Inside the quiet room of the Sea God Pavilion, the atmosphere had turned icy.
Xuanzi's face twisted in an instant, his sharp gaze slicing toward Beibei like a knife, filled with anger and a barely contained killing intent.
If Mu En hadn't been there, he would likely have lost his temper on the spot.
Fearing that Beibei might reveal details that would harm him and expose his misdeeds against Liu Yuan, Xuanzi, before Beibei could speak again, solemnly listed the crimes he had previously attributed to Liu Yuan:
"Elder Mu, I personally oversaw this matter. Although Liu Yuan is talented, he lacks good character. He is impatient in his cultivation and has repeatedly taken unknown pills to break through quickly, severely overextending his potential."
"Such behavior not only harms the academy's cultivation atmosphere but also shows irresponsibility toward his own future! Furthermore, after being caught, he showed no remorse and even defied his teachers. To protect the academy's environment, I decided to expel him as a warning to others!"
He spoke with righteous indignation, presenting himself as impartial and devoted to the public good.
Mu En's eyes, sharp and perceptive, narrowed slightly. He didn't respond immediately, only asked lightly, "Is that so?"
Those four simple words carried immense weight.
Beibei could no longer stay silent. She stepped forward quickly to defend her friend. "Grandfather! That's absolutely not true! I know Liu Yuan well. He is a man of strong character and would never take pills to overextend his potential or ruin his future!"
"I met him a few days ago on the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest and asked why he was expelled. He told me it was because that morning he had explicitly refused Elder Xuan's invitation to join the Shrek Academy supervisory group!"
Hearing this, Xuanzi's face instantly went pale, twisting into an ugliness of rage. His aura fluctuated violently, and a terrifying pressure of a level 98 Super Douluo instinctively tried to press down on Beibei.
But he quickly remembered who stood opposite him.
That was Beibei—Mu En's beloved great-grandson.
Xuanzi's rage surged, but he forced the oppressive aura back. He could risk the life of any student, ignore Yan Shaozhe, but never lay a hand on Beibei in front of Mu En.
If anyone else had spoken like this, they would have been struck long ago. But Beibei? He had no choice but to restrain himself.
Suppressing his anger, Xuanzi knew this wasn't the moment to lose control. He needed to defend himself immediately, or if Elder Mu labeled him as "using his position to settle personal scores and suppress geniuses," the consequences would be severe.
If Elder Mu bore a grudge, even as the academy's second-in-command, Xuanzi would not fare well.
"Nonsense!" Xuanzi retorted sharply. "Beibei, how can you trust his one-sided story? He was expelled and harbors resentment. Naturally, he slanders me with favorable arguments!"
"You're still young; don't be fooled by a wicked person's sweet words!"
Beibei met Xuanzi's gaze firmly. "I believe in his character."
"You…" Xuanzi's beard trembled with fury, but before he could speak further, a calm, tired voice interrupted him.
"This matter ends here."
It was Mu En. He slowly opened his eyes, surveying both the agitated Beibei and the ashen Xuanzi.
As the God of Stability of Shrek Academy, who had lived hundreds of years, Mu En understood his junior brother's personality perfectly.
Xuanzi was extraordinarily talented and strong, but his flaws were obvious: ambitious, narrow-minded, and domineering. Those who followed him prospered; those who opposed him suffered.
From Beibei's firm stance and Xuanzi's reaction, Mu En had already guessed the truth. Nine times out of ten, what Beibei said was correct: Xuanzi, rejected, had deliberately fabricated charges against Liu Yuan.
Xuanzi was fully capable of such behavior.
If he were in good health, during Shrek Academy's peak, he would have punished such actions harshly. But times had changed.
Since his battle with Du Busi, the Sect Master of the Body Sect, Xuanzi suffered irreversible injuries and was now on his deathbed.
Shrek Academy was in transition. The older generation of strong figures was fading, and the new generation was not yet mature. Apart from Mu En, only Xuanzi could hold his own and intimidate troublemakers.
Even though Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er were talented, they were not yet ready for great responsibility.
Thus, even if Mu En wanted to seek justice for Liu Yuan, he had to prioritize the academy's overall interests. He couldn't risk clashing with Xuanzi over a student who had already been expelled.
Mu En sighed inwardly as this was the helplessness of being in the high office.
He looked at Xuanzi calmly, but his words carried a chilling warning:
"Xuanzi, I don't want to see this happen again. Shrek's future lies in its talented students with unlimited potential. You must handle them carefully. I hope you understand."
