Chapter 345 The Sea God Pavilion's Trump Card.
"Alright, today's practical combat competition is canceled. Remember to assemble at the training ground tomorrow morning." On the other side, Yan Shaozhe looked at the training ground, which was almost in ruins, and helplessly gave the final order.
Hearing this, Qian Guming and Dai Huabin both breathed a heavy sigh of relief. They had been badly beaten by Wang Qiu'er earlier and were completely out of sorts; going up to participate would have been utterly humiliating.
"Little guy, you'll come back to the Sea God Pavilion with us. Elder Mu has something important to tell you later." Elder Xuan suddenly sighed, his expression becoming grave.
"Okay!" Wu Xuan nodded, though somewhat surprised. After all, the Sea God Pavilion council had just held a meeting yesterday afternoon; for him to be summoned so soon must be something urgent.
"Xiao Xuan, make Xie Huan Yue, the new student from the inner courtyard, a substitute player as well. You don't need to participate in the subsequent team coordination drills." Elder Mu looked at his disciple with unprecedented calm, without the slightest ripple. His life had been full of ups and downs, magnificent and turbulent. Although there were regrets, he felt it was ultimately fulfilling.
"Alright!" Wu Xuan nodded. He was casual about the selection of personnel; adding or not adding anyone wouldn't make much difference. However, he couldn't quite decipher the meaning behind Elder Mu's expression.
In the Sea God Pavilion's meeting hall, as the three entered, the previously quiet room naturally lit up with a faint golden light.
"Teacher, what do you want to tell me? Why so mysterious?" Wu Xuan sat down and asked Elder Mu beside him.
Elder Mu smiled slightly. As his soul power circulated, the two soul cores within his body suddenly hummed and trembled. In the next instant, Elder Mu's long hair, which had alternated between black and white, turned snow-white, and his hands, which had still had some color, instantly became dry and withered. His life force was completely gone, but the light in Elder Mu's pale golden eyes remained.
"Teacher, what's wrong with you?" Wu Xuan suddenly stood up, clearly startled by Elder Mu's change.
"Hehe, just as you can see, my life force is almost at its end," Elder Mu said with a slight smile.
"What?" Wu Xuan suddenly stood up, exclaiming in disbelief. That 80,000-year-old life-attribute immortal herb, the Purple Jade Vermilion Fruit, would extend even a near-death Limit Douluo's lifespan by eight years if consumed.
"Just like I said before, my body is already riddled with holes, like a leaky sieve. No matter how much water you try to hold in it, it will quickly run dry," Elder Mu explained, seemingly noticing Wu Xuan's confusion.
"Besides, your teacher has already had no regrets in witnessing your growth."
"Teacher!" In an instant, Wu Xuan's voice choked, his eyes reddening, as if he were about to cry. Because he had no other life-attribute immortal herbs left, and those that weren't life-attribute would have no effect on Elder Mu's injuries.
"Why are you crying? Your teacher isn't dead yet," Elder Mu sat up and couldn't help but tap Wu Xuan's head.
"Ah!" Wu Xuan was stunned, momentarily forgetting his grief.
"Alas, according to Elder Mu's calculations, his life force is only enough to sustain him for less than four months." Elder Xuan sighed deeply, his eyes instantly turning red. After Wu Xuan and Wang Qiu'er's sparring session, Elder Mu had suddenly told him he was about to die. Who could imagine how he felt then?
"Less than four months? That means before the Soul Master Competition even begins?" Wu Xuan's expression darkened again.
"Hehe, not bad. Little disciple, you'll have to walk your own path from now on. You must learn to look forward. Everyone dies eventually, sooner or later. I have no regrets in this life for taking you as my disciple in my old age. From now on, I entrust the entire Sea God Pavilion to you. So from today onwards, you will follow me to learn how to manage this vast Sea God Pavilion and the entire Shrek City." Elder Mu smiled kindly and patted Wu Xuan's head.
