"Have you seen it? That Tang San Legend drama has been all the rage across the continent lately. But strangely enough, despite Tang San's long-standing prestige and stellar reputation in the former Three Kingdoms and Shrek Academy, his image took a weird 180-degree turn after the show aired…"
Lin Xi dug in his ear, sounding bored.
"You watched it too. How should I put it... it's just weird, you know? It's obvious the scriptwriter didn't deliberately try to smear Tang San. On the contrary, they tried to faithfully portray his character—his birth, growth, and experiences—making him more fleshed out and real. But at the same time…" Ma Rulong paused thoughtfully.
"He also became more unlikeable, right?" Xiao Hongchen picked up the thread, nodding slightly. "Just yesterday, a few students took advantage of the dark and dumped a huge basin of 'Oil' in front of several statues at Shrek Academy. It was disgusting."
He even made a grimacing face as he spoke.
"Stop, I just finished eating." Lin Xi covered his mouth.
"The statues they targeted included, but weren't limited to, the Shrek Seven Devils and the Grandmaster…" Xiao Hongchen shrugged.
"Not surprising. Of the Seven Devils, only Zhu Zhuqing was halfway decent. The rest? Total messes. Dai Mubai, a coward who ran from responsibilities and frequented brothels. Ning Rongrong—textbook ungrateful brat. Xiao Wu was just a... ahem. And the Grandmaster? Don't even get me started. Tang San into the Star Dou Forest at the age of six. 'Theoretical genius' my ass, all he was good at was running." Lin Xi ranted.
"Not gonna lie, today's Shrek Academy isn't much better. Especially that blockhead Zhou Yi. All she ever makes us do is run—weighted running, regular running... I used to think A-Cheng was exaggerating when he complained about her…" Xiao Hongchen curled his lip.
"Speaking of which… where is Zhou Yi?" Ma Rulong suddenly asked.
"She's probably being held temporarily," Xiao Hongchen replied. "She's Fan Yu's wife, after all. And Fan Yu is considered a key figure, fighting tooth and nail for Shrek on the frontlines of the Sun-Moon Empire. Dealing with Zhou Yi right now would just shake morale." He sounded completely indifferent.
"True enough, haha…"
"By the way, did you hear about the recent lockdown in the Sun-Moon Empire and how He Caitou (former crown prince Xu He) colluded with Shrek Academy to try and overthrow the empire?" Lin Xi coughed lightly.
"He dared?!" Xiao Hongchen snapped. "I knew something was off with that guy—black as charcoal and always giving A-Cheng and me weird looks. So what happened?"
"Brother Cheng responded immediately. He Caitou was apprehended and thrown in jail. All Shrek students were put under strict orders. I heard the senior sister from the inner court got it especially bad…" Lin Xi leaned in and whispered the last part in Xiao Hongchen's ear after checking their surroundings.
"Nice! Hahaha, so satisfying!" Xiao Hongchen burst out laughing.
But as he laughed, the grin slowly disappeared from his face.
He turned to Lin Xi and the others. "Wait a second… something's not right!"
"Hmph. Xiao Hongchen, come with us." A sudden voice rang out from behind.
Xiao Hongchen's body froze. He slowly turned his head, only to see Yan Shaozhe—the Dean of the Martial Soul Department—standing right behind him, expressionless.
"Hahaha, Dean Yan, I…" Xiao Hongchen was inwardly panicking.
"Let's go! Quit dawdling!" Yan Shaozhe said impatiently.
"Dean Yan, what's the meaning of this? Trying to bully our Sun-Moon Academy?" A voice full of amusement suddenly called out.
An elderly man, bald but with a rosy complexion, strolled over slowly, hands clasped behind his back, smiling.
"Ye Yulin…" Yan Shaozhe muttered coldly.
Though his strength was a bit lacking, Ye Yulin's research capabilities rivaled Jing Hongchen's. He was the real leader on the Sun-Moon Empire's side.
He originally intended to scare Xiao Hongchen into spilling information. But clearly, the other side was guarding him too closely.
"What? Is Shrek Academy planning to interfere in another country's internal affairs and provoke a war now?" Ye Yulin said casually.
At the mention of war, Yan Shaozhe flinched.
The Sun-Moon Empire had recently shown overwhelming military superiority. If war really broke out, could the Golden Tree still protect them…?
It would be a crisis on par with—or worse than—the beast tide.
"Haha, Senior Ye, you're joking. I simply saw the kid's great talent and hoped to bring him into the inner court to personally mentor. Since you object, I'll let it go." Yan Shaozhe forced a smile and turned to leave.
"Is your academy truly an academy?"
Ye Yulin suddenly asked.
"..." Yan Shaozhe paused. "What do you mean by that?"
"Nothing much. Just a simple question." Ye Yulin smiled cheerfully.
"Of course it is. Ever since it was founded by the first dean, Flender, and carried on by the original Shrek Seven Devils, it has become the undisputed number one academy on the continent." Yan Shaozhe said proudly.
"Yes, that's wonderful… Number one on the continent. Just hope it doesn't end up neither academy nor nation…" Ye Yulin mused aloud.
"You—!" Yan Shaozhe finally understood and narrowed his eyes.
"Farewell, then~"
After Yan Shaozhe left, Xiao Hongchen let out a long breath.
"Elder Ye!"
"That's enough. Scatter. You guys really had the guts to talk about all that right in the middle of Shrek Academy," Ye Yulin waved them off with a glance.
"Hehe, Elder Ye, what did actually happen these past few days?" Xiao Hongchen rubbed his hands and asked curiously, moving closer.
