"Knock, knock, knock!"
A dull knocking sound came, interrupting Huo Yuhao's Cultivate. His spiritual ripples had already quietly spread out, instantly identifying who was outside the door. Huo Yuhao slowly opened his eyes, a trace of contemplation flickering in them. After a moment of silence, he stood up and walked toward the door.
After opening the door, Ye Xinglan was standing right there. She looked like a completely different person from the proud girl with a slightly raised chin and eyes as bright as the sun from their first meeting. Currently, she wore a plain white tracksuit; that innate arrogance and confidence once found between her brows had completely vanished. In its place was an apprehension clearly written on her face, and a panic and unease deep in her eyes that was hard to hide.
Huo Yuhao watched her quietly, his face devoid of any extra expression. He wasn't cold-hearted, but he was by no means a pushover either. Some prices must be borne by oneself.
"Why have you come to see me? Is there something you need?"
He spoke with a steady voice, devoid of emotion. Before he could finish... Ye Xinglan had already bent at the waist in a standard ninety-degree bow, her blonde hair falling with the movement.
"I'm sorry. About before... I was wrong. I shouldn't have been so arrogant, nor should I have... maliciously speculated about others."
The three words were squeezed from her throat, sounding noticeably hoarse. There wasn't the slightest ripple in Huo Yuhao's eyes; he naturally understood what made this proud Shrek Inner Court Disciple so humble.
"The person you should apologize to isn't me, but Sister Mu Xi."
Ye Xinglan's body stiffened slightly as she slowly straightened up, the image of the girl with the same brilliant blonde hair as hers flashing through her mind. Huo Yuhao's gaze swept over her still-reddened eyes as he said indifferently.
"This matter is no longer something you or I can decide. Even if you apologize, it won't be of much use."
Having grown up in the Spirit Pagoda, Huo Yuhao had a certain level of judgment regarding the continental situation. A failure that was infinitely magnified involved far more than just personal honor or disgrace.
"I know... It's too late... for anything now." She lowered her head, her voice as soft as a sigh. Then she looked up, giving Huo Yuhao a complex look. "But I truly... came to apologize."
After saying that, she bowed deeply to Huo Yuhao once more, offering a second bow. Then, without waiting for any response from Huo Yuhao, she turned and left with heavy footsteps. The lights stretched her shadow long, casting it onto the empty corridor walls. Her figure was no longer as straight as a sword, appearing somewhat hunched. Every step carried an inescapable sense of desolation and loneliness until she finally vanished into the dim halo at the corner.
Huo Yuhao silently watched the direction she disappeared in, thinking to himself: "If you knew it would come to this, why act that way in the first place!"
...Shrek Academy, Sea Gods Pavilion.
Light passed through the ancient stained-glass windows, casting mottled shadows on the dark wooden long table. Around the long table, seated in rows of high-backed chairs, were the Elders of Shrek Academy—powerhouses above the level of Titled Douluo! The Sea Gods Pavilion meeting was the supreme decision-making core of Shrek Academy. Aside from the fixed meetings held every five years, only major events that shook the academy's Foundation or had far-reaching impacts could cause this place to open and the academy's Elders to gather here.
Today, the Sea Gods Pavilion meeting was convened for one reason: the unexpected defeat in Skysea City. A loss in a youth-level Exhibition Match should have been like a ripple in the ocean, not worth mentioning. However, this failure was magnified and interpreted online; it was no longer just about the win or loss of a few students, but was branded with sensational titles like "The Collapse of the Shrek Myth" and "The Fall of the Golden Generation." The clamor of public opinion could no longer be ignored.
Outer Court Dean Cai Yueer sat in her seat, her face currently covered in a layer of frost.
"If this matter is not handled seriously to set the record straight, the prestige the academy has accumulated over a thousand years will suffer a heavy blow! The Shen Yis and students involved must be severely punished as a warning to others!"
Thud.
