Xuan Zi, who had always been so reckless and unyielding, had actually knelt down.
This scene instantly stunned Yan Shao Zhe and Cai Mei'er. They both knew how stubborn and proud Xuan Zi was; he would never bow his head, even at the cost of his life. But now... Had things truly become this desperate?!
Xuan Zi's old face was flushed red. Bending down and leaning on the steps, he said, "Esteemed seniors, please, for the sake of Shrek Academy, which has existed for ten thousand years, spare us... We did not participate in the sins of ten thousand years ago; we only wish to educate and nurture the next generation..."
"I beg you, please give us a second chance."
Yan Shao Zhe and the others stood there, dumbfounded, not knowing whether to stand or kneel. As the top echelons of Shrek Academy and Titled Douluo, they were at the pinnacle of this world. Yet, they were being asked to kneel before a group of "young men and women"?
Just then, many figures rushed out from the inner court, including elder Titled Douluo and inner-court students. When they arrived at the entrance and saw Xuan Zi kneeling, they were all dumbfounded. Was this not a dream? Xuan Zi was actually kneeling before others? With a look of pleading on his face?!
"Xuan Zi, what is going on?" an elder couldn't help but ask.
Xian Lin'er, the dean of the Soul Tool Academy, directly summoned her martial soul. Holding a green spear, she transformed into a Valkyrie and said angrily, "If we must fight, what is there to fear in death?!"
"Elder Xuan, there is no need to humble yourself!" Xian Lin'er looked at Dan Heng's group coldly. A sharp sense of battle intent surged forward.
Dan Heng raised an eyebrow slightly. Before he could act, Shui Bing'er gently waved her sleeve, and a blast of ultimate cold energy shot out. With a gust of icy wind, Xian Lin'er, who was in mid-air, was instantly frozen into a lifelike ice sculpture.
"!!!" Everyone was shocked, looking at Shui Bing'er, who had just made her move, in disbelief. She had suppressed a powerful Valkyrie with just a casual attack? It was clear that this group, which could make Xuan Zi submit, was not to be trifled with!
"Everyone, stop! Shrek Academy is in the wrong here! There will be no fighting!" Xuan Zi shouted to stop them.
The crowd suppressed their restlessness, but they were still completely baffled. The strength of these people was unfathomable, and their intentions were bizarre. What exactly did they want to do?
Gu Yue Na said calmly, "Do you know Liu Erlong?"
"Of course we do... Ancestor Liu once sheltered Shrek Academy, and, and she left instructions... which have been passed down from generation to generation and we have never dared to forget them," Xuan Zi said.
As soon as he said this, several of the elders' faces changed dramatically. They understood something and looked back at Zhang Lexuan and the others, urging them to leave.
"Everyone stay. Let me explain this clearly, so you all know why Shrek Academy must be destroyed," Gu Yue Na said calmly.
After all, Blue Tyrant Academy was under her name. Shrek Academy had annexed Blue Tyrant Academy, and no matter how many generations had passed, they had to bear the consequences of that evil deed!
"!!!" The inner-court students all exploded into a commotion upon hearing this. They all felt a sense of pride in Shrek and a strong sense of shared honor. But now, Gu Yue Na wanted to destroy Shrek Academy. No one could accept this.
"Shrek Academy was founded ten thousand years ago and has endured countless hardships. Why should we be destroyed? Our unity is not a loose group of people!"
"That's right! Our academy has passed down ten thousand years of advanced teaching experience, and it is still being emulated but never surpassed!"
"The spiritual integrity left by our first ancestors will never allow us to submit willingly!"
"..."
The inner-court students became even more agitated, summoning their martial souls and getting ready for a fight.
Zi Ji's eyes lit up when she saw this. She quickly asked, "Sister, since they're acting like this, is it okay if I kill them all? Dragons need a little education too! He needs to see some blood."
Zi Ji made no effort to conceal her killing intent. Her bright, sparkling eyes were incredibly beautiful but were filled with a lust for slaughter. The dragon's might permeated the area, as if a pitch-black demonic dragon was roaring at the sky, its icy gaze fixed upon them.
The inner-court students all retreated a few steps, pushed back rather than choosing to move on their own accord.
"!!!" One Zi Ji alone was enough to make them all feel a sense of panic. And that was without mentioning the powerful Shui Bing'er who had just made her move... Yet, these two were clearly not the core of this group. Now, they understood why Xuan Zi had knelt down.
"Sigh..." A sigh suddenly sounded.
