"What! Call Elder Xuan? Teacher, isn't that a bit much?"
Yan Shaozhe was greatly shocked.
This was still the early period of Douluo 2. At this time, the Body Sect lived in seclusion, while the Holy Spirit Cult was so deeply hidden that many people did not even know of its existence. Among the original three Douluo nations, the strongest Titled Douluo were only Rank 97. On the surface, Shrek was the only place with a Rank 98 Titled Douluo, and even in Shrek, Xuan Zi was the only one whose cultivation had reached Rank 98.
At this point, Mu En was already half-dead, and Xuan Zi was even Shrek's strongest figure on the surface. In a few years, he would likely become its actual strongest as well. Having someone of his level lead others to hunt Soul Beasts was rather like using a sledgehammer to crack a nut.
"Call him over. After all, these twelve are Shrek's core disciples. Nothing can happen to any of them."
Mu En spoke slowly. There was something else he did not say: Beibei had recently told him about his relationship with Tang Ya. Thinking of Beibei and Tang Ya's relationship, then of Zhang Lexuan's situation, Mu En felt somewhat sorry toward Zhang Lexuan after standing her up.
Therefore, for this Soul Beast hunt, which ordinarily would not have required Shrek's foremost combat strength to act, Mu En decided to send Xuan Zi to ensure that the Soul Beast hunt went without a hitch, and to let Zhang Lexuan obtain the best Soul Ring possible as compensation for what had happened with Beibei.
"Yes, Teacher."
At Mu En's insistence, before long, Xuan Zi, Shrek's strongest figure on the surface, arrived at Sea God's Pavilion.
"Elder Mu, you sent for me? Did something major happen? I was in the middle of eating."
Elder Xuan entered Sea God's Pavilion while gnawing on a chicken leg. Unlike the other elders, the flaw in his martial soul meant that, aside from when he slept, he had to eat almost constantly. Thus, he did not have much time to attend Sea God's Pavilion meetings. Of course, if something truly major happened, he would still come. However, this meeting had originally only been meant to discuss the disciples' Soul Beast hunt, so it normally could not be considered much of a big deal.
After all, this was before Zhang Lexuan and the others set out to obtain their Soul Rings, not after they returned.
"These twelve Shrek disciples are the finest of Shrek's younger generation. Of them, eight require Seventh Soul Rings over sixty thousand years old, three require Eighth Soul Rings over eighty thousand years old, and one requires a Ninth Soul Ring of no less than ninety thousand years. Shaozhe proposed sending one Super Douluo, including himself, along with two Titled Douluo. I do not think that is secure enough. After considering it, the only one who can truly put us at ease is you."
"They are all the elite of Shrek's younger generation, Xuan Zi. You are the only one who can guarantee their safety while they acquire so many high-level Soul Rings."
Upon hearing this, Elder Xuan wiped the grease from his mouth and patted his chest. "Don't worry, Elder Mu. Leave it to me. You can rest assured."
Mu En nodded, still unaware of exactly what he had done.
"Teacher, why not let me go too? If Elder Xuan has to act whenever we encounter a powerful Soul Beast, it would be rather beneath Shrek's dignity." After Elder Xuan agreed to lead the group in obtaining Soul Rings, Yan Shaozhe inexplicably felt a sense of unease in his chest, so he wanted to add another layer of security to this hunt.
But as soon as Yan Shaozhe finished speaking, a chicken bone struck him squarely on the head, making his scalp ache.
"Why are you butting in when this old man is handling things? Do you think I could fail at such a trivial task?" Elder Xuan said with a curl of his lips.
Yan Shaozhe hurriedly smiled apologetically. "How could that be? With your Rank 98 strength, Elder Xuan, how could you possibly fail? I only thought you might be tired, so I wanted to go along as well."
Elder Xuan waved his hand impatiently. "Tired from what? I've been idle for so many years. It's time for me to make some achievements at Shrek. I alone am enough for this matter. Don't have just anyone tagging along and getting in the way."
"You are right."
Near Shrek Academy, close to the Star Dou Great Forest, twelve geniuses of Shrek's generation had already gathered together, waiting for the teacher leading them to obtain their Soul Rings.
As they waited, the atmosphere was lively. Clearly, everyone was in a good mood.
"You reached Rank 80 at twenty-four, Junior Disciple Sister. Your talent is truly frightening." Han Ruoruo looked at Zhang Lexuan with great envy for her talent.
Her own talent was not bad either. She had reached Rank 70 in her twenties and only needed one more Soul Ring to become a Soul Sage. Yet compared to Zhang Lexuan, she still fell far short.
"Just luck." Zhang Lexuan smiled and looked toward Tang Tong, who stood at the front, her eyes filled with envy.
It was not that she envied Tang Tong for being about to become a Titled Douluo. Rather, she envied the way everyone addressed him: Shrek Academy's Senior Disciple Brother!
They were all Shrek's direct-line geniuses. They had not necessarily grown up together, but they had indeed known one another from a very young age. Since Zhang Lexuan had been the youngest when they first met, she was everyone's Junior Disciple Sister despite already being Rank 80.
"What? Are you interested in Senior Disciple Brother?" Following Zhang Lexuan's gaze, Han Ruoruo teased her.
Zhang Lexuan shook her head. "Sister Ruoruo, when do you think I'll be called Shrek's Senior Disciple Sister? I want to stand on my own sooner, too."
Han Ruoruo thought for a moment, then shook her head. "Forget about that. No matter how high your cultivation is, you'll still be our Junior Disciple Sister. Unless something happens to us during this Soul Beast hunt and Senior Disciple Brother and the others all meet with misfortune, or you obtain a Hundred-Thousand-Year eighth soul ring, it probably won't happen."
"Pah, pah, pah! Sister Ruoruo, don't say such unlucky things. We're about to head deep into the Star Dou Great Forest!" Zhang Lexuan quickly stopped Han Ruoruo from continuing. When going to the Star Dou Great Forest, it was best not to say anything inauspicious.
"What are you afraid of? Tell me, which of those two things I mentioned is even possible? Never mind Shrek's agreement with the Star Dou Great Forest that Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts cannot be slaughtered at will. Just based on the limit your body can endure for Soul Rings, can your body handle a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring? I think even a ninety-thousand-year one would be difficult for you. So a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring is impossible."
"As for something happening to Senior Disciple Brother and the others, Junior Disciple Sister, the one leading us this time is no ordinary Titled Douluo. It's Elder Xuan!"
"With his Rank 98 Soul Power, unless he deliberately abandons us, even if we encounter those ferocious beasts over two hundred thousand years old, we could still retreat unscathed. What are you worrying about?" Han Ruoruo lightly knocked Zhang Lexuan on the head, sounding quite dissatisfied.
Rubbing the spot Han Ruoruo had tapped, Zhang Lexuan nodded. "That's true. I was overthinking it."
Not long after the small interlude between Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo passed, Elder Xuan arrived as well.
Elder Xuan glanced at the twelve Shrek geniuses, then swept out his hand. "Children, let's go!"
PS: Zhang Lexuan and Han Ruoruo will both be taken in, so who do you think among Shrek's others would be most suitable to kneel before Elder Xuan?
Before you continue