Upon hearing this, Cai Mei'er was struck dumb, her whole body trembled violently, and she even staggered half a step.
Mu En!
That is Shrek Academy's true Sea-Calming Divine Needle, a towering support that has helped the academy weather countless storms!
Despite leading the team to the competition in Mingdu, Mu En's physical condition was deteriorating day by day.
But she never expected that upon her return, she would be greeted with such devastating news.
At this moment, her mind was in turmoil, but she had no time to think. She could only suppress the overwhelming grief and panic, and with an extremely heavy heart, silently follow Qian Duoduo's footsteps.
The two quickly entered the Sea God Pavilion. The light inside was soft, but the atmosphere was so heavy it was suffocating.
As always, Mu En lay quietly on the chaise lounge, meticulously carved from the branches of an Golden Ancient Tree, just like he had done countless days and nights before.
However, unlike his previous state of being on the verge of death and barely breathing, at this moment, Mu En's eyes were open!
Moreover, his eyes were not cloudy at all; on the contrary, they were crystal clear, with a vast, sea-blue light seemingly shimmering deep within them. This made him look even more energetic than when Cai Mei'er left.
However, this seemingly "improved" situation did not bring any comfort to the elders present, such as Xuan Zi and Lin Huiqun; on the contrary, it made their mood extremely heavy.
Because everyone knew all too well that this was not a sign of improvement, but rather the last and most brilliant burst of Life before his life was completely exhausted.
It was a final burst of energy before death.
When Cai Mei'er appeared at the entrance of the Sea God Pavilion, all the elders inside couldn't help but turn their gazes to her, a hint of undisguised surprise flashing in their eyes.
At this moment, she should be far away in Mingdu, leading the Shrek Academy team to compete in the Continent-wide Youth Advanced Soul Master Tournament. Why has she suddenly returned?
Even those who were lying on the Golden Tree lounge chair instantly turned their gaze to Cai Mei'er.
In these final moments of his Life, his mind seemed to have been cleansed, becoming clearer and more lucid than ever before.
" Mei'er is back. You weren't in Mingdu to host the competition, but you rushed back. There must be something very important."
"While I'm still fuming, hurry up and tell me."
"Any later... and I'm afraid I won't be able to hear you anymore."
Cai Mei'er met Mu En's gaze, unconsciously biting her lower lip, her heart churning with inner turmoil.
At this moment, in the final moments of Mu En's Life, is it too cruel to mention the name that nearly dragged the academy into the Abyss?
She was truly afraid that this sudden news would be the final straw that broke the old man's back.
But then I thought, Mu En has traversed the continent for hundreds of years, what kind of storms hasn't he weathered?
She finally took a deep breath and then said clearly, " Mu En, last night in Mingdu, I received information about Yan Shaozhe."
The moment the name " Yan Shaozhe " was clearly uttered, time seemed to freeze within the entire Sea God Pavilion!
The air became thick and heavy, and everyone's eyes instantly focused on Cai Mei'er.
This name has become an almost untouchable taboo within the Shrek Academy today.
After all, the academy's reputation plummeted and its millennia-old glory was tarnished, all of which were inextricably linked to his "actions" and subsequent disappearance.
In the dead silence, Mu En's eyes, which had been glowing with a final burst of light before death, suddenly shone with an indescribable, complex light upon hearing that name.
In the suffocating silence, Cai Mei'er gritted her teeth and continued, "The other party sent a token containing a drop of blood."
She paused slightly, then emphasized, "I have repeatedly confirmed with my own Martial Soul and soul perception that the pure and blazing light contained in that blood undoubtedly originates from Yan Shaozhe! I will never be wrong about this."
"The other party's choice to send a message in this way at this time must mean they have something to do with it."
"The strength of the forces behind them is unknown. I am alone in the Sun Moon Empire, weak and vulnerable, and I fear I will be unable to cope with the upcoming changes. Therefore, I have returned in haste to seek help from the academy and the elders..."
Cai Mei'er directly stated the purpose of her return, and then, worried about Mu En's "time," quickly added, "The academy's current troubles and reputational damage all stem from Yan Shaozhe."
"All the mysteries, all the stigma, can only be revealed by finding him himself!"
"The situation... couldn't get any worse than it is now!"
"Now the outside world generally believes that Yan Shaozhe has colluded with the Holy Spirit Cult and willingly fallen into depravity."
"But if it can be proven that he was coerced and had no choice in the matter, or that there are other hidden reasons behind it that have nothing to do with him... then the mudslinging on Shrek can be washed away, and the academy's reputation can be salvaged!"
Cai Mei'er's words slowly faded within the Sea God Pavilion, like a stone thrown into a deep pool, stirring up layers of silent ripples.
Everyone fell into a brief moment of contemplation, weighing the risks and possibilities.
Reclining on the Golden Tree chair, Mu En made his decision after only a few breaths of thought.
" Mei'er's judgment is correct."
He spoke slowly, turning his gaze to the side, " Xuan Zi, you will personally accompany Mei'er to Mingdu afterwards. No matter what, this matter must be thoroughly investigated and a clear result obtained."
Upon hearing this, Xuan Zi, despite still harboring resentment towards Yan Shaozhe, did not hesitate to obey Mu En's order and immediately replied in a deep voice, "Yes, Mu En!"
However, what Mu En said next caused Xuan Zi and the other elders present to change their expressions.
"After you go to Mingdu..." Mu En paused, as if gathering his last strength, and said, "Inform Kong Deming of the Worship Hall of the information you obtained about Yan Shaozhe."
" Mu En!"
Xuan Zi spoke up almost immediately, his face filled with incomprehension and opposition.
Mu En slightly raised his withered, wrinkled right hand, stopping Xuan Zi from uttering the harsh words that were about to come out.
He took a slight breath, his gaze sweeping over the crowd with a sense of world-weariness and helplessness.
"I understand your thoughts, but until we find Yan Shaozhe and uncover the truth, Kong Deming... is not our enemy."
He paused, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes. "Although we have different stances, Kong Deming is not an unreasonable or vicious person."
"His actions that day were also from his own perspective. If... if Yan Shaozhe truly succumbed to depravity and colluded with Evil Soul Master, then he deserved to die, and no one else could be blamed."
At this point, Mu En's tone was tinged with sorrow, yet remained remarkably clear-headed.
"If Yan Shaozhe were innocent, or if he was acting against his will, given Kong Deming's character and stature, he wouldn't have acted so ruthlessly without distinguishing right from wrong."
"Informing him of this message might increase our chances of finding Yan Shaozhe and also reduce obstacles to this matter within the Sun Moon Empire."
"Cough cough cough... cough cough...!"
At this point, Mu En suddenly let out a violent cough.
His complexion, which had been slightly rosy due to a final burst of energy, instantly faded, turning ashen and deathly pale.
The shimmering sea-blue light in his eyes dimmed and dissipated rapidly at a speed visible to the naked eye.
" Mu En!"
"Teacher!"
This scene terrified everyone. Xuan Zi, Cai Mei'er, and the elders all changed their expressions drastically, and they all stepped forward nervously, their eyes fixed on Mu En, their deep worry and grief almost overflowing.
Sea God Pavilion, the air seemed to freeze, with only the heartbreaking cough echoing in the air.
The violent coughing gradually subsided, and Mu En's breathing became faint, his chest rising and falling almost imperceptibly.
"This matter... is... settled..."
He struggled to turn his eyes, his already unfocused gaze seeming to want to see the pillars supporting Shrek Academy one last time.
Finally, using his last ounce of strength, he said, "From now on... the academy will depend on you!"