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The Thunderclap Gorge was originally a small gathering place for spirit beasts. After the first patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family discovered that the gorge significantly enhanced the cultivation of Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon soul masters, he privately claimed it as the family's private territory when establishing the clan.
At the time, there were many who opposed this move, but the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family produced several powerful leaders in succession, deterring other factions from challenging their claim.
Over time, the Thunderclap Gorge became their private domain.
On the Douluo Continent, it was not uncommon for influential families to monopolize cultivation resources. While the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was relatively moderate in this regard, they too had claimed a fair share of resources.
In essence, all these families were equally guilty. Ning Fengzhi and the others neither agreed with nor refuted Ning Rongrong's earlier statement.
"Let's leave it at that for now. I have a feeling that the continent's situation is on the verge of great change. Maintaining good relations with the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family will benefit us as well."
In Ning Fengzhi's heart, the idea of forming alliances with like-minded clans had never faded.
With his God-like perspective, Ning Tianchen understood just how naive this thought was.
Though the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family had declined, their inherent pride made them unwilling to easily cooperate with others. Moreover, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's prominence in the Tian Dou Empire was reaching its peak, and the principle that "what goes up must come down" seemed lost on Ning Fengzhi.
Ning Tianchen sighed inwardly but said nothing.
For now, he was enjoying the resources provided by the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect—no point in biting the hand that feeds him.
"Thank you, Lord Sect Leader, Sword Elder, and Bone Elder. I'll definitely work hard in my cultivation," Ning Tianchen said respectfully, bowing deeply.
Gu Rong chuckled awkwardly. "If you really want to thank me, why not become my disciple?"
"Hmm? Old Bones, do you want to spar?" Chen Xin snorted, abruptly standing up.
Even if he couldn't defeat him, Gu Rong wouldn't back down in terms of spirit. He also stood up. "Let's go! I've recently made some breakthroughs, so let's practice!"
The two glared at each other, but their confrontation remained purely verbal, with no actual action taken.
Ning Fengzhi sighed helplessly. They had already argued once over whether Ning Rongrong should attend the Tian Dou Imperial Academy, and now they were arguing again over Ning Tianchen.
"Uncle Sword and Uncle Bone are both incredibly strong, with power levels of 96 and 95 respectively, yet they still act like children."
Sighing softly, Ning Fengzhi turned his gaze to Ning Tianchen. "Go prepare for now. We should receive a reply within the next couple of days. When the time comes, accompany Uncle Sword to hunt for your soul ring."
"Daddy, I want to go too!" Ning Rongrong quickly interjected, grabbing Ning Tianchen's arm with both hands.
Ning Fengzhi smiled wryly. Truly, daughters grow up and leave home eventually.
After some thought, he didn't refuse her request.
When the time came for the soul-hunting expedition, they could simply arrange for a Soul Douluo-level elder from the sect to accompany them.
…
After leaving the sect's main hall, Ning Rongrong hurriedly pulled Ning Tianchen to a secluded corner. After checking that no one was around, she whispered, "Big brother Tianchen, I don't want to go to the Tian Dou Imperial Academy."
Ning Fengzhi, as the sect leader, had the final say despite the influence Sword Elder and Bone Elder might exert. If he insisted on sending them to the academy, even the elders wouldn't be able to stop him.
"Constantly training within the sect won't help us improve our strength. We need to leave the sect and venture out for a while," Ning Tianchen stated objectively.
Ning Rongrong shook her head, quickly voicing her thoughts: "Big brother Tianchen, it's not that I don't want to explore the world, but the Tian Dou Imperial Academy's reputation is terrible. What kind of improvement can we expect there?"
"Coincidentally, I recently learned about another academy. It only accepts geniuses and seems like a great place. Since we're both geniuses, we should associate with other geniuses rather than the spoiled brats of the Tian Dou Imperial Academy."
Ning Tianchen asked, "Which academy are you talking about?"
Ning Rongrong replied, "Shrek Academy in the Balak Kingdom. I heard that their first batch of graduates, twenty years after the academy's founding, are now the youngest elders of the Spirit Hall."
Ning Tianchen was momentarily speechless.
He could confidently say that no one in Tian Dou City knew about Shrek Academy.
From what he understood, Shrek Academy's admission requirements were extremely strict, ensuring that there would never be many students.
To qualify, one needed to reach at least level 21 soul power by the age of thirteen, which required an innate soul power of at least level six.
Most individuals with such high innate soul power came from influential families and were considered core disciples.
These families had their own vested interests—why would they send their disciples to an obscure little academy for training?
As for commoners who met the academy's standards, they would either join the Spirit Hall or align with various powerful factions, making it even less likely for them to choose Shrek Academy.
However, it couldn't be denied that Shrek Academy's reputation was quite intimidating.
Every recruitment season, rumors about Shrek Academy spread throughout the Balak Kingdom. Unfortunately, those who applied ended up wasting ten gold spirit coins on the application fee.
…
No matter how you looked at it, Shrek Academy's reputation couldn't possibly have reached Tian Dou City.
The source of Ning Rongrong's information was questionable.
Perhaps Ning Fengzhi, knowing she wouldn't willingly attend the Tian Dou Imperial Academy, had secretly fed her information about Shrek Academy.
Although Ning Rongrong's personality had improved, her playful nature remained strong. She needed a strong dose of reality to rein in her stubbornness.
It was even possible that Ning Fengzhi was currently exchanging letters with Flender.
With Ning Rongrong's current understanding, she wouldn't be able to uncover the hidden agenda behind this.
Ning Tianchen saw through it but chose not to reveal his insight. "Is that so? I never expected there to be such a unique academy on the continent. But Rongrong, have you carefully considered this?"
"What's there to consider?" Ning Rongrong asked, confused.
Ning Tianchen smiled. "Shrek Academy has been around for twenty years and only accepts students under the age of twelve. That means their earliest graduates today would be only thirty-two years old."
"The Spirit Hall's elders are either Title Douluo-level powerhouses or individuals with special statuses, like Lord Sect Leader Ning. If such prodigious talents existed, the record for the continent's youngest Title Douluo would have been broken long ago."
Could it be that the so-called "elder" Flender mentioned was none other than Yu Xiaogang, who once lived off Bibi Dong's support?
"This…" Ning Rongrong now realized that the rumors about Shrek Academy were likely exaggerated.
However, Shrek Academy had already become her dream destination, and she would undoubtedly come up with excuses to justify her belief.
"Aiya, Tianchen big brother! Maybe Shrek Academy didn't have an age limit when it first opened. I don't care—I've decided to study there. Are you coming or not?"
Before Ning Tianchen could respond, Ning Fengzhi's voice interrupted. "What are you two doing here?"
"The environment of the Thunderclap Gorge is unique. You should prepare early. Once you enter the gorge, there's no turning back halfway."
This comment was primarily directed at Ning Rongrong.
"Blegh~" Ning Rongrong playfully stuck out her tongue, then dragged Ning Tianchen away.
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