Integrating faith into metal was a truly innovative forging method pioneered by Su Ming.
He leveraged techniques from Douluo 3 to get by in Douluo 1 and Douluo 2, but he still had his own innovations. In Douluo 3, Su Ming used the power of forging faith to break through to Spirit Refinement. Later, while replicating Spirit Refinement, he also attempted to integrate other types of faith into his forging.
He tried many things and discovered that the fusion forging process was exceptionally well-suited for merging faith.
Of course, metal forged with integrated faith had its drawbacks.
Firstly, the threshold for use was raised. If the user didn't meet the conditions of the faith, they would simply be incompatible with the metal and unable to use it.
Secondly, it had a brainwashing effect. This metal, fused with faith, would emit intangible fluctuations that could likely influence the user.
These two points were drawbacks for others, but not for Du Busi.
He was, after all, the current master of the Body Sect. Even if he fused with the Body Sect's faith, it would be him mastering the faith, not the faith controlling him, especially since there was no higher Body God currently.
At least, not in this era.
For now, Su Ming had no intention of inheriting the position of Body God.
Du Busi, sensing Mu En's killing intent, grew even more hot-tempered.
He hadn't anticipated the Golden Ancient Tree's move.
It had placed him in a crisis, but he wasn't afraid of trouble.
In response to Mu En's revealed killing intent, his spirit power surged once more to an explosive peak.
At that moment, he sensed Mu En's killing intent receding, as if he was apprehensive.
"Heh. A clinging-to-life old turtle," Du Busi sneered mockingly.
Mu En remained silent.
He inwardly cursed his luck once again.
Du Busi's qi and blood were surging, showing no signs of decline. On his side, he was aged and decrepit. Old age was one thing, but the key was his broken spine from over a decade ago; he could kick the bucket at any moment.
The crucial point was that the consciousness of the Golden Ancient Tree had actually judged that Du Busi had the potential to break through.
This was what he found most difficult to accept.
If he went for the kill, Du Busi might achieve a breakthrough in the heat of battle, and the outcome would be uncertain.
If he didn't go for the kill, this Du Busi was impervious to both soft and hard tactics.
"I will not hand them over to you," Mu En said, taking a deep breath.
Just as Du Busi was about to launch another major attack, Mu En added in a cold, severe tone, "I will not hand Bei Bei and Tang Ya over to you. As for Huo Yuhao, Tree Elder will not hand him over."
Du Busi's brows furrowed.
His eyes flickered, shifting between the Golden Ancient Tree's illusion and Mu En several times before understanding dawned. "So you're not even of one mind."
The Golden Ancient Tree wanted to keep Huo Yuhao, while Mu En wanted to protect Bei Bei and Tang Ya.
Forcing the issue on any one of them would cause them to join forces.
"Huo Yuhao can join the Body Sect, but not now, and certainly not by being forcibly taken by you."
Finally, it was Mu En who softened first, proactively offering a way out.
"Shrek is merely an academy. If Huo Yuhao is willing to join the Body Sect after graduation, then my Shrek Academy will have absolutely no complaints."
Du Busi let out a cold laugh.
Who didn't know about Shrek's brainwashing techniques?
Still, he actually took the offered way out.
Huo Yuhao was within your academy; the Body Sect could refrain from snatching him for now. But once he left its gates, that was another matter.
"What about the debt owed to my disciple?" Du Busi's tone was icy. "Two Spirit Emperors hunted my disciple. If Shrek doesn't give me an explanation for this matter, I will personally hunt down the members of the Shrek Supervision Corps across the entire continent!"
Mu En was shocked and furious, his hand trembling as he pointed at Du Busi.
"You madman!"
No matter what, the Shrek Supervision Corps hunted Evil Spirit Masters. How could Du Busi just outright say he would hunt down the Shrek Supervision Corps?
How dare he!
Du Busi's expression was cold and indifferent, showing no regret for uttering such a threat.
