Chapter 85: The Soul Master Tournament Approaches! Elder Xuan's Desperate Vow
Inside the Sea God Pavilion, a suffocating silence stretched on, heavy enough to crush the breath from anyone's lungs.
Yan Shaozhe stood rigidly beside Elder Mu's chair. He did not speak a single word, yet his chest rose and fell in shallow, uneven breaths. It felt as though a massive iron hammer had slammed directly into his ribs, leaving behind a hollow, aching void of loss that he could not shake.
As the Dean of the Martial Soul Department, he understood the currency of reputation better than anyone alive. For Shrek Academy, prestige was not just a matter of pride; it was the very foundation of their ten-thousand-year legacy.
This time, the disaster had been absolute. In a desperate bid to bring Liu Yuan back into the fold, Elder Xuan had lowered his head in a humiliating apology. Even Elder Mu had personally intervened, crossing vast distances to trigger an devastating confrontation right before the towering gates of the Body Sect.
Such a colossal disturbance could never be swept under the rug. Countless hidden eyes from rival factions and empires were undoubtedly watching them right now. Within a matter of days, the news would spread like wildfire across the entire Douluo Continent. The world would know that the untouchable Shrek Academy had bowed its head, begged for peace, and been ruthlessly, flatly rejected.
'Our reputation is gone. Our dignity has been ground into the dirt. And after all of that... we did not even catch a single glimpse of Liu Yuan.'
Yan Shaozhe closed his eyes, swallowing the bitter taste pooling in his mouth.
Had they succeeded in bringing the boy back, the narrative could have been spun. All of these humiliating sacrifices could have been painted as the academy's boundless grace, a demonstration of how deeply they cherished true talent and focused on the greater good of the continent. Shrek could have maintained its sacred, infallible status.
Instead, the reality was a nightmare. They had permanently lost Liu Yuan, a monster with the guaranteed potential of a Limit Douluo. Worse still, they had exposed Shrek's internal fractures, weaknesses, and catastrophic misjudgments to the entire world.
This crushing double defeat made Yan Shaozhe's heart bleed. His jaw tightened as a wave of dread washed over him. He did not even dare to imagine the sheer weight of public scrutiny and mockery the academy would face during the upcoming student recruitment season.
However, Elder Mu, sitting slumped in the main seat, clearly had no intention of letting the room drown in this despair. Though the deep lines on his ancient face betrayed his own quiet grief, the Dragon God Douluo knew the limits of his people. Obsessing over a failure that had already concluded would only rot their morale from the inside out.
"Forget it. This matter ends here. Let no one speak of it again."
Elder Mu slowly raised his head. The movement was sluggish, and his voice carried a raspy weariness, yet beneath the exhaustion lay an unquestionable, absolute resolve. "Rather than wallowing in losses that cannot be reversed, we must fix our eyes on the future."
He paused, his gaze sweeping over the shadowed faces of the Pavilion Elders. "I recall that the All-Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is due to begin soon. Is it not?"
At the mere mention of the Elite Tournament, the heavy, stagnant air in the room shifted. The previously dejected Pavilion Elders straightened their postures, a faint spark returning to their eyes.
This tournament was the ultimate crucible. It was the core battlefield where Shrek Academy had forged and defended its ten-thousand-year honor. Right now, it was the only stage grand enough to prove to the rest of the continent that the academy's fangs were still sharp.
A staff member responsible for the academy's external affairs immediately stepped out from the periphery. He bowed deeply, his voice crisp and professional as he reported the details.
"Reporting to Elder Mu. This year's All-Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament is hosted by the Star Luo Empire. The matches will be held within the capital, Star Luo City."
The man kept his head lowered as he continued. "Pre-registration for the vast majority of competing academies has already concluded. As the defending champions, our Shrek Academy retains the privilege to bypass the preliminary qualifiers entirely. There are less than two months remaining until the official opening ceremony."
Elder Mu closed his eyes, the faint drumming of his fingers against the armrest the only sound in the room. He was calculating. He needed to determine exactly who was most suitable to lead the team during this incredibly volatile period, a time when Shrek's reputation hovered at its absolute lowest point in history.
The leader for this generation's team could not just be strong. They needed the overwhelming power to suppress the entire field of competitors, paired with a fanatical, unyielding heart sworn to defend the academy's honor at any cost.
Before Elder Mu could open his mouth to name his choice, a figure suddenly stood up.
It was Elder Xuan. He had been sitting in the corner, silent and simmering in his own resentment.
"Elder Mu, please. Give me this chance. I will lead the team personally for this tournament!"
Elder Xuan's voice was rough, scraping against his throat with an urgent, desperate determination.
At this very moment, the Taotie Douluo felt like a drowning man grasping for a lifeline. He desperately needed an opportunity to wash away the stain of his catastrophic mistakes. The face he had lost kneeling before the Body Sect's gates, the utter shattering of his dignity, had left him suffocating under an unmatched wave of frustration and self-loathing.
His mind had latched onto a single, obsessive logic. As long as he could lead Shrek Academy to another flawless championship, as long as he could demonstrate undisputed, overwhelming dominance on the continent's greatest stage, the malicious rumors would be silenced.