Xuanzi bowed quickly. "Yes, Elder Mu. I understand."
"Good." Mu En nodded, then waved. "You and Shaozhe may leave. I need to speak with Beibei."
"Yes." Xuanzi and Yan Shaozhe bowed respectfully and left.
With the door closed, only Mu En and Beibei remained in the Sea God Pavilion. The tension eased slightly.
"Grandfather!, I believe Liu Yuan is innocent! I've known him for years, and I know his character. He would never take the crooked path. Elder Xuan, he—"
"Sigh…" Mu En interrupted with a long sigh. "I know."
Beibei was left speechless.
Mu En's voice was heavy with weariness: "Your judgment is sound, Beibei. But the person is gone. There's no point in dwelling on it. You must also understand that Xuanzi… is the only other pillar of Shrek Academy besides me. For the academy's sake, sometimes I have no choice."
Beibei fell silent, understanding his grandfather's predicament, yet still feeling resentment.
What if Liu Yuan, after leaving the academy, had grown stronger instead of faltering? A genius with limitless potential could be just as valuable as a seasoned powerhouse.
Beibei wanted to tell Mu En about Liu Yuan's recent achievements the martial soul mutation, the surge in strength, and the defeat of a six thousand year old soul beast but Mu En waved him off.
"Alright. Let it be. You've just returned from Xingdou. Rest."
Beibei knew it was pointless to argue further. His grandfather's decision was final, made for the academy's overall interests which is a rational but cold choice.
"…Yes, Grandfather." Beibei bowed silently and left the room.
---
Outside the Sea God Pavilion, sunlight dazzled. Beibei stepped out and heard Xuanzi and Yan Shaozhe talking nearby. She hid behind a pillar.
Xuanzi's smug voice rang out: "Shao Zhe, what did Elder Mu mean? Did he really know I was trying to teach Liu Yuan a lesson?"
Yan Shaozhe replied with flattery: "With his sharp eyes, he must have known immediately. But you're the second strongest in Shrek Academy. Liu Yuan is just an outer academy student. The teacher didn't make it a big deal, just a subtle reminder so you don't go too far."
"Hahaha, of course! I'm Elder Mu's junior disciple, the Gluttonous Douluo of Shrek Academy! As long as I don't shake the academy's foundation, how could Elder Mu turn against me?" Xuanzi laughed.
"This kid Liu Yuan probably sent Beibei to complain, thinking he could use Elder Mu to bring me down. What a misjudgment of both me and himself. I'm level 98! He's just a lowly student, not even a Soul Master!"
Behind the pillar, Beibei clenched his fists, nails digging into his palms. Xuanzi's laughter, Yan Shaozhe's flattery, and Mu En's cold rationality weighed on him like three mountains, leaving him frustrated and suffocated.
Perhaps Liu Yuan had made the right choice leaving the academy. Some things within Shrek Academy were dark and unjust.
---
Thousands of miles away, in the Sun and Moon Empire, a young figure sped across the plains. A simple bag hung from his back, his short red hair fluttered, and his eyes were sharp and determined.
It was Liu Yuan, leaving Shrek Academy and heading west toward the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.
After a journey of several dozen days, he crossed the border and entered the Sun Moon Empire.
Now, he was in a vast primeval forest.
"Is this Sunset Forest?" Liu Yuan stopped, looking around.
Compared to the vibrant Star Dou Great Forest, Sunset Forest felt primitive and dangerous. A faint miasma hung in the air. Trees were strange, metallic in texture, and sunlight filtering through sparse leaves cast eerie shadows.
Powerful soul beasts lurked within, making the forest at least as dangerous as Star Dou Great Forest.
Liu Yuan didn't linger. He needed to reach Mingdu, the Sun Moon Empire's capital.
Suddenly, a cold, mechanical notification sounded in his mind.
[Ding! Host detected arrival in a special area—Sunset Forest. Triggering limited-time side quest!]
Liu Yuan's spirits lifted. Side quests? His system could do that too?
[Mission Name: Sunset Hunt]
[Task Type: Time-Limited Task]
[Objective: Within three days, hunt and kill a "Black Gold Horned Beast" with a cultivation level of at least ten thousand years in Sunset Forest.]
[Reward: 1 Rare Candy]
"A rare candy?" Liu Yuan's eyes shone with excitement.