Hearing what their eldest brother said, the scar-faced strongman nodded and shook the folds of flesh on his face. "Hmph! When Mom transformed and started cultivating anew, I said that Tang San was no good!"
"After all, Mom's transformed appearance suited our tastes, but it definitely didn't suit human tastes!"
"Most people would have been doing well just not to reject Mom when they saw her. But Tang San could look at her with such deep affection and put on a flawless act. I knew then that he was extremely calculating and scheming!"
At that, their eldest brother shook his head and sighed. "It's just a pity that Mom was completely infatuated with Tang San back then. She was devoted to him and even left behind the few fellows in the clan she'd been seeing."
"She even said Tang San was the only sincere person who didn't care at all about her appearance, wasn't submitting to her because of her power, and loved her for who she was."
"The truth proved my instincts were right!" Anger rose in the scar-faced man's expression. He snorted. "Tang San was a real actor! He made everyone believe he truly loved Mom with all his heart!"
"Then, as soon as they reached the Divine Realm, he immediately turned on her! He showed his true colors!"
Their eldest brother nodded. "I still remember what happened. Mom had wanted to embrace Tang San passionately as soon as they ascended, but he acted like he couldn't stand her!"
"His eyes were bloodshot, and he was panting like a bull. He kept shouting things like, 'You're not Banban,' 'Give me back my Banban,' 'Banban is supposed to be a peerless beauty,' 'You ugly freak, die!' and 'No wonder they said there was something wrong with my eyes.'"
"All I can say is that Tang San was a brilliant actor who really got into his role. He acted as if he'd never seen Mom's true appearance, and his emotions seemed utterly genuine. Even Rong Nianbing, the God of Emotion, said afterward that Tang San's despair, grief, and rage had not been the least bit fake."
"That time, he hurt Mom deeply. Being called an ugly freak by the person she loved most was more painful than being insulted ten thousand times by anyone else."
The scar-faced man sighed softly, a faint smile curling his lips. "But being hurt that badly was exactly what finally woke Mom from that false romance. She reclaimed the pride and authority with which she once ruled the grasslands, instead of being a Love Brain who did everything Tang San wanted!"
"Hahahaha, exactly!" Their eldest brother recalled the past, his face glowing with pride.
"The day Tang San turned on Mom after ascending to the Divine Realm, her famous grassland technique—the Anus Grabbing Hand—returned to the world. The gods clutched at their crotches in horror, while Tang San fell to his knees and wailed. I'll never forget that scene!"
"That moment, when the gods were struck speechless, became an Immortal Monument forever carved into the history of our Spotted Hyena Clan!"
Inside the Royal Soul Engineer Academy of the Sun Moon Empire, Meng Hongchen gazed up at the Heaven Screen, lovestruck. "Ah... I feel like Yuhao's grown even more handsome!"
Xiao Hongchen's face darkened. "Meng, is his face all you can focus on? Didn't you see that the Universe is on the brink of destruction?!"
Xiao Hongchen tried to appeal to the greater good and bring Meng Hongchen's attention back by invoking the Universe's safety. But the young woman wasn't having it. Without even turning around, she waved a hand. "If the sky falls, someone tall will hold it up. I believe Yuhao can solve this crisis!"
"Him?" Meng Hongchen's eyes widened. "He's only studied magic for a year. You expect him to turn the tide?! He's only the Son of Destiny of Douluo Star, not the Son of Destiny of the Universe! Don't think too highly of him!"
Meng Hongchen gave him a strange look. "Did I say he was the Son of Destiny? That's all Yuhao's own hard work! You know he's only studied magic for a year. He's already this powerful after just one year, and they even call him Master Huo. Xiao, could you do that?"
"Of course I could!" Xiao Hongchen snorted dismissively and looked away, stubbornly insisting, "I just haven't had the chance to enter the Sacred Hall. Otherwise, I'd show you how I defeat the Fallen Mage and turn the tide!"
"Fine." Meng Hongchen pursed her lips. "Then show me how you become a Titled Douluo in a year. If you can do that, I'll believe you."
"How could anyone become a Titled Douluo in a year?!" Xiao Hongchen exclaimed.
"A master among mages is stronger than the gods of the Divine Realm, isn't he?" Meng Hongchen reasoned unhurriedly. "Let's make a comparison. The Sacred Hall is Douluo Continent, and Venerable Gu Yi is Dragon God Douluo Mu En. Wouldn't that make a master mage the equivalent of an ordinary Titled Douluo?"
"Uh..." Xiao Hongchen froze, unable to figure out how to answer.
So he forced the conversation back to where it had started. "Sure, he's impressive, but the Universe is in crisis! Can you stop staring at his face and pay attention to the danger, Meng?"
"Why are you so talkative today?" Meng Hongchen waved him off impatiently. "I told you, if the sky falls, someone tall will hold it up. The Watcher is still here, isn't he? Even if the Sacred Hall loses, would the Watcher really just stand by and watch the Universe be destroyed?"
Inside Shrek Academy, by Shrek Lake, a group of Shrek's high-ranking officials watched the scenes on the Heaven Screen with calm, even cheerful expressions.
The Heaven Screen was showing the future, and the protagonist of that future, Huo Yuhao, was right there at the academy. That meant Shrek already had the future in its grasp.
Under the circumstances, after learning the Divine Realm's secrets and cutting ties with the Sea God, Shrek People could only watch the show.
As for whether they should ascend in the future, given how much of a trap the Divine Realm was, they'd already made peace with the question.
They'd even begun considering how, in the future, they could use Huo Yuhao to make contact with the Sacred Hall and spread Shrek's name to more planets, farther away, so that Shrek's Glory could illuminate the Universe!
To them, that was far more appealing than ascending to the Divine Realm!
Judging by Huo Yuhao's extraordinary talent for the path of magic, as shown on the Heaven Screen, it wasn't impossible!
As long as Huo Yuhao could grow strong enough to succeed Venerable Gu Yi as Supreme Mage, they could then have him take over as Dean of Shrek Academy...
Tsk, tsk. There was no reason the Sacred Hall couldn't bear the name Shrek!
Shrek Sacred Hall! Just thinking about the name was enough to set their hearts racing!
Besides, knowing the future in advance meant Kaecilius wouldn't be a problem anymore. As long as they could make contact with the Sacred Hall—or its mages saw the Heaven Screen—the future crisis would naturally be resolved.
In this relaxed mood, when the Shrek High-level Officials saw Huo Yuhao looking baffled as he said that the Eye of Agamotto had no protection and that anyone could read the Supreme Mage's private collection, only for Kaecilius to be completely shattered by his words, they couldn't help laughing with delight.
For a moment, the air was filled with cheerful laughter.
"I knew it. It was so unreasonable—and dangerous—for a super-artifact like the Eye of Agamotto to be sitting there without any protection..."
Shi Xing, the Time Douluo, smiled bitterly and shook his head. "So it only had no protection for Yuhao..."
"And when Yuhao asked Venerable Gu Yi about the Supreme Mage's private collection, the librarian said anyone could read it. I thought that was strange at the time, since all those books were bound with chains."
"Looks like Yuhao's the only one who can easily unlock those chains..." Mu En chuckled. "It seems Venerable Gu Yi may well have chosen Yuhao as his successor."
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