Everyone was familiar with the voice and looked at the large door at the bottom of the steps. Dan Heng and the others also followed the sound of the voice and saw an old man with silver hair and a kind-looking face, along with a team of royal guards, entering. The royal guards were protecting a delicate young girl, and next to them was a stern-looking man with short golden hair.
It was none other than Princess Xu Jiujiu of the Star Luo Empire and the Duke of White Tiger, Dai Hao. The moment they appeared, Huo Yuhao became agitated, clenching his teeth and staring at Dai Hao's face.
"What a tragedy... The mistakes Shrek made must eventually be repaid. No one can stop it."
The silver-haired old man, Mu En, his face filled with bitterness, slowly climbed the steps and stood beside Xuan Zi. Xu Jiujiu and Dai Hao followed him, not saying a word. But when they saw the scene at Shrek Academy, their hearts were in turmoil! A powerful academy like Shrek was actually bowing down to a group of young men and women... And from Mu En's tone, it seemed they were not in the right?!
Mu En quickly glanced at Dan Heng and the others. Comparing them with the message left by Liu Erlong in his memory, he immediately recognized them. The handsome and unworldly Dan Heng, who looked completely non-threatening. The incomparably beautiful and ethereal Gu Yue Na, who was both radiant and aloof. These two were the true masters of Blue Tyrant Academy!
And what Shrek Academy owed, they would have to pay back. Otherwise, they would face Liu Erlong's "divine punishment." Ten thousand years had passed, and successive leaders of the Sea God Pavilion had thought this was just a legend, or that the former "masters" had long since disappeared. They never expected them to return during his tenure.
"Are you the main dean?" Zi Ji asked loudly.
"Yes, I am the current head of the Sea God Pavilion and the decision-maker for Shrek Academy."
Mu En bowed slightly. He hesitated for a moment before kneeling directly beside Xuan Zi.
"Elder Mu... you!" Xuan Zi's eyes widened. If even Mu En knelt down, it meant that Shrek Academy had completely surrendered. There would be absolutely no resistance.
Mu En gave a bitter smile and said, "If you can abandon your own dignity for the future of the academy, how could I possibly do any less?"
"..." Xuan Zi opened his mouth but said nothing. A look of desolation flashed in his eyes. Shrek Academy was likely truly finished.
"Sea God Pavilion? That must be the work of that bastard Poseidon! Sister, let's kill that treacherous scoundrel!" Zi Ji turned back excitedly, using the opportunity to stir up trouble.
Gu Yue Na gave her a cold stare.
Zi Ji was so scared that she shrank her neck and didn't dare to say a word. The weight of Gu Yue Na's authority was too deep, and she wouldn't dare to cause mischief.
"Esteemed seniors, I am Princess Xu Jiujiu of the Star Luo Empire. I am not aware of the situation here, could you please enlighten me? The Star Luo Empire is willing to mediate for both sides..."
Xu Jiujiu smiled gently and said softly.
Zi Ji glared at her, venting her frustration on the princess. "Shut up, little girl! Do you have a right to speak here? Also, isn't the emperor of the Star Luo Empire's last name Dai?"
Xu Jiujiu's beautiful face froze in shock, and she didn't dare to speak. Zi Ji truly didn't care about her status as a royal princess! Dai Hao immediately moved to stand in front of her, shielding her from the threat.
"Your Highness, don't get involved..." Dai Hao shook his head slightly, sensing the unfathomable depth of Dan Heng's group. This was no longer a matter the empire could interfere with. He was silent for a moment, then said loudly, "The current Star Luo Empire is a subordinate of the Spirit Hall Empire! The Dai family abdicated and gave way a thousand years ago!"
"A bunch of useless people," Zi Ji sneered and cursed.
"..." Dai Hao's face darkened, angered by Zi Ji's sharp tongue. However, he didn't dare to retort. It was clear that even Shrek Academy wasn't willing to provoke them, so why would he foolishly seek death?
"Esteemed seniors, I am already aware of the karmic ties between us. Shrek Academy owes you, and we were in the wrong from the start. Although this kneeling cannot compensate for your losses, I hope it can slightly ease your emotions," Mu En said with great humility. "Could we find another place to talk...?"
"Right here. Let everyone watch. Tell us clearly what the connection between Shrek Academy and us is, and what you've done. Tell us everything," Gu Yue Na said, interrupting Mu En.
Mu En's face turned pale, and he hesitated. The inner-court students, as well as some outer-court students who had sensed the soul power fluctuations, were all watching. If they were to learn what Shrek Academy had done in the past, would they still be proud of it? Mu En was a hundred percent unwilling to do that.
