Chapter 119: "Become My Disciple"
Hearing this, Lin Xuan fell silent for a moment. Seeing this, a faint glint flickered in Mu En's eyes, and he couldn't help but sigh inwardly.
This child... still doesn't trust the Academy...
But then, he heard Lin Xuan suddenly speak in a relaxed tone, "Since Senior has asked, I will naturally tell you everything I know without reservation. Besides, this isn't some unspeakable secret."
Mu En was somewhat surprised. "Then just now?"
"I was just thinking about how to phrase it." Lin Xuan smiled slightly and didn't beat around the bush, saying directly,
"Just as you suspected, the reason I possess the Ultimate Light attribute isn't because of a second Martial Soul, but rather through the development of my own Martial Soul."
"Oh?"
Mu En was slightly stunned upon hearing this, then his eyes lit up, and he immediately became interested. In all his years, he had never heard of anyone developing a Martial Soul to the point of manifesting a second attribute, let alone reaching the Ultimate level.
After all, aren't a Martial Soul's attributes determined from the start? If one truly possessed a second attribute, it should be through the absorption of some rare treasure; how could it be developed?
Lin Xuan didn't immediately reveal his prepared explanation, but instead asked about something else.
"Senior, how do you view life and death?"
Mu En was slightly taken aback, and his interest grew further. He thought for a moment before slowly speaking.
"Life and death are opposites, yet neither can be lacking. Only with life is there death, and only with death is there life."
Lin Xuan nodded. "Exactly. The so-called living is the root of the dead, and the dead is the root of the living. The two are opposites, yet they are also connected, just like light and shadow, or destruction and life."
He looked at Mu En and said with a calm gaze.
"Applying this to the path of Martial Souls, the healing system represents life. Aside from that, most Martial Souls represent death."
Lin Xuan hadn't finished his sentence, but Mu En's expression had already changed. He murmured in a low voice, repeating those words.
"The living is the root of the dead, the dead is the root of the living... Light and shadow... Opposites, yet interconnected..."
Suddenly, he let out a long sigh of relief. Those cloudy old eyes were now filled with admiration.
"If this old man's guess is correct..." Mu En looked at Lin Xuan and said word by word, "The reason you possess the Ultimate Light attribute is that you used that Shikigami with healing abilities to instill that healing power into your Martial Soul in some special way, causing the Martial Soul's nature to completely reverse."
"Am I right?"
Lin Xuan smiled. See, talking to smart people was effortless.
He nodded, confirming Mu En's suspicion. "Senior has a keen eye."
Mu En shook his head, the admiration on his face growing even stronger.
"I really don't know how your young brain works to come up with such a stunning idea."
He asked himself: if his Martial Soul were the same as Lin Xuan's, it would have been absolutely impossible for him to develop such a heaven-defying method.
Forget developing it; even if Lin Xuan had told him the method, he wouldn't have had the ability to use it. After all, throughout the entire history of Soul Masters, let alone achieving it, no one had ever even considered that the characteristics of a Martial Soul could be artificially reversed.
Mu En was silent for a moment, then asked, "Can other healing system Soul Masters achieve this method?"
Lin Xuan shook his head. "I'm not sure, but I suspect that in all likelihood, they cannot."
He paused and explained, "To achieve this, one must satisfy a prerequisite: while possessing their original Martial Soul, they must also have a powerful and pure healing ability."
"In other words, even Twin Martial Souls users can't do it; the Martial Soul characteristics must be similar to mine."
Mu En nodded. He wasn't at all surprised by the difficulty of this feat; after all, this was something Lin Xuan had developed specifically for his own Martial Soul. Even a slight discrepancy would make it impossible.
But at the same time, he had also derived two crucial pieces of information from this.
First, Lin Xuan's talent and brilliance could be called the greatest of all time.
He had completely stepped outside the framework of Martial Souls. In his eyes, a Martial Soul was not unchangeable, but rather a tool similar to a spirit tool that could be developed according to one's will.
Second, Lin Xuan's Martial Soul quality was God-ranked. A Body Martial Soul with an attribute close to Ultimate Darkness, which then possessed the Ultimate Light attribute after reversal.
And most importantly, his Shikigami, especially the one with healing abilities...
