Tiansha Emerges from Seclusion

Elsewhere, Mu En and the other Titled Douluo learned exactly what had happened from the people below.

"Zhou Yi is merely a teacher at this academy. Who gave her the right to expel students outright, punish them physically, and humiliate them?"

"How can we allow this?"

"Bring Zhou Yi here at once!"

After hearing the details, Xuan Zi slammed the table and rose in fury before Mu En could even speak.

Some matters weighed less than a feather until they involved someone with a powerful backer. Once a force Shrek Academy had to reckon with became involved, they weighed a thousand pounds.

Xuan Zi was genuinely furious now.

Because of one teacher, his junior martial uncle had nearly fought an expert from the Clear Sky Sect.

He knew his junior martial uncle's condition all too well.

If Mu En fought someone, he might lose a year or two of his life at best. At worst, he could die as soon as the battle ended.

That price was too heavy for Shrek Academy to bear.

Of course, Xuan Zi's furious reaction was also tied to something that had happened not long ago.

Mu En had sought him out earlier, given him a thorough scolding, and told him to shoulder his share of responsibility. He had even laid down a series of demands.

To Xuan Zi, those demands were more unbearable than being killed.

So no one cared more about Mu En's health than he did. Every extra year Mu En lived was another year Xuan Zi could take it easy.

Slamming the table still had not vented his anger. Without waiting for anyone below to act, Xuan Zi went himself and seized Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi was hurrying toward Fan Yu's Soul Tool research base, her face full of panic.

Just as her destination came into sight, her body suddenly rose into the air. A powerful force bound her so tightly that she could not move.

Before Zhou Yi could react, Xuan Zi had hauled her before Shrek Academy's assembled leadership.

"So you're the one who cursed my Xiao Qi?"

"And after learning who he was, you plotted against him?"

Tai Tan looked at Zhou Yi. As he spoke, a crushing force radiated from his body.

"I..."

Before Zhou Yi could offer an explanation, Tai Tan struck without hesitation.

One punch nearly killed Zhou Yi and destroyed her Martial Soul.

He had not come to seek justice for Xiao Qi. He had come to hold her accountable and vent Xiao Qi's anger.

Now that the culprit stood before him, what was there left to discuss?

"Zhou Yi violated Shrek Academy's teaching standards by maliciously suppressing, physically punishing, and expelling students. As of today, she is dismissed from Shrek Academy."

"Announce this throughout the academy as a warning to others."

Mu En had intended to stop Tai Tan, but the attack had come too suddenly. What was done was done, so he said no more.

He then delivered his final decision.

Qian Duoduo, who was also present, had wanted to speak up. He knew about Zhou Yi's relationship with Fan Yu, but Mu En had already settled the matter, leaving him little room to say anything.

Besides, he felt Zhou Yi had gone far too far.

The students she had expelled might not have been the best at Shrek Academy, but back home, they were all considered geniuses.

If the Martial Soul Department did not want them, the Soul Tool Department would take them.

"No... don't..."

"I'm a senior teacher at Shrek Academy! I've contributed to this academy! I've worked myself to the bone for it!"

"My students have the highest promotion rate in the academy!"

"You can't do this..."

Nearly fainting from the pain, Zhou Yi heard Mu En's verdict and suddenly struggled and roared like a madwoman.

Being a Shrek Academy teacher was her greatest pride.

How could she accept having that taken from her?

But an arm could not twist a thigh.

Just like the students she had expelled outright, she herself was now expelled outright by the academy.

No procedures. No questions about why.

The seeds she had sown then bore fruit today.

Perhaps only now could Zhou Yi truly understand what it meant to stand in someone else's shoes.

With Zhou Yi crippled and expelled, the matter came to an end.

Afterward, Shrek Academy assured Tai Tan that Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao would be assigned a gentle teacher with genuine ability. They also offered various forms of compensation, including core disciple privileges for both girls effective immediately.

Xiao Xiao had certainly benefited from her connection to Wang Dong.

It took the entire day to settle the matter completely.

Only then did Tai Tan leave.

"Troubled times indeed!"

Mu En watched Tai Tan depart and let out a heavy sigh.

He had once thought the three or four years he had left would be more than enough.

But after everything that had happened lately, he suddenly felt that even ten years might not be enough.

Fortunately, good news soon followed.

Soul Power roiled between heaven and earth, surging toward the place where Huang Jinxu was secluded.

Clearly, Huang Jinxu had taken the final step and succeeded in breaking through.

Without hesitation, Mu En vanished in a flicker. When he reappeared, he was already outside Huang Jinxu's place of seclusion.

He did not have to wait long before Huang Jinxu successfully broke through to level 98.

For a Titled Douluo above level 95, every additional level was a qualitative leap.

Huang Jinxu had once calculated how much strength each breakthrough beyond level 95 brought.

If two people had the same Martial Soul, each level beyond 95 raised their strength by roughly fifty percent over what they had before. The crucial condition, however, was that their Martial Souls had to be the same.

At this realm, unless one took pills or received an infusion of power through something like a Divine Examination, gaining even one level of Soul Power through ordinary cultivation was extremely difficult.

The quality of one's Martial Soul, one's Spiritual Power, vitality, the refinement of one's Soul Power, understanding of one's Martial Soul, and even one's Soul Rings all had to meet the necessary conditions before one could advance.

In other words, a shortcoming in any one area could prevent a breakthrough.

That was why each level gained beyond level 95 could produce a severalfold difference in combat performance.

As he was now, Huang Jinxu was certain he could defeat even Xuan Zi within ten moves.

As for Du Busi, who was also level 98, the most he could manage against Huang Jinxu was a draw—unless he was willing to risk his life.

Huang Jinxu drew in his abundant Soul Power and stepped out of seclusion.

Mu En was still waiting for him outside.

But when Huang Jinxu emerged from the secluded chamber, the first things he saw were not Mu En, but two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones.