Branches Everywhere in the World

Seeing Ye Xinglan suffer such severe injuries, Shen Yi could not help but let a chill spread from her body.

Even the Battle Armor within her sensed her killing intent and eagerly stirred, ready to emerge.

But Wu Zhangkong reached out in time to stop her.

He gave Lin Jin a complicated look.

Then softly said to Shen Yi,

"Ye Xinglan's sudden outburst was not his fault, and besides..."

"He held back as well."

The killing intent around Shen Yi instantly receded.

How could she not have sensed that Lin Jin had held back?

It was just that...

She could not accept it.

Ye Xinglan, born in the Shrek Inner Court, was unquestionably a leading figure among her peers.

Yet now, after exhausting all her trump cards, she had actually been crushed.

By a blacksmith who had devoted so much of his focus to forging.

Once today's events spread.

They would inevitably become a thorn lodged in Shrek's side.

The major powers might all use this to slander Shrek.

But just as her senior brother had said.

Lin Jin was not to blame!

Taking a deep breath.

Shen Yi completely calmed down, bowed slightly to Lin Jin, and said,

"Sorry, just now..."

"I was a little too rash."

Before Lin Jin could speak.

An even more powerful aura instantly appeared in the arena.

It was Mu Chen.

Although he had devoted his life's efforts to forging and was not particularly outstanding in combat.

He was still, after all, an Eight-Ring Spirit Douluo.

As he landed beside Lin Jin, his aura erupted without the slightest concealment.

His gaze was icy.

"Shrek, the continent's foremost academy and the supreme sanctuary of Spirit Masters..."

"Can't even accept defeat?"

Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi both changed expression slightly.

They were just about to explain.

But Mu Chen's voice immediately rang out again.

"You may be arrogant. You may look down on others."

"But do not forget."

"The crafting of every top combatant from Shrek, the Tang Sect, and every other power depends on our Blacksmith Association!"

Mu Chen's voice was icy.

In truth, those words had already crossed a line.

If someone with ulterior motives made use of them.

They could even become grounds for the Federation's major powers to "attack" the Blacksmith Association.

There was even a real possibility that the Blacksmith Association's various Rare Metal supply channels would be taken away.

But at this moment, Mu Chen could not care about any of that.

All he knew was this.

His disciple had been bullied and wronged!

Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi's expressions shifted slightly.

In terms of combat strength.

The two of them were both Two-Word Battle Armor Masters and high-ranking Spirit Emperors.

If they fought, Mu Chen might be an Eight-Ring Spirit Douluo, but he truly might not be a match for the two of them.

But Mu Chen was a Level 8 Saint Craftsman.

There were only four Level 8 Saint Craftsmen on the entire continent!

Who would be willing to offend one?

Knowing that she had caused this matter, Shen Yi pressed her lips together and bowed to Mu Chen once more.

"Saint Craftsman."

"I am Shen Yi, the teacher leading Shrek's delegation this time."

"What I did just now was indeed inappropriate."

"But I assure you that I had absolutely no intention of targeting Lin Jin or the Blacksmith Association."

"Here, I offer my apologies to you and to Lin Jin."

As she spoke, she bowed slightly to Lin Jin again.

When she straightened up once more, she said,

"As compensation."

"If little brother Lin Jin is willing in the future, he will be welcome to visit Shrek at any time."

"I will personally receive him."

The moment those words came out, the entire venue erupted.

Shen Yi setting aside her pride and apologizing to Mu Chen and Lin Jin had already surprised them enough.

Yet they had not expected.

Shen Yi to directly extend an olive branch as well.

Though she had not said it outright, everyone understood.

If Lin Jin wanted to join Shrek Academy, he could do so at any time!

That was Shrek!

Everyone's eyes burned with excitement.

Inside one of the viewing rooms.

Zhang Zhenpeng, the Dean of Hailu Academy, who had once gone to Maple Forest Orphanage to recruit Lin Jin, had originally been competing with Long Huantian, the Dean of Tianhai Academy, for Shrek Inner Court assessment slots.

He was suddenly stunned.

More than three years ago, after learning that Lin Jin was under Mu Chen's wing.

They had poured in countless resources, hoping to persuade Mu Chen to send Lin Jin to their academies.

But things had not gone as they wished.

Yet Mu Chen's status was extraordinary. How could they dare force the matter?

Since it could not be done, they had put it out of their minds.

But they had never imagined.

That years later, they would see Lin Jin again at the Tianhai Alliance Grand Competition.

Not only had Lin Jin defeated a gifted student of the Shrek Inner Court.

He had even received an olive branch from Shrek itself.

What they had dreamed of was now casually offered to the youth they had once failed to recruit.

The two men felt incredibly conflicted.

Tang Wulin and the others were also looking on with burning eyes.

They already knew.

That the ultimate goal behind Teacher Wu's painstaking efforts to train the four members of Zero Class was to get them into Shrek.

And now, such an opportunity had been placed directly before Lin Jin.

"Gulp~"

Xie Xie swallowed.

"That's Shrek. Brother Jin will definitely agree, right? I'm so jealous!"

Xu Xiaoyan's gaze was just as heated, but she rolled her eyes at Xie Xie.

"Look at how little ambition you have."

Xie Xie was exasperated.

"Then tell me you don't want to join Shrek."

"Hmph!"

Xu Xiaoyan gave a soft snort and did not answer.

Gu Yue suddenly squeezed Tang Wulin's hand and softly said,

"You can do it too. We can do it too."

Tang Wulin's heart warmed.

Just as he was about to say something, he found that the soft warmth in his hand had already slipped away.

In the arena.

Xu Lizhi ignored everything else and had already gone to Wu Zhangkong's side, taking Ye Xinglan from his arms with a worried expression.

Wu Zhangkong had been faster just now, so he was the one who caught Ye Xinglan.

Mu Chen's gaze shifted slightly at this moment.

Even though Lin Jin had already made his attitude clear before.

His gaze still instinctively fell upon Lin Jin.

Lin Jin sighed inwardly.

To everyone in this world.

Shrek truly was a different kind of existence.

That could not be denied.

Before him.

Though they had been at swords' points just moments ago, the instant Shen Yi extended an olive branch.

Mu Chen still reacted instinctively like this.

That alone revealed quite a few things.

Mu Chen's anger just now had been to protect him, because he did not want to see Lin Jin suffer injustice.

But deep in Mu Chen's heart, he clearly believed that if Lin Jin wanted to become the strongest Spirit Master, Shrek was a good place to go.

Left with no choice.

Lin Jin softly said,

"Teacher, I told you before. I have no interest in Shrek."

His voice was very soft.

But at the very least.

Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi, more than ten meters away, heard him clearly.

Wu Zhangkong let out a faint sigh.

Even though Shen Yi had already heard from her senior brother that Lin Jin had no ties to Shrek.

She still could not help feeling shocked now.

There was actually a youth in this world who would refuse an invitation from Shrek?

Was he crazy?

And aside from the two of them.

People like Long Huantian and Zhang Zhenpeng also read Lin Jin's words from the movement of his lips.

Their hearts were filled with shock and confusion.

Mu Chen was invigorated as well.

He gently patted Lin Jin on the shoulder, a smile appearing on his face.

"Your teacher may sound resolute, but I cannot truly remain unmoved at heart."

"In that regard, I am actually inferior to you."

Lin Jin smiled faintly.

"It is not that Teacher cannot remain unmoved. You simply want your student to fly higher."

"But don't worry, Teacher."

"There are branches everywhere in the world. Step onto any one of them, and you can soar high."