"Don't dither! Do you want to die?! How about we just kill them all? Sister..." Zi Ji said impatiently.
"Alright... I'll tell you!" Mu En quickly blurted out. "This happened ten thousand years ago. It concerns the first dean of our Shrek Academy and the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan..."
Everyone's spirits were lifted. They were about to learn Shrek Academy's biggest secret! Dan Heng and the others remained silent, waiting. After being gone for ten thousand years, they were also curious about what had happened.
Mu En paused, then slowly said, "Ten thousand years ago, Dean Flander came to the Star Luo Empire. Although he had the full support of the royal family, the academy lacked a foundation and saw little progress for ten years. So, he personally went to Blue Tyrant Academy to ask Ancestor Liu for teaching methods and to allow Shrek Academy's teachers and students to go there for exchanges... At that time, Blue Tyrant Academy was what Shrek Academy is today..."
"Time passed, and because Shrek Academy found it difficult to establish a footing, Grandmaster Yu... went to beg the head of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon clan at the time, who was also his father, to move Blue Tyrant Academy here. Out of fatherly love, the head of the family agreed. Ancestor Liu happened to be away at the time, and after much back and forth, Shrek Academy and Blue Tyrant Academy merged..."
At this point, Mu En's voice became weaker. He called it a merger, but it was essentially an annexation! Who remembered Blue Tyrant Academy now? Everyone thought Shrek Academy had a continuous lineage! Let alone the inner-court students, even high-ranking officials like Yan Shao Zhe were dumbfounded by this revelation.
This meant they had a dark history. The splendor they enjoyed now was all because they had stolen from Blue Tyrant Academy! How could a snake swallow an elephant? The name they should rightfully have was Blue Tyrant Academy!
Mu En sighed and continued, "At the time, the Star Luo Empire was putting immense pressure on them, and Grandmaster Yu and Dean Flander were forced to do it to maintain Shrek Academy's independence..."
"Later, Ancestor Liu returned and was furious when she learned of this. She wanted revenge, but that was thirty years later. The traces of Blue Tyrant Academy had already been completely assimilated..."
"Grandmaster Yu knelt and begged Ancestor Liu. Then, he slammed his head into a wall, dying on the spot, using his last breath to prevent Ancestor Liu from splitting up Shrek Academy."
"Ancestor Liu agreed but left a warning: Shrek Academy's rise to power was unjust. If the true deans ever returned in the future, they would be free to do as they pleased..." Mu En let out a long sigh. Having said these things, he felt much lighter.
However, everyone else was completely lost. They never expected that the number one Soul Master academy in the world had so much dark history.
"So the teaching methods we inherited... they were all... all taken from Blue Tyrant Academy? And Grandmaster Yu's core theories..." Zhou Yi grabbed her hair. As a die-hard fan of Yu Xiaogang, she couldn't accept this truth.
Zi Ji snorted. "Putting everything else aside, that foolish teaching method of yours was not something my sister and brother-in-law came up with!"
"Alright! Now that you all know, we can announce that Shrek Academy can be destroyed! Right, sister?" Zi Ji sidled up to Gu Yue Na, asking with a cheerful smile.
Gu Yue Na raised an eyebrow slightly, looking at Mu En, seeming to contemplate how to deal with the situation. Everyone from Shrek Academy fell into silence. They couldn't win a fight, and they couldn't argue their way out of it, so they could only wait for the verdict!
Mu En suddenly said, "Seniors, Shrek Academy has been passed down for ten thousand years. Although it wears the skin of Shrek, it has the bones of Blue Tyrant. Can you please consider..."
"Where is Liu Erlong?" Gu Yue Na suddenly asked.
Mu En shook his head gently. "Ancestor Liu appeared three thousand years ago, but she has never appeared since. She may have already left this world..."
Gu Yue Na whispered something to Dan Heng, then spoke. "In that case, from today on, Shrek is no more! I will destroy this academy. Although you are people of Shrek Academy, you are not the evildoers. I will let you go, but you must abide by three things..."
"First, from now on, you must not establish Shrek Academy elsewhere. It will be a thing of the past!"
"Second, you must spread the true history of Shrek Academy!"
"Third, you must not fight against the army of the Fontaine Empire and must not prevent them from uniting the world..." Gu Yue Na declared loudly.
"What?!" Xu Jiujiu's expression changed dramatically.
Almost simultaneously, a series of violent explosions suddenly erupted around them!
"Boom boom boom...!!!" Fire and smoke filled the air, and the ground trembled...
(End of Chapter)