In Elder Xuan's eyes, history only remembered the final victor. As long as Shrek stood at the apex holding the trophy, the memory of an old man kneeling in the dirt would fade into irrelevance. He would once again be hailed as the academy's meritorious guardian.
This was no longer just about washing away his personal shame. For the sake of Shrek's precarious, teetering reputation, he had to take the reins himself to guarantee absolute success.
"I will take the most outstanding reserve and Official Teams of this generation." Elder Xuan took a step forward, staring intently at Elder Mu. His eyes were heavily bloodshot, burning with a manic longing. "With me standing behind them, the championship will never fall into the hands of another."
Elder Mu looked up, meeting Elder Xuan's bloodshot gaze. The old Dragon God Douluo remained silent for a long, agonizing moment.
He could see clearly that Elder Xuan's mental state was bordering on the extreme, teetering on a dangerous edge. But he also understood the cold reality of their situation. Shrek truly, desperately needed a monumental victory to shatter the suffocating gloom brought about by the Liu Yuan incident.
"I hope you do not fail my expectations," Elder Mu finally said, nodding his head with agonizing slowness. "Nor fail Shrek's honor again."
"I shall not fail!"
Elder Xuan roared the response, his voice echoing off the high ceilings of the pavilion. Without staying a single second longer, he turned on his heel and strode out of the Sea God Pavilion, his heavy footsteps fading into the distance.
The moment he returned to the privacy of his own office, the dam broke. Elder Xuan grabbed the thick, jagged thorn branches still strapped tightly across his back and ripped them off in one violent motion.
The sharp thorns tore through his flesh, reopening the deep, crusted wounds. Fresh blood soaked into his robes, but he completely ignored the stinging pain. His face was a mask of cold fury as he immediately summoned several of his most trusted staff members.
Standing before them, radiating a chilling, oppressive aura, he delivered three absolute instructions.
"First. Immediately compile a list of every single academy that possesses even a fraction of a chance to participate in this tournament. I want their rosters on my desk. I will review them one by one."
"Second. Activate every external spy we have embedded across the continent. Monitor the training regimens of these academies around the clock. I want to know everything, especially if they are hiding any trump cards."
"Third. And most." A freezing, murderous light flashed through Elder Xuan's bloodshot eyes. "Focus the bulk of our intelligence network heavily on the Heavenly Soul Empire. Keep an unblinking eye on the Body Sect. I want to be absolutely certain whether that boy, Liu Yuan... will be representing the Heavenly Soul Empire or the Body Sect in this competition!"
The staff members swallowed hard, the terrifying killing intent radiating from the Super Douluo making the air in the room drop by several degrees. Daring not to ask a single question, they bowed hastily and scattered to carry out their orders.
Meanwhile, far away from the frantic preparations of Shrek Academy.
Deep within the heavily fortified grounds of the Body Sect, located in the heart of the Heavenly Soul Empire.
Sect Master Du Busi sat comfortably in the main seat of his grand hall. In his massive hands, he held a delicate secret letter that had just been delivered by a high-ranking royal envoy. The thick wax seal on the envelope bore the private, unmistakable crest of the Emperor of Heavenly Soul.
Du Busi broke the seal and scanned the contents of the letter with quick, practiced eyes. As he read, his thick brows furrowed slightly, pulling together as he fell into deep thought.
Standing nearby, Elder Chen noticed the shift in his Sect Master's demeanor. "Sect Master, what did His Majesty say in the letter?" he asked, his tone laced with curiosity. "You look a bit troubled."
Du Busi lowered the parchment, placing it flat against the heavy wooden table. His thick fingers began to tap rhythmically against the surface, the sound echoing softly in the quiet hall.
"The Emperor is asking a question," Du Busi said, his voice calm and measured. "He wants to know whether we plan to arrange for Liu Yuan, Long Aotian, and the rest of the younger generation to participate in this year's All-Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament."
Du Busi paused, his tapping fingers coming to a halt as a thoughtful expression crossed his rugged face. "His Majesty believes that since Liu Yuan is now officially the Empire's Prospective Prince-consort, as well as the confirmed successor of our Body Sect, making a name for himself across the continent on such a stage would be highly beneficial. It would not only bring glory to the Empire but also allow the boy to accumulate a massive amount of personal prestige."
Elder Chen's expression instantly turned serious upon hearing the proposal. "Liu Yuan's talent and raw combat strength are completely beyond doubt. If he participates, we would have an overwhelmingly great chance at taking the championship. However... Shrek Academy will certainly be there defending their title. If Liu Yuan faces them on the field, it will likely cause quite a massive stir."
Du Busi turned his head, looking out the large window toward the training grounds. A deep, calculating light flashed in his eyes.
"Shrek?" Du Busi scoffed lightly. "Elder Mu just left here not long ago. I am not worried about him or his people. What I am actually considering is Liu Yuan's cultivation. The boy is currently at a critical stage, pushing hard for Level 50 and preparing to attempt his Secondary Awakening."
The Sect Master narrowed his eyes, staring into the distance. "Would participating in such a tournament be a valuable trial for him... or merely a distraction?"
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