"Xiaotian's cultivation has now broken through to Quasi-Soul Douluo, too. All he needs now is a Soul Ring."
"Yan Shaozhe, there's something I want to discuss with you."
Mu En turned to look at the deep-eyed Yan Shaozhe beside him. That single glance made Yan Shaozhe tremble all over.
"Mu En, please go ahead."
Yan Shaozhe laid both hands flat on the conference table and rubbed them awkwardly. He had not expected Mu En to approach him first.
"I want Xiaotian to serve as vice dean of Spirit Hall."
The instant Mu En spoke, the entire conference room fell so silent that not even a crow or sparrow could be heard. Everyone turned their gaze toward Huo Tian.
In Shrek Academy's ten thousand years of development, no one had ever become vice dean of the Martial Soul Department at such a young age as Huo Tian. It was truly unheard of.
The elders of the Soul Tool Department remained silent to one side.
Yan Shaozhe, dean of the Martial Soul Department, rubbed his eyes as he pondered. Cai Mei'er sat quietly beside him, smiling faintly when she turned to look at Huo Tian.
Cai Mei'er had also watched Huo Tian grow up and had long treated him as her own child. She did not mind Huo Tian taking her position.
After all, the title of vice dean of the Martial Soul Department was merely a nominal post. The dean was still the one who held real authority in the department.
"Mu En, I'm not opposed to Huo Tian becoming vice dean of the Martial Soul Department, but shouldn't a cultivator taking that position be at least a rank-95 Super Douluo?"
"If Huo Tian becomes vice dean, he'll have to take over Cai Mei'er's position as deputy commander of the Inspection Corps."
Yan Shaozhe sat quietly to one side, propping his cheek on one hand.
Yan Shaozhe believed that Huo Tian's current strength was certainly enough to defeat an ordinary Titled Douluo. As for someone at the level of a Super Douluo, he was unsure whether Huo Tian could handle them.
Once Huo Tian became vice dean of the Martial Soul Department, he would have to serve as deputy commander of the Shrek Inspection Corps, because the two positions were linked.
The current commander of the Shrek Inspection Corps was Xuan Zi, and its deputy commander was Cai Mei'er. Both were at least rank-95 Super Douluos.
Because the Inspection Corps had to eliminate evil Soul Masters at any time, its commander and deputy commander would certainly have to face evil Soul Masters at the Titled Douluo level. Thus, anyone holding either position could not be below rank 95.
This had also been Shrek's tradition for ten thousand years.
"I never said Huo Tian couldn't beat a rank-95 Super Douluo."
A smile appeared on Mu En's aged face, and he rested both hands behind his back.
Although Mu En was injured, he was not senile. How could he casually let someone take on two such dangerous positions?
The first floor of the Sea God Pavilion fell silent once more. The news that Huo Tian, a rank-80 Quasi-Soul Douluo, could fight a rank-95 Super Douluo was no less shocking than a rank-90 Titled Douluo being able to fight a rank-99 Limit Douluo.
"Xiaotian, I never would have thought it. We haven't seen each other for just a year, and you can already beat this old man."
"Heroes truly do emerge from the young."
Qian Duoduo of the Soul Tool Department clapped and laughed. He was only a rank-94 Titled Douluo himself.
With the Vermilion Bird Bone Armor combined with the Vermilion Bird Domain, Huo Tian could basically solo half the Sea God Pavilion Elders.
The elders of the Soul Tool Department were also delighted that Huo Tian could become vice dean of the Martial Soul Department, because he had always been closer to the Soul Tool Department.
Xuan Zi, who was dozing to one side, merely raised his head for a curious glance upon hearing the news, then went back to sleep.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Huo Tian walked over to Mu En. He released his Soul Power, evil fire erupted from his entire body, and the Vermilion Bird Bone Armor instantly covered him from head to toe.
The oppressive aura of a rank-95 Super Douluo burst from Huo Tian. The elders, all Titled Douluos, could sense it immediately.
"Xiaotian, I never thought you really possessed the strength of a Super Douluo."
"This suit of armor is...?"
Yan Shaozhe rose excitedly, his eyes burning as he looked at Huo Tian's armor. The seated elders could not restrain their curiosity either.
"What I'm wearing is the Vermilion Bird Bone Armor, forged by tempering Soul Bones."
Huo Tian explained in detail the conditions required to create this bone armor, and the Sea God Pavilion Elders' expressions shifted through countless changes.
"If I had a suit of bone armor, I could defeat a rank-99 Limit Douluo."
Xuan Zi, who had been dozing to one side, sprang to his feet, brimming with energy. He instantly approached Huo Tian and pressed both hands against the Vermilion Bird Bone Armor.
"Probably? But haven't you already collected a complete set of Soul Bones?"
"It'll be rather difficult for you to obtain bone armor now."
Huo Tian stood there helplessly, being handled like a puppet.
Huo Yutong sat properly to one side, quietly stifling her laughter.
Huo Tian's words shattered the elders' fantasies. They had all entered the ranks of Titled Douluos years ago, and every Soul Bone in their bodies came from a different Soul Beast. There was simply no way they could produce bone armor.
Once a Soul Bone fused with a Soul Master, it was very difficult to remove. Forcibly removing one would damage their foundation and cultivation. The elders certainly would not shake their own foundations for bone armor.
"That's true. Old bones like us should stop dreaming about bone armor."
"But we can use Xiaotian's method to raise Shrek's next generation of Little Monsters."
Elder Lin had been quietly watching all along, lightly tapping her cane against the floor.
"All right, return to your seats."
Mu En surveyed the chaotic scene with a stern expression. His imposing presence subdued the room, and the elders obediently returned to their seats.
The Vermilion Bird Bone Armor on Huo Tian's body dispersed on its own. He turned, picked up Huo Yutong, and stood quietly beside Mu En.
"That will be all for this meeting. I appoint Xiaotian vice dean of the Martial Soul Department and deputy commander of the Inspection Corps."
"Does anyone object?"
No one at the conference table spoke.
"Then it passes unanimously. The vice dean and dean of the Martial Soul Department will have equal authority."
"Let's adjourn this meeting, then? Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe, stay behind."
Mu En rose from his chair. With the meeting over, the elders left the Sea God Pavilion one after another.
Only five people now remained on the spacious first floor of the Sea God Pavilion. As for Mu En dividing his authority, Yan Shaozhe could hardly say much about it.
"We won't obtain Xiaotian's eighth Soul Ring in the Star Dou Great Forest. I traveled throughout the entire Star Luo Great Forest, but still couldn't find a suitable Soul Beast for him."
"However, when I went out to sea a while ago, I discovered a flame island off the coast of the Star Luo Empire. There was actually a hundred-and-eighty-thousand-year-old Nirvana Divine Bird there, along with a three-hundred-and-fifty-thousand-year-old fire-attribute avian Soul Beast."
A map appeared out of thin air in Mu En's hand. It depicted the known continent. Mu En picked up a pen and drew a circle at the very bottom of the Star Luo Empire.
Huo Tian was not surprised by this, because all the hundred-thousand-year-old Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest that suited his Martial Soul had already been hunted down.
There might still be Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest that met Huo Tian's needs, but they were all very well hidden.
"It's a little far away. Mu En, is the other Soul Beast a species you've never seen before?"
Yan Shaozhe walked over to the map and looked at the spot Mu En had circled, then turned to him with a puzzled expression.