Shrek Academy, Sea God Island, Sea God Pavilion.
Among the towering ancient trees and lush vegetation, countless small wooden houses stood. And within a delicate three-story wooden house atop the sky-reaching Golden Tree, a solemn and oppressive atmosphere currently hung heavy.
Yan Shaozhe's face was grim, his eyes stern. He scanned Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yaoheng, Ling Luochen, and Xixi in turn, then spoke in a deep voice: "Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yaoheng, Ling Luochen, Xixi, as official team members, your actions this time—carelessness, recklessness, and impulsiveness—ultimately led to the main team suffering heavy casualties and severe losses. The academy has decided to give each of you a major demerit. We hope you will engrave this painful lesson in your hearts!"
Hearing Yan Shaozhe's reprimand, Ling Luochen and the others lowered their heads in shame. Ma Xiaotao was no exception, meekly accepting the punishment. They understood in their hearts that although Xuan Zi's unauthorized absence was a factor, ultimately, it was their own arrogance and underestimation of that Evil Soul King that led to such a tragedy. Yao Haoxuan tragically sacrificed himself, and Gongyang Mo and Chen Zifeng suffered permanent disabilities. Each of them bore undeniable responsibility.
Huo Yuhao and the others stood trembling to the side. They knew the severe consequences of the official team members' mistakes but dared not speak rashly to plead on their behalf. They could only stand there silently, not even daring to breathe loudly.
Yan Shaozhe sighed softly, his gaze shifting to Gongyang Mo, who was in a wheelchair, and Chen Zifeng, who had a severed arm. His tone unconsciously softened, and a hint of regret appeared in his eyes: "Gongyang Mo, Chen Zifeng, the academy will do its utmost to create replacement soul tools for you." For soul masters, a physical disability was almost equivalent to severing the path to becoming a Titled Douluo. Gongyang Mo's martial soul already had flaws, so his situation was relatively better. As for Chen Zifeng, it was truly regrettable that he, with his outstanding talent, encountered such a misfortune. Although with the academy's abundant resources, they might be able to cultivate him into a Titled Douluo at any cost, doing so would not only make his combat power difficult to guarantee but also consume enormous resources, making it ultimately not worth the effort.
To put it bluntly, with Chen Zifeng and Gongyang Mo's current talent, they were far from reaching the level where Shrek Academy would pay such a high price to cultivate them. If their talent could rival Huo Yuhao's, Shrek Academy might not hesitate to use the incredibly precious life essence of the Golden Tree to help them achieve limb regeneration. But reality was cruel; this was clearly impossible. One must know that even when the Dragon God Douluo, Mu En, decided to use the Golden Tree's life essence for Huo Yuhao, he first had to convene a Sea God Pavilion meeting and gain the consent of most of the Sea God Pavilion members. After all, the extraordinary talent Huo Yuhao displayed was indeed worth such a decision from the academy. Compared to Huo Yuhao, the gap between Chen Zifeng and Gongyang Mo was simply too vast, far from enough for the academy to easily use the Golden Tree's life essence. The importance of the Golden Tree to Shrek Academy was self-evident; it was the foundation and lifeline of the academy. Unless absolutely necessary, the academy would never easily touch its life essence.
Gongyang Mo and Chen Zifeng naturally understood this principle. However, when they heard Yan Shaozhe say these words with their own ears, their last shred of hope was completely shattered. Both nodded sadly, their hearts filled with bitterness. After all, even if soul tool prosthetics could allow them to resume normal movement to some extent, how could they compare to their original, healthy limbs? As inner courtyard disciples, they had once cultivated under the nourishment of the Golden Tree. That vast and powerful life energy filled them with anticipation, hoping the academy could use the Golden Tree's power to repair their physical disabilities. But now, cruel reality had dealt them a heavy blow.
"Alright, you've all worked hard. Go back and rest for now. Remember, what was discussed in the Sea God Pavilion today must absolutely not be spread outside." Yan Shaozhe waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave.
"Yes!" Ma Xiaotao and the other official team members responded softly, then left the Sea God Pavilion one after another. Having represented the academy in this competition, they not only failed to gain honor and rewards but also received severe punishment. Everyone's mood was incredibly heavy.
Seeing the official team members punished so severely, Huo Yuhao and the other reserve team members were even more nervous, not daring to breathe. The atmosphere within the Sea God Pavilion became increasingly solemn and oppressive. Seeing this, Yan Shaozhe suddenly showed a gentle smile, breaking the stifling silence: "Huo Yuhao, Bei Bei, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, He Caitou, Jiang Nan'nan, Xu Sanshi, you seven stepped up at a crucial moment, taking the place of the official team members to participate in the competition. Although you ultimately didn't win the championship, the academy witnessed your hard work and dedication in the arena, and you deserve to be rewarded."
Hearing this, not only did Huo Yuhao and the others heave a sigh of relief, but even Wang Yan, as the leading teacher, secretly relaxed. The scene of Ma Xiaotao and the others being punished just now had truly startled him. He was afraid the academy would then disheartened the reserve members, affecting their sense of belonging to the academy.
Following this, Yan Shaozhe announced the rewards for Huo Yuhao and the seven, which included precious soul bones and other abundant resources. At the same time, Wang Yan, who had effectively led the team, also received a reward.
Just as Huo Yuhao and the others were still immersed in excitement, not yet fully recovered, an old voice slowly sounded: "Shao'zhe, have Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao stay and learn from me. Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi will learn from Xuan Zi. Jiang Nan'nan will learn from Cai Mei'er. As for He Caitou, he will be taught by Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo."
