After hearing Du Busi's demand, Mu En fell silent for a long time.
As his silence continued, both the Body Sect members and the people of Shrek Academy gradually began to grow restless.
"The Ultimate Secret Manual is Shrek's highest secret. It cannot be shared with outsiders!"
Yan Shaozhe could not help snapping, "You people from the Body Sect are dreaming like fools!"
Du Busi's gaze abruptly sharpened.
"I'm speaking to Mu En. Since when did a junior like you have the right to interrupt?"
He summoned his remaining Soul Power, and a palm that blotted out the sky and sun appeared, sweeping viciously toward Yan Shaozhe.
Just as that slap was about to land on Yan Shaozhe's face, Mu En finally broke his silence in the sky.
He caught Du Busi's palm, then sent a powerful tremor through it with his Radiant Sacred Dragon Soul Power, forcibly driving Du Busi back dozens of meters.
"Shaozhe is right. The Ultimate Secret Manual cannot be shared lightly."
Du Busi noticed the change in Mu En's wording.
It could not be shared lightly, which meant it could be shared.
It was just that the Body Sect had to give Shrek Academy some face.
They had to give Shrek Academy a way to step down gracefully before they could obtain the manual as a matter of course.
After all, Du Busi's first two conditions concerned the Heaven Dou Empire's public affairs, so Mu En could agree immediately.
But this was now the Body Sect's private business, so Shrek Academy had to bargain.
Du Busi and Mu En were old acquaintances, so he knew exactly what Mu En was thinking.
The old white dragon has backed down.
He curled his lip, thinking that Mu En really would suffer anything to save face.
Then Du Busi swept his gaze across the whole of Shrek Academy.
"Oh, give it a rest. Your highest secret?" he said disdainfully. "Have you produced anyone with an Ultimate Martial Soul in all these years?"
"Rather than shelving the manual up high to gather dust, you might as well put it to good use and let Yuhao grow quickly."
Then Du Busi deliberately slowed his speech. "Or could it be..."
"That you want Yuhao-no, the future standard-bearer in the fight against the Sun Moon Empire-to take unnecessary detours?"
"Is this the generosity of your so-called greatest Soul Master Academy on the continent?"
At that moment, Du Busi finally experienced the pleasure Shrek Academy took in swinging its moral cudgel around.
Turning their own methods against them left every pore in his body feeling utterly refreshed.
Mu En sighed wearily.
"Busi, you're right," he said.
"Shrek cannot obstruct the rise of a future standard-bearer because of sectarian prejudice. That would accord with neither Shrek's educational philosophy nor the interests of the Douluo Alliance."
Du Busi snorted. "What lofty words. We both know that if Xuan Zi hadn't caused this uproar, you would never have budged."
Mu En neither agreed nor disagreed.
He slowly raised his hand. A streak of golden light cut across the sky from the direction of the Sea God Pavilion and landed in his palm.
"He may have the cultivation manual for Ultimate Martial Souls. But there are two conditions."
Mu En's voice was calm. "First, the manual cannot leave the academy. Huo Yuhao may only consult it inside the Sea God Pavilion for three days."
"No!"
Du Busi refused outright. "Yuhao isn't staying here for even a day! Don't think I don't know what medicine you're hiding in that gourd!"
Mu En chuckled. "Busi, I'm not the only one who's grown old. You have too. Where did the boldness of the Toxic Brothers of old go?"
Utterly unabashed, Du Busi shot back, "So what if I've grown old? At least my Body Sect has Yuhao!"
At the same time, he secretly gave Huo Yuhao a push, sending him out in front of everyone.
In an instant, everyone in the sky and on the ground focused on this boy of only eleven.
Huo Yuhao fluttered his Ice Dragon Wings, letting strands of bitterly cold air drift down.
Looking at Mu En a short distance away, he first bowed respectfully, then straightened, his manner neither servile nor overbearing.
Every word rang clear and firm as Huo Yuhao said, "Please rest assured, Elder Mu. If I receive Shrek's secret manual, I will never share it with outsiders."
"Since the manual cannot leave Shrek Academy, I am willing to make a copy before all of you as witnesses and burn it after reading."
"How much I can remember will depend entirely on my own ability."
Mu En gave Huo Yuhao a long, searching look.
Strong, confident, and bold, yet courteous and proper-that was Mu En's assessment of Huo Yuhao.
How had such a promising young talent taken a liking to the Body Sect?
In the end, Mu En sighed again.
He nodded. "Very well. I believe you."
Du Busi snorted coldly. He knew this was already the greatest concession Shrek Academy would make.
Inside, however, he was secretly delighted.
Having Huo Yuhao, who possessed the Spirit Eyes Martial Soul, copy it-how was that any different from giving it to him?
"Since Yuhao has said as much, the Body Sect has no objections either."
"What's the second condition?" Du Busi asked.
Mu En turned his gaze toward Xuan Zi, who was in Du Busi's grasp.
"While Xuan Zi is away from Shrek, he must have people from Shrek protecting him," he said.
Du Busi's brow furrowed deeply. "Who?"
"The Azure Shadow Divine Eagle, Song Yunzhi." Mu En paused. "And an Inner Court disciple, Ma Xiaotao."
The Body Sect members were all puzzled.
They exchanged glances, unable to quite fathom Mu En's intentions.
They could understand having Song Yunzhi accompany them, but who was this Ma Xiaotao, to warrant such regard from Mu En?
Before Du Busi could speak, Mu En declared with absolute finality, "If you refuse, then there will be no discussion of the Ultimate Secret Manual."
Du Busi narrowed his eyes and stared at Mu En for a long time.
Suddenly, he grinned. "You old bastard. You've certainly worked your abacus well."
"Since when did Shrek start playing the marriage-alliance game too? Don't blame me for saying the ugly part up front: our Yuhao won't take a fancy to anyone from your Shrek."
Mu En's expression did not change. "Whether it works out is a matter for later. Letting the two children spend more time together now will be a good thing for both Shrek and the Body Sect in the future."
Du Busi reached out and sealed Xuan Zi's Soul Power, then tossed him to Zhuang Yusen in the sky. "Have your people treat him. I agree to your demands."
At the same time, Mu En tossed the Ultimate Secret Manual in his hand to Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao caught it and found the scroll heavy in his hands. It weighed at least several dozen jin.
With the two sides reaching an agreement, the tense atmosphere in the sky eased at that moment.
Mu En descended, then suddenly turned to the Body Sect members gathered around Huo Yuhao and said:
"A word of advice for you. Because the bodies of Ultimate Martial Soul possessors need to adapt to that ultimate power, their cultivation becomes exceptionally slow after they reach Soul Elder. It only returns to normal after Soul Saint, and may even rebound from rock bottom, their cultivation speed far surpassing that of any other Soul Master."
"Busi, your temperament is still too impulsive. Rashly pushing this child Yuhao into the spotlight by having him step on Shrek will only harm him. You should know that the tree that rises above the forest is certain to be battered by the wind."
Du Busi snorted coldly. "No need for you to worry. Since I dared to push him forward, it means the Body Sect has ample confidence in its ability to protect him."
"That had better be the case," Mu En said.