Yan Shaozhe's face sank. He said, "What? Do you have any objections? Chen Zifeng and Dai Yueheng are the main power-attack-type battle soul masters in the team. What is the role of a power-attack type? To face difficulties head-on and protect their teammates. Did you do that? Ling Luochen, as the main control soul master, did you exert enough control in that battle? If not for Cao Jinxuan's timely rescue through his Time Stop domain, I'm afraid not all of you would have been able to come back in one piece, right? From the situation at the time, the damage to the team was due to the carelessness and underestimation of the enemy by all of you. As disciples of the Shrek Academy inner court, is that the combat power you should have displayed? Even the outer court students know the principle of a lion using its full strength to hunt a rabbit, but what about you?"
Under Yan Shaozhe's reprimand, Chen Zifeng and Ling Luochen couldn't help but lower their heads. Facing Yan Shaozhe's accumulated prestige, they wouldn't have dared to refute him in the first place. No one had expected that Ma Xiaotao's rescue would actually be a signal to the Holy Spirit Cult.
Yan Shaozhe's tone softened a few points. "Afterwards, you participated in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament with the team. On the basis of the preparatory team's excellent performance, which won you ample time to recuperate, you displayed sufficient combat power and ultimately helped the team win the final championship. The academy also remembers this merit. But as inner court disciples and also the participating official team members, your rewards will naturally be a little less. This will be offset against your previous demerit. The major demerit will not be recorded in your files. I hope you can learn from this lesson. You remember, life is precious, and no one can start over."
"Thank you, Dean," only then did Chen Zifeng and the others finally let out a sigh of relief. If the demerit were recorded in their files at Shrek Academy, it would be a stain on their entire lives!
But in Ling Luochen's view, this was nothing more than hitting with a stick and then rewarding with a sweet date. Their merit as official team members, who had fought desperately from the third round onwards, was just denied like this?
The difference between inner court disciples and outer court disciples was that they received the tilt of all kinds of the academy's resources, and many with connections had the best teaching staff to guide them. The academy's requirements for them naturally could not be mentioned in the same breath as for the outer court disciples. This was also why Yan Shaozhe said that as champion members, their rewards would be far inferior to the preparatory team's, which was an important reason.
Yan Shaozhe nodded and said, "You have also worked hard this time. Go back and rest. Remember, everything you have seen in the Sea God Pavilion must be kept secret. All official team members, you have completed a sufficient number of your supervision missions. You can start preparing for the inner court graduation assessment."
"Yes," all the participating official team members once again respectfully saluted and then first withdrew from the Sea God Pavilion.
It wasn't until they had walked out of the small building that the six of them all let out a big sigh of relief. Although none of the elders present had spoken, in front of the long table, they had still felt a huge pressure. They knew very well that the elders present were all experts at the Titled Douluo level! And most of them had been beaten up by Huo Yuhao and had made a complete fool of themselves in front of them...
For them, although they had not received any important rewards, at least they had not really been punished. At least this participation mission could be considered a complete end. Yan Shaozhe telling them they could prepare for the graduation assessment meant that they were about to graduate from the Shrek Academy inner court and could return to their own countries or sects. After arduous training for more than ten years, they could finally start a new journey. Most of them at this time were both nervous and excited.
Only Ling Luochen laughed self-mockingly. In the many years since she had advanced to Soul Ancestor and graduated from the outer court to enter the inner court, had she ever had a day of quiet cultivation in the inner court? Almost every day she was out working herself to death for the academy's missions. In the end, it was all for nothing. Not only did she not get many useful rewards, but she had also wasted her best years in vain.
At this time, she couldn't help but recall the youth's cynical appearance, the rebellious words he had left in her ear. It seemed that everything was approaching the truth he had spoken of.
In the Sea God Pavilion, at this time, only Wang Yan, Bei Bei, He Caitou, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, Xiao Xiao, Cao Jinxuan, and Tang Wutong, eight people, were left.
The original excitement of the crowd had been completely shaken away when Yan Shaozhe had reprimanded the official team members. Their moods were even somewhat apprehensive.
Yan Shaozhe turned to them with satisfaction, smiled faintly, and said, "What? Do you think the academy is too strict with them? What I want to tell you is that this is the academy's requirement for inner court disciples. The academy uses all kinds of resources to cultivate inner court disciples. The requirements for them will naturally also be very high. And in the near future, you will also become a part of the inner court. At that time, you will understand. Alright, now it's time for your rewards. First is Teacher Wang Yan."
"Dean Yan," Wang Yan took a step forward and bowed slightly.
