I have added this story to my Patreon. You can support me and read the 50 latest and advanced chapters there. It also fed and motivate me to write more chapters!
Free Members will get 10 Chapters Ahead of the schedule on Patreon!!!
Link: Patreon.com/AVRKingsTL
—------------------—
"Feng Zaixing took down the Ten Great Evil Soul Master Titled Douluo, greatly increasing his prestige; coupled with the Phoenix Family and the Blood God Legion, we have lost the overall situation."
Cao Dezhi tapped the table, looking calmly at Long Yeyue, whose eyes still held disbelief and unwillingness. He said flatly, "If we continue to make trouble, we won't have a chance. Look how depressed Yun Ming has become? We should retreat while we still have some strength."
Long Yeyue rose, her aged hands resting on the table. Her dim, old eyes released a fierce glare: "I don't believe that students who graduated from Shrek Academy will stand by and watch us be humiliated without reacting. As long as we rally the troops, the Federation absolutely wouldn't dare ignore us!"
"Those disgraced officers are only disgraced, not dead. They are all high-level Spirit Masters. I am confident I can summon hundreds of experts above Two-Word Battle Armor Masters!"
Cao Dezhi nodded, a hint of mockery in his expression. "And then? Call them all to Shrek Academy just so the Federation can wipe us out in one go? That's just a matter of dozens of fixed Soul guided cannon shells."
"The greatest power of a trump card is the deterrence it holds before it is revealed, not after it is used. If you do this, you will completely destroy Shrek!"
"You—!" Long Yeyue pointed at Cao Dezhi, her eyes suddenly turning blood red.
"Heh, truly unconscious—"
Cao Dezhi sneered, abruptly stood up, and the Sword Qi of the Ruthless Sword surged through Sea Gods Pavilion. A figure of the Ruthless Great Sword appeared before the eyes of every Elder in the Sea Gods Pavilion.
Long Yeyue felt this most acutely; she sensed at least eight colossal Ruthless Swords locking onto her. The Sword God's Will chilled her to the bone.
Cao Dezhi coldly shouted, "Elder Long, you had better sober up, or I won't mind making the choice for Yun Ming! He fears the reputation of killing his teacher's wife, but I do not. The Face of the Heavens Chosen Douluo is useless to me!"
Long Yeyue's Face instantly filled with terror, and she dared not speak.
Old hag, if it weren't for Chen Xinjie, I would have wiped you out long ago!
Having suppressed Long Yeyue with a flick of his wrist, Cao Dezhi sneered inwardly and said coldly to the others, "Vote."
Everyone, including Cai Yueer, raised their hands, agreeing with Cao Dezhi.
"Very good. Next proposal."
Cao Dezhi nodded, pushing the meeting forward methodically: "The Star Luo Continent's premier academy is the Monster Academy, modeled after Shrek Academy. If Shrek Academy is going to relocate, I propose we simply merge. Of course, nominally, they will be a branch campus—"
After Cao Dezhi finished speaking, everyone exchanged glances for a moment, then unanimously agreed.
Since they were going to beg for food in someone else's house, bestowing a title was no big deal. Any dissenters would have to consider the Ruthless Sword first.
"Alright, then I announce that the Shrek Tang Sect's relocation plan officially begins. Everyone, start preparing—"
Cao Dezhi issued orders in an orderly manner, arranging work assignments for the various Elders.
After the meeting ended, he walked alone outside Sea Gods Pavilion and dialed Zang Xin's Soul communicator.
"The relocation plan is settled. When you negotiate with Dai Tianling, you can tell him that Shrek Academy will move there in the future, granting the Monster Academy the title of branch campus."
Cao Dezhi pondered for a moment and slowly said, "Have someone inform the Monster Academy's Eight Great Heavenly Kings that the selection for the next generation of Shrek Seven Devils will take place in a few years. As long as their contributions are great enough and their talent is high enough, they can compete for the title of the Seven Devils."
On the other end of the Soul communicator, Zang Xin was silent for a moment, then his voice immediately grew excited: "Old Cao, you're not joking?"
"Giving them a chance to compete for the Seven Devils?"
Cao Dezhi sighed, saying gravely, "I observe that none of the current Shrek students can bear the title of the Seven Devils, and I don't even see one with the Potential for the Limit. What else can I do?"
"The truly powerful geniuses died years ago. Are we supposed to let Wu Changkong and the others become the Seven Devils? Arrange more trials for the Eight Great Heavenly Kings, don't let them obtain it easily, but we also mustn't be stingy with cultivation resources. We will cover the Two-Word Battle Armor and Three-Word Battle Armor for them."
