Douluo Continent: The Ruler of Time, Reigning Supreme

Chapter 169 Yan Shaozhe's Decision

Silver Dust is a treasure that could drive any power mad.

But Elder Mu's attitude was to let things take their natural course.
'no. '

Yan Shaozhe's eyes became incredibly firm.

'I absolutely cannot gamble the future of the academy, and Xiaotao's future, on this vague and uncertain approach of letting things take their course.'

Yes, and Xiaotao too.

The thought of his beloved disciple, whom he cherished like a daughter but who was tormented day and night by the evil fire, made Yan Shaozhe's heart ache as if it were being pricked by needles.

He sacrificed so much for Ma Xiaotao.

He searched through all the academy's books and sought out every old friend he could, all in an effort to find the ultimate ice and give her a glimmer of hope.

Hope was ignited time and time again, only to be extinguished again and again.

He had even prepared for the worst, intending to use his own power to forcibly suppress Ma Xiaotao's cultivation at the Soul Saint realm, so that she could live a mediocre but safe life as a cripple.

But now, the ultimate ice has appeared.

It is not only Shrek's hope for the future, but also Ma Xiaotao's only salvation.

How could he possibly let go? How could he possibly remain indifferent?

He dared not disobey Elder Mu's orders.

Forcibly interfering with Yin Chen's decision and forcing him to stay at Shrek Academy would be a terrible idea; it would only provoke resentment and push this genius to the opposite side.

But... just because we can't do it openly doesn't mean we can't use other methods.

In Yan Shaozhe's mind, countless thoughts were spinning rapidly, weighing and deducing.

Suddenly, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed abruptly, and a glint of light flashed in his eyes.

A bold idea quickly took shape in his mind.

'Yes, that's another way.'

He thought of Ma Xiaotao.

He thought of her figure and appearance, which were top-notch even in the entire Shrek Academy.

'That kid may have extraordinary talent, but he's still just a teenager. What young man can resist the allure of beauty?'

'Moreover, Xiao Tao needs his ultimate ice to suppress the evil fire. This need itself is a connection. If handled properly, it can create an inseparable relationship between the two…'

With this connection, the chances of Yin Chen leaving Shrek Academy will be much smaller.

This isn't just for Shrek, it's also for Xiaotao.

Yan Shaozhe found a perfectly legitimate reason for his plan.

His last shred of hesitation vanished.

Without further hesitation, he turned and flew towards the residences of the inner disciples.

However, as soon as he moved, a beautiful figure appeared silently in front of him, blocking his way.

The soft moonlight shone on her, outlining her graceful and mature curves.

It was his wife, Cai Meier, the Dragon Spear Douluo.

"Shaozhe."

Cai Meier's voice was calm, but her beautiful eyes held a hint of scrutiny and warning.

"Why are you in such a hurry? What are you going to do?"

Yan Shaozhe froze.

He looked at his wife, feeling somewhat helpless.

No one understands him better than Cai Meier.

With just a glance or a gesture, she could guess what he was thinking.

"Mei'er, you..."

"Don't try to hide it from me."

Cai Meier interrupted him, her tone remaining calm. "We are all aware of Elder Mu's final decision at the Sea God Pavilion meeting."

She took a step forward, bringing her closer to Yan Shaozhe.

She could sense the lingering tension and anxiety emanating from him.

"I know you, Shao Zhe. You'd do anything for Shrek's future."

A hint of worry crept into her voice.

"I'll only ask you one question: Do you intend to disobey Elder Mu's orders and do something you shouldn't do?"

She is afraid.

She feared that her husband's stubbornness would cloud his judgment and lead him to do something irreversible.

Forcing a genius with such potential, if not handled properly, will not create a bond, but rather an enmity.

At that time, not only will it be impossible to keep Yin Chen at Shrek Academy, but the academy will also likely create a terrifying enemy that is unimaginable in the future.

In that case, many things would really be difficult to resolve.

Seeing the worry in his wife's eyes, Yan Shaozhe's impulse gradually subsided.

He reached out and gently took Cai Meier's hand, his tone becoming gentle and solemn.

"Don't worry, Mei'er."

"I can still tell the difference between what's important and what's not."

He sighed and continued:

“I understand Elder Mu’s concerns. I’m not foolish enough to force that child, nor will I do anything to disobey Elder Mu’s orders. I just… want to increase our chances for Shrek Academy and for Xiao Tao.”

Although he sometimes acts aggressively, he is, after all, the dean of the Martial Soul Department who has been in charge for many years, and he is not so foolish as to lose his mind.

"Chips?"

A hint of doubt appeared in Cai Meier's eyes.

Yan Shaozhe looked at her with a confident, even shrewd, smile on his face.

"Of course it's Xiaotao."

He slowly revealed his plan:
"Think about it, she needs the ultimate ice to suppress the evil fire, and Yin Chen is her only hope. Coincidentally, they've been on a mission together before, so they know each other. Besides, they're not that far apart in age, and they're at the age when love is just beginning to blossom..."

Before he could finish speaking, Cai Meier instantly understood.

She was stunned for a moment, then her beautiful eyes widened suddenly as she looked at her husband in disbelief.

"You're thinking……"

She just couldn't laugh or cry.

She never imagined that Yan Shaozhe's so-called increase in leverage was actually a scheme of this kind.

Cai Meier rolled her eyes in annoyance, forcefully pulled her hand back, and said reproachfully:

"Yan Shaozhe, how old is that child? Eleven years old. You, the dean of the Martial Soul Department, are actually scheming against a child's feelings? Have you no shame?"

Faced with his wife's accusations, Yan Shaozhe showed no remorse whatsoever; instead, he stood tall and proud.

"How can this be called scheming? This is a win-win situation, a way of helping others achieve their goals."

"Don't you even know who my Xiao Tao is? She has the Evil Fire Phoenix Martial Soul, is exceptionally talented, and her future achievements are limitless. In terms of looks and figure, how many girls on the entire continent can compare to her? That kid got a huge advantage by winning Xiao Tao's favor; he didn't lose out at all."

Seeing Yan Shaozhe's smug look, as if his own cabbage was the best, Cai Meier was both annoyed and amused.

She shook her head and finally sighed.

"As you wish."

She stopped trying to stop it.

Because, after she calmed down and carefully considered Yan Shaozhe's seemingly absurd plan, she had to admit...

This was indeed a good move.

(End of this chapter)