Shao Zhe, This Matter Has Gotten Out of Hand—It Won't End Well. Shrek Still Has to Do Business with the Xuanming Sect, After All

In the main hall on the first floor of Sea God Pavilion, the six Sea God Pavilion Elders, including Xuan Zi, and the four department heads, including Yan Shaozhe, took their seats in orderly fashion around the oval table. A solemn air lingered across all their faces.

This was the highest core of power in Shrek Academy. Every person present was a central figure in the academy. The six Elders were all Super Douluo-level powerhouses, while among the four department heads and deputy heads of the Martial Soul Department and Soul Tool Department, there were also two Super Douluo and two Titled Douluo.

Eight Super Douluo and two Titled Douluo—this was the strongest foundation that allowed Shrek Academy to look down upon the world.

Yan Shaozhe and the Martial Soul Department's deputy head, Cai Meier, sat at the leftmost seats. Opposite them were Xian Liner, head of the Soul Tool Department, and her deputy, Qian Duoduo.

At that moment, everyone was silent, quietly waiting for the Sea God Pavilion Master, the Dragon God Douluo Mu En, whose cultivation had reached Level Ninety-Nine, to speak from the recliner at the head of the table.

"Since everyone is here, let's begin the meeting. Old Song, you'll preside."

A gentle voice suddenly rang out, and the Elders straightened up a little.

Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi exchanged an almost imperceptible glance, both seeing the confusion in the other's eyes—

At a time like this, Old Mu usually had his direct disciple, Yan Shaozhe, preside over the meeting. Why had he handed it to someone else today?

However, Old Song's strength and seniority were both top-notch. He naturally had the qualifications to preside, so neither of them questioned it aloud.

Old Song, seated in the second seat on the right side of the table, rose with a genial smile and nodded to everyone. Then he began speaking at an unhurried pace:

"Everyone, Old Mu summoned this emergency Sea God Pavilion meeting to discuss the cultivation of three students. All three have excellent talents and the potential to become Super Douluo."

At those words, the confusion in Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi's eyes deepened. Wasn't it only Lexuan and Bei Bei? How had another person appeared?

"Bei Bei only entered the academy last year. Aside from Xu Sanshi, no one in the first year can compare with him. Could it be Xu Sanshi?"

As the head of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department, Yan Shaozhe knew all the geniuses in the Outer Courtyard like the back of his hand. He immediately thought of Xu Sanshi, the only person in the Outer Courtyard who could stand against Bei Bei.

One was an Assault Type and the other a Defense Type. Each stood supreme in their respective fields, creating a splendid scene of twin stars shining together. Both had been accepted as Core Disciples of the Martial Soul Department, and Yan Shaozhe thought highly of them.

But... recalling his experience in the Xuanming Sect, Yan Shaozhe's gaze dimmed, and the knuckles of his right hand tightened slightly.

"The first child is currently the Number One Genius of our Inner Courtyard—that is, Lexuan. Everyone watched that child grow up. She has a pure background and is a true member of our own, rooted in Shrek from birth. She will surely become a pillar of Shrek Academy in the future."

Old Song chuckled as he praised Zhang Lexuan. Everyone, including Xuan Zi, smiled and nodded in agreement.

When it came to pedigree, no academy disciple was more worthy of the honor of being a Shrek Person than Zhang Lexuan. Even Bei Bei carried the mark of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan.

"During the previous trip to Star Dou, Lexuan turned misfortune into fortune, absorbing a Hundred Thousand Year eighth ring and a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bone. She will certainly become a Super Douluo in the future. This is talent second to none.

"When she breaks through to Level Ninety, the academy will hunt the most suitable soul ring for her as well. As long as she has enough time, reaching Level Ninety-Eight will be merely a matter of steady accumulation, and she will also have a great chance of reaching Level Ninety-Nine."

"Therefore, Old Mu and I believe that she can be cultivated as the successor to the Sea God Pavilion Master. Today, we will first nominate her as a reserve member of the Sea God Pavilion. Once she becomes a Titled Douluo, she will officially enter the Sea God Pavilion. Everyone, raise your hands if you agree."

All ten people raised their hands. It passed unanimously.

"Very good. Let's move on to the next topic." Old Song nodded, smiled at Mu En on the recliner, and continued, "The second topic concerns the selection of two predetermined members of the next generation of the Shrek Seven Devils.

"You may already know that last year, two extraordinarily gifted young geniuses appeared in Shrek's Outer Courtyard. One was the Bei Bei everyone knows, and the other was Xu Sanshi, a direct disciple of the Hidden Sect Xuanming Sect..."

Here it comes! It really was Xu Sanshi!

Yan Shaozhe's brows furrowed deeply. His fingers clenched, and a gloom gathered in his heart.

