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The night before the cleansing operation.
A meeting of the Sea God Pavilion was convened.
All of the Pavilion Elders, the deans and vice-deans of both academies, Elder Gong, and a few non-Pavilion elders of considerable standing were gathered.
The atmosphere was heavy and solemn.
Even Gong Changlong quietly sat at the far end, eyes darting curiously around the hall.
"Old Cheng, what's all this for?" he whispered to the white-haired elder beside him, jerking his chin toward the tense crowd. "Everyone looks like they're bracing for war. Don't tell me the Sun–Moon Empire's declared war already?"
"Hmph!" The white-haired elder—actual overseer of Shrek City's western district—snorted coldly and ignored him.
Gong Changlong blinked. The hell did I do to you?
Muttering under his breath, he sat up straight and kept quiet.
…
Minutes later, Elder Mu gave a light cough, his warm voice filling the grand hall:
"I'm sure you all know why I've called this meeting of the Pavilion."
Silence.
"That's right. The parasites festering within Shrek Academy have grown so numerous that even my old eyes can no longer turn away. Tomorrow, we act. This list—pass it around."
At once, Yan Shaozhe hurried forward, distributing a thick stack of documents.
Black ink on white paper.
But to the eyes of the elders, each name looked as if it had been slashed with a blood-red cross.
"Gulp…" Gong Changlong's expression twisted in shock.
The list contained both inner- and outer-court teachers. A few names from Jubao Pavilion and the Grand Spirit Beast Arena appeared, though only one or two. By far the largest share, however, belonged to administrators from Shrek City's western district—territory under Elder Cheng Ju's control.
No wonder the atmosphere was so grim. A purge of this scale was no small matter.
"The Inspection Corps has confirmed it," Yan Shaozhe said with his ever-smiling tone. "Those on this list abused their authority to amass wealth, placed their cronies in positions of power, even built private factions. Minor cases involving less than 100,000 gold soul coins are absent—they'll only receive warnings later.
"But those on this list… each one has been tied to vast sums. The western district may not be as prosperous as the east, but its yearly turnover still reaches several hundred million. And yet, according to our investigation, the majority of corruption comes from the west. Elder Cheng, perhaps you'd like to explain?"
"Hmph! What's there to explain?" Cheng Ju lifted his head arrogantly. "First you claimed you were only investigating the outer court, and now you stretch your hands into all of Shrek City. This is nothing but a ploy, Yan Shaozhe—what are you really after?"
His sleeves flared as he shouted:
"For the academy, I've endured every hardship without complaint! But what I don't understand is why the ones who give the most always end up suffering the most! Where does that money go in the end? To the academy! And yet you cling to a few extra coins like it's the end of the world!"
"That's a few coins?!" Gong Changlong finally caught up, his lip curling.
"My beast arena is funded entirely by Jubao Pavilion. Say what you will about Lin Huiqun being stingy, at least he doesn't swallow the academy's coffers whole like you—a parasite fattening yourself on Shrek's blood."
"You think you're fit to lecture me?!" Cheng Ju roared, veins bulging. "I nearly lost my left leg chasing down evil soul masters for the academy back in the day!"
"Yeah, because you were weak…" Gong muttered under his breath.
"Elder Cheng, this is not the time to weigh past merits," Yan Shaozhe said, still smiling as his eyes locked coldly onto the man. "If it came to counting achievements, no one here would fall short of you.
"What matters now are the facts: in your western district, both commoners and soul masters live under your oppression. Every trade, every profession, taxed. Fail to pay? At best, your people are beaten bloody. At worst—ruined families and corpses in the street. I don't need to list examples, do I?
"Since falling under your management, the west has decayed by the day. And don't tell me it's just because the east is closer to the academy."
His smile sharpened. "So tell me, Elder Cheng—what do you have to say for yourself?"
"Hmph! The livelihood of one million, three hundred and twenty thousand souls rests on my shoulders! Whether I take my share or not is no business of yours!" Cheng Ju sneered, then turned toward the master's seat where Elder Mu sat, eyes closed in repose.
"Elder Mu! The villains reveal themselves before us! Yan Shaozhe is one!"
He jabbed a finger at Gong Changlong. "And so is Gong Changlong!"
Gong Changlong: "..."
He had been sitting there happily munching melon seeds, enjoying the drama—only for the fire to suddenly spread to him. The grins on the other elders' faces made it worse.
Are you kidding me?
"You skim at least a third of the academy's annual revenue!" Cheng Ju thundered. "Tens of millions of gold soul coins—just for that shabby beast arena! You expect us to believe a few dozen ten-thousand-year spirit beasts and a few hundred thousand-year ones eat that much? Nonsense!
"Half that money goes straight into your pocket. You're more corrupt than I am—so why aren't they coming after you?!"
"You bastard!" Gong Changlong shot to his feet, face red, ready to swing. Words weren't his strong suit—fists were.
"Silence!"
At last, Elder Mu spoke.
His eyes opened slowly, gaze soft yet carrying an invisible weight that pressed the hall into stillness.
"Gong Changlong has not embezzled a coin. On the contrary, he invests nearly a million of his own gold soul coins every year into the arena. The academy has already investigated thoroughly. Cheng Ju, enough of this distraction. Do you take everyone here for fools?"
Though his tone was mild, the words cut like steel.
"Enough. Cheng Ju, you are stripped of all posts and confined to the Pavilion's underground cells for three years of reflection."
His voice was calm, almost casual.
"Hmph!" Cheng Ju bristled with unwillingness, but in the end, he allowed Yan Shaozhe to escort him out.
Only then did Gong Changlong truly realize:
This meeting had never been about removing the small fry on that list. It was aimed squarely at Cheng Ju—the biggest fish in the pond.
A warning for all.
And truthfully, Cheng Ju had gone too far. The western district, once thriving, had been turned into a den of filth. Even Gong Changlong, who wasn't picky about much, found it hard to watch. He never thought Elder Mu himself would finally act…
…
Sea God Pavilion.
The vast chamber now lay quiet.
Outside, Yan Shaozhe pushed Elder Mu's wheelchair, the breeze brushing past as master and disciple gazed toward the distant academy.
"Teacher… Elder Cheng…" Shaozhe hesitated before voicing his doubt.
"He was a blade of the academy," Elder Mu said with a faint smile. "A weapon sharp and deadly. But a weapon must have a sheath to restrain it. For years, I appeared less and less, and so he grew out of control.
"Do not fear him defecting. His loyalty to the academy is true, just as he claimed—heaven and earth can bear witness. The Pavilion's prison may not be able to bind him, but he will bind himself. In his heart, he will draw the bars of his own cage."
(Though Cheng Ju's strength was only level 96, the Pavilion cells were designed for Titled Douluo. To someone of his caliber, breaking free was not difficult—yet he would not.)
"Because of you?" Shaozhe murmured in realization.
"Indeed. Because I am the one who can suppress him. Because in his heart, I embody the will of the academy."
Elder Mu smiled, his eyes still soft as ever.
(End of Chapter)