Mu En

At this moment, Mu En lay leisurely on a recliner. Even though the sun was nearly setting, there was no sign that he intended to leave. If one paid close attention, they would discover that the nearer they came to Mu En, the more they felt an inexplicable warmth.

A smile creased his wrinkled face as Mu En's somewhat clouded eyes rested on Jiang Yue. Under that gaze, Jiang Yue felt as though he had no secrets left anywhere on his body.

Seeing the active spiritual power within Jiang Yue, Mu En could not help but find it novel. He had witnessed everything Jiang Yue had just done. Dividing his attention between two tasks—drawing a circle with his left hand and a square with his right—Mu En knew perfectly well what he was practicing.

Aside from being exceptionally effective for soul masters with the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul, the Distraction Control Technique could also improve a control-system soul master's battlefield control. Quite a few control-system soul masters with the background to learn it would pick up at least some of it.

"Eleven years old, yet already nearly Rank 38. Hehe, child, perhaps you can reach Rank 40 before you turn twelve. Such talent is remarkable not only in Shrek Academy, but even in the entire soul master world."

"You flatter me, Senior. I'm merely doing my best to improve my own strength."

Delighted by the discovery of talent—that was Mu En's current state of mind. The reason Shrek Academy had established its outer court, aside from the joint pressure exerted by the three great empires and various forces, was largely to recruit talented individuals from across the continent.

Otherwise, if they only recruited inner court students from Douluo Continent, the number of inner court students would be at least one-third fewer than it was now. After all, none of the various powers were fools; they would not casually send out geniuses who had reached the Soul King realm before the age of twenty.

Mu En still vaguely remembered that, when he had been relatively young, he had discovered Yan Shaozhe in the outer court. The Bright Phoenix martial soul had been one of the most suitable martial souls to inherit his legacy. Unfortunately, Yan Shaozhe had flaws in his temperament, leaving him stuck at Rank 95 despite already nearing a hundred years old.

If one were to ask what Shrek Academy's greatest problem was now, it was naturally the lack of a suitable successor for Sea God Pavilion. Xuan Zi had sufficient cultivation, but his shortcomings were far too obvious, making him unsuitable. As for the relatively suitable Zhang Lexuan, she was only a Soul Douluo now. Without at least ten years, it would basically be impossible for her to attain the cultivation needed to inherit Sea God Pavilion.

Looking across all of Sea God Pavilion and Shrek Academy's upper ranks, the person best suited to inherit the position of Sea God Pavilion Master was unexpectedly Song Yunzhi, the Azure Shadow Divine Eagle who was only Rank 97 and did not possess even a single hundred-thousand-year soul ring.

Mu En had troubles he could not put into words. If his spine had not been broken, and if his body had not continually been worn down by the violent aura within the Dragon Dan, then with his cultivation as an Ultimate Douluo, living another thirty to fifty years would not have been a problem at all.

Yet reality was that Mu En did not have many years left to live. Without fighting at full strength, he could only ensure that, in his current state, he would live for about another fifteen years. The exact time was difficult to say.

Aside from the issue of a Sea God Pavilion successor, Shrek Academy's next generation was also a problem. At present, the only one worth mentioning was Zhang Lexuan.

Because of her evil fire, Ma Xiaotao simply could not cultivate or fight without restraint. Whether she could safely reach the Titled Douluo realm in the future was still uncertain.

If Mu En had been in good condition now, that little bit of evil fire would have been no problem at all for an Ultimate Douluo like him. But there were no ifs in life.

Whenever Mu En thought of what had happened to Zhang Lexuan, he could not help regretting his decision back then.

"You're practicing the Distraction Control Technique? Judging from you, you should have only just begun. If you don't mind, tell this old man how far you've progressed. Perhaps this old man can offer you a few insignificant suggestions."

Adjusting his posture slightly, Mu En looked at Jiang Yue and waited for his answer.

Jiang Yue put on a thoughtful expression. After waiting for a short while, he immediately nodded.

The Mu En before him was one of the three strongest humans alive. Although his physical condition meant his combat strength could only rank last among the three Ultimate Douluo, his experience and knowledge were not something just anyone could compare with.

Moreover, the fundamental principle behind Sovereign's Descent, the battle technique Mu En had created himself, was the fusion of soul power and spiritual power. To receive guidance from such an Ultimate Douluo, even if it was only a few words, would bring Jiang Yue enormous benefits.

Jiang Yue immediately began displaying the results of his brief period of practice. He drew circles with his left hand and squares with his right at an extremely fast pace, without the slightest pause in between. After adapting for a moment, he began guiding the soul power within his body and concentrating it in both hands.

Mu En nodded with great interest at the sight, then waved to signal Jiang Yue to stop.

"Not bad. To accomplish this much just after coming into contact with the Distraction Control Technique shows that you have excellent talent in spiritual power. But you still need much more practice."

