Shi Yu's impression of Mu En became clearer—this old man wasn't bad at all.
"Pavilion Master… are you going to give me another punishment? Surely I can't have killed someone and walked away like this, right?" Shi Yu asked.
He preferred things to be clear; uncertainty made him uncomfortable.
"There is another punishment," Mu En said calmly. "If the Xuan Ming Sect seeks revenge on you in the future, I expect you to forgive them twice."
"The third time, you may act as you see fit. Consider this the price you pay for killing Xu Sanshi."
"The academy will do its best to resolve the matter on your behalf and even compensate you if necessary. But remember—Xu Sanshi was the son of the Xuan Ming Sect leader and their future successor. It will not be easy for them to let this go."
"Even with our intervention, you may still face their retaliation. They may attempt to kill you in revenge. If you keep fighting back, you will eventually find yourself at odds with the entire Xuan Ming Sect."
"That's why I want you to show magnanimity twice. After all, this incident began because you killed Xu Sanshi. Treat this as part of your punishment."
Shi Yu stared at Mu En. This wasn't the kind of punishment he'd expected. It wasn't light—suppressing his anger twice against an enemy that might try to kill him would be no easy task.
Still, he had to agree if he wanted to move forward.
"I guarantee I will let the Xuan Ming Sect's revenge pass twice in the future," Shi Yu said seriously.
Mu En nodded.
Shi Yu hesitated, then bowed respectfully. "Disciple Shi Yu pays respects to Master."
Mu En chuckled. "From now on, just call me Master."
"Since you've become my disciple, I will be strict with you—not only in cultivation, but also in how you conduct yourself. Especially in matters of killing: kill only those who must be killed. If you ever slaughter innocents, I will not forgive you."
"Disciple will remember this well," Shi Yu promised.
Minutes later, Shi Yu stepped out of the Sea God Pavilion, feeling as if he were in a dream. Was it really over just like that?
Not only had he avoided severe punishment, he had also become Mu En's disciple.
"It's nice to have talent in this world," Shi Yu thought with a wry smile. "Sometimes, you can ignore the rules entirely."
If his talent had been even slightly less, he would likely be facing a harsh sentence right now.
But then again… wasn't the world always like this? People judge based on strength and background—including himself.
The Sea God Pavilion sat within the great Ancient Golden Tree, surrounded by high walls like a vast courtyard. Shi Yu glanced at the tree several more times as he walked away. It was no ordinary tree—one could call it a divine artifact, albeit a low-grade one, far below treasures like the Sea God Trident.
Meanwhile, inside the meeting hall, Mu En and the other elders had not yet dispersed.
"Mu Lao, is it really fine to handle it this way? How will we explain this to the students—or to the Xuan Ming Sect?" Elder Song asked.
"It may not be 'right' to forgive Shi Yu so lightly," Mu En replied, "but sometimes right and wrong aren't the only factors. If Shi Yu's potential is realized, he could become Shrek Academy's guardian deity for the next hundred years. For that, it's worth bending a few principles."
"As for explanations—we delay. Tell the students Xu Sanshi miraculously survived and is receiving treatment. Tell the Xuan Ming Sect he's away on a mission. If it can't be hidden anymore, say he died during that mission."
"This won't stay hidden forever," another elder warned. "When they learn the truth, the Xuan Ming Sect will resent us."
"Then so be it," Mu En said. "Since I chose to protect Shi Yu, that enmity was inevitable."
Xuan Lao nodded his agreement. Yan Shaozhe and the other elders followed suit. Even Elder Song, reluctant as he was, could only agree now that the decision had been made.
Outside the courtyard, Jiang Nannan paced anxiously, not knowing how many laps she had walked. Beside her stood Zhang Lexuan, equally concerned, and a young woman in a bright red dress whose curvaceous figure drew the eye.
She was Ma Xiaotao, one of the most striking beauties of the Inner Courtyard—but also one of the least approached. Her fiery temper was infamous, and she had long declared that anyone who wanted to pursue her had to first defeat her in combat at the same level. Few dared try.
"How am I supposed to suppress my evil fire now that Xu Sanshi is gone?" she muttered.
Her frustration was practical, not romantic—Xu Sanshi's high-level water attribute was one of the only things that could calm her dangerous fire. She had relied on him for years. If he were truly dead, she would be in serious trouble.
Just then, Zhang Lexuan spotted Shi Yu emerging from the courtyard.
"Shi Yu!" Jiang Nannan cried, running toward him.
Shi Yu's face softened into a relaxed smile—he really was fine now.
"Shi Yu, are you alright?" Jiang Nannan threw herself into his arms. The impact made him stagger back two steps, startled.
She sobbed softly, her worry plain in her trembling voice. Shi Yu gently patted her back. "It's okay. Everything's fine now."
He felt a pang of heartache for this good girl who sacrificed everything to pay for her mother's treatment.