Chapter 281

Chapter 281: Rebuilding the Ancient Weapon Academy

Lou Yun had just burst out from underground when he nearly collided head-on with Xia Guanqiu and the others. They had seen Xiao Huo devour the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire, yet Lou Yun hadn’t appeared, making them worry that something had befallen him. They rushed over to check.

"Lou Yun, are you alright?" Xia Guanqiu asked with concern.

Lou Yun shook his head. "I’m fine. What about Tang Qianqiu and the others?"

"They left!"

"Left?"

"En!" Xia Guanqiu nodded. "Just moments ago, when your pet demon beast swallowed the Disaster Dou Beast in one bite, those few immediately fled. They must have realized the tide had turned; staying wouldn’t have yielded any benefits, so they escaped."

Lou Yun thought it made sense. Tang Qianqiu’s purpose in coming to the Ancient Weapon Academy was to capture the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire. Yet, even with all five of them joining forces, they were nearly burned to death by the flames it spat. Witnessing Xiao Huo devour the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire, on top of seeing Xiao Huo incinerate three evil weapons masters with three heavenly fireballs earlier, made them mistakenly assume Xiao Huo was incredibly powerful. Realizing they were no match, they fled immediately!

Xia Guanqiu quickly followed up, "Lou Yun, just what kind of demon beast is that Xiao Huo of yours? That such a fearsome Disaster Dou Beast was actually eaten by it!"

Naturally, Lou Yun couldn’t tell the full truth. He deliberately laughed. "You know the saying, ‘Everything has its conqueror’! Xiao Huo inherently loves to devour fire, and that Disaster Dou Beast relies solely on fire to attack. So, in front of Xiao Huo, its flames were utterly useless. Naturally, it could only surrender meekly!"

Xia Guanqiu and the others had no clue about the true identities of either the Disaster Dou Beast or Xiao Huo, so they didn’t doubt Lou Yun’s story. The world was vast and full of wonders; they each nodded accepting this explanation.

Looking down at the Ancient Weapon Academy below, which had been nearly reduced to ruins due to the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire’s awakening, a trace of sadness crossed Xia Guanqiu’s face. He sighed. "Well, since the Disaster Dou Beast has been eliminated, I suppose the Ancient Weapon Academy has fulfilled its purpose."

Lou Yun sensed the defeatism in Xia Guanqiu’s voice. Thinking quickly, he smiled and said, "Dean Xia, the Disaster Dou Beast is the Disaster Dou Beast, the Ancient Weapon Academy is the Ancient Weapon Academy. What connection do the two have? If Tang Qianqiu and that beast damaged our academy like this, naturally, we have to find a way to rebuild it urgently. Besides, isn’t the time for new students to enroll coming up soon? We certainly can’t disappoint them!"

Everyone present was intelligent; they immediately grasped Lou Yun’s implication and hastily chimed in. "Exactly! Dean, if you don’t rebuild the Ancient Weapon Academy, won’t that mean all of us lose our jobs? Where would we go?"

"Dean, rest assured! If we’re short-handed for rebuilding the academy, I can call some friends. We’ll all work together for this!"

Honestly, the moment he saw the Disaster Dou Beast devoured by Xiao Huo, a heavy stone had lifted from Xia Guanqiu’s heart, yet it was replaced by a profound sense of loss. From the moment he became Dean, he knew the true purpose behind the Ancient Weapon Academy’s existence. Now that the Disaster Dou Beast it was meant to suppress was gone, the academy seemed to have lost its very reason for existing. Yet, the thought of not having the Ancient Weapon Academy was something he couldn’t accept.

Now, the words from Lou Yun and the other teachers perfectly unraveled this knot in his heart.

After a brief silence, Xia Guanqiu suddenly laughed heartily. "You’re right! I see I’m growing foolish in my old age. Alright! Everyone go get some rest now. Starting tomorrow, we rebuild the Ancient Weapon Academy!"

"Good! Rebuild the Ancient Weapon Academy!"

Exchanging determined looks, they all burst into hearty laughter.

Although six teachers were gravely injured, losing their ability to fight during this battle, they ultimately weathered the crisis perfectly. After Lou Yun examined them, they had been injured by invading evil qi and, while severely compromised, were not in life-threatening danger.

While Tang Qianqiu and his group had escaped death, they certainly wouldn’t dare cause trouble at the Ancient Weapon Academy again anytime soon. This meant the academy could enjoy at least another period of peace and quiet.

Before the teachers dispersed to rest, Lou Yun first used Fusang Fire to refine away the evil qi from the bodies of the injured ones. Then, arranging a one-to-one care system, he had each recover through quiet meditation.

After all the teachers had left, Xia Guanqiu looked at Lou Yun. "Lou Yun, we truly must thank you this time. Without you, not only would the Ancient Weapon Academy be gone, but all of us would likely be dead now."