This sudden voice made Huo Yuhao and the others show surprise. Yan Shaozhe immediately responded respectfully: "Yes, Teacher!" Subsequently, Xuan Zi, Cai Mei'er, and Xian Lin'er appeared separately, taking Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nan'nan, and He Caitou with them. In a flash, only Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao remained in the Sea God Pavilion.
"You three, come with me." Yan Shaozhe smiled, beckoning to the three, then led them slowly to the top floor of the Sea God Pavilion.
"It's you?" Upon stepping onto the top floor and seeing the old man leisurely lying on a reclining chair, Huo Yuhao and the other two simultaneously gasped in surprise. This seemingly ordinary old man was actually the gatekeeper who usually lay at the entrance of the new student dormitory!
Huo Yuhao and the other two exchanged glances, never expecting that this kind old man they saw every day would turn out to be Dean Yan's teacher, and even the true authority of the Sea God Pavilion—the Dragon God Douluo, Mu En.
"Sigh, I'm old now. I just like to see you young people full of vigor," Mu En slowly opened his eyes, looking kindly at Huo Yuhao and the other two, a faint smile on his face. Immediately, he fixed his gaze on Huo Yuhao and said seriously: "Huo Yuhao, your talent is obvious to all. I don't care how many secrets you hide. I only hope your heart is with Shrek Academy. Are you willing to become my disciple? If you agree, I will do my utmost to help you repair your physical injuries."
Boom! Mu En's words were like a thunderbolt, striking Huo Yuhao hard. He had absolutely not expected that the Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion would personally offer to take him as a disciple, and even promise to help him repair his physical disability. One must know that just moments ago, inner courtyard elite disciples like Gongyang Mo and Chen Zifeng had not received such a promise from the academy, yet he was fortunate enough to get such a rare opportunity.
"Yuhao!" "Class leader!" Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao looked anxiously at Huo Yuhao, their eyes full of urging, reminding him not to miss this opportunity.
"Teacher!" Huo Yuhao instantly snapped back to reality, his eyes red with excitement. He knelt down without hesitation, respectfully kowtowing three times to Mu En, officially becoming Mu En's disciple. What a joke! Not to mention how powerful Mu En truly was, just the fact that he could be Dean Yan's teacher was enough to prove his unfathomable strength. Moreover, Mu En could also help him repair his physical disability. How could he refuse such a good thing?
In fact, after learning that Gongyang Mo and Chen Zifeng had no hope of limb regeneration with the academy's help, a hint of despair had also surged in Huo Yuhao's heart. After all, he himself suffered from a disability, having lost the most important thing for a man. Fortunately, the academy ultimately did not disappoint him. At this moment, his heart was filled with gratitude and joy.
"Good!" Mu En smiled with satisfaction. He had sensed from the beginning that Huo Yuhao harbored many secrets, but he didn't care. In his opinion, as long as Huo Yuhao could wholeheartedly consider Shrek Academy, that was enough. And taking Huo Yuhao as a disciple, helping him repair his disability, was to make Huo Yuhao feel a stronger sense of belonging to Shrek Academy. With Huo Yuhao, even if he died and Xuan Zi couldn't hold on, as long as Huo Yuhao was alive, Shrek Academy would still have hope.
Yan Shaozhe, standing to the side, slightly frowned. He actually opposed Mu En's decision internally. After all, Huo Yuhao had too many secrets, which made him feel vaguely uneasy. However, Mu En held absolute authority in the Sea God Pavilion and even throughout Shrek Academy. He could not sway Mu En's decision and could only silently accept it.
Having successfully taken Huo Yuhao as a disciple, Mu En's goal was achieved, and he felt immensely pleased. With a smile, he slowly turned his gaze to Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao. These two children were also rare talents. Both possessed twin martial souls and extraordinary talent. Given time and careful cultivation, they would undoubtedly become pillars supporting Shrek Academy.
However, in this peaceful and joyful atmosphere, Mu En's brows suddenly furrowed, his gaze directed far into the distance.
"Xuan Zi, get out here for this old man!"
A powerfully resonant voice suddenly boomed, like a clap of thunder on a clear day, reverberating throughout Shrek Academy. This voice echoed almost unmistakably in the ears of every student and teacher, its widespread reach demonstrating the unfathomable cultivation of the speaker. At the same time, a terrifying pressure swept over, instantly enveloping the entire Shrek Academy. This pressure was incredibly strong, making the lower-cultivation students gasp for breath, their faces showing fright. Fortunately, Shrek Academy had deep foundations, and many experienced teachers reacted quickly, promptly calming the panicked students and stabilizing the situation, thus preventing any chaos.
"This is...? Such a powerful aura, Teacher, I'll go see!" Yan Shaozhe's face instantly grew solemn, a hint of vigilance flashing in his eyes. He dared not delay, his figure flickering. He instantly transformed into a dazzling golden light, rushing out of the Sea God Pavilion and speeding towards the source of the aura.
"Sigh! A time of trouble," Mu En sighed softly, his eyebrows slightly lowered. With his vast experience, he already knew who the newcomer was based on the aura alone. Moreover, he also sensed that behind that powerful aura were more than a dozen other strong auras, equally not to be underestimated.
"Old Poison? It's you! What are you doing here?" Just then, Xuan Zi's voice came from afar. A dazzling yellow light soared into the sky, instantly forming a light barrier that enveloped the entire Shrek Academy, successfully isolating the terrifyingly powerful oppressive aura.