Mu En used his actions to show Xuan Zi his attitude, and he didn't bother to explain to Yan Shaozhe. He gave him a sidelong glance and said,
"If you, Shaozhe, have a more suitable candidate, or if you're willing to step down from your duties in the Martial Soul Department, you can put it forward for everyone to discuss again."
Yan Shaozhe raised his right hand like lightning, followed closely by Cai Meier and the Elder who had tried to persuade Xuan Zi not to leave.
They suddenly felt that it was quite good for the younger generation to take on more responsibilities; after all, they were all working hard for the academy.
Seeing this, Mu En sighed inwardly and continued, "Next item on the agenda: this incident, where the main team was almost completely wiped out, should serve as a wake-up call for us. We must strengthen the protection of our students, and it's time to let go of our prejudiced attitude towards Soul Guided Devices."
"Lin'er."
Xian Lin'er stood up. "Mu Lao, I'm here."
Mu En said in a deep voice, "Today, I've made the decision. After the Sea God Pavilion Meeting, your Soul Tool Department and the Martial Soul Department will coordinate to custom-make at least one Flying Soul Guided Device and one Defensive Soul Guided Device for every Inner Courtyard disciple. Whoever objects will leave the academy."
"Yes," Xian Lin'er replied happily.
Yan Shaozhe frowned and tentatively asked, "Teacher, should we reconsider?"
Mu En glared, annoyed. "We've already lost too many good children. Bei Bei and the others feel the pain in their bodies, and I feel it in my heart. This matter is settled. If you object again, you won't be Dean anymore."
"The Martial Soul Department will pay the Soul Tool Department for this batch of Soul Guided Devices, and there shall be no delays."
The stubborn faction within the Martial Soul Department was deeply entrenched. Today, Mu En had seized the opportunity to remove Xuan Zi from his position and increase the Soul Tool Department's influence, but that was the extent of it.
Given Xuan Zi's future status as Shrek's strongest, whether he was removed from the Elder position or not was meaningless. If he were removed, it might even make this gourmand more at ease drinking and eating, completely falling into decadence.
Ultimately, as long as Shrek didn't produce a second Level 98 combatant, Mu En couldn't do anything to Xuan Zi. Removing him from his specific position and preventing him from further harming Inner Courtyard disciples was the most he could do.
He was already dying; he couldn't cripple Shrek's second strongest combatant before his own death. However, with the general trend progressing, if he didn't forcefully change these people's attitudes towards Soul Guided Devices, Shrek's future would be nothing but darkness.
Shrek faced both internal and external troubles. Without moving Xuan Zi, he was the biggest internal problem, harming students from time to time and serving as the biggest pillar of the anti-Soul Guided Device faction. But if he were moved, Shrek would be even more powerless against external threats.
There was no choice but to pick the lesser of two evils, to raise high and gently lower.
Yan Shaozhe was intimidated into silence by Mu En's outburst. Cai Meier quickly changed the subject. "Our Martial Soul Department will definitely cooperate on this. So, Mu Lao, how should we approach this Grand Competition?"
Cai Meier mused, "Among the current Inner Courtyard disciples, only two meet the participation criteria. Their abilities are naturally not as good as the main team's, but they are both elites of our Shrek. With them, plus Ling Luochen once she recovers, perhaps... we can guarantee a top eight finish."
As soon as she finished speaking, an Elder blew his beard and glared. "Nonsense! Our Shrek carries the glory of ten thousand years of championships. A mere top eight isn't a joke? I think we might as well withdraw from the competition."
Another Elder shook his head in disagreement. "Withdrawing would be even worse. Wouldn't that tell all the academies of the Four Great Empires that Shrek, after its accident, doesn't even have a team capable of fighting?"
"That's right. Our Shrek can't afford to be humiliated. Even if we don't win the championship, we must fight with all our might on the field. We can't let others look down on us."
"I also agree with that sentiment. It's better to fall on the field than to retreat without a fight and hand the championship to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy or any other academy!"
...
The Elders argued incessantly, gradually reaching a consensus: no withdrawal, and at least aim for a top four finish.
At this point, Xuan Zi spoke softly, "Everyone, before I brought a few children back to Shrek, I had someone send a message to the Star Luo Empire. They should provide convenience during the Grand Competition."
As his words fell, the noisy Sea God Pavilion suddenly became quiet. The Elders and Deans' eyes shone with understanding.
Providing convenience meant rigging the competition.
An Elder smiled contentedly. "That's how it should be. The children sacrificed themselves while suppressing bandits in the Ming Dou Mountain Range. The Star Luo Empire should naturally reciprocate."
At this moment, Yan Shaozhe seized the opportunity to speak. "Teacher, esteemed Elders, I actually believe that our Shrek is not entirely without hope."
"Don't forget, among our Inner Courtyard students under twenty, there is still a Soul Emperor. Her strength is unparalleled among her peers in our academy, and even across the entire continent."
Old Song frowned. "Are you talking about Xiao Tao? But her Evil Fire..."
"Her Evil Fire has been somewhat suppressed. Although it hasn't been completely eradicated, normal combat is not an issue," Yan Shaozhe reassured the Elders, then continued,
"If worst comes to worst, we can have that Soul Douluo teacher go to Star Luo City with Xiao Tao to handle any unexpected situations."