Yan Shaozhe paused for a moment and said seriously, "In this tournament, your command and dispatch were still somewhat lacking. Before encountering the Sun Moon team in the final, you excessively exposed the abilities of Yueheng and the others, and even the preparatory team, which led to Yueheng being targeted and his martial soul mutating. You also overspent at the Starlight Auction House. From now on, you will be demoted to an ordinary teacher of the Shrek outer court. The excess budget will be deducted from your subsequent salary. Do you have any objections?"
Wang Yan hurriedly said, "Dean, to have only won the runner-up in this tournament seems to have not much to do with me. It was all the result of that Huo Yuhao appearing out of nowhere. I racked my brains to command the battles and, in the initial stage when only the preparatory team could participate, turned defeat into victory several times. If the academy really wants to punish me, please wait until my grandmaster returns before making a final decision!"
The result announced by Yan Shaozhe had scared Wang Yan quite a bit. He was really afraid that the academy would lower his status, which would lead to him being unable to fulfill his promise to the auctioneer Qing Ya!
Hearing Wang Yan mention Elder Xuan, the faces of several elders immediately became unfriendly. If not for Elder Xuan's protection, would you, Wang Yan, have the qualification to lead the team to participate?
Now, Elder Xuan's life and death were unknown. Before getting accurate news, they had only left Wang Yan a little face. Otherwise, how could they have left this waste who was bewitched by beauty?
One must know that the soul tool department was the true economic lifeline of Shrek Academy. Just not long ago, Qian Duoduo and Fan Yu had dismantled the Heaven and Earth Splitting Cannon that Wang Yan had bought back for a large price, and found that what they had bought back was a piece of trash that looked good but was of no use. This had made the soul tool department, which had paid for it, extremely dissatisfied.
Yan Shaozhe swung his sleeve robe and said angrily, "This is the academy's punishment for you! The one I announced just now cannot even be considered your punishment, just a normal demotion for you. The real punishment for you is that the Sea God Pavilion's library will never be open to you. In the future, you can only conduct your theoretical research in the outer court library."
"What?" Hearing this punishment, Wang Yan actually couldn't hold it in in front of the various elders and directly jumped up in a panic, his sad and angry old face flushed red.
What was collected in the Sea God Pavilion's library? What was collected were the countless orphan copies, out-of-print classics, and materials treasured by Spirit Hall ten thousand years ago. At least in Wang Yan's eyes, this was the most precious wealth that Shrek Academy had plundered! Even if the Sea God Pavilion elders wanted to enter to read, they had to go through tedious procedures. To be forbidden from entering the library for life—the meaning of this punishment for Wang Yan was almost greater than anything else.
Looking at Wang Yan's desperate appearance, Yan Shaozhe sneered coldly and said, "Teacher Wang, this is the punishment you deserve. You have caused the academy to lose all face. The preparatory team members all saw it. I hope that in the future, you can learn your lesson and contribute to the academy's martial soul research to offset the punishment against you."
"Thank you, Dean. Thank you, various elders," Wang Yan almost bowed to the ground. At least the academy had not been absolute, leaving him room for redemption.
As the so-called "when the person leaves, the tea cools," with Elder Xuan gone, his, Wang Yan's, status was naturally far from what it was before. It was just that after he was demoted, how should he handle matters for his beloved Qing Ya?
The various elders just nodded at him indifferently. In Shrek Academy, perhaps it wasn't just the cutting-edge martial power that received attention. Theoretical research was also important and also had a certain status, just that it wouldn't be too high. At present, there was an elder in the Sea God Pavilion with only a seven-ring cultivation, who was specially engaged in theoretical research. An elder engaged in theoretical research could not possibly live as long as the experts at the Titled Douluo level. Therefore, in the Sea God Pavilion, their number would never be large.
Watching Wang Yan leave, the seven preparatory team members couldn't help but feel a chill down their spines. This punishment was simply too terrible for Teacher Wang.
Yan Shaozhe's gaze turned to the seven from Tang Wutong's group. He said, "It's your turn."
"Children, I can only use the words 'stunning' and 'breathtaking' to describe your performance. In the history of our Shrek Academy, we have won the championship of the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament who knows how many times. However, the runner-up you obtained in this session is also the most meaningful one. It can completely be recorded in history. The academy will not blame you. Shrek will remember the contribution you have made to the academy. Though defeated, you are still glorious."
