At this moment, after hearing Mu En's furious words, Yan Shaozhe didn't dare to interject even a single sentence.
He stood with his hands at his sides, even making a conscious effort to lighten his breathing.
Based on his understanding of Mu En, he knew that Mu En was currently extremely angry; that pressure was like a volcano about to erupt, so oppressive it made one feel breathless.
Interjecting at a time like this, even to plead for half a word on Xuan Zi's behalf, would be extremely easy to invite Flash Fire upon himself, or even be seen as an accomplice.
After a long while, Mu En's hurried breathing finally calmed down slightly.
However, the fire of anger in his eyes had not completely dissipated; it had merely become deeper.
"Shaozhe."
Mu En's voice was as cold as iron:
"Contact that side immediately. Give that fool Xuan Zi a good dressing down for me!"
"Tell him that the competition has only just begun, and don't think he's invincible just because they won one match! For the upcoming matches, tell him to tuck his tail between his legs and behave!"
"If he dares to command recklessly like a brainless brute again, or dares to casually leak trump cards for the sake of that pitiful Face, I will absolutely not go easy on him when he returns!"
Yan Shaozhe's heart shivered, and he hurriedly bowed to receive the order:
"Yes! Teacher! Your Disciple will see to it immediately!"
...
Soon, following Mu En's requirements, Yan Shaozhe used a special communication spirit tool to record this sternly worded reprimand word-for-word and transmitted it to the head of the Shrek outpost far away in Star Luo City.
Star Luo Grand Hotel.
Inside the Shrek Team's exclusive meeting room, the atmosphere was originally very lively.
Xuan Zi was sitting with his legs crossed, his Face glowing as he ate and drank with the team members.
Just then, a middle-aged man wearing the Shrek Academy uniform walked in hurriedly.
He was the intelligence head stationed by the academy in Star Luo City and the person specifically responsible for communications.
He held a spirit tool similar to a recording stone in his hands, his expression looking somewhat panicked and awkward.
"Elder Xuan..."
The middle-aged man walked up to Xuan Zi, glanced hesitantly at the surrounding team members, and whispered:
"A message has come from the academy. It's... an urgent dispatch personally sent by Elder Mu and Dean Yan."
"Oh?"
Xuan Zi raised an eyebrow; not only did he have no intention of avoiding others, but he also waved his hand with a look of indifference:
"Elder Mu must be reaching out to commend our brilliant performance yesterday, right? Or perhaps that boy Shaozhe has something else he needs to ask this old man's instructions on?"
He glanced at the spirit tool, a flicker of disdain flashing in his eyes:
"I'm not used to using such trashy things, nor do I deign to use them."
Although Xuan Zi was highly powerful, he was an extremely traditional conservative who had a natural repulsion toward spirit tools.
Allowing him to fiddle with such machinery like an 'inferior person' was simply an insult to his status.
"Since it's from Elder Mu, then it must be words of encouragement for everyone."
Xuan Zi said boisterously, his voice loud as if he were afraid others wouldn't hear him:
"Just play it directly! Let everyone hear how Elder Mu praises us! Let the children be happy for a bit too!"
"This..."
The middle-aged man's Face stiffened, and a layer of cold sweat instantly broke out on his forehead.
He knew what the content inside was!
If this were read out in public, where would Elder Xuan's Face go? What would happen to the Shrek Team's morale?
"Elder Xuan, this... this might not be very convenient, right?" The middle-aged man tried to make a final struggle, desperately giving Xuan Zi looks, "How about we... in private..."
"What's inconvenient about it!"
Xuan Zi's Face darkened, and he interrupted him with some displeasure:
"We of Shrek have always acted openly and uprightly! Elder Mu's teachings are a spur for everyone! What is there to hide?"
"If I tell you to read it, read it! What's with all this dawdling!"
Seeing Xuan Zi grow angry, the middle-aged man had no other choice.
He secretly lamented in his heart: Elder Xuan, oh Elder Xuan, you're the one who insisted on listening. If you lose Face in a moment, don't blame me...
"Yes..."
The middle-aged man sighed helplessly and activated the spirit tool in his hand with a heavy heart.
The next second, Yan Shaozhe's serious voice—even carrying a hint of Mu En's relayed fury—echoed clearly throughout the meeting room.
"Elder Xuan, Elder Mu has an order!"
"Regarding your command in the first round of the knockout matches, Elder Mu expresses—extreme dissatisfaction!"
As soon as these words came out, the smiles on the Faces of the Shrek Team members, who were still expecting praise, instantly froze.
Xuan Zi's hand, which was originally holding a wine gourd, also suddenly froze mid-air.
But it wasn't over yet.
The voice continued to output ruthlessly:
"Elder Mu's original words: Has your heart been blinded by lard? That is a competition! Not a place for you to spread your tail feathers and show off! Facing a mere weakling team like the Jade Academy, you actually had to go all out, exposing all of Dai Yueheng's and Ma Xiaotao's core Spirit Abilitys for the opponents to see? Is your brain filled with mush?!"
"Stupid! Simply too stupid!"
"You think this is displaying power? You are stripping off Shrek's underwear for everyone to see!"
Dead silence.
The entire meeting room fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone's eyes widened, looking at the spirit tool in disbelief, then stealing glances at Xuan Zi, whose Face had instantly turned as red as pig liver.
No one expected that Elder Mu not only failed to give praise but instead cursed Xuan Zi until his head was covered in dog blood!
However, the even more explosive part was still to come.
"In addition, regarding the matter of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy's captain, Liu Yuan..."
"After Elder Mu learned that this person was actually the student you forcibly expelled back then because he refused to join the Supervision Team, he was even more beyond furious!"
"Elder Mu's original words: Xuan Zi, you are truly blind! A peerless Genius who could become the Sun Moon Team captain in just one semester was actually forced by you to become an enemy! You are simply Shrek's sinner of a thousand ages!"
"Elder Mu said that after this competition ends, you are to immediately roll back to the Sea Gods Pavilion! If you don't give him a satisfactory explanation, prepare to go to the confinement room and reflect for ten years! When that time comes, no one will be able to save you!"
The voice stopped abruptly.
The spirit tool lost its light.
But that suffocatingly awkward atmosphere lingered in the air for a long time.
Xuan Zi sat there, his whole person as if struck by lightning.
His Face flushed red and white in turns, and the wine gourd in his hand creaked as he gripped it, wishing he could find a crack in the ground to crawl into.
Too embarrassing!
It was simply too embarrassing!
He, the dignified Taotie Douluo and vice-captain of the Shrek Supervisory Group, was actually being scolded like a grandson by Elder Mu in front of this group of juniors!
Especially when his gaze inadvertently swept over Huo Yuhao.
He clearly remembered that just before the match, Huo Yuhao had cautiously reminded him not to expose too much intelligence.
What had he said at the time?
He said Huo Yuhao was 'worrying groundlessly' and had even mocked Huo Yuhao in public.
As a result, now...
Mu En's words were like loud slaps, fiercely striking his old Face, burning with pain.
At this moment, Xuan Zi only felt as if he were sitting on pins and needles, with thorns on his back and a bone stuck in his throat.
But did he dare to lose his temper?
He didn't.
That was Mu En! That was the Dragon God Douluo! Even if he were given ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to disobey Mu En's wishes.
Finally, in a suffocating silence.
Xuan Zi took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the shame and embarrassment in his heart, and squeezed out a few words from between his teeth:
"...Understood."
He glanced at the middle-aged man who was already trembling with fear and said in a raspy voice:
"Reply to Shaozhe and Elder Mu... say that Xuan Zi understands."
"For the upcoming matches... I will be careful."
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