Zang Xin stood on the rooftop of a construction site. The wind on the Star Luo Continent was cold, but his heart was not.
He said bitterly, "Fine, I'll do as you say. The entire Star Luo nation must be thrilled now."
Cao Dezhi nodded slightly on Sea God Island, hesitated, and then said, "After the Seven Devils are chosen, bring them back to the continent secretly and enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well."
"Feng Zaixing and the others absorbed the immortal grade item, giving them too great an advantage. We must give them equivalent resources, or they will never catch up."
Zang Xin clearly gasped on the other end: "Bring them there? Is that appropriate?"
"It is appropriate. If the Tang Sect is destroyed in our hands, no amount of treasures will be of use."
Cao Dezhi's expression was pained, and anger flashed across his Face: "For ten thousand years, the Sun Moon Federation has never treated us as one of their own. If they are ruthless, don't blame us for being unjust! Even if we give all the spiritual items in the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well to Star Luo, we absolutely won't leave them for the Federation!"
"Fellow colleagues, let us give a warm round of applause to congratulate Director Feng Zaixing of the Federal Investigation Bureau on his formal promotion to Lieutenant General and for receiving the Sun Moon Radiance Medal."
On the Bright Capital conferment platform, Xu Pojun personally awarded Feng Zaixing the Lieutenant General's star and the Sun Moon Radiance Medal, one of the Sun Moon Federation's highest honors. The applause below was thunderous.
At this moment, no one harbored doubt; the smiles were abundant, and there were no unexpected incidents of outsiders causing trouble.
"Thank you to all colleagues and superiors for your support. I will certainly continue to hone myself and fight actively to sweep away all evil throughout the continent!"
After a short speech, Feng Zaixing stepped aside, smiling as he watched the rest of the Federal Investigation Bureau receive their honors.
Yuan En Tiandang joined the Investigation Bureau and was promoted to Major General. Yu Xin repeatedly led teams to expose and thunderously strike down illegal activities involving the Tang Sect and several Hidden Families, earning her a promotion to Major General.
Naer, the head of the Intelligence Department, was promoted to Senior Colonel. Yuanen Yehui, Sleeping Dragon and Young Phoenix, and other frontline combat captains were promoted to Colonel. Even Gu Yue, the newly appointed head of the Logistics Department who rushed to attend, managed to secure the rank of Colonel.
Furthermore, a large number of transferred personnel from the Phoenix Family, including two Titled Douluo, were awarded the rank of Senior Colonel and below, entering the combat sequence.
They themselves had no military achievements, but the Phoenix Family's Face had to be given, counting their ranks as part of Leng Yaozhu's merit.
Feng Zaixing thought to himself, "It's a pity that old man Yuan En Zhentian is too arrogant. He only agreed to take a position as Honorary Director in my Investigation Bureau and rarely even shows his Face. But at least the framework is set up."
The backbone of the Federal Investigation Bureau consisted of his One Heart Society members. Now, having incorporated some experts from the Tai Tan Family and the Phoenix Family, the number of subordinate Spirit Masters exceeds two hundred. With so many experts, it can finally be called a powerful department.
After the conferment ceremony, Feng Zaixing held a meeting with his old subordinates, first exchanging pleasantries, then reviewing the Federal Investigation Bureau's movements over the past six months.
"Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School, Heavenly Dragon Sect, Earth Dragon Sect, Bright Jade Sect—you took down four Sects while suppressing the Tang Sect. Your actions were quick enough."
The four Sects have long histories. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School goes without saying; the Heavenly Dragon Sect died and was reborn, only to die again; the Earth Dragon Sect and the Bright Jade Sect were also old institutions that appeared in the previous era.
After learning the process of their destruction, Feng Zaixing couldn't help but click his tongue: "Truly decisive."
"It was alright," Yu Xin said indifferently, twirling a strand of her crimson hair. "None of them were clean. If they're destroyed, they're destroyed. If not now, they would be enemies sooner or later. The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School has always done business with Star Luo."
"And those council members—they were just mouthpieces for Shrek Tang Sect anyway. If they didn't want to retire, they didn't have to. Let them scout the way for Shrek Tang Sect."
Tilting her head, she gave Feng Zaixing a sweet smile: "These things are difficult for you to do, so I did them. How about you dismiss me in a few days to relieve some pressure?"
"If you want to brand me as heartless and unjust, just say so. Don't speak like that."
Feng Zaixing instantly grew serious, grasping Yu Xin's jade hand, his eyes shining brightly: "You acted when I was ambushed, so this bad reputation must be shared by me."
