"I would like to hear the details."
Yan Shaozhe hurriedly asked.
He knew that Xuan Zi was most likely on his side.
Xuan Zi said lazily:
"You keep talking about who's better suited to that boy named Lin Xi. You're all just talking to yourselves. What you should be considering is the boy's own wishes. Since that's the case, why not let strength do the talking?"
Yan Shaozhe was ecstatic.
As expected of Xuan Zi, his words hit the nail on the head.
On the surface, he was saying they should respect Lin Xi's wishes, but his real point was to see who could offer more benefits.
Then wasn't victory guaranteed? Could the Soul Tool Department possibly beat his Martial Soul Department?
He hurriedly said:
"Exactly. On behalf of the Martial Soul Department, I'm willing to personally help him obtain Soul Rings and Soul Bones. Not only will I help him assemble a full set of Soul Bones, but I'll also guarantee that at least one is at the hundred-thousand-year level."
With that, he gave Qian Duoduo a somewhat smug look.
Well, Old Qian? Your Soul Tool Department can't offer those things, can it?
Yet, to his surprise, Qian Duoduo did not panic. Instead, he exchanged a glance with Xian Lin'er and nodded.
An ominous premonition suddenly rose in Yan Shaozhe's heart.
Could they still have a trump card?
That premonition came true the very next second.
Qian Duoduo stood up. Usually far from solemn, he spoke seriously:
"Since you've put it that way, our Soul Tool Department naturally won't hold anything back either."
"Lin'er, Fan Yu, and I have discussed it. The Ultimate Individual Soldier Plan will be implemented with Lin Xi, while the girl he brought, Huo Yutong, will be trained alongside He Caitou as support Soul Engineers to assist him."
"Elders, please understand that no one is better suited to the Ultimate Individual Soldier Plan than Lin Xi. What is the goal of our Ultimate Individual Soldier Plan? Isn't it to cultivate an all-round talent capable of influencing the course of a war single-handedly? We've looked into it. Lin Xi's summons each have different strengths, so who could be more suitable than him?"
"We're fully confident that we can successfully implement the Ultimate Individual Soldier Plan with Lin Xi. In fifty years at most-no, thirty years-he'll become an astonishing powerhouse capable of changing the situation on the continent. So no matter what, we will not give up this student."
Xian Lin'er nodded.
"Dean Qian's position is mine as well. Our Soul Tool Department is willing to stake everything on this child. I swear here and now that if we cannot complete the Ultimate Individual Soldier Plan with him, I will resign as dean of the Soul Tool Department."
At her words, both Yan Shaozhe and the woman beside him shuddered. That was ruthless. Xian Lin'er had made a formidable move.
Indeed, within Shrek Academy, the Martial Soul Department had always held an absolute advantage, but the Soul Tool Department stood alongside it, and Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo were their equals in status. Although most of the elders came from the Martial Soul Department, they could not disregard the views of the Soul Tool Department's two deans. All the more so when the Soul Tool Department had reason on its side this time.
For a moment, even Yan Shaozhe found himself in a difficult position. If they kept fighting, the conflict between the two departments might erupt in full, and that was not something he wanted to see.
Just then, Xuan Zi interjected again.
"So in the end, you still can't offer any tangible benefits. The Ultimate Individual Soldier Plan sounds wonderful, but you don't have a successful precedent, do you? Who can guarantee how effective it'll be? By comparison, not only has the Martial Soul Department helped students hunt Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts before, it also has experience teaching summoning-type students. I think the Martial Soul Department is still the better choice."
Anger rose on Xian Lin'er's face.
"Xuan Zi, what do you mean by that? Are you questioning our Soul Tool Department's teaching standards? Please understand that elders are not allowed to favor the Martial Soul Department. What is the meaning of this blatant favoritism?"
She had already put her position as dean on the line, yet Xuan Zi could still say such things, leaving the Soul Tool Department no face whatsoever.
Xuan Zi was not annoyed either. He chuckled and said:
"I favor the Martial Soul Department? Of course I do! Martial Souls are the foundation on which both the academy and Soul Masters stand. This so-called Soul Tool Department is nothing but an unorthodox side path. We can spare you some talent, but a rare genius of Lin Xi's caliber is safer in the Martial Soul Department's hands."
"You...!"
Xian Lin'er was so angry that her head swam.
This was already naked discrimination. Xuan Zi had said it outright: the Soul Tool Department was an unorthodox side path, and he looked down on them.
This undoubtedly crossed Xian Lin'er's bottom line. It was one thing for everyone to tacitly understand such things, but saying them aloud meant tearing away all pretense of civility.
Of course, Xuan Zi paid no attention to that. After saying his piece, he happily went back to gnawing on his chicken leg.
Just as Xian Lin'er was about to erupt, and the long-simmering conflict between the Martial Soul Department and Soul Tool Department was about to explode in full, Mu En, who had remained silent for a long time, finally spoke.
"Xuan Zi, apologize."
"Huh?" Xuan Zi froze. "Mu En, what did you say?"
Why should he apologize? To whom?
