Golden Ancient Tree Underground World, Hall.
Zhu Ziyang and Mu En were still having a heart-to-heart conversation. After instructing Zhu Ziyang to focus on cultivating his subordinates, Mu En began to recount stories from his youth to Zhu Ziyang.
"...Long Xiaoyao, ah, when I was young, he and I were formidable rivals," Mu En said with a nostalgic look on his face. "Back then, both he and I were full of youthful vigor and arrogance. Every time we met, we would always have a fight before we could sit down quietly. However, our strengths were similar; I would win one match, he would win one, and neither of us could truly defeat the other.
Haha, so many years have passed in the blink of an eye. I never thought both of us would become Limit Douluo, lose hope of becoming gods, and still be troubled by love. We truly share the same plight!"
As Mu En spoke, the smile on his face turned into helplessness. Zhu Ziyang listened from the side, unsure how to comfort him. However, Mu En didn't need Zhu Ziyang's solace; he was an old man who had lived for over 260 years and had long since learned how to manage his emotions.
So, his helplessness quickly turned into pride, and he said, "However, I am luckier than him. I've taken in a group of excellent disciples, especially meeting you in my later years—my most satisfying disciple. In contrast, that old fellow Long Xiaoyao is a lone wolf, too proud for his own good. After all these years, I haven't seen him take a single disciple."
"Grandmaster, does Martial Uncle Long not have a family?" Zhu Ziyang was very curious. Given Long Xiaoyao's status and strength, he shouldn't be without family or clan members, right? Even if Mu En said he was troubled by love, he wouldn't remain unmarried his entire life, would he? As a Limit Douluo, didn't he want to pass on his Dark Sacred Dragon Spirit?
"Hehe! I knew you'd ask that," Mu En said with a smile, a hint of admiration on his face. "You might not imagine it, but this renowned Dragon Emperor Douluo, just like you, comes from a commoner background!"
"A commoner!" Zhu Ziyang was indeed surprised.
"Yes, Long Xiaoyao was born into a commoner family in the Tianhun Empire; both his parents were merely Spirit Masters," Mu En explained. "After his Spirit awakened, he studied at the elementary Spirit Master Academy in his hometown, then advanced to the intermediate Spirit Master Academy and the Tianhun Royal Academy. It was at the Tianhun Royal Academy that he received help from a prince at the time, owing a favor. This is why he chose to intervene in the conflict between us and the royalists.
After that, he and I met during an Evil Soul Master disaster, then crossed paths again at the Pan-continental Elite Soul Master Competition, and there we met a woman we both fell in love with.
To win that woman, he and I fought fiercely, but in the end, due to various misunderstandings, that woman disappeared from our lives. After this, I, burdened by family responsibilities, chose to marry and have children, giving birth to Bei Bei's great-grandfather. He, on the other hand, continued to search for that woman, remaining unmarried his entire life.
How should I put it? Sometimes I envy him, and I also admire him greatly. If I were in his position, I'm afraid I wouldn't be able to achieve what he did!"
"Grandmaster, did Martial Uncle Long eventually find that woman?" Zhu Ziyang's curiosity was fully piqued. He hadn't expected that the Dragon God Douluo and the Dragon Emperor Douluo, who had dominated the continent for two centuries, once had a love triangle. Why wasn't such an exciting story recorded in Mu En's academy biography?
"Heh!" Mu En let out a bitter laugh and said, "This ill-fated romance ultimately meant I lost. He searched for over a hundred years, finally found her, and accompanied her for a hundred years."
"A woman who could captivate both you, Grandmaster, and Martial Uncle Long must have been exceptionally outstanding, right?" Zhu Ziyang suddenly became very curious about the woman's identity and asked.
"Of course!" Mu En's face flashed with a hint of nostalgia and remembrance as he said, "She was the most special woman I've ever met in my life, the only genius among our peers who could rival both Long Xiaoyao and me, and the only person who could defeat both Long Xiaoyao and me!"
"Defeat you and Martial Uncle Long? Doesn't that mean..." Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but widen his eyes, looking at Mu En in surprise.
"That's right, she is also a Limit Douluo now!" Mu En said calmly.
"Since she is also a Limit Douluo, why is there no news of her on the continent?" Zhu Ziyang felt something was amiss, because a Limit Douluo absolutely couldn't be an unknown person!
