Martial Soul and Soul Tool Dual Cultivation, I've Noted This Grudge!

Yan Shaozhe cleared his throat and said slowly, "Xiaotao, you've looked into Elder Zhuang's grandson, haven't you?"

"Mm, I've met him a few times. Teacher, what's wrong?" Ma Xiaotao was a little confused. Why had her teacher called her over, only to bring up that child Zhuang Minghui first thing?

She knew about Zhuang Minghui. Elder Zhuang's grandson, a top-tier monster no one in the current era could surpass. Twin martial souls, innate full soul power, a Soul Ancestor at eleven years old.

With that kind of standard setup, ten thousand years ago, he would have been someone who could become a god.

Looking at the muddleheaded Ma Xiaotao, Yan Shaozhe spoke at an unhurried pace. "Xiaotao, don't blame your teacher for forcing you to do certain things."

"For the sake of your future, and also for whether Zhuang Minghui stays or leaves, you must make some contribution to our Martial Soul Department."

The hints in Yan Shaozhe's words made Ma Xiaotao realize why her teacher had called her over.

A thin layer of anger instantly covered her cold, beautiful face, and she retreated half a step in slight panic. "Teacher, you... don't tell me you want me to seduce, to lure Zhuang Minghui?!"

Yan Shaozhe was not angry. Instead, he smiled, even revealing a look of approval.

He felt extremely fortunate that back then, he had adopted and nurtured Ma Xiaotao, a girl who was not only supremely talented, but also first-rate in appearance.

"Teacher!" The moment Ma Xiaotao heard this, her lovely face turned cold as frost, and sparks of anger lit up in her phoenix eyes. "I refuse. Right now, I only want to cultivate. I have no intention of falling in love at all!"

Anger. The current Ma Xiaotao was furious.

She had already lost count of how many times she had heard her teacher say such things.

Ma Xiaotao's refusal was within his expectations. Yan Shaozhe sighed and said earnestly, "Xiaotao, don't be so hasty. The backlash from the evil fire inside your body is becoming more and more severe. Even when this old man joins hands with Teacher to suppress it, we're only treating the symptoms, not the root."

"But Zhuang Minghui's life soul power is extremely pure. Perhaps it can purify your evil fire. This old man isn't only doing this for the academy, but also for your life and your future."

"Taking a step back, that child's talent is unparalleled, and his appearance is also excellent. He has a complete set of eight-pack abs and a sturdy physique. After you interact with him, you may not necessarily dislike him."

After Ma Xiaotao heard this, her originally resolute gaze trembled slightly. The evil fire inside her body truly tormented her like a disease eating into her bones. She understood that pain better than anyone.

She bit her red lip, her jade-like hand subconsciously clenching the corner of her clothes. After hesitating and struggling for a long time, she finally turned her head away and muttered in a somewhat sulky tone, "...Fine. But I'm only agreeing to interact with him first."

Eight-pack abs, huh...

At his age, how could he possibly have eight-pack abs? I'll have to find a chance to verify whether it's true. If he doesn't, I'll burn him to ashes with evil fire!

Seeing this, Yan Shaozhe finally revealed a smile of success.

Time quickly arrived at eight in the evening.

Night hung low, and a dense golden mist spread over Sea God Lake. At the center of Lake Heart Island, that ancient Golden Tree emitted a faint golden glow.

Inside Sea God Pavilion, the lighting was somewhat dim, and a massive oval long table lay across the room.

The pavilion was silent, but the terrifying pressure permeating the air was enough to suffocate any soul master. The elders of Shrek Academy were arranged on both sides, all resting with their eyes closed.

At the head of the long table, a reclining chair was placed quietly. Pavilion Master Mu En lay half-reclined upon it. His eyes seemed closed, yet he controlled the entire situation.

On one side of the long table, Zhuang Minghui stood shoulder to shoulder with an elder in plain robes. He looked ordinary, yet divine radiance was restrained within him. This elder was none other than Zhuang Minghui's grandfather, Elder Zhuang.

"Since everyone is here, let us begin." Elder Mu's gentle voice was like a great bell, reverberating through Sea God Pavilion. "Today's meeting will discuss only one matter: Zhuang Minghui's future cultivation path."