"Xiao Tao has long expressed her desire to represent the academy in competition to me. I believe she has the determination and ability to defend the honor of our Shrek, and I ask all the Elders to give her a chance to atone for her past."
"Everyone, it's not that I'm biased towards my own disciple. I don't want to see anything happen to her more than you do; however, Shrek's honor is more important than anything else..."
Yan Shaozhe spoke from experience, and the Elders' faces gradually showed signs of approval. Xian Lin'er and Qian Duoduo remained silent, tacitly agreeing in their hearts.
Mu En sighed again, and calmly said, "Our losses this time are too heavy. I don't think we need to be fixated on winning or losing. Perhaps we should treat this Grand Competition as a training opportunity to temper the new generation of Shrek's talented students."
"There's no need to send reinforcements. I think it's better to let the children from the Reserve Team try. Bei Bei and Caitou have been clamoring to participate since they woke up; let them go. Luo Chen can also go once she recovers."
Yan Shaozhe exclaimed, "Teacher, if we do that, won't they have no Reserve Team left? And with their strength, going might be too..."
"The Reserve Team isn't an issue! Aren't there still a group of talented students in the Outer Courtyard's second year? Just pick seven from there!"
Mu En slowly rose from his reclining chair, his weathered gaze sweeping over each face. "You must understand, what's most important to Shrek is not championships and glory. If we lose a championship, does Shrek stop being the number one academy in the world? How could that be!"
"More important than these honors is cultivating new talents. I think Shrek has been too deeply bound by the glory of championships in recent years, acting in a way that puts the cart before the horse. A loss might not be a bad thing; it could make Shrek wake up."
"My decision is made. Let's do it this way."
The Sea God Pavilion fell silent. Xuan Zi, Yan Shaozhe, and the others had expressions of unwillingness, but they dared not challenge Mu Lao's authority.
Though the Light Sacred Dragon was old, he still possessed formidable authority.
Just then, a voice no one expected suddenly rang out.
"Mu Lao, I disagree with your decision not to send reinforcements. I suggest the academy send reinforcements."
Everyone present swiveled their heads in surprise at the voice. It was Zhang Lexuan who had spoken.
Zhang Lexuan rose, meeting Mu En's questioning gaze, and slowly said, "Mu Lao, I've participated in the Grand Competition before. I know what level of strength other academies can achieve."
"Luo Chen can't play in the first half. Only some Soul Elders and Soul Ancestors will be able to participate. It's no exaggeration to say that this team will almost certainly not make it out of the round-robin stage."
"Even if, by some miracle, they do make it out, they'll be battered and bruised. The pressure of failing to defend the title is not something these children, under fifteen, can bear. It's good that you want to train them, but you can't put this much pressure on them; it will crush them."
"If they don't get reinforcements, they'll have no choice but to fight to the death against powerful teams with Soul Kings or even Soul Emperors. The outcome won't be much better than what happened to Gongyang Mo and his team."
"Everyone knows a team like theirs can't win the championship. Once they lose, they might even suffer lifelong trauma and nightmares in their cultivation, causing a huge negative impact on their future."
"We've already lost one generation of Shrek Seven Devils. Are we going to lose a second or even a third? With all due respect, Mu Lao, if you're going to send these children, who are destined to lose, to compete, it would be better to withdraw directly. That would be the best way to protect them."
"If they must compete, I beg you, please send reinforcements. Luo Chen alone cannot bear the pressure of the main team being completely wiped out. She's already severely injured; we can't let her fight alone on the field again. That's not a burden she can handle, I implore you."
With that, Zhang Lexuan started to bow.
"Ah..."
A gentle wave of Light Soul Power lifted Zhang Lexuan. Mu En's sigh was filled with deep relief, and also a hint of helplessness.
My child, how wonderful it would have been if you had been born fifty years earlier.
"Alright, then prepare yourself well. Once Bei Bei and the others have recovered a bit more, go to Star Luo City with Xuan Zi."
"Take Xiao Tao with you. I believe you can keep her fiery temper in check. Safety is paramount. If you can't get a good ranking, then you can't. As someone who's been through it, comfort them well. That's all..."
Yan Shaozhe was overjoyed and immediately thanked Mu En on Ma Xiaotao's behalf for his approval.
He knew very well that if Mu En stubbornly refused, it would be useless even if he managed to convince all the Elders.
He was also very pleased that Zhang Lexuan, who had been a quiet presence for half the day, had actually spoken up for him at such a crucial moment. Sure enough, it was their direct lineage from the Martial Soul Department that was most effective. Mu Lao was right to have her temporarily take over for Old Xuan.
In the future, it seemed he would need to mention other students more often so that the teachers would pay more attention.
The Sea God Pavilion Meeting adjourned. Mu En watched Zhang Lexuan and Xuan Zi leave together to find Ma Xiaotao, who was under house arrest. He sent a voice transmission to Old Zhuang, saying he had to leave for something urgent, then closed his eyes slightly and, along with his chair, vanished from the spot.
"The Sea God Pavilion is incompetent. Xiaoyao, oh Xiaoyao, I never thought that after more than a hundred years, the one I could finally entrust with this would still be you. I no longer wish to dwell on the rights and wrongs of the past. I just hope you won't fail my final trust and will protect this last bloodline and hope for me..."
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Translation by: randomtranslator.com
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