“However, we have one dead and six heavily injured students this time. If I keep staying by their side, would another thing like this happen again? My martial soul has guaranteed that I’m not suited to be the vice-captain of the Shrek Guardians. I’ve already made my decision. Yao Haoxuan doesn’t even have a corpse I can bury. I feel very pained, let alone the fact that they’ll have to represent the school to take part in the Continental Advanced Soul Duelling Academy now. Now that a large mistake like this has occurred, the school’s honor as the number one academy in the continent may be destroyed. This responsibility can only be taken on by me.”
The Dean of the Soul Tool Department, Xian Lin’er, spoke up, “Elder Xua, please stay your mouth. Although your G.o.dly Taotie Bull requires you to eat things for long periods of time, this doesn’t affect your capabilities! Everyone can clearly see the contributions you’ve made to the academy during these years. We’re all sad for the death of an inner courtyard disciple, but we can’t stop eating for fear of choking. If you leave, that’ll be the academy’s greatest loss.”
Elder Xuan shook his head bitterly. “Were it not for the fact that we were lucky this time, Huo Yuhao would’ve died there. Were it not for the fact that his Spiritual Shock coincided with the backlash of that evil soul master when he was captured, the hope of the academy would’ve been ruined in my hands. With a mistake like this on my hands, how would I have the face to continue staying in the Sea G.o.d’s Pavilion? You don’t have to try and persuade me; I’ve already made my decision. Yao Haoxuan’s family has a relatively decent amount of influence, so I’m going to go take a trip to his clan and do my best to help dispel their sorrows. Everyone, I’m going to say goodbye here.”
With that, he turned around and walked towards the door.
“Come back.” A calm, yet imposing voice that contained a formless pressure rang out. These two words were spoken in a very calm manner, but they made Elder Xuan, who’d started walking, forcefully stop moving.
“Elder Mu, I truly do not have the face to remain anymore.” Elder Xuan had his back towards the others, his body trembling slightly. Only he knew just how much pain he was enduring in his heart.
“I’m allowing you to come back. Do you not hear me?” Elder Mu’s voice became serious.
Elder Xuan’s body trembled. Just how many years had it been since he’d last heard Elder Mu get emotional while speaking? Eighty? Or was it a hundred years?
Although he was extremely unwilling, he still turned back and sat back in his seat. Even the other people had subconsciously straightened their backs after sensing the anger in Elder Mu’s voice. They were all silent out of fear, not daring to utter a single word.
Among everyone seated within the hall, the most senior of the elders were Elder Xuan and Elder Lin. However, even they were slightly junior to Elder Mu. Elder Mu was the last disciple of Elder Xuan’s master, and also his youngest disciple. In other words, Elder Mu was actually Elder Xuan’s junior uncle-master. In terms of age, Elder Mu was only ten years older than Elder Xuan. However, the contributions he’d made towards the academy and his strength placed him as the true number one figure in Shrek Academy.
Elder Mu, who’d been reclining on his seat, slowly rose to his feet. His appearance could finally be seen clearly.
Elder Mu had a very ordinary appearance, and he wasn’t very tall either. He even gave off the feeling that he already had one foot in the grave. If Huo Yuhao and w.a.n.g Dong were here, they would definitely be stunned. This elder, who was able to make the determined Elder Xuan turn back with a just slightly angry tone of voice, and silence the upper echelons of Shrek Academy, was actually the old man who they always saw lying down outside their dormitories.
Right, he was the Elder Mu who’d shaken the entire continent before. He was now over two hundred and fifty years old, and he was t.i.tled as the Dragon G.o.d Douluo, Mu En. Two hundred years ago, his name had been famous throughout the continent. Now, perhaps everyone might’ve forgotten about him. Many people a.s.sumed that Shrek Academy’s strongest expert was the Taotie Douluo, Xuan Zi, but in reality, the Dragon G.o.d, Elder Mu, was undoubtedly the number one figure in the academy.
Who would’ve thought that the ordinary old man who looked like a security guard for the dormitories would actually be the true number one figure of Shrek Academy? Elder Mu stayed there every day, as he enjoyed watching the students from the outer courtyard, and the dynamism that they emanated.
Only this would help dilute the loneliness he felt in his heart.
Elder Mu revealed a rarely-seen chilliness in his gentle eyes and said in a low voice, “Why is a two hundred-year-old man like you still being so impatient? If everyone else had left the academy after making a mistake, our Shrek Academy would’ve closed down already. You’re indeed no longer suitable to be the vice-captain of the Shrek Guardians, so stay behind in the academy and help me teach a few students.”
Elder Xuan immediately became somewhat anxious, “Elder Mu, please let me go. I feel very pained, and I don’t even know how I’ll be able to face these kids anymore.”
“If you want to leave, fine.” Elder Mu said indifferently, “If you have the ability, go find a wife and marry her. Then, leave your bloodline of the G.o.dly Taotie Bull behind. If you can do that, I’ll let you go; if you can’t, stop talking. If you continue spewing bulls.h.i.+t, I’ll discipline you on behalf of my deceased senior brother.”
“I…”
The other elders who were partic.i.p.ating in the Sea G.o.d’s Pavilion’s conference revealed strange smiles as they listened to Elder Mu. Elder Lin, who sat opposite the two, directly laughed.
Humiliated, Elder Xuan said, “Lin Huiqun, what’re you laughing at?”
