The radiant golden distortion faded, and Xu Zihuang's figure emerged once more.
A clear breeze swept across the tranquil lake, mist drifting as the space that had seemed cut off a moment ago rejoined the world.
Wang Yan's expression had gone numb.
Even to call Yu Tianhuang "gifted" seemed inadequate—more like he was blessed by heaven itself.
Perhaps an innate second awakening of a spiritual body-type martial spirit. Eleven years old, yet already at the Soul Elder level, with three thousand-year rings. A powerful second soul skill gained from the Demonic Killer Whale, and now an even more outrageous time-attribute domain soul skill.
Any soul master who possessed even one of these conditions would be called a top-level genius.
But all of them were concentrated in a single person.
Other than "blessed by heaven," Wang Yan could think of no other words to describe Yu Tianhuang.
Elder Xuan, however, was thinking further ahead.
Talent was innate, yes. But for Xu Zihuang to have three thousand-year soul rings, each with such terrifying skills—if he didn't have a profound background behind him, Elder Xuan simply wouldn't believe it.
The reason he had asked Wang Yan to bring Xu Zihuang to Sea God Island wasn't just to test his talent, but mainly to confirm whether Xu Zihuang came from the Body Sect.
In truth, the relationship between Shrek Academy and the Body Sect was even more strained than outside rumors suggested.
Wang Yan didn't know, but Elder Xuan did.
The previous sect master of the Body Sect had perished from grievous wounds after battling none other than Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion Master of that generation—Elder Mu.
Just as Elder Xuan was about to question Xu Zihuang, he suddenly froze, staring toward the Sea God Pavilion at the mountain's peak in the island's center.
As though in response to his gaze, the unremarkable three-story pavilion suddenly flared with dazzling golden light. In an instant, the entire building shone like it had been forged of pure gold.
Rich, gentle golden radiance drifted down, landing upon Xu Zihuang at the lakeshore. The warm, weighty aura of Light suffused his body in every direction. The very spiritual energy in the air thickened noticeably.
On the voyage from Moon Axis Island to the Douluo Continent, his body had been adjusted by the Spirit's Gold, greatly enhancing his tolerance, especially his vitality.
Now, his soul power surged freely through his meridians, as if infused directly with this rich ambient energy.
After receiving Elder Xuan's pure origin soul power earlier, he had already been close to rank thirty-five. Now, under this golden light, his cultivation subtly began pushing toward that level.
"Still your mind."
A gentle voice echoed in his ears, as though penetrating straight into his spiritual sea.
Fortunately, the Skydream Iceworm slumbered deeply within, its aura concealed.
"Elder Mu?"
Xu Zihuang's heart stirred. But the thought faded quickly, dissolved by the golden aura's guidance, clearing his mind into meditation.
With every cycle of soul power through his meridians, he could distinctly feel his cultivation rise.
Even Wang Yan, standing nearby, was affected. The long-standing bottleneck in his cultivation showed faint signs of loosening.
Face full of reverence, he bowed deeply toward the Sea God Pavilion. With a wry smile, he whispered:
"Even Elder Mu has been moved. This is truly…"
"Little Wang, you stay here." Elder Xuan gave the order, then vanished without a trace.
——
Sea God Island held many buildings, but the one at the highest peak was only one—the Sea God Pavilion.
Inside its grand conference hall.
At the innermost seat of the oval long table lay a reclining chair completely out of step with the chamber's style. The lighting was dim there, and only a vague silhouette could be seen upon it.
Elder Xuan's figure appeared before the table. Known for his carefree, unruly manner, now he was uncharacteristically solemn.
"Elder Mu."
The figure on the recliner slowly sat upright, finally revealing his appearance.
Elder Mu looked utterly ordinary, his frame not tall, his bearing that of a man near the twilight of his years.
Yet he was Shrek Academy's undisputed strongest expert, a Limit Douluo standing at the pinnacle of human soul masters.
The Dragon God Douluo—Mu En.
He was also the old man who had lain before the freshmen dormitories at the start of term.
The reason he appeared there daily was simple—he liked watching the outer court students, feeling the youthful vitality in them.
Only in this way could the solitude and weariness of his twilight years be soothed.
Elder Mu's gentle gaze now carried a hint of rebuke as he spoke in a deep voice:
"You're over two hundred years old, and still so impatient?"
Scratching his head, Elder Xuan hastily explained,
"Elder Mu, I only suspected he might be from the Body Sect."
"If you were the Body Sect's sect master, would you send such a genius here?"
Elder Mu's tone was calm.
"That child's identity is no issue. He's not from the Body Sect, nor from the Sun Moon Empire. A few days ago, Yang Yan came to me—this child is his descendant."
"Yang Yan?" Elder Xuan's brows lifted in surprise, a trace of reminiscence flickering in his eyes.
Yang Yan's full name was Yu Yangyan. He had been of the same generation as Mu En's disciple Yan Shaozhe, and his talent had even surpassed Yan Shaozhe's back then.
Though not formally Mu En's disciple, in practice he had been as good as one.
Yu Yangyan was also the current master of the Heavenly Dragon Sect—and Xu Zihuang's maternal grandfather.
Back then, Mu En had shown special care for this blood-related junior.
Hearing Elder Mu's words, Elder Xuan no longer harbored the slightest suspicion.
"What a pity. If not burdened by sect affairs, Yang Yan's achievements would surely have surpassed Shaozhe's. Elder Mu, does Yang Yan intend to entrust that child to the academy, as you once were?"
After all, Mu En himself had been entrusted to the Pavilion Master of that generation by the patriarch of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan due to his extraordinary talent.
Saying this, Elder Xuan seemed to realize something, muttering to himself:
"I see—his martial spirit mutated into a body-type one. No matter how talented, he can't inherit leadership of the Heavenly Dragon Sect."
"Yang Yan indeed entrusted that child to me." Elder Mu shook his head with a faint smile.
"But the boy's martial spirit is not a mutation—it's twin spirits. Even Yang Yan himself likely doesn't know. If he did, he'd never have sent the child here."
"Twin spirits?!" Elder Xuan's blood-red eyes widened, then he broke into an unrestrained laugh.
"In that case, the academy has truly struck gold this time."
Elder Mu's only response was a single line:
"With him, the academy will have no worries for the next hundred years."
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