Xuan Zi: Su Ling can only be mine!

"Xuan Zi, are you certain of what you say!?"

Although Xuan Zi was often unreliable, he would never joke about a matter of this magnitude.

Still, Mu En wanted to confirm it once more.

Watching Mu En's sudden change in expression, Xuan Zi couldn't help but grumble inwardly.

Uncle-Master, you're being far more impatient than I am right now...

But Xuan Zi dared not voice his thoughts for fear of a scolding, so he nodded honestly, "The child is in the Sea God Pavilion... Hm!? Uncle-Master, wait for me!"

Before he could finish his sentence, only a lingering afterimage remained where he had stood.

Xuan Zi hurriedly gave chase.

Sea God Pavilion conference room.

At this moment, the room was bustling with activity. Several elder masters had gathered in a circle, and Su Ling sat there quite obediently, letting Cai Mei'er pinch and prod his cheeks.

It couldn't be helped; Su Ling was naturally handsome and endearing, not to mention the added effect of his Charm Aura.

Once these elder masters learned he had been brought in by Xuan Zi, they all looked at him as if they had discovered a rare, priceless treasure.

They crowded around him, moving from curious observation to direct physical contact.

"He doesn't look like Xuan Zi at all. Shao Zhe, you must have guessed wrong. How could such a handsome young man be the descendant of that old thing?"

Elder Lin continued to perform consistently, never missing a chance to throw a jab.

Listening to them discuss his background, Su Ling's mouth twitched, and he couldn't help but complain internally.

I'm speechless. That old Xuan Zi just left without saying a word!

He had been waiting outside for a long time and was starting to feel the urge to use the restroom, but the Sea God Pavilion was completely empty except for this conference room.

So, he had walked in, intending to ask Xuan Zi where the facilities were.

As it turned out, the moment he opened the door, he didn't see Xuan Zi, but instead found a group of strange aunts and uncles with glowing eyes.

Just as Su Ling was feeling hopeless, two figures suddenly appeared.

One was Xuan Zi, and the other was an old man dressed in gray linen robes, who was currently scanning the room with eyes that shone with intensity.

He noticed Su Ling.

Su Ling looked back, silently speculating.

This old man must be the Dragon God Douluo, Mu En.

The true pillar of Shrek!

"Elder Mu! Elder Xuan!" The elder masters quickly fell silent, offered a respectful bow, and hurried back to their seats.

Mu En ignored the group of elders and walked straight up to Su Ling, scanning him from head to toe.

His voice trembled slightly, as if he were suppressing something, "Child, would you be willing to release your martial soul for me to see?"

Su Ling nodded, catching a glimpse of Xuan Zi, who was winking at him from the side.

The other elders had never seen Mu En this excited before, so they all turned their gazes toward Su Ling in unison.

Could this kid be a world-shaking genius!?

Under the expectant gazes of everyone present, Su Ling's eyes suddenly turned sharp. Two purple spirit rings descended slowly from above his head to his feet. Then, a phantom image of a creature with a dragon's head and a beast's body, wreathed in pitch-black lightning, manifested behind him.

"A thousand-year first ring!!?"

The elders exclaimed in shock.

Seeing this, Xuan Zi felt a surge of secret satisfaction. He added triumphantly, "I caught the spirit beast myself, and what's more, the kid didn't even take ten minutes to absorb these two rings."

"What!?"

The expressions of the crowd shifted once again. Even Mu En's face flushed with a healthy glow, a stark contrast to his usual half-dead appearance.

Innate spirit power at level 20, a Qilin divine beast martial soul! An Ultimate Lightning attribute, and even a dense aura of destruction!

Mu En was knowledgeable and experienced; with just one glance, he saw through Su Ling's martial soul completely, his heart pounding like a drum.

This was no longer just an ordinary genius—this was a peerless prodigy!!

What he didn't know, however, was that Su Ling's martial soul possessed yet another form...

"Child! Would you be willing to take this old man as your master!? As long as you agree, Shrek will spare no effort to cultivate you. I guarantee that you will break through to the Title Douluo realm before the age of twenty, and you may even become the next Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion!"

Mu En extended an olive branch. A prodigy of this caliber had to be tied to Shrek's ship!

His own time was running out, and in the new era of the academy, someone had to be able to carry the banner of Shrek.

