Dai Huabin and the others widened their eyes, instinctively growing respectful. Was this the legendary Sea God Pavilion Master?
Why had he come here? Had Wang Dong's words utterly enraged him?
Dai Huabin thought viciously that it would be wonderful if Mu En flew into a rage and killed Wang Dong. He was jealous of Wang Dong to the point of death.
His hatred for him even surpassed his hatred for Huo Yuhao!
Because, at present, Huo Yuhao posed no threat to him, but Wang Dong was different.
Mu En swept his gaze over everyone before finally resting it on Wang Dong. A glimmer of approval flashed through his clouded old eyes.
"Well said."
Mu En's voice was quiet, yet it carried clearly across the entire Plaza, leaving everyone stunned.
What the hell? The Sea God Pavilion Master was actually praising Wang Dong?
"Shrek Academy does indeed have problems. All these years, I have been thinking about the direction our reforms should take. But I am old now. The will is there, but the strength is not."
He looked at Wang Dong, then at Huo Yuhao, and slowly said, "Huo Yuhao, from this day onward, you are an official Core Disciple."
Huo Yuhao froze. As though struck by lightning, she stood rooted to the spot, unable to recover for a long while.
Mu En looked at Wang Dong again. "You are right. The academy does need reform. But reform needs young people to drive it forward. Would the two of you be willing to become my disciples? Reforming Shrek... I want to entrust that burden to you."
Once again, the entire Plaza fell silent as a flock of mute crows. Everyone stared wide-eyed at Mu En, then at Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao, their minds utterly blank.
The Sea God Pavilion Master, Shrek Academy's sea-calming pillar, a legendary Limit Douluo, was actually taking disciples himself? And two new students at that?
Was this some kind of joke?
"Why? Why did those two new students catch Mu En's eye?"
"Exactly! We've spent so many years cultivating our hearts out, and it's hard for us to even meet Mu En once. Yet they get to become his disciples just like that!"
"Isn't this far too unfair?"
"Unfair? If you dared to criticize the academy's system in front of all its senior officials, maybe Mu En would take you too."
"Then forget it... I don't have that kind of nerve."
Dai Huabin stood in the crowd, his face ashen and his clenched fists trembling slightly. As he stared at Wang Dong's and Huo Yuhao's backs, indescribable jealousy and rage surged through his heart.
Why? Why did that worthless piece of trash win Mu En's favor? I'm a rank thirty-four Soul Elder, the one with the highest soul power among this year's new students!
Why couldn't I even qualify as an official Core Disciple, while that trash got to soar into the heavens in a single step?
He could not even help thinking, Is criticizing Shrek Academy all it takes? Then I'll criticize it too! I can do that too!
But deep down, he knew perfectly well that he did not have the nerve to say those things in front of so many senior officials.
Xuan Zi stood on the raised platform, his expression as complicated as if he had swallowed a fly. He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but could not get a single word out.
Pavilion Master, oh, Pavilion Master, with your status, how could you take disciples so casually? You could at least have discussed it with us!
Xuan Zi still respected Mu En deeply. This man was a true living fossil!
Yan Shaozhe and Du Weilun exchanged looks, both wanting to speak but holding back. They had no right to question the Pavilion Master's decision.
"Huh? You want to take us as disciples?"
Wang Dong was completely thrown off too, clearly shocked by his words. Huo Yuhao was no different.
"On behalf of Shrek Academy, I apologize to everyone... A major power cannot be perfect in everything. It needs to correct its mistakes. I hope you can give it a chance."
Mu En said this to Wang Dong, but his words were also meant for everyone present.
Many were deeply moved upon hearing this. How could none of the students have noticed Shrek Academy's problems? Some certainly had.
But Shrek Academy was a colossal behemoth. No one dared bring them up.
And now, the Sea God Pavilion Master had apologized.
Wang Dong stared at Mu En for quite a while before finally sighing helplessly and agreeing.
"I'm willing."
Huo Yuhao agreed as well.
Mu En smiled in satisfaction, then told the two to follow him, and they were led away.
Soon, his figure coalesced again beside the reclining chair. He looked at Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao, a trace of a gentle smile in his clouded old eyes.
He had indeed been observing these two children for a long time. As the Sea God Pavilion Master, he knew better than anyone that Shrek Academy was already going downhill.
In recent years, the Body Sect had risen rapidly, showing faint signs of catching up with Shrek. Yet within the academy, they remained trapped within their own boundaries, clinging to old ways and refusing to reform.
He was old. The will was there, but the strength was not. He had been waiting for an opportunity, for someone who dared to stand up and speak. Today, Wang Dong had said it for him.
This young man possessed not only outstanding strength and extraordinary courage, but, more importantly, a heart that truly had the academy's interests in mind. Though his words had been unpleasant, every sentence had been the truth.
Besides, he genuinely liked these two children. As a Limit Douluo, his judgment of people would not be wrong. He had been secretly observing them throughout this time.
Wang Dong's martial souls were very unusual: twin martial souls, the Clear Sky Hammer and the Soft Bone Rabbit, along with an exceedingly rare trace of a draconic bloodline.
As for Huo Yuhao, the Spiritual Detection Sharing released by that ten-year soul ring had surprised even him. How could an ordinary ten-year soul ring possess such a terrifying soul skill?
Neither of these children was simple.
What worried him more was that, if he did not intervene, Wang Dong really might take Huo Yuhao and leave Shrek. This young man was too proud to tolerate being wronged.
Since he had spoken of withdrawing, he truly could do it. Mu En did not want to lose such a genius, so he could only intervene personally to stop them.
Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao followed behind Mu En, both still somewhat dazed. Wang Dong had originally thought that today's incident would end with him either swallowing his defeat or simply withdrawing and leaving.
He had already made up his mind. If this place won't have me, somewhere else will. With his qualifications, he could ride the wind and raise the waves wherever he went. He had never expected Mu En to intervene personally and take them as disciples.
His impression of Mu En was actually quite good. In the original story, Mu En had been a true gentleman, with no blemishes to his name.
Moreover, Mu En was a Limit Douluo with a draconic martial soul. Becoming his disciple would certainly be immensely beneficial to Wang Dong's Golden Dragon King bloodline. For Huo Yuhao, it was an even more heaven-sent opportunity.
Huo Yuhao, meanwhile, was completely bewildered. Even now, she had not processed what had happened.
All she remembered was that Wang Dong had stood up for her and berated the academy's senior officials, and then Mu En had appeared and taken her as his disciple. She secretly pinched the back of her hand, drawing in a sharp breath from the pain. It was real. She was not dreaming.
Mu En led them through a bamboo grove to a shimmering lake.
The lake water was clear enough to see the bottom, glowing with a faint golden light beneath the sun. Exotic flowers and unusual plants grew all around it, and a faint fragrance filled the air.
Sea God Lake. Shrek Academy's innermost core, a place only Inner Court disciples were qualified to enter.
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