Douluo Continent II: The Dragon Breaks the Nine Heavens

Chapter 222 Golden Tree: Punishment and Reward

Looking at the towering tree in the distance, tens of meters high, with every leaf radiating a hazy golden light, Lin Yun almost drooled.

The golden tree!

The life source of the Douluo Continent!

The energy level contained in this thing is definitely at the god level, and it belongs to the extremely nourishing light and life attributes. If Lin Yun were to take a couple of bites of it with Dragon's Bite, he couldn't even imagine how delicious it would be.

Hmm... it might even have a hint of Blue Silver Grass scent.

After all, Ah Yin is currently sleeping in the Golden Tree, trying to possess the life essence of this Douluo plane. Eating the Golden Tree is the same as eating the Blue Silver Emperor.

Noticing Lin Yun's gaze, Xian Lin'er smiled and said, "See that? That's our Shrek Academy's treasure, the Golden Tree, which is unique in the entire Douluo Continent. If you become an inner disciple, you will also have the opportunity to cultivate in the Golden Tree."

Although Lin Yun explicitly rejected her, stating that he would not join the Soul Guidance Department, he could join the Martial Soul Department if the Soul Guidance Department didn't work out.

The power struggles between the Soul Guidance System and the Martial Soul System are all family matters behind closed doors; the most important thing is how to keep Lin Yun at Shrek Academy.

Xianlin'er's intention in saying this was also to lay her cards on the table, to tell you openly that Shrek Academy has good stuff, and that as long as you join, you can enjoy the feeling of cultivation aided by the Golden Tree.

Get twice the result with half the effort.

The benefits of the Golden Tree are obvious. Just by arriving at Seagod Island and bathing in its light, everyone felt their soul power becoming more active.

Moreover, this feeling grew stronger as they got closer to the golden tree.

Of all the people, Huo Yuhao felt it most deeply.

He was the one with the worst innate ability. From the time he awakened his first-level innate soul power, it took him almost twelve years old to reach the tenth level. He was the most sensitive to the speed at which his soul power cultivation improved.

Titan Snow Demon is not like Ice Emperor; it did not bring much potential improvement to Huo Yuhao, and his innate abilities did not recover to a very high level.

Even though he now possesses the Titan Snow Demon Martial Soul, his innate soul power is at most around level seven.

This was all thanks to the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm, who was willing to use its own essence to elevate his body, which had terrible talent, to the level of a minor genius.

This already made him very happy.

To use Huo Qubing's analogy from the original novel, if his original cultivation speed was like sipping chrysanthemum tea through a small straw, then now, with the assistance of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, it's like pouring water into his mouth through a tap. With the assistance of the Golden Tree, it's like a super-powerful spray from a fire hydrant.

This made Huo so envious that he practically wanted to hang his eyes on the gold tree.

It was obvious that Xian Lin'er noticed Huo Yuhao's expression, and the others also had some longing on their faces. Only Ma Xiaotao, the rebellious disciple who had opened Yan Shaozhe's back door, didn't have any thoughts about the Golden Tree.

After all, she grew up in Shrek Academy. Without the Golden Tree's assistance, how could she have achieved such a terrifying cultivation level of 67 at the age of less than 20 in the original story, despite being burdened by the Evil Fire?

Her talent isn't that great.

We're already sick of the benefits from the Golden Tree program.

No one else, including Beibei, Mu En's great-grandson, received the same treatment as Ma Xiaotao. Beibei could only occasionally go to the Golden Tree to cultivate.

The bait to accelerate cultivation is incredibly tempting; almost no one can resist it.

Just as Xian Lin'er was full of confidence and was about to see Lin Yun's reaction, she found that his expression did not change at all. There was no longing or yearning in his eyes, and his eyes even showed a hint of indifference.

"?"

Xianlin'er was dumbfounded.

Even the Golden Tree can't interest you, Lin Yun!

No, no, no, impossible, absolutely impossible!

No one can resist the allure of the golden tree!

To be honest, Shrek Academy had accumulated a lot of wealth and valuable items through thousands of years of plundering, but the most precious of all was the Golden Tree. Xianlin'er couldn't accept Lin Yun's attitude that he didn't even value the Golden Tree, and she couldn't accept that someone else would disdain what she cherished.

She didn't even dare to think too much about it. If even the Golden Tree couldn't impress Lin Yun, what else could Shrek Academy have that would make Lin Yun want to join?