And Su Ling was the perfect candidate!

As Mu En issued his invitation to take him as a disciple, the way the surrounding elders looked at Su Ling changed. Their eyes met, and then, in unison, they all turned to look at Xuan Zi.

One must know that apart from Elder Mu, Xuan Zi was the most qualified person in all of Shrek to sit in the position of Pavilion Master.

Shrek was naturally overjoyed to have such a peerless genius join their ranks.

Yet, Elder Mu had bypassed Xuan Zi entirely to promise Su Ling the position of Sea God Pavilion Master—not for a future generation, but as his immediate successor!

Was this not a bit too hasty?

At this, Xuan Zi grew anxious.

But he was not anxious about the position of Pavilion Master; he was anxious because Mu En wanted to take Su Ling as his disciple!

In his heart, the position of Sea God Pavilion Master rightfully belonged to Su Ling, and he supported that with both hands.

But if Su Ling were to take Mu En as his master, that would not do!

Su Ling was someone Xuan Zi had set his sights on; he had only brought Su Ling to the Sea God Pavilion to show off and satisfy his own sense of accomplishment.

He did not want Su Ling to take anyone else as a master, even if that person was his own martial uncle!

Just as Xuan Zi was about to speak, Su Ling, having retracted his martial soul, spoke up first to refuse.

"My apologies, Elder Mu, but I do not wish to take a master at this time."

Hearing this, Mu En was somewhat surprised, but he was not annoyed.

Xuan Zi, on the other hand, breathed a sigh of relief. He looked at Su Ling, his eyes flickering with anticipation, eager to make his move.

Su Ling noticed the restless Xuan Zi, so he paused for a moment to collect his thoughts before continuing.

"Elder Mu, although I know my talent is decent, my origins are humble and my Dao heart is not yet stable. If I were to agree to become your disciple and ascend to the Sea God Pavilion in a single step, I fear I would develop a sense of arrogance and impatience."

Mu En's face remained unreadable, but his gaze softened, and he gestured for Su Ling to continue.

"I wish to start from the Outer Court and, through my own efforts, take it one step at a time until I enter the Inner Court and eventually the Sea God Pavilion. I want to prove that it is not this talent that has made me, but that I am worthy of this talent!"

As these words fell, the entire conference room fell into a deathly silence.

Su Ling stood with his back straight, radiating integrity, his eyes filled with unwavering resolve.

The gathered elders stared at him blankly, forgetting even to breathe, as his words replayed over and over in their minds.

"Good, good, good! What a magnificent sentiment—it is not the talent that makes me, but I who am worthy of the talent!"

Mu En was overjoyed, repeating the word "good" three times.

He had not been this happy in a long time, and even the stagnant energy from the hidden injuries that had plagued him for years seemed to dissipate after hearing Su Ling's words.

He looked at Su Ling with a burning gaze.

If Su Ling had been a piece of gold before, he was now a piece of gold radiating a dazzling, brilliant light!

The gathered elders also felt a deep sense of approval.

A genius like Su Ling, possessing both such superb talent and character, was truly unprecedented and unlikely to be surpassed!

Lin Huiqun even gained a glimmer of insight from Su Ling's words, and her soul power, which had been stagnant for years, actually showed signs of loosening at this very moment.

Xuan Zi was trembling all over, bloodshot veins crawling into the whites of his eyes, and he felt an itch in his throat.

At this moment, his desire to take Su Ling as his disciple had reached its peak!

Such a child, with such extraordinary talent and excellent character.

He was destined to be the closing disciple of this old man, Xuan Zi!!

But immediately after, Xuan Zi suddenly thought of something, and a trace of bitterness welled up in his heart.

Was he worthy of being Su Ling's teacher?

Although he was a level 98 Super Douluo, his martial soul had always been flawed. Because of this issue, he had indirectly caused the deaths of the previous generation of the Shrek Seven Devils, leaving only one survivor.

This was a thorn in his heart that he could never let go of.

For a child as outstanding as Su Ling, perhaps only Martial Uncle Mu En was qualified to teach him?

...No!

Not even Martial Uncle! Su Ling must be mine!!

Xuan Zi remained silent on the side, but a flicker of obsession flashed deep within his eyes.

At this moment, Mu En waved his hand, and a token with a crimson gold exterior and a translucent white jade core hovered before Su Ling.