While Zhu Ziyang and Mu En were conversing, two other conversations were taking place on the continent, and these two conversations were closely related to Zhu Ziyang and his master, Mu En.
In a dark forest within the Sun Moon Empire.
"...You're injured?" a cold, emotionless female voice echoed.
Long Xiaoyao didn't search for the owner of the voice, as he was already intimately familiar with it. His face was somewhat pale as he chuckled, "A small accident occurred."
"Didn't you go to repay a favor to the Tianhun Imperial family?" the female voice asked. "What, did they make you hunt down one of the Ten Great Ferocious Beasts?"
"It was pretty close," Long Xiaoyao said, a smile always on his face. "They asked me to cause trouble for Shrek Academy."
"What!" The female voice finally showed a hint of emotional fluctuation. She said, "So you went? Was your injury inflicted by Mu En? Isn't he already on the verge of Death?"
"I did see Mu En," Long Xiaoyao said. "His condition is indeed very poor; his life force is severely depleted. I'm afraid he won't live for more than five years."
"Answer me, was it Mu En who injured you?" A trace of displeasure appeared in the female voice, spoken coldly.
"Haha, didn't I say? Mu En is already on the verge of Death, how could he possibly injure me?" Long Xiaoyao said with a chuckle.
"So? How exactly did you get injured?" The female voice grew a little impatient, with a hint of agitation, and demanded.
"Haha, how should I put it?" Long Xiaoyao seemed unsure how to begin, and after a moment of considering his words, he said, "I suppose I was injured by a child."
"A child?" The female voice was puzzled.
"Yes, a child. A new disciple Mu En took in, about fourteen or fifteen years old. He's a very impressive young man," Long Xiaoyao said, recalling Zhu Ziyang, a hint of admiration involuntarily appearing on his face.
"You're saying you were injured by Mu En's new disciple, a fourteen or fifteen-year-old brat?" The female voice was filled with disbelief. She felt Long Xiaoyao was making fun of her, but then thought it impossible, as Long Xiaoyao wasn't that kind of person. So, for a moment, she was speechless, unsure what to say. "You're really getting worse with age!"
"Hahaha! I also didn't expect that young man to be so formidable," Long Xiaoyao exclaimed again. "I truly envy Mu En; he was able to take in a disciple with a Ultimate Light Spirit before he dies."
"What did you say? Ultimate Light Spirit?!" A trace of surprise appeared in the female voice. She hadn't left this place for many years, so she wasn't aware of some external matters.
"Indeed," Long Xiaoyao said. "It's precisely because of that boy that the anti-Shrek forces within the Douluo Three Kingdoms had to go all out. He truly is an excellent boy!"
"From your attitude, it seems you greatly admire that boy?" A hint of curiosity emerged in the female voice. "What kind of boy is he? Just Ultimate Light alone shouldn't make you, the esteemed Dragon Emperor Douluo, act this way, should it?"
"That boy, despite being only fifteen, is already a level sixty-five Spirit Emperor. He's much stronger than Mu En and I were at that age. More importantly, his sixth spirit ring is a hundred thousand years old. It's clear that Mu En put a lot of effort into him. Oh, and he also seems to possess the Death attribute."
"Death attribute?" The female voice showed its largest emotional fluctuation to date, asking curiously, "Are you saying he has twin spirits?"
"He does have twin spirits," Long Xiaoyao said. "But the second Spirit isn't the Death attribute. Instead, his first Spirit possesses both Ultimate Light and Death attributes simultaneously!"
"What?" The female voice gasped. "A Spirit that simultaneously possesses Ultimate Light and Death attributes? Does such a Spirit truly exist?"
"Are you very interested?" Long Xiaoyao said with a faint smile, suggesting, "Then why don't we find some time to go to Shrek Academy and see that boy?"
"This..." The female voice seemed tempted, but after a long pause, she sighed, "Forget it. I don't plan on leaving the sect for now."
"Alright!" Long Xiaoyao replied with some disappointment. He truly wished the woman would go out and experience the world, rather than staying cooped up in this dark, lightless forest. Although such an environment was comfortable for him, with his dark attribute, Long Xiaoyao would prefer it to be filled with light for her sake.
