"Good, good, good! What a wonderful child. Come, get up!"
A brilliance Mu En had not shown in years burst from his clouded eyes. His aging body seemed to grow lighter, the wrinkles on his face relaxed, and a heartfelt smile spread across it.
Huo Yuhao rose. "To earn your favor as my teacher is my good fortune," he said with gentle humility.
Mu En had never sought servitude or blind loyalty. He wanted the ideals he had lived by to endure, and this River to be given new life. Such vision and conviction deserved Huo Yuhao's sincere respect.
Mu En turned to Gu Yue, who stood quietly beside them. "And what do you think, Gu Yue?" he asked softly.
Gu Yue lowered her violet eyes and considered for a moment. Then she bowed with graceful courtesy. "Your disciple Gu Yue greets you, Teacher."
As an avatar of the Silver Dragon King, her true body still lay dormant. After ten thousand years of suppression, the Soul Beasts had yet to regain their former strength. This was no time to emerge and fight for supremacy. Acting rashly would only bring the entire human Soul Master establishment down upon them.
She needed a human power large enough, legitimate enough, and stable enough to serve as her foundation.
For now, Shrek was the best choice.
The continent's foremost academy for ten thousand years possessed unrivaled resources, connections, and influence. Though riddled with old, deep-seated rot, it still had great potential for change.
By establishing herself there as Mu En's direct disciple, she could protect herself while gradually reshaping Shrek, turning that supreme academy into a bulwark for her side.
Looking at his two new disciples, Mu En felt the burdens that had weighed on his heart for years melt away. "To have the