Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

Yu Xiaogang had already thought about this arrangement for the two of them and had secretly made plans.

He reached under a pile of messy manuscripts on the table and pulled out a piece of paper with slightly curled edges.

He spread the letter out on the table and pointed to a place name circled in ink.

"You guys go here." Yu Xiaogang's voice was as hoarse and deep as ever, with little variation.

Tang San and Cinderella both looked at the spot he was pointing to.

That was the name of a city located within the Kingdom of Barak: Soto.

Next to the name of Soto, there is another location marked in slightly smaller font, which appears to be the name of a college.

“Shrek Academy,” Yu Xiaogang said the name calmly.

A hint of surprise flashed in Cinderella's eyes, and she repeated softly, "Shrek Academy?"

The name was unfamiliar to her; she had never heard of it in any introduction to well-known Soul Master academies.

Tang San frowned slightly, looked at Yu Xiaogang, and waited for his further explanation.

The office fell silent for a moment, with only the occasional chirping of birds outside the window and the faint noise of students in the distance.

Yu Xiaogang simply tapped the words "Shrek Academy" with his finger again, without immediately offering any further explanation.

His face, which always carried a hint of melancholy, showed no extra expression at this moment, as if he were simply pointing to an ordinary destination.

Cinderella looked at Yu Xiaogang, a hint of doubt and inquiry in her azure eyes.

She pursed her lips slightly, her voice soft and gentle, breaking the brief silence: "Master, what kind of place is Shrek Academy? I don't think Xiao San and I have ever heard of it before."

Upon hearing this, Yu Xiaogang glanced at her, then quickly looked away, his gaze drifting somewhat to the branches and leaves of the old tree outside the window.

He pushed up his glasses, his tone remaining calm and even deliberately understated: "It's a great place for you. You'll find out how it is when you get there."

This statement is vague and is tantamount to saying nothing at all.

Tang San remained silent, quietly memorizing the information about Shrek Academy and Soto City.

Yu Xiaogang's evasive attitude made him instinctively feel that something was wrong.

Suitable for them?

What kind of place is considered suitable?

Why can't we just say it directly?

Seeing that Yu Xiaogang seemed unwilling to say anything more, Cinderella felt somewhat helpless and therefore did not press him further.

Yu Xiaogang looked at Cinderella's somewhat bewildered face, then glanced at Tang San beside him, who was silent but had sharp eyes, and sighed inwardly.

He wasn't actually keeping us in suspense on purpose.

Regarding Shrek Academy, aside from knowing that it was located in Soto City and was founded by his old friend Flander, he didn't know much more about other specifics, such as the faculty, teaching environment, and scale of the academy, than the two children in front of him.

Flander, that guy, we've only kept in touch sporadically since we parted ways back then.

He only mentioned the founding of the college briefly in a letter a few years ago, mentioning its name and approximate location. He was vague about its development in the letter and never went into detail again.

How could he possibly recommend these two exceptionally talented children to an academy he himself barely knew?

Are you expecting him to say, "I don't know what the academy is like either. You guys go first, I'll be there shortly?"

This is incredibly irresponsible and makes him appear to be an incompetent teacher.

Moreover, there was a deeper reason he couldn't bring himself to say.

He chose Shrek Academy not because it was so good, but because Flander was there.

Only in the academy founded by his old friend could Yu Xiaogang, the theoretical master ridiculed by the world, obtain the greatest respect and autonomy.

Flanders understood him and trusted his theories.

There, he wouldn't have to be mindful of others' opinions or endure the strange or contemptuous looks that other faculty members might give him.

Chapter 228 Questions

He, Yu Xiaogang, could train Tang San and Cinderella entirely according to his own ideas and theories, making them the most perfect works under his theoretical system, and proving his value to the whole world!

Nottingham College was too small and had too many restrictions. Although the dean and other teachers were polite to him on the surface, he knew very well how much they actually agreed with his shocking theories.

If he stays here, he will always remain a marginal figure, unable to truly unleash his potential.

And going to those famous advanced soul master academies? With his strength and reputation, he probably couldn't even get a formal teaching position, let alone have the power to independently guide genius students.

Shrek is his only and best option at the moment.

These calculations and selfish motives churned within him, yet he could not express them to the two children before him.

He could only maintain a facade of calm, using vague words to mask his inner embarrassment and the unspoken expectations he held for others.

Seeing Cinderella's still inquiring gaze and Tang San's obvious disbelief yet restrained silence, Yu Xiaogang knew he had to say something more.

