Chapter 394 Yun Ming's Determination and Method
The pale moonlight enveloped the silent Poseidon Island.

Yun Ming stood there, silent for a long time, his brows furrowed with an unyielding heaviness.

Gula's answer was like a bolt from the blue, shattering all his remaining hopes. Two level-12 God-Slaying Soul-Guided Cannonballs... This was practically an unsolvable dead end.

He took a deep breath, suppressing the turmoil in his heart, and looked at the still composed Gula, his voice slightly hoarse without his own awareness:

"Do you... have any ideas that can help Shrek Academy deal with this crisis?"

Gula shrugged, his tone indifferent: "A solution? This is the 'evil karma' that Shrek Academy has accumulated over ten thousand years. Putting the academy's rules above federal law, and being too closely tied to sects like Tang Sect that operate in the gray area and even smuggle war soul tools... Any normal ruler would not tolerate your existence."

"When Shrek Academy is powerful, naturally no one dares to challenge it. But there's no reason to be on guard against a thief for a thousand days. Can Shrek Academy really stand against the entire continent? Unless..."

Gula then changed the subject, seemingly offering an option: "Are you willing to reveal the conspiracy of the Thousand-Year East Wind right now, using Shrek's graduates across the continent to manipulate public opinion and strike first?"

A glimmer of light had just flashed in Yun Ming's eyes when Gula's next words extinguished it:

"But have you considered this? Once Shrek once again demonstrates this kind of influence that can command widespread support and shake the very foundations of the Federation's rule, will the Federation's leadership continue to tolerate it? In their view, Shrek has seriously affected the normal operation of the nation. So, in my opinion, it's better to just let them explode."

Gula's voice even carried a hint of amusement and schadenfreude:

"Shrek needs a complete 'rebirth'. Those students and teachers who are immersed in their millennia of glory and are self-righteous also need a disaster to make them realize the reality—their pride is insignificant in the face of true power."

Yunming sensed that Gula's words were purely for "fun" and contained absolutely no constructive opinions.

He remained silent, his mind in turmoil.

Uncovering the conspiracy? Shrek will completely break ties with the Federation and the Spirit Tower, becoming utter adversaries.

Future student recruitment and development will face significant challenges. Shrek Academy is ultimately an academy, not a nation; openly defying the Federation is tantamount to treason!
If he doesn't expose it, who can stop the world-destroying cannon fire? Even Yun Ming isn't absolutely certain.

“They are hostile to the academy, but the residents near Shrek City are innocent!” Yun Ming couldn’t help but roar, his voice filled with pain.

Gula gazed at the dark night sky in the distance, his tone calm yet cold: "Of course they are innocent, implicated by Shrek's 'pride.' But this, perhaps, is the price Shrek has to pay for enjoying privileges and prestige for twenty thousand years."

"Nothing is eternal. If it weren't for the favor of the gods, Shrek would have been lost to the annals of history long ago."

"So, Sky Douluo, what... will you choose?" Gula threw the final question back at him.

Yun Ming fell silent again, his eyes flashing intensely.

After a long silence, he suddenly raised his head, a resolute and sharp glint in his eyes:

"Regardless of whether Shrek Academy was right or wrong in the past, it is not their place to settle scores with such an extreme and innocent terrorist attack! I will... publicly leave Shrek Academy."

He made a decision: "As long as I am still on the mainland, they will not dare to easily fire the god-slaying cannonball!"

"Otherwise, we will have to endure the mad revenge of a Limit Douluo who has no scruples! At the same time, I will use this time to do my best to guide the academy to change the rules and reverse the atmosphere!"

Upon hearing this, Gula merely chuckled, as if he had heard some naive joke.

He turned around and casually waved his hand: "Good idea. I'll take my leave now, Sky-Supporting Douluo, good luck."

After saying that, his figure disappeared into the night.

Gula knew perfectly well that Yun Ming's plan, though seemingly feasible, was riddled with flaws. Qian Gu Dongfeng's hatred for Shrek Academy and Yun Ming had long since seeped into his bones, and the Federation's high command's resolve could not be easily shaken by Yun Ming's departure alone.

No matter how powerful Yun Ming is, he is only a "quasi-god," not a true god. In the eyes of politicians and ambitious individuals, he is not entirely unmanageable. Besides, are those old fogies of the Sea God Pavilion so easily changed?
Yun Ming stared in the direction where Gula had disappeared, clenched his fist, and then resolutely returned to the Sea God Pavilion.

He summoned all the elders of the Sea God Pavilion overnight, including Long Yeyue, who had been in seclusion for many years.

When all the elders had arrived and looked at the solemn-faced Pavilion Master with suspicion, Yun Ming dropped the first bombshell: "I hereby announce that, effective immediately, I will be leaving the academy for a period of time."

"What?" Holy Spirit Douluo Ya Li was stunned first, her husband had never discussed this matter with her.

Long Yeyue frowned: "Leave? For how long?"

