Conflict Before the Meeting

Morning light brightened the sky, and a cool breeze gently swept across the campus, carrying away the last trace of the night's stale air.

"Trash teaching."

Du Busi's voice sounded beside Lin Old's ear, accompanied by a snort of laughter.

"Du Busi, what did you say?!"

Hearing the fervent sounds of students running in the distance, Lin Old could not accept the other man's disparagement of Shrek Academy's teaching methods.

"I said it's trash teaching!"

Du Busi shot him a disdainful glance, raising his voice even louder than before.

"The God of the Sea trained through this very method ten thousand years ago, yet you dare belittle it."

Lin Old was furious, but when he saw the sturdy muscles on Du Busi and the people beside him, he subconsciously lowered his voice.

"You can fool others with that, but don't fool yourself too."

Du Busi sneered but did not continue. Shrek Academy training this way was just perfect. One day, the Body Sect would become the number one sect on the continent.

Lin Old fumed. Remembering that this was not supposed to be his responsibility in the first place, he felt a trace of resentment toward Yan Shaozhe.

"That may not necessarily be true. A training method passed down for ten thousand years must have its own merits."

Jing Hongchen's genial voice came from behind, with Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen following him.

Jing Hongchen would be delighted if Shrek Academy kept declining like this. The Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy had long since developed a scientific training regimen.

As for wearing iron clothes and squeezing oneself to the limit like the students before them, it would leave hidden injuries no matter what. They might not flare up for now, but one day they would become impossible to conceal, and ten-thousand-year-old Shrek would collapse in an instant.

"Hmph, you bastards from the Sun Moon Empire. I may not like Shrek Academy, but I dislike you invaders even more."

Du Busi turned to clash with Jing Hongchen. His sect had recently gotten involved with the Heaven Dou Empire's royal family, so they understood the pressure involved.

"What invaders? Back then, didn't everyone want to conquer the other side? You people shouldn't be as hypocritical as Shrek Academy."

Jing Hongchen looked completely unruffled, smiling pleasantly as he dragged the subject back to Shrek Academy.

Du Busi saw through Jing Hongchen's intentions. However, he had not brought many people today. If he truly angered them, those Shrek bastards might actually gang up on him. He would wait until next time, when he brought enough people, before coming to Shrek Academy to curse them out.

Seeing that Du Busi had not taken the bait, Jing Hongchen felt somewhat regretful. Still, he followed another elder toward Sea God Pavilion.

Lin Old's heart burned with rage, but neither side had ever gotten along with Shrek Academy, and he could not beat either of them. He blamed Yan Shaozhe even more.

Before the meeting had even begun, the various sides had already built up considerable hostility.

"You Shrek people really are lucky. You stumbled into a god by sheer dumb luck."

Du Busi sighed, looking with some envy at the Golden Ancient Tree, which emitted a faint glow. The vast life force contained within it was astonishing.

"This was the mutual achievement of Shrek Academy's predecessor and the divine one. How could it be called luck?"

Yan Shaozhe's voice carried over from afar. He had already gone to receive Er Ming and was now standing at the entrance, welcoming the major factions.

"What a joke. Any academy that encountered a student like that would have offered better treatment than Shrek Academy did back then."

Du Busi curled his lip. According to historical records, Tang San from ten thousand years ago had always turned danger into fortune and gained something everywhere he went. Though there was no point in making assumptions about the past, as long as Shrek Academy was unhappy, Du Busi was happy.

"I really want to dig this tree up and take it back. It would grow bigger and stronger in the Body Sect."

As he passed Yan Shaozhe, Du Busi whispered this.

Yan Shaozhe was not angry in the slightest, and the gentle smile remained on his face. He chuckled inwardly as well.

For someone like Du Busi, who feared neither heaven nor earth, he wondered whether he would still be so headstrong after encountering Teacher and that senior.

"Dean Hongchen, I have long admired you."

Yan Shaozhe greeted Jing Hongchen with a smile. This was his first time meeting Jing Hongchen.

"Dean Yan, likewise, likewise. Your Shrek Academy truly has deep foundations."

Though the two old foxes disliked each other inwardly, they remained perfectly cordial on the surface.

"Not at all, not at all. We are merely the number one academy in the world. In terms of Soul Tools, we still cannot compare to your Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy."

Jing Hongchen choked on his words. After all, that was universally acknowledged and also the truth.

"Dean Hongchen, let us go in. Only your Sun Moon Empire is missing now."

Yan Shaozhe did not continue pressing the matter. As the host on Shrek's home ground, he had to display the magnanimity of a host.

The moment Jing Hongchen entered, he saw Du Busi sitting properly in his seat without making a sound, while the Golden Body Douluo behind him was struggling to suppress a laugh.

With a glance, Jing Hongchen spotted the Limit Douluo he had seen last night chatting with an old man reclining on a lounge chair. His alarm went off wildly again, and Jing Hongchen simply shut it down. Too many people here had cultivation higher than his.

Without saying much else, Jing Hongchen found his seat and sat down. Behind him, Meng Hongchen and Xiao Hongchen curiously examined everything before them.

"I am Mu En, known as the Dragon God Douluo. My cultivation is passable enough, barely Rank 99, the same as Senior Tai Tan beside me. However, since this meeting is being held at Shrek Academy, I will take charge of it. I hope everyone will do me this favor."

Mu En's gentle voice rang out, full of strength this time. Yet if any top-tier healing-type Soul Master saw the old man before them, they would only think that he was experiencing a final burst of vitality.

"Of course, we will follow your arrangements."

Xu Jiujiu rose and cupped her hands in salute, deeply shocked. She had not expected that in coming to Shrek Academy on behalf of her brother for this meeting, she would discover Shrek Academy's true foundation.

A Rank 99 Limit Douluo—according to rumor, that was an entirely different realm from ordinary Titled Douluo, and could even be called the level closest to godhood.

The other factions responded in turn. Du Busi gave a cold snort, which counted as his agreement. He might be bold, but he was not stupid.

Er Ming merely watched coldly from Mu En's side. They had lived in the Star Dou Great Forest for so many years—how could they not know what lay within it?

After advancing into a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, he had been captured and made into a gatekeeper beast. That was when he learned of his lord's existence, and naturally knew that the people before him could not withstand a single strike from his lord.

Especially now that the God Realm could no longer observe Douluo Continent, and some unknown mutation had occurred in the center of the Star Dou Great Forest. No one knew how many of those who entered would make it out alive.

Er Ming gazed into the distance, as though he could see through the Golden Ancient Tree to the pillar of light that pierced heaven and earth at the center of the Star Dou Great Forest.

Feeling everyone's eyes turn toward him, Er Ming said expressionlessly.

"I came out this time only to protect Dong'er. Discuss whatever you wish. There is no need to mind me."

To be honest, from the day he and his elder brother had sacrificed themselves, the Fierce Beasts had regarded them as traitors to the Soul Beast race. He would probably get beaten if he went there anyway. He might as well stay obediently by Wang Dong's side and watch the humans march to their deaths.

Everyone regretfully withdrew their gazes. A Limit Douluo—if he truly went along, they would feel completely safe.

However, this mission was only to investigate the situation. Though anyone below the level of Titled Douluo was unqualified to go, there was no need to mobilize a foundational figure like a Limit Douluo when the benefits were still unclear.

By rights, it was not as though Mu En could not go, yet Mu En had still chosen to guard the dormitory entrance.

"Ahem. The meeting now officially begins."

Thank you, readers, for your support. It allowed this book to advance despite its not-so-high number of favorites. My deepest thanks.