Shrek City, Shrek Academy, first-year Outer Court dormitory.
"What did you say?"
Mu En, reclining in a wicker chair, slowly opened his eyes. A rare sharp glint flashed through his cloudy old gaze.
"Shao Zhe... fought them?"
"And... he was taken down?"
Bei Bei and Tang Ya, standing below him, lowered their heads and did not even dare breathe loudly.
"Yes, Grand Ancestor..."
Bei Bei braced himself and answered cautiously.
"Dean Yan... did not follow your instructions to communicate properly with them."
"Instead, a conflict broke out as soon as they met, and then... then he fought Senior Zhuo Shi."
"In the end... not only Dean Yan, but I heard Xuan Zi... was detained by them as well."
Bang!
Mu En's withered hand slammed against the armrest of the wicker chair with a crisp crack. Fortunately, he had not used much force, or the chair would have shattered.
"Outrageous!"
Mu En's voice was low and furious, his chest heaving violently.
"I gave him countless instructions before he left!"
"I told him he had to be humble and courteous!"
"And what did he do? Did he take my words as nothing but wind past his ears?!"
Mu En was so angry that even his graying beard trembled.
"Shao Zhe usually seems so steady. How could he be so muddleheaded at such a critical moment?"
"He must have spent too much time around Xuan Zi! He even picked up that irritable, impulsive rotten temper of his!"
"And now look! He has disgraced our Shrek Academy completely!"
Hearing Mu En's harsh rebuke, Bei Bei felt helpless as well.
He recalled the scene at the time, when Yan Shaozhe had been pinned to the ground and thoroughly beaten by Zhuo Shi. It had simply been... too horrible to watch.
"Grand Ancestor, you... you should not be too angry."
Bei Bei carefully tried to console him.
"Dean Yan... was trying to protect our academy's reputation, after all."
Of course, there was still half a sentence Bei Bei did not dare say aloud.
Although Dean Yan's intentions had been good, the result...
Not only had he failed to protect their reputation, he had been beaten badly in front of so many people. They had lost even more face!
It could even be said that Shrek Academy's prestige, built over ten thousand years, had been shattered all over the ground in that battle!
Mu En took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart as he turned to stare directly at Bei Bei.
"Bei Bei, tell me honestly."
"Did those people present at the time... all think that our Shrek Academy... was inferior to that New Shrek Academy that appeared out of nowhere?"
"Uh..."
An awkward yet polite smile appeared on Bei Bei's face, and his gaze drifted uncertainly.
"Well..."
"There was indeed... a slight tendency in that direction."
It was far more than a slight tendency!
The onlookers' eyes had practically popped out of their heads!
Quite a few had even directly said that their original Shrek Academy was the "counterfeit," while the new one was the true "authentic version"!
If Mu En heard that, the old man would probably be so furious that he would pass out on the spot.
So Bei Bei wisely chose to keep quiet and did not dare voice those painful words.
"Alas..."
Mu En let out a long sigh, seeming to age several years in an instant.
"What a misfortune for the family."
"Our Shrek Academy has stood firm on the continent for ten thousand years. Who would have thought that today... we would suffer such unprecedented humiliation?"
"Grand Ancestor..."
Seeing Mu En's dejected appearance, Bei Bei felt terrible too and quickly changed the subject.
"Then... then what should we do next?"
Just then.
"What is going on here?"
A deep, robust voice came from outside the door.
Immediately afterward, a burly, ruddy-faced middle-aged man strode inside.
It was Qian Duoduo, vice dean of Shrek Academy's Soul Guidance Department.
He had been tinkering with some new invention over at the Soul Guidance Department and happened to be passing by.
"Oh, Bei Bei and Tang Ya are here too?"
Qian Duoduo greeted them cheerfully, then his gaze fell upon Mu En, and he was immediately startled.
"Elder Mu, what happened to you? Why do you look so terrible?"
"Did that fellow Shao Zhe anger you again?"
Mu En lifted his eyelids to glance at him but said nothing.
Bei Bei could only smile bitterly and explain the entire sequence of events again.
"What?!"
After hearing Bei Bei's account, Qian Duoduo's eyes nearly bulged out.
"Shao Zhe and Elder Xuan... were detained by them?!"
"And they were detained after being defeated?!"
"Good heavens... just who are these people? They are that formidable?"
Though Qian Duoduo usually did not get along with Yan Shaozhe and often undermined him, he still knew what mattered in major situations like this.
This was no longer merely a matter of Yan Shaozhe's personal honor or disgrace. It concerned Shrek Academy's very standing and survival!
"Elder Mu!"
Qian Duoduo dropped his joking demeanor, his expression turning serious.
"We cannot just let this go!"
"We have to go get them back!"
"Otherwise, if word gets out, how will Shrek Academy show its face on the continent in the future?"
Mu En looked at Qian Duoduo, a thoughtful gleam flashing through his eyes.
Yan Shaozhe was too impulsive and had already ruined the situation.
The urgent priority now was to find someone steadier, someone who understood how to adapt, to clean up this mess.
Though Qian Duoduo usually seemed careless and boisterous, as the head of the Soul Guidance Department, he was actually more meticulous than anyone else. He also had thick skin and knew how to assess the situation.
Perhaps... he was a suitable choice.
"Duoduo."
Mu En slowly spoke, his tone carrying a hint of earnest gravity.
"I want you to make a trip to that Shrek Academy for me."
"Huh? Me?"
Qian Duoduo pointed at his own nose, somewhat surprised.
"That is right."
Mu En nodded.
"Shao Zhe has already made the path too narrow, and the situation is now very tense."
"You need to go ease the relationship."
As he spoke, Mu En's cloudy eyes fixed firmly on Qian Duoduo.
"You are one of the more measured people in our academy."
"You should know... what should be done and what should not, correct?"
"This time, remember not to act impulsively like Shao Zhe did!"
"You must prioritize peace. Bring them back first, then we can talk!"
Hearing Mu En place such trust in him, Qian Duoduo immediately felt the burden on his shoulders grow much heavier.
Still, he straightened his back and slapped his chest forcefully.
"Elder Mu, do not worry!"
"You still do not trust me to handle things?"
"I am definitely better than that blockhead Shao Zhe!"
"I will not fight. I will reason with them! If that does not work, I will apologize!"
"In short, I guarantee that I will bring Elder Xuan and Shao Zhe back to you safe and sound!"
"Even if I have to empty out my entire fortune to ransom them, I will not hesitate!"
Seeing Qian Duoduo's solemnly sworn expression, Mu En felt slightly more at ease.
"Good."
"Then get ready and head there again with Bei Bei and Tang Ya."
"They know the way."
"Got it!"
Qian Duoduo answered, then turned and beckoned to Bei Bei and Tang Ya.
"Let's go!"
Watching the three of them leave, Mu En leaned back in his wicker chair, his gaze deep and distant.
"I hope this time..."
"You do not stir up any more trouble..."
"These old bones of mine... cannot endure such torment anymore."
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