If not for what had happened earlier, he would have been delighted to see two predetermined Seven Monsters emerge from among his Martial Soul Department's Core Disciples. But now, he had no choice but to stand up and stop it.

"These two young geniuses not only have excellent cultivation talent and powerful Martial Souls, but also possess certain special abilities. In other words, both of their Martial Souls have the possibility of temporary evolution, and it isn't impossible for them to fight across an entire rank. Therefore, Old Mu and I believe..."

"Old Song, and Teacher, shouldn't we consider this matter more carefully?"

Yan Shaozhe rose with his hand raised and bowed to Old Song, Xuan Zi, and the six Elders, interrupting Old Song.

"Hmm?"

The six Elders, including Xuan Zi, all shot him doubtful looks. Even the three department heads, including Yan Shaozhe's wife, Cai Meier, felt suspicious at that moment:

Had Yan Shaozhe's brain short-circuited?

"Old Yan, did you take the wrong medicine these past few days? What nonsense are you spouting? Bei Bei is a true member of our own, rooted in the academy. Hurry up and apologize to Old Mu and Old Song!"

Qian Duoduo winked at Yan Shaozhe and was the first to scold him.

Everyone knew that Bei Bei's becoming a predetermined Seven Monster was Old Mu's intention. Even if you were Old Mu's eldest direct disciple, could you really stop Old Mu from cultivating his great-grandson? Wasn't that just courting death?

Yan Shaozhe shook his head and continued under the pressure of the Elders and his colleagues.

"Of course I'm not opposed to Bei Bei. We all watched that child grow up, and I absolutely agree with him becoming a predetermined Seven Monster.

"I oppose Xu Sanshi. Although his talent is excellent, he comes from the Xuanming Sect. I believe that hastily giving him a predetermined Seven Monster position and investing large amounts of precious resources in him is inappropriate. We can't guarantee that our investment will definitely yield results.

"After all... even the geniuses of Xiaotao and Yue Heng's generation weren't made predetermined Seven Monsters. In terms of background and loyalty to Shrek, Xiaotao and Yue Heng are far more reliable than Xu Sanshi."

After Yan Shaozhe finished speaking, most of the doubt in everyone's eyes vanished. That was more like it. The normally shrewd Shao Zhe couldn't possibly make such a low-level mistake.

Xuan Zi coughed twice and was the first to voice his support. "I think what Shao Zhe said is a mature opinion. Although Xu Sanshi's talent is excellent, we don't know him nearly as well as we do Bei Bei. Even if we are to give him a predetermined Seven Monster position, we can observe him for a few more years."

"This matter is, after all, of great importance. It symbolizes honor, but also means resource cultivation at a level above that of Core Disciples, as well as the academy's trust and expectations.

"Even two descendants of the ancestors of the Original Seven Devils did not receive such a position. Xu Sanshi, a child who has only been in Shrek for a year, receiving it would indeed be inappropriate."

Yan Shaozhe's eyes lit up. Xuan Zi was still Xuan Zi. He never became muddled when it came to major matters. This gave everyone a way to step down.

Sure enough, after Xuan Zi finished speaking, more than half of the Elders present showed agreement in their eyes. Even Xian Liner and Qian Duoduo were deep in thought, feeling that it was feasible.

The Shrek Seven Devils represented the academy's highest honor. Countless geniuses had fought desperately for a single spot, so predetermined selections had to be handled with the utmost caution.

At this moment, Old Lin, Lin Huiqun, who sat opposite Xuan Zi, spoke up with a different opinion:

"Everyone, the predetermined Seven Monsters are chosen based on talent. Xu Sanshi has talent enough, so what's wrong with giving him the qualification? Is there anyone of his generation who can push him out of the Seven Monsters' positions? Giving it early or late makes no difference."

This once again won the agreement of several Elders and caused others to waver.

Yan Shaozhe frowned and said in a low voice, "But Old Lin, I don't think the Xuanming Sect necessarily respects our academy very much. Nor do they have the close relationship we share with the Blue Lightning Clan and the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. After Xu Sanshi finishes his studies, he is very likely to return to his sect."

"Doesn't that make it even more important for us to cultivate this child properly and repair the relationship? As for Yue'er's matter, we truly did wrong her." Old Song shook his head and retorted.

Xuan Zi's expression darkened. Yan Shaozhe was about to speak again, but Old Lin interrupted him with a beaming smile.

"Shao Zhe, I know you suffered some grievances in the Xuanming Sect. But if this matter gets blown up, it won't end well. Shrek still has to do business with the Xuanming Sect, after all."

Old Lin's voice was gentle, but her words were shocking. All eyes immediately turned toward her.

