Soul Land: Xiao Yan Reincarnates as Huo Yuhao

"Sect?" Xiao Yan frowned slightly. He had heard of sects before in the Duke's Mansion, knowing they held significant power in Douluo Continent, especially the older ones with extensive histories.

Tang Ya nodded earnestly, "Our sect is called the Tang Sect. It used to be the number one sect on the continent. If you join, you won't regret it. We have many unique techniques exclusive to the sect."

"You're all alone and still young. If you join the Tang Sect, we can watch each other's backs. It's much safer than you hunting spirit beasts alone."

Hearing this, Xiao Yan scratched his nose, murmuring to himself, "Tang Sect…"

"Have you heard of the Tang Sect before?" Bei Bei asked.

"Just a few legends." Xiao Yan replied without thinking.

When he was little, his mother, Huo Yun'er, had told him stories about the Tang Sect and its founder, Tang San. It was said that Tang San, thousands of years ago, had reshaped the entire Douluo Continent on his own, leading the Tang Sect to become the unrivaled sect of the era. In the end, Tang San had even transcended the highest level of spirit mastery and achieved godhood.

But now, after thousands of years, the Tang Sect had faded into obscurity.

"The Tang Sect was once illustrious. Where is its base now?" Xiao Yan asked, a question lingering in his mind.

Tang Ya's eyes reddened, and she replied with a hint of sorrow, "The Tang Sect's legacy was taken by villains. We no longer have a proper base. Right now, it's just me and Bei Bei left. That's right, I'm the current leader of the Tang Sect, and Bei Bei is my first disciple."

After Tang San left for the Divine Realm, the Tang Sect's heirs had stubbornly honored his Blue Silver Grass spirit by making it a requirement for all future leaders. However, as Xiao Yan knew, Tang San's spirit was actually a top-tier Blue Silver Emperor, not a simple Blue Silver Grass.

"Only two people left in the sect?" Xiao Yan looked at Tang Ya and Bei Bei in disbelief. The once-glorious Tang Sect, now dwindled to this state, was hard to comprehend. From Tang Ya and Bei Bei's interactions, he didn't even see a teacher-student dynamic.

Bei Bei coughed and said, "Xiao Yan, while there are only two of us now, we're committed to reviving the Tang Sect. If you join, we'll also provide you with training methods and unique techniques from the Tang Sect."

"Techniques?" Xiao Yan raised an eyebrow, intrigued.

Just then, Yao Lao's voice echoed in his mind, "Heh, their so-called techniques? I've already seen them in action against the spirit beasts. My assessment—worthless! On the Dou Qi Continent, they'd rank at the lowest tier."

Xiao Yan felt a cold sweat form as he nearly choked. He had almost been tricked. Even his face twitched slightly.

Seeing Xiao Yan's strange expression, Tang Ya stepped closer, patting him on the shoulder, and said, "Xiao Yan, are you feeling unwell? If you want to join the Tang Sect, we'll need to set a few ground rules. First, you'll need to take me as your master and become my second disciple. Second, if you ever betray the sect, neither Bei Bei nor I will let you go. And third—"

Before Tang Ya could finish, Xiao Yan raised his hand to stop her, shaking his head, "Sorry, I can't join the Tang Sect right now. I already have a teacher. I appreciate the offer, but if there's nothing else, let's part ways here."

After hearing her explanation, Xiao Yan felt more certain. Why would joining the Tang Sect mean risking one's life just to leave later? Could he simply return their techniques? Or did he have to pay double for his trouble? Joining a sect like that, especially when he already had Yao Lao as his master, was out of the question.

The Tang Sect techniques she mentioned—Mysterious Heaven Skill, Purple Demon Eyes, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, among others—might be intriguing to others, but to Yao Lao, they were mere child's play.

"Huh?" Tang Ya's face changed. Seeing that Xiao Yan had no intention of joining and was even preparing to leave, she quickly grabbed his hand, "Are you sure? Even if you already have a master, you can still join the Tang Sect without becoming my disciple. We're affiliated with Shrek Academy, which I'm sure you've heard of. Admission is strict, requiring a minimum of level fifteen spirit power before age twelve and a recommendation from a city lord. But Shrek Academy reserves one free slot for the Tang Sect each year. If you join us, you can have it."

"Shrek Academy?" Xiao Yan's eyes brightened slightly. He had heard of it before. Founded thousands of years ago, Shrek Academy's name meant "monster" in ancient language, and the legendary master himself had graduated from there.

Shrek Academy was built on the Great Plains and was itself a vast city, home to over two million people and governed independently. It was a major city in Douluo Continent, at the crossroads of three major empires, a hub for trade, and frequently hosted auctions.

Tang Ya continued, "The new semester at Shrek Academy will start soon. With just a ten-year spirit ring, it'd be nearly impossible for you to reach level fifteen by age twelve. But if you join the Tang Sect, you can attend the academy without an entrance exam."

"I do have one small request, though," Tang Ya added. "If you join, you'll be a member of the Tang Sect for life and must work for its honor. Should you ever want to leave, you'll need to return all of the Tang Sect's techniques."

Bei Bei added, "Joining a sect isn't a trivial matter. Even though the Tang Sect has declined, it was once the number one sect. If you regret it and betray us, Tang Ya and I won't let it go. Please think it through carefully."

Xiao Yan paused, puzzled. Why did a fallen sect with only two members have so many demands? Other than the Shrek Academy slot, it didn't offer much.

"Thank you for your offer," Xiao Yan replied calmly. "But I have my own goals and a heavy burden to bear. The Tang Sect's strength might not be enough to help me. As for Shrek Academy, I'll find my own way there if the time comes, earning my place without shortcuts. If fate allows, we may meet again."

After bowing respectfully, Xiao Yan turned and left without hesitation.

Seeing him walk away, Tang Ya tried to stop him, but Bei Bei held her back. Watching Xiao Yan's retreating figure, Bei Bei said quietly, "Let it go, Tang Ya. If he doesn't want to join, we shouldn't force him. You can't make someone join the Tang Sect just because you want them to. I sense he's been through a lot."

"I believe we'll meet him again if fate wills it."

Tang Ya huffed and glared at Bei Bei, "You didn't help convince him, Bei Bei, and now you're stopping me. If he leaves today, it'll be even harder to persuade him later."

Bei Bei sighed, "Tang Ya, he's clearly carrying something heavy on his shoulders, maybe vengeance like you. With the Tang Sect's current strength, could we really help him? Let's not make promises we can't keep. It'll only backfire."

"Fine, fine. Enough talking. Let's go back to Shrek Academy," Tang Ya grumbled, covering her ears in frustration.

If a butterfly flaps its wings, fate veers from its path, and history's wheel begins to turn differently. Different choices lead to different outcomes.

And no one wants to see Xiao Yan in this world shouting, "Winter Fist, Winter Sword, Winter Palm," only to be laughed at, right?

Thinking of it gives me enough secondhand embarrassment to cringe my toes right through the floor.

If there's anything a Bu

ddha Fury Lotus Flame can't solve, it's only because you need two of them.