Hearing these words spoken so solemnly by Yan Shaozhe, everyone was moved. They had indeed not expected that the academy's evaluation of them would be so high. To be able to be recorded in the history of Shrek Academy—what an honor this was! For a time, everyone suddenly felt their blood boil.
Yan Shaozhe said, "Everything you have done, the high-level members of the academy have seen. You have carried the shining glory of Shrek on your tender shoulders, fought tenaciously in a participating journey that should have originally just been for experience. Even though you won the runner-up, your excellence still made us marvel. After the research and decision of the Sea God Pavilion meeting, the rewards for you are announced as follows. There are two rewards in total. For the runner-up of this year's tournament, you only received one soul bone as a reward. Therefore, the academy has decided to take out another six soul bones to make a complete set of one for each of you, and it will be selected based on your ability characteristics."
Six soul bones? Everyone was instantly overjoyed. If it was one for each person, then there would be no need for any choice. The reward that the academy had taken out had already far exceeded the reward from the Star Luo Empire!
However, what shocked them even more was still to come.
Yan Shaozhe said in a deep voice, "The soul bone reward is an encouragement for your tenacious struggle in this year's tournament. But you failed to protect that glory for the academy. If in the next tournament, you finally reclaim the glory of Shrek with your own arduous cultivation, then the academy will also bestow upon you an honor, bestow upon you the title of the Shrek Seven Devils."
Speaking to this point, he paused slightly, and only then said heavily, "For life."
"Ah..."
Almost completely uncontrollably, after hearing the two words "for life," Tang Wutong and the other seven all couldn't help but cry out in surprise, looking at Yan Shaozhe dumbfounded. For a time, they all had a feeling of their souls leaving their bodies.
The Shrek Seven Devils—it sounded like seven simple words. But for Shrek Academy and even the entire continent, it had an extraordinary meaning! From the beginning of the glory of the first generation of the Shrek Seven Devils, this title had been passed down. At least in the history of Shrek Academy, those who could have this title for life had only appeared twice before. They were all obtained by inner court disciples who had made great contributions to the academy. The reward of six soul bones had already made them pleasantly surprised. And this lifelong title of the Shrek Seven Devils, its meaning to them was even greater than anything else!
It was as if that glory belonging to Shrek would, after the end of the next tournament, be completely branded on their bodies and souls. And they, under the shining of this glory, would shine for a lifetime.
The lifelong title of the Shrek Seven Devils—this shock could not be described with words. For a time, the seven from Tang Wutong's group were so excited they couldn't even speak. At this very moment, they finally understood why Yan Shaozhe had insisted on having Xu Sanshi also come to the Sea God Pavilion. It was not only for the previous comprehension of light but even more so to reserve this reward for them! This would leave the deepest mark in the life journey of the seven of them. Once missed, they would surely regret it for the rest of their lives!
Yan Shaozhe said in a deep voice, "This major reward reserved for you, the Sea God Pavilion meeting discussed it for a full half a day. After the final vote of the various elders, and with the final confirmation from the Pavilion Master, only then was it decided. However, in order for your future studies in the academy to proceed smoothly, therefore, this failure of yours, the academy will not publicize it. Even within the academy, it will only be sealed in history. Only you yourselves will know about the academy's defeat. And please do not publicize it."
This request of his, the preparatory team could all completely understand. Once the matter of them possibly obtaining this title in the future was publicized, then among the students, they would surely be in a situation of being surrounded by stars. It would also surely greatly affect their normal cultivation and studies.
Bei Bei, as the captain, couldn't help but ask, "But Dean Yan, five years later, that Huo Yuhao will surely be even stronger. If he continues to represent the Sun Moon team to participate, then..."
Yan Shaozhe smiled faintly and said, "What? Are you very wary of him? His identity as the Holy Son of the Holy Spirit Cult has already been exposed. It's hard to say if he will dare to show his face again in the future. And, next, the academy will send out a supervision group to find out his whereabouts. As long as we get accurate news, we will raise a call and summon all the graduated Shrek students who have left to launch a siege on him. He might not even be able to live to the next tournament. So, you must cultivate hard and strive to reclaim the glory belonging to Shrek in the next tournament."
Bei Bei was overjoyed. He hurriedly signaled his partners with his eyes, bowed ninety degrees, and solemnly saluted the four deans and elders present. Only then did the others come to their senses and hurriedly followed his lead to respectfully salute.
Yan Shaozhe moved to one side and said respectfully to the front of the long table, "Teacher, do you have any other instructions for them?"
Only at this time did everyone notice that on the other end of the long table, there seemed to be a person half-lying there. Because of the angle of view, they could not see the person's appearance—