A muffled sound, neither loud nor soft, rang out. Sitting opposite her, Zhuo Shi pressed the teacup in his hand onto the table, impatience written between his brows; Shen Yi was his Disciple after all.
"Dean Cai, why make such a mountain out of a molehill? It's just a bunch of kids losing a fight, is that really necessary?"
"Making a mountain out of a molehill?" Cai Yueer immediately retorted, her fingertip tapping the table. "Why don't you take a look at the online comments about Shrek right now? Nine out of ten are nothing good! You still call this a small matter? This concerns the academy's face, and the reverence the world holds for Shrek!"
She paused, her gaze becoming even sharper. "Furthermore, that Class Zero head Shen Yi Wu Changkong, who defeated my Shrek Team—if I remember correctly, he's your prized Disciple, isn't he? The students taught by your Disciple have upended the academy's stage. As his Shen Yi, you cannot escape the responsibility of negligence!"
Zhuo Shi's face darkened, the mustache near his mouth twitching slightly. He naturally knew about Wu Changkong's situation and was even more aware of Cai Yueer's intention to use the subject to her advantage. He gave a cold snort, his gaze glancing toward the far end of the long table. Yun Ming's eyes were slightly closed, as if his mind were elsewhere, not uttering a single word about the dispute before him. Seeing this, the words at the tip of Zhuo Shi's tongue were swallowed back down. He leaned heavily back against the chair, falling silent, though his expression remained grim.
Seeing Zhuo Shi back down, a flash of triumph crossed Cai Yueer's eyes, like a victorious rooster. She cleared her throat and continued.
"Besides punishing the Shen Yis and students involved, the best way is to directly recruit those students from Donghai Academy's Class Zero into our Shrek Academy through Special Admission! This way, those who defeated Shrek will ultimately become Shrek's people. Since they'll be our own, the outside criticism and ridicule will naturally crumble. It might even become a celebrated tale of 'Geniuses returning to the fold'."
As soon as these words were spoken, a sharp light flickered in the eyes of several Elders on both sides of the long table. They exchanged glances and nodded slowly. This plan was indeed shrewd; it not only resolved the current public relations crisis but also brought potential Genius talents under their wing, killing two birds with one stone. Feeling the atmosphere of support, Cai Yueer struck while the iron was hot and turned toward the head of the table.
"Pavilion Master, there is no time to lose. I request to personally go to Skysea City to handle this matter and bring those students back to Shrek!"
Yun Ming's expression was calm, as if the outside comments hadn't affected him in the least. His fingertips rested lightly on the ancient wooden grain of the chair's armrest, tapping rhythmically with a low "tap, tap" sound. After a moment, those slightly closed eyes finally opened. His gaze fell on Cai Yueer as he spoke slowly.
"The others in Class Zero can be discussed, but that Huo Yuhao... It's impossible for him to truly join Shrek Academy."
He paused slightly. Hearing this, Cai Yueer leaned forward slightly and said.
"Pavilion Master, please trust my ability. As long as I explain the pros and cons and promise him a bright future, could our Shrek possibly fail to..."
She was only halfway through when Yun Ming raised his hand to interrupt her.
"Huo Yuhao is Heavenly Phoenix's Disciple."
As soon as Yun Ming said this, everyone in the Sea Gods Pavilion was somewhat surprised. A ten-year-old Spirit Elder with three shocking ten thousand years spirit rings—the Elders had also been paying close attention to this young Genius Huo Yuhao, who shared the same name as the Spirit Ice Douluo from ten thousand years ago. They just hadn't expected him to be the Disciple of the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, Leng Yaozhu! No wonder the Pavilion Master asserted that it was impossible for him to "truly" join Shrek. As a core direct descendant of the Spirit Pagoda, he naturally belonged to the Spirit Pagoda.
"Hmph!"
A clear, cold snort came from Yun Ming's left.
"So what if it's the Spirit Pagoda? ten thousand years ago, the founder of the Spirit Pagoda also came from this academy!"
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