"Elder Xuan, aren't we taking Dai Yueheng to the Northwest Army camp? That way, we can secure the best possible treatment time for him!" Wang Yan asked with a puzzled expression.
"Xiao Yan, you're thinking too simplistically." Elder Xuan lowered his voice as he spoke to Wang Yan. "Given the magnitude of this incident, the Academy needs time for public relations. We can't let Shrek fall into a passive position!"
"Dai Yueheng is already in such a critical condition that whether he gets immediate treatment is no longer the most important issue. What matters is that Shrek Academy's honor must remain intact! I have to contact the Academy to appease the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and the families of a few other students to prevent this matter from spreading."
"Moreover, with the competition just around the corner, I must notify the Academy to quickly send new team members to participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament. But for now, you all have to step up. Children, the Academy's honor depends solely on you."
With these words, Elder Xuan, carrying Dai Yueheng enveloped in his soul power, darted out of the cave. He immediately released his flying soul tool and headed towards Shrek Academy at maximum speed.
Wang Yan stood there in a daze. Hearing Elder Xuan's words, he felt as if everything he had once believed in, every principle he had once held dear, had suddenly collapsed.
To disregard the lives of the students and focus solely on protecting some ridiculous honor—it was utterly laughable!
Without these teachers and the efforts of these students, the honor of Shrek Academy would be nothing more than a rootless floating duckweed. Yet Elder Xuan was willing to sacrifice Dai Yueheng's future for the sake of this castle in the air!
Xiao Xiao, who had been silent for a while, couldn't help but ask, "Teacher Wang, are we really going to compete this time?"
Wang Yan gave a bitter smile and shook his head, saying, "I'm afraid so. The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament lasts for a month. Ling Luochen will need at least half a month to fully recover, and it will also take some time for the Academy to send reinforcements. For now, you will have to represent the Academy."
Jiang Nannan asked worriedly, "Teacher Wang, can we manage?"
Shrek Academy had monopolized the championship for countless consecutive tournaments. For other academies, the competition was generally about fighting for second place. Before the emergence of the Sun Moon Empire's Royal Soul Engineer Academy, they had not even faced opponents with the strength to pose a challenge.
But that was referring to the main team members!
Now, what was originally a team comprising two Soul Emperors and five Soul Kings had been reduced to three Soul Elders, two Soul Masters, and two Soul Grandmasters—a gap in strength that was not small by any measure.
Wang Yan sighed and said, "This task's responsibility lies with me. It was my poor command that led to this. When we return to the Academy, I will naturally go before the Sea God's Pavilion to admit my fault. As for the tournament, do your best. I believe in your capabilities; at least in the preliminary rounds, there shouldn't be too much of a problem. If Elder Xuan makes it back in time, perhaps the Academy will send more inner court disciples to reinforce us before the tournament starts."
However, both Wang Yan and Ling Luochen knew that there were very few students in the inner court of Shrek Academy at any given time, especially those under the age of 20 with sufficient strength.
Most inner court disciples served as Shrek Overseers, carrying out missions outside the Academy. Expecting the Academy to muster another group of Shrek Seven Devils was impossible.
And even if they managed to send one or two people over, it would likely make little difference.
Bei Bei stood up and said, "Teacher Wang is right. Whatever the outcome, we'll give it our all. We probably won't need to fight many matches before reinforcements arrive."
"Yeah, we're not inferior to anyone else. I heard that most of the academies send contestants with three or four rings. We are Shrek's elite, so why should we be afraid? Maybe we'll charge straight to the finals without needing the main team members!" Xu Sanshi said, full of fighting spirit.
"Remember, we have Huo Yuhao! His strength isn't inferior to that of the inner court seniors. With him around, we'll have an edge in the earlier matches."
Everyone turned their hopeful gazes toward Huo Yuhao. However, he waved his hand and immediately crushed their hopes with a single sentence.
"Just a reminder, Elder Xuan already banned me from competing. I'm not allowed to participate for the first three days of the tournament, and whether I can compete afterward depends on my behavior!"
"So, I refuse to compete!"
---
One Day Later, Shrek Academy.
A disheveled Elder Xuan sat on the steps, gulping down wine and occasionally biting into a chicken leg. Behind him, the sound of footsteps approached, and an elderly man in white robes came up.
"How's the situation?"
The man in white respectfully stood behind Elder Xuan and replied, "The situation has stabilized; it's corpse poison. However, although it's just this one toxin, quite a bit of time was lost. And Dai Yueheng's legs were severed at the base; the Soul Engineering Department says they have no way of making prosthetics."
Elder Xuan spat out a mouthful of wine and said angrily, "Isn't Fan Yu an eighth-level soul engineer? How come he can't even make a pair of prosthetics? I always knew the Soul Engineering Department was just a money pit—useless when it really counts!"
At this moment, someone entered from outside the courtyard—it was Yan Shaozhe, the Dean of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department.
"Elder Xuan, the Sea God's Pavilion meeting you requested is ready. You…"
"Let's go." Elder Xuan stood up and walked outside, his figure noticeably weary.
"Elder Xuan, it's not your fault this time; please don't blame yourself too much," Yan Shaozhe said softly.
"Yeah, I know, but a corpse explosion technique is something we've never encountered before," Elder Xuan nodded in agreement.
Yan Shaozhe almost stumbled and fell flat on his face.
Damn it, I was just trying to comfort you and be polite, and you took it seriously?
When I left, we had a perfectly intact group of the Shrek Seven Devils, and now there's only one left unharmed. If I had known, I would've gone myself to escort them.
Elder Xuan arrived at the entrance of the Sea God's Pavilion, hurriedly put away his wine gourd, wiped his hands on his greasy clothes, and with a sorrowful expression, slowly stepped into the Pavilion.
As soon as he entered the meeting hall, he heard heated arguments, and all the discussions were closely related to him.
"Dai Yueheng's injuries are too severe. Even I can only temporarily stabilize his condition. But he'll never be able to stand again. A strong assault-type battle soul master in a wheelchair—it's a tough fate for the child." The speaker seemed to be Elder Zhuang.
"Four inner court students died in battle. It won't be easy to appease the forces behind their families."
"Most importantly, little Tao has gone missing. If Huo Yuhao's heart leans toward the Body Sect, the only one who has a chance of awakening the Ultimate Spirit would be little Tao."
"Alright, stop discussing for now; let Xuanzi sit down and listen!"
A venerable voice echoed from the head of the table. The elders at the Sea God's Pavilion meeting all turned their eyes to watch Xuanzi take his seat. The speaker was none other than the current Pavilion Master of the Sea God's Pavilion, Dragon God Douluo Mu En.