Chapter 105: Shrek Receives Shocking Bad News
After Dai Hao left, Yan Shaozhe, Qian Duoduo, and the others thought they could finally relax. However, then people from the Xuanming Sect came looking for them.
Xu Sanshi was much more miserable than Dai Yueheng. If he had died on the spot, it would have been fine—then everything could have been attributed to Evil Soul Masters. But his Martial Soul was shattered, and that was not something that could be remedied by simply spending resources.
Xu Sanshi's mother was a former princess of the Dou Spirit Empire, and Xu Sanshi was, to some extent, an heir favored by the Xuanming Sect. He possessed both a noble background and an undeniable political influence.
It could be said that Xu Sanshi's imperial background indirectly solidified the political ties between the Xuanming Sect, the Heavenly Soul Empire, and the Dou Spirit Empire. Now that his Martial Soul was shattered, what could be done?
The Sect Master of the Xuanming Sect was also a Super Douluo and Xu Sanshi's grandfather. Shrek naturally could not shirk responsibility. Even if Xu Sanshi wasn't one of the Shrek Seven Devils, but merely a reserve member, the compensation they had to provide would be far greater than what they gave to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion.
It was fortunate that Dai Hao wasn't there; otherwise, he would surely have been humiliated again by Shrek's double standards.
In the end, Shrek reluctantly guaranteed that they would do their utmost to repair Xu Sanshi's shattered Martial Soul and compensate the Xuanming Sect with a large amount of resources. Only then did the Sect stop escalating the matter.
This was where the disadvantage of only accepting nobles became apparent. It was fine if students were unharmed, and it didn't matter if the disciples of the surveillance group from the Inner Court died during missions. However, the emergence of this situation undoubtedly shook Shrek to its core.
Would major powers and nobles still support an academy that couldn't even protect its own students wholeheartedly?
Furthermore, students who could obtain city lord-level recommendation letters and enter Shrek were never simple individuals.
Shrek could easily dismiss minor powers, but they couldn't bypass students from major powers. If they angered those powers too much, they might really take action.
Many reclusive sects, such as the Body Sect, Star Crown Sect, and Clear Sky Sect, were not inferior to Shrek; they simply preferred not to emerge and participate in the continent's conflicts.
"Alas, what a troubled time..."
Mu En, who had been secretly observing Yan Shaozhe handling these matters, was utterly exhausted. He just wanted to rest now; he truly didn't want to deal with these vexing issues anymore.
But misfortunes never come singly. Just when everyone thought the matter could be put to rest, Xuan Zi finally returned to the academy with Bei Bei, He Caitou, and the others.
Something bad had happened!
Seeing Xuan Zi's appearance, Yan Shaozhe, Mu En, and the others immediately knew that another disaster must have occurred.
This old fellow was usually carefree, but the last time such an undeniable look of dejection appeared on his face was when those little ones from Shrek were attacked by Evil Soul Masters. Even earlier than that was the matter concerning Zhang Lexuan.
Mu En also had to reveal himself at this moment and was the first to speak:
"What? Did you lose the competition? If you lost, then you lost. Why be so disheartened? It's not proper."
"The White Tiger Duke has already been here. We all know about Dai Huabin's situation. Casualties are unavoidable in a competition, so don't be too sad."
Xuan Zi couldn't hold it in. It really wasn't about Dai Huabin; that person wouldn't cause him to lose his composure like this. Now, facing the gazes of Yan Shaozhe and the others, he only felt his face burning with shame.
He immediately knelt and cried out loud, disregarding his dignity:
"Elder Mu, I, I truly let you down. I let Shrek down. Not only did we lose the competition, but I also lost Xiaotao..."
Boom!!
As soon as these words came out, Yan Shaozhe, who had initially felt nothing, could no longer maintain his composure. He immediately strode forward, grabbing Xuan Zi by the collar and spitting all over his face.
"What did you say? What happened to Xiaotao? Lost? Why would she be lost? Bei Bei and the others are all back, so why has Xiaotao lost?!"
Xiaotao was lost? What kind of development was this? Such a big living person, and you say she's lost? Why don't you lose yourself instead?!
As his most valued disciple, Ma Xiaotao was his hope and reliance. Now this old man was saying what? Xiaotao was lost? How could he accept that!
And from the tone, it wasn't just a simple disappearance; there must have been something else involved!
Xuan Zi no longer cared about Yan Shaozhe's disrespect and could only recount everything—his doubts during the competition, his own seemingly clever but ultimately foolish maneuvers, all told in full detail.
