For Shrek's Ten-Thousand-Year Foundation

"The second matter: replenish the academy's teaching staff.

At present, the Inquisitorial Legion had no external missions, and all its members were idle.

I had decided to transfer Inner Court disciples to teach temporarily in the Outer Court, filling the shortage of Outer Court instructors.

The vacant Inner Court courses would be taken over by the Titled Douluo elders of the Inquisitorial Legion, while several senior elders from the Sea God Pavilion would be assigned to oversee and coordinate matters.

Any Inner Court disciple who took on teaching duties would have their cultivation resources doubled directly.

Those who taught for a cumulative total of three years and received excellent evaluations could apply to remain at the academy as staff.

Those willing to stay would be given priority for official teaching positions and assigned exclusive residences within the inner city.

The residences would be for rent only, not sale. As long as one held the position, one kept the residence; once the position was gone, the residence had to be returned.

This would prevent private occupation of resources and empty nominal positions."

"The third matter: expand Shrek City.

Shrek City's current layout was too small. In the future, there would only be more teaching staff remaining at the academy, specially appointed Soul Engineers, and disciples who rendered meritorious service to the academy.

Housing and cultivation grounds would inevitably become insufficient. They could not possibly make their own contributors settle outside the city.

Therefore, I proposed expanding the city and redrawing its districts.

The Inner Court would serve as the absolute core, with the Outer Court teaching area extending outward.

The teachers' residential district would spread farther beyond that, while the outermost area would be designated as a commercial zone for outside merchants.

From this day onward, the rule would be as follows: Shrek's direct-line teachers and students, academy staff who remained at the school, and those who had shed blood and rendered meritorious service for the academy would receive priority access to the high-quality areas of the inner districts.

Outside merchants would gradually relocate outward, each taking their proper place.

This city's foremost purpose was to serve Shrek itself. Outsiders who merely profited off the academy's name should rightfully be pushed to the back."

After Chen Xuan finished speaking, he lifted his teacup and took a light sip, his gaze calm. "Those are the three matters. If you have any thoughts, speak freely."

The council hall immediately fell into brief silence.

After a moment, Elder Lin was the first to speak.

She set down her teacup, her expression far from pleasant as she stared directly at Chen Xuan.

"Expand the city? You certainly dared to think big.

Shrek City's annual revenue was fixed, and the city was packed with merchants whose interests and connections were deeply intertwined, involving countless old relationships.

With one sentence from you, they were supposed to expand and relocate. How did you intend to settle these merchants' livelihoods and reorganize the city's layout?"

Chen Xuan responded calmly, "Elder Lin, without your Treasure Gathering Pavilion, no one could calculate the costs of expanding the city.

But the principle was plain before us—Shrek's land could not continue allowing outsiders to occupy the best locations.

The Treasure Gathering Pavilion controlled seventy percent of the city's industries, and its entire foundation relied upon Shrek's prestige.

Now that the academy was reforming, expanding, and reshaping the city's structure, you were the most qualified person to decide this matter."

Elder Lin snorted coldly. "No need to flatter this old woman.

Where would the funds come from? How would manpower be allocated? How would the merchants be appeased and relocated? Explain every point clearly first."

"The funding would primarily come from the gifts presented by sects and empires during this disciple recruitment ceremony."

Chen Xuan spoke frankly. "The first batch of resources would be invested entirely into expanding the teachers' residential district.

Merchant relocation would proceed gradually. Those who cooperated voluntarily would receive priority storefront allocations in the new city's commercial district, along with full compensation.

Those unwilling to cooperate would not be forced to stay by the academy. They could seek another place on their own."

Upon hearing this, Elder Lin did not argue further. Only a faint snort remained as she provisionally accepted the matter.

Elder Zhuang then spoke. "Xuanzi, regarding the dismissal of instructors, allow this old man to speak fairly.

Those whose misconduct had been verified and whose character was corrupt should indeed be removed.

But for those veteran instructors who had taught diligently for half their lives and committed no serious wrongs, do not condemn them all with one stroke.

Shrek valued strength, but it also valued human sentiment. It could not be too harsh."

Chen Xuan nodded in agreement. "That is exactly right.

What I wished to purge were mediocre teachers without virtue or substance, who built their reputations by eliminating students. Not all outside instructors.

Those who taught peacefully and fulfilled their duties conscientiously would naturally be properly accommodated by the academy and allowed to retire in peace.