Xian Lin'er remained silent for a long time, until she entered the Sea God Pavilion, when she finally came to her senses and let out a soft sigh.

"Such a genius, why doesn't he belong to Shrek Academy?"

At this moment, apart from Yan Shaozhe, who was forced into seclusion, and Xuanzi, who was forcibly imprisoned, all the elders in the Sea God Pavilion were already seated in their respective positions. Xian Lin'er also stepped out from the group and sat in her seat.

Since Yan Shaozhe was absent, Cai Meier became the host of the meeting.

"Welcome back to Shrek Academy, my little heroes! Your performance in this competition was outstanding, and you successfully upheld the glory of Shrek Academy. Therefore, we are making an exception and will reward you in the Sea God Pavilion!" Cai Meier said with a smile and a gentle tone, but the next second she turned serious.

"Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, Yao Haoxuan, step forward!"

Ma Xiaotao calmly stepped forward, while Ling Luochen and Yao Haoxuan's hearts skipped a beat, and they followed her out.

"Do you know why I called you out first?" Cai Meier asked softly.

The three of them shook their heads in unison, expressing their confusion.

However, Cai Meier's next words turned serious: "Inner Court disciples Ma Xiaotao, Ling Luochen, and Yao Haoxuan, due to carelessness during the mission, made a fatal mistake, resulting in heavy casualties for the team in the encirclement and suppression of the evil soul masters. They are hereby given a major demerit!"

"Huh???" Ling Luochen and Yao Haoxuan were completely dumbfounded, while Ma Xiaotao remained calm, her expression unchanged.

Her obsession was simply to finish this tournament and win the championship. After fulfilling her obsession, Lin Yun's slave mark began to take effect. Now, apart from emotional fluctuations caused by Lin Yun, nothing else could affect her.

Unless someone can brainwash her again, and in a way that penetrates her soul, to overturn the slave mark Lin Yun planted.

Otherwise, Ma Xiaotao would only retain Lin Yun's shape.

"What, is there a problem with you?" Although Cai Meier's expression wasn't particularly frightening, she was still the vice dean of the Martial Soul Department, and now the dean. In the hearts of Ling Luochen and Yao Haoxuan, she still held considerable authority.

"Or do you think I'm wrong? You're not freshmen who just entered the inner academy. You've carried out many missions for the inspection team, but all those missions haven't allowed you to learn any experience. That's why you suffered such heavy losses even when facing a mere Soul King level evil soul master."

Ling Luochen and the other person opened their mouths, wanting to refute, but they couldn't refute at all.

Because what Cai Meier said was true.

Xuanzi's failure to arrive in time is one thing, but their complete disregard for the Grim Reaper is another. If they had been cautious from the beginning, the losses certainly wouldn't have been so great. Chen Zifeng is dead, Xixi is crippled, Dai Yueheng is crippled, Gongyang Mo is half-crippled, and the remaining three are all injured.

While the Death Messenger's corpse explosion was impressive, they were still elite disciples from Shrek Academy's inner court, so it's impossible that they had no backup plan.

The reason they suffered such great losses was entirely because they didn't take the Grim Reaper seriously.

Arrogance is the original sin of destruction.

Cai Meier silently observed the expressions of the three people in front of her. Apart from Ma Xiaotao's unwavering calmness, which puzzled her, she was quite satisfied with the reactions of Ling Luochen and Yao Haoxuan.

That's the right way. Only those of you can better contribute to Shrek Academy.

Cai Meier didn't take Ma Xiaotao's behavior to heart. Instead, she said that among all these people, Ma Xiaotao was the one she was closest to.

She was Yan Shaozhe's personal disciple, while Cai Meier was Yan Shaozhe's wife. Cai Meier had often interacted with Ma Xiaotao, and Ma Xiaotao always respected her, calling her "Master's Wife" sweetly.

Cai Meier didn't believe that Ma Xiaotao would disagree with her on such a matter.

Ma Xiaotao didn't argue with Cai Meier, and quietly said, "This is indeed our mistake, and it's also my dereliction of duty as the team leader. I have no objection to the academy's arrangements."

Seeing this, Ling Luochen and Yao Haoxuan also humbly admitted their mistakes.

Cai Meier nodded slightly, quite satisfied: "Although you made a big mistake this time, you made up for it in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament and upheld Shrek Academy's glory. So this time, your merits and demerits cancel each other out."

"The major demerits will still be recorded, but they will not be recorded in your files as a warning. You must understand that, at all times, staying alive is your first priority!"

