Douluo Continent: Tonight, a Fairy Tale Descends

When talking about "level 59" and "Soul Emperor", Qian Renxue's tone carried an undisguised sense of pride and emotion.

This is her daughter, her daughter with her blood, exceptionally talented, making rapid progress, far surpassing her peers, and even... far surpassing herself back then.

This realization greatly lessened the gloom and resentment that had grown in her heart due to her undercover work.

Eva nodded, a perfectly measured smile of satisfaction on her face: "Level 59...that's truly remarkable. It seems the championship is already in our grasp."

She paused, a glint of light flashing in her emerald eyes, and naturally shifted the topic to the deeper waters, "Speaking of which, after the competition, Xue'er's brilliance will surely illuminate the entire continent. At that time, she will be the most dazzling pearl of the empire, the focus of everyone's attention."

Qian Renxue put down her teacup, her fingertips gently stroking the smooth rim, making a barely audible sound.

She raised her eyes to look at Eva, and a cold, predatory glint flashed deep within those eyes, which were disguised as black.

“Yes, it’s the center of attention.” Qian Renxue repeated slowly, a faint but decisive smile curving her lips.

"So, before she reaches the top and enjoys her glory and cheers, there are some trivial matters... that must be cleared up in advance."

The room fell silent for a moment, with only the constant halo of light from the Soul Guide Lamp flowing silently.

Eva's smile remained unchanged, but she leaned forward slightly, as if her interest had been piqued, and asked softly, "So... when do you plan to make your move?"

Qian Renxue did not answer immediately. She leaned back slightly, her gaze seemingly piercing through the magnificent palace walls, landing in the deepest part of the palace, in the emperor's bedroom, which was increasingly filled with the smell of decay and medicine.

After a moment, she withdrew her gaze and looked at Eva. Her voice was calm and even, yet each word was clear and carried an undeniable sense of control: "Now, within the Heavenly Dou Royal Family, more than half of the forces, both openly and secretly, are loyal to the Crown Prince. The rest are either wavering or just a bunch of incompetent old stubborns."

She paused, the smile on her lips deepening slightly.

"As for the timing of our action... it will naturally be after Xue'er lifts the championship trophy."

Qian Renxue's voice was low, yet it carried a resolute chill.

“My daughter deserves the most perfect coronation in the world. No shadow, not even the insignificant dust of a change of imperial power, should or can taint her before that.”

She raised her hand, making a loose clenching motion, as if grasping invisible power into her palm.

"I want her to receive all the glory of the victor amidst the cheers of the crowd. And then..."

Qian Renxue looked at Eva, their eyes met, and they understood each other without saying a word.

"Then, I, as her mother, will personally clear the last... and the biggest obstacle in her path. Let the whole continent see that the era of Snow White will truly arrive with the most brilliant dawn."

Eva listened quietly, a faint, almost appreciative glint flashing in the depths of her emerald eyes.

She held up the pearl necklace in her hand, looked at its warm luster under the light, and smiled gently.

“A perfect plan.” She put down the necklace, looked at Qian Renxue again, and her tone remained gentle.

Chapter 370 The New Shrek Academy

"For the bright future of our daughter."

Two equally exquisite teacups, each carrying a different sentiment, gently collided once more in the tranquil palace, producing a crisp, brief sound.

On the other side, at Blue Tyrant Academy.

Morning light filters through the leaves, casting dappled shadows on the playground of Blue Tyrant Academy, or rather, the former Blue Tyrant Academy.

At the edge of the playground, a brand-new plaque gleamed in the morning light.

Shrek Academy.

Five large, gilded characters replaced the original "Blue Overlord Academy," their powerful strokes conveying an undeniable sense of assertiveness.

Three years ago, when Flander and Yu Xiaogang brought the Shrek Seven Devils to this land, no one expected the changes to come so swiftly and thoroughly.

Initially, it was just a collaboration, a way to leverage each other's resources.

Liu Erlong generously provided the best resources and the highest quality simulated cultivation environment, even opening up the small courtyard in the quiet forest behind the academy for Shrek's core members to live in.

She watched as Flander and Yu Xiaogang gradually took over the management of the academy, watched as Shrek's teachers filled various teaching positions, and watched as those seven gifted little monsters grew rapidly in Blue Tyrant's soil.

Everything was so natural that almost no one felt anything was wrong.

Apart from a few senior teachers from Blue Tyrant Academy who had privately expressed their concerns, those voices quickly dissipated under Liu Erlong's gentle yet firm attitude.

In Liu Erlong's mind, the two sides of the scale were never truly balanced.

On one end is the Blue Tyrant Academy, which she painstakingly built; on the other end is Xiao Gang, whom she has waited for and longed for for half her life, and Flander, the leader with whom she once adventured side by side and was as close as brothers.

how to choose?

There was no choice at all.

The mere Blue Tyrant Academy is no match for even a single finger of her little brother Gang.

That was the most fervent light of her youth, the driftwood she clung to after a life of wandering, and the obsession that she never truly lost, even when she was wounded all over.

Moreover, Brother Xiaogang and Boss Flander did not intend to harm Blue Tyrant Academy.

On the contrary, they brought unprecedented vitality.

The Shrek Seven Devils' amazing talent and rapid growth have attracted more outstanding students to apply.

Flander's shrewd management skills significantly improved the college's financial situation.

