At this moment, after hearing Yan Shaozhe's words, the displeasure on Xuan Zi's face from being disturbed instantly transformed into explosive ecstasy.
"What?!"
He grabbed Yan Shaozhe's shoulders, his voice rising an octave in excitement.
"What did you say?! Xiaotao... she broke through to Rank 70?!"
"Yes, Elder Xuan!" Yan Shaozhe nodded heavily, his excitement no less than Xuan Zi's.
"It's absolutely true! I confirmed it with my own eyes this morning!"
After receiving a definite answer, Xuan Zi froze for a moment—then burst into wild, thunderous laughter.
"Good! Good! Good! Excellent!"
He shouted "good" three times in succession, each word infused with powerful spirit energy that made the entire Sea God's Pavilion tremble faintly.
"God truly blesses my Shrek!!"
Xuan Zi paced back and forth excitedly, his mind racing as countless thoughts and plans formed instantly.
So timely! This breakthrough came at the perfect moment!
Just moments ago, he had been feeling disdain and boredom after hearing about the "mediocre" performance of that Sun Moon Academy youth. In his view, although the boy had some talent, his foundation was shallow, and his victory had been far from decisive.
Even against the current Ma Xiaotao, that youth likely wouldn't have much of a chance.
And yet—
Now Ma Xiaotao had broken through!
This wasn't just a simple increase in rank.
Now that Ma Xiaotao had reached Rank 70, as long as he personally took her to obtain a seventh spirit ring of sufficiently high age and perfect compatibility...
Once she absorbed it, her spirit power would inevitably rise to Rank 71—or even Rank 72!
That was equivalent to jumping two or three ranks at once!
But even that wasn't the most crucial part.
The most important thing... was the seventh ring itself!
For a Spirit Master, there are two true thresholds in life—each one representing a qualitative leap in existence.
The first is the seventh ring: the Martial Soul True Body.
The second is the ninth ring: the condensation of the Soul Core.
Once a Spirit Master obtains their Martial Soul True Body, their combat power undergoes a complete transformation. It is no longer a simple comparison of spirit abilities—it becomes overwhelming suppression from a higher level of existence.
A Spirit Saint entering a tournament where the strongest participants are merely Spirit Emperors...
Xuan Zi couldn't even imagine how they could possibly lose.
In his mind, he could already see it—
On a stage watched by countless spectators, no matter what tricks that Sun Moon youth attempted, he would appear utterly insignificant beneath Ma Xiaotao's sky-blotting Evil Fire Phoenix True Body!
The championship was already in Shrek's grasp!
The overwhelming joy made it impossible for him to remain still.
No—this news had to be reported to Elder Mu immediately!
Without hesitation, Xuan Zi's figure flickered, turning into a streak of light as he vanished from the top floor of the Sea God's Pavilion.
---
Outside the freshman dormitory area, on the familiar lakeside lawn—
Mu En sat in his wheelchair, a thin blanket draped over him, basking quietly in the afternoon sunlight.
His aged face, illuminated by the warm glow, looked serene—almost as if he had merged with nature itself.
Suddenly, his eyelids twitched slightly.
The next moment, Xuan Zi appeared before him, his face still flushed with excitement.
"Elder Mu."
He bowed, though the excitement in his voice was impossible to conceal.
Mu En slowly opened his eyes, his gaze calm and profound.
He did not ask why Xuan Zi had come. Instead, he simply said:
"Judging by your expression, you must have good news."
"Elder Mu truly sees everything!" Xuan Zi chuckled, then quickly explained Ma Xiaotao's breakthrough in detail.
"...That's how it is! Elder Mu, Xiaotao has given us a tremendous surprise! I plan to set off immediately and personally escort her to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain her seventh spirit ring!"
After hearing this, even Mu En's usually tranquil face revealed a faint smile of satisfaction.
"Good. Very good."
He nodded slowly.
"Xiaotao's condition concerns Shrek's fortune for the next hundred years. Her breakthrough at such a critical moment is indeed a blessing for the academy."
Mu En also believed that victory in the Soul Master Tournament was now virtually guaranteed.
An Evil Fire Phoenix Spirit Saint with a Martial Soul True Body—
That alone was enough to sweep through all opponents of the same generation.
However, after a brief moment of satisfaction, his gaze grew deeper once more.
He looked at the excited Xuan Zi and slowly shook his head.
"However, I am not at ease with you going alone on this trip."
Xuan Zi's expression froze instantly, displeasure flashing across his face.
"Elder Mu, what do you mean?"
"With my strength as the Gluttonous Douluo, are you still worried about me escorting Xiaotao to obtain a spirit ring?"
He had absolute confidence in his own power.
But Mu En simply looked at him calmly and spoke in a steady, unhurried tone—like a heavy hammer striking his heart.
"Xuan Zi, your strength is sufficient. But your actions are unreliable."
"Do not forget what happened to Lexuan."
The moment that name was spoken, Xuan Zi stiffened.
All the excitement and pride on his face vanished instantly, replaced by deep embarrassment and regret.
That incident… was a stain he could never erase.
Seeing his reaction, Mu En's tone remained firm, even gaining a rare seriousness.
"Xiaotao is the future of Shrek. This time, there must be no accidents."
The weight of those words pressed down on Xuan Zi like a mountain.
He took a deep breath, suppressing all dissatisfaction, and bowed solemnly.
"Yes, Elder Mu. I understand."
Though he agreed outwardly, the frustration in his heart remained.
Again…
It was always like this.
He admitted he had made mistakes in the past—but so many years had passed. Could it be that in Elder Mu's eyes, he would forever remain that reckless and unreliable man?
Xuan Zi clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging into his palms.
A burning desire to prove himself surged within him.
Fine.
If you don't trust me—
Then I will prove it to you.
He silently swore that one day, through flawless actions and undeniable results, he would show Elder Mu—and the entire Sea God's Pavilion—
That he, Xuan Zi… was someone they could rely on.