His shriveled brain, which had room for nothing but eating, could not make sense of it at all.
"To Xian Lin'er and the others, of course," Mu En said evenly. "Whatever else, they are members of Shrek too. Your remarks both violated the rules and wounded their hearts. If everyone behaved like you, Shrek would sooner or later be destroyed."
"Urk!" Xuan Zi was startled.
He would have dismissed anyone else's words as alarmism, but he absolutely listened to Mu En.
He hurriedly bowed his head to Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo.
"I'm sorry, Lin'er, Duoduo. I went too far just now."
"...It's nothing."
Only then did Xian Lin'er's and Qian Duoduo's expressions ease somewhat.
Although the conflict still existed, Mu En had pressed it back down.
Having taken charge of the meeting in an instant, Mu En swept a gentle gaze over the elders and said:
"You people still don't have a clear enough understanding of the tide of the times."
"Martial Souls are the foundation on which Soul Masters stand? That's true, but why reject Soul Tools because of it? They're both external aids. In what way are Soul Bones so much better than Soul Tools? At least in versatility and mass-production capability, Soul Tools hold an overwhelming lead."
"Don't tell me Soul Tools have a low ceiling. I visited the Sun Moon Empire before, and guess what? They've already developed Soul Tools capable of threatening me!"
"Although I knew you looked down on Soul Tools, I never imagined your contempt for the Soul Tool Department had reached this extent. This is not good. I hope you change that attitude as soon as possible, or you will absolutely suffer a great loss in time."
At this point, he paused, letting everyone present digest his words.
Those present appeared unruffled on the surface, but towering waves had risen in their hearts.
Others might not know who this old man who liked to wander over to the outer court dormitories whenever he had nothing to do was, but how could they not know?
One of the Black and White Twin Holy Dragons of years past, the current master of the Sea God Pavilion, one of the few Limit Douluo in the world-the Dragon God Douluo, Mu En.
Merely announcing those titles would be enough to rob almost every expert in the world of the will to fight.
And someone like him was saying that the Sun Moon Empire had already developed Soul Tools capable of threatening him?
No one knew better than those present what that meant.
Qian Duoduo and Xian Lin'er felt a surge of wild joy.
Was Mu En going to support them?
Yan Shaozhe, meanwhile, clenched his teeth and summoned his courage to say something.
But Mu En raised a hand, stopping him.
"Shaozhe, there's no need to rush. I won't disappoint you."
He tapped the table lightly.
"I listened to what you said just now. Both sides made very reasonable points, and each has its own problems."
"Summoning-type Soul Masters do indeed have less need to focus on combat training, comparatively speaking. But Duoduo, Lin'er, do you truly not know? That child's swordsmanship is by no means poor. One could even say he has already entered the hall of masters."
Qian Duoduo and Xian Lin'er both looked away.
Of course they knew. Lin Xi practiced swordsmanship as soon as class began, and Zhou Yi had reported it to Fan Yu long ago.
Mu En then looked gently at Yan Shaozhe.
"Shaozhe, don't you play dumb either. In all honesty, can you really equip this child as quickly as the Soul Tool Department can?"
"No, Teacher."
Yan Shaozhe answered respectfully.
Mu En smiled.
"Then that settles it. Neither of you can do what the other can. In other words, each of you can do what the other cannot. Since that's the case, why not use your strengths to make up for each other's weaknesses? Who said a student could only choose one of you?"
"Teacher." Yan Shaozhe frowned slightly. "Do you mean to have Lin Xi study the knowledge of both the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Tool Department?"
Mu En nodded lightly.
"Exactly. Always remember that we are an academy. No matter how large we become, we are still an academy. Our mission is to teach and nurture people. Since a student has the ability to learn, we should teach him everything. There's no need to fight here just because a student is too outstanding."
Xian Lin'er still looked unconvinced.
"What if studying both slows his progress?"
Mu En chuckled.
"Then let him choose. I saw everything that happened this morning. A child who could become that furious over an injured classmate cannot be a bad child. I trust his choice."
"Yes." Xian Lin'er could only nod. Finally, she added, "Then may we make one more request?"
"Oh?"
Meeting Mu En's gentle gaze, Xian Lin'er said resolutely:
"I agree to let Lin Xi pursue further studies in the Martial Soul Department while studying in the Soul Tool Department, but this can only happen once. The Martial Soul Department cannot fight us for He Caitou and Huo Yutong, or we won't be able to guarantee the success of our Ultimate Individual Soldier Plan."
Mu En looked at Yan Shaozhe.
"Shaozhe, what do you think?"
Yan Shaozhe nodded in agreement.
"No problem, Teacher."
While investigating Lin Xi, he had also looked through Huo Yutong's information.
She was merely a rank-sixteen Soul Master, and her only Soul Skill was a ten-year one.
At Shrek, those results really were rather inadequate. If the Soul Tool Department wanted her, they could have her.
It wasn't as though Huo Yutong would transform into a genius.
"Very well." Mu En tapped the table. "Then the matter of Lin Xi and Huo Yutong is settled. There will be no further disputes over this. Does everyone understand?"
Everyone present nodded.