Are you kidding? Trying to shirk responsibility at this point would be disastrous.
Let the reputation be bad. Anyway, his reputation for killing the Holy Spirit Cult is universally praised. Given enough time, the world will only believe that they deserved to die.
~~
Yu Xin's lips curved into a slight, joyful arc, her clear, dark eyes shimmering with moisture.
It was worth being secretly labeled the Fatal Widow during this time.
Naer smiled and said, "In short, among all the Hidden Families now, only the Clear Sky Sect remains relatively strong. The other Hidden Families and Sects are no longer a concern."
"We were suppressed by the higher-ups after destroying the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School. The remaining Hidden Families and Sects have rushed to Shrek City during this time, and some have headed toward Star Luo City, surrendering to the Le Family in exchange for survival."
Feng Zaixing's eyes suddenly sharpened: "Suppressed by the higher-ups? Did opposition appear within the Le Family?"
Naer nodded: "Both. After all, the Le Family is the leader of the Southern Families. Although we haven't touched the Southern Families yet, almost all the families we destroyed previously had marriage ties or vested interests with them."
"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School's business spanned the continent, and they had many marital alliances. Their Disciples also intermarried with the Yu Family and the Le Family. Sister Yu has stirred up a hornet's nest. The pressure is immense. Both the neutral faction and the Hawk Faction are impeaching us, and even—"
Naer's eyes flickered, hesitant to speak.
Feng Zaixing's expression darkened: "Even what?"
Naer said, "There are many nasty things being said about Sister Yu, and there have even been assassination attempts—"
"Boom!"
A surging Soul wave erupted. Feng Zaixing's body exploded like a volcano, his eyes radiating fierce light toward the sky. He slowly said, "It finally came to this day. Hmph!"
Stirring up interests is harder than stirring up Souls. He knew that his decision to raise the sword against the Hidden Families and Sects would inevitably meet internal resistance sooner or later.
"Zhengyu?" Feng Zaixing looked at Le Zhengyu, whose head was bowed. The latter immediately shivered and chuckled dryly, "What is it, Boss?"
"How many people in the Le Family oppose me? Tell me the truth," Feng Zaixing asked, enunciating every word.
"Uh—" Le Zhengyu stammered for a while, rubbing his hands. "About one-third?"
"So that means at least two-thirds? They must have cursed me too? Let me hear it." Feng Zaixing could tell Le Zhengyu wasn't being entirely truthful.
But this wasn't surprising. The Le Old Ancestor had always fully supported him, but even he hesitated when Feng Zaixing proposed sweeping away the accumulated issues. If Feng Zaixing's talent hadn't been exceptionally high, this matter could never have begun.
If Yu Xin hadn't taken over his position, she wouldn't have been able to withstand the assassinations.
Le Zhengyu lowered his head even further: "They said you are essentially depleting the fundamental foundation of the Le Family to advance your personal career."
"For the past six months, people have been crying and complaining in front of the Old Ancestor until you returned, and things quieted down a bit."
He didn't mention the uglier words. Some believed that if Feng Zaixing died, the Le Family's investment would be wasted, and everything would become a wedding dress for the Yu Family.
"I see—" Feng Zaixing sighed. "Then let's change our approach. We've killed enough for now. Let's switch to collecting taxes."
"Collecting taxes?" Everyone looked thoughtful.
"We'll talk about that later. First, let's arrange some benefits."
Feng Zaixing waved his hand, annoyed, and looked around at everyone: "You've all worked hard fighting recently. I'm taking you to dig a tunnel to a good place."
"Dig a tunnel?" Yuanen Yehui, Le Zhengyu, and the others were even more confused. What kind of place required digging a tunnel?
"It's classified for now. Starting tomorrow, everyone handle your personal affairs first."
Feng Zaixing dismissed the group, stood up, walked to the window, and gazed at the moonlight, letting out a long sigh.
"Old Ancestor, are you refusing to see me because you are hinting that I should stop? Or are you also hesitating?"
"That's right. After all, it involves countless descendants and the ancestral foundation. You should hesitate. I will recruit people myself—"
Taking out his communicator, Feng Zaixing no longer hesitated and dialed a familiar number.
A few seconds later, the call connected, and a mature female voice came through: "Zaixing, what is it?"
"His Majesty Heavenly Phoenix—"
Feng Zaixing said softly, "I have a method that might help you achieve a Breakthrough to Quasi-God, but the condition is—"
"I'll agree to any condition. I'm coming to Bright Capital right now!"
Leng Yaozhu's voice suddenly became intensely urgent. Feng Zaixing could almost hear the rush of wind caused by her activating her Spirit.