Douluo Continent: My name is Lu Mingfei, and my martial soul is Lu Mingze.

Old Mu also remained silent for a while.

"So, what do you think constitutes success?"

Lu Mingfei scratched his head.

"This is a difficult question."

"Take your time to think about it, there's no rush."

After thinking for a long time, Lu Mingfei finally spoke.

"I can't quite put my finger on it. But I feel like I can't be the worst of the worst, right? It's like... I know I'm not the best, but I don't want to be trampled on at the bottom. I have to at least do justice to Old Wang's trip; he didn't come for nothing."

Old Mu remained silent.

Lu Mingfei waited for a while but received no response, and he started to feel uneasy.

Did I say something wrong?

"Alright," Old Mu suddenly spoke, a hint of amusement in his voice, "Turn around now."

Lu Mingfei turned around.

Old Mu still had his back to him, but he felt that the old man's voice sounded much kinder than before.

"Mingfei, I have a question for you."

"Please ask."

"If someone told you that you would become a very powerful Soul Master in the future, what would you think?"

Lu Mingfei paused for a moment, then smiled.

"I would feel like that person is trying to fool me."

Why?

"Because my soul power increases slower than a snail, I can't beat others in fights, and I can't even pass the second-year assessment. If this were how you could become a powerful soul master, then the whole world would be full of Soul Douluos and Title Douluos."

Old Mu smiled again.

"What if I said I could help you?"

Lu Mingfei was stunned.

He opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but his mind was a little foggy.

"You... will help me?"

"Yes, I'll help you," said Old Mu, "but on one condition."

"What are the conditions?"

"You will be entering the inner courtyard, and there will be some requirements later, but there will be no harm."

The entire hall fell silent upon hearing this.

Lu Mingfei thought he had misheard.

He turned to look at Zhang Lexuan.

Zhang Lexuan's expression was also a little surprised, but she quickly regained her composure and nodded to him, meaning—you heard me right.

Lu Mingfei turned back and looked at Old Mu's thin back.

"Elder Mu, are you sure you're not mistaken? Someone of my level, getting into the Inner Academy? Doesn't the Inner Academy only accept geniuses? What would someone like me—no, what would an ordinary student like me do there? Sweep floors?"

"There are plenty of people sweeping the inner courtyard too," Old Mu said. "I'm just asking you now, are you willing?"

Lu Mingfei remained silent for a while.

Old Wang said, "You're destined for great things."

Lu Mingfei always felt that this sentence was just a polite formality, the same as "I'll treat you to dinner another day".

But what if...?

What if Old Wang wasn't mistaken?

He took a deep breath.

"I do."

The voice wasn't loud, but it was firm.

Old Mu laughed, and this time his laughter was louder than before.

"Alright, Lexuan, go and invite a few elders over. Tell them I have something to discuss with them."

Zhang Lexuan bowed: "Yes."

She turned and walked towards the door, glancing at Lu Mingfei as she passed by.

That glance held surprise, doubt, and something else that was hard to explain.

Lu Mingfei grinned at her.

Zhang Lexuan ignored him and quickly walked out.

She had just stepped out when she bumped into a young man.

The boy looked to be about fifteen or sixteen years old. He was wearing a blue school uniform, had a clean-cut appearance, and bright, dark eyes. He had a gentle and refined demeanor.

"Beibei?" Zhang Lexuan was taken aback.

"Senior Sister Lexuan." Beibei nodded slightly and greeted her politely.

"You've come to see Elder Mu?"

"Um, something came up."

Zhang Lexuan nodded, asked no further questions, stepped aside to make way, and quickly left.

Beibei watched her departing figure without giving it much thought, and pushed open the door to enter the Sea God Pavilion.

As soon as he entered, he saw Lu Mingfei standing in the middle of the hall.

"Junior Brother Lu?" Bei Bei was a little surprised. "What are you doing here?"

Lu Mingfei turned his head and saw Bei Bei, and was also stunned for a moment.

"Senior Brother Beibei? You're here too?"

"I've come to see Elder Mu." Bei Bei walked up to him, looking him up and down. "Your injuries haven't healed yet? You look so pale?"

He had naturally heard about the fight between Lu Mingfei and Wang Dong before, but didn't Yuhao say a few days ago that Lu Mingfei's injury should be healed soon?

"It's alright, it's alright, I won't die." Lu Mingfei waved his hand and then lowered his voice.

"Senior Brother Beibei, are you very familiar with Elder Mu?"

Beibei smiled slightly.

"He is my great-grandfather."

