"Now, about the exchange students we sent to Shrek Academy..."
Yan Shaozhe held a pen, drawing circles and notes on a piece of paper, his expression grave.
Zhang Lexuan—no need to try and keep her anymore. Though she was once the heir to the Sea God Pavilion, her recent actions have deeply disappointed the academy.
Not to mention, when the academy had asked her to return promptly, she completely ignored it and instead clung to Xu Cheng all day long.
They sent her to speak out for the missing Fan Yu, and what happened? She didn't even reply!
This implies she may already have strong ties with the Sun Moon Empire, especially with Xu Cheng...
Yan Shaozhe didn't know Zhang Lexuan's true identity, but he did know the truth behind the Zhang Clan's massacre years ago. So, he speculated that Xu Cheng may have uncovered evidence that awakened Zhang Lexuan from her delusions, leading to her current hostility toward Shrek Academy. Despite being the head of the Wuhun Division delegation, she acted more like a bystander.
He even suspected that the stolen blueprints at the beginning were fake, and that Zhang Lexuan may have known that too.
Such a talented student betraying them—of course he regretted it. But the way Elder Mu brought her in back then... was already quite questionable.
"Sigh." Yan Shaozhe circled Zhang Lexuan's name again, then moved his eyes down the list.
He Caitou?
At this, his expression turned strange.
Regarding that kid... he did feel a bit guilty.
It was because he fell into Xu Cheng's trap that he handed over evidence implicating He Caitou, who originally had nothing to do with the situation. An innocent person, dragged in.
Though he wasn't entirely to blame—people from the Sun Moon Empire had approached him first.
With a sigh, Yan Shaozhe crossed off He Caitou's name too.
That kid was truly unlucky. According to Fan Yu's earlier reports, He Caitou was being groomed to become the future head of Shrek's Soul Tool Department. Now, he had completely vanished—no word on whether he was even alive.
Someone who used to contact him even came by recently, hoping Shrek Academy would step in to rescue He Caitou.
He had brushed them off with a few sentences.
Are you kidding? That would be interfering in another nation's internal affairs. Xu Cheng had a firm grasp on political maneuvering.
Try to cause trouble?
You think those missiles are just for show?
Even now, there remained lingering fear over the Sun Moon Empire's silent detonation of a devastating weapon within Shrek Academy.
"As for Fan Yu..."
Yan Shaozhe's hand paused.
Just yesterday, he received a letter from Fan Yu—its tone bleak and miserable. It seemed Fan Yu had just been released from prison, only to be locked up again shortly after. As for the reason... after thinking for a while, all he could recall was that Fan Yu tried to deceive Zhang Lexuan into returning before being imprisoned again.
Yan Shaozhe shook his head helplessly.
He drew a horizontal line through Zhang Lexuan's name.
So even Elder Mu's so-called learning plan had failed.
Fan Yu was indeed a rare soul tool genius in Shrek Academy, but learning anything truly worthwhile within three years was a dream—unless you faked defection. But even in that case, Mingde Hall would never teach the real core knowledge.
"Sigh, ruined, all ruined..." Yan Shaozhe crossed out Fan Yu's name too.
"As for Mo Xuan, timid and cowardly—useless."
"Chu Qingtian, decent talent, but he's from the Martial Soul Department—no good, no good."
"Xu Sanshi, oh please, another hopeless case, just like Beibei—a total simp." A trace of disgust flashed in Yan Shaozhe's eyes.
"Ning Tian... hmph, an idiot from the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, scrambling to become a lackey of the Sun Moon Empire. I don't believe he'll actually make it to the ninth tier."
The legend of immortal herbs had spread widely.
Mainly due to several people rumored to have become gods, which had stirred the continent for a time. Many powers had sent people to secretly investigate, but the hidden corners of the Douluo Continent were too numerous. Even Shrek Academy couldn't access all of them.
So after thousands of years, news of true immortal herbs remained scarce.
Even if discovered, tracing them to their source usually led to nonsense or random tall tales.
"There's also Wang Dong."
Yan Shaozhe's expression turned indifferent.
Not long ago, they had fallen out with the Haotian Sect, and Wang Dong had publicly been accepted as Xu Cheng's disciple. No point considering him anymore.
And the girl always by Wang Dong's side, Xiao Xiao...
Yan Shaozhe hesitated for a moment, but drew a line through her name as well.
Although her twin martial spirits were enticing, she was too close to Wang Dong—no point trying to recruit her.
"That just leaves..."
He stared at the few remaining names on the list and sighed deeply.
The remaining students weren't even as good as the likes of Chu Qingtian. He didn't even feel like crossing them off.
"Teacher, oh teacher... Who was it that caused this mess?" He slowly closed his eyes.
Exhausted.
He had strongly opposed the exchange student program back then.
But Elder Mu had waved his hand and approved the departure of these top talents. And now?
Who was to bear the consequences?
Yan Shaozhe stood up and flew toward Shrek City.
In his free time, he liked to wander around the ancient city disguised as an ordinary person.
In a hidden corner of a tavern—
A man cloaked in black put down his wine cup, a glint of excitement flashing in his eyes.
"He's here. He finally came."
"Shaozhe? No... calling him like that would be too abrupt." Long Xiaoyao nervously rubbed his hands together, rehearsing what he was going to say.
"Yan Shaozhe, I'm your ancestor! No, wait—that'll scare him…"
He shook his head.
"Kid, I helped you kill Mu En and take his place? Nah, too jarring."
As he furrowed his brow, lost in thought—
A shadow suddenly appeared in front of him.
"Senior Long Xiaoyao, may I sit here?" A refined, handsome face entered Long Xiaoyao's view, smiling warmly but with a hint of caution.
"Uh, sure, Shaozhe," Long Xiaoyao blurted out.
Yan Shaozhe frowned. Because of Elder Mu, the two had met before, and he knew this elder was affiliated with the Evil Soul Master faction, though he also had vague ties with Mu En.
Friend or foe? That was yet to be seen.
But that "Shaozhe"... We're not that familiar, are we?
"Actually, I really am your ancestor," Long Xiaoyao finally dropped all pretense and said it outright.
"Why are you insulting me?!" Yan Shaozhe couldn't hold it in anymore and stood up with a serious expression.
"Wait—no," Long Xiaoyao noticed people glancing over, waved his hand, and the two vanished from the tavern.
Outside Shrek City.
Yan Shaozhe stared vigilantly at Long Xiaoyao.
Internally, he was shocked—was this the power of an Ultimate Douluo?
Even as a Rank 95 Super Douluo, he had no room to resist at all.
Long Xiaoyao looked at Yan Shaozhe with satisfaction. Truly his bloodline—hadn't embarrassed him. Rumor had it the kid was even a bit of a playboy. He hoped that once he took back the proper surname, he could give the Long family plenty of descendants.
"I am truly your ancestor," Long Xiaoyao said sincerely.
Yan Shaozhe: "..."
"You are a descendant of me and Ye Xishui. Your martial soul is inherited from her."
"That's impossible. My martial soul is the Radiant Phoenix, not—" Yan Shaozhe adamantly denied it, but in an instant, when he saw Long Xiaoyao's faint smile, he trembled all over.
"She... she had twin martial souls?!!"
(End of chapter)