Yet, just as washed-up stars still had die-hard fans, Sea God Tang San also had a small number of devout believers on the Douluo Continent.
At that moment, aside from a tiny handful of fanatics, the vast majority of those who had become his devout followers because of his glorious legend had broken down.
They couldn't accept that the god they worshipped as a beacon of justice had such a revolting face behind the scenes.
Compared with them, the Sea Soul Beasts, who also worshipped the Sea God, were better able to accept his treachery and ruthlessness.
That was because Sea Soul Beasts were simpler-minded and held strength in higher regard. They didn't demand as much of a god's character and virtue as human believers did.
Setting aside those unimportant Sea Soul Beasts and Sea God believers, as well as the ordinary people of the Douluo Continent who were merely watching for entertainment, there was another faction that reacted strongly to the images on the Heavenly Screen.
That was right: Shrek Academy.
To a certain extent, Sea God Tang San's fame had helped Shrek Academy rise to prominence in its early days.
But after Shrek Academy had stood on the continent for thousands of years as the First Academy, the reputations of Shrek Academy and the Seven Gods had begun to benefit one another, each bolstering the other.
Now, ten thousand years later, Shrek Academy's fame and prestige came increasingly from Shrek itself, rather than the Seven Gods led by Tang San.
In fact, Shrek Academy's positive influence on the Seven Gods across the continent now far exceeded the positive influence the Seven Gods had on Shrek Academy.
But after such a long and close association with the Seven Gods, the scene on the Heavenly Screen exposing Tang San's despicable nature dealt a devastating blow to Shrek Academy's reputation.
An indelible stain had appeared in the school's once-glorious history.
Inside Shrek Academy, by the Sea God Lake, the members of the Sea God Pavilion who had been watching the Heavenly Screen with cheerful smiles were no longer smiling.
"Alas..." Mu En sighed inwardly. His already aged face seemed to grow several years older in an instant.
Throughout the past several thousand years, Shrek Academy had stood above the nations. Though its status was lofty, it had secretly stirred up who knew how much resentment and hostility.
Now that this had happened, Mu En could already imagine that doubts about Sea God Tang San's righteousness would soon spread across the continent, eventually turning into attacks against Shrek Academy.
Mu En wasn't the only one who could see this coming. The others present understood it too, and their expressions grew grave.
"Elder Mu, what should we do now?"
Faced with Shrek's people asking in confusion and uncertainty, Mu En closed his eyes and thought for a moment. When he opened them again, his gaze was filled with resolute determination.
"Find that child and bring him back to the academy."
The others' expressions shifted. Elder Song pressed him for an explanation. "You mean...?"
Mu En took a deep breath and closed his eyes again. His voice was calm as he said, "Have that child leave the Tang Sect and join Shrek Academy. Then assign people to protect him, and make sure he never sets foot on Lake Heart Island."
"Isn't that too risky?" Yan Shaozhe hesitated for a couple of seconds before forcing himself to speak. "Teacher, shouldn't you think it over?"
The others said nothing, but their expressions were just as conflicted. They understood what Mu En's plan meant.
Why was the lake inside Shrek Academy called Sea God Lake? Why was Shrek Academy's highest governing body called the Sea God Pavilion?
It was because Shrek Academy held the Sea God's legacy. The Golden Tree at the heart of Lake Heart Island, where the Sea God Pavilion stood, was also connected to the Sea God by countless ties.
As the master of the Sea God Pavilion, Mu En could summon the Sea God's Light within Shrek Academy.
Viewed from another angle, this meant Shrek Academy was the place most susceptible to the Sea God's power.
Now that the Heavenly Screen had revealed Sea God Tang San's intentions, Mu En had decided to make Huo Yuhao leave the Tang Sect and stay away from Lake Heart Island. There was no doubt that he intended to resist the Sea God's will.
Why not simply have someone take Huo Yuhao away from Shrek to cultivate elsewhere?
Because Shrek Academy had many powerful experts, and based on what they had seen on the Heavenly Screen, the Sea God seemed able to influence that child only through subtle guidance, not control him directly.
In that case, keeping him at the academy would actually be safer. If anything unexpected happened, they would have time to respond. Sending him out into the world might make him more vulnerable to certain "accidents."
This was clearly an extremely risky course of action, unlike standing by while the Tang Sect was destroyed.
If Shrek stood by as the Tang Sect was destroyed, watched coldly, and didn't even bother to help avenge it, that would amount to no more than inaction.
But if they insisted on protecting Huo Yuhao and blocking the Sea God's plan, that would be a blatant provocation against a god.
It was because Yan Shaozhe was mindful of this enormous risk that he had pleaded with Mu En to reconsider.
"What about the rest of you? What do you think? Speak up." Mu En looked around at those beside him.
After a two-second silence, Qian Duoduo was the first to speak. "I support Elder Mu's decision!"
"Qian Duoduo, have you gone mad? Do you understand how great a risk this is? If something goes wrong, can you take responsibility? Are you picking a fight with me over this even now?!" Yan Shaozhe snapped.
Xian Lin'er's expression turned cold. "You're the one who's gone mad! Yan Shaozhe, can't you use that pig's brain of yours and think about why Elder Mu would make such a decision?"
Yan Shaozhe froze.
Then Elder Song slowly spoke. "Elder Mu's decision is right. Besides, we don't actually have any other choice."
Yan Shaozhe still didn't quite understand. "Why do you say that?"
"Alas..." Mu En lifted his eyelids. A hint of disappointment crossed his eyes as he looked at his disciple, then he spoke in an even tone. "Now that the Heavenly Screen is above us and everyone on the continent knows what the Sea God is thinking, we have only three paths before us."
"First, choose the Sea God. Second, help neither side. Third, choose that child."
"If we choose to side with the Sea God and help him control that child, Shrek's ten thousand years of glory will be destroyed in an instant. No one will ever trust an academy that betrays its students again."
After a pause, Mu En continued, "If we choose to help neither side and let that child join another faction, we can foresee that he won't think kindly of us, while the Sea God will also be displeased with us."
"If we choose to help that child, we will undoubtedly incur the Sea God's wrath, but we will also win that child's goodwill."
"Most importantly, Shrek's glory will be elevated! Even if we die beneath the Sea God's fury, an academy willing to defy a god's will for its students can be rebuilt somewhere else in an instant, as long as its seeds survive!"
"Then, even without the Golden Ancient Tree or the Sea God's Light, Shrek will still be recognized by everyone as the continent's foremost academy! Shrek, reborn through fire, will be even more united! Its glory will shine all the brighter!"
Before you continue