Soul Land 5: The Rebirth of Tang San

Chapter 263: Redemption Academy Is Closed Off

Du Bai glanced at Tang San and whispered, "Little Tang, you look pale. Did something happen? Were you frightened by yesterday’s great battle? I looked for you then, but you weren't in your room. Where were you?"

Tang San shook his head. "It's nothing, I’m just feeling tired. I was at Kali Academy when it started, so it wasn’t that bad."

Du Bai said with a longing look, "It was amazing, really amazing. Can demons be so powerful? And does that mean the Demonic God Transformation could also be that powerful? That’s the level I’m aiming for!"

Tang San gave him a side glance and said, "Don't get ahead of yourself. Let's talk after you reach the seventh order."

Du Bai excitedly said, "You have no idea how powerful I am now. You know I’ve been practicing influencing luck in a small area, right? Well, not only can I enhance my own luck more, but I can also bring more misfortune to others. Hehehe. It’s gonna be super useful when I want to prank someone!"

Hearing his bragging, Tang San felt an urge to facepalm.

If the Celestial Fox Demon Emperor knew you were using the Celestial Fox Vision to prank people, I wonder if he’d smack you to death. No... he would definitely smack you to death.

Tang San naturally knew the effects of the fifth-order Celestial Fox Vision better than Du Bai himself, having experimented with it more than Du Bai had. Moreover, he had already used it to kill the Leopard Flash King.

After everyone finished cultivating their Purple Demon Eyes, they went to get breakfast, and as they ate, they received a notice from their teachers. All academy students were to gather for a meeting.

After the meal, when Tang San and the others arrived in the outer courtyard, they found most people, including the mayor, Si Ru, Guan Longjiang, Mu Enqing, and Mu Yunyu, already gathered there.

The five teachers stood in a row, each with a serious expression on their face.

Zhang Haoxuan's gaze swept across all the students' faces, eventually pausing on Tang San. Seeing Tang San's slightly pale complexion, he couldn't help but frown, but right now, he had other priorities.

Soon, all the students had assembled.

Zhang Haoxuan took the initiative to speak, and his tone was grave. "Everyone must have seen the battle over Kali City yesterday. As far as we know, it was a confrontation between a newly ascended Demon Emperor from the Ancestral Court and the Peacock Demon clan. In the end, both sides suffered losses, and the Great Peacock Demon King was likely more seriously injured. This has led to instability in Kali City's political situation. No one is allowed to enter Kali City to avoid getting involved. This ban is provisionally set for three months. Everyone should stay within the academy to focus on their cultivation. All external practical training is temporarily canceled. We will clarify the situation as soon as possible."

He paused for a moment.

"The Redemption Society was established for the rise of humanity, and you all saw the battle yesterday. It was a fight at the pinnacle of this world. The Crystal Phoenix Demon Emperor is just a newly ascended Demon Emperor, the weakest in their ranks. Yet, even his level is still far, far out of our reach. Each of us is still in the midst of a long and arduous journey. We all must put in even more effort if we are to one day stand a chance against them, to fight for a glimmer of hope for humanity. Think of your past, think of our fellow humans, and then look at these powerful enemies. What excuse do we have not to try harder?"

The students all remained silent. They had all seen the battle yesterday clearly. Beyond the intense shock, there was a profound sense of dread. That apocalyptic scene had been caused by just two demons. Forget about the students and Redemption Academy, even Kali City itself had nearly gotten destroyed because of their clash. Compared to such world-destroying power, what was their strength worth?

The impact on Tang San's team was especially significant. Recently, whether it was Wu Bingji, Gu Li, Cheng Zicheng, or Du Bai, their cultivation had improved greatly, which had naturally given birth to a bit of arrogance. But after witnessing yesterday's battle, any pride in their hearts was instantly flattened. Compared to such terrifying power, what were they really worth?

Zhang Haoxuan's gaze swept over each student's face once more, finally settling into calmness. He said in a deep voice, "That's all for now. We'll begin class shortly. Tang San, come with me."

"Yes," Tang San replied, and followed the swiftly departing Zhang Haoxuan.

It wasn't until then that the students relaxed, exchanging looks with heavy hearts.

Indeed, it wasn't just the students who felt a sense of oppression; the teachers felt it too.

In recent years, the Redemption Academy had developed smoothly, and the children had grown very quickly, especially Du Bai and Gu Li. Their powerful Demonic God Transformations had shown significant progress, giving them all hope.

However, the battle yesterday had left them feeling cold. Could such a vast gap truly be bridged, let alone surpassed? And even if humanity gave rise to such a being, they could not forget that the demon and nymph races had at least a full dozen of them!

Tang San silently followed Zhang Haoxuan all the way back to his residence in the academy's small town.

After closing the door, Zhang Haoxuan turned around, his gaze piercing as he looked at Tang San. "Where were you during the battle yesterday? I went to find you immediately, but you weren't there. Don't tell me you were at Kali Academy; I went there and even asked Old Mao, and you weren't there."

Tang San offered a wry smile, "I really was there at first. But then, Mei Sister was taken away by a Demon King from the Ancestral Court. I was worried about her, so I followed to check. Then, the battle erupted, and the overwhelming pressure immobilized me. I was trapped near the area between Kali City and the academy. It wasn't until the battle ended that I could run back."

Zhang Haoxuan, taking his word for it, said angrily, "Do you think you can just follow along in everything? That was a Demon King, a true god. Did you really think you could do something? Don’t be an idiot. Anyway, what happened to Mei Gongzi? Was she really taken away?"

Tang San replied, "I saw from a distance that she ambushed that Demon King from the Ancestral Court and then ran away. It looked like someone was there to meet her. The Demon King couldn't catch up with her."

Zhang Haoxuan breathed a sigh of relief, as if he had thought of something, and nodded. "That's good. Yesterday's battle was very sudden. Be careful in the coming days; the Ancestral Court might make another move." At this point, his voice softened. "Try to go out less. Stay and cultivate within the academy, and visit Kali Academy less often. I'll inquire about Mei Gongzi's situation and let you know if I hear anything."

Tang San nodded obediently. "Thank you, Master."

Zhang Haoxuan sighed softly, "To be honest, it’s not just the kids. Even I felt lost inside after witnessing yesterday's battle. It seemed like we could never find the end of the darkness. The gap is just too big, too vast."

Tang San said, "As long as the flame of hope still burns, there is a future. Humanity's greatest strength lies in creating miracles. Every bit of effort pushes humanity forward."

Zhang Haoxuan tilted his head in befuddlement as he looked at his pupil. Those words didn’t seem like something a child could say.

Tang San scratched his head. "Why are you looking at me like that?"

Zhang Haoxuan rolled his eyes. "Sometimes, it feels as if you’re someone my age."

Tang San almost rolled his eyes as well in response. Do you think it’s easy for me to act like a kid all the time?! I was tens of thousands of years old when your great-grandfather was born!

"What do you think about what happened yesterday?" Zhang Haoxuan asked.

Tang San replied, "A fight over resources, I suppose."

Zhang Haoxuan nodded. "According to what we know, the Crystal Phoenixes and the Peacock Demons appear to be sworn enemies. Their feud over the title of King of Birds has lasted for many years, and neither has managed to take the upper hand. In fact, it appears that the Peacock Demon clan's inability to produce a Demon Emperor is related to this quarrel. The Crystal Phoenixes also lacked one, but surprisingly, this generation has actually produced a Demon Emperor, and he was really quick to look for trouble with the Peacock Demon clan."