"Oh?"
Kong Deming raised his eyebrows slightly, his previously lowered eyelids slowly lifting, his tone carrying a touch of perfectly measured surprise and scrutiny.
"What matter could possibly require Dean Yan to make this trip in person?"
Yan Shaozhe was now the current Dean of the Spirit Department at Shrek Academy; it would be no exaggeration to say he held a high position.
Ordinary matters were naturally handled by his subordinate directors and teachers; there was absolutely no reason for him to travel all the way to Mingde Hall himself.
Since he had come so solemnly today, Kong Deming already had a guess in his heart: this matter was definitely not small.
Upon hearing this, Yan Shaozhe's expression instantly became incomparably solemn. He cupped his hands slightly and said in a deep voice:
"I have come this time under the orders of my master, Mu En, for the mutual benefit of both Shrek and Mingde Hall."
This simple sentence, however, was like two heavy stones suddenly thrown into a calm lake, instantly stirring up a thousand waves.
This sentence revealed two crucial pieces of information.
Placed at the very front and emphasized with the highest priority were the four words "my master, Mu En."
As for the latter half about "mutual benefit," it became mere background.
The name Mu En had long been buried by the torrent of time in the current Spirit Master's world.
After all, as years pass and eras change, countless legends are destined to be submerged in the long river of history.
Even more so for an old man who had been silent for over a hundred years.
Yet the moment Kong Deming heard those two words, an imperceptible ripple of shock flashed deep within his eyes.
He was not only familiar with this name; it was like thunder to his ears.
That was one of the legendary Black and White Holy Dragons, the Dragon God Douluo Mu En, who once shook the entire Douluo Continent!
The Mu En of those years was the anchor of Shrek Academy, his Bright Holy Dragon Spirit unrivaled under the heavens.
His combat strength was so powerful that he was invincible among his peers; he was a legendary figure who truly stood at the very pinnacle of the Spirit Master's world.
His life was filled with countless legendary tales, a symbol and monument of an era.
It is no exaggeration to say that during his formative years, the Spirit Master legend Kong Deming heard the most was that of the Dragon God Douluo Mu En.
When he was still young and had not yet achieved his current accomplishments, Mu En was an existence looked up to by the entire Spirit Master's world, an insurmountable mountain in the hearts of countless Spirit Masters.
As time passed, everyone thought this legendary Douluo had long since passed away, returning to dust.
Yet now, Yan Shaozhe had personally stated that Mu En was still alive!
This news was enough to shake the entire Spirit Master's world.
A stormy sea instantly surged in Kong Deming's heart: "This old thing is actually still alive?"
If Mu En were truly still alive, given his cultivation and foundation back then, his current strength would only be even more unfathomable.
The current Mu En must be a "nuclear weapon" level existence capable of shaking the continent's landscape!
Yan Shaozhe had just thrown out the news of Mu En still being alive without reservation; Kong Deming knew the intention behind it clearly.
It was nothing more than intimidation and deterrence.
Shrek Academy had come this time, bringing out the mountain that was Mu En first, to occupy an absolute position of dominance at the very beginning of the negotiations.
They wanted to ensure Mingde Hall would not dare to be slight or carelessly refuse the conditions they proposed.
This was the confidence of an established top-tier power, and also a subtle application of pressure.
Even though his thoughts were churning, the smile on Kong Deming's face remained gentle and indifferent. He simply nodded slightly and said in a calm tone that did not lack respect:
"I did not expect the Dragon God Douluo to still be alive? Truly a blessing for the Spirit Master's world."
If one only heard this polite remark from Kong Deming, those unaware of the truth might think he was someone from the original three Empires of the Douluo Continent, full of reverence for Shrek's legendary Douluo.
But Yan Shaozhe was incredibly shrewd; he saw through the true thoughts beneath Kong Deming's words at a glance.
He knew clearly that Kong Deming would absolutely not be as composed as he claimed.
The person before him held a status comparable to Elder Mu and Elder Xuan; his depth of thought and shrewdness were in no way inferior to any warlord on the continent.
Indeed, after the pleasantries, Kong Deming did not dally at all and went straight to the point, his gaze still fixed on Yan Shaozhe as he spoke slowly:
"I do not know what this 'mutual benefit' for both parties, as instructed by the Dragon God Douluo, actually entails?"
Yan Shaozhe took a deep breath, maintaining his solemn expression, and spoke unhurriedly:
"Mingde Hall is famous for its spirit tools, the best in the world. Looking across the entire Douluo Continent, no power can surpass it."