He might even genuinely be planning to do it.
This time, storming their gates, the point that angered Du Busi the most wasn't really Huo Yuhao being taken by Shrek. Just as he believed, so what if he joined Shrek? Once Huo Yuhao was alone, the Body Sect would still snatch him when the opportunity arose.
The main reason he had fought with such genuine fury, even showing a readiness to perish together, was largely because Su Ming had been hunted.
An eye for an eye; then he would hunt the disciples of Shrek's Inner Court.
The disciples of Shrek's Inner Court were the Supervision Corps. Hunting Inner Court disciples naturally equated to hunting Supervision Corps members.
"Shrek is willing to compensate with one Spirit Bone."
"One Spirit Bone?" Du Busi sneered coldly.
"A hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone," Mu En emphasized.
Hundred-thousand-year?
Du Busi narrowed his eyes slightly.
It sounded good, but it wasn't enough.
"This is the limit of what we can concede," Mu En said adamantly.
Giving up one hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone was the limit.
Du Busi felt it wasn't enough, but he knew demanding another hundred-thousand-year Spirit Bone was impossible. As he pondered, he remembered his disciple's earlier advice.
"Not enough. I want Shrek to add one promise."
A promise?
Mu En breathed a sigh of relief.
It was good that this old monster Du was willing to negotiate. Moreover, asking for a promise was actually a very friendly gesture.
At the very least, he thought of one benefit after giving this promise—should a future Shrek without him conflict with the Body Sect again, there would be a precedent for de-escalation.
Of course, he still needed to hear what this old monster Du had promised.
"In the future, Shrek Academy must unconditionally support my Body Sect once," Du Busi stated his desired promise.
Hearing this, Mu En wondered if he had misheard.
What did he say?
Immediately afterward, his expression changed slightly.
"What are you planning to do?"
You're not planning to incite another beast tide, are you?
"No comment."
"My Shrek will not assist in any act that incurs the wrath of Heaven and the resentment of the people."
Du Busi was annoyed.
What did he mean by 'incurs the wrath of Heaven and the resentment of the people'?
Was the Body Sect's reputation really that bad?
"It will benefit the spirit master world."
Benefit the spirit master world?
Mu En deliberated carefully before saying, "Fine. Shrek Academy will unconditionally support the Body Sect once, on the condition that the Body Sect does not endanger the spirit master world."
"Hand over the Spirit Bone."
Mu En took out a wooden box and handed it to Du Busi.
This box was made from a material rich in dense light elements.
Du Busi took the box and left immediately, instructing Su Ming not to linger in Shrek City.
"Even if he hasn't joined my Body Sect, he is still family of my Body Sect. This old man will come to Shrek once every year. If Huo Yuhao is faring poorly in the slightest, I will tear your Shrek Academy down!"
Elder Lei Zhen and the other three elders also departed with Du Busi.
Below, Su Ming also left the city with Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo.
Only after watching the Body Sect members leave Shrek City did Mu En finally breathe a sigh of relief.
The illusion of the Golden Ancient Tree dissipated, most of its power reintegrating into the tree itself, while a portion transformed into a shower of light rain falling over Shrek's Inner Court.
The Spirit Bone given to the Body Sect was from his personal collection, not taken from the academy's stores. The root cause of everything lay with Bei Bei.
Of course, there was another consideration.
That Spirit Bone was a hundred-thousand-year-old one, but it wasn't a particularly good Spirit Bone.
"Teacher, what good stuff did you get? Let me see."
Su Ming reunited with Du Busi outside the city, looking curious.
"Who are they?"
Du Busi looked at the twin sisters behind Su Ming.
His gaze held no wariness, only a similarly curious glint.
"These sisters are spirit masters with body martial souls I discovered. They were originally planning to apply to Shrek Academy, but I rescued them and brought them back," Su Ming explained.
...
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(End of Chapter)