Zhang Lexuan: Me?

Zhou Yi was so furious that she nearly collapsed, falling backward weakly.

Fan Yu's expression changed. He hurriedly caught her in his arms and wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth.

Inside Sea God Pavilion, the atmosphere became excessively quiet for a moment.

Qian Duoduo and Yan Shaozhe kept exchanging looks. Their years of tacit understanding—born from rivalry—allowed them to communicate almost without obstruction.

Qian Duoduo: Why hasn't Mu En come yet? What do we do now?

Yan Shaozhe: I think Teacher is probably hiding on purpose.

Qian Duoduo: He hides whenever something happens. We might as well let Xuan Zi be the Pavilion Master!

Yan Shaozhe: ...Are you serious?

Unable to wait for Mu En any longer, Qian Duoduo cleared his throat and spoke first. "Yaochen, this matter truly resulted from poor management by Dean Yan and me. What do you want to do?"

Yan Shaozhe's eyes widened.

This bastard had dragged him into it too?

Just tell me, isn't she from the Martial Soul Department? Qian Duoduo shot him a sly look.

Yan Shaozhe: "..."

Looking at the two animated deans before him, Long Yaochen decided to turn up the pressure on them.

"Teacher Zhou's original intentions were good. Perhaps I simply cannot adapt to life at Shrek." Long Yaochen did not answer Qian Duoduo's question.

As he spoke, an unnatural flush suddenly rose on his face. It was as though he were forcibly suppressing something. After catching his breath, he continued.

"I have already notified my teacher.

Once he arrives, I will pack my things and leave Shrek with Senior Xiaotao."

Did they really think they could not tell he was acting?

And if he wanted to leave, then leave. Why take Xiaotao with him?!

Yan Shaozhe became furious just thinking about it.

Yet when he saw Long Yaochen's pale, weakened face, Long Xiaoyao's words from that day instantly echoed in his ears again.

Whoever dared touch a single hair on my disciple's head, I would make the entirety of Shrek pay with him.

So, even though he knew the other party was acting, Yan Shaozhe could only brace himself and play along.

"This matter truly was due to my lax discipline of the Outer Court." Yan Shaozhe's face darkened, and his tone carried undisguised fury. "To think someone like Zhou Yi was allowed to damage Shrek's reputation. Rest assured, I will give you a satisfactory explanation."

A rotten apple...

Zhou Yi closed her eyes in despair.

That was not what you said back then.

The next second, Yan Shaozhe's voice rang out again. He walked over to Zhou Yi and Fan Yu, then said coldly.

"During her tenure as an instructor, Zhou Yi abused her authority as a teacher, maliciously harmed an important student of the academy, severely damaged the academy's reputation, and disrupted normal teaching order.

In consideration of Fan Yu's years of hard work for Shrek, her life will be spared today.

However, from this moment onward, Zhou Yi is expelled from Shrek City and forbidden from setting foot in Shrek for the rest of her life.

At the same time, all her temporary teaching positions are revoked.

From this day onward, she will have no further connection with Shrek."

Yan Shaozhe's words were like nails driven into Zhou Yi's heart, each sentence piercing deeply.

By the time he finished, Zhou Yi had already fainted.

Long Yaochen's mouth twitched.

Zhou Yi had turned out to be a damn temporary worker...

Just as expected of you, Yan Shaozhe! Just as expected of Shrek!

"Thank you, Dean Yan, for your mercy."

Fan Yu held the unconscious Zhou Yi in his arms. His face was pale, but he still lowered his head through gritted teeth.

Then he looked toward Long Yaochen and said with difficulty, "And thank you... Student Yaochen, for your magnanimity."

He understood clearly.

Given the other party's mysterious background.

The fact that Long Yaochen had not demanded Zhou Yi's life and had even allowed him to remain at the academy was already an immense favor.

"Well? Yaochen, are you satisfied with this result?" Yan Shaozhe looked at Long Yaochen, his tone once more as gentle as a spring breeze.

"This doesn't seem very appropriate..." Long Yaochen looked hesitant.

"It is perfectly appropriate! Zhou Yi was only allowed to teach at the Outer Court for Fan Yu's sake. Now that she has committed such a grave error, expelling her from Shrek is entirely justified!" Qian Duoduo immediately answered before anyone else could.

"But..." Long Yaochen's face turned pale again. "I do not know when my teacher will return, and I am afraid I will not recover anytime soon."

"Feeling the warm care of both deans, I truly came to regard Shrek as my home, but..."

"I'll go invite Elder Zhuang to examine you right away—" Before Qian Duoduo could finish, Yan Shaozhe stopped him.

"Yaochen, your injury is related to your Martial Soul. Ordinary treatment will definitely be useless. What do you need to heal?" Yan Shaozhe said calmly, while also shooting Qian Duoduo a look that said, What an idiot.

Long Yaochen glanced at Yan Shaozhe in surprise.

This old man really knew what he was doing.

Then he would not hold back.

"I heard there is a carving knife called the Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife. It would be very effective for my current injury."

Long Yaochen directly stated his objective.

"The Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife?!" Qian Duoduo's eyes widened at once.

As a Rank-8 Soul Engineer, he had naturally heard of that carving knife's notorious reputation.

If that thing killed Long Yaochen, Long Xiaoyao would probably hang him from Shrek City's walls like a weather doll...

"If you want to study Soul Tools, I can find you another carving knife from the rankings." Qian Duoduo gritted his teeth, clearly prepared to pay a heavy price.

"No, I am not interested in Soul Tools. I only want that carving knife." Long Yaochen shook his head and repeated himself.

Qian Duoduo's expression shifted repeatedly before he finally let out a helpless sigh.

"The Spirit-Devouring Carving Knife is not in Shrek's treasury.

However... Shrek City will soon be holding a Soul Master Treasure Appraisal Fair. According to the information I have received, that cursed blade may very well appear there.

If you insist on having it, I can make arrangements for you."

"Then thank you, Dean Qian." At last, a genuinely sincere smile appeared on Long Yaochen's face.

Then he glanced at the still-unconscious Zhou Yi and silently thanked her in his heart.

Thank you, Hero Zhou Yi.

Looking at the unconscious Zhou Yi, Long Yaochen thanked her from the bottom of his heart.

Otherwise, if he had directly asked for it, that old bastard Mu En might have made him do something in exchange.

Perhaps because the matter had finally been settled, Mu En was at last willing to show himself.

At that moment, a reclining chair silently appeared some distance away from them.

"Teacher."

"Mu En."

The two deans hurried forward to greet him.

"Not bad..." Mu En's tone was unusually gentle. "This handling of the matter showed a little of what Shrek's deans should be."

"Thank you for your praise, Teacher." Yan Shaozhe lowered his head, without the slightest trace of pride in his tone.

"Little Yaochen, you have suffered a grievance this time." Mu En looked at Long Yaochen again, his voice gentle.

Long Yaochen shook his head. "This does not count as a grievance. I also want to see Shrek 'prosper and flourish'!"

Mu En looked at him with some surprise. It seemed Shrek's environment had not disappointed him.

Before long, this god-level disciple would wholeheartedly belong to Shrek...

"Do as Shaozhe said. Oh, right..." As Mu En spoke, he suddenly glanced at Zhang Lexuan, who was looking at the scenery in the distance, before continuing. "Since Class One of the new students no longer has a class teacher, Lexuan, you should teach them for a while."

Zhang Lexuan, suddenly called by name, froze slightly.

"Me?"