"In terms of spirit tools, Mingde Hall's craftsmanship has already reached the pinnacle, leading the development direction of spirit tool technology for the entire continent."
Yan Shaozhe first offered a perfectly measured compliment, giving Mingde Hall plenty of face while highlighting the sincerity of his words. Immediately after, he shifted the topic slightly and continued:
"However, regarding Spirit cultivation, your hall has a slight gap compared to your achievements in the field of spirit tools."
"As for the fundamental tempering of Spirits, the selection and matching of spirit rings, the mastery of Spirit Avatars, Spirit Master cultivation mental methods, and so on—these are all the essence of Shrek's heritage, and also areas where Mingde Hall is currently lacking."
"I have come this time because Shrek wishes to use the name of exchange students to facilitate mutual exchange between our students, allowing them to learn from each other's strengths and make up for their respective weaknesses."
"Let Shrek's students learn Mingde Hall's top-tier spirit tool craftsmanship, and let Mingde Hall's students come into contact with the Spirit cultivation methods passed down by Shrek. I wonder what you think, Senior?"
Hearing these words from Yan Shaozhe, Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen, who was beside him, both raised their eyebrows in unison, expressions of surprise appearing on their faces.
This proposal was quite surprising to Jing Hongchen.
It wasn't as if they hadn't thought in this direction before.
But Shrek Academy's character was well-known across the entire continent.
Shrek had always been closed-off and self-protective, treating their own Spirit heritage and cultivation secret methods as non-transferable secrets, guarding them more tightly than anything else.
They had always been the ones taking from others; there was never any reason for them to actively open up for exchange.
If Shrek had been willing to open up their academy and share cultivation resources earlier, Mingde Hall would have already taken the initiative to seek cooperation and made moves.
But now, Shrek had actually taken the initiative to propose an exchange student program; this truly shattered their inherent perception of Shrek.
Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen exchanged a glance. Both of their eyes carried a touch of contemplation and assessment; in the meeting of their gazes, countless pieces of information had already been exchanged.
After a long silence, the atmosphere in the hall grew slightly heavy. Only then did Kong Deming slowly withdraw his gaze to look at Yan Shaozhe, asking slowly with a tone of inquiry:
"Learn from each other's strengths? That is easily said, but I wonder, to what extent can your academy actually go in this exchange?"
He naturally would not easily believe that Shrek would offer up their core heritage without reservation.
The so-called learning from each other's strengths must have bottom lines and conditions behind it; he had to ask clearly just how much sincerity Shrek actually had.
And regarding this point, Mu En had already personally instructed Yan Shaozhe before he came, having already arranged all response strategies and talking points.
So, facing Kong Deming's question that struck right to the heart of the matter, Yan Shaozhe did not hesitate in the slightest. His expression became even more sincere as he opened his mouth and gave the answer.
"My master said that Shrek has come this time with full sincerity; there is absolutely no insincerity or pretense."
"If you, Senior, agree to launch this exchange student activity, then Shrek will hold nothing back."
"As long as your academy's students have sufficient ability, outstanding talent, and character."
"Then, whether it is entering the Shrek Inner Court to cultivate, or enjoying Shrek's cultivation resources and secret heritage methods, the treatment will be no different from that of Shrek's core disciples; there will be no discrimination of any kind."
Hearing this, even the composed Kong Deming and the meticulous Jing Hongchen could not help but show looks of surprise.
The Shrek Inner Court—what a strictly guarded place that was!
How precious was the treatment of a core disciple?
Shrek's core disciples were all one-in-a-ten-thousand prodigies.
They enjoyed the academy's top-tier resources, the guidance of top-level mentors, and even had the opportunity to come into contact with Shrek's non-transferable core secrets.
Now Yan Shaozhe had actually promised that Mingde Hall's students, as long as they had the ability, could enjoy the same treatment. This level of boldness truly exceeded the two men's expectations.
However, both were old and shrewd individuals; a second thought made them understand.
Since Shrek had presented such an open attitude and occupied the moral high ground, Mingde Hall naturally could not fall behind, nor would they treat one side differently than the other.
After all, this was a major matter concerning the reputations of both houses.
On the surface, both sides would certainly have to do everything perfectly, fully displaying magnanimity and sincerity.
As for how they would calculate and lay out their plans in secret, that was a matter for later.
But Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen also knew clearly in their hearts that, based on Shrek's usual habits, wanting to truly obtain the treatment of a core disciple and truly come into contact with Shrek's core heritage was probably not as simple as it sounded.
Shrek's assessments were always strictly perverted; the so-called "having ability" must hide an extremely high threshold behind it, absolutely not something that could be easily crossed.