"At least... ten years." Yun Ming's voice was calm, yet carried an undeniable authority.

An uproar erupted inside the Sea God Pavilion!
Long Yeyue slammed her hand on the table: "Nonsense! Yun Ming, you are the Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion, how can you be so frivolous and just leave like that? You're abandoning your responsibilities!"

Other elders also spoke up to dissuade Yun Ming, hoping he would retract his decision.

Yun Ming looked around, his gaze more resolute than ever before: "This is a decision I have made as the Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion. You may object, but... my mind is made up, and objections are futile."

"You!" Long Yeyue stared at him in astonishment. It was the first time she had seen Yun Ming act so arbitrarily, and she keenly sensed that something was wrong. "What exactly happened?"

Yun Ming avoided answering and continued, "Before I leave, some rules of Shrek Academy must be changed."

The elders fell silent, their hearts filled with doubt and uncertainty, awaiting what would follow.

Yun Ming said in a deep voice: "First of all, all future assessments and tasks of the academy, especially field missions, must be reviewed, and must not openly violate federal law."

A highly senior elder immediately questioned, "Sect Leader, what is Shrek Academy's duty to oversee the world? What if an ambitious individual emerges within the Federation and secretly creates a powerful forbidden soul tool, endangering the continent? Are we just going to sit idly by?"

This is a pride and responsibility ingrained in Shrek's bones, but in reality, it's a responsibility they've self-proclaimed.

Yun Ming fell silent.

The imminent crisis of destruction disrupted his usually wise and calm thinking, and for a moment he could not find a way to both protect the academy and fulfill his responsibilities.

Long Yeyue's gaze was sharp as she continued to ponder: "Did the Federation put pressure on you? No... they don't have the strength or the guts to force you to this extent."

The elders discussed it amongst themselves. Most of them were in charge of some aspect of the academy or city's management, and their deeply ingrained beliefs made it difficult for them to understand Yun Ming's sudden change.

As Yun Ming watched the scene unfold before him, his heart sank.

He finally realized how difficult it was to change the established mindset and rules of this ancient academy.

Even if he were the master of the Sea God Pavilion, the number one person on the continent, it would be almost impossible for him to shake his position. Unless... he were to be destroyed and then rebuilt!
But he ruthlessly extinguished the thought as soon as it arose—he would never allow anyone to destroy Shrek!

Thus, my thinking fell into a vicious cycle again.

Ultimately, this towering Douluo, standing at the pinnacle of the continent, had to admit a frustrating truth: one man's plan is insufficient. This was not a problem that could be solved by his own strength and determination alone.

He needed time, calm, and more thorough consideration of how to effectively change Shrek's atmosphere and rules. This crucial Poseidon's Pavilion meeting ultimately ended in a dismal failure; no substantive reform proposals were adopted.

The following day, Yun Ming openly left Shrek Academy, making no attempt to conceal his whereabouts, and was witnessed by many people.

Without any hesitation, Holy Spirit Douluo Ya Li immediately followed.

She and her husband shared life, never separated for long, and would never leave him at such a time.

"Brother Ming, tell me, what exactly happened?" After leaving Shrek City, Ya Li grabbed Yun Ming, her eyes firm and unwavering.

Seeing his wife's worried yet determined gaze, Yun Ming's defenses finally crumbled.

He sighed deeply and recounted everything that Gula had told him about the two god-killing cannonballs and the conspiracy involving the Federation, the Spirit Pagoda, and the Holy Spirit Cult.

“How could this be… how dare they…” Yali’s face turned pale, almost unable to believe it.

But upon closer reflection, the increasingly delicate and tense relationship between the Federation and Shrek Academy in recent years, as well as the Spirit Tower's increasingly aggressive yet composed attitude, all of this seems to make sense.

A profound sense of fear and helplessness overwhelmed Yali, and she couldn't think of any perfect solution.

However, amidst her fear, a deeper worry welled up in her heart as she looked at her husband's resolute yet weary profile: given Yun Ming's character, he would never truly give up on Shrek.

When the crisis finally arrives, he will most likely choose to face it alone, trying to stop the world-destroying bombardment with his own strength.

Under the moonlight, the couple's figures nestled together, yet they seemed to bear the weight of the entire world on their shoulders, their future uncertain and fraught with danger.

Gula watched Yunming's conflicted, heavy, and helpless reaction from afar, and felt satisfied.

After causing trouble for this number one person on the mainland, seeing him caught in a dilemma is a small bit of fun in the otherwise tedious cultivation process.

He didn't linger and quietly returned to the world of Douluo Continent II: The Peerless Tang Sect.

For him, there were no major events in the Legend of the Dragon King universe for the time being. He only needed to occasionally come back to see what decision Yun Ming would ultimately make, and whether the inevitable "fireworks" would bloom as scheduled.

However, Gula's appearance and Yunming's unusual departure were like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, causing ripples to spread.

Inside the Tower Master's office on the top floor of the Spirit Pagoda.

