"I'll be d—..."
On the other end of the communication spirit tool, Xuan Zi couldn't hold back and blurted out a curse.
The voice was so loud that Yan Shaozhe had to pull the spirit tool slightly away. Even so, he could clearly feel just how frantic Elder Xuan was at that moment.
"It's over... everything is completely over now!"
Xuan Zi was like an ant on a hot pan, his voice filled with regret and fear. "Shaozhe, you don't understand. When I expelled him back then... who could have imagined that little bastard was hiding so much depth! If I had known he had this kind of ability, I would have been enshrining him as an ancestor!"
"Now it's great. Even Elder Mu knows... and he lost his temper during the Sea Gods Pavilion meeting..."
"Oh! How am I supposed to go back now?"
As soon as Xuan Zi thought of Mu En's gloomy Face, his legs began to tremble.
Never mind that he was a Level 98 Super Douluo and the Taotie Douluo, a famous figure in the Spirit Master world. In front of Mu En, he would always be that little brother who would get his palms smacked for making a mistake.
"Shaozhe, good brother! We've been friends for so many years!"
Xuan Zi sounded like he was grasping at a life-saving straw, his voice carrying a hint of pleading:
"You have to help your old brother! Your words carry weight with Elder Mu. Can you... can you help me plead for mercy? Just say I know I was wrong, that I'm reflecting on it. Can you help calm Elder Mu down?"
Listening to Xuan Zi's humble plea for help, Yan Shaozhe felt a massive headache coming on and rubbed his temples helplessly.
"Elder Xuan, you're making things too difficult for me."
"At a critical juncture like this, who would dare to touch Elder Mu's bad side? Wouldn't that be asking for a scolding?"
"Moreover, to be honest, pleading for mercy is useless right now."
Yan Shaozhe's tone became a bit more serious.
"You have to save yourself."
"Save myself? How do I save myself?" Xuan Zi asked hurriedly.
"The most basic thing is this tournament," Yan Shaozhe said in a deep voice. "The more brilliantly Liu Yuan performs, the angrier Elder Mu will be. If the Shrek Team you're leading really ends up losing to the Sun Moon Team, losing to Liu Yuan..."
"At that time, with new and old grudges added together, imagine the consequences."
"If you are truly stepped on in front of the whole world by the very outcast you kicked out..."
"Hiss—"
The sound of Xuan Zi sucking in a cold breath came from the other end of the line.
Even from thousands of miles away, Yan Shaozhe could imagine Xuan Zi's terrified expression.
If it really came to that point...
Forget about Mu En dealing with him; he probably wouldn't even have the Face to return to Shrek Academy. He might as well find a block of tofu to bash his head against!
"No! Absolutely not!" Xuan Zi said through gritted teeth. "This tournament, no matter what, we cannot lose! Even if I have to risk my old life, I will make sure Xiao Tao and the others bring back the championship!"
"Just winning the championship isn't enough."
Yan Shaozhe shook his head, a glint flashing in his eyes.
"Elder Xuan, there is actually another way. Not only would you avoid punishment, but you could even turn this disaster into a good thing. Elder Mu might even reward you in return."
"What way?!" Xuan Zi's voice cracked with excitement. "Tell me quickly! Stop keeping me in suspense!"
Yan Shaozhe looked left and right, and after confirming no one was around, he lowered his voice and said:
"Elder Xuan, think about it. Why is Elder Mu so angry right now? What is the root cause?"
"Isn't it because he's pained by the loss?"
"A Genius like Liu Yuan is a once-in-a-century find. Elder Mu is famous for valuing talent. This piece of unpolished jade originally belonged to Shrek, but you threw it away, and it became someone else's treasure. How could Elder Mu not be angry?"
"But..."
Yan Shaozhe changed his tone, adding a hint of temptation.
"What if you could find a way to... pick this unpolished jade back up?"
"What?!"
Xuan Zi was stunned, then gave a bitter laugh. "Shaozhe, are you joking? Get him back? How is that possible!"
"Before the Soul Master Tournament began, I had already extended an olive branch. I specifically sent Dai Yueheng to recruit him."
"The conditions I offered back then weren't low, but that kid? He was completely unmoved! He rejected Dai Yueheng directly!"
"The path of recruitment is definitely a dead end!"
"Elder Xuan, that's where you're wrong."
Yan Shaozhe had a look of confidence as he spoke persuasively.
"There are no eternal enemies, only eternal interests."
"He refused for nothing more than two reasons."
"First, the price wasn't high enough."
Yan Shaozhe held up a finger. Although Xuan Zi couldn't see it, his tone was firm.
"The conditions you offered are indeed attractive to ordinary geniuses. But for a monster like Liu Yuan, they are far from enough."
"You also know that his current performance is even more outstanding than Xiao Tao's at the same age."
"Such a peerless Genius is a priceless treasure!"
"Since he refused, then increase the price! Double it! Even tenfold it!"
"Spirit Bones, Heaven And Earth Treasures, even cultivation privileges in the Sea Gods Pavilion... as long as we can give it, everything is negotiable!"
"As long as we can make him change his mind, no matter how high the price, it's worth it for the Academy!"
Xuan Zi listened in a daze. Although he felt a bit pained at the thought of the cost, when he thought about it carefully, it seemed to make sense.
If they really could get Liu Yuan back, it wouldn't just be personal redemption; it would be a massive contribution to the Academy!
"Then... what's the second reason?" Xuan Zi couldn't help but ask.
"As for this second reason..."
Yan Shaozhe paused, his tone becoming somewhat subtle.
"It's a matter of Face."
"Elder Xuan, put yourself in his shoes. Back when he was in the Outer Court, he was just an unknown nobody, yet you, a high-and-mighty Sea Gods Pavilion Elder, kicked him out without a word."
"That kind of grievance, that kind of humiliation—any hot-blooded young man would find it hard to let go."
"As the saying goes, the one who tied the knot must be the one to untie it."
"That knot lies with you."
Yan Shaozhe said earnestly:
"Young people value their pride and Face above all else."
"If you can lower yourself, even just a little bit... go to him personally, apologize sincerely, and admit your mistake."
"Tell him that you were old and blind back then, and you misjudged him."
"Then, place those rewards so generous he can't refuse right in front of him..."
"This combination of the carrot and the stick, plus giving him plenty of Face."
"Who knows? Once his anger dissipates, he might actually be willing to change his mind."
"After all, it's Shrek! The brand of the number one academy on the continent has a fatal attraction for any Spirit Master."
"As long as he's willing to come back..."
Yan Shaozhe concluded: "Then Elder Mu will naturally let bygones be bygones regarding all your previous mistakes. In fact, because you recovered a super Genius for the Academy, it would be a great service!"
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