Jiang Yi: Godfather, spit! Master above, please accept your disciple's bow!

"This junior Jiang Yi greets you, Senior! Regarding the matter from last time, I must thank you..."

Jiang Yi stepped forward and bowed respectfully to the old woman.

He was somewhat surprised; he had expected the Pavilion Master Lin of the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, not Elder Song.

"Think nothing of it. The resources within the academy are meant for talented little ones like you, after all."

Elder Song waved her hand, smiling kindly.

At the time, she had only been helping Lin'er retrieve a batch of rare metals from the Treasure Gathering Pavilion when she happened to run into Jiang Yi.

She hadn't expected that in the blink of an eye, this little one would catch the Pavilion Master's eye. After all these years, her judgment remained as sharp as ever.

"Lin'er~"

Elder Song turned her head to look at her daughter.

This girl had been around for decades, yet she still lacked any sense of tact.

If that senior brother of yours, Yan Shaozhe, is being obtuse, can you, his future quasi-senior sister, really just sit there?

"No, Mom..."

The beautiful woman sitting on the sidelines, who had been watching the drama, suddenly widened her eyes, staring at her mother in utter disbelief.

She, the dignified Dean of the Soul Tool Department, was being asked to give up her seat to a student at a Sea God Pavilion meeting... that made no sense!

Am I not your own daughter?

"Hmm?!"

Elder Song glared at her.

"Fine~"

Xian Lin'er pouted, ultimately admitting defeat. She stood up and beckoned to Jiang Yi.

"Come here!"

"Cough, cough, that won't be necessary! This junior is fine standing... eh?"

Jiang Yi hurriedly waved his hands, but before he could finish, a slender, delicate hand reached out and grabbed him by the back of his collar.

"If I tell you to sit, you sit. Why so much nonsense?"

Xian Lin'er shoved Jiang Yi firmly into the chair, then leaned down, pinched his cheek, and threatened him in a low voice.

"If you dare get up, I'll confiscate all your academy bonuses for the next three years! I'm the Vice Dean, and I mean what I say."

"..."

Jiang Yi blinked, turning to look at Elder Song. Seeing the old lady nodding kindly, he stopped struggling and sat obediently.

"That's more like it."

Seeing this, Xian Lin'er clapped her hands and took the initiative to stand behind Elder Song, beginning to massage her mother's shoulders.

"Mom, how do you two know each other? And why are you going to the Outer Academy..."

As Xian Lin'er chatted with Elder Song, she glanced at Yan Shaozhe opposite them, seemingly beginning to catch on.

She was more than willing to do anything that would annoy Yan Shaozhe.

Jiang Yi sat to the side, eyes fixed on his nose and nose on his heart, remaining silent and not daring to interject into the mother-daughter conversation.

A moment later, a figure appeared silently.

"Since everyone is here, let us discuss the next Continental Elite Soul Master Tournament. Who shall lead the team..."

Mu En swept his gaze across the room, pausing on Jiang Yi for a brief moment before proceeding with the meeting as usual.

"Uncle-Master, let me! I've been staying in the academy with nothing to do; it's time I did something for the academy..."

"Cough, cough, perhaps I should go instead."

"Hmm? Old Lin, what do you mean by that? You don't think I'd make the same mistake as last time... or the time before that, do you?"

"..."

These Super Douluo, who could suppress entire regions in the outside world, were no different from ordinary people at this moment, arguing until their faces were red.

From the selection of the team leader to the allocation of resources between the Soul Tool Department and the Martial Soul Department, and even the extermination of Evil Soul Masters...

The meeting grew increasingly heated, but Mu En sat quietly at the head of the table, watching the pavilion elders debate.

Jiang Yi, however, felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles.

These people didn't treat him as an outsider at all, spilling various secrets of Shrek Academy without reservation.

He felt that if he showed even a hint of disloyalty right now, these people might mince him into meat paste on the spot.

Six hundred and sixty-six!

Jiang Yi mused to himself.

He had guessed a little; were they showing him goodwill? Though this goodwill was so overwhelming that an ordinary person wouldn't be able to handle it.

Regardless, this had been his plan all along. In Shrek Academy, as long as he stayed away from Xuan Zi, it was far better than playing mind games with Grandma Xi Shui in the Sun Moon Empire.

