"I'll listen to you, Teacher."
Unwilling to choose, Mu Guiyun simply tossed the decision back to Mu En.
"But I want you to decide for yourself."
Mu En smiled. He naturally knew what Mu Guiyun was thinking and added, "You can only pick one!"
Mu Guiyun: ...
Old man, you weren't like this with Lao Huo in the original story!
Mu En understood all too well that biting off more than you could chew never ended well. He didn't want Mu Guiyun to fail to learn the essence of either discipline. Besides, he hoped Mu Guiyun would choose the Spirit Tool Department.
Shrek had never lacked traditional Soul Masters. Whether it was Ma Xiaotao or Zhang Lexuan, both had top-tier talent and Martial Souls, more than enough to uphold Shrek's reputation.
As for Soul Tools, Shrek had already pulled far ahead of the Three Douluo Kingdoms, but compared with the Sun Moon Empire, it was utterly crushed—not even scraps remained.
In fact, not long ago, Mu En had secretly infiltrated Mingde Hall. Some of the Soul Tools there had even made him, a Limit Douluo, feel threatened.
"This... all right."
Mu Guiyun looked troubled. His eyes swept over everyone present, and he gritted his teeth before speaking. "You know, this is a difficult decision."
"This autumn, I've decided to bring my talents to the Spirit Tool Department!"
"As for the Spirit Department..."
Mu Guiyun looked at Yan Shaozhe and Cai Mei'er, frozen in place, and said sincerely, "I'm truly grateful for the Spirit Department's care over the years. To me, the Spirit Department has always been like family. Though I'm reluctant to leave, I have to do it for the academy's future."
"As for Dean Yan and Dean Cai, they'll always be my elders. I wish them the best of luck."
As Mu Guiyun finished speaking, the entire Sea God Pavilion fell into dead silence.
Mu Guiyun... had actually chosen to join the Spirit Tool Department!
"Hahahaha! Yan Shaozhe, I won!"
Xian Lin'er was the first to recover. She burst into excited laughter, overwhelmed by emotion, then rushed over to Mu Guiyun and pulled him into a tight embrace.
"Hehehe, all those years of doting on you as your senior sister weren't for nothing!"
Holding Mu Guiyun's face in both hands, Xian Lin'er could no longer contain her excitement. She pressed her red lips to his forehead.
"Mwah~!"
Yan Shaozhe stared at Xian Lin'er, his mind completely blank.
"I've decided to bring my talents to the Spirit Tool Department..."
Mu Guiyun's words struck Yan Shaozhe like a heavy hammer, pounding into his heart.
He'd actually lost out to the Spirit Tool Department...
All these years, the Spirit Department had always kept the Spirit Tool Department firmly in check. And now he'd fallen short when it mattered most, over the person who mattered most!
"Congratulations, Lin'er."
Yan Shaozhe managed a strained smile. Though his heart was in turmoil, he didn't blame Mu Guiyun in the slightest.
If he couldn't outdo the Spirit Tool Department, he could only blame himself for making his promises sound less appealing.
Besides, just because Gui Yun had chosen the Spirit Tool Department, did that really mean he belonged to you now?
What a joke!
A graceful figure wreathed in fiery red flashed through Yan Shaozhe's mind.
"Let the Spirit Tool Department celebrate for a few days. This is only the beginning!"
Yan Shaozhe gave a crooked smile as a brilliant idea sprang to mind.
After learning of Mu Guiyun's choice, Mu En, seated at the head of the table, smiled in satisfaction. As expected of the successor he'd personally chosen to feed—he hadn't let him down!
"Come on, let's go home. Your senior sister's going to reward you properly tonight!"
Xian Lin'er draped an arm around Mu Guiyun's shoulders, then shot Yan Shaozhe a challenging look.
People could lose once, a hundred times, even ten thousand times in their lives!
But they had to win that final time!