"Take good care of your injuries!" The owner of the female voice naturally understood Long Xiaoyao's thoughts and instructed. She stepped out of the shadows, revealing the face that had once captivated both Long Xiaoyao and Mu En.
Ye Xishui!
---
Sun Moon Empire, Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
This was a spacious hall, and the entire interior decoration was of a metallic style, predominantly light gold. It wasn't extravagant but full of texture. A plaque hung high above the entrance to the hall, with dark golden characters that exuded an aura of authority: Mingde Hall.
"Rise!" In the center of the inner hall, a person sat on a chair. This person appeared to be in his early forties, not tall but broad-bodied, with slightly dark skin. The first impression he gave was that of a small, dark Fatty. This small, dark Fatty's temperament was clearly not suited for long hair, yet he insisted on having a head of long, reddish-brown hair that cascaded behind his head, making his already inconspicuous short, thick neck even more hidden. His overall demeanor was filled with a strange sense of humor.
In front of him, a person prostrated on the ground, now standing up as if granted a great pardon. That person expressed profound gratitude, shouting, "Hall Master, I led the team poorly this time. Please punish me."
After standing up, the person's appearance was clearly revealed. It was the other leading teacher of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy Team. Although his face was now filled with trepidation, as if his heart was extremely fearful, he had already prepared to take the blame as early as when they left Star Luo City and returned to Mingdu.
Or rather, the reason he was chosen as the other leading teacher was precisely to be a scapegoat. After all, compared to someone like Elder Ma, he was truly dispensable. If they won the competition, it would naturally be the credit of Elder Ma and the students. If they lost, then it would be his responsibility as the leading teacher, and no one else would bear any blame.
As a small teacher with no power or influence, this was his only use.
From the scapegoat teacher's address, it could be known that the rather humorous small, dark Fatty was none other than the famous Mingde Hall Master, Jing Hongchen!
"You didn't do anything wrong either. Many times, things happen by chance and are not something you alone can control," Jing Hongchen said expressionlessly, his tone calm.
Hearing Jing Hongchen's words, the scapegoat teacher immediately breathed a sigh of relief and quickly thanked him, "Thank you, Hall Master!"
In his heart, he was celebrating. Indeed, just as they said, the scapegoat for the competition's failure would not be punished by the Hall Master. Although he lost the opportunity for promotion, there was a substantial financial compensation. With the funds, he could buy more rare metals, and with more rare metals, he could continue to advance his Soul Engineer rank. With an improved Soul Engineer rank, he could still be promoted!
Looking at it this way, it was equivalent to him getting a large sum of compensation for free!
Jing Hongchen seemed to be in a good mood. He said, "Do you know what I'm most satisfied with about your harvest this time?"
"Is it the information we brought back about those Shrek Academy students?" The scapegoat teacher thought for a moment, then replied.
Jing Hongchen chuckled, "Haha! Correct, that is indeed the harvest I'm most satisfied with! Three twin spirits, one of which is a twin Ultimate Spirit, possessing six hundred-thousand-year spirit rings!
Shrek Academy truly has grand ambitions. If that young man were to grow up, our Sun Moon Empire would be suppressed for another few hundred years! The people of the Douluo Three Kingdoms are truly useless. Eight or nine Titled Douluo, nearly a hundred Spirit Douluo and Spirit Saints, yet they couldn't even take down a few people from Shrek Academy. They are indeed useless!
Originally, Shrek Academy had already agreed to an exchange program with us, but yesterday news came that due to internal reasons at Shrek Academy, this exchange program would be postponed.
As for how long it would be postponed, they still needed to research and decide. It seems they are afraid we might target those students! I have to say, in terms of finding Spirit Master talents, no one on the entire continent can surpass Shrek. It's truly a bit of a pity.
Now, get out!"
"Yes, Hall Master!" The scapegoat teacher immediately nodded, then quickly left Mingde Hall.
After the teacher left Mingde Hall, Jing Hongchen stood with his hands behind his back, his gaze directed eastward, towards the location of Shrek Academy. He murmured, "It truly makes one feel powerless!"