It was simply that the academy's core teaching positions would ultimately have to be gradually returned to Shrek's direct line."

Xian Lin'er looked toward Elder Song, then turned to Chen Xuan and asked cautiously, "Elder Xuan, were there clear regulations for the resource rewards and penalties concerning Inner Court disciples teaching as substitutes?

And for the Soul Engineers specially hired from the Sun Moon Empire—two Rank Eight and four Rank Seven—rules also needed to be established for how their courses would be arranged."

"Any Inner Court disciple taking on teaching duties would have their cultivation resources uniformly doubled.

Those who taught for three years and received excellent evaluations could remain at the academy as staff."

"The specially hired Soul Engineers from the Sun Moon Empire would be entirely under your Soul Tool Department's scheduling and coordination.

The priority would be to stabilize the Inner Court's core courses, while gaps in the Outer Court would be filled by Inner Court disciples. The specific teaching assignments and schedules would be finalized through discussion between you and Shaozhe."

When Qian Duoduo heard the policy regarding remaining at the academy and being assigned residences, his eyes lit up, and he quickly asked.

"Elder Xuan, would the positions for remaining at the academy be assessed annually, or would there be one unified evaluation every three years?"

"One assessment every three years, with the capable retained and the unfit eliminated.

Anyone who failed the assessment or merely coasted along and waited out their seniority would be dismissed without exception.

Shrek's city and resources would never support idlers."

Cai Mei'er nodded slightly. "Such regulations are excellent.

Those instructors who had occupied teaching posts for years without doing anything, merely muddling through their days, would no longer have any way to continue."

Yan Shaozhe smoothly took over the conversation. "Elder Xuan, the envoys from the three great empires are still waiting for our response.

Should we discuss the Inquisitorial Legion's external missions together today?"

Chen Xuan waved his hand. "The Inquisitorial Legion would maintain its current state. Before the disciple recruitment ceremony ended, it would not accept any external patrol missions.

Once the ceremony concluded and the envoys of every nation were present, I would negotiate with them personally."

Elder Song, who had remained silent all this time, spoke faintly. "Negotiate about what?"

"Rules, resources, and cost." Chen Xuan's gaze sharpened.

"In the past, whenever the territories ruled by the three great empires encountered Evil Soul Masters causing trouble or faced danger, they would ask Shrek to step in and maintain stability.

With a single line—'the common people are innocent, and the continent must remain stable'—they wished to command Shrek's fighting strength for free? Absolutely not."

He added, "Not only the three great empires. Every sect and power that depended upon the continent's order and enjoyed the benefits of peace had to be present.

The Inquisitorial Legion protected the entire continent. This was not Shrek's matter alone.

In the future, when maintaining continental stability and purging evil, if they wished to enjoy peace and security, they would have to contribute funds and manpower.

Shrek could no longer be allowed to bleed and fight alone while others reaped the benefits, watching the fire from across the river."

Upon hearing this, Elder Lin finally showed approval. "That was well said.

In every past upheaval, Shrek had provided both people and money, draining its own foundation.

The other powers had enjoyed the benefits for far too long.

This time, it was time to make them bleed properly as well."

"That was why this matter would be postponed.

Once the ceremony ended and all factions gathered, the rules would be decided publicly.

At that time, Elder Lin, Elder Song, Shaozhe, and the rest of you would negotiate together."

Mu En quietly listened to everyone's discussion. Only after all voices fell silent did he slowly speak and set the tone.

"The matter of purging instructors would proceed as Xuanzi said.

It should be carried out gradually; do not rush it.

We could neither allow poor teachers to mislead their students nor chill the hearts of those who taught diligently, thereby destabilizing the academy's foundation."

Everyone bowed in unison and acknowledged his words.

Mu En's gaze fell upon Chen Xuan as he arranged matters in a deep voice. "The city expansion concerned Shrek's ten-thousand-year foundation. Xuanzi would take full charge, with Shaozhe and Lin'er assisting in its implementation.

Huiqun would coordinate the settlement of the city's industries and merchants, while Yunzhi would keep close watch over the Inquisitorial Legion's defenses.

As for negotiations with the envoys of the various nations, everyone would discuss and decide them together once the ceremony ended."

"We obey!" everyone answered in unison.

Chen Xuan returned to his seat and tilted his head back, draining the clear tea in his cup. The great weight in his heart finally eased somewhat.