Yan Shaozhe defended himself. "You know I'm the dean of the Martial Soul Department. I have so many things to deal with every day."
"Besides, the academy operates on an elimination system. Expelling a few students isn't a big deal."
Xian Lin'er gave a cold laugh. "And? You still haven't reflected on your actions, Yan Shaozhe?"
"This happened because you treat the students with indifference."
"Well, now the students have all risen up against you. Are you satisfied?"
Yan Shaozhe was left speechless. This had been his failure.
The middle-aged beauty standing beside Yan Shaozhe was no less attractive than Xian Lin'er. She had been reading something, but now she looked up.
"Shaozhe was at fault in this matter. We admit that!"
Xian Lin'er folded her arms across her chest. "Cai Mei'er, I don't need you to admit it. Is he not man enough to own up to even a small mistake?"
Cai Mei'er held out the papers in her hand to Xian Lin'er. "We can't escape responsibility, but neither can you!"
"Page five, line eight: the teacher who expelled students on a whim is the wife of Fan Yu, the head of your Soul Tool Department."
"She wouldn't dare expel students at will without the Soul Tool Department enabling her."
Xian Lin'er was left at a loss for words. That teacher was connected to their Soul Tool Department, too.
What was wrong with her? The Soul Tool Department was short on people. Why hadn't she sent those kids to Lin'er?
The man beside Xian Lin'er was over fifty, tall and broad-shouldered, with bronze-colored skin and white hair standing up like steel needles. He spoke up.
"We admit our share of the responsibility, too. We won't try to wash our hands of this."
"But as for who bears the main responsibility, isn't it your Martial Soul Department's failure to supervise her properly and letting her expel students at will that caused this problem?"
Yan Shaozhe felt guilty and hadn't dared to argue with Xian Lin'er. But he was more confident when facing this man.
"Qian Duoduo, don't play dumb. That teacher sent plenty of talented students your way every year, didn't she?"
"Don't act like you're the one who got the short end of the stick. Let's stick to the facts: you have to shoulder half the blame, too."
Qian Duoduo wasn't having it. "What did you say? Half the blame? Yan, have you lost your mind?"
Yan Shaozhe smiled faintly. "Her biggest backers are in the Soul Tool Department. By rights, your department should bear the main responsibility."
"I'm giving you half the blame, which is letting you off easy, Qian. You should know when to be content!"
Xian Lin'er spoke up. "Stop spewing nonsense, you shameless bastard. We're her biggest backers?"
"Oh, sure. It's not as if the students she expelled had to go through us first. Have some shame, Yan Shaozhe."
Cai Mei'er immediately chimed in. "I think Shaozhe is right. Your Soul Tool Department keeps trying to shirk responsibility. So who's the shameless one here?"
Yan Shaozhe went after Qian Duoduo, Xian Lin'er went after Yan Shaozhe, Cai Mei'er went after Xian Lin'er, and Qian Duoduo went after Cai Mei'er.
A perfect cycle had formed!
The elders watched the four old rivals start arguing again and found it rather entertaining. The young ones certainly had plenty of energy!
Xuan Zi, who was presiding over the meeting, spoke up. "You brats, both girls and boys—if you want to argue, take it outside. This is Sea God Pavilion, not a marketplace."
At Xuan Zi's words, the four in that perfect cycle wisely fell silent.
"This is a thorny problem for us."
"But I hope none of you forget that Shrek is the greatest academy on the continent."
"Students beating up a teacher is an extremely serious matter at any academy."
"That teacher must be punished, and those reckless students must be punished, too." Xuan Zi's voice carried an unquestionable authority.
Xian Lin'er wanted to try persuading him again. After all, it seemed clear that the teacher had pushed the students too far, which was why they'd fought back.
"Elder Xuan, should we—"
Xuan Zi waved away Xian Lin'er's suggestion. "This concerns the academy's authority. I won't compromise on this."
"Do as I say. The teacher will be expelled. We'll keep any students involved who can admit they were in the wrong."
"As for the stubborn ones who refuse to admit fault, we'll expel them."
Yan Shaozhe nodded in agreement. He thought this approach would work.
Xian Lin'er felt the students were entirely innocent and shouldn't be blamed.
But almost no one could change a decision made by Xuan Zi.
Just as everyone thought the matter had been settled, the doors to Sea God Pavilion opened.
"Xuan Zi, is this how you're handling things? I'm so disappointed in you!"
A gentle, graceful-looking woman who appeared to be around twenty entered, pushing Mu En's chair. She was Zhang Lexuan, the senior disciple of Shrek Inner Court.
"Elder Xuan, elders, good day."
After greeting them, Zhang Lexuan stood behind Mu En, waiting for him to make his stand.
Mu En looked at Xuan Zi in profound disappointment. "Xuan Zi, they say people grow through adversity."
"Do you remember the oath you made in front of all the elders when you took my place, after Lexuan and the others nearly came to harm?"
"'I will never let a single student of Shrek Academy come to harm again!'"
"You've forgotten. You've forgotten all of it!"
Xuan Zi didn't understand what Mu En meant. "Elder Mu, was I wrong?"
Xuan Zi felt that this was the safest way to preserve Shrek Academy's authority.
The academy's reputation would be protected, and the students would have a chance to vent their frustration.
Mu En really didn't understand Xuan Zi. Sometimes the man was sharp as a tack, and other times he acted like an idiot.
"Tell me, who was the greatest victim in this incident?"
"Wasn't it the students? They did nothing wrong. They only fought back against a teacher who was oppressing them."
"Xuan Zi, let me ask you: if, on your first day at Shrek, I'd called you an idiot and then made you go hungry for three days and nights..."
"If you couldn't manage it, I'd expel you. What would you have thought?" Mu En asked.
Xuan Zi's old face looked aggrieved. "That would be completely unreasonable! My Martial Soul is special. Without enough nourishment, I'd starve to death!"
"You think it would be unreasonable!" Mu En fixed him with a burning gaze. "So what did those students do wrong?"
Xuan Zi had no answer.
Mu En felt exhausted. "When you make a mistake, you have to fix it. You can always earn back your reputation."
"But once you lose people's trust, there's no getting it back."
"And Shaozhe—you four disappointed me, too. Lin'er did all right, and Mei'er and Duoduo spoke a few words of fairness, but the rest of you let me down badly."
"In a few years, or a decade or more, when I'm gone, can't you let me close my eyes in peace?"
Mu En was frustrated by their failure to live up to expectations. "The young are often far more energetic and hopeful than you are."
"I know I can't convince you, so let them do it."
"Lexuan!"
"Elder Mu."
"Send someone to have Mu Jin gather those kids. Let them bring some youthful energy to these old fogies."
"Understood!"
Ten minutes later.
Huo Yuhao and the others received a notice from the academy telling them to go to the Martial Soul Department dean's office and speak with them one by one.
On the surface, only Yan Shaozhe and Du Weilun were in the Martial Soul Department dean's office.
In reality, every Sea God Pavilion Elder had secretly arrived, including Xuan Zi and Mu En.
Before you continue