"How about this? Come. This old man will let you experience what it feels like to divide your mind into three uses ahead of time."

The next moment, Mu En raised his withered arm. A faint golden glow appeared at his fingertip as he gently pressed it against Jiang Yue's brow.

A warm force, like a hot spring, slowly seeped through Jiang Yue's brow and into his mind, guiding his spiritual power.

There was none of the anticipated stabbing pain, only a natural comfort, as though Jiang Yue had long since mastered this technique himself.

Jiang Yue heard a soft hum in his mind. His consciousness, which had originally been condensed into a single mass, quietly split under the guidance of that external force into three clear and independent branches.

"Steady your mind. Do not resist," Mu En's aged voice sounded simultaneously beside Jiang Yue's ear and within his mind. "One mind, three uses, each controlling one matter. This is the Three Apertures Heart stage of the Distraction Control Technique. Try using those three streams of thought to perceive three different things."

Following Mu En's reminder, Jiang Yue tried to control the three separated streams of spiritual power. At the same time, his attention was no longer focused on a single thing. Mu En's appearance, a leaf falling from a distant tree, and the birds in the sky—the movements of all three were captured in Jiang Yue's eyes.

The feeling was extraordinarily wonderful, as though his mind had been divided into three independent operating units. It was simply incomparable to drawing circles with one hand and squares with the other.

A thought arose in Jiang Yue's heart. He wanted to see just what he could accomplish in this state.

Mu En seemed to have seen through Jiang Yue's thoughts and nodded, indicating that he could do whatever he wished.

Three soul rings—yellow, purple, and purple—appeared behind Jiang Yue. The silver-white Passionate Sword and the red Joy Sword appeared in his hands at the same time. Taking a deep breath, Jiang Yue's two swords let out a series of crisp sword cries.

"A special weapon-type soul skill formed by blending spiritual power and soul power? It seems it isn't as simple as it looks."

The power radiating from the Joy Sword affected Mu En's heart, stirring the joy buried deep within him. Since this power was not offensive in nature, it did not trigger this Ultimate Douluo's instinctive defenses.

Jiang Yue suddenly moved. As the Joy Sword in his right hand slashed diagonally downward, the Passionate Sword in his left hand swept upward in the opposite direction. The constantly dancing silver-white blade left trails like flowing light.

The sword techniques of his left and right hands were completely different, without the slightest similarity. Fierceness and agility appeared at once; two utterly different styles were wielded by one person, yet there was not the least sense of discord. The two swords sometimes moved away from each other and sometimes passed in crossing arcs. The distance between them never varied by more than a hair's breadth. That tiny gap was like an impassable chasm—though the swords met countless times, they could never truly meet.

After gradually growing familiar with the two swords, Jiang Yue steadied his mind. The cyan Anger Sword suddenly appeared and joined the succession of sword techniques. The sword lights unleashed by all three swords merged into one whole. Their offense was endless, their defense as solid as a fortress, without the slightest flaw to be found.

From afar, no one would dare believe that one person was controlling three swords. Instead, it looked as though three people were wielding swords together, weaving an orderly net of blades.

Dividing one's mind into three uses was not something Jiang Yue could accomplish at his current level. It was all thanks to Mu En. Yet even with Mu En's help, Jiang Yue could not maintain this state for long. In this short time alone, fine beads of sweat had already appeared on his forehead.

Even so, Jiang Yue had no intention of stopping. Sweat covered his cheeks, and his spiritual power was being consumed at an astonishing rate, but his eyes had never been so bright.

When the final sword technique ended, Jiang Yue spun and came to a stop. The three soul rings behind him, the Anger Sword floating at his side, and the two swords in his hands all vanished at once.

Jiang Yue shut his eyes tightly, his aura incomparably steady. Even after Mu En had withdrawn his power, Jiang Yue remained lost in that state, unable to awaken from it for a long time.

Seeing Jiang Yue like this, Mu En nodded, unable to hide the delight on his face.

He did not disturb Jiang Yue, merely waiting silently as Jiang Yue contemplated everything that had just happened, absorbing and summarizing the experience.

About the time it took for half an incense stick to burn passed before Jiang Yue finally opened his eyes reluctantly. His spiritual power, which had nearly been exhausted, had recovered considerably. Though he could still feel some fatigue from overexertion, there was also a clear, enlightened sense of openness.

Instinctively controlling his spiritual power, he tried to recapture the feeling from before. The soul power in his body, originally whole and unified, split awkwardly into three branches under the control of his spiritual power. Though it was far from as smooth as when Mu En had guided him, he had truly touched the threshold.

"Not bad, not bad. You've already caught a glimpse of the way in. I believe you'll truly master the Three Apertures Heart within the next few days. Remember this: the core of the Distraction Control Technique has never been in 'distraction,' but in 'control.' No matter which level you reach, all your 'apertures' originate from one heart. Whether releasing or retracting them, you must remain in command. Do not put the cart before the horse."

