Mu En's voice sounded again, and his tone no longer held the cold severity he had shown Xuan Zi; instead, it held a hint of fatigue and gentleness.
Everyone was stunned for a moment, somewhat unable to believe their ears.
"What? Do I need to invite you to get up?" Mu En said indifferently.
"N-no, we wouldn't dare!"
Only then did Ma Xiaotao and the others wake up from their stupor, hurriedly scrambling up from the ground, but they still kept their hands at their sides and heads bowed, not daring to look Mu En in the eye.
Mu En looked at these terrified children and let out a soft sigh.
"Do you think my punishment of Xuan Zi was too heavy?"
Everyone remained silent, not daring to respond.
"Was it heavy? I don't think it was heavy at all," Mu En answered his own question. "The reason I punished him so severely wasn't because the competition was lost, but because his performance as the team leader was truly terrible and deeply disappointing!"
Mu En's gaze became sharp. "From the very beginning of the tournament, he failed in his responsibility to hide your strength and gather intelligence; instead, he allowed you to expose your trump cards. When facing powerful enemies, his tactical deployment was a complete mess, and he was led around by the nose by the opponent!"
"An incompetent general exhausts the entire army. Seventy percent of the responsibility for this failure lies with him."
Having said this, Mu En changed the subject, his gaze falling softly upon Ma Xiaotao and the others.
"As for you all..."
"I will not punish you."
As soon as these words were spoken, Ma Xiaotao and the others snapped their heads up, their eyes filled with disbelief.
No punishment?
After causing Shrek's most disastrous defeat in ten thousand years, they weren't being punished?
"Elder Mu, we..." Ma Xiaotao's eyes were red, her voice choked with emotion. "We lost the competition and shamed the academy; we are willing to be punished..."
"A loss is a loss." Mu En waved his hand, interrupting her. "As long as you did your best, there is nothing to be punished for. I know that in that match, every one of you gave your all. That is enough."
"While Shrek values glory, it values backbone even more. You did not lose Shrek's backbone."
Hearing this, Dai Yueheng, Ling Luochen, and the others could no longer control themselves, and tears burst from their eyes.
This relief of surviving a disaster, combined with the touch of being understood, left them with a mix of complex emotions.
"And this failure might not necessarily be a bad thing for you."
Mu En spoke with heartfelt earnestness, "For these ten thousand years, Shrek has always stood at the Peak of the continent, accustomed to hearing praise and being sought after."
"You children have been indoctrinated with the concept of 'Shrek is invincible' since you entered the school; it's inevitable that pride would grow in your hearts, making you look down on everything."
"But this time, that young man named Liu Yuan gave us all a resounding slap in the face with facts."
"He told us that there is always someone better, and there are always heavens beyond heavens."
"This slap was well-delivered; it woke up Xuan Zi, and it's time it woke you all up too."
Mu En's gaze was deep and distant.
"A temporary failure decides nothing. A true powerhouse is not someone who is never defeated, but someone who, after a disastrous defeat, can wipe away the blood, face the gap, and then catch up step by step until they surpass once again!"
"Many of you will be unable to participate in the next tournament due to age. But this does not mean your path as a Spirit Master ends here. This painful lesson will be the most precious treasure in your future Cultivation. Remember this sense of shame; it will spur you to go further."
As he spoke, Mu En looked at Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the other Reserve Team members, his eyes filled with expectation.
"As for you young children..."
"Five years. You still have five years."
"In these five years, I hope you can undergo self-imposed hardships and Cultivate diligently. Etch today's shame into your hearts and turn it into motivation. Strive to win back the lost championship and Shrek's glory fairly and squarely in the next tournament!"
"Can you do it?!"
Mu En's voice, though old, carried a deafening power.
"Yes!!"
Ma Xiaotao and the others roared in unison, their voices carrying an unprecedented determination. The previously listless aura was swept away, replaced by a raging fighting spirit.
Seeing the children's reignited fighting spirit, Mu En nodded with satisfaction.
"Good. All of you go down and rest; heal your wounds, and from tomorrow, everything will proceed as usual."
"Yes! Elder Mu!"
Everyone saluted respectfully, then turned and exited the Sea Gods Pavilion in an orderly fashion. Each person's back was a bit straighter than when they had arrived.
However, just as the crowd was about to disperse completely.
"Bei Bei, stay for a moment."
Mu En's voice suddenly rang out, calling to Bei Bei, who was walking at the very back.
Bei Bei was startled and stopped in his tracks.
Xu Sanshi and the others ahead glanced back at him; although they were somewhat puzzled, they didn't dare ask more, and after giving him a meaningful look, they left.
Soon, the heavy doors slowly closed.
In the dim hall, only Mu En on the recliner and the respectfully standing Bei Bei remained.
"Progenitor Xuan, do you have any instructions?"
In private, Bei Bei reverted to the familial address, his demeanor respectful with a hint of intimacy.
Mu En did not speak immediately but watched Bei Bei quietly, his finger lightly tapping the armrest of the recliner, seemingly deep in thought.
This silence made Bei Bei feel a bit uneasy; did Progenitor Xuan have some other arrangement for him? Or was he going to reprimand him privately?
After a long while.
Mu En finally spoke, but the question he asked was completely beyond Bei Bei's expectations.
"Bei Bei."
A glint of sharpness flashed in Mu En's cloudy old eyes as he asked slowly:
"I recall..."
"Your personal relationship with that Liu Yuan... seems to be quite good?"
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