As his thoughts gradually cleared, Jiang Yi calmed down, watching the pavilion elders bicker while occasionally teasing the Ice Empress in his mind.

Two hours later.

The Sea God Pavilion meeting finally came to an end.

"That is all! The Soul Tool Department will continue to receive increased resource allocation this year."

"Select a few more core disciples from the new students, but you must respect the students' wishes; no reckless actions!"

Mu En spoke, making the final decision. The elders, who had been arguing until their faces were red, immediately fell silent.

"Understood! Pavilion Master!"

Xian Lin'er cast a triumphant glance at Yan Shaozhe across from her, the corners of her mouth curling upward.

She had said it all along: the Soul Tool Department was the future of Shrek. With the Sun Moon Empire seeing a near-explosion in the number of Level 9 Soul Masters, they could not afford to fall behind.

To fall behind is to invite a beating!!!

The Sun Moon Empire would never forget that crushing defeat from thousands of years ago.

"..."

Yan Shaozhe sighed softly, choosing not to continue the argument with Xian Lin'er.

These were debts incurred in his youth. He had always felt a sense of guilt toward Xian Lin'er, even though she was already married to another.

The meeting concluded, but no one left. They remained in their seats, their gazes turning toward Mu En at the head of the table.

"Well? Does Shrek Academy... meet your expectations?"

Mu En turned his head, looking at Jiang Yi with a smile.

Today's Sea God Pavilion meeting was held for two reasons: first, to take on a disciple, and second, to let Jiang Yi see the true Shrek.

He was confident.

Under his leadership, Shrek might not compare to the ancestors, but it was still worthy of the title of the continent's number one academy.

"The leader of the righteous path! It is this humble one's honor to be able to study at Shrek Academy..."

Jiang Yi sighed with emotion, his tone sincere.

In such a setting, he naturally dared not speak carelessly, choosing only to say what was expected.

Although Shrek was arrogant and domineering, it had at least inherited a portion of the Martial Soul Hall's responsibilities and would take the initiative to purge Evil Soul Masters.

Even if the purging process involved a tiny bit of collateral damage, the Douluo Continent was, after all, a place where the weak were prey to the strong.

Jiang Yi had nothing to say to that.

In his view, Shrek was actually not ruthless enough, having inherited that double-standard style of Tang San—wanting both a good reputation and profit.

If it were him, thousands of years ago, Shrek would have seized the opportunity to unify the continent and annex the Sun Moon Empire in return.

Instead, they ended up with Shrek City, neither here nor there—neither knowing how to restrain themselves nor how to strive for progress—eventually leading to it being bombed ten thousand years later.

"Since that is the case! Are you willing to join the true Shrek Academy?"

Mu En chuckled, his gaze softening as he looked at Jiang Yi.

Shrek Academy was the cause he had dedicated his life to; receiving praise from others was also a validation of his efforts.

"Since you have learned Reign Over the World, this old man will shamelessly ask—are you willing to take this old man as your master?"

As Mu En's voice fell, everyone's eyes turned toward Jiang Yi, each with a different expression.

To be a personal disciple of the Pavilion Master meant being destined for the upper echelons of the Sea God Pavilion in the future.

Jiang Yi was silent at first.

Then, he stood up abruptly, knelt on one knee, and bowed solemnly to the Mu En before him.

"This disciple is willing. Teacher, please accept this disciple's bow!"

Angel investor, secured!

Super promotion in seniority!

He didn't have that many hang-ups; never mind Mu En, even if Tang San were to take him as a disciple, he would bow down just the same.

If Ah Yin gives grass, treat her as a mother; if Xiao Wu gives grass, treat her as a brother; if Miss Tang gives grass, treat her as a father-in-law...

Tang Sect Rules: Tang Sect disciples must not actively provoke trouble, but if the other party has already embarked on the path of "ho-ho-ho," one must strike back with thunderous force!!!

You and I are both of the Grass Sect, born in this peerless world!

(The above are all abbreviations for Blue Silver Grass; please do not let the auditors make wild associations. The Tang Sect holds the Blue Silver Grass in high esteem, commonly known as the Grass Sect.)