"What? You want us all to join the Heaven Dou Royal Academy? That's impossible." Flender's tone was firm.
The night was deep, and the atmosphere inside the Shrek Academy's temporary compound was even more oppressive than the heavy darkness. The dim, yellowish Soul Guidance Lamp in Flender's office cast long, complex shadows of the two old men onto the mottled wall.
Yu Xiaogang stood with his back to Flender by the window, gazing at the deep night sky. His voice was low and steady. " Flender, I understand your feelings for the Shrek Academy. It's where you poured your heart and soul, your dream, and the memories of our Golden Iron Triangle. But feelings can't put food on the table, and they certainly shouldn't become stumbling blocks to the children's future."
He slowly turned around, his eyes filled with seriousness.
"Let's talk about Tang San first. He's my disciple, and also your student. His talent is one in a million— Twin Martial Souls... This is both the greatest gift from heaven and the sharpest sword hanging over his head. You should understand that the greatest advantage, and also the greatest risk, of Twin Martial Souls lies in the Soul Ring attached to the Second Martial Soul soul. In the future, he will need to hunt Soul Beast that are ten thousand years old, or even a hundred thousand years old! With just Shrek Academy, with just you and me, these old bones, plus Zhao Wuji and the others, can we do it? Where will we find them? And even if we do, what are our chances of successfully hunting them without harming ourselves?"
Flender opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but found his throat dry and unable to utter a single word. What Yu Xiaogang said was the truth, a cold and cruel truth. He, Flender, was merely a Soul Saint, and Xiaogang would never be able to break through level 30 in his entire life. Zhao Wuji was Soul Saint, and although the academy's teachers were quite strong, they were still no match for top-tier Soul Beast.
Yu Xiaogang didn't pause, continuing to apply pressure, "Look at the other children. Dai Mubai and Zhu Zhuqing, from the Star Luo Empire, bear the destiny of their families and need faster growth and stronger strength to cope with future crises. Ma Hongjun's Evil Fire problem, although temporarily suppressed, requires higher-level Martial Soul research theories and resources for a fundamental solution. Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, is suffering and undergoing training here, but isn't the evolutionary path of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the library of the Heaven Dou Royal Academy, and the experience of its predecessors richer than what we have here? Xiao Wu... her close combat talent is excellent, but she also needs a more comprehensive protection system and tactical coordination training."
He approached Flender step by step, his tone becoming more forceful. " Flender, look at what we have here! This so-called academy is nothing more than a few dilapidated wooden huts. Mimicry Cultivation Environment? Almost none! Resources? You have to swallow your pride and earn and save them all by yourself! The children are growing, but they could grow faster and better! Their talents shouldn't be hindered by our so-called 'independence' and 'hardship'! Staying at Shrek might maintain their integrity in the short term, but in the long term, it's overdrawing their potential and wasting their golden training period!"
Flender closed his eyes in anguish, his body trembling slightly. Every word Yu Xiaogang spoke was like a hammer, striking the most vulnerable part of his heart. How could he not know this? He simply refused to face it, refused to admit that the dream he had held onto for half his life was so fragile in the face of reality.
"And..." Yu Xiaogang's voice suddenly lowered, carrying an indescribable complex emotion, a mixture of fanaticism and a deep-seated selfishness, "That Lin Yan... you should have heard from Little San. Half-level Innate Soul Power, a standard Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass! But look at him now? You saw his strength too, how astonishing is the power of that mutated Blue Silver Grass? Even Little San's Blue Silver Grass is utterly powerless before him! This completely violates the common sense of the Soul Master World, overturning... the theoretical foundation we've always believed in!"
He took a deep breath, his eyes gleaming with a fire of "seeking knowledge" and "breaking through": "This is a special case, an unprecedented one! If we can observe him up close and study the secrets of his Martial Soul Mutation, perhaps... perhaps we can find the general rules for the breakthrough of Trash Martial Soul, or even... perhaps we can unlock some shackles in cultivation." He didn't say it explicitly, but Flender knew that Yu Xiaogang was referring to his own inability to break through level 30 in his entire life. This had become Yu Xiaogang's greatest obsession and inner demon.
" The Heaven Dou Royal Academy can provide everything needed to study him. Here, we don't even have the chance to contact him," Yu Xiaogang concluded, his tone resolute and unwavering. " Flender, for the children's future, and for... our unfinished research, joining the Heaven Dou Royal Academy is currently the best, and only, choice. This isn't betraying your dream, but a necessary compromise and sacrifice for a greater dream."
A long silence fell over the office. The only sounds were the occasional crackling of the light bulb wick and Flender's heavy breathing.
After a long while, Flender slowly opened his eyes. His usually shrewd eyes were now filled with bloodshot veins and deep weariness and helplessness.
He seemed to age considerably in an instant, his straight spine hunching slightly. He let out a long, deep sigh, a sigh that contained so much—resentment, struggle, heartache, and the helplessness of ultimately having to bow to reality.
"... You're right." Flender's voice was terribly hoarse. "It was me... who was too stubborn. I can't let my insistence hold these children back. They... deserve a better future."
He looked up at Yu Xiaogang, his eyes filled with complex emotions. "Let's do it your way. Shrek Academy... can be merged into the Heaven Dou Royal Academy."
Making this decision felt like it drained all his strength.