He... Is Your and Xi Shui's Child...

High in the sky, Mu En took in the situation within the city at a glance.

Shao Zhe was tied down, and Xuan Zi was tied down as well.

The Holy Spirit Cult had not concentrated its forces on assaulting the Sea God Pavilion. They had even deliberately avoided the Golden Ancient Tree.

They were killing teachers and students, seeking to destroy the order Shrek relied on to endure.

Even if several powerful figures died, Shrek could still nurture new ones with its foundation and legacy.

But if the younger generation was slaughtered clean, the academy would suffer a talent gap for decades, perhaps even a century.

This attack had never been a clash of pride between powerful figures. They wanted to destroy Shrek's future!

Another barrage fell. Mu En's left wing was struck repeatedly, and several golden dragon scales tumbled from the sky.

Just as life energy surged toward the wounds, a new fluctuation of Soul Power came from deep within the black clouds.

He looked up. The Dark Sacred Dragon had been circling above the clouds all along, neither joining the siege nor blocking the artillery fire.

Long Xiaoyao was waiting for him. Or rather, Xiaoyao was forcing him to go over.

If Mu En continued defending the city, the higher-ups would remain pinned down, and the young students would eventually be unable to hold out.

If he charged into the black clouds, the artillery could directly blanket Shrek City without the Light Sacred Dragon's protection.

It was a simple choice, yet helpless and cruel. He could not doom Shrek's future for the sake of the civilians in the city.

"Xiaoyao..."

Mu En let out a long sigh and heavily closed his eyes. The life aura of the Golden Ancient Tree flowed through his meridians into his origin, forcibly awakening his already decayed body.

His depleted vitality began circulating again, and the wounds on the Light Sacred Dragon started to heal.

The only price was what little lifespan he had left.

Within the Sea God Pavilion, the elders all looked up at once.

"Mu En!" everyone cried out in grief and fury. Tears filled their eyes, and they could barely speak through their sobs. They knew Mu En was likely about to leave them!

Yet their calls received no response from Mu En.

Above Shrek City, the enormous Light Sacred Dragon folded its wings and transformed its remaining Soul Power into a layer of golden light, leaving it above Shrek City.

Then the dragon's body suddenly shot upward, charging through the sky-filling artillery fire and into the roiling black clouds.

The interior of the black clouds was far from empty. A dark dragon body stretched across the sky, and Long Xiaoyao stood atop its head, his black robe clinging to his body.

How many years had it been since they had last met? His figure was still straight and tall, but the carefree air of his youth was gone from his brows.

To his left, Long Wushang stood with his hands behind his back, expressionlessly watching the slaughter below. Behind him stood the phantom of a mysterious Demon Puppet, as though it were absorbing the most exquisite nourishment in the world.

Tang Ya stood behind Long Wushang, quietly gazing at Shrek below. Looking at the Tang Sect recruitment station in the plaza, her fingers slowly curled. Sinful Blue Silver Grass emerged from her sleeve, only to be withdrawn again.

Long Wushang noticed the small movement and reached out to wrap an arm around her waist.

"Can't bear to part with it?"

Tang Ya moved half a step closer to him, a trace of complexity flashing through her eyes.

"Master, I... My heart hurts. I can't just stand by and do nothing..."

Long Wushang was fairly satisfied with that answer. Of course he could sense what Tang Ya was thinking. What pleased him more was that she was willing to tell him the truth without reservation.

How many people died below had nothing to do with him. What he wanted was for Shrek to suffer a devastating blow, for Mu En to exhaust his life early, and for Huo Yuhao and the others to lose their protection.

So long as those goals were achieved, the ordinary Holy Spirit Cult members who died could be counted as costs as well.

They were not his people anyway.

Light broke through the clouds. Mu En stopped a hundred meters away, and an aged figure emerged atop the dragon's head. He first looked at Long Xiaoyao, then saw Long Wushang and Tang Ya.

Tang Ya's transformation made him linger on her for an extra moment.

"Tang Ya, you actually fell so far as to become an Evil Soul Master. Do you know how much Beibei and Yuhao suffered while searching for you?"

Tang Ya lowered her eyes and gently leaned into Wushang's arms. Facing Mu En's questioning, she did not say a word.

Long Wushang smiled at the old man before him. "Dragon God, you still have the mood to concern yourself with such things? Xiaoya has already become my woman, so there is no need for your academy to worry. I will take good care of her."

Mu En gave the youth a deep look, staring at the enormous phantom of the Demon Puppet behind him, unsure what he was thinking.

His gaze returned to Long Xiaoyao. He knew that now, he could only seek a breakthrough through Xiaoyao.

The two Sacred Dragons faced each other through the black clouds. Shouts of battle and artillery fire rose from the city below, one after another.

"Why?"

Mu En asked, "Xiaoyao, why are you helping Evil Soul Masters? Have you fallen as well? I don't believe it!"

Long Xiaoyao merely looked deeply at him, at this powerful figure from his own era. Faced with Mu En's questioning, he did not answer.

Seeing that he gave no response, Mu En could not help growing anxious. He stepped forward again, and the aura of the Light Sacred Dragon pressed down on the dark dragon's head once more.

"Xiaoyao, why are you attacking Shrek Academy?"

This time, Long Xiaoyao finally spoke. Yet he still did not answer Mu En's question. Instead, he said, "Mu En, you asked the wrong person."

He turned to the side, revealing Long Wushang standing behind him.

"Everything that happens today is decided by my son."

Mu En's gaze fell upon the young man.

When Long Wushang saw Mu En looking at him, the corner of his lips rose slightly. He then raised his hand and snapped his fingers. Below, the soul tool positions that had already fallen silent unleashed another volley.

The artillery fire was aimed directly at the Outer Court teaching building where Huo Yuhao was.

"You!" Mu En roared, his lips trembling slightly as he pointed at the utterly lawless youth.

"Xiaoyao, what did you just say? He is your son? Is he your and Xi Shui's son?"

Mu En was just about to speak, but the words suddenly stopped at his lips.

His gaze fell on Long Wushang, as though he had finally understood something at that moment.

A complicated, indecipherable emotion flashed through those aged yet still sharp eyes.

"He is... your and her child?"

Mu En murmured, his emotions complicated.

The news that Xiaoyao and Xi Shui had a child was far too sudden for Mu En.

It even left him dazed for a moment.

After all, Ye Xishui in those days had been astonishingly gifted and peerlessly brilliant.

Her talent was extraordinary, her grace unmatched. As a woman, she had stood at the pinnacle of the Soul Master world, shoulder to shoulder with Mu En and Long Xiaoyao.

In some respects, her talent and strength had even surpassed theirs.

In that era, Ye Xishui had been like a blazing sun, eclipsing countless young geniuses.

And it was because of this woman that he and Long Xiaoyao had ultimately turned against each other.

For Ye Xishui, they had once disregarded their years of brotherhood and fought fiercely.

That battle shattered not only their relationship, but also the youthful spirit they had once shared.

Later, under their teacher's guidance, he had finally come to his senses.

He understood that some feelings were never meant to be forced, and he saw clearly that some things were likely not as simple as they appeared.

In the end, he chose to withdraw from that years-long struggle, marry and have children, inherit his teacher's legacy, and become the guardian of Shrek Academy.

Long Xiaoyao, meanwhile, embarked upon an entirely different path.

Over the years, the trajectories of their lives had long since diverged.

Yet Mu En had never imagined that, after so many years, he would hear news of the two of them again in such a manner.

And between them, there was already a child.

(Please save and keep reading! The data is very important during the trial period. I beg you all, benefactors!)