.
Even though Mu En had persuaded Zhang Lexuan, her Dao Heart had already shattered in the wake of her defeat.
For a Spirit Master, the Dao Heart is fundamental to cultivation.
Once it is damaged, subsequent cultivation becomes an arduous struggle, inner demons fester, and bottlenecks become difficult to break.
The Zhang Lexuan of the past was high-spirited and gifted.
Relying on her tenacious will and extraordinary talent, she had reached the seventh-ring realm at a young age.
Everyone firmly believed that she would surely become a true powerhouse in the future and a new pillar of Shrek Academy.
But now, this Zhang Lexuan, who had lost her spirit and whose Dao Heart was shattered, had a future that could be seen at a glance.
The failure in the Spirit Fighting Tournament not only cost her self-confidence but also broke the crucial spirit needed for her path of cultivation.
From now on, she might be able to steadily increase her spirit power through accumulation.
However, breaking through bottlenecks to reach the height everyone once expected was now as difficult as ascending to heaven.
If Zhang Lexuan remained in her current state, reaching the Super Douluo realm would likely be her limit.
For Shrek Academy, this was a loss even harder to accept than losing a Spirit Bone.
While Spirit Bones were precious and could enhance a Spirit Master's strength, they could eventually be compensated for through subsequent exploration and opportunities.
But a gifted genius with the potential to become a Limit Douluo had completely fallen due to a single defeat.
This was the truly irreparable loss.
It must be known that top-tier Spirit Master powerhouses are strategic assets for any faction; they are the core strength protecting the foundation of the faction.
Zhang Lexuan's current performance undoubtedly cast a shadow over the future development of Shrek Academy.
Mu En sat in the main seat, his gaze falling upon Zhang Lexuan. Watching her dejected, zombie-like appearance, his tone carried an undisguisable sense of helplessness and regret: "Everyone, take your seats."
"Yes." The elders responded one after another and took their seats.
Zhang Lexuan remained standing quietly behind Xuan Zi, with no intention of sitting.
Her body was slightly stiff, and her eyes gazed emptily at the floor in front of her, as if she had not heard Mu En's words, or as if she had lost interest in everything around her.
She was like a programmed machine, standing mechanically, her reactions to the outside world becoming slow and numb.
Xuan Zi turned his head and glanced at her, a flash of complex emotion in his eyes—regret and heartache—but in the end, he said nothing more.
Some wounds can only heal slowly on their own.
Some hurdles can only be overcome by oneself.
Mu En did not force Zhang Lexuan to take her seat either; at this moment, any further comfort or persuasion would be in vain.
Only by letting her walk out of this shadow herself could she rediscover her former self.
He withdrew his gaze, no longer looking at Zhang Lexuan, and turned to the elders and academy executives present, his expression gradually becoming serious, and the aura around him becoming heavy: "The Sea Gods Pavilion meeting is convened today for no other reason than to discuss two matters—Xu Tianhao and the Body Sect."
As his voice fell, the pavilion immediately fell into silence.
The name Xu Tianhao was no longer unfamiliar to everyone present.
And the Body Sect was one of the three top forces in the Spirit Master's world, alongside their Sea Gods Pavilion and the Sun Moon Empire's Mingde Hall.
Their mysterious style of operation and powerful strength had always been a key focus of Shrek Academy.
Xuan Zi spoke first, his voice deep and powerful, breaking the silence in the pavilion: "Elder Mu, according to the intelligence we have obtained, the Sun Moon Empire intentionally released the news that Xu Tianhao possesses a Body Martial Soul, and their purpose is very clear: to attract the attention of the Body Sect."
He paused and continued: "Since closing their mountains, the Body Sect has not operated on a large scale on the continent for a hundred years."
"But we all know that they are not completely isolated from the world; occasionally, disciples will descend the mountain to travel, collecting Body Martial Souls and various information on the continent."
"Xu Tianhao's Body Martial Soul is extremely special and his talent is extremely high; he did not even hide the information that he possesses an Innate Domain."
"From the known information, Xu Tianhao's Body Martial Soul talent even has the potential to surpass the geniuses of the Body Sect's past generations."
"Such a genius definitely has a fatal attraction to the Body Sect, which views the Body Martial Soul as their foundation."
"If they learn of Xu Tianhao's information, it is hard to guarantee that they will not be tempted."
Xuan Zi's words caused the elders present to fall into deep thought.
They knew better than anyone how powerful the Body Sect was.
The disciples of the Body Sect cultivated Body Martial Souls and had extremely strong close-combat abilities; among Spirit Masters of the same level, few could contend with them.
Especially the Body Sect's Sect Master, Poison Immortal, who was an unfathomably powerful Super Douluo.
However, there had been an unpleasant past between the former Body Sect Master, Du Bisi, and Mu En, which had caused the relationship between the two sides to remain quite tense.
Yan Shaozhe could not sit still and couldn't help but say: "Elder Mu, Elder Xuan is right."
"The strength of the Body Sect cannot be underestimated, and the Sun Moon Empire's Mingde Hall possesses the most advanced spirit tool technology. If the two join forces, it would be a very dangerous thing for us!"
His tone carried a sense of anxiety, and his hands clenched into fists unconsciously: "Of the three top forces in the Spirit Master's world—our Shrek Academy, Mingde Hall, and the Body Sect—we have always been in a state of mutual check and balance."
"Once this balance is broken, the consequences will be unimaginable."
"If the Body Sect truly chooses to cooperate with the Sun Moon Empire because of this genius, Xu Tianhao, then they will form an overwhelming advantage."
"At that time, would our Shrek Academy not become isolated?"
"When facing the alliance of two top forces, how should we respond?"
Yan Shaozhe's concerns voiced everyone's inner thoughts.
The elders present nodded in agreement, their faces revealing solemn expressions.
They all knew very well that once the Body Sect joined forces with the Sun Moon Empire, the landscape of the Douluo Continent would undergo a earth-shattering change, and Shrek Academy would face an unprecedented crisis.
Ten thousand years of glory and heritage might very well be destroyed in this crisis.
Mu En nodded slowly, his fingers tapping gently on the wooden table in front of him, making a crisp sound; every tap seemed to strike the hearts of everyone present.
He looked at everyone present, his eyes deep and calm: "Shaozhe is right, this is exactly the problem we need to focus on discussing in this meeting."
"The Sun Moon Empire is ambitious and has developed rapidly over these years; their spirit tool technology has advanced by leaps and bounds. The victory in this Spirit Fighting Tournament has undoubtedly caused their ambition to expand even further."
"And the Body Sect has always been outside the conflicts of the continent, and their stance has always been elusive."
He paused and continued: "The grudge between Du Bisi and me back then did indeed make the relationship between the two sides tense."
"This person, Poison Immortal, has always prioritized the interests of the Body Sect. As long as it is beneficial to the Body Sect, he might not necessarily let go of past grudges and cooperate with the Sun Moon Empire."
"The appearance of Xu Tianhao has just given them an excellent opportunity."
"Therefore, we must make preparations in advance. Tell me your views; how should we respond to this potential crisis?"
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