Lin Yun blinked and took a barely perceptible half-step back.

Good heavens.

They truly live up to their Shrek reputation.

Having watched the entire thing from beginning to end, he was now starting to question his existence.

In his previous life, when he read the original novel, he already felt that the plot here was a bit outrageous, but he never expected that he would witness Shrek Academy's PUA (Pick-Up Artist) tactics firsthand.

After all that, people have been cleaning up Shrek Academy's mess for free, hunting down evil spirit masters all over the continent to maintain Shrek Academy's image of compassion, purity, integrity, and justice. You didn't even give them any reward, but instead you suppressed them like this.

Moreover, shouldn't the biggest blame for this operation fall on Xuanzi's head?

What about the old ones?

Lin Yun really didn't believe that Shrek Academy would suppress Xuanzi in the same way they suppressed Ma Xiaotao and the other two. Maybe that old man was hiding in some dark sewer drinking and eating meat right now!

(Kenko at the bottom of the Golden Tree: *burp*)

He received a major demerit, but it was not recorded in his personnel file.

They worked themselves to the bone, doing missions and competing in tournaments, and this is what they got when they came back?

Don't say that inner court disciples enjoy more resources than outer court disciples, so the standards for them are different. When Shrek Academy assigns inspection team tasks to inner court disciples, aren't you just using them as tools?

Then shouldn't Shrek Academy pay you?

Tolerate……

I will endure!

Damn it, stop holding back! Everyone's laughing at me!

"Pfft... Hahaha!!" Lin Yun couldn't hold back and burst out laughing. Then everyone, including many elders of the Sea God Pavilion, turned their attention to him.

Being watched by so many people at the same time was still a bit embarrassing. Lin Yun hesitated for a moment, then couldn't help but laugh.

"Lin Yun, can you tell me what you're laughing at?" Cai Meier asked Lin Yun gently.

Geniuses always have privileges, and Lin Yun is no exception. In fact, he has even more privileges. Even if he laughs out loud in such a serious setting, no one present will think he is being inconsiderate.

Lin Yun's lips twitched, and his expression instantly transformed into a sunny and cheerful boyish smile.

"No, no, I personally admire Dean Cai very much. I absolutely did not mean to question Dean Cai. I just thought of something happy." Lin Yun waved his hand and said with a bright smile.

"Something happy? What's so happy?" Cai Meier was completely led astray by Lin Yun and asked him with a face full of curiosity.

Although the other elders of the Sea God Pavilion did not speak, their gazes kept glancing in this direction, and their ears were all perked up, clearly showing that they were also very curious about Lin Yun's answer.

What could make you so happy?

Lin Yun did not disappoint them, and said in a serious tone, "My pet Ice Jade Scorpion seems to be pregnant."

"Huh?!" *N

"Pfft..." Xiao Xiao couldn't hold back either, she pursed her lips tightly, her face turning red from suppressing her laughter.

"What are you laughing at again?" This time, it wasn't Cai Meier who asked Xiao Xiao, but Xian Lin'er, who hadn't spoken since entering the Sea God Pavilion.

"My pet Ice Jade Scorpion seems to be pregnant too!" Xiao Xiao said in the same serious tone.

"Are the Ice Jade Scorpions you're raising... the same one?" Wu Feng, standing behind Xiao Xiao, leaned over and asked in a low voice.

"Ah...yes, yes!" Xiao Xiao kept a straight face, trying not to burst out laughing again.

Cai Meier shook her head helplessly and said with a smile, "In the end, you're still dissatisfied with or don't understand my approach, right? Considering you're all students from the outer academy, I'll explain it to you."

"As we all know, the admission requirements for Shrek Academy's inner academy are very high. Basically, if five of the sixth-grade students from the outer academies meet the inner academy's standards and are admitted to the inner academy each year, that's already considered a lot."

"In fact, the number of people in our inner academy has never exceeded three digits. A large part of them are even student teaching assistants or inner academy teachers. Moreover, the casualty rate of the inner academy inspection team's missions is extremely high. If I don't wake them up today, they will still rush in mindlessly next time they encounter this situation."

"Instead of being gentle now, let them understand the harm of being arrogant now."

"Living is the most important thing."

Lin Yun didn't know what others thought, but judging from their expressions, he was definitely being manipulated quite a bit.

The resentment on Ling Luochen and Yao Haoxuan's faces faded considerably, replaced by intense gratitude.

That's so sexy...

(End of this chapter)