"Her name is Ye Xishui. The reason you don't hear about her on the continent is that after she became a Limit Douluo, she never made a move again," Mu En said with a bitter smile. "Moreover, she is an Evil Soul Master!"
"An Evil Soul Master?!" Zhu Ziyang was somewhat dumbfounded. He felt like Mu En was joking. If that Ye Xishui was an Evil Soul Master, then why did she captivate the young Mu En and Long Xiaoyao? Could her Spirit be a succubus?
"Yes," Mu En's face showed deep helplessness. Indeed, recounting such a 'dark history' from his past in front of his disciple was quite embarrassing. "Xishui has twin spirits. Her first Spirit is the Bright Phoenix, and her second is an evil Spirit called Blood Soul Demonic Puppet. When Long Xiaoyao and I first met her, she displayed her first Spirit, which is why we didn't realize she was an Evil Soul Master. But I think if it were possible, she definitely wouldn't want to be an Evil Soul Master!"
"twin spirits! Bright Phoenix Spirit and Blood Soul Demonic Puppet Spirit!" Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but click his tongue. No wonder this Ye Xishui could defeat Mu En and Long Xiaoyao; just having twin spirits surpassed them by too much. He said, "Bright Phoenix Spirit? Isn't that the same as Senior Brother's Spirit?"
"That's right!" Mu En nodded and said, "A big reason why I took Shao Zhe as a disciple back then was because of his Bright Phoenix Spirit. Every time I see the Bright Phoenix Spirit, I always think of her from my youth."
"Ah, this..." Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but want to complain inwardly, but he didn't show it on his face. Instead, he said, "Grandmaster, since this Ye Xishui is an Evil Soul Master and also a Limit Douluo, could it be that the Holy Spirit Church was founded by her?"
"No!" Mu En shook his head and said, "The Holy Spirit Church was founded by an Evil Soul Master named Old Ghost Zhongli. He is also Xishui's Evil Soul Master teacher. However, Xishui is indeed the Holy Spirit Church's Supreme Pontiff now, and Long Xiaoyao is the Holy Spirit Church's Chief Enshriner."
"So that's how it is." Zhu Ziyang finally understood why Mu En was so calm when he first heard about the Holy Spirit Church. It turned out the high-ranking members on the other side were all old acquaintances.
"Ziyang, although the Holy Spirit Church is currently controlled by Xishui and Long Xiaoyao, you must not be soft-hearted in the future," Mu En said, his tone instantly turning stern. "For such a cancerous organization, you must never be lenient when it's time to eliminate it. As for Xishui, Long Xiaoyao has promised me that he will take her into seclusion when the time comes. You must not lay a hand on them."
"Grandmaster, aren't you overestimating me a bit?" Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but roll his eyes when he heard Mu En's words. "Those are two Limit Douluo. It should be them showing mercy, right?"
"Hahahaha! Ziyang, you absolutely don't need to belittle yourself!" Mu En laughed upon hearing this, then said, "With your talent, in fifteen years at most, you will completely surpass them. By then, it will naturally be you who needs to show mercy!"
"What if they attack my Shrek Academy within these fifteen years?" Zhu Ziyang posed a very possible hypothetical situation.
Upon hearing Zhu Ziyang's hypothesis, Mu En immediately smiled and said, "Don't worry, Long Xiaoyao has promised me that within ten years after my Death, he will prevent all actions by the Holy Spirit Church against my Shrek Academy. The time before my Death and the ten years after my Death will be enough for you to grow!"
"Grandmaster, why do I feel like you've already prepared to leave at any moment?" Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but show a sorrowful expression.
"Hahahaha, no need to be sad," Mu En said, taking Death very lightly. "I have long been prepared to leave. If all goes well, my body can last another three to five years. By then, you should be able to reach the Spirit Saint, or even Spirit Douluo realm. At that point, I, your Grandmaster, can leave with peace of mind."
"Grandmaster..." Zhu Ziyang's nose tingled, and he stepped forward to grasp Mu En's hand. Although he had only spent three or four years with Mu En, Mu En's care and affection had already made Zhu Ziyang consider him family. Hearing him say such words truly saddened Zhu Ziyang.
"My foolish child..." Mu En affectionately stroked Zhu Ziyang's hand and said, "I, your Grandmaster, can still escort you for a while longer. There's no need to be sad!"