Chapter 181 The Shrek Elders' Defenses Collapse: Why Did Things Turn Out Like This?
In the side hall, the dim light cast large shadows on Yan Shaozhe's gloomy face.
He looked at the staff member who was almost slumped on the ground, then slammed his right palm heavily on the mahogany desk, causing the remaining ginseng tea to splash everywhere.
"You bastard! Have you forgotten all the rules I taught you?" Yan Shaozhe's voice was deep and suppressed, carrying the unique authority of a superior.
"What's the secret report from the Heavenly Soul Empire? Has the defense line collapsed, or has the royal family changed? Fan Yu is just going home to handle some personal matters. Is it worth making such a fuss? I've said it before, I'll hold the sky up if it falls. What kind of behavior is this, acting like the sky is falling and the earth is collapsing!"
The staff member's face was deathly pale. His hands trembled as he handed the red urgent report, one corner of which was soaked with sweat, upwards once more. His voice was shrill and hoarse with extreme fear:
"Dean...it's not...it's not a family matter...you...you look at this..."
Yan Shaozhe snorted coldly and snatched the secret report away.
He originally wanted to reprimand him a few more times, but when his gaze swept over the few lines of text on the secret report, his face, which was originally full of disdain and anger, froze in an instant.
The secret report clearly stated:
[Announcement from the Heavenly Soul Royal Family: Fan Yu, Vice Dean of the Soul Guidance Department of Shrek Academy, has officially accepted the title of First-Class Earl from the Heavenly Soul Empire today and assumed the position of Chief Advisor of the Royal Soul Guidance Department of the Heavenly Soul Empire, and announces his permanent departure from Shrek Academy.]
"That's impossible!"
Yan Shaozhe let out a cry of alarm that was almost a roar.
He suddenly stood up, his previous composure, which had remained unchanged even in the face of a collapsing mountain, vanished without a trace.
He stared intently at the four large characters "permanent separation," feeling as if a thousand steel needles were piercing his brain at the same time.
"Fan Yu... Has he gone mad? He actually betrayed Shrek Academy?" Yan Shaozhe's hands trembled violently, the secret report being crushed out of shape in his grip.
He simply couldn't understand why a vice dean who had been immersed in Shrek Academy for many years and was highly respected would choose to throw himself into the arms of a secular empire without any warning.
This huge cognitive misalignment caused Yan Shaozhe to completely break down in that instant.
Ignoring the staff on the ground, he abruptly turned his head towards the clock tower at the top of the Sea God Pavilion, his voice trembling with anger:
"Issue my order! Ring the Sea God Bell! Convene an emergency expanded meeting of the Sea God Pavilion immediately!"
"All the elderly residents in the monastery, as long as they are still alive, come here to me!"
...
Fifteen minutes later.
Neptune Pavilion Conference Hall.
This is a secret chamber enveloped by the life force of the golden tree, which should have been a peaceful and serene place.
But at this moment, the air here is so thick it's suffocating.
Yan Shaozhe sat in the second seat, his face extremely grim.
On his left and right sides, all the elders of the Sea God Pavilion, including Elder Song, Elder Lin, Elder Zhuang, and Cai Meier, were present.
Even Xian Lin'er, the vice dean of the Martial Soul Department who had been in a semi-secluded state, sat in her seat with a livid face because of this news.
After Yan Shaozhe revealed the secret report to the public, the entire conference hall fell into a long, deathly silence.
"Absurd... Absolutely absurd!" Cai Meier broke the silence first, her usually gentle eyes now filled with incomprehension and anger.
"Fan Yu was nurtured by Shrek Academy. We gave him the best laboratory and a position second only to the elders... Why should he leave? What can the Heavenly Soul Empire offer him? Is a mere earl's title enough to make him work for us? Is he being held under house arrest by the Heavenly Soul royal family?"
Xian Lin'er gripped the armrest tightly, the veins on the back of her hand throbbing violently.
As Fan Yu's nominal superior, she was the one most affected at this time.