To be honest, they only knew bits and pieces. The Sun-Moon Empire had been on a relentless offensive, but Shrek Academy was far from the frontlines.
They'd have to wait for Star Luo merchants to bring news back to Shrek City.
Ye Yulin gave Xiao Hongchen an amused look before explaining the situation.
Xiao Hongchen stood frozen, dumbstruck.
It wasn't A-Cheng's doing?
Coming to Shrek Academy was part of your plan all along?!
I'm your brother-in-law, damn it!
Just like on the battlefield, Xu Cheng stood in front of Xiao Hongchen, shielding him as explosions rang out...
"What's wrong? Angry?" Ye Yulin chuckled.
"Not really. Just kind of messed up. I knew I was a hostage, but I didn't expect to be this dangerous of a hostage," Xiao Hongchen twitched his mouth.
"But for the sake of the Sun-Moon Empire, whatever. A-Cheng can do it better than me anyway, and my sister's in Mingdu. Elder Ye, if things really go south, you did bring some ninth-tier stationary soul cannon shells, right?" he asked calmly.
"No shit. You think I'd need you to remind me?" Ye Yulin rolled his eyes.
Xiao Hongchen: "..."
"But it's not all hopeless. If it comes to that, His Highness will bring us back. No need for you to throw yourself away…" Ye Yulin waved his hand.
…
Inside a dark chamber.
"The Sun-Moon Divine Needle… still not quite there…"
Ye Yulin stood staring at the soul tool in front of him—his masterpiece in recent years.
The earlier Solar Divine Needle could only be used during the day, but this enhanced version, the Sun-Moon Divine Needle, could store the essence of both sun and moon, standing 1,600 meters tall, with a 30-kilometer impact radius. Its power was beyond question.
"It might give us a little extra assurance," Ye Yulin said, eyes gleaming with admiration.
"Heh… You little punks think I'd let you die with me, even if I fall in battle?"
"His Highness is our national destiny. His orders cannot be disobeyed. Harsh as they are, they are for the empire. But as for us dying... that's no big deal…"
He muttered to himself, his gaze growing more fervent.
…
Sea God Pavilion.
Beneath the Golden Tree.
Mu En sat with his eyes closed. His once jet-black hair was now white as frost. Over the past half-month, as his life force ebbed away, his hair had turned almost entirely silver.
All this time, he had been watching Yan Shaozhe's actions quietly.
That child was someone he had nurtured with all his strength and resources. And the boy had lived up to expectations—full of potential, and Mu En's most favored successor.
But only now were hidden flaws fully revealed.
If all had gone well, Yan Shaozhe would undoubtedly have been the best choice. No one else came close.
After all, Shrek Academy had long since ceased being a mere school. It was more akin to the old Spirit Hall, though milder, championing peaceful coexistence instead of violent unification (like Spirit Hall).
That was why Spirit Hall was violently purged from history, while Shrek Academy had thrived for ten thousand years.
What sustained Shrek's strength was plunder, hegemony—feeding off the former Three Kingdoms like a parasite. It drank their blood but bore no national responsibilities.
If that pattern had continued, Yan Shaozhe—with his domineering, forceful style—would have been perfect.
But now, the great tree of Shrek was rotting from within.
The downside of "peaceful coexistence" was beginning to show.
That is: when you dominate with strength, people revere you. They support you. They love you.
But the moment you lose that strength, they will naturally turn away, flock to the new overlord, and some might even step on you as they leave to curry favor.
If it were Spirit Hall's model of unity, that wouldn't happen.
"I realized this problem a long time ago, and have been searching for a solution ever since…" Mu En's voice echoed softly.
"For a hundred years, I tried everything. I wanted to fix this flaw before the Sun-Moon Empire grew too powerful. But I failed."
"Only today did I finally understand—how could I, one man, hope to shake the foundation of ten thousand years?"
"Shrek… all that remains is death."
"Unless, like four thousand years ago, the gods descend again to save us."
Rustle…
The towering Golden Tree in front of him trembled slightly, its leaves swaying and releasing a series of crisp, humming sounds.
A single golden leaf drifted down, swaying gently in the wind, and landed directly before Mu En.
He hurried to catch it in his hand.
"This is…" Mu En's eyes widened in surprise.
Before he could react, the golden leaf dissolved into a radiant light and merged into his body.
"It's useless, I…" He gave a bitter smile, but before he could finish his sentence, his eyes suddenly widened.
An immense surge of vitality flooded his body. His withered skin gradually became smooth and supple; his once-cloudy eyes turned sharp and full of spirit. His white hair returned to its original black, and a soft blue glow radiated outward from the green leaf in his palm.
It was like a dead tree coming back to life in spring—within mere seconds, he had become a different person.
"Mu En pays respects to the Ancestor!!!"
"It's fine..."
A faint, ethereal voice drifted out from the golden tree.
It was gentle and warm, like a spring breeze—soft and nurturing, like the voice of Mother Earth herself, making one unconsciously feel at peace.
"You have contributed much to the Academy. This golden leaf, which nourished my divine consciousness, is a token of recognition for your years of dedication."
"Thank you, Ancestor!" Mu En said, deeply moved.
"Don't be too quick to thank me. Although I've restored your vitality, this defiance of fate has triggered a backlash from the plane itself. Your lifespan will now drain dozens of times faster. In effect, you've only gained three more years—and though you've returned to your peak, in two years' time, you will die regardless. Even a god cannot save you."
The voice remained gentle as ever.
"Two years... two years… That's already more than enough." Mu En looked up at the towering golden tree, his voice trembling with emotion.
"May I ask, Ancestor... who are you?"
"I am this golden tree. You may call me… Ah Yin."