The more Mu En thought about it, the worse his headache became.
The Pavilion Master of the Sea Gods Pavilion lay quietly on the wooden rocking chair. His body—already slightly hunched from the old hidden injuries of his youth—looked even more lonely and desolate now.
Outside the window, Shrek Academy appeared peaceful and serene. Yet Mu En's heart was in complete turmoil.
He knew all too well that this calm was nothing more than a façade. Once those rubbings of the announcement spread to every corner of the continent, the reputation Shrek Academy had accumulated over ten thousand years would stand on the brink of collapse.
Below him, a group of Sea Gods Pavilion elders and elite teachers stood in silence, led by Yan Shaozhe. Anxiety was written clearly across their faces.
With Xuan Zi's capture, the atmosphere within the entire Sea Gods Pavilion had grown unbearably oppressive.
After a long silence, Yan Shaozhe finally stepped forward. Staring at Mu En, he asked urgently,
"Teacher, Elder Xuan is, after all, the academy's second-in-command and a Rank 98 Super Douluo. If he truly dies in the Bright Capital, the blow to our academy will be catastrophic."
"Should we gather all the combat power of the Sea Gods Pavilion immediately and charge into the Sun Moon Empire to rescue him?"
As soon as he finished speaking, several elders nearby nodded in agreement.
In their subconscious, Shrek Academy had always stood at the pinnacle of the Douluo Continent. The humiliation of a core high-ranking member being captured alive was something that, in their eyes, could only be washed away with force.
However—
After hearing Yan Shaozhe's words, Mu En gave no immediate reply.
He slowly turned his head, sweeping his gaze across everyone present. His eyes were slightly clouded with age, yet still carried an incomparably sharp light.
Moments later, Mu En let out a cold laugh.
"Charge into the Sun Moon Empire?" Mu En said flatly. "Yan Shaozhe, do you all truly want to start a full-scale war with the Sun Moon Empire right now?"
His voice was not loud, yet it carried an unquestionable pressure.
"And listen carefully," he continued. "On this matter, we are fundamentally in the wrong."
"The evidence has already been placed before the entire continent. It was Xuan Zi who took the initiative to attack someone's Duke's Mansion, and it was the Star Luo Empire's people who disguised themselves as Evil Soul Masters to slaughter civilians."
"They are the victims. We are the perpetrators. On what grounds do you think you can go and rescue him?"
Yan Shaozhe and the others instantly looked extremely grim.
They naturally understood that this operation had been dishonorable, but in the world of Spirit Masters, strength often defined truth.
"Teacher, we know this was mishandled," Yan Shaozhe said anxiously. "But that is Elder Xuan!"
"Are we really going to ignore him? Allow the Sun Moon Empire to lock him in a dungeon and humiliate him at will? If we do nothing, Shrek Academy's reputation will be completely ruined as well."
Mu En let out a long sigh and slowly shook his head.
"Reputation?" he said softly. "From the moment Xuan Zi stepped into the Bright Capital to carry out that so-called plan, our reputation was already ruined."
"Things have come to this, and I no longer have a solution. For now, we can only stay where we are and observe the Sun Moon Empire's next move before deciding anything."
Yan Shaozhe and the others still wanted to argue. In their view, Shrek Academy's foundations ran deep—if Mu En were willing to act personally, there might still be a chance.
But Mu En clearly had no intention of continuing the discussion.
He waved his hand weakly, his voice hoarse with fatigue.
"All of you, leave. Let me be alone for a while."
"Without my command, no one is permitted to leave the academy for the Bright Capital. Anyone who violates this order will be expelled from the Sea Gods Pavilion."
Sensing the finality in Mu En's tone, Yan Shaozhe and the others—though filled with reluctance and worry—could only bow their heads and file out of the Sea Gods Pavilion's main hall one by one.
…
Meanwhile, far away in the imperial capital of the Sun Moon Empire.
The entire Imperial Palace was brilliantly illuminated.
Compared to the gloom hanging over Shrek Academy, the atmosphere here carried a stern sense of triumph.
Inside the Imperial Study, the Sun Moon Emperor sat upright upon the dragon throne. Though his face remained somewhat pale from illness, a faint gleam of excitement flickered in his eyes.
He reviewed intelligence reports from all regions submitted by Jing Hongchen, then looked up and asked about the continent's reactions now that the news had fully spread.
Jing Hongchen stood below the steps and replied respectfully,
"Reporting to Your Majesty, the results exceed expectations."
"Faced with such irrefutable evidence, civilians across the entire continent are fiercely condemning Shrek and Xuan Zi."
"At the same time, the exposure of the Star Luo Empire's Titled Douluo disguising themselves as Evil Soul Masters has brought immense hostility toward both the Star Luo Empire and the Body Sect."
"Public opinion widely believes them to be the true culprits who ignited this war."
"It can be said that the current public-opinion landscape is extremely favorable to our Sun Moon Empire. Our position of righteousness has been broadly recognized."
Kong Deming, seated to the side, nodded slightly and asked in a deep voice,
"Then what is the next step, Your Majesty? Public opinion may favor us, but Xuan Zi remains a hot potato. Keeping him imprisoned indefinitely is not a solution."
"Do you have a concrete plan?"
The Sun Moon Emperor set down the scroll in his hand, his fingers lightly tapping the armrest of the throne.
"A plan?" he said calmly. "Naturally, to make this fire burn even brighter."
His voice rang cold and clear through the empty study.
"Issue the order. Three days from now, in the Central Square of the Bright Capital, Xuan Zi will be publicly executed."
"I have already considered it. Although I do not wish to provoke a full-scale war at this stage, such open provocation against our Sun Moon Empire—going so far as to attempt assassination of high officials—must be met with the most severe price."
"Even if he is a Super Douluo from Shrek, it makes no difference."
The Emperor stood and walked to the window, gazing at the bustling nightscape of the Bright Capital. Imperial dominance gleamed in his eyes.
"For ten thousand years, Shrek Academy has pressed down upon all political powers."
"This time, we will use the life of this so-called Taotie Douluo to firmly establish our Sun Moon Empire's position as the hegemon."
"I want everyone to understand that the order of this continent is about to change hands."
When Kong Deming and Jing Hongchen heard the words execute Xuan Zi, their hearts both jolted.
They knew that once the execution was carried out, the Sun Moon Empire and Shrek Academy would be locked in an irreconcilable struggle.
Yet seeing the Emperor's resolute expression, they also understood that this confrontation was inevitable.
Neither of them offered any persuasion.
They simply bowed deeply and withdrew to carry out the arrangements.
And such a monumental decision instantly drew the attention of the entire Douluo Continent.
In recent days, countless eyes across the continent had been fixed on this matter.
When news spread that the Sun Moon Empire intended to publicly behead Xuan Zi, the entire Douluo Continent was thrown into shock.
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