"Elder Xuan led the team to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt soul beasts... Something terrible happened!!"
Elder Song's expression was extremely grim, and even her voice trembled:
"Zhang Lexuan and the others encountered a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast! Of the twelve core disciples from the Inner Court, eight died on the spot!
Lexuan... Lexuan forcibly absorbed a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring to save her life. She is now suffering a severe backlash and has fallen unconscious. Her life is hanging by a thread!
Elder Zhuang has already rushed over to treat her with everything he has!"
"What?!"
Yan Shaozhe looked as though he had been struck by lightning. His mind went blank, and he could hardly believe his ears.
"Pfft—!"
Upon hearing this terrible news, Mu En, who had been reclining in his chair, suddenly widened his clouded eyes. Overcome with grief and fury, he spat out a mouthful of blood!
"Elder Mu!"
"Teacher!"
Yan Shaozhe and Elder Song turned pale in shock and cried out as they rushed toward the swaying Mu En.
Song Yunzhi immediately began transferring pure Soul Power into Mu En's body bit by bit, helping steady his condition.
A moment later, she lowered her hands, her forehead already covered in fine sweat.
Even with her ninety-seventh-rank Soul Power, making a round trip in such a short time and then helping Mu En regulate his condition had left her utterly exhausted.
"Cough, cough..." Mu En coughed laboriously a few times, then nodded at Song Yunzhi and said weakly, "You have my thanks, Elder Song."
Pushing away Yan Shaozhe, who was supporting him, Mu En slowly leaned back into his recliner and closed his eyes in despair.
He had just gone to such lengths, setting aside his pride, to bring in a promising talent with heavenly potential, only for Xuan Zi to send eight Inner Court disciples to their deaths.
Although Inner Court disciples could not compare to a genius like Long Yaochen, every one of them had been selected through painstaking scrutiny. They possessed talent, and they were loyal to Shrek.
There was even Zhang Lexuan, in whom he had placed such high hopes, and now her life and death were still unknown...
Xuan Zi! Xuan Zi! Are you trying to anger this old man to death?
At that thought, his hand unconsciously kept tightening.
Even the vine chair specially crafted from the Golden Tree could not withstand his strength, cracks spreading across it.
"Teacher, calm down!"
Yan Shaozhe noticed the abnormality immediately. Suppressing all his own emotions, he hurriedly tried to persuade him.
The eight Inner Court disciples were certainly important, but what had happened could no longer be changed.
If anything were to happen to Mu En, Shrek's stabilizing pillar, because of this, then it would truly be...
He did not even dare continue that thought.
"Tell... Xuan Zi to come see me immediately. I'll have to trouble Elder Song to make another trip." Only after a long while did Mu En force out those words.
Song Yunzhi, who had been regulating her breathing nearby, opened her eyes and nodded.
Then she vanished from the spot.
As evening approached, the weather was exceptionally fine today, and the lingering glow of sunset bathed all of Shrek Academy.
Ma Xiaotao returned to the academy with Long Yaochen, both covered in the dust of travel. Fortunately, they had only gone to the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, so it had not taken too long.
"Tonight is my last night in the Inner Court..." Ma Xiaotao murmured as she looked at the evening glow over Sea God Lake.
"Don't worry. Whenever I'm free, I'll come back to the Inner Court to see my little wife." With both hands behind his head, Long Yaochen took in the beautiful sight. It truly was his first time seeing such a scene.
"You? Wait until you're taller than me before saying something like that, little friend!" Ma Xiaotao teased, looking as though she could not be bothered arguing with a child.
Yet at some point, the sunset had dyed her cheeks red.
Long Yaochen: "..."
Over the past few days, as their relationship had rapidly progressed—especially after he obtained Electrolux—this girl's attitude had become increasingly bold.
Sure enough, women needed discipline.
Long Yaochen thought this to himself as he raised his arm.
Smack—!
"What are you doing!"
