Perhaps Mu En intended to unite Shrek completely, making everyone strive for this great family without harboring any other thoughts.
But that was unrealistic to begin with.
There was nothing wrong with comparing Shrek to America. Without benefits, why would this group of Titled Douluo gather together? Believing in Tang San did not stop them from having their own little agendas.
Did having a wife mean they could not dream of other beautiful women?
They not only dared to dream, but also dared to put those dreams into practice.
Who would willingly become that selfless contributor, burning themselves to illuminate others, only to let their descendants gradually decline into commoners whom anyone could bully?
It had been one thing back in the Spirit Hall era. Spirit Hall provided free awakenings for commoners, so as long as the bloodline continued, there would eventually be another chance for a genius to emerge and restore the family's fortunes.
But in the Peerless Tang Sect era, once your family fell on hard times and could no longer afford even the fee for Martial Soul Awakening, you would either be enslaved by other noble families, or the slightest wind and rain could wipe out your bloodline entirely.
Meanwhile, those who stopped at nothing only grew stronger, maintaining their lofty status, with one or even several Titled Douluo emerging in every generation.
So.
For these Sea God Pavilion Elders, sacrificing themselves was out of the question. Lending a hand occasionally was fine, and cutting off a piece of flesh or shedding a tail in extraordinary times was not unacceptable, but burning themselves to illuminate others was impossible.
What they excelled at was brainwashing others, making Shrek's adorable youngsters burn themselves to illuminate these old fellows whose hands and feet were already cold.
This dark, cold Soul