But since Long Wushang had said so, Long Xiaoyao did not ask further. He knew his son was more accomplished than he was, and perhaps even vaguely connected to the gods.
The first time he had seen power beyond the Limit in his life had been through Wushang's Original Sin Demon Puppet Martial Soul.
"Do we need to call the people from the Worship Hall back to help?"
"No. Too many people would only get in the way."
Long Wushang took Tang Ya's hand and pulled her to his side. "Father, handle anything that might block our path. I'll identify and gather the herbs."
And so, the three changed course and flew toward the Heaven Dou Empire.
Long Wushang turned back for one last look in Shrek's direction.
Sea God's Light had only just been forced out there, and Mu En had already reached the end of his life.
Shrek's most urgent task now was saving people, rebuilding the academy's defenses, and preventing the Holy Spirit Cult from launching a second surprise attack on Shrek Academy anytime soon.
No one would turn their attention to the Heaven Dou Empire, to that vast and boundless Sunset Forest.
Shrek Academy, within the Sea God Pavilion.
All the elders had arrived.
Mu En lay on a specially made wicker chair, one arm hanging limply at his side. His eyes were unfocused, and his breathing was weak.
Yan Shaozhe knelt before him. Xuan Zi stood by the window, the bloodstains on his clothes still untreated. The other elders were all injured as well, and not one of them spoke.
Huo Yuhao had been placed on a bed to the side.
Elder Zhuang had reconnected some of his meridians, but his broken bones and damaged Martial Soul origin could not be repaired in a short time.
Even more troublesome was his Spiritual Sea. No matter how Elder Zhuang examined it, he was repelled by a layer of gray power. This meant they could not treat it immediately and could only let it develop naturally.
Wang Dong stood watch beside Huo Yuhao's bed, her eyes red-rimmed. Beside her stood a burly man.
By the time Er Ming arrived at Shrek, the battle had already ended some time ago.
When he saw the devastation at Shrek Academy and Wang Dong's condition, he had been holding back his anger.
He had originally intended to charge straight into the Star Dou Great Forest and tear those Evil Soul Masters to pieces, but Wang Dong stopped him.
The reason was simple. The enemy had already scattered and retreated. It would be difficult for them to find Long Wushang again.
Furthermore, Huo Yuhao's life still hung in the balance, and Wang Dong would not let Er Ming—her only support right now—leave.
Er Ming carefully examined Huo Yuhao's injuries, his palm hovering above Huo Yuhao's chest.
The examination did not take long. A moment later, he slowly withdrew his own power from Huo Yuhao's body, then rose and spoke to the eagerly waiting elders around him.
"His body can still be saved, and his meridians can be slowly nourished back to health. Overall, the treatment will be difficult, but it is not impossible."
Only then did Wang Dong let out a breath of relief. Heaven knew how tense and worried she had been just now.
Wang Dong continued, "Second Dad, then why hasn't Yuhao woken up yet?"
Er Ming did not answer immediately. Instead, he fell into silent thought.
Because he had discovered two kinds of residual power within Huo Yuhao's body.
One was Ultimate Darkness, but it had already been temporarily suppressed by the Golden Ancient Tree's power.
The other was hidden very deeply, lingering near his spiritual origin.
That was not Soul Power, nor did it belong to the power of Soul Masters. Er Ming had spent a long time in the God Realm. Even though he remained in the lower realm now, he could not mistake that feeling.
It was divinity—or rather, traces left behind by a god.
And that aura made him very uncomfortable.
Mu En struggled to turn his head. Looking at the silent Er Ming, he asked with difficulty, "Titan Sect Master, did you discover something?"
Er Ming raised his head and looked at everyone in the Sea God Pavilion. "Do you know the name of the person who injured him?"
Wang Dong gritted her teeth and answered, "That person is called Long Wushang."
"He is the son of Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao and Death God Douluo Ye Xishui. He has Twin Martial Souls. One is the Dark Sacred Dragon, and the other is a gigantic Demon Puppet."
"A gigantic Demon Puppet...?"
Er Ming repeated it silently. His thick finger pressed against Huo Yuhao's brow once more. The residual power buried deep within the wound was drawn out, leaking the tiniest wisp of its aura.
The instant that wisp of power leaked out, it immediately shrank back into the depths of Huo Yuhao's spiritual origin, hiding itself tightly away.
But in that instant, Er Ming had already recognized it.
That was fucking Destruction Divine Power!
Though it was so weak it was nearly imperceptible, and even mixed with traces of Ultimate Darkness and the evil aura of original sin, its core was undoubtedly the power of the God of Destruction.
The moment he realized this matter was connected to the God of Destruction, Er Ming's expression immediately turned ugly.
It had been mentioned before that he had lived in the God Realm for many years, so naturally, he was no stranger to this enforcer of the God Realm.
The God of Destruction controlled enormous authority in the God Realm. His status was no lower than Sea God Tang San's, and his temperament was even more domineering and unyielding.
In other words, throughout the God Realm, who did not turn pale at the mention of Destruction?
How could he possibly mistake Destruction Divine Power?
But that raised another question. Huo Yuhao was merely a four-ring Soul Ancestor. He had never even come into contact with the God Realm, so why did Destruction Divine Power remain in his spiritual origin?
Had that power been driven into him by the Evil Soul Master Long Wushang?
Or had it been hidden inside Huo Yuhao all along, only leaking out after he was severely injured this time?
