Zhu Ziyang wandered alone in the Jade Scale Flower Field outside the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Wherever he lingered, a swath of Jade-Scale flowers would wither and decay, turning into fertile compost that nourished the earth that had sustained them.
Ever since Xian Lin'er, Cai Meier, and Ma Xiaotao left, Zhu Ziyang had begun the process of raising the age of his spirit rings. It was a tedious and time-consuming endeavor, and he moved through the flower field like an ascetic monk. Thankfully, with the companionship of Electrolux and his other two spirit souls, Xue'er Bing'er and Er Shuang, he did not feel bored.
Time flowed by day after day, and with it, the aura of Zhu Ziyang's spirit rings subtly changed.
——
One day, at Sea God's Pavilion of Shrek Academy.
Mu En was lying as usual on the rocking chair in the main hall of Sea God's Pavilion. Outside the pavilion, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao were practicing Monarch Over The World.
Because Zhu Ziyang had left the academy to undergo a divine trial, Mu En had no choice but to personally guide their cultivation. Fortunately, before leaving, Zhu Ziyang had already taught them all the essential points. Now, Mu En simply had to supervise their diligence and occasionally correct their form.
Speaking of which, it was worth noting that Shrek Academy had recently signed an exchange agreement with the Sun Moon Royal Soul Tool Academy. Both sides would send students and teachers to each other's schools for a two-year exchange program.
Naturally, the ones Shrek was sending were all Soul Tool Department students: Dean Fan Yu, Huo Yuhao, He Caitou, and two other students. After all, the only field where the Sun Moon Academy had any real advantage was in soul tool research.
As for the Sun Moon Academy's exchange representatives, they were primarily the Hongchen siblings. The Sun Moon Academy's goal was quite transparent—they wanted these two to compensate for their shortcomings by learning Shrek's superior cultivation techniques.
But all this had little to do with Zhu Ziyang, who would rarely return to the academy in the coming years.
Mu En rocked leisurely in his chair. These past days, he had been in excellent spirits. His face bore a perpetual, grandfatherly smile that made anyone who saw him feel warmth and kindness.
"Hmm?" Suddenly, Mu En's body stiffened. He let out a muffled groan, then relaxed again. However, no one noticed that his soul had already departed from his body.
"Where is this…" Mu En's soul appeared in a mysterious blue space. His face showed rare seriousness and shock. Deep within, an emotion he hadn't felt in years—panic—began to stir. But he was no novice; having lived for over two hundred years, he quickly calmed himself and observed the surroundings.
This was a vast space bathed in blue light. Everything glowed with a soft, shimmering azure hue, like gentle ripples on a wind-kissed sea. It had a calming effect on one's mind.
"Mu En!" A voice, impossible to distinguish as male or female, called his name.
"Who dares play tricks in front of me?" Mu En's body tensed. He immediately assumed full vigilance and barked a question.
In truth, from the moment he entered this space, he had already sensed that this was something beyond his understanding. Someone had forcibly pulled out his soul without him noticing. Such a method was beyond even an Ultimate Douluo. Still, decades as the Sea God's Pavilion Master made his tongue sharp, and he didn't yield.
"Heh! Who I am doesn't matter," the voice answered coolly, void of emotion. "What matters is that you, Mu En, the head of Shrek Academy, have sheltered the inheritor of an Evil God. That is a crime worthy of death!"
"Hmph!" Mu En snorted. "I have lived my life with a clear conscience. I've never sheltered any so-called Evil God heir. But you—sneaking around like this—seem more like the Evil God yourself!"
"Ha!" The voice chuckled. "I am the Sea God. If I'm the Evil God, then what does that make all of you in Shrek Academy?"
"What? You're the Sea God? Tang San?" Mu En's expression shifted in shock. His tone was filled with disbelief.
"Indeed. I am the Sea God Tang San, one of the original Shrek Seven Devils." The voice was calm and detached. "I've appeared before you today because there is an Evil God heir within Shrek Academy. To prevent the destruction of our legacy, I had to descend a divine trace to warn you."
"This…" Mu En hesitated. Though skeptical, he was among the most knowledgeable mortals on the continent, familiar with divine matters. He believed the voice about seventy percent and replied, "Then please, Sea God, reveal the name. Let us cleanse the rot from within."
"Naturally." The Sea God's voice showed a hint of satisfaction. "The Evil God heir is your disciple—Zhu Ziyang."
"What?!" Mu En froze, then laughed coldly. "You say my disciple Zhu Ziyang is the Evil God's heir? He possesses an ultimate light martial soul. What kind of Evil God would choose such a person as their successor?"
"That…" The Sea God faltered for a moment. "Divine matters are complex, not something mortals like you can grasp. I say he is, therefore he is! There's no mistake!"
Mu En sneered. "You're too arbitrary. Even if you are the Sea God, you have no authority to order me—let alone tell me to kill my own disciple!"
"So, you still doubt I'm the Sea God?" the voice grew colder. "Fine. I shouldn't have wasted words. Since you won't listen, I'll just force your hand!"
Before Mu En could react, the surrounding blue light surged like an ocean tide, locking him in place. Countless blue chains erupted from the void and wound around his eyes, ears, mouth, and nose, eventually wrapping around his entire head.
Mu En lost all five senses. He was plunged into a pitch-black void. In that darkness, a single faint light flickered. Drawn by it, his last shred of consciousness drifted toward the light. It conveyed a message he instinctively rejected—but survival instincts compelled him to accept it.
"Hmph! Even a mere divine trace is enough to deal with a puny Titled Douluo!" the Sea God's voice echoed arrogantly. "Anyone who obstructs my plans deserves to die!"
Just then, a strange ripple surged through the void—an inexplicable tremor that slammed directly into the blue space. In that instant, the chains binding Mu En were shattered.
"Dammit! You again, ruining my plans!" the Sea God cursed furiously. "I don't have time for this!"
But Mu En was already gone. That mysterious ripple had cracked the blue space and helped Mu En escape through the breach.
"CURSE IT ALL!" the Sea God's enraged voice roared through the collapsing space. "I was so close! So close! AARGH—you dare come back?!"
More ripples surged in, destabilizing the blue space. A fierce, unseen battle erupted in the void.
—
Back in the physical world, Mu En's soul returned to his body. He opened his eyes, pale and weak. A trickle of black blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. He smiled bitterly and muttered, "Well, looks like I really don't have much time left."
"Heh… Sea God…" He wiped the blood away. His eyes were filled with confusion and despair. "Ziyang… the road ahead will be hard…"
(End of Chapter)
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