"Kids, don"t cry." Elder Mu revealed a slight smile on his face. His cheeks also started to glow slightly. He appeared to be more energized at this point.
"Teacher." Huo Yuhao fell to his knees on the ground and couldn"t control his emotions anymore. He cried till he lost his voice.
w.a.n.g Dong also followed him before the rest of Shrek"s Seven Monsters did the same. They all looked very sorrowful. Even Bei Bei was sobbing pitifully. His cries even left the others in shock.
Yan Shaozhe and Cai Mei"er kneeled too. They started to tear up.
"Great great grandfather."
Great great grandfather? This was obviously a way of addressing a blood-related elder. Father, grandfather, great grandfather followed by great great grandfather! No one knew that Bei Bei and Elder Mu were related.
Elder Mu smiled as he looked at all them as they kneeled, "Silly kids, what"s there to cry about? I"ve already lived in this world for almost 200 years, and my lifespan has been longer than that of most humans. Isn"t it a joyous thing that I"ve lived for so long? I"ve spent almost my entire life in Shrek Academy. It"s been my greatest pride to watch batch after batch of kids like you mature. I feel younger as I bask in your youthful energy. I"m leaving today, but I hope to leave happily. I can rest in peace seeing the state of Shrek Academy and all of you."
Huo Yuhao cried even more as he heard Elder Mu"s words. He could clearly recall all the advice and guidance that Elder Mu had given to him in the past year. Elder Mu was like the benevolent elder compared to Teacher Fan Yu. He felt extremely warmed by Elder Mu. He didn"t disappoint Elder Mu either, as he managed to slowly a.s.similate Elder Mu"s self-created secret techniques. He also managed to fuse the Tang Sect"s Secret Techniques with his martial soul. He had developed a stable foundation to become a generational talent even though his soul power hadn"t increased significantly over the past year.
Elder Mu said, "I"m about to leave. Little Xuan, I"ve some instructions for you."
Elder Xuan rushed beside Elder Mu. His disheveled beard started to shake slightly because he was too emotional.
Elder Mu sighed, "Little Xuan, you"re not young either. Don"t be so emotional. I"m not leaving entirely yet! Even if I die, I"ll still protect Shrek forever. Listen up. Little Xuan will succeed my role as the Master of the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion when I leave. Everything will stay the same under him as it was with me."
"Yes." All the elders acknowledged his words respectfully.
Elder Xuan was a little anxious, "Elder Mu, I…"
Elder Mu waved him off and said, "Although you"re impulsive at times, your ability to see the bigger picture and your pa.s.sion towards Shrek makes you suitable for this role. No one is more suitable in the academy to succeed my role. You"ve also benefited greatly after following me for so many years. The only instruction that I have for you is that you need to learn how to ponder over things carefully and control your own emotions. Even Du Busi may not be able to beat you with your current abilities. After I leave, I don"t think he"ll dare to try anything if you"re in Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion."
A tiger"s aura remained even in the face of death. Elder Mu might be in his last stage of life, but his words were still very dominant and overpowering.
Elder Xuan was already choking on his tears, and couldn"t mutter any words. The rest of the elders also agreed with Elder Mu. Indeed, Elder Xuan was the next strongest after Elder Mu in Shrek Academy. It was fitting for him to succeed Elder Mu as the Master of the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion.
"Shaozhe, Mei"er, come over." Elder Mu said gently.
"Teacher." Yan Shaozhe and Cai Mei"er hurried two steps forward before kneeling down beside Elder Mu.
Elder Mu said deeply, "Shaozhe, I"m the most worried about you. You lack a sense of magnanimity. I"ll give you 10 years to change this. After 10 years, proceed to the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion first level for deep meditation. If you still can"t pa.s.s the test that I"ve set for you, you"ll resign from your dean"s position."
Yan Shaozhe shuddered, but didn"t dare to rebut. He replied respectfully, "Yes, Teacher."
"Mei"er." Elder Mu turned his gaze towards Cai Mei"er.
"Teacher." Cai Mei"er was the Martial Soul Department"s Vice-Dean. Her authority was considered quite great in Shrek Academy too. However, she was just like a little girl in front of Elder Mu.
Elder Mu was much gentler towards her, "You have contributed greatly to the academy over all these years. If Shaozhe can"t pa.s.s my test in 10 years" time, you shall enter the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion and succeed his role as the Dean. In addition, Lexuan will be promoted to the Martial Soul Department"s Vice-Dean and enter the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion after I pa.s.s on."
"Yes, Teacher. Don"t die…" Cai Mei"er leapt towards Elder Mu and started bawling.
Elder Mu caressed her head gently and said to Yan Shaozhe, "Shaozhe, I hope that you"ll understand why I"m so strict towards you. 10 years is not a short period of time. I hope that you can make good use of it. Do you understand?"