"I understand Fan Yu's personality." Xian Lin'er's voice was cold but with a suppressed tremor. "Although he values loyalty, he is not someone who will be swayed by worldly fame and fortune. If the Heavenly Soul Empire only offered him official titles and money, he wouldn't even lift an eyelid. There must be some inside story that we don't know."
Elder Lin frowned and slowly said, "Yes, our Shrek Academy is the best academy on the entire continent, a sacred place in the hearts of countless Soul Masters. Why would someone give up the position of vice-principal of a sacred place to become an imperial advisor whose future is uncertain? That doesn't make sense."
The elders discussed amongst themselves, their words revealing a high degree of arrogance and incomprehension typical of Shrek people.
In their minds, Shrek Academy is the center of the world, and anyone who leaves is simply ruining their future.
However, just as everyone was arguing, Old Man Song, who had been sitting in the seat of honor with his eyes closed, slowly opened them.
"Quiet down, everyone." Old Song's voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the hall.
Old Song looked at Yan Shaozhe, his eyes revealing a shrewd and profound look: "Shaozhe, you just said that Fan Yu left after receiving a phone call. You also said that the northern border defense of the Heavenly Soul Empire was in danger. But the intelligence just showed that the northern border was perfectly fine."
"This shows that the other party used the righteous cause to lure him back. But after he returned, what made him decide to stay?"
Old Song paused, his tone becoming extremely solemn: "Have you forgotten the news that came back from Mingdu some time ago? Poison Undying of the Body Sect personally led powerful figures to attack Mingde Hall. They not only stole the embryo of a 100,000-year-old soul beast from Mingde Hall, but also stole the core research technology of Mingde Hall's high-level soul tools."
These words were like a bucket of ice water poured over everyone's heads.
Elder Zhuang suddenly raised his head, his expression one of shock: "Elder Song, do you mean... the Body Sect showed those documents to Fan Yu?"
"It's not just about watching." Old Song sighed, his gaze sweeping across the entire room. "If I'm not mistaken, the Body Sect is behind this."
"Fan Yu is a pure technology fanatic. For an eighth-level Soul Master, the truth that can advance to the ninth level is more tempting than any official rank."
"And this kind of truth, we at Shrek Academy can't produce right now, and the Sun Moon Empire would never give it to us. The only one we have is the Body Sect, which seized the Mingde Hall, and has ready-made 'bait' in our hands."
Yan Shaozhe's face turned deathly pale in an instant.
He recalled how he had confidently declared just a few days ago that Fan Yu "would definitely come back," and how he had shown contempt for the Heavenly Soul Empire. Now, those words felt like resounding slaps across his face.
"If it really is because of the level nine core data…" Yan Shaozhe gritted his teeth, his voice squeezed out from between his teeth, "then Fan Yu really won't be able to come back. He will be completely bound to the Heavenly Soul Empire by those forbidden knowledge."
A long silence fell over the conference room.
Everyone realized that this was not just a matter of losing an eighth-level Soul Master, but also a sign that Shrek Academy would completely fall behind in the competition for Soul Guidance Technology.
"Lin'er, what do you think?" Yan Shaozhe turned to look at Xian Lin'er.
Xian Lin'er stood up, a resolute look flashing in her eyes, along with a hint of resentment: "I don't know what he's become now. But I must hear him tell me clearly. I don't believe that so many years of teacher-student relationship and colleague camaraderie can't compare to a few level-nine blueprints."
After a long period of contemplation, Yan Shaozhe suddenly slammed his hand on the table and stood up.
His eyes sharpened. Although he was filled with unease, as the dean of the Martial Soul Department, he could not allow this matter to end so unclearly.
"That's true. There's no point in guessing here," Yan Shaozhe ordered in a deep voice.
"Lin'er, Elder Song, thank you both for accompanying me. We'll set off for the Heavenly Soul Imperial City now."
"Whether it's to salvage the situation or to confront them, we must see Fan Yu in person. If it really was the Body Sect behind this, even if Poison Undying comes forward personally, we at Shrek Academy will demand an explanation!"
(End of chapter)