"Shao Zhe..." Mu En drew out his words, calling out weakly to his most cherished disciple.
"Yes, Teacher, I'm here, Shao Zhe is here." Yan Shaozhe's expression was utterly respectful, his body almost bent at a ninety-degree angle, as if afraid of displeasing Mu En.
"How are you recovering from the injuries you sustained at Xuanming Sect?" Mu En asked slowly.
"The external injuries have been healed by Old Zhuang. As for the seal from Old Monster Xu, with your intervention, I've mostly recovered, but Old Zhuang said I still need ten days to half a month of recuperation."
Yan Shaozhe replied to Mu En with even greater reverence in his tone.
Having suffered an unprecedented humiliation in his life, his understanding of a Level 98 Super Douluo's power became even clearer. That was a terrifying existence capable of easily killing him.
And his teacher, Dragon God Douluo Mu En, was the undisputed strongest on the Douluo Continent, the only current Limit Douluo. His realm was as lofty as a towering mountain, with no end in sight.
He wondered if he could ever touch his teacher's realm in his entire life.
Mu En nodded lightly and said softly,
"That's good. After Xuan Zi, you are the most promising person in the academy to reach my realm. Your potential is far greater than that of the elder professors. Do you understand my expectations for you?"
Yan Shaozhe lowered his head and nodded, cupping his hands as he replied, "Disciple understands. These past years, I have never slackened in my cultivation. I will certainly cultivate to a level capable of deterring all petty individuals before Elder Xuan retires! To stand guard for Le Xuan and Bei Bei and the others."
Mu En nodded unhurriedly, then his tone suddenly grew a few shades heavier. "But Shao Zhe, how many years has it been since you made any further progress after breaking through to Level 95? With your talent, it shouldn't be like this."
Yan Shaozhe immediately broke out in a heavy sweat, his back soaked. His mind raced for a few moments, and he quickly said,
"These past years, I've put too much thought into the administrative affairs of the Martial Soul Department and haven't been able to calm down and cultivate in seclusion. But please rest assured, Teacher, I will definitely make a breakthrough within ten years!"
"I don't doubt that..."
Mu En said slowly, then cast a helpless gaze at his most valued disciple, speaking earnestly:
"But Shao Zhe, can the administrative affairs of the Martial Soul Department truly consume so much of your energy? I also served as the dean of the Martial Soul Department, yet I never delayed my cultivation like you.
Have you perhaps focused more energy on other matters, such as the open and secret struggles with Lin Er and Duo Duo from the Soul Tool Department? Hmm?"
"This..."
Yan Shaozhe was drenched in sweat, his lips quivering a few times, but in the end, he couldn't argue in front of his teacher. Beads of sweat the size of soybeans appeared on his forehead, "drip-dropping" onto the ground, remarkably audible.
In front of this wise teacher, any lie was meaningless.
"Alas, it's also my fault for being too negligent these past years, thinking that competition between your two departments would bring vitality. Yet, after Xuan Zi had issues, I only then discovered how serious the succession problem of the Sea God Pavilion has become!"
Mu En shook his head with a pained expression, his Light Soul Power circulating within him, forcing himself to stand up.
"Teacher, why must you be like this? Your disciple is unfilial!" Yan Shaozhe was greatly alarmed, fumbling to step forward and support Mu En.
He knew that his teacher was truly serious now. Although he didn't feel he had done anything wrong in these past years, how could he not panic when his teacher was so pained by his slow progress in cultivation?
"It's not just that, Shao Zhe. You must understand that your Martial Soul is the Light Phoenix. Light represents vastness. Only those with broad minds can fully unleash this power of light."
"But your character lacks a certain magnanimity, which has consistently caused your comprehension and application of Light Soul Power to fall short.
If not for that, your achievements today would certainly not be limited to this. Even if you couldn't break through to Old Song's realm, you should be at Level 96 peak by now, and would certainly break through to Level 97 within ten years."
"In that case, even when facing a powerful individual like Xuan Zi, you would be able to contend with him."
"Don't forget, you were once the top genius of the academy's Golden Generation, and you've cultivated with me for many years, possessing a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring and Soul Bone. Now you're even over ninety years old; yet your cultivation is only comparable to Lin Er's, at most slightly superior."
"In terms of purity of cultivation, you might not even be able to compare to Lin Er. At least she, the Valkyrie Douluo, truly enjoys the process of battle and invests immense effort into it."
"Teacher, I..."
Yan Shaozhe's head was bowed even lower, his shoulders trembling uncomfortably. He didn't know how to respond, only feeling immense pressure at this moment, even greater than the pressure of battling a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast.
"Alas... I'm just speaking some old truths based on my experience. How much you heed them is your own business."
Mu En shook his head, his gaze deep, looking at Yan Shaozhe with a sigh.
He hadn't wanted to be so direct, but time was pressing. He could only, as a teacher, forcefully point out Yan Shaozhe's problems. As for how much Yan Shaozhe could comprehend and how much he could change, that would depend solely on his own understanding.
Things like personality, by Yan Shaozhe's age, were already set. Even if he wanted to change, it wouldn't happen overnight.
With a change of thought, Mu En's tone softened a little as he said,
"Shao Zhe, you have been diligent and conscientious all these years, nurturing batch after batch of outstanding talents for the academy. The academy's current prosperity owes much to you as the dean of the Martial Soul Department."
"Shao Zhe feels ashamed, I don't dare accept such praise from Teacher."
Having his years of effort affirmed, Yan Shaozhe finally breathed a sigh of relief, but still shook his head repeatedly.
"But Shao Zhe, a part of your Martial Soul Department's success is built upon your persistent suppression of the Soul Tool Department's status. Perhaps as the dean of the Martial Soul Department, you didn't do anything wrong in this regard.