Yan Shaozhe seemed to have understood something, and looked deeply at Elder Mu. He suddenly rubbed the tears from his eyes and maintained a serious look on his face. He replied to Elder Mu seriously, "Teacher, I understand. I won"t disappoint you. Shrek won"t fall even after you leave."
Elder Mu finally smiled, "Good. It seems like you"ve finally understood. Bring Mei"er to one side. I don"t have much time left."
Elder Mu still had a lot of things to say before he pa.s.sed on.
Yan Shaozhe nodded his head slightly before looking deeply at Elder Mu. He lifted Cai Mei"er up and brought her to one side.
"Lin"er, Duoduo, come over."
Xian Lin"er and Qian Duoduo rushed to kneel beside Elder Mu. Xian Lin"er was crying just as much as Cai Mei"er, and couldn"t even speak now because of it.
Elder Mu sighed and said, "Lin"er, do you know what your greatest flaw is?"
Xian Lin"er sobbed while looking at Elder Mu.
Elder Mu said gently, "You are too emotional and direct. If you were a guy, I"d let you take Shaozhe"s position, and I"d be a.s.sured to hand over Shrek Academy"s greater responsibilities to you. But as a lady, your flaws are magnified. Your emotional attachments render you unable to improve yourself. Otherwise, your achievements would have superseded Shaozhe"s and you wouldn"t be stuck at the barrier to becoming a Transcendent Douluo. I"m a.s.sured in pa.s.sing on the reins of the Soul Tool Department to you and Duoduo. Both of you are sufficiently open-minded. The speed of the Soul Tool Department"s development will depend on the both of you. The future of soul masters is deeply tied to soul tools. I"m also unsure of how to walk this path, but I need the both of you to explore and discover it."
"After I leave, promote Fan Yu to the Soul Tool Department"s Vice-Dean. I hope that the Soul Tool Department will produce a Cla.s.s 9 soul engineer in 10 years" time. In 3 months, it"ll be the date that I set with the Hallmaster of the Ill.u.s.trious Virtue Hall. Fan Yu will lead the group. I believe that the Hallmaster of the Ill.u.s.trious Virtue Hall won"t try anything in the open. Let those that he sends over learn according to their abilities. Don"t create any barriers for them. Shrek Academy has always been very open. If they"re capable enough, they should be given the opportunity to learn. We cannot pull any tricks on them. I believe you and Shaozhe will handle this well."
Xian Lin"er only nodded repeatedly. Qian Duoduo supported her from one side and acknowledged Elder Mu"s words respectfully.
Elder Mu sighed and said, "This will be my last order as the Master of the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion."
All the elders stepped forward as they heard his words. They kneeled on one knee and Elder Mu"s voice resonated through the entire Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion, and even echoed in the Sea G.o.d"s Island.
"From today onwards, the Soul Tool Department must be developed at all costs, and the interactions between the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Tool Department must be strengthened. Due to the astronomical costs of running the Soul Tool Department, half of Shrek Academy"s profits from its estates in Shrek City will be diverted towards the Soul Tool Department. If the Soul Tool Department can produce a Cla.s.s 10 soul engineer one day, that person will succeed my role as Master of the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion."
"Yes——" The elders agreed respectfully.
Elder Mu looked tired after he finished speaking. He shut his eyes slightly before opening them again.
"Bei Bei, He Caitou, Xu Sans.h.i.+, Jiang Nannan, Xiao Xiao, Huo Yuhao and w.a.n.g Dong. The seven of you, stand up."
The seven of them stood up, all with tears in their eyes. Huo Yuhao"s face even had turned pale from his sorrow. He only managed to stand straight with w.a.n.g Dong"s help.
Elder Mu scanned the seven of them, before his attention was drawn to Xu Sans.h.i.+, "Xu Sans.h.i.+, Jiang Nannan, I have a request."
"What?" Elder Mu"s words shocked everyone. It didn"t seem very appropriate for Elder Mu to mention the word "request" with his current status. Furthermore, he was even saying it before he pa.s.sed on. Xu Sans.h.i.+ and Jiang Nannan felt the great pressure. They both kneeled on the ground.
Xu Sans.h.i.+"s voice was trembling a little, "Elder Mu, feel free to instruct us. If we can manage, we"ll do anything to fulfil your request."
Elder Mu sighed and said, "This is a personal request. I hope that the two of you can join the Tang Sect like the 5 of them."
"Join the Tang Sect?" Xu Sans.h.i.+ was a little stunned as he lifted his head. He hadn"t expected Elder Mu to make such a request.
Elder Mu replied, "Tens of thousands of years ago, the Tang Sect was still very prosperous. Without Ancestor Tang San"s Tang Sect, we wouldn"t have had these past thousands of years of Shrek"s glory."