Chapter 126: Refusal

Facing the expectant gazes of Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhilin, the masked Ning Feiliu shook his head.

"I apologize, but I currently have no intention of joining any academy," he said in a low voice.

"Why? Could it be that you are worried the academy's curriculum will hinder your personal cultivation?" Hearing his words, Bai Baoshan, who was beside Meng Shenji, asked with sudden anxiety.

Bai Baoshan's physique was the exact opposite of Meng Shenji's; he was not tall but extremely fat, a standard four feet in height and four feet in waist circumference.

His saying this also made Meng Shenji and Zhilin realize that Ning Feiliu participating in the Spirit Fighting Battles at the Heaven Dou Great Spirit Arena was likely his personal cultivation plan.

In fact, Meng Shenji and the others did not oppose the students of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy participating in Spirit Fighting Battles for experience.

However, unlike the rule at Shrek Academy where one must participate in Spirit Fighting Battles and cannot graduate without obtaining a Silver Soul Badge, Heaven Dou Imperial Academy students had no such rigid requirements.

It was entirely up to personal preference.

Could it be that Ning Feiliu now felt that joining Heaven Dou Imperial Academy and attending the daily academy courses would hinder his personal cultivation?

"You can rest assured about that. At our Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, the students have a high degree of freedom, especially Tiandou Grade students; there are basically no restrictions," Zhilin said hurriedly.

Students at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy were divided into three levels: newly enrolled students and those with strength below level 25 were one level, called Tianwei Grade; those between level 25 and 30 were another level, Tianzhi Grade; and those above level 30 entered the highest, Tiandou Grade.

Tianwei Grade students were required to attend various courses arranged by the academy.

This was for the students' own good; after all, when their strength was insufficient, studying more courses, including practical combat classes, was highly beneficial to them.

Tianzhi Grade students already possessed a certain level of strength, so their courses were not entirely arranged by the academy.

Instead, they had some free time, some practical combat exams, and some theoretical exams.

Ye Lingling, for instance, was a Tianzhi Grade student, and Ning Feiliu could see that she was indeed relatively free, able to run over to Ning Feiliu's clinic every day to help.

As for Tiandou Grade students, they were truly highly autonomous students who only held the title of student and enjoyed the resources of Heaven Dou Imperial Academy.

If you were willing, like the Huangdou Team in the original story, having a teacher lead a team to train thousands of miles away was no problem at all.

And with Ning Feiliu's current cultivation, joining Heaven Dou Imperial Academy would make him a Tiandou Grade student.

He could even choose not to go to Heaven Dou Imperial Academy at all.

The most crucial point was that Meng Shenji and the others hoped he could represent Heaven Dou Imperial Academy in the Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament in the future.

They had even planned it out: that year's Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Team would gather the future Sect Master of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Sect, Yu Tianheng, Poison Douluo Dugu Bo's granddaughter Dugu Yan, and his prized disciple Yafei.

The Auxiliary System Soul Master would be the Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master Ye Lingling, paired with the two top-tier defensive martial soul Soul Masters Shi Mo and Shi Mo, along with the Agility Attack System Battle Soul Master Yufeng, who dominated the skies.

This lineup... it might even be able to put up a fight against the Spirit Hall Team!

Especially since Dugu Yan was already a Soul Ancestor; even if she wasn't a Soul King in seven years, she would be infinitely close to one!

Ning Feiliu and Yu Tianheng would be even stronger in seven years, especially given the power of their martial souls.

At the very least, in the perception of Meng Shenji and the three, even if they were all at the Soul Ancestor level, Ning Feiliu, with his Crescent Moon Divine Weapon, and Yu Tianheng, with his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, possessed strength far exceeding the captain and vice-captain of this year's Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Team, Carlisle and Shuang Lan.

Plus, the uniqueness of Ning Feiliu's martial soul allowed him to be used simultaneously as an Agility Attack, Assault, and Control System Spirit Master.

Thinking about this team made it even stronger.

Therefore, for the sake of the future, Meng Shenji and the three decided that even if Ning Feiliu didn't attend a single class, they had to invite him into Heaven Dou Imperial Academy!

"Three seniors, that is not the reason," Ning Feiliu chuckled and said, "I also know that if I join Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, I might enjoy a very high degree of freedom."

"So, that is not the reason why I refuse to join Heaven Dou Imperial Academy."

"Then what is it?" Meng Shenji asked, frowning.

"I know what you seniors are thinking; it is nothing more than hoping I can represent the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy Team in the Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament," Ning Feiliu said calmly. "But that is precisely why I cannot join Heaven Dou Imperial Academy... I have no interest in participating in the Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."

"Ah? Why?" Once these words were spoken, everyone present—let alone Meng Shenji, Bai Baoshan, and Zhilin—even Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan were somewhat stunned.

"Hmm, there are personal reasons. In short, I am someone who cannot reveal my true self," Ning Feiliu shrugged and said.

Dugu Bo and Dugu Yan immediately thought of Ning Feiliu's actions in hiding his identity.

Dugu Bo sighed; it seemed Ning Feiliu truly had no intention of revealing his real identity.

He frowned; Ning Fengzhi appeared to be slick and charming, making people feel like they were bathed in a spring breeze, yet he had caused his own son to be so distant...

It seemed Ning Fengzhi was not a true wise man.

In fact, this was indeed the case; in the original story, Ning Fengzhi appeared very clever, as if he had everything under his control.

In reality, he was just a man of petty cleverness who failed to see the big picture for the sake of minor gains.

Otherwise, he wouldn't have spent most of his life working hard only to make wedding clothes for Tang San and the Tang Sect.

Meng Shenji and the three looked at the mask Ning Feiliu was wearing and frowned.

They also didn't know why Ning Feiliu wore a mask and acted so secretive, and at first, they didn't really care.

But now it seemed...

This disciple of the Poison Douluo, whose true face was unknown, likely had a complicated true identity.

But what kind of true identity would make him unwilling to expose himself even with Dugu Bo as his backing?

Thinking about it... was the power behind his true identity, or the people he had offended, even more powerful than Dugu Bo?

This made Meng Shenji and the three ponder for a long time.

More powerful than Dugu Bo—in this Douluo Continent, that would be nothing more than the Spirit Hall, the Upper Three Sects...

Or perhaps, barely, the two Imperial Royal Families.

Regardless, it seemed Ning Feiliu truly did not intend to participate in the Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament.

"Since that is the case... then we have disturbed you." Meng Shenji and the three were all somewhat disappointed, and after bidding farewell, they left.

After seeing them leave, Ning Feiliu smiled and took off his mask.

His eyes flickered; for him, participating in the Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament would inevitably expose his identity.

After all, he had learned that the Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament did not allow participants to hide their identities.

In other words, Ning Feiliu would have to compete with his true face.

(End of chapter)