However, in the future, you are to be the Sea God Pavilion Master for decades, even centuries. At that time, your perspective cannot be limited to the gains and losses of a single city or department."
"Moreover, in these past years, just as Lin Er said, you tend to be petty and overly concerned with trivial matters. If you inherit the position of Sea God Pavilion Master in the future, I fear the Soul Tool Department might even be suppressed by you into becoming a subordinate of the Martial Soul Department, wouldn't it?"
"Setting other things aside, in these past years, the Shrek Seven Devils have almost exclusively consisted of elite disciples from the Martial Soul Department, with hardly any from the Soul Tool Department. If this continues, will there still be a place for the Soul Tool Department at Shrek?"
Under Mu En's scrutinizing gaze, Yan Shaozhe couldn't make any excuses. He simply nodded, then immediately made a promise:
"Teacher, please rest assured, I understand. In the future, I will no longer harbor such thoughts, and I will also loosen up on the rivalry with the Soul Tool Department, demonstrating the magnanimity of our Martial Soul Department."
"...I hope so..."
Mu En stared at Yan Shaozhe, who was still looking down on the Soul Tool Department with pity, and a deep sense of helplessness rose in his heart.
He had originally considered using the tragedy of the twelve Inner Courtyard disciples as an opportunity for the Martial Soul Department to concede to the Soul Tool Department, but he hesitated because the Soul Tool Department couldn't produce high-level Soul Guided Devices suitable for these Inner Courtyard disciples.
It was indeed asking a lot of the Soul Tool Department to produce a Soul Guided Device capable of hunting a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Beast.
The deputy head of the Soul Tool Department, Qian Duoduo, was a Level 8 Soul Engineer, but that was just a self-consoling title because he couldn't make a Ninth Level Soul Guided Device. In reality, he might not even have much of an advantage compared to Level 8 Soul Engineers from the Three Kingdoms.
As for Xian Lin'er, the head of the Soul Tool Department? Her title was Valkyrie, but she was still, at heart, a true Soul Master.
Now, seeing Yan Shaozhe's attitude, what more could he say?
"Go on, think carefully about what I've said. Take care of yourself. Your teacher looks forward to seeing your progress…"
Waving his hand wearily, Mu En closed his eyes tiredly and lay back down on the long chair.
"Yes." Yan Shaozhe backed away in small steps, only turning around when he reached the entrance of the Sea God Pavilion before lifting his head and walking out.
What will Shrek become once I'm gone…? Bei Bei, how wonderful it would have been if you had been born a few decades earlier…
Inside the Sea God Pavilion, the aging Mu En sighed deeply.
Leaving the Sea God Pavilion, Yan Shaozhe spread his radiant phoenix wings and soared high amidst a resounding phoenix cry, streaking like a meteor across the Sea God Lake.
Landing by the river, Yan Shaozhe's eyes shifted several times before he finally made up his mind. He took a Voice Transmission Soul Tool from his embrace, pressed a button, and infused it with Soul Power.
"Wei Lun? It's Yan Shaozhe," Yan Shaozhe said in a deep voice.
Soon, the voice of Du Weilun, the Dean of Education for the Martial Soul Department, came from the other end of the line. "Dean Yan, it's me. Do you have any instructions?"
"There's a small matter I need you to handle."
Yan Shaozhe's eyes darkened slightly, and he spoke in a low tone, "Mobilize our Martial Soul Department's informants in Xuanming City to investigate the Martial Soul Awakening and Innate Soul Power of Xu Tianxi, the third young master of the Xuanming Sect."
"Understood, Dean. What should I do after I find out? Should I send students to bring this genius back to the academy, as per usual?" Du Weilun wasn't surprised and responded to Yan Shaozhe's request with practiced ease.
"No! If he successfully awakens the Profound Tortoise Martial Soul and his Innate Soul Power is also high, then forget about it. There's no need to bother with him.
If he fails to awaken the Profound Tortoise and his Innate Soul Power isn't high, then on my behalf, contact the Sect Master's Wife of the Xuanming Sect, who is also Princess Xue Lingxun of the Dou Ling Empire. Tell her that I, the Dean, have a deal I'd like to make with her…"
There was a long silence on the other end before Du Weilun's hesitant voice finally came through again. "Dean, wouldn't doing this be against the rules? We Shrek are neutral."
Yan Shaozhe scoffed dismissively, "What are you afraid of? I'm just having her, the main wife, fulfill some of her duties in supervising her illegitimate son. What's the problem with finding some faults? It's not like I'm asking her to kill someone!"
"Are the benefits of my Shrek so easy to obtain? Her son is already a designated member of the Seven Devils. What an honor that is! This is nothing more than a trivial matter.
Anyway, I hear the atmosphere within the Xuanming Sect isn't great, and Xu Sanshi isn't well-liked there! Could Xu Tianxi be more of a genius than Xu Sanshi?"
Du Weilun was silent for a moment. "…Understood, Dean."
"Handle it quickly. I'll await your news."
With that, Yan Shaozhe abruptly hung up the phone, exhaled deeply, and felt a significant release of pressure.
Turning to look in the direction of the Sea God Pavilion, Yan Shaozhe's bewildered eyes gradually firmed, and he murmured, "Teacher, perhaps you were right, that my lack of magnanimity has indeed caused my cultivation to stagnate."
"But I have always believed that what should be mine, what should be the Martial Soul Department's, and even Shrek's interests, must be held firmly in my own hands. If I don't vent this frustration, my spirit will remain unsettled."
"As long as I, Yan Shaozhe, draw breath, I will never allow anyone to harm the honor and interests of our Shrek. No one!"