Elder Mu looked toward Elder Zhuang, who had remained silent the whole time, as well as Zhuang Minghui, who stood to the side with a somewhat strange expression, and said, "Brother Zhuang, as Minghui's grandfather, and someone who possesses veto power in Sea God Pavilion, what is your opinion?"

Yan Shaozhe was the first to stand. His expression was calm, and his gaze slowly swept over every elder present before he bowed slightly and said, "Teacher, I believe that with Zhuang Minghui possessing one super martial soul and one god-level martial soul, he should walk the path of the Martial Soul Department. If his two great martial souls are developed to the extreme, in the future, our Shrek will surely nurture another god."

At this point, Yan Shaozhe cast a provocative glance toward the Soul Guidance Department opposite him and said coldly, "A monster capable of becoming a god must absolutely not waste his cultivation on useless external forces like soul tools."

"Useless external forces? Yan Shaozhe, what do you mean by that?!" A sharp cry instantly broke the silence in the pavilion. Soul Guidance Department Dean Xian Lin'er shot to her feet with a whoosh, fury blazing in her beautiful eyes as her slender finger pointed straight at Yan Shaozhe.

Yan Shaozhe faced her coldly and said, "Exactly what it sounds like. If soul tools were truly powerful, would the Sun Moon Empire have still been repelled by the soul masters of Shrek joining forces with the three great empires? And hasn't the championship of every soul master tournament still remained in Shrek's grasp?"

"This proves precisely that soul tools are always a step below soul masters!"

The moment these words came out, the elders on the Soul Guidance Department's side all turned ashen.

Qian Duoduo was so angry his beard trembled. He slammed the table and stood abruptly. "Zhuang Minghui's Spirit Gold martial soul has the ability to decompose any metal or soul tool, and can even reconstruct them exactly as they were. As long as we have such an ability, we can study the Sun Moon Empire's soul tool technology in even greater detail and create soul tools more powerful than theirs."

"I dare guarantee that after several more decades of development, our Soul Guidance Department's soul tool technology may not necessarily fail to surpass the Sun Moon Empire."

The giants of the two departments argued inside Sea God Pavilion until their faces were red, terrifying waves of soul power rubbing against each other in the air and producing teeth-grating crackles.

"Enough. What you've said all has its reason." Mu En's gentle voice fell softly, yet like a spring breeze turning into rain, it instantly soothed the violent soul power in the hall.

He turned his head and looked at Elder Zhuang, who had remained silent all this time. "Brother Zhuang, as Minghui's grandfather, and someone who possesses veto power, what do you think of these two little fellows' dispute?"

In an instant, everyone's gazes gathered on Elder Zhuang.

Elder Zhuang slowly lifted his eyelids, calmly sweeping his gaze over the red-faced deans and elders of the two departments before his eyes stopped on Zhuang Minghui. He said, "Minghui, you speak. I want to hear your opinion."

Zhuang Minghui took a deep breath, braving the terrifying gazes of over a dozen Titled Douluo as he slowly stepped forward.

"Elder Mu, Grandpa, esteemed elders." Zhuang Minghui's voice was steady. "This junior believes that martial souls and soul tools are not opposing forces that cannot coexist. The essence of soul tools lies in the extension of tools, while martial souls are one's own foundation. I hope to cultivate both the Martial Soul and Soul Guidance Departments at the same time, using an extremely powerful body and martial souls as the base, paired with the most advanced soul tools. This is the true direction of the future."

The moment these words came out, Sea God Pavilion fell deathly silent. Elder Mu looked deeply at Zhuang Minghui, and finally revealed an approving smile. "What spirit. Since the person involved has chosen this, then we shall decide on a dual-cultivation plan. The Martial Soul Department will be personally taught by Shaozhe. As for the Soul Guidance Department, Xian Lin'er, Qian Duoduo, the two of you must take good care of him."

Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo said in unison, "Yes, Elder Mu!"

Although Qian Duoduo felt somewhat regretful that he could not have him entirely to himself, he still breathed a sigh of relief.

Yan Shaozhe could only bow and acknowledge the decision as well, though he shot Qian Duoduo a vicious glare.

Qian Duoduo, I'll remember this grudge!