Old Lin gave everyone a kindly smile. She was in charge of Shrek City's Treasure Pavilion and also handled the city's external economic affairs. She was very familiar with major customers like the Xuanming Sect, which dealt in pills.

Shrek City was autonomous and possessed the right to levy its own taxes. The Xuanwu Merchant Guild of the Xuanming Sect was one of its major taxpayers.

"Don't think that I, Lin Huiqun, am speaking for outsiders. It's just that over the years, I've had some dealings with the Xuanwu Merchant Guild controlled by the Xuanming Sect, so I understand them better.

"As far as I know, the Xuanming Sect has more than just Old Monster Xu Xiaoyun. They have roughly three Super Douluo, more than ten Titled Douluo, and their strength is second to none among all the Hidden Sects.

"Their inherited Profound Tortoise Martial Soul is the ultimate existence among Defense Type Martial Souls. None of us present would dare claim that our Martial Souls are stronger than theirs. With such strength, we cannot afford to be careless."

As she spoke, she glanced at Old Song beside her. Her tone turned much more serious as she continued:

"I once met another old fellow from the Xuanming Sect. His cultivation was no weaker than mine and might have approached Old Song's level. Therefore, the Xuanming Sect absolutely cannot be underestimated."

He might have approached Old Song's level!

That sentence echoed through the Sea God Pavilion. The eyes of the Elders, all over a hundred years old, suddenly became clear and bright, as if they had grown several years younger in an instant.

Old Song was the third-strongest person in Shrek, surpassed in cultivation only by Mu En and Xuan Zi. His cultivation had reached Level Ninety-Seven, and he possessed the Green Shadow Divine Eagle Martial Soul. He could be called the greatest Agility Attack Type powerhouse under heaven.

To approach Old Song's level meant that person was at least a peak Level Ninety-Six powerhouse—and one with the thick hide of an old tortoise.

Xu Xiaoyun at Level Ninety-Eight, several Super Douluo, and more than ten Titled Douluo—setting Old Mu aside, this strength was already enough to put the Sea God Pavilion on high alert.

But how could Old Mu's current condition allow him to act recklessly?

Mu En lay motionless on the Golden Tree chair, his eyelids drooping halfway without fully closing. From beginning to end, he had offered no opinion, as though he were completely uninterested.

Old Lin gazed at Mu En with reverence and continued:

"Furthermore, the Xuanming Sect excels at alchemy. Everyone here should know the fame of their most renowned Mystic Water Pill and Black Tortoise Divine Pill.

"Although they remain hidden from the world, they have used these methods to build connections with many people in the Heaven Dou Empire. The Dou Ling and Star Luo Empires also have traces of the Xuanwu Merchant Guild. Their hidden strength must not be underestimated."

"If we fall out with them over some minor conflict... forgive my bluntness, but I'm afraid that would be inappropriate. After all, we are not in the right in this matter either. Cultivating Xu Sanshi is precisely an opportunity to repair the relationship.

"As for Shao Zhe's matter, we can deal with it gradually."

With things said to this point, the choice of the Elders was already obvious. Shrek was the spiritual leader of soul masters throughout the world, and the foundation of that position lay in its relationships with great nobles and major sects.

They had always sought friendship with sects and nobles. When had they ever deliberately fallen out with a great noble or major sect? Not to mention that, if Xuan Zi's matter were made public, it would still be a scandal of enormous proportions.

"Heh heh, you've all said just about everything, so this old man will add one more thing."

At that moment, the steady-as-a-mountain Mu En finally spoke slowly. Everyone held their breath and focused their attention.

"As far as this old man knows, Xu Sanshi's mother—the Sect Master's Wife of the Xuanming Sect—is the eldest princess of the Dou Ling Empire and the aunt of the new Dou Ling Emperor. That's all."

Mu En's words settled the matter with finality. The others had no more doubts, and all ten votes passed.

The Dou Ling Empire might have been the weakest of the three empires, but it was still a country, after all.

As for Shao Zhe's matter... They couldn't defeat Old Monster Xu anyway, and Xuan Zi couldn't act either. They would just wait until Shao Zhe grew strong enough to reclaim what was owed himself.

As the meeting was about to end, Mu En called out to Yan Shaozhe, whose expression was extremely unpleasant. "Shao Zhe, stay behind. I have a few things to say to you."

"Yes, Teacher."

Yan Shaozhe, who had been about to leave, stopped in his tracks. With the dejected look of an obedient child ready to listen to a lecture, he lowered his head and honestly walked toward Mu En.

Hearing this, Qian Duoduo turned back and gave a mischievous grin, clearly relishing Yan Shaozhe's misfortune.

"Well, well, Yan Shaozhe, you even dared to defy Old Mu's wishes. You're really going to suffer this time. Ah, what wonderful weather today..."