There was no way to hide it. As time passed, the academy would eventually find out about these things, so it was better to be honest.
Finally, he spoke of Ma Xiaotao's evil fire erupting, the appearance of Evil Soul Masters for unknown reasons, and how Feng Ling and others abducted Xiaotao.
After speaking, his face was already full of pain. Shrek's disciples were gone, the Seven Devils were ruined by him; Shrek's championship was lost to the Sun Moon Empire; Shrek's reputation was questioned by everyone.
Now, he couldn't even protect Ma Xiaotao herself; he had personally witnessed her being abducted by Evil Soul Masters.
What kind of mess had he made?!
He no longer hoped for anything else, nor did he ask for the academy's forgiveness. He only begged for the chance to atone for his mistakes—to personally go to the Evil Soul Master's lair and bring Xiaotao back.
"Elder Mu, Shaozhe, I will definitely bring Xiaotao back! Even if I die, I will atone for my mistakes!"
Xuan Zi said, his face contorted in a ferocious grimace, then rose to leave. But Mu En stopped him.
"Enough. I already know what happened. You led the team poorly. Go into solitary confinement deep within the Sea God Pavilion for three years. During this period, you are not allowed to drink alcohol. I will not say it a second time."
Look—three years of confinement, no drinking alcohol. This punishment was simply too severe, my goodness! If Dai Huabin had heard this, he would surely have come back to life with a jolt, slapped Xuan Zi twice, and then died again.
But this punishment, or rather, a punishment that couldn't even be considered one, sounded like a bolt from the blue to Xuan Zi. Three years of confinement, no alcohol—this was worse than killing him.
But Mu En didn't care so much, nor did he want to hear Xuan Zi continue speaking. Going to the Evil Soul Master's lair? Who exactly was in the Holy Spirit Church?
Oh, he still knew who was there.
However, Xiaotao's matter was already a foregone conclusion. Was he going to watch this old man go and sacrifice himself again? This old bastard couldn't even handle Feng Ling, so how could he be a match for Ye Xishui and the others?
Even after so many foolish mistakes, Mu En was helpless. If Xuan Zi truly died, Shrek would lose even its last shred of dignity. He was Shrek's last fig leaf.
Having successively ruined two generations of the Seven Devils, constantly blundering during the competitions, and now causing this incident, was this old bastard naturally at odds with Shrek?
Sighing in his heart, he made up his mind: Xuan Zi was truly not suitable to bear the heavy responsibility of Shrek. He simply didn't have the ability or understanding.
Mu En was filled with immense regret. After all, with two prior offenses, how could he still trust this bastard's abilities? This was no longer ordinary stupidity; it was world-shaking stupidity.
Even though he wasn't at the competition, he knew that Xuan Zi's actions and doubts would, over time, continue to weaken Shrek's ten-thousand-year reputation until it was cast down from its pedestal.
This was precisely what the Sun Moon Empire wanted to see. Perhaps, the moment they obtained that traitor Wang Yan, they had already been planning for Xuan Zi to make a mistake.
Xuan Zi, that old bastard, indeed fell right into the Sun Moon Empire's trap.
If he handed Shrek over to Xuan Zi after his death, the academy would sooner or later be finished. No, he had to use some methods with Lexuan. Although her strength was not yet sufficient for such heavy responsibility, she was still a hundred times better than this scoundrel Xuan Zi.
And Bei Bei, this child had already wasted enough time. There was no time to let him play romance. He had to shoulder the heavy responsibility. In the future, Shrek would still be handed over to Lexuan and Bei Bei.
As for that little one from the Tang Sect, he would compensate her with some resources—enough to honor the relationship between Shrek and the Tang Sect.
Beside him, Yan Shaozhe now somewhat understood how the White Tiger Duke and the Xuanming Sect felt just now. This feeling of being incredibly frustrated but unable to act was truly stifling.
He was accustomed to being assertive with other powers, and now, facing Xuan Zi, he suddenly felt as if his previous way of doing things had fallen upon himself.
He couldn't hit him, couldn't scold him, and even the punishments were merely symbolic procedures. Frustrating, truly frustrating.
"Teacher, are we just going to leave Xiaotao like that?"
Of course, they had to do something, but now they were completely in the dark and definitely needed to find another way. Mu En could only change the subject.
"First, treat Bei Bei and the others. Once Elder Zhuang returns and we understand the full story, we will make a long-term plan."
He still didn't believe Xuan Zi's one-sided account. This old man had too many foolish maneuvers; who knew if he was hiding anything?
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End of Chapter