Yu Xiaogang's theories, which were once ridiculed by outsiders, are now shining brightly in these children.

The academy has indeed become better, more renowned, and stronger.

Those teachers who had initially harbored doubts fell silent and even began to feel fortunate when they saw the academy steadily rise in the national rankings of Soul Master academies and when more and more nobles and powerful figures began to pay attention to this new academy.

And what about Liu Erlong herself?

She could finally shed the heavy responsibilities of dean, no longer have to worry about the trivial matters of the academy, and no longer have to deal with the probing and tug-of-war between various forces.

She had more time.

She spends more time in her forest courtyard tending to the flowers and plants she has carefully cultivated.

More often, you can brew a pot of tea, sit by the lake, and watch the sunset.

More time... to get closer to that man who always locks himself in his study, buried in piles of books, and arm himself with indifference and aloofness.

Two years ago, in the spring, when Flander half-jokingly and half-seriously suggested at an internal meeting, "Since we're all family now, why don't we just change the academy's name back to Shrek?" Liu Erlong responded almost without hesitation.

She remembered that afternoon; the sun was shining brightly, and Yu Xiaogang was sitting by the window reading a book. His profile was particularly clear in the halo of light, and he looked exceptionally tired.

She walked behind him and gently placed her hand on the back of his chair, feeling his body stiffen for a moment.

She didn't withdraw her hand, but said softly, "Xiao Gang, Boss Flander said he wants to change the academy's name back to Shrek. I think... that's a good idea. Your hard work, your dreams, deserve a name."

Yu Xiaogang's fingers, which were turning the pages of the book, stopped. He didn't turn around for a long time, so long that Liu Erlong thought he wouldn't respond.

In the end, he only let out a very low "hmm" from his throat, his emotions unreadable.

But Liu Erlong saw a fleeting, extremely complex light behind his glasses.

There was surprise, there was helplessness, and perhaps... there was also a deeply buried emotion that even he himself was unwilling to admit.

This is enough.

The renaming ceremony was simple yet solemn.

Liu Erlong personally took down the old plaque that symbolized the history of Blue Tyrant Academy and put it deep in the academy's warehouse. Then, he watched as Flander and Yu Xiaogang, one on each side, hung the brand-new "Shrek Academy" plaque on the gate.

Under the sunlight, Flanders smiled with satisfaction, his long-cherished wish finally fulfilled in this way.

Yu Xiaogang remained silent, but his straight back revealed a calm and composed demeanor befitting a "master."

Standing behind them, Liu Erlong looked at the two men and the newly renovated academy. Instead of feeling lost, he felt a sense of satisfaction and peace, as if the dust had settled.

Blue Tyrant Academy has become history.

Shrek Academy took root here.

Flander became the dean in name only, while Yu Xiaogang became the vice dean, in charge of teaching and training.

As for her, Liu Erlong, she stepped back from the limelight, taking on the honorary title of honorary dean, and was happy to enjoy her leisure.

Occasionally, her former teacher would come to see her to report on things, his eyes always carrying a complex mix of unspoken thoughts.

Liu Erlong always gently interrupted him: "Yinshu, for matters concerning the academy now, just let Dean Flander or Vice Dean Xiaogang decide. They're doing a good job, and I'm very reassured."

She was truly at ease.

The academy is thriving, and Brother Xiaogang is right beside me. Although he is still the same, locking himself in his thick shell, avoiding her gaze and her touch, immersed in those theories and training plans that seem to never be finished.

But at least, he was within her sight. Every morning, she could see his back as he walked from the forest courtyard to the teaching area.

Late at night, one could see the ever-burning light shining from the window of his study.

That's good enough.

Compared to those years of aimless searching and hopeless waiting, her current life is a blessing from heaven, a stolen happiness she dared not even dare to hope for.

She can wait.

She's waited so many years, she doesn't mind continuing to wait. She hopes that one day he'll be willing to lower his guard, willing to turn around and look at her who has always stood behind him.

After the academy was renamed, everything entered a new phase. The Shrek Seven Devils received the best resources and their strength improved by leaps and bounds.

Dai Mubai, Tang San, Zhu Zhuqing, and the others are no longer the greenhorns they were when they were crushed by the Heaven Dou Team three years ago at the Soto Great Soul Arena.

Chapter 371 Keeping Promises

The Shrek Seven Devils' eyes became sharper, their aura more focused, and their teamwork reached a new level.

The preliminary rounds of the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament are drawing near, and the entire academy is enveloped in a tense yet exciting atmosphere.

Liu Erlong rarely interfered with the specific training, but she would often go to the sidelines of the training field and watch quietly.

Watching that group of energetic young people sweating under Yu Xiaogang's guidance, and seeing the burning desire for victory in their eyes.

Her gaze would always involuntarily drift toward the meticulous and strict man on the sidelines.

Watching him frown because of a teammate's mistake, watching the glint in his eyes when a successful tactical play was achieved, watching him intently taking notes, his profile outlined with resolute lines in the sunlight.

At these times, Liu Erlong's heart would soften considerably.

This is her brother Xiaogang.

He may be stagnant in his soul power cultivation, or he may be ridiculed as a waste by the outside world, but here, in this world that belongs to them, he is cultivating a genius who may shock the entire continent in his own way.

And all of this was made possible by her sacrifice and protection.