Er Ming did not continue investigating. Though that power was weak, its level was extremely high. If he touched it by force, he might directly injure Huo Yuhao's spiritual origin.
More importantly, this was no longer a grudge between mortal Soul Masters.
What lay behind it involved two top-tier gods of the God Realm.
The waters ran far too deep. Far too deep.
Not only could Shrek not handle this, even Da Ming and he could not afford to touch it. This had to be reported to the Sea God, or a great disaster might occur.
"Titan Sect Master?" Mu En's voice grew weaker and weaker.
Seeing the change in Er Ming's expression, unease immediately rose within him.
"Is there another problem inside Yuhao's body?"
Hearing this, Wang Dong hurried closer to the bed and asked anxiously, "Second Dad, what exactly did you find?"
Er Ming slowly withdrew his hand and did his best to suppress the shock in his heart. His gaze swept over everyone in the Sea God Pavilion, but he chose not to reveal the matter of Destruction Divine Power.
This was not a matter of trust. It was not necessarily good for mortals to know too much, and they were not qualified to know such things.
"Near his spiritual origin, there is a very unusual power."
Er Ming said grimly, "That power is neither Soul Power nor any known Martial Soul. I cannot determine its origin right now, nor can I rashly remove it."
Elder Zhuang frowned. "Even you cannot make sense of it?"
"I cannot." Er Ming shook his head and answered without hesitation.
"Its level is too high. Forcing the issue will only kill the boy. For now, we must stabilize his injuries. As for that power, I need to take him back to the Clear Sky Sect and let my big brother examine it further."
Wang Dong opened her mouth, clearly wanting to ask more, but Er Ming silenced her with a look.
"Dong'er, do not ask about this again."
"Knowing some things will do you no good."
It was rare for Wang Dong to see Er Ming this serious. She looked at the unconscious Huo Yuhao, then ultimately nodded.
Mu En had also seen Er Ming's reaction. Having lived for more than two hundred years, how could he fail to see that Er Ming was concealing the truth?
But he did not expose him. In Huo Yuhao's current condition, Shrek truly lacked the ability to treat him.
Elder Zhuang could repair his physical body, but he could not solve the problem within his spiritual origin.
And the Clear Sky Sect was mysterious and unfathomable. The strength of its two sect masters was even more inscrutable. Handing Huo Yuhao over to them was already the safest option.
Mu En slowly closed his eyes. Several breaths later, he opened them again, his gaze calm once more.
"Shao Zhe, call everyone over."
Yan Shaozhe knelt before the wicker chair, his Adam's apple bobbing. He knew his teacher was about to leave his final words.
"Teacher, the elders are all here."
"The heads of the academy's various departments who could come have all arrived as well."
Mu En nodded. His gaze passed over Xuan Zi, Song Lao, Elder Zhuang, Yan Shaozhe, and the others in turn.
Every one of them was injured. Outside, wounded disciples were still being carried into the academy without end. Shrek City was practically a living hell.
Mu En had guarded Shrek for centuries, yet he had never seen the academy reduced to such a state.
But he had no time left to grieve.
"Time is short. First, Huo Yuhao."
Mu En looked toward the youth on the bed.
"His injuries have exceeded Shrek's capacity to treat. After today, Titan Sect Master will secretly send him to the Clear Sky Sect, where the two sect masters of the Clear Sky Sect will treat him."
"This matter shall be classified as the academy's highest secret."
"Other than those present, no one may reveal his whereabouts."
Yan Shaozhe immediately nodded. "Rest assured, Teacher. We understand."
Mu En looked at Huo Yuhao's pale face, his eyes filled with complicated emotions.
This child possessed a body Martial Soul, Ultimate Ice, and spiritual talent beyond what ordinary people could imagine.
He should have grown slowly at Shrek and inherited the academy's legacy, but Long Wushang's appearance had completely thrown everything into chaos.
That young man had struck ruthlessly, not to defeat Huo Yuhao and not to humiliate him. He truly intended to kill Huo Yuhao.
If not for the gray power hidden within Huo Yuhao's body, along with the string of accidents that followed, Huo Yuhao would have died long ago in the Outer Court plaza.
Mu En slowly exhaled the stifling breath in his chest.
"This child bears too much. So long as he can stand again, there will be a chance to restore the foundation he lost today."
By this point, Mu En's breathing had weakened several degrees more.
Yan Shaozhe was just about to step forward when Mu En raised a hand to stop him.
"Do not waste the Golden Ancient Tree's life energy. Leave it for those still alive, for Shrek's future."
As those words fell, everyone's eyes in the Sea God Pavilion turned red. Xuan Zi abruptly turned away, his broad palm pressing hard against the window frame.
The wooden frame cracked beneath his strength, though even he did not notice.
Mu En showed no intention of stopping. He continued, "The second matter concerns the Sea God Pavilion."
All the elders straightened at once. They knew the arrangement that would truly decide Shrek's future had arrived.
Mu En looked toward Xuan Zi. A trace of helplessness flashed through his eyes, but in the end, he still sighed softly.
"After I depart, Xuan Zi will temporarily serve as Master of the Sea God Pavilion."
Xuan Zi's body suddenly stiffened. He immediately turned around, staring at Mu En with bloodshot eyes in disbelief. "Martial Uncle, I can't!"
"You know my temperament better than anyone."
"Let me fight, let me kill Evil Soul Masters—I won't say a word. But asking me to manage the academy? I don't even know what kind of mess I'd make of this place!"
Before you continue