Chapter 16: The Reason
"Since I inherited the legacy of my predecessors and took over as sect leader, I have never stopped for even a moment."
"Heaven rewards those who persevere, and with the help of my years of learning and the assistance of my three revered servants..."
"The overall strength of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School has reached its peak in four thousand years under my leadership."
As he spoke, Ning Hao's lips curled into a slightly smug smile.
He was clearly very satisfied with his abilities and achievements.
But the smile was fleeting.
The somber atmosphere that replaced it was something even Ning Huan could easily see, indicating that his triumphant life had probably not ended well.
Sure enough, what he heard next answered all his doubts.
"Now that the sect's strength has reached its peak, if we want to go further, we must expand outwards, and that's what I'm doing."
"Territory, property, disciples..."
"Any resource that is worth absorbing by the sect can be quickly acquired through planning and power."
"The price is a significant reduction in the number of ordinary forces surrounding the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School."
"Ultimately... it caught the attention of Shrek Academy."
As soon as he finished speaking, the faces of Feng Douluo and the other two suddenly darkened, and the temperature in the room immediately dropped significantly.
The sudden change in atmosphere meant there was no need to continue the conversation.
Ning Huan and Ning Tian knew that these three must have suffered a setback at the hands of Shrek Academy.
When Ning Hao noticed the knowing expressions on his younger relatives' and daughter's faces, a rare hint of helplessness flashed across his face.
The younger generation is so clever that sometimes it really makes those of us who are adults lose face.
"Sigh, it seems you guessed the ending."
"Back then, because I was young and impetuous and didn't know how to restrain myself, I eventually caused Shrek to... take a break."
"And the method they used was very simple..."
"To subdue others by force?"
Ning Huan's sudden remark left Ning Hao speechless.
However, it did effectively ease the increasingly oppressive atmosphere in the room.
At least Feng Douluo and the others came to their senses and suppressed the aura they had inadvertently released.
He wanted to laugh, but also felt a little frustrated.
"Ahem, Xiao Huan's choice of words... is really concise."
Ning Hao thought and thought but couldn't find a rebuttal, so he could only cough a few times to ease the awkwardness.
"At that time, the sect had reached an unprecedented level of prosperity."
"I believe I am only slightly inferior to the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School led by our ancestor Fengzhi back then."
"As a result, Shrek only sent one person to 'admonish' us, and all our years of hard work went down the drain."
"First, he defeated Uncle Jian and his two companions with a single punch, and then subtly pressured me to give up the 70% of my gains that I had just acquired."
"Later, he acted like a local thug, staying at the sect and eating and drinking to his heart's content, showing no sign of being a strong person at all."
Even now, when I recall what I saw and heard back then, I still feel a deep sense of resentment...
After he finished speaking, the dining hall fell silent; you could hear a pin drop.
Seeing the indignant expressions on Ning Hao and the other three's faces, Ning Huan finally understood this previously unrecorded past.
No wonder he always felt that the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School was strange.
He is clearly a leader with outstanding abilities, and he owns a huge sect with a super second-level title.
Furthermore, apart from the royal family and the Body Sect, there is basically no other force within the Heavenly Soul Empire that can rival it on its own.
Why are they still content to live in a remote corner?
The reason is actually here!
However, there was still one question he couldn't figure out.
Annexation between powers is quite normal on the mainland.
Even if the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School went a bit too far back then, it certainly wouldn't have warranted such a large-scale attack from Shrek Academy.
They actually sent out Xuanzi, the only level 98 Super Douluo in the entire Sea God Pavilion!
Their attitude was extremely bad!
Not only did they come straight to the sect and defeat top-tier fighters, but they also emptied the sect's food budget...
Oh, the latter part seems like something Xuanzi would do.
Not surprising~
Shrek shouldn't be so domineering!
Thinking of this, Ning Huan quickly looked up at Ning Hao.
Just as he was about to ask, he saw the latter shake his head bitterly and remain silent.
Then he pointed to himself with his right hand, and then pointed three times towards the sky.
Silence speaks louder than words.
Now Ning Huan finally understood the reason.
The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School and Shrek Academy have one thing in common!
Putting everything else aside, as forces that have both emerged from the divine realm, the two are themselves a kind of symbol.
Even with such a vast difference in strength, certain aspects will inevitably lead some people to have ulterior motives.
Take, for example, those old guys in the Sea God Pavilion who value honor above all else.
Putting themselves in their shoes, if a wise and intelligent leader suddenly emerged from the distant relatives' forces, Ning Huan would likely also take action to suppress them.
Not for any other reason than to prevent him from taking away the benefits that belong exclusively to him.
That's only human nature.
'I really feel sorry for my brother's hardships, but I'm also worried about him driving a Range Rover...'
Ning Huan smacked his lips, thinking to himself.
Suddenly, as if he had just thought of something, he subconsciously shifted his gaze to Ning Tian.
The girl felt uncomfortable sitting there, thinking that something was wrong with her makeup.
'No wonder...'
'Those who play power games have dirty hearts.'
Ning Huan had found it somewhat strange when he read the original novel.
Why did Ning Tian, as the designated successor of the Nine Treasures, go to Shrek Academy to study and eventually become a member of the inner academy?
Unlike the two from the Baihu family who needed to compete for the title, she was not like them.
If one were to gather resources from one sect to train a single individual, coupled with the accumulated resources of the Nine Treasures Glazed Pagoda over millennia...
Between the two, staying in the sect to cultivate is clearly more reliable.
The twelve-year-old Soul Master is the best proof.
The book originally stated that it was there to recruit geniuses, but upon reflection, that was only one aspect.
More importantly, they were using Ning Tian as a pledge of allegiance in exchange for the opportunity for further development of the sect.
Seeing Ning Huan's actions, Ning Hao's originally gloomy face finally showed a little relief.
"It seems you've already guessed my previous plan."
"Before?"
Ning Huan looked puzzled.
"Of course, if it weren't for the circumstances, who would be willing to wrong their own daughter?"
"So, because of me, Uncle Ning, you have more choices?"
"Well, as your father, I should thank you for your help."
"Then I feel a little ashamed, I guess I just stumbled upon this by accident."
The conversation between the uncle and nephew left the others completely bewildered.
Especially Ning Tian.
As the person involved, she knew it was related to her, but because she was young, she couldn't understand the key points.
Only the quick-witted Wind Douluo grasped the general idea, and then remained silent.
There's no other reason than that, judging from what they said, their so-called plan is most likely stillborn.
Then there's no need to create trouble for yourself.
Meanwhile, their conversation continued.
"However, there is still a problem that needs to be addressed."
"I am all ears."
Ning Huan certainly knew where the problem Ning Hao was referring to lay.
After all, the public attention he drew was intentional.
It was a gamble he left for himself.
Winning would indirectly force Ning Hao to make up his mind to go down the same path with him to the bitter end.
Losing simply meant secretly escaping the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School and spending a period of hardship and destitution on the mainland.
But in hindsight, he won his gamble.
[end of the chapter]