Ma Xiaotao cried out, her eyes filled with disbelief.
This brat... actually dared to slap her butt!
Just as she was about to fly into a rage, she discovered that Long Yaochen had already dashed away. Instantly, she turned into a streak of red light and shot toward his retreating figure.
"Damn it! You can't take a joke, can you?!"
In the blink of an eye, Long Yaochen had already been grabbed and held in her hand.
A Soul Emperor bullying a Soul Elder like him—did she have no sense of honor at all?!
"Wait, look at that!" Long Yaochen spotted a group of people descending in the direction of the Golden Tree.
"You're still trying to fool me?" Ma Xiaotao said disdainfully, though she glanced over from the corner of her eye.
Sure enough, a group of people was descending toward Sea God Pavilion.
Could Senior Sister and the others have returned?
As Ma Xiaotao pondered this, Long Yaochen said, "Come on! Let's take a look at Sea God Pavilion! I happen to have something to discuss with Mu En!"
Now that he had stabilized the divinity, going to Sea God Pavilion should not pose much of a problem.
"Take a look at Sea God Pavilion? Do you think it's your family's marketplace..." Ma Xiaotao was about to mock him when her words abruptly stopped.
The past few days of reckless cultivation had nearly made her forget this brat's background...
First floor of Sea God Pavilion, main hall.
The once-quiet pavilion was now permeated by a heavy, suffocating stillness, with a strong smell of alcohol lingering in the air.
Xuan Zi lowered his head, his eyes reddened and his graying hair disheveled.
He stood in the center of the hall, his body trembling slightly. Pain and remorse filled his aged face as he spoke in a hoarse voice:
"Elder Mu, I resign from my position as deputy leader of the Shrek Inspection Team, as well as all duties within Sea God Pavilion.
I failed to protect those children... I truly have no face left to remain in Sea God Pavilion.
I will bear full responsibility for this."
Mu En sat in his recliner with his eyes closed, saying nothing.
Only the fingers tightly gripping the armrests revealed that his heart was far from calm.
His already aged face seemed to have grown several years older, every wrinkle appearing to be filled with disappointment.
Yan Shaozhe was shocked and hurriedly stepped forward, urgently trying to stop him:
"Elder Xuan, how can you do this!
No one can guarantee they will never make a mistake. That Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast was too cunning, and the incident happened too suddenly. The responsibility does not lie entirely with you!
Even if you resign out of guilt, it will not bring those children back.
Besides, Shrek is in desperate need of capable people right now. The academy cannot afford to lose a pillar like you!"
Although everyone present was thoroughly disappointed by Xuan Zi's actions this time, Yan Shaozhe was not wrong.
Shrek was currently suffering from a shortage of rising talent, and Xuan Zi, a ninety-eighth-rank Super Douluo, was indispensable.
Thus, despite Mu En's livid expression, even this Limit Douluo who had lived for centuries did not know what to say for the moment.
"Shaozhe, stop."
Xuan Zi painfully closed his eyes and let out a long sigh. "If I had stayed by their side the entire time, how could such a tragedy have occurred? My martial soul determines that I am simply unfit to lead a team. I have made up my mind. There is no need to persuade me further..."
As he spoke, Xuan Zi turned around and dragged his heavy steps toward the exit, looking grimly resolute.
At that moment, the side door beside him was pushed open.
Zhang Lexuan, her face pale and her entire body still wrapped in blood-seeping bandages, weakly entered with Elder Zhuang supporting her.
The moment she woke from her coma, she had insisted that Elder Zhuang bring her to the hall.
Just in time, she saw Xuan Zi preparing to leave. Struggling, she pushed Elder Zhuang away. Then, with a thud, she dropped stiffly to her knees before Xuan Zi.
"Lexuan! Your injuries have not healed yet. What are you doing?!" Yan Shaozhe cried out in alarm.
This scene instantly made the already deathly silent hall even quieter.
Before you continue