Mu En lifted his eyelids and glanced at Lin Xuan. Although he had heard from Xuan Zi and the others that Lin Xuan's healing ability required time to accumulate,
Having lived so long, how could he not see that Lin Xuan was hiding a trump card in this matter?
However, he didn't mind; instead, he admired him even more.
Cautious and rational, yet not cold-blooded. Otherwise, if Lin Xuan truly wanted to hide this ability, he wouldn't have stepped in to save Xixi and the other two.
Thinking of this, Mu En made a final decision.
Now that Xuan Zi was crippled, even if his cultivation returned to Rank 98 in the future, it would be hard for him to shoulder heavy responsibilities. Yan Shaozhe was even less worth mentioning; he was too calculating, and this was likely as far as he would go in this life.
The rest, such as Elder Song, Elder Lin, and so on, would probably find it difficult to take another step forward in this lifetime. As for the next generation, although talents were many, they needed too much time to grow.
Zhang Lexuan's cultivation speed and strength were acceptable, but given the current situation, it was still too slow, and it was hard to say how far she could ultimately go.
Once he passed away... what would become of Shrek then?
It was impossible to say... Thinking of this, Mu En no longer hesitated. He looked at Lin Xuan with unprecedented solemnity and asked warmly,
"Child, are you willing to become my disciple?"
Hearing this, Lin Xuan was not surprised at all. He just looked at Mu En quietly without saying a word.
Mu En looked into his eyes and understood. He knew that for a rational genius like Lin Xuan, talking about feelings was useless; one had to talk about benefits.
Mu En continued, "As long as you nod and agree today, you will be my final disciple. Furthermore, I will guarantee with the honor of the Sea God Pavilion Master that you will be the successor to the Sea God Pavilion Master for the next generation."
He paused and said word by word, "At the same time, all of Shrek's resources will be tilted toward you without reservation. Hundred-thousand-year Soul Rings and Soul Bones—as long as you can absorb them, the Academy will provide everything. All you need to do is simple: shoulder the responsibilities that come with being the Sea God Pavilion Master."
"If you love freedom and are unwilling to be bound by a Binding Vow, I can even make a concession. Ten years. You serve as the Sea God Pavilion Master for ten years. After ten years, whether you stay or leave, the Academy will not interfere."
Mu En looked at Lin Xuan and asked with burning eyes, "Child, are you willing?"
He thought Lin Xuan would think for a while, but to his surprise, Lin Xuan spoke without hesitation.
"I'm sorry, Senior. I already have a master. Please forgive me for being unable to accept your kindness."
Mu En was stunned. For the first time, a look of clear bewilderment appeared in those cloudy old eyes.
"You have a master?"
Lin Xuan nodded and smiled slightly. "The Academy must have checked my background. If so, you should know my origins."
Mu En's brow furrowed slightly as he nodded slowly. Alone and of unknown origin—these were the two most prominent labels on Lin Xuan's file.
Lin Xuan continued, "Since I was alone, no matter how strong my Martial Soul or how high my talent, how could I have grown up during my childhood?"
Mu En's gaze changed. He understood Lin Xuan's meaning. This child had been scouted from the very beginning. Someone had appeared when he was at his weakest, protecting his path, leading him through the door, and perhaps even continuing to this day.
Who was it? The Heaven Dou Empire? The Dou Ling Empire? Or perhaps some old friends he hadn't seen in a long time?
Countless names flashed through Mu En's mind, only to be rejected one by one.
Seeing him like this, Lin Xuan couldn't help but laugh.
"You don't need to guess. My master isn't some powerhouse; he was merely a Great Soul Master."
Mu En was stunned. This time, he was truly dumbfounded.
A Great Soul Master?
He thought he had misheard, but Lin Xuan's expression told him he hadn't.
Lin Xuan added, "And he passed away long ago."
Mu En fell silent. He never imagined that Lin Xuan's reason for rejecting the apprenticeship offer from the Sea God Pavilion Master would be because of a deceased master who was only a Great Soul Master.
If anyone else were here, they would likely be dumbstruck. How could someone reject the Shrek Sea God Pavilion Master's offer for the sake of a Great Soul Master?
That was Mu En! The Dragon God Douluo! A Limit Douluo! One of the top powerhouses on the continent!
But Lin Xuan did exactly that.
Lin Xuan looked at Mu En and said in a calm tone,
"Without my master, I would not be here today. Without me, my master would not have had peace in his final years."