Elder Lin didn’t fear him in the least. She smiled slightly, “Naturally, I’m wondering whether you’ll even have the chance to pa.s.s down your bloodline anymore.”
“Hahahaha…” The other elders immediately laughed in unison. The four elders couldn’t help but laugh, and Xian Lin’er even covered her face with her hand.
Elder Xuan’s aged face immediately turned bright red, and his humiliation turned to anger as he slapped the table and yelled, “No laughing, no laughing!”
His outburst sounded serious, but the other elders seated around him laughed even louder than before; even Elder Mu revealed the trace of a smile on his face.
“Okay.” Elder Mu gently tapped the table with his hand, silencing the other elders. However, the strange looks in their eyes didn’t change in the least.
“Ever since the Guardians were established, every single student who joined was already prepared to make a sacrifice.” Elder Mu said indifferently, “This situation was special. Not only were we facing an evil soul master, we were even facing one who had the very rare ability to control corpses. The large number of ma.s.sacres he caused with the bandits were for the sake of obtaining more corpses so he could cultivate in the techniques belonging to his evil sect. The fact that you were able to eradicate him is already a good deed. I also feel very pained by Yao Haoxuan’s sacrifice, but the dead are already dead. Our Shrek Guardians, however, have to continue on. Your G.o.dly Taotie Bull makes you gluttonous, and you weren’t wrong in trusting Xiaotao and the rest. This tragedy can be even more of a reminder for us to be careful in the future. You followed them this time, but what would’ve happened if you hadn’t? Perhaps they would’ve suffered even greater losses. Also, will an elder always tag along in every mission the Guardians undertake? It’d be better for you to train even more and better Guardians rather than blame yourself. Lin’er.”
“Present.” Xian Lin’er hurriedly stood up and replied respectfully.
“I’m going to end this now.” Elder Mu said in a low voice, “After this conference ends, every single disciple from the inner courtyard will have to go over to you and have a set of custom-made flying-type and defense-type soul tools made. Anybody who dares to go against me will leave the college.” Xian Lin’er immediately revealed a delighted look on her face, “Yes.” However, Dean Yan Shaozhe furrowed his brows.
From the very beginning, the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Tool Department had been opposing parties, with the former possessing the absolute advantage. The inner courtyard disciples of the Martial Soul Department had also inherited its arrogance. Because of that, they had all chosen not to use soul tools; they believed that this would maintain the legacy of Shrek Academy. However, the decision Elder Mu made today would undoubtedly tell the Martial Soul Department that they would need the help of the Soul Tool Department.
“Teacher, don’t you need to consider this a bit more?” Yan Shaozhe asked probingly.
Elder Mu glared at him and said solemnly, “Do you want a few more deaths to change your mind? Even if this hadn’t happened, I would’ve organised a conference in Sea G.o.d’s Pavilion to talk about these important matters. Our generation keeps advancing, and soul tools were originally a creation of society’s advancement in the first place. An individual can be strong, but working with a soul tool can only improve one’s strength even further. If you keep sticking to your old-fas.h.i.+oned ways, you don’t have to be a Dean anymore. I’ve already made a decision. The inner courtyard of the Martial Soul Department will have to purchase the soul tools from the Soul Tool Department using its own funds, and you’re not allowed to drop behind in your payments.”
Seeing as Elder Mu was getting angry, Yan Shaozhe didn’t dare to refute him even if he was inwardly dissatisfied. Thus, he a.s.sented respectfully. On the other hand, Xian Lin’er had a victorious smile on her face.
The vice-Dean, Cai Mei’er, hurriedly tried to mediate the situation with Yan Shaozhe, “Elder Mu, then what shall we do about the Continental Advanced Academy Soul Duelling Tournament? The inner courtyard only has ten or so disciples now, and only two of them can qualify for it. However, they’re somewhat weaker. Shall we take the previously-eliminated student from the Soul Tool Department and send him along with those two students?”
Elder Xuan turned awkwardly and nodded, “If I fly them over, we should be able to make it in time.”
Elder Mu shook his head. “No. We don’t need to aid them any further. Let’s let them show off their skills.”
“Ah?” The various elders present were all astonished. Of which, one elder blurted out, “Elder Mu, this matter relates to the honor of the academy.”
Elder Mu laughed calmly, “Right! Honor. Haven’t you felt that we’ve been tied up by this ‘honor’ for the past few years? Losing isn’t scary; the truly scary thing is complacency. A few people have already a.s.sumed that the Martial Soul Department is unparalleled under the heavens, and it’s time for a wake-up call. During the past thirty years, we’ve been seeing new developments in the field of soul tools practically every day. However, what about the development of our Soul Tool Department? If we compare ourselves to the Sun Moon Empire, we’re not lacking by just a tiny bit. As society progresses, we have to continually improve our way of thinking. Even if we send extra help, would they definitely be better than those kids?”
Yan Shaozhe naturally understood that his teacher was referring to him. He couldn’t help but lower his head, and his aged face turned slightly red. If anybody else were to speak of the importance of soul tools, he could disapprove; however, the person speaking was the teacher who he respected most. He couldn’t just not pay attention to his words.
“Although our official team can’t partic.i.p.ate this time, you shouldn’t forget that our preparatory team this time is our academy’s strongest-ever. Since the Heavens have decided to give them some early practice, why don’t we help them succeed?”