"Ancestor Xuan?" Lu Mingfei counted on his fingers.

"That was your great-great-grandfather?"

"almost."

Lu Mingfei's eyes widened.

"Wow, your family must be incredibly powerful!"

Beibei smiled but didn't reply. Instead, she turned to look at Old Mu in his wheelchair.

"Ancestor Xuan, why did you summon Junior Brother Lu here...?"

Old Mu waved his hand.

You'll find out later.

Beibei responded and found a chair to sit down. Her gaze swept over Lu Mingfei twice, but she still couldn't figure out what was going on.

Lu Mingfei didn't understand either.

He knew that Elder Mu had said he would help him and let him into the inner courtyard, so he sent someone to invite Elder Su.

The progress was so fast, it was like a rocket launch, and he's still a bit dazed.

"Senior Brother Beibei," Lu Mingfei leaned closer, "Is Old Man Mu doing well?"

Beibei glanced at him and nodded.

"Ancestor Xuanzu... was very kind."

The word "kind" feels a bit odd when used to describe Limit Douluo.

Is someone who has reached the position of one of the top people in the world and the head of the Sea God Pavilion of Shrek Academy really kind?

But Lu Mingfei thought about it and felt it was quite fitting, at least for now there was no overt display of talent.

From the moment we met, this old man spoke slowly and laughed softly, truly like a kind old grandfather.

Although this old man could blow him away with just a breath.

"Beibei, why don't you go out for a moment?" Old Mu suddenly spoke up.

Beibei paused for a moment, but didn't ask any more questions. She stood up, clasped her hands in a fist salute, and turned to leave.

The door closed.

Only Lu Mingfei and Old Mu remained in the hall.

Lu Mingfei stood there, feeling a little awkward.

Old Mu remained silent for a while, then suddenly spoke.

"What do you think of that girl, Lexuan?"

Lu Mingfei was stunned for a moment.

"Senior Zhang? That's great."

"What's so good about it?"

"He's good-looking, kind-hearted, and even helped me."

"So, do you think she and Beibei are a good match?"

Lu Mingfei was stunned for a moment.

He recalled the scene when Zhang Lexuan and Beibei met at the door earlier. The two greeted each other politely, nothing special.

But when Elder Mu asked this question, the meaning became quite clear.

"Are they... engaged?" Lu Mingfei asked tentatively.

Old Mu didn't answer, he just smiled.

There was an indescribable feeling in that smile, like a sigh or a lament.

"Not really, just a silly girl who was tricked into making a vow by the old man, and who already has someone she loves." Old Mu's voice was very soft, as if he were talking to himself.

"You don't deserve it."

Lu Mingfei remained silent.

He understood.

Zhang Lexuan has feelings for Beibei, but Beibei has feelings for someone else.

He hadn't experienced this kind of thing firsthand, but he had seen it before.

Yes, I've seen him in a previous dream; he was the one who suffered the most.

"When it comes to feelings," Lu Mingfei said, his voice much lower than usual.

"It's hard to explain."

"You think they're not good enough?" Old Mu asked.

Lu Mingfei thought for a moment and said, "I think... I think it's not up to me. Only they can decide this. If you think they're not good enough, he thinks they are, and she thinks they're worth it, then that's all there is to it, isn't it?"

Old Mu remained silent.

Lu Mingfei wasn't sure if he was right or wrong, so he simply shut up.

After a while, footsteps were heard at the door.

The door was pushed open, and Zhang Lexuan walked in.

Several elderly men followed behind her, each with a profound aura, clearly the kind of figures who stood at the pinnacle of the Soul Master world.

Lu Mingfei subconsciously shrank to the side.

Several elders walked in and, upon seeing Lu Mingfei, all turned their gazes to him.

The feeling of being stared at by several powerful gazes at the same time was like being surrounded by several ferocious beasts, and Lu Mingfei's legs went weak.

"Mr. Mu, everyone's here," Zhang Lexuan said.

Old Mu nodded.

Then he spoke, his voice not loud, but every word was clear.

"Mingfei, turn me around."

Lu Mingfei paused for a moment, then quickly walked over, grasped the handles of the recliner with both hands, and gently turned the recliner around.

Old Mu looked at Lu Mingfei, a slight smile playing on his lips, and then turned to look at the other elders.

"I called you here because there's something I need to discuss."

The elders looked at him, waiting for him to continue.

Old Mu then looked at Lu Mingfei, his gaze carrying an indescribable gentleness.

"Mingfei, take a look, who do you want to become your disciple?"