He paused, a smile appearing at the corner of his mouth. "The old man's cultivation was low. In fact, when he took me in, it was merely because he saw I had innate full Soul Power and thought he'd take a disciple so that after he died, he could brag to his old friends in the underworld about having taught a Titled Douluo."
"But if he hadn't risked his life to help me obtain my first Soul Ring..."
Lin Xuan looked at Mu En and said word by word, "Otherwise, how could I have become who I am today?"
Mu En fell silent. He stared into Lin Xuan's eyes for a very long time. In those cloudy old eyes, something seemed to flicker slightly.
Then he laughed, a very hearty and cheerful laugh.
"Good, good, good!"
He said 'good' three times in a row. There wasn't a hint of displeasure in his voice, only full appreciation and admiration.
If he had previously wanted to take Lin Xuan as a disciple because of his talent, he now valued Lin Xuan's character.
Furthermore, he saw another thing: Lin Xuan seemed to prioritize interests above all else, but in reality, as long as you truly shared your heart with him and built a deep bond, he would step forward without hesitation even if there were no benefits or even danger.
This kind of person was the most rare.
Mu En reached out and gently patted Lin Xuan's shoulder.
"Since you already have a master, I naturally won't force you. At the same time, I will speak plainly: as long as you do not stray onto a crooked path or join the Sun Moon Empire, I will not interfere. On the contrary, I will support you vigorously. After all, every genius is a treasure that the continent can only hope to encounter."
"So, child, can you tell me if you can do that?"
"Rest assured, Elder. I will not take the paths of the Evil Soul Masters or the Sun Moon Empire. I have always been irreconcilable with evil," Lin Xuan replied without hesitation.
"Good, I believe you," Mu En's voice was gentle as he smiled with relief. "Come with me."
He then raised a finger and pointed. In the next moment, a dense golden halo enveloped the two of them. The scene before their eyes shifted, and when they could see their surroundings clearly again, they were already inside a massive hall.
The hall was astonishingly spacious. Unknown crystals were embedded in the surrounding walls, emitting a soft light. On both sides were several corridors winding deep into the distance, leading to unknown places.
"This is the underground of the Sea God Pavilion," Mu En's voice echoed in the empty hall. "There are a total of one hundred and eight rooms, covering environments suitable for all Martial Souls. Cultivating under the Gold Tree yields twice the result with half the effort."
He turned his head to look at Lin Xuan. "Follow the leftmost passage to the end, open the door there, and then begin your meditation inside."
He paused before continuing, "I hope that after your meditation ends, you will have found your own path."
Hearing this, Lin Xuan turned to look at Mu En. The figure of the old man was reflected in his black eyes.
"Senior, I already have the answer to what you asked. From beginning to end, it has never changed."
Mu En was slightly taken aback, and then Lin Xuan softly uttered two words.
"The strongest."
With that, he turned around and walked into the middle-left passage without looking back.
...
In the passage, the sound of footsteps echoed softly.
Lin Xuan walked at a steady pace. The crystals on both sides emitted a soft light, stretching his shadow long and short.
Inside the Spiritual Sea, the Tianmeng Ice Silkworm finally couldn't hold it in anymore.
"Lin Xuan! Those words you just said were way too touching! What 'without my master I wouldn't be here today,' what 'without me my master wouldn't have been able to finish his remaining years'... I almost cried!"
The Ice Empress rarely didn't show disdain for him and nodded along. "Indeed."
A trace of complexity flashed in her ice-blue eyes. "I didn't expect you to have such a past... That Great Soul Master teacher, though his cultivation was low, actually risked his life to get you your first Soul Ring..."
"He is a person worthy of respect."
Lin Xuan's footsteps paused slightly, and then he laughed softly.
"It was fake."
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm:???
Ice Empress:???
"Wait, Lin Xuan, what did you say?!" The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's voice cracked. "Fake?! Such a touching story, and you say it's fake?!"
The Ice Empress was also stunned. A rare look of daze appeared on her exquisite face.
"But you spoke so earnestly just now... those eyes, that tone, that expression..."
Lin Xuan continued walking forward, his tone calm. "It was all just an act for Mu En to see."
The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm fell silent, and the Ice Empress fell silent as well.
"No, brother..." The Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's voice carried a deep sense of helplessness.