Wu Xuan's heart trembled upon hearing this. Managing the entire Sea God Pavilion, Shrek Academy, and the entire Shrek City! This had long been Wu Xuan's goal. He wanted to change the unreasonable policies of Shrek Academy, transforming it from a place of righteous grandeur into a truly righteous and noble cultivation ground that all Soul Masters aspired to.
Yet, with his goal so close, he hesitated. Was it because he had higher ambitions?
Thinking this, Wu Xuan's sadness at Elder Mu's impending death lessened considerably. Once he became a god, Elder Mu's passing would be temporary. Just as he had told himself when his parents passed away.
Moreover, for him, who had already obtained the seed of the God of Destruction, becoming a god was not a mere fantasy.
"Yes, teacher. I will study and observe diligently." Wu Xuan bowed slightly, his eyes filled with determination.
"Hehe, good, but don't rush that. Today I will teach you our Sea God Pavilion's ultimate trump card, the ultimate power that Shrek Academy can inherit for ten thousand years." Elder Mu looked up at the branches of the golden tree around him, feeling quite emotional.
"Ultimate trump card? Teacher, are you talking about this golden tree?" Wu Xuan suddenly asked, as if he had thought of something.
"That's right. The fact that you can think of the golden tree means that you have sensed the power it contains before!" Elder Mu smiled and nodded.
"Yes!" Wu Xuan nodded emphatically. He had indeed sensed the power of the golden tree during his year-long seclusion not long ago. Perhaps it was because of the golden tree that his understanding was so profound. The Thunderous Secret Technique, the Soul-Breaking Spear's innate soul ring, and two self-created soul skills—in just one year, any one of these three things would be an extraordinary achievement.
Elder Mu nodded slightly and continued, "When the Golden Tree arrived at the academy is unknown; even the academy's chronicles don't record it in detail. But since records began, the Golden Tree and Shrek Academy have always lived in harmony, like good neighbors who never interfere with each other."
"Teacher, then why did the Golden Tree later become our academy's greatest trump card?" Wu Xuan asked, voicing his biggest question.
"Hehe, that has to do with the Golden Tree's characteristics." Elder Mu smiled, then slowly stood up and, supported by Wu Xuan, headed towards the deepest part of the Sea God Pavilion.
Elder Xuan, standing nearby, didn't follow, but continued eating his chicken leg. The Golden Tree was Shrek Academy's greatest secret, passed down only from the Pavilion Master through generations. Elder Mu was preparing to pass on this secret, so it seemed his time was truly running out.
Elder Mu continued, "The Golden Tree is different from other plant-type soul beasts. Its existence might be similar to the Emperor Beast of the Star Dou Great Forest, but there are fundamental differences."
"Auspicious Beast?" Wu Xuan touched the branches of the Golden Trees around him in surprise.
"Yes, the life force and soul power contained within the Golden Tree are extremely powerful. Its life force is comparable to the combined strength of two or even three Limit Douluos, and its soul power might even have reached the quasi-god level," Elder Mu said.
"That terrifying?" Wu Xuan now looked at the Golden Tree with newfound respect.
Elder Mu shook his head slightly upon hearing this and continued, "Hehe, you're mistaken. Heaven is fair. With extraordinary advantages, the inherent flaws are naturally bound to be significant. The soul power contained within the Golden Tree is not offensive. It possesses immense life force but lacks offensive capabilities. This naturally sows the seeds of its demise." Elder Mu said as they walked.
"Indeed, possessing treasures without matching strength is nothing more than a lamb to the slaughter!" Wu Xuan commented truthfully.
"Indeed! According to the chronicles, the Golden Tree did suffer a great calamity. On that day, several ferocious beasts from the most dangerous lands stormed Shrek City, solely to kill the Golden Tree and obtain the pure life energy within it. Surrounded by such powerful enemies, the Golden Tree voluntarily lent its soul power to the Sea God Pavilion Master of that era. Subsequently, with the Sea God Pavilion Master's strength greatly increased, they were able to repel the powerful enemies."
"With the trust established during this initial cooperation, and through mutual compromise, an alliance treaty was signed, which continues to this day." Elder Mu spoke eloquently, seemingly reminiscing and sighing.
(End of Chapter)