Before the ancient east wind, the encrypted communication soul tool emitted a dim light, and a manipulated, cold, and distorted voice came from it:

"Master of the Ancient Tower, Yun Ming suddenly left Shrek City and his whereabouts are unknown. What do you think of this? Has he sensed something? This guy hasn't left his lair so openly for more than ten years."

On the other end of the communication was the leader of the Holy Spirit Cult—the Ghost Emperor.

Qian Gu Dongfeng's face was gloomy, and his fingers tapped the table unconsciously.

He remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, his voice, also processed by the equipment, sounding low and cold:
"We cannot completely rule out the possibility of a leak. Yun Ming is an unfathomable man; no one knows exactly how much information he possesses."

He abruptly changed the subject, his tone hardening: "However, Ghost Emperor, the plan has progressed to this point, it's already a matter of life and death! How many resources have we invested? How many years have we been planning this? How can we easily give up just because of Yun Ming's unusual behavior?"

A ruthless glint flashed in Qian Gu Dongfeng's eyes: "Moreover, his departure at this time may not be entirely a bad thing for us! Shrek Academy will inevitably have gaps in its defenses without his presence."

"When our 'gift' falls, the destruction and death will be even greater. The number of souls you reap will far exceed your expectations! Isn't that exactly what you wanted?"

A cold sneer came from the other end of the communication: "Hmph, 'Eternal East Wind,' you make it sound so easy. With Yun Ming gone, destroying Shrek Academy is easier, but what about the retaliation afterward? When he goes mad, the first person he'll come looking for will definitely be me."

"No amount of souls can compensate for the loss of being targeted by a crazed Quasi-God Limit Douluo. Your Spirit Pagoda and the Federation can hide in the back."

Qian Gu Dongfeng suppressed his impatience and advised, "Ghost Emperor, your Holy Spirit Sect excels at hiding in the shadows. Douluo Star is vast and boundless, with countless places to hide in the underworld, forbidden lands, and spatial rifts."

“As long as you want to hide, even if Yun Ming has extraordinary abilities, it will be extremely difficult for him to find your whereabouts in a short period of time. Once the storm has passed, or... once he is distracted by other matters, you can still live freely.”

The Ghost Emperor remained silent for a moment. He knew, of course, that what the Thousand-Year East Wind said was true; the Holy Spirit Sect's ability to exist for ten thousand years was undoubtedly due to its top-notch concealment skills. His communication this time wasn't to cancel the plan, but rather…

"Alright, the plan can proceed as scheduled." The Ghost Emperor's voice rang out again, tinged with undisguised greed. "However, the risks have increased significantly, and the previous price is no longer sufficient. You must provide me with another batch of high-quality soul spirits as additional compensation and operating funds."

His title is "Ghost". The more souls he has, the stronger he becomes. The souls he demands are all made from the souls of superior real soul beasts, which he will corrupt into fierce ghosts and transform into his fighting power.

A surge of rage instantly ignited in Qian Gu Dongfeng's eyes, and his fists clenched tightly. He knew that this greedy vampire was simply trying to extort money from him.

Last time, in order to satisfy the Ghost Emperor's needs and gain the full cooperation of the Holy Spirit Cult, he had already used a batch of precious soul spirits that the Qian Gu family had secretly hoarded and that had not been recorded in the Spirit Transmission Tower system.

If another large-scale transfer is made this time, it will be difficult to hide from the eyes of other high-ranking members within the tower, inevitably causing suspicion and internal turmoil. After all, the Spirit Pagoda is not a place where the Qian Gu family can make their own decisions.

But... he had no other choice!

Destroying Shrek Academy was his lifelong obsession, and also an essential foundation for the ancient family to advance further.

Without the Holy Spirit Cult's lunatics bearing the brunt of Yun Ming's wrath and carrying out the dirtiest tasks, his plan would have been impossible to implement.

Qian Gu Dongfeng almost gritted his teeth as he squeezed out two words: "...Okay."

He could almost hear the Ghost Emperor's smug chuckle on the other end of the communication line.

"Same place, wait to receive!" Qian Gu Dongfeng didn't want to say another second and rudely hung up the communication.

A chilling rage surged within him. He walked to the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, gazing down at the bustling capital city below.

The price he paid for this plan was getting higher and higher.

"Ghost Emperor... Holy Spirit Cult..." Qian Gu Dongfeng muttered to himself, his eyes flashing with an extremely dangerous light, "You can be greedy and smug all you want... until the moment Shrek Academy is destroyed, until you and Yun Ming are both severely injured, or... until you have attracted all of Yun Ming's attention..."

A cruel, cold smile curled at the corner of his mouth.

"I'll show you what the price is for blackmailing me. Perfect timing to send you and Yun Ming... on their way together!"

The seeds of darkness had already been quietly sown among the collaborators.

This conspiracy against Shrek was full of betrayal and scheming from the very beginning. Who will be the ultimate winner?

(End of this chapter)