"Since it's fake, how could you say it like it actually happened?! I almost thought you were really that kind of sentimental and righteous good guy!"
Lin Xuan was speechless. "Am I not a good person?"
Tianmeng Ice Silkworm: "Hard to say."
The Ice Empress took a deep breath and pressed further, "Then why did you make up such a story to reject Mu En's request to take you as a disciple? Isn't becoming the disciple of a Limit Douluo a good thing?"
Lin Xuan's footsteps didn't stop. His voice echoed softly in the corridor.
"Even if I refuse, won't Mu En still hand Shrek over to me?"
The Ice Empress was startled. Lin Xuan continued.
"Besides me, who else can he give it to? Yan Shaozhe?"
The Ice Empress fell silent. She understood. Inheriting the position of Pavilion Master as Mu En's disciple would mean Lin Xuan owed Shrek. But if Shrek had no other choice and was forced to hand the position to him, then Shrek would owe him.
The difference between the two was as vast as heaven and earth.
While speaking, Lin Xuan had reached the end of the passage. He paused slightly. Before him was an ancient door with no patterns or decorations, only the mottled traces left by time.
He reached out and pushed the door open. The moment he stepped into the room, an aura that made him feel exceptionally comfortable instantly enveloped him!
That aura was so dense it almost condensed into substance, surging from all directions to shroud his entire being!
It was pure, dense dark elements that had almost condensed into liquid!
Lin Xuan took a deep breath, feeling his whole person become several degrees more comfortable.
His gaze swept across the room. Five Soul Bones were embedded in the surrounding walls, each emitting a dark glow. Their quality was extremely high, and their ages were all over ten thousand years.
All of them were of the darkness attribute and of extremely high quality.
Lin Xuan raised an eyebrow. This Shrek Academy was truly wealthy and powerful.
His gaze continued to move, finally landing on a glass bottle in the center of the room.
The bottle wasn't large and was completely transparent. Inside was a pitch-black liquid, thick as ink, with faint light flowing through it, emitting heart-palpitating fluctuations.
Just as he looked at the bottle, Mu En's voice suddenly rang out leisurely in the room.
"This is all the essence blood from the body of a hundred-thousand-year-old Night Magic Dragon. It is the legacy left behind by a previous Sea God Pavilion Master after obtaining their eighth Soul Ring."
"The value of this bottle of essence blood, while not comparable to a Soul Ring or Soul Bone, isn't far off."
Mu En paused and continued, "Now, it belongs to you. Consider it a reward for your contributions to the academy."
Lin Xuan was slightly startled. Then, he turned toward the direction he had come from and bowed solemnly.
"Thank you, Senior."
He then straightened up and looked at the bottle of essence blood. The essence blood of a hundred-thousand-year darkness attribute Soul Beast—this was indeed a grand gesture.
He stepped forward and picked up the bottle. A cold sensation came through the glass, yet he could feel the vast energy contained within.
Lin Xuan didn't delay any further. He sat cross-legged on the ground, adjusted his state, then pulled out the stopper and drank it all in one gulp.
The moment the pitch-black liquid entered his throat, a vast energy that was almost terrifying exploded within his body!
dark elements, like a flood breaking a dam, frantically surged through his limbs and bones!
At the same time, the already dense dark elements in the room seemed to be pulled by some kind of force, frantically rushing toward him!
Silently, Lin Xuan's body shook slightly as he automatically entered a meditative state. With his eyes closed, a faint dark glow circulated around him, merging with the dark elements in the room.
He sat there quietly, like a statue that had been slumbering for a thousand years.
...
In the Sea God Pavilion's meeting hall, Mu En had already lain back down on his lounge chair.
"The strongest... what an extraordinary path..." Mu En sighed softly with emotion.
At this time, the door to the meeting hall was pushed open. Walking in was a stunning woman about twenty years old. Her long black hair fell all the way to her waist. Her black eyes were bright and wise, her exquisite face was fair and flawless, and her calm and gentle temperament was unforgettable at first sight.
She was the eldest senior sister of the Inner Court, Zhang Lexuan.
"Elder Xuan, did Elder Mu have something for me to come over for?" Zhang Lexuan approached Mu En, bowed, and asked softly.
Mu En turned his head to look at Zhang Lexuan. After a long while, he slowly spoke.
"Lexuan, what do you think of this child, Lin Xuan?"
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