He cleared his throat, trying to make his tone sound more confident: "Don't worry. Flander, the dean of Shrek Academy, is a friend of mine for many years. I trust his character and his philosophy on Soul Master education."

He paused for a moment, then finally dropped a crucial piece of information, which was also a reassurance for the two of them: "Moreover, after I finish dealing with some handover matters at Notting Academy, I will soon set off for Soto City to meet up with you."

After hearing this, Tang San and Cinderella were speechless.

After all, Tang Hao, who was above them, forced them to stay by Yu Xiaogang's side.

……

Tang San and Cinderella walked side by side on the path back to their dormitory.

The afterglow of the setting sun cast long shadows of the two people, intertwining on the gravel-paved road.

Tang San walked silently, his lips pressed into a sharp line.

It felt as if a piece of red-hot iron was lodged in his chest, hot and heavy, making it almost impossible for him to breathe.

Yu Xiaogang's ambiguous and almost perfunctory attitude acted as a fuse, reigniting his long-suppressed anger and resentment.

But Tang San knew very well that this anger was directed more at Tang Hao, the man who loomed over their lives like a shadow.

why?

This question, like a venomous snake, gnawed at his reason day and night.

Why must they stay by Yu Xiaogang's side?

What value does a man whose soul power level has long been surpassed by them, and who is not irreplaceable in their eyes, still have?

By leaving Notting City and Yu Xiaogang, they can obtain better resources and a wider world, and their cultivation progress will only be faster!

He had considered leaving quietly with his sister before. With his current abilities and familiarity with Notting City, disappearing without Yu Xiaogang and the academy's knowledge wouldn't be difficult.

But each time, he would forcefully extinguish the thought as soon as it surfaced.

Tang Hao.

That man was like an invisible mountain, weighing heavily on his heart.

He appears and disappears unpredictably, omnipresent.

Tang San had no doubt that as soon as they dared to step out of Notting City, Tang Hao's tall and imposing figure would appear like a ghost the next second.

Those bloodshot, murky, yet unfathomable eyes would coldly gaze upon them, crushing all their thoughts of resistance with an undeniable pressure.

Moreover, as his own strength improved, especially after the Xuan Tian Gong broke through to a bottleneck and his mental power became more and more acute, Tang San was able to more clearly feel the vast and terrifying power within Tang Hao's body, which was like a dormant volcano.

It was something unfathomable, far beyond his current understanding.

This feeling of being controlled by others and having one's fate forcibly taken over filled Tang San with immense frustration and anger.

In his previous life in the Tang Sect, although he was an outer disciple, he earned resources through his own abilities. He had never had his path decided so arbitrarily.

He clenched his fists unconsciously, his knuckles turning slightly white from the force.

His fingernails dug deep into his palm, causing a slight stinging pain, but it was nothing compared to the helplessness he felt.

Cinderella turned her head slightly and looked at Tang San, who was silent beside her.

A complex and unfathomable emotion flickered in the depths of her azure eyes.

She knew all of Tang San's confusion and anger, and could even clearly sense it.

She knew his thirst for power, his yearning for freedom, and his loathing for Tang Hao's unreasonable tyranny.

She knew perfectly well why Tang Hao insisted on doing so, the bitterness and fear buried deep beneath the blood feud.

The Spirit Hall is like a sword hanging over our heads; exposing it too early will only bring about our demise.

Tang Hao hiding them under Yu Xiaogang's not-so-clever disguise was the best protection he could think of.

But she couldn't say a single word of these things to Tang San.

These secrets are like Pandora's box; once opened, the consequences will be unpredictable and uncontrollable for her.

She can't take that risk.

Therefore, she had no choice but to remain silent.

He buried all the truths and all the complexities deep within his heart.

Her face remained worried, as if she were just an ordinary girl who was also confused about the future but had no choice but to follow the arrangements.

“The mistress…” Her voice was very soft, with a barely perceptible sigh, which blended into the evening breeze.

Tang San's body stiffened for a moment; he couldn't let these negative emotions affect his sister.

He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the restlessness that was almost overwhelming his reason.

His clenched fist slowly loosened, but the bulging veins on the back of his hand still revealed the turmoil in his heart.

"I'm fine, sis."

His voice was somewhat hoarse, and although he tried to keep it steady, it couldn't hide the coldness hidden beneath.

He turned to look at Cinderella, trying to force a reassuring smile, but found his facial muscles stiff and uncontrollable.

Looking at his forced composure, Cinderella felt that secret sense of control resurface.

Yes, that's it.

This caused his dissatisfaction with Tang Hao to continue to fester, leading him to rely on himself in the future.