"Thank you, Senior."

"Mm, go on back. It's getting late, and the sun has set. Without the sun, this old man ought to head back as well."

Facing Jiang Yue's solemn bow, Mu En waved him away. As he watched Jiang Yue disappear from view, Mu En himself vanished from the dormitory entrance. Yet the students passing back and forth outside the dormitories noticed nothing amiss, as though no one had ever been there to begin with.

Before a wooden cabin on Sea God Island, a black-haired young woman who appeared to be around twenty-three or twenty-four sat cross-legged, regulating her breathing.

Her temperament was incomparably serene and gentle; a single glance was enough to make her unforgettable.

Sensing a familiar presence, she hurriedly opened her eyes. Her bright black pupils were filled with respect as she immediately rose and approached the suddenly appearing Mu En, bowing to him.

It was not an especially elaborate gesture, more like the respectful greeting a junior would offer an elder she deeply admired.

"Elder Mu, did you go to the outer academy again?"

"Haha, this old man has nothing else to do these days. I just like seeing those children full of youthful vigor. Whenever I see them, I feel as though I've grown younger myself."

"Lexuan, how are you feeling? If there's any discomfort, remember to tell this old man. Even with one foot already in the grave, I can still help stabilize your condition."

"Thank you for your concern, Elder Mu. I understand my own body. If there really is a problem, I'll come to you for help immediately."

"That is fine as well. If anything happens, tell this old man. No matter what, I will always be your elder."

A trace of worry appeared in Mu En's eyes. He had personally saved the young woman before him, but he had also personally shut this girl—whose family had already been destroyed—inside a new cage.

Thus, Mu En's feelings toward Zhang Lexuan were exceedingly complicated. There was concern for a junior, but also guilt.

More than once, Mu En had wondered whether Zhang Lexuan would not have been trapped by love now, and could have truly possessed a splendid life of her own, if he had not made that Martial Soul Oath to her back then.

Zhang Lexuan now had no wish to damage Bei Bei's relationship, so she simply intended to devote everything she had to Shrek Academy.

Over a year ago, Zhang Lexuan, who had been stuck at the bottleneck of Rank 80, had forcibly absorbed a hundred-thousand-year soul ring. Given her physical condition and spiritual power at the time, absorbing such a soul ring had been far too strenuous. In the end, Zhang Lexuan did successfully absorb it, but she had also been bedridden for over half a year because of it.

Even though she appeared to have no problems now, the meridians ravaged by the violent energy contained within that hundred-thousand-year soul ring had yet to fully recover.

The human body was a vast treasure trove, but if something went wrong, Zhang Lexuan might remain like this for the rest of her life. Mu En did not want to see his junior lose her future before he died.

"From the look on your face, Elder Mu, did something happen today that made you happy?"

"Yes. I encountered a child with rather good talent. Perhaps before this old man dies, I may yet take in a final disciple."

"A final disciple?!"

Zhang Lexuan was surprised. As one of the few young people in Shrek Academy who knew of Mu En's existence, she understood Mu En's status and strength very well. Any child who caught Mu En's eye had to possess talent at least on the same level as Yan Shaozhe.

Yan Shaozhe's talent was quite formidable. The only reason he was stuck at Rank 95 now was because his temperament did not match the Bright Phoenix. If he had possessed another martial soul, he would likely have reached Rank 97, perhaps even Rank 98, by now.

"I never expected a genius worthy of your regard, Elder Mu, to appear in the outer academy this year. It seems the inner academy will become lively again in a few years. Congratulations in advance, Elder Mu, on gaining an excellent disciple."

"It is still too early to say such things. We must observe him for some time and determine his temperament first."

The talent Jiang Yue had displayed so far had undoubtedly moved Mu En. In this era, the most important thing for advancing to the rank of Limit Douluo was condensing a second soul core, and regardless of the method used to condense one, sufficiently powerful spiritual power was essential.

An eleven-year-old Soul Elder with outstanding talent in spiritual power—Mu En believed that as long as Jiang Yue developed normally, and as long as his temperament did not run counter to his martial soul like Yan Shaozhe's, becoming a Limit Douluo would merely be a matter of time.

Therefore, Mu En planned to observe Jiang Yue's temperament for a while before making any decisions.

What puzzled Mu En the most was that when he had helped Jiang Yue experience the Three Apertures Heart in advance today, he had sensed a familiar feeling within the trajectory of Jiang Yue's soul power circulation, as though he had seen an old acquaintance.

Of course, he was merely familiar with the path of that soul power's circulation. There were so many meditation methods for different martial souls, as well as universal meditation methods. Perhaps it was only a coincidence.

Whatever the reason, Mu En intended to observe Jiang Yue for a while longer before deciding.