Chapter 72: Yu Xiaogang's Top Ten Core Competencies of Perfect World | Forcing the Star Luo Empire!
Only the members of the Zhu family were left standing on the academy field, staring at one another with extremely unpleasant expressions.
"T-this is going to be troublesome…"
One of the Zhu family guards swallowed nervously as he looked at the spot where Dai Mubai had vanished.
Beside him, the Third Elder of the Zhu family took a deep breath, his face dark enough to drip water.
He then glared viciously at the surrounding spectators, who still had not recovered from the shock, before flicking his sleeve.
"What are you all looking at? Get lost!"
After saying that, the Third Elder narrowed his eyes at the sky screen where Dai Mubai would soon appear.
"Hmph. So what if he went to that world?"
"Whether he can even survive the first episode is another matter!"
"Let's go!"
With that, he hurriedly led the Zhu family members away from Shrek Academy.
…
At the same time, once Dai Mubai's hysterical laughter faded into the golden light, the awkward silence on the academy field had not even lasted two seconds.
Buzz!
Another beam of golden light suddenly descended from the sky and crashed down toward the teachers' dormitory area behind the field.
"W-who got chosen this time?!"
"What's going on tonight? Are they giving out spots in bulk?!"
Before the crowd could even recover from the shock of Dai Mubai being selected, the golden light had already pierced through the roof of a tile house and shot straight into a room filled with books and manuscripts.
Teachers' Dormitory
Under the dim glow of an oil lamp, Yu Xiaogang, who had secretly slipped back, was hunched over his desk, writing furiously.
To distract himself from the humiliation he had just suffered, he forced himself into an almost pathological academic frenzy.
The feather pen in his hand moved rapidly across the parchment.
Before long, a strange diagram appeared on the paper, crooked and uneven, resembling two donuts overlapping one another.
After finishing, Yu Xiaogang blew gently on the still-wet ink with satisfaction.
Then he solemnly wrote two large characters beside the drawing:
[Dual-Pupils]
Next, he added a lengthy annotation beside it:
"According to my speculation, this should be the ultimate mutation of a spiritual-type body martial soul. Although extremely powerful, without guidance from soul rings, it is highly prone to backlash.
If combined with my Tri-Unity Martial Soul Fusion Skill theory, it can certainly be developed to perfection."
After finishing the note, Yu Xiaogang carefully closed the thick leather notebook in his hands.
On the cover were several bold characters:
"Ten Core Competencies of the Perfect World."
"Hehe… perfect."
Yu Xiaogang gently stroked the cover, a look of extreme confidence appearing on his stiff old face.
"Although the system of that world seems strange, before my theories, it still follows the same fundamental principles!"
"When I show this to those students tomorrow, they'll surely worship me!"
"What immortal lord? What naturally born dual-pupils?"
"If they could receive even a bit of guidance from me, Yu Xiaogang, their achievements might go even further."
However, just as he was about to stand up and practice a few impressive teaching poses in front of the mirror—
Boom!
The golden light suddenly pierced through the roof and enveloped him, along with the notebook in his hands.
"Hm?!"
Yu Xiaogang froze.
His first instinct was to crouch down and shout, "Erlong, save me!"
But when he saw the familiar golden light and heard the notification echoing in his mind—
[Selected]
His cloudy little eyes instantly widened.
"I've been chosen?!?"
"I've been chosen?!?"
"Hahahaha! Heaven has eyes! Heaven truly has eyes!"
The next moment, Yu Xiaogang shot to his feet and clutched the notebook titled Core Competencies of Perfect World tightly to his chest, trembling with excitement.
"I knew a master like me could never remain buried!"
"The Sky Screen must have sensed my wisdom… sensed my profound understanding of the essence of that world's power!"
"Wonderful! Since I've been given this opportunity, I'll personally go to that world and conquer those so-called Immortal Kings and prodigies with my theories!"
"Just wait!"
"The era of invincible theory-based cultivation… is about to arrive!"
And so, amidst bursts of manic laughter, Yu Xiaogang soon turned into a streak of light and disappeared.
Leaving behind only an empty room and the flickering oil lamp on the corner of the desk…
---
Meanwhile,
Thousands of miles away, inside the imperial hall of the Star Luo Empire, the atmosphere was so oppressive it felt as though water could be wrung from the air.
Dark clouds pressed against the city outside the windows, while candle flames flickered within the hall.
Dai Tianfeng, the Star Luo Emperor, sat upon the dragon throne.
But at this moment, none of his usual imperial dignity remained.
His face was ashen, veins bulging across his forehead, and the hand gripping the imperial brush trembled violently.
Below the throne—
The head of the Zhu family stood proudly with several family elders behind him, hands clasped behind their backs.
Their backs were perfectly straight.
They even looked at the emperor with the corners of their eyes, their expressions full of disdain.
Where did they resemble loyal subjects?
They looked more like powerful ministers forcing the emperor to abdicate.
"Your Majesty, please sign."
Seeing that Dai Tianfeng still had not moved the brush, the Zhu family head calmly urged him.
"This is for the good of both the Dai and Zhu families."
"Zhuqing is now a member of the Primordial Immortal Court. Her future is limitless."
"As for your prince…"
"Forgive my bluntness, but he is no longer worthy of Zhuqing."
"If this engagement is not annulled, when Zhuqing returns, it will only make things awkward for everyone."
"You…"
Hearing this naked threat, Dai Tianfeng gritted his teeth and stared at the prepared decree in front of him.
Edict of Annulment.
Humiliation.
This was the greatest humiliation since the founding of the Star Luo royal family.
Since ancient times, it had always been the imperial family dismissing a marriage.
When had there ever been a case where a subject forced the emperor to annul one?
But did he dare refuse?
Looking at Zhu Zhuqing on the Sky Screen, who was already preparing to explore the outer region of an Immortal King's Cave, Dai Tianfeng felt a deep sense of helplessness.
That was the Primordial Immortal Court…
Let alone the Star Luo Empire.
Even the entire Douluo Continent combined probably could not contend with it.
"…Fine. I… will sign."
With that thought, Dai Tianfeng slowly closed his eyes.
He took a deep breath and raised the imperial brush with trembling hands, preparing to write.
But just as the brush tip was about to touch the decree—
The light screen in the sky suddenly trembled, bursting with brilliant golden light.
Then the words appeared before everyone's eyes:
[Replacement Explorer: Dai Mubai!]
Clatter!
The imperial brush instantly slipped from Dai Tianfeng's hand and fell to the floor with a crisp sound.
Yet he did not pick it up.
Instead—
He suddenly stood up from the dragon throne.
A long-lost imperial aura erupted from him and swept across the entire hall.
"Hahahaha! Good! Excellent!"
Dai Tianfeng pointed proudly at the Sky Screen, laughing loudly.
"Minister Zhu!"
"It seems this decree… cannot be signed after all!"
End of Chapter