In a dormitory at Shrek Outer Court, Jiang Nannan glanced at Tang Ya, who had been following right behind her without a moment's pause. Looking a little uneasy, she couldn't help asking, "Xiaoya, why are you following me everywhere...?"
"Why? Because I'm afraid some bad guy will spirit you away!"
Thinking of Mu Guiyun's request, Tang Ya was furious inside.
But there was nothing she could do. Mu Guiyun usually helped her, and now that he'd finally asked her for a favor, Tang Ya swore she'd make sure she did it perfectly!
"But I'm going to take a bath..."
Though the two were very close, Jiang Nannan couldn't help blushing.
"That's fine. We'll bathe together!"
Seeing Jiang Nannan's bashful expression, Tang Ya's lips curled into a teasing smile. "Oh? Nannan, why's your face so red?"
"It isn't..."
"Really?"
In high spirits, Tang Ya reached out with her wicked hands and went for Jiang Nannan's waist.
"Ah! Xiaoya, stop it!"
"Be good. Let me see!"
Meanwhile, at Xian Lin'er's home, Mu Guiyun and Xian Lin'er sat across from each other. Several delicate dishes were arranged on the table, with plenty of empty wine bottles beside them.
As for Qian Duoduo, he hadn't spoken up for Xian Lin'er during the Sea God Pavilion Meeting, so she'd sent him straight to the laboratory.
"Cheers!"
They clinked glasses lightly, then drained the strong liquor in one go.
"I can't believe you really joined the Spirit Tool Department. I thought it was all just a dream!"
Xian Lin'er rested a delicate hand on Mu Guiyun's shoulder. The alcohol had left her cheeks faintly flushed.
Hearing that, Mu Guiyun could only sigh helplessly. "To be honest, at first I planned to have it all."
"You sure are greedy!"
Wrapping an arm around Mu Guiyun's shoulders, Xian Lin'er thumped her chest in assurance. "Don't worry. As long as you're with me, you'll eat well and drink your fill from now on! Whatever the Spirit Department can give you, the Spirit Tool Department can give you too!"
Xian Lin'er's words made Mu Guiyun's mouth twitch.
Wait, does that sound right?
What do you mean, "as long as you're with me"? Finish your sentence!
"By the way, what about Xiaotao?"
Xian Lin'er suddenly realized there was a serious problem: Ma Xiaotao!
Yan Shaozhe was Ma Xiaotao's adoptive father and teacher. That old bastard wouldn't try any dirty tricks, would he?
At that, Mu Guiyun declared confidently, "Don't worry. Xiaotao isn't that petty."
Ever since Ma Xiaotao's Evil Fire had flared out of control a few days ago and she'd asked Mu Guiyun to help her indulge in a hearty seafood feast, their relationship had warmed rapidly.
Even when she went to bed at night, Ma Xiaotao had to be holding something in her hand, or she couldn't fall asleep.
They hadn't taken that final step yet, but Mu Guiyun wasn't far from getting his fill.
Seeing Mu Guiyun's confidence, Xian Lin'er relaxed and teased, "That's good. Otherwise, your senior sister would have to make it up to you with a little girlfriend!"
"Let's keep drinking!"
Their glasses clinked, and they drank on until late into the night.
To celebrate Mu Guiyun joining the Spirit Tool Department, Xian Lin'er didn't use her Soul Power to dispel the alcohol.
"I'm telling you, don't spend too much time with that bird-brained Yan Shaozhe. He's no good!"
Even after getting drunk, Xian Lin'er didn't forget to badmouth Yan Shaozhe.
"That bastard was dating me back then, but behind my back he was fooling around with that fox, Cai Mei'er!"
At the mention of it, Xian Lin'er gritted her teeth in anger. "Oh, right, there was also a woman named Feng Ling. I've no idea where she's run off to now."
With the alcohol going to his head, Mu Guiyun felt completely woozy and didn't understand a word Xian Lin'er was saying. He could only nod along.