Chapter 177 Yan Shaozhe: Fan Yu is gone? Don't worry! She's just going home normally!
The warm chamber of the Heavenly Soul Empire's Imperial Palace.
Emperor Tianhun stood with his hands behind his back by the window, clutching a secret report that had just been sent back by his undercover agents.
The sunlight outside the window shone on the glazed tiles, reflecting a dazzling golden light, just like his radiant mood at that moment.
"Well done, Fan Yu! What a pure and innocent heart!"
The emperor couldn't help but let out a soft praise.
The secret report clearly recorded that after receiving the phone call that "his hometown is in danger," Fan Yu, the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department of Shrek Academy, left Shrek City overnight without any hesitation and rushed alone towards the Heavenly Soul Imperial City.
This efficiency demonstrates that the "national righteousness" piece precisely struck Fan Yu's weak point.
He turned around and instructed the attendant waiting below him, "Immediately send someone to Qingfeng Garden to tell Liu Yuan this news. Tell him that the first big fish in his net has taken the bait. I think he has been living comfortably these days, but his mind is probably still on this matter. Let him be happy too."
The attendant left to carry out the order, and Emperor Tianhun sat back on his dragon throne, his fingers lightly tapping the table.
He could already foresee how spectacular the shock and struggle would be when Fan Yu stepped into the imperial city and saw those level-nine documents that were enough to drive any soul master mad.
And all of this was done by that boy.
...
Inside Qingfeng Garden, Liu Yuan was sitting in the pavilion, resting with his eyes closed. In his sea of consciousness, he could vaguely sense that Electrolux was guiding Xue Di's essence to make minor adjustments.
When the attendant brought the news that "Fan Yu is on his way home," Liu Yuan slowly opened his three pupils.
There wasn't much surprise in those purple-gold eyes; rather, there was a calm and cold acceptance of a plan coming to fruition.
"As expected, he's still the same old Fan Yu."
A playful smile appeared on Liu Yuan's lips. He stood up and nodded slightly to the attendant: "Please thank His Majesty on my behalf. Now that the fish has taken the bait, the rest of the show will depend on whether the 'bait' we've prepared is heavy enough."
After the attendant withdrew, Vina walked in from the corridor and overheard the conversation. She looked at Liu Yuan and asked curiously, "You don't seem worried at all that he might turn back halfway?"
"He won't." Liu Yuan looked at the koi swimming in the pond, his tone firm. "Fan Yu is a man with an extremely strong sense of responsibility. If he believes the country is in trouble, he will never stand idly by. And when he truly steps into this imperial city, he will discover that here he not only has the responsibility of a viscount, but also the 'truth' that he, as a soul master, cannot refuse even after a lifetime of effort. From the moment he sees those level-nine core magic arrays, Shrek Academy's allure for him will begin to crumble."
Liu Yuan turned his head and looked in the direction of Shrek Academy, a deep glint in his eyes: "I really look forward to seeing how Yan Shaozhe and Xuanzi's faces will twist when they discover that their proud pillar of the Soul Guidance Department has returned to the Heavenly Soul Empire with all the secrets. Shrek, this time I will show you what true 'cutting off the fuel supply' really means."
...
Meanwhile, thousands of miles away at Shrek Academy.
In the side hall of the Sea God Pavilion, Yan Shaozhe was hunched over a huge desk, with a mountain of official documents piled up in front of him that almost overwhelmed him.
Since Elder Mu passed away and Xuanzi went into seclusion to break through to the level 99 Limit Douluo, almost all the affairs of Shrek Academy, big and small, have fallen on his shoulders as the dean of the Martial Soul Department.
In addition, after the attack on Mingdetang, the situation on the mainland was turbulent, with spies and diplomatic notes from various countries coming one after another, keeping him extremely busy and not even having time to drink a cup of tea.
"Dean, this is the latest logistics report. Please take a look." A staff member carefully handed over a document.
Yan Shaozhe rubbed his aching temples, his voice tinged with undisguised exhaustion: "Let's leave it there for now. By the way, how's Elder Xuan's situation? Is his breathing stable?"
The staff member replied in a low voice, "The disciple guarding the pavilion reports that everything is normal in Elder Xuan's secluded chamber. The energy fluctuations of the Golden Tree are extremely intense, suggesting that Elder Xuan is at a critical stage of his breakthrough and should not be disturbed."
Yan Shaozhe sighed, a hint of worry and anticipation flashing in his eyes: "We can only wait silently. As long as Elder Xuan can take that step, the pressure on Shrek Academy will be greatly reduced. What about Huo Yuhao? Is his situation at the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy stable?"
"Huo Yuhao is doing well, and we receive brief safety reports every three days." The staff member paused, as if remembering something, and added, "However, there's a small matter at the Soul Guidance Department recently. A few nights ago, Vice Dean Fan Yu suddenly left the academy in a hurry. It's said that he received a phone call from his hometown, the Heavenly Soul Empire. He left in such a rush that he didn't even have time to tell Vice Dean Xian Lin'er in person, only leaving a note saying that he was going back to deal with urgent family matters, and he hasn't returned yet."
Yan Shaozhe paused slightly as he was flipping through official documents, but then continued flipping through them as if nothing had happened.
He gave a nonchalant smile and said in a relaxed tone, "Fan Yu, he's originally from the Heavenly Soul Empire. It's normal for him to go back home to check on things if there's an emergency. The Soul Guidance Department's projects are tight these days, but they won't stop operating without him. He's dedicated himself to the academy all these years, rarely even having time to visit his family. Let him be."
The staff member hesitated for a moment, then asked in a low voice, "But Dean, he left in such a hurry, and there's been no new news since. Should we send someone to Tianhun to inquire?"
Yan Shaozhe chuckled, put down his pen, looked up at the staff, and his eyes revealed a deep-seated sense of superiority and absolute confidence in Shrek Academy.
"Ask what? Ask when he'll be back?" Yan Shaozhe shook his head and said with certainty, "He grew up in Shrek Academy. He has his lover, his career, and the highest reputation in the entire continent here. Are you worried that he will betray Shrek Academy? Don't be ridiculous."
Yan Shaozhe picked up the now-cold tea and took a sip, then continued, "Shrek Academy is a sacred place in the hearts of all Soul Masters and Soul Masters. Fan Yu is a smart man; he knows better than anyone that without Shrek, he is nothing. What can he get in the Heavenly Soul Empire? A pile of scrap metal? So, he must have gone to take care of some trivial matters at home. He'll naturally come back obediently once he's done. You don't need to report these kinds of small things to me in the future; it's a waste of time."
In Yan Shaozhe's subconscious, Shrek Academy's reputation was omnipotent. He never imagined that anyone in this world could offer a price that an eighth-level Soul Master couldn't refuse. He also couldn't believe that the Heavenly Soul Empire, which they considered a gathering place for "mediocre people," was currently spreading a massive net.
"Go ahead and get busy. Keep a close eye on the movements of the Sun Moon Empire."
(End of chapter)