Su Yunlin and Wang Dong followed Mu En all the way to the shores of Sea God Lake.
As the sun set in the west, the scenery of Sea God Lake became exceptionally beautiful beneath the evening glow.
"The academy really is the most beautiful place after all," Mu En said softly as he gazed at the lake under the sunset.
He had looked upon this view for more than two hundred years, yet he had never grown tired of it.
"It really is beautiful," Su Yunlin replied slowly. "Unfortunately, for such an open-minded Pavilion Master like yourself, the people under you are truly difficult to manage."
Mu En smiled faintly.
"They are indeed difficult to manage."
"Unfortunately, this old man doesn't have much time left."
"If I avoid fighting, I can probably hold on for another decade or so. But if I fight even once, I likely won't survive much longer."
"The Dragon God is no longer the Dragon God of the past."
His tone carried a trace of self-mockery.
Mu En truly could no longer fight properly anymore. His body had already reached the point of complete exhaustion, unable to support the enormous Spirit Power within him. He was only maintaining himself through sheer spiritual strength.
Su Yunlin naturally knew Mu En did not have much time left.
Later on, Shrek Academy would suffer an invasion from evil Spirit Masters. Mu En would personally take action once, causing his life force to decline drastically, and not long afterward, he would pass away.
At present, Su Yunlin actually possessed the ability to provide Mu En with pure life force.
The Life Gold had already fused with his body completely. Separating out a strand of pure life essence was something he could accomplish.
Yet Su Yunlin hesitated.
If he did this...
Would Shrek Academy begin treating him as a living blood bank capable of supplying Mu En with life force indefinitely?
It wasn't that Su Yunlin deliberately wanted to think this way.
Mu En had indeed treated him very well.
But human nature was terrifying.
One should never underestimate the darkness within people's hearts.
Still...
If Mu En truly died, the coming disasters would become even harder to control.
Su Yunlin needed time to grow.
Once he reached the Titled Douluo realm and forged Four-Word Battle Armor, the entire world would become accessible to him.
But right now, what he lacked most was time—and the protection of powerful figures.
If Mu En could remain alive and still retain the ability to fight, then no matter how terrible the future became, having aa Limit Douluo capable of taking action would still be far better.
As for Elder Xuan...
He was far too weak for what was coming.
Against the Sun Moon Empire and the Holy Spirit Cult, he simply wasn't enough.
Ye Xishui, that madwoman, was a Rank 99 Limit Douluo.
Long Xiaoyao, that hopeless simp, constantly wavered—but there was a ninety-eight percent chance he would still side with Ye Xishui in the end.
And even the remaining possibility would probably still involve helping her desperately.
On top of that, the Holy Spirit Cult also had Zhongli Wu, a Rank 98 powerhouse.
A terrifying lineup.
Su Yunlin himself wanted to remain at Shrek Academy primarily because it was genuinely safer than most other places.
The Heavenly Soul Empire would definitely fall in the future. He had no intention of letting his family be buried alongside it.
The Dou Ling Empire and Star Luo Empire would not be able to withstand the coming storm either.
Only Shrek City was relatively safe.
What else could he do? Escape overseas?
What if they encountered the insane Demon Empress instead?
Wouldn't that be even worse?
Sigh...
This entire world was simply too dangerous.
Su Yunlin looked toward Wang Dong.
In the end...
He could only rely on her.
He reached out and held her hand.
Wang Dong looked at him in confusion, unsure what he intended to do.
'Wutong, if the academy ever imprisons or controls me... remember to save me.'
Su Yunlin's voice suddenly echoed directly within Wang Dong's mind.
This was a different form of telepathic communication.
The compatibility between Su Yunlin and Wang Dong wasn't limited to their Martial Souls. Even their souls possessed astonishing compatibility.
After cultivating together for so long, some unique changes had naturally appeared between them.
For example, this mental connection.
Though the duration remained short.
Wang Dong wanted to say something, but she understood immediately.
If Su Yunlin had chosen to communicate this way, then it clearly wasn't something that could be spoken aloud.
Thus, she simply nodded seriously.
Su Yunlin took a deep breath before revealing a smile.
"Elder Mu, please give me your hand."
"Hm?" Mu En looked puzzled.
Still, he extended his hand.
Su Yunlin grasped Mu En's with one hand.
Then, a jade-green eye appeared upon his forehead.
