At the center of Sea God Island, within Shrek Academy, a wooden cabin leaned against a towering ancient tree—this was none other than the very heart of Shrek Academy, the Sea God Pavilion.
Compared to the lavish locations found elsewhere, the Sea God Pavilion appeared quite humble. Though it looked like an ordinary wooden hut, the people inside it were anything but ordinary—they were the top powerhouses of Shrek Academy.
Seated at the main position was, of course, the current Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion, Skyhigh Douluo Yun Ming.
However, unlike the usual relaxed atmosphere, everyone seated within the pavilion now wore serious expressions.
> "Everyone, what do you think of Heita…?"
After temporarily persuading Heita to stay at Shrek Academy, Yun Ming immediately gathered all the elders to convene a Sea God Pavilion meeting, the central issue being, naturally, the girl who had just defeated Cai Yue'er—Heita.
Yun Ming's expression was particularly grim, underscoring how important this matter was to him.
> "According to the intel from Zhuo Shi's disciple, Heita was only at Rank 27 three years ago. Now, at twelve years old, she's already reached Rank 70. I've never seen such a prodigy."
> "Indeed, a forty-three rank increase in just three years—no matter who it is, that's hard to imagine. I can say for certain, Heita is absolutely the leading figure of the next generation!"
> "But this leading figure… is actually Leng Yaozhu's disciple? What does that mean for the future of Shrek Academy?"
The elders discussed animatedly, each more anxious than the last—it was clear that they were deeply worried about Shrek Academy's future.
Normally, such concerns shouldn't even arise. With Yun Ming's presence, Shrek had no reason to fear any threat. That was the confidence the continent's number one powerhouse gave to the elders.
But ever since Heita appeared, that confidence began to crumble—all because of something Yun Ming had once said:
> "She has already touched the threshold of God-level!"
> "I still find it hard to believe. That little girl is only twelve! How could she possibly touch the threshold of Godhood? Even we old fossils have never succeeded!"
> "That's exactly why we need the Sea God Pavilion to decide! Unlike you when you were young—you didn't even make a ripple."
> "Nonsense! I made quite the storm back in the day!"
> "Enough, everyone! Let's stop here."
Seeing the elders about to break into an argument, Yun Ming hurriedly spoke up. If this kept going, things would be hard to rein in.
To be honest, if Heita weren't such a prodigy, this would've been easy to deal with—just kill her. It wouldn't be the first time Shrek Academy eliminated someone. Over the years, Shrek had broken the rules in various competitions, using poison or outright physical elimination—just not in ways the public could see.
But Heita was different. She wasn't just a genius—she was a super genius, one who had already surpassed Yun Ming!
Frankly, no one had expected her to defeat Cai Yue'er so easily. Even among the elders here, few could claim to beat Cai Yue'er effortlessly.
And poisoning? Even harder. From the look in that child's eyes, it was clear she wasn't someone who'd fall for easy tricks. And even if they succeeded, the consequences would be disastrous. A war between Shrek and the Spirit Transferring Pagoda would be unavoidable—and the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy was watching from the sidelines too!
> "I can try to find a way to keep Heita at Shrek Academy for a while longer, but it's not sustainable. Tianfeng Douluo and the Spirit Transferring Pagoda are major obstacles. Let's start by finding a way around them first."
> "Yun Ming, didn't we agree just now that I would go?"
Yali frowned. She'd known Leng Yaozhu for many years. Wouldn't it be best if she went?
> "That's exactly why I won't let you go," Yun Ming replied with a wry smile. Leng Yaozhu had once secretly loved him—he'd known that since his youth.
To Leng Yaozhu, Yali was a love rival. If Yali were really the one to go, the consequences would be unpredictable.
> Leng Yaozhu: "Yali, not only did you steal Yun Ming, now you want to take my disciple too? I'll fight you!"
If two women decided to brawl, it wouldn't be anything mild. Yun Ming definitely didn't want to see that happen. Being caught in the middle was way too awkward, so he had to look for another solution.
But just as someone was about to speak again, a figure suddenly appeared in the Sea God Pavilion, drawing the attention of everyone present.
> "Sister Yue!"
Upon seeing that person, Yun Ming immediately stood up, his tone filled with respect. Even the other elders mirrored his action.
This was because, in terms of seniority, no one in Shrek Academy could compare to her. Back when the previous Pavilion Master was still around, she was already the Vice Pavilion Master. Now, she was over 200 years old.
She was the once-renowned Light-Dark Douluo, Long Yeyue—a legendary figure who had shaken the Douluo Continent a century ago!
> "What happened?" Long Yeyue frowned at the serious faces of the elders before her.
> "I noticed something was wrong earlier—why did you all suddenly rush outside the academy? Now you're all sitting here with such grim looks. What's going on?"
As a semi-retired figure within the Sea God Pavilion, Long Yeyue usually cultivated atop the Golden Tree and rarely got involved. But when she realized everyone had gone out at once, she felt something serious must've occurred and came to find out.
Everyone exchanged glances and then looked toward Yun Ming—only he had the authority to explain the whole situation. Yun Ming could only smile bitterly and recount all the details about Heita, which made the Light-Dark Douluo furrow her brows in turn.
> "To think… at just twelve years old, with Rank 70 soul power, she actually defeated Cai Yue'er… and even touched the threshold of Godhood?"
> "She's truly a rare prodigy… but she's from the Spirit Transferring Pagoda?"
Long Yeyue had always had a poor relationship with the Spirit Transferring Pagoda. In her youth, she once stormed their headquarters alone, slapped the Pagoda Master of that time across the face, and nearly sparked a war between the two sides.
Though the matter was eventually settled, Long Yeyue faded from public view afterward—but the grudge remained, and she would never show a friendly face to the Pagoda.
> "Yes, although she's the personal disciple of their Vice Pagoda Master, she also holds a recommendation letter to enroll at Shrek this year… and her talent surpasses even mine," Yun Ming said.
Long Yeyue nodded repeatedly. This kind of talent must not be let go. Even if it had to be forced, they would keep her.
> "This child is excellent. Her talent makes her perfect for Shrek Academy. As for the Spirit Transferring Pagoda…" Long Yeyue's eyes narrowed, "what ability do they have to guide such a genius? Don't let them waste her talent!"
> "Yun Ming, leave her to you. As for the Spirit Transferring Pagoda—I'll deal with them."