"You've greatly underestimated Xia Yi. He saw through your intentions with a single glance," Ya Li looked at Zhen Hua, her gaze complicated, and said, "This decision of yours may be the biggest loss the Blacksmith Association has ever faced."
"Perhaps," Zhen Hua sighed softly.
"Even though the Blacksmith Association has wronged him, he will analyze the situation from the perspective of a Divine Craftsman, objectively looking at each matter without blindly shifting all the blame onto you. Such a person is very rare," Ya Li sighed again, a hint of bitterness flashing in her beautiful eyes. She continued, "If the Sea God Pavilion and Tang Sect experts could consider the matters from the perspective of the Sun and Moon Federation like him, Shrek Academy and Tang Sect wouldn't have ended up in their current state."
"If only he were the next Sea God Pavilion master," Ya Li sighed once more. Xia Yi had already pointed out the flaws in Shrek Academy, but she, with her one person, couldn't change much.
Even now, the survivors from Shrek Academy still acted with their own interests at heart.
Currently, there are two candidates for the Sea God Pavilion master in Shrek Academy: Tang Wulin and Lin Pingzhi.
Both are undergoing military training.
Ya Li leaned more towards Tang Wulin. As his talent was unleashed and his strength surged, Ya Li noticed that Lin Pingzhi was often more extreme than Tang Wulin.
Ya Li didn't know the details of Shrek Academy's military training; she would have to wait until the training was over to slowly cultivate Tang Wulin.
But when looking at Xia Yi, she had to admit that no matter how she cultivated, Tang Wulin could never be like Xia Yi.
Not even she herself could be like Xia Yi.
If what happened to Xia Yi today had happened to her, she would have demanded an explanation from Zhen Hua.
But Xia Yi accepted it without question.
Moreover, it seemed like he had already predicted that she would secretly observe with Spiritual Domain. When she raised her eyes, Xia Yi released his own spiritual power, instantly neutralizing her mental energy.
"Petty," Ya Li stomped her foot in frustration. "It's not like I was eavesdropping on some confidential matter. Why can't you just pretend you don't know?"
"What's wrong?" Lan Fozi asked curiously when he felt Xia Yi's spiritual power release.
"Nothing. It's probably because someone's afraid I might take my anger out on Mu Xi," Xia Yi smiled and said. He knew it was Ya Li—only she, at the Extreme Douluo level, could spy on him.
In the entire Blacksmith Association, besides Ya Li, Zhen Hua wouldn't have the ability.
"I'm sorry!" Mu Xi quickly apologized again after hearing Xia Yi.
"Is 'I'm sorry' all you can say?" Xia Yi asked with a smile.
"I..." Mu Xi opened her mouth, biting her red lip. "But the Blacksmith Association and Master Uncle really owe you an apology."
"Actually," Xia Yi said, his gaze complicated, "I should be the one apologizing."
"You're making no sense," Mu Xi said softly, lowering her head. After Xia Yi's reminder, she also guessed Zhen Hua's intentions.
Zhen Hua wanted to make up for the wrongs to Xia Yi while also using this opportunity to match him and Xia Yi together.
Though Xia Yi didn't care, the Blacksmith Association had wronged him, so how could she face him with her persistent feelings?
Looking at Mu Xi with her head lowered, Xia Yi helplessly asked, "Tell me, what did Gu Yue say to you back then?"
"She didn't say much, just some casual talk," Mu Xi lowered her head and said, not revealing Gu Yue's exact words.
"Actually, Gu Yue wasn't wrong," Xia Yi sat down beside Mu Xi's bed. Back then, when Mu Xi willingly gave him up, he could guess what Gu Yue had said to her.
"You mean, everything Gu Yue said was true..." Mu Xi shivered, her face turning pale. She could still clearly remember every word Gu Yue had said to her back then.
She had given Xia Yi up, hoping to prevent him from suffering.
For all these years, she had never asked Xia Yi to confirm Gu Yue's words, leaving herself with a sliver of hope.
But now that hope was ruthlessly shattered by Xia Yi.
"I thought by now, you would have truly moved on, found your own happiness," Xia Yi looked at the photo on Mu Xi's bedside with a complicated gaze full of regret.
Mu Xi was around the same age as Lan Fozi in terms of soul-forming years, about three years older than Xia Yi.
But in terms of talent, she was far behind Lan Fozi. Even though Leng Yaozhu had helped improve the quality of her flames, and she received focused training from Shrek Academy and was the little princess of the Blacksmith Association, she was never lacking in resources.
Yet, her strength lagged far behind Lan Fozi's.
Lan Fozi had already reached the rank of Soul Saint, while Mu Xi was still a Soul Emperor.
If they fought seriously, she might not even be able to beat a Soul King like Lan Fozi.
Of course, compared to absolute geniuses like Lan Fozi and Xia Yi, she appeared weak.
But if measured by the general population, a Soul Emperor with a Two Word Battle Armor at under twenty would be considered outstanding.
Even in the former Shrek Academy's Inner Court, she would be ranked among the top ten.
Shrek Academy's inner court's graduation standard was to become a One Word Battle Armor Master.
Normally, a One World Battle Armor Master required the rank of Soul King.
Shrek Academy's Outer Court recruited students aged 12 to 15, with six grades, each lasting three years, making a total of 18 years.
This meant that anyone who became a Battle Armor Master before 33 years old could apply for the Inner Court.
Xia Yi remembered hearing about two individuals in the third grade at Shrek Academy, both in their early twenties and complete One Word Battle Armor Masters. They were the pride of the entire grade.
They had been pre-approved for the Inner Court, as long as they passed the assessment.
But Xia Yi also heard they were later thoroughly defeated by a joint effort from the first and second years.
Mu Xi, however, was born in the wrong era.
If this era didn't have so many prodigies, surpassing even Leng Yaozhu and Yun Ming's generation, she might have already become famous across the continent.
Leng Yaozhu often boasted to Xia Yi that in her generation, the prodigies were countless, and everyone competed fiercely.
Now, as prodigies of this generation continued to emerge, Leng Yaozhu no longer talked about it to Xia Yi, as she was tactful.
If Mu Xi let go of forging a little and focused more on cultivation, she could at least become a Super Douluo.
She might even become a top-tier Super Douluo.
This was why Zhen Hua wanted to cultivate her into a Divine Craftsman.
But if Mu Xi became a Divine Craftsman, she would have to devote more energy to forging. The constant forging could harm her body, and she might not even break through to the rank of Super Douluo.
This made Zhen Hua hesitate.
Being a Divine Craftsman was excellent, but even on the surface, their status was extraordinary. But when facing top-tier experts, they had no self-defense power.
Zhen Hua almost died in the hands of the Spirit Hall.
However, regardless of whether Mu Xi became a Divine Craftsman or a Super Douluo, her future was limitless.
With her talent, she would never lack outstanding pursuers.
"I feel like I'm fine right now," Mu Xi said softly.
Xia Yi had already admitted it to her, so no matter how much she wished for it, she would bury it deep inside her heart.
The Blacksmith Association had already wronged Xia Yi.
She could not make him suffer because of her.
"Don't you want to know why?" Xia Yi asked softly.
"No," Mu Xi kept her head lowered.
"You're willing to accept it without knowing the reason?" Xia Yi asked.
"I don't want to bring you any more trouble. You owe me nothing. You're not obligated to explain it to me," Mu Xi bit her red lip and said.