In times of crisis, people always held on to a glimmer of hope.
Even the Sea God Pavilion elders were no exception.
Although Mu En had chosen to stand on Gu Tian's side, he hadn't completely severed ties with Tang San.
Otherwise, one of the elders would surely have proposed renaming Shrek Academy's central institution, the Sea God Pavilion, and its core area, Sea God Island.
Except for Xuan Zi, that simple-minded fool, they had all tacitly agreed not to bring it up.
Only now, when Sea God Tang San's actions had been thoroughly exposed, did they finally make up their minds.
Whatever the future might hold, their foremost goal now was to preserve Shrek Academy's reputation.
As countless Shrek students watched in disbelief, a figure slammed into the statue of Sea God Tang San, which had stood within Shrek Academy for who knew how many years.
The next moment, a faint barrier of light suddenly shimmered over the statue's surface.
It was a defensive Soul Tool specifically installed to protect the statues.
After all, the statues of the First Generation Shrek Seven Devils and the three founders of Shrek Academy were the face of their academy.
They had never been damaged in the past ten thousand years.
They never expected one of their own to destroy one today.
The barrier surrounding the statue was clearly no match for an attack from a Level 98 Super Douluo.
With a deafening crash, the barrier exploded!
At the same time, Sea God Tang San's statue turned into a shower of rubble.
At the sight, all the teachers and students of Shrek Academy widened their eyes, their faces filled with disbelief.
That was a statue of Sea God Tang San!
The face of their Shrek Academy!
And right there in broad daylight, someone had smashed it to pieces.
Even though Tang San's reputation had been ruined by the Sky Curtain's revelations, he was still an ancestor of Shrek Academy—and a true Deity.
Not just anyone dared to openly offend him.
At most, they might curse him under their breath or in their hearts.
Who had the nerve to do what they had long wanted to do, but had never dared?
The more Shrek Academy's teachers and students had worshipped Tang San before, the more they despised him now.
As the smoke slowly cleared, those who recognized the person revealed beneath it wore looks of understanding.
So it was Elder Xuan. Then there was no problem!
As Shrek Academy's backbone and the next Master of the Sea God Pavilion, Xuan Zi was irreplaceable.
Unless he crossed a fundamental line, Shrek Academy would always be exceptionally lenient with him.
If anyone else had been involved in the accident in the Star Dou Great Forest a few years ago, even Yan Shaozhe, Mu En's direct disciple, probably wouldn't have been able to brush it aside so lightly and hand Xuan Zi a punishment that barely counted as one.
It couldn't be helped. Xuan Zi was irreplaceable at Shrek Academy!
Shrek Academy tolerated him entirely out of strategic necessity.
And this was Shrek Academy's response.
By smashing the Sea God statue, Xuan Zi had made Shrek's stance clear.
There was now no chance of repairing their relationship with Sea God Tang San.
Even a Deity with a decent disposition wouldn't let such blasphemy pass without retaliation, let alone a selfish man like Sea God Tang San.
In return for the price they'd paid, all Shrek Academy had to do was spread the news. Its reputation wouldn't suffer; it might even improve.
No one would ever again lump Shrek Academy together with Tang San.
They would only say that Shrek Academy had put righteousness before family, risking a god's wrath to distance itself from the evil Sea God.
The worse Sea God Tang San's reputation became, the better Shrek Academy's would be.
After destroying Sea God Tang San's statue, Xuan Zi still seemed unsatisfied. He turned his gaze toward the statues of the other members of the First Generation Shrek Seven Devils.
"If they ascended to godhood alongside the evil Sea God Tang San, they must be cut from the same cloth!"
"Today, I'll rid Shrek of these stains!"
Fixing his gaze on the other statues, Xuan Zi's eyes flashed coldly as he charged toward the nearest one—that of Dai Mubai.
The next moment, Dai Mubai's statue shattered into rubble.
Just as Xuan Zi prepared to destroy the next statue, an aged figure blocked his path.
It was Elder Song, a Sea God Pavilion elder and Divine Eagle Douluo.
"Xuan Zi, what are you doing?"
Elder Song said with a troubled sigh, "Our plan didn't include destroying the other statues."
"They're surely all cut from the same cloth as the evil Sea God Tang San anyway."
Xuan Zi spoke as though it were obvious. "We might as well smash them all, before they damage Shrek's reputation any further."
"Xuan Zi, you can't treat everything the same way..."
"After all, they're our ancestors. And didn't it say right there?"
Elder Song sighed, looking troubled by Xuan Zi's behavior. "Some Deities stood on humanity's side, too."
"The ancient records say the First Generation Shrek Seven Devils were as close as siblings. They must all be cut from the same cloth."
Xuan Zi looked utterly unbothered, sticking to his guns. "Anyway, I don't think I did anything wrong."
"Just hearing the words 'Sea God' makes me angry now!"
"So I'm resigning as Deputy Master of the Sea God Pavilion."
Elder Song hadn't even reacted when several people who had just arrived panicked.
"Elder Xuan, is it just about changing the names of the Sea God Pavilion and Sea God Island?"
Yan Shaozhe spoke earnestly. "I'll vote for it with both hands at the next meeting."
"That's right, Elder Xuan. You're one of the pillars of our academy. How can you leave over something so trivial?"
Xian Lin'er hurriedly chimed in as well.
On this matter, even Xian Lin'er and Yan Shaozhe, the pair of sworn rivals, had surprisingly found common ground.
After all, if Elder Xuan left and Elder Mu had an accident, who would shoulder Shrek's banner?
The two of them certainly couldn't, and the others probably couldn't either.
"Xuan Zi, are you throwing a tantrum at me?"
Mu En's voice was calm as he looked at Xuan Zi, but everyone present felt an invisible pressure.
"Elder Mu, you know I didn't mean..."
Seeing that Mu En was the one speaking, Xuan Zi changed his attitude. His tone was no longer as forceful as before.
"Are you saying I've wronged you, then?" Mu En said coldly.
"No, I..."
Xuan Zi opened his mouth, but couldn't force out another word.
"If you've got nothing better to do, go to Star Luo Imperial City and protect that young fellow."
Mu En waved a hand. "Don't return to Shrek Academy unless something important comes up."
Xuan Zi would be no help with Shrek Academy's upcoming series of reputation-saving plans. If anything, he might ruin them.
After all, Mu En was the only person at Shrek Academy who could stop Xuan Zi.
And Mu En had his own affairs to attend to; he couldn't keep an eye on Xuan Zi all day.
Rather than that, he might as well send Xuan Zi to Star Luo Imperial City, where he could put his strength to use.
That arrangement was better for both of them.
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