Lou Yun quickly waved his hands. "Dean Xia, there’s no need for such formalities with me. Protecting the Ancient Weapon Academy is simply what I ought to do."

"En!" Xia Guanqiu laughed heartily. "I won’t stand on ceremony with you! I’ve always considered you one of our own!"

The phrase "one of our own" carried a double meaning Lou Yun couldn’t miss, prompting a knowing chuckle.

Xia Guanqiu continued, "But you can’t leave now. I intend to shirk my duties for a few days during the rebuilding. This place will need someone to hold down the fort."

"Dean Xia, where are you going?" Lou Yun asked, startled.

"I have to go find some old friends for help. I always assumed the Ancient Weapon Academy’s formidable reputation and strength meant no one would dare cause trouble here. But now I truly understand reality isn’t like that. Just those ten evil weapons masters under Tang Qianqiu nearly annihilated us. So, I absolutely must find a few powerful friends to station here long-term."

The academy did have one absolute powerhouse – Old Man Feng. But Old Man Feng’s status was too lofty; Xia Guanqiu simply couldn’t command him. He came and went as he pleased. Relying entirely on him for the academy’s protection was impossible. Thus, Xia Guanqiu conceived this plan to seek out other powerful allies.

Lou Yun naturally supported this idea. He couldn’t permanently station himself at the academy either. Its defensive capabilities against formidable future enemies were indeed precarious. So, he nodded. "Alright, then I’ll stay and wait for your return here."

"En! Don’t worry, I should be back quickly, within fifteen days, a month at most."

After saying this, Xia Guanqiu turned to leave. But Lou Yun suddenly remembered the Dragon Suppression Plate and hastily called out, "Wait!"

"What else is there?"

No one else knew about the Dragon Suppression Plate or Nan Qu Xing. Lou Yun could easily have kept it for himself. But he wasn’t that kind of person. Nan Qu Xing was the revered founder of the Ancient Weapon Academy, and the plate had been placed within the academy to suppress the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire. Now that he had found it, he felt obligated to hand it over to Xia Guanqiu.

So, Lou Yun took out the Dragon Suppression Plate and recounted everything he encountered and learned beneath the earth, leaving out no details.

Xia Guanqiu listened while studying the plate. Once Lou Yun finished, he smiled slightly, pushing the plate back into Lou Yun’s hands. "Since you discovered it, that means you share fate with Senior Nan Qu Xing. Consider this his greeting present to you! Haha, you keep it!"

"But this…"

"No buts! Didn’t you just say it yourself? ‘I am also a member of the Ancient Weapon Academy’. Treasures left behind by Senior Nan naturally are also yours to possess. Besides, I think formations are indeed incredibly profound. I’m too old; I lack both the energy and inclination to delve into them. But you’re different. If you have the time, why not study it properly? Right, I’m off! Please take care of things here!"

This time, with no further farewell, Xia Guanqiu left head held high. Lou Yun was left standing alone, looking down at the Dragon Suppression Plate in his hand, deep in thought.

After flying some distance away, Xia Guanqiu turned back, looking at Lou Yun’s figure. He smiled faintly to himself. "Lou Yun… I hope you will become the next Dean of the Ancient Weapon Academy!"

Starting the very next day, the Ancient Weapon Academy bustled with activity for its reconstruction. Not only were all teachers summoned back, but most students also received the news and began rushing back to the academy from all over.

Nie Jiu, Xia Zhilan, and the others hadn’t wandered far; they had been anxiously waiting in Tianrang City, naturally. Lou Yun personally went to bring them back.

As days passed, more and more academy members returned. The rebuilding of the Ancient Weapon Academy gradually neared completion.

Throughout this period, Lou Yun poured all his energy into the reconstruction, meticulously ensuring each building was restored to its original position and layout.

On the twentieth day, Xia Guanqiu finally returned. Lou Yun saw him bearing a satisfied smile, clearly indicating a fruitful trip. Xia Guanqiu surveyed the academy, startled to see its exterior nearly seventy to eighty percent restored. He truly hadn’t expected full reconstruction to such an extent possible in a mere twenty days.

As the Dean, Xia Guanqiu knew and cherished the Ancient Weapon Academy more than anyone else. He thus personally took charge of supervising the remaining restoration work. As for Lou Yun, this finally offered him a chance to catch his breath and rest.

Though he said he would rest, Lou Yun didn’t simply fall asleep. He took out the Dragon Suppression Plate. Formations genuinely piqued his interest now. Something like the Dragon Suppression Plate, capable of forming a world-binding formation through inscribed characters, strong enough to restrain the Illusory Wolf Heavenly Fire, ignited an intensely strong curiosity within him.

His whole being had been dedicated to the academy’s rebuilding these past weeks, leaving him no time to study it. Now, he could finally calm his mind and delve into understanding the Dragon Suppression Plate seriously.

Holding the Dragon Suppression Plate, Lou Yun focused on the four small characters engraved at its very top… Formation Path Expansion Decision. He sank deep into thought.