In the next instant, dense life force erupted from Su Yunlin's body.
Through the contact of their palms, Su Yunlin transmitted that pure and concentrated life force directly into Mu En's body.
Mu En instantly felt an incomparably pure surge of vitality.
His body greedily absorbed the life force continuously.
The immense vitality caused his withered body to regain activity once more, like dry land finally receiving long-awaited rain after a drought.
The transfer lasted for roughly ten seconds before Su Yunlin released his hand.
His lips had already turned pale.
Yet even those mere ten seconds of life force transmission contained astonishingly pure vitality.
Mu En felt incomparably refreshed.
If he could fully refine the life essence now within his body, he might truly be able to live for several more years.
Mu En looked at Su Yunlin with a complicated expression.
Then he patted Su Yunlin's shoulder heavily.
"Never tell anyone about this ability of yours."
"And you are forbidden from using it on me again."
"This one time is enough."
"This old man needs to enter seclusion immediately."
"Remember—do not tell anyone."
"I will personally handle everything after I emerge from seclusion."
The moment his words fell, Mu En vanished.
Only Su Yunlin and Wang Dong remained standing beside Sea God Lake.
Su Yunlin let out a long breath before collapsing onto the ground.
Wang Dong hurriedly supported him.
"Why would you do this?"
Su Yunlin shook his head.
"I don't know."
"Maybe it was just a moment of impulse."
"Or maybe I acted emotionally."
"But at least my eyes aren't blind."
"I'm pretty good at judging people."
Wang Dong helped him stand up and glared at him reproachfully.
"Aren't you afraid someone might kidnap you and use you as a blood bank?"
Naturally, Wang Dong knew Su Yunlin possessed some treasure capable of enhancing life force.
He had often used the life essence from the Life Gold to cleanse her body.
Because of it, Wang Dong's physical constitution had improved dramatically.
"Of course I'm afraid," Su Yunlin admitted.
"But don't I still have you?"
"If I ever get captured, you'd definitely find a way to rescue me."
He pinched Wang Dong's cheek lightly.
Wang Dong turned her head away and snorted.
"Hmph! I wouldn't save you at all!"
Su Yunlin merely smiled.
Then he walked back toward the dormitory together with Wang Dong.
...
Sea God Island.
After returning, Mu En immediately transmitted instructions to Elder Song, temporarily placing her in charge of academy affairs during his seclusion.
Once he finished giving instructions, he directly entered the deepest chamber beneath the Golden Ancient Tree—the place with the densest life force—and began closed-door cultivation.
"Little Yunlin..."
"You've given this old man an opportunity beyond measure."
"I cannot waste it."
"I know what you're worried about."
"Once this old man leaves seclusion, your safety will be entirely under my protection."
"Whatever you wish to do, this old man will support completely."
"All obstacles before you... this old man shall personally sweep them away."
Mu En slowly closed his eyes and began refining the life essence within his body.
The vitality Su Yunlin had transferred originated from the Life Gold itself.
Its life force was unimaginably pure.
For someone like Mu En, whose body had already reached the end of its lifespan, it was no different from a divine medicine.
Based on his estimates, if he fully refined all the life essence within him, his lifespan could extend by roughly another thirty years.
And if he compressed and used that life essence to thoroughly cleanse his body instead...
Then Mu En would once again regain the ability to fight.
An Limit Douluo unable to fight freely and an Limit Douluo capable of fighting at will were two completely different existences.
Mu En understood his current condition better than anyone.
Though he still carried the title of Limit Douluo, he could barely take action.
The moment he fought seriously, death would not be far behind.
But with proper use of this life essence, he could freely unleash his strength over the next decade.
And once he regained the power he truly should possess...
The deterrence of the Dragon God Douluo alone would be enough to alter the balance of future conflicts.
Mu En gradually sank into silence.
Before long...
The Dragon God Douluo who once shook the entire Douluo Continent would return to the world once more.
...
Divine Realm.
The gods observing the Douluo Continent suddenly realized something shocking.
The future trajectory of the continent had begun to change.
It was becoming increasingly unclear and difficult to predict.
Whether this would become a blessing or a disaster for the Douluo Continent...
Even they could not tell.
...
The next day, at the main gates of Shrek Academy—
Both the official team and reserve team of the Shrek Seven Monsters had gathered together.
Under Elder Xuan's leadership, they would soon depart for Star Luo City of the Star Luo Empire.
...
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