As that aged voice faded, every eye around the long table shifted instantly to the left side of Yun Ming.
Sitting there was an elderly woman in grey clothes, dressed very simply. Her frame was somewhat hunched, her face was etched with deep furrows from the passage of time, and her silver hair had become thin. At a quick glance, she looked no different from any ordinary person enjoying her final years in a quiet neighborhood.
However, when she looked up, her eyes were unexpectedly bright.
It was not the clear energy of a young person, but a profound depth gained from witnessing the many changes of the world.
Since she sat firmly beside the Master of the Sea Gods Pavilion, Yun Ming, her status and power were clearly not ordinary.
She was the most senior Elder in the academy today and the only person whose strength was second to Yun Ming himself.
Her name was Long Yeyue, and her title was Light and Darkness.
The famous event of slapping the Spirit Pagoda Master, Qian Gu Dieting, was something this elderly lady had done.
The clear dislike she showed for the Spirit Pagoda in her words felt completely natural within the Sea Gods Pavilion.
Feeling the heavy gazes of everyone, Long Yeyue continued speaking in her old, steady voice.
"The Spirit Ice Douluo originally came from our academy. The legacy he left behind ultimately has a very deep connection with Shrek."
She paused for a second, a tiny smile touching the corner of her mouth. "As for this boy named Huo Yuhao, if he is willing to leave the Spirit Pagoda and join our true lineage, would a young girl like Leng Yaozhu really dare to cause trouble at Shrek?"
These words were spoken in a flat tone, but they were filled with an incredible sense of power and confidence.
As soon as she finished, the eyes of many Elders who had been worried began to shine. A genius like Huo Yuhao was best kept safely within the walls of Shrek Academy.
With Long Yeyue's support, Cai Yueer felt much more confident and spoke up immediately. "What Elder Long says is completely right! As long as Huo Yuhao himself says yes, no one would dare try to stop Shrek from taking in such a talent."
Her voice was full of Shrek's usual pride, acting as if the peerless genius already belonged to them.
"Elder Long."
Yun Ming's voice sounded again, more serious than it had been before. He clearly did not agree with Long Yeyue's plan, which was basically a forced recruitment.
However, before he could say more, Long Yeyue turned her head. Her eyes, which seemed to see through everything, met his gaze and stopped him from speaking.
"Yun Ming, I am thinking about the future of this academy."
"That Huo Yuhao is still very young."
"With the talent he has shown, it is certain that he will reach the peak of the continent one day."
She leaned forward a little, a look of deep concern appearing on her wrinkled face.
"If a person like that, who is destined to lead an era, ends up as the Master of the Spirit Pagoda..."
"At that time, will Shrek Academy have to bow down to the Spirit Pagoda?"
Her voice grew louder, asking a question that he could not ignore. "Can you really stand to watch Shrek's ten-thousand-year history and glory fall apart while you are in charge?"
These words cut straight to the heart of the matter.
Long Yeyue knew Yun Ming very well. This man, the strongest on the continent, had dedicated his whole life and all his beliefs to Shrek's legacy.
Protecting the academy was more than just a duty; it was the entire reason for his existence.
She had correctly identified the deepest worry and responsibility inside Yun Ming's heart.
Yun Ming went silent.
Because he had seen Huo Yuhao with his own eyes, he knew better than anyone that Long Yeyue was right.
Among the younger generation, Huo Yuhao was the absolute best; no one could even come close to him.
After a long, heavy silence, Yun Ming let out a very quiet sigh.
In that sigh, you could hear his frustration at being figured out and his worries about the heavy burden of leadership.
He finally looked up and turned to Cai Yueer, who was waiting for his answer, with a complicated expression.
"About this matter... you can go and handle it."
"But, you must be very careful with how you do it."
His eyes turned sharp as he looked at Cai Yueer. "Remember, if Huo Yuhao himself does not agree."
"Then you must stop immediately."
"You are not allowed to force him, and you definitely cannot use your power to bully him."
Cai Yueer answered quickly, "Don't worry, Master! I will be very careful and I won't fail you!"
The meeting of the Sea Gods Pavilion ended there, and the Elders began to leave one by one.
Soon, only two people were left by the long table as the dim light moved slowly over them.
Yun Ming stayed quiet for a long time before letting out another soft sigh.
A warm hand reached out and gently covered his hand where it rested on the chair.
Yali spoke softly, her voice sounding as clear as water.
"Brother Ming, if you really don't want to do this, you don't have to agree just because Elder Long said so."
Yun Ming held her hand, and her warmth helped him relax a little bit.
He used his other hand to rub the bridge of his nose, looking tired.
"Elder Long is still an elder," he said quietly, sounding a bit helpless. "Besides, if I don't let them try, people won't stop thinking about it, and that could cause more trouble later."
Yali smiled a little when she heard that. "From the way you're talking... it sounds like you don't think Yueer can actually bring Huo Yuhao back?"
Yun Ming didn't give a direct answer, just looking at the woman beside him.
After a moment, he spoke again. "I think I'll have to ask you to go to Tianhai as well."
"I'm worried that Cai Yueer's personality will cause problems we don't need."
Yali nodded without any hesitation, her smile looking kind but firm. "Alright."
...Another day went by.
The noise on the internet about Shrek's loss hadn't gone away; it actually seemed to be getting louder.
The lobby of the Tianhai Hotel was full of bright lights and many people walking around.
The kids from Class Zero had just come back from the seaside, smelling like salt and feeling relaxed after their day out.
However, that relaxed feeling disappeared the moment they walked through the hotel doors.
Walking toward them was a group of familiar people—it was the Shrek Team that they had just defeated.
The students from Class Zero stopped moving.
Xie Xie's muscles tightened instantly and he whispered, "They're standing right in the way... they aren't here to start a fight because they lost, are they?"
Tang Wulin looked at the faces of the people across from them and shook his head. "It doesn't look like it, and their leader Shen Yi is still with them."
Huo Yuhao had already used his Mental Detection and said, "Watch out, there is a very strong power hiding behind them... it's a Titled Douluo."
As soon as he said that, his friends all looked worried.
Right as Huo Yuhao finished his warning, a cold and tall figure stepped forward to stand in front of the five students.
Wu Changkong didn't look at Shen Yi or the Shrek students. Instead, he looked right past them at a spot in the back.
His voice rang out loud and clear in the hotel lobby. "Your Excellency Silver Moon!"
The lobby went quiet almost instantly after he said those words.
Many guests and workers stopped to look, their faces full of curiosity and surprise.
Only the strongest Titled Douluo on the continent were called "Your Excellency."
As soon as Wu Changkong finished speaking, a person appeared silently just a few steps away from him.
She was wearing an elegant silver dress with her hair styled high. She looked to be over fifty, but still looked very healthy and strong.
It was the Shrek Academy Outer Court Dean, Silver Moon Douluo Cai Yueer.
She had no expression on her face and looked very powerful as she looked Wu Changkong up and down.
After a moment, she made a small sound of acknowledgment.
Wu Changkong felt his heart tighten.
Since he used to be in the Shrek Inner Court, he knew exactly how this woman acted.
Cai Yueer was known for being very direct and tough, and she always wanted to be in control. To get what she wanted, she could be very harsh or even mean.
Saying she was "awful" might be just an opinion, but everyone knew she was one of the toughest leaders in the academy.
Since she was waiting here for Class Zero, she didn't care about being seen; she actually wanted people to see her.
Wu Changkong pushed down his nerves and spoke again. "Your Excellency Silver Moon has come here herself, may I ask why?"
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You can read advanced chapters here: patreon.com/GregariousLion