At Shrek Academy's east gate.
It was almost midday, and the classes were still in session. Shrek Academy's main gate felt extremely tranquil today as the myriad of vendors and merchants that would gather here on typical days were all absent.
But such tranquility was quickly broken by a loud, obnoxious scream.
"We're back! Yes! Shrek Academy!!"
Xu Sanshi exclaimed as soon as he descended from the sky, going to his knees and spreading out his arms with tears flowing out of his eyes.
"Stop embarassing us!"
"Gah!"
Jiang Nannan quickly put a stop to his tomfoolery by descending down on his head, driving his face into the ground.
Boom!
Fatality! Or if Xu Sanshi was just an ordinary person... Fortunately it just knocked him out.
Huo Yuhao and the others descended calmly onto the ground, with Xuan Zi remaining afloat in the air.
"Haaaa...Finally! Home!"
"By the Sea God, I can't believe I'm saying this but....I miss my dorm bedroom!"
"Screw bedroom, I miss the food they serve us here. Hotel food doesn't offer much nourishment as they do here. The only saving grace is Yuhao's cooking....even though he only does it sparsely."
"I hope they got our rewards ready."
As they all began to chatter excitedly, the group's mood lifted further, the fatigue of their journey momentarily forgotten. Shrek Academy's familiar sight brought a sense of comfort and accomplishment to the students, who had endured grueling battles and challenges during the tournament.
Huo Yuhao especially felt a sense of peace as he looked up at the signboard on the gate that proudly displayed the words: "Shrek Academy".
'I'm....home.'
To Huo Yuhao, he felt Shrek Academy was more than just a school—it was a sanctuary, a place where he had found a sense of belonging and purpose after he left the White Tiger Duke Mansion.
As the group approached the enormous gate, several figures calmly approached them.
"Welcome home, children." Yan Shaozhe and others strode forward and welcomed them with open arms.
There were five of them that had been patiently waiting for the students: Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Deparment's Dean—Yan Shaozhe, Soul Engineering Department Dean—Xiao Lin'er, and the other two were their respective vice-deans: Cai Mei'er and Qian Duoduo. The last person was Fan Yu, the soul tool mentor of both Huo Yuhao and He Caitou.
All five of them paid their respects to Elder Xuan as he descended before they turned towards the students.
"You two!" The first one to run towards the students was Fan Yu, who couldn't control himself as he pulled both Huo Yuhao and He Caitou in his arms.
He scrutinized his two dear disciples, his gaze especially landed on Huo Yuhao and his eyes widened with a tint of red.
Gone was his once luscious long black hair with strands of white and green, replaced by a dull white similar to what an old man would have. And the most noticeable change he had was his missing left arm!
"Yuhao...your arm..." Fan Yu's voice cracked, tears flowing from his eyes.
Huo Yuhao offered a faint smile, his remaining hand lightly patting his mentor's shoulder. "It's alright, Teacher Fan Yu. I'm alive, and that's what matters."
"But—"
"Really," Huo Yuhao interrupted softly, meeting his teacher's concerned gaze. "I'll explain everything later, but for now, let's celebrate that we're back safely."
He grinned and said, "Especially since we're the champions of this tournament!"
He Caitou nodded eagerly by his side. "I didn't embarrass you master. I didn't embarrass Shrek...!" At the end, tears started swelling up in his eyes.
Fan Yu glanced at him, and then at Huo Yuhao beside him, and he grabbed the both of them into a bear hug as he said, "Silly child. I am not afraid of you guys disappointing me—all I wish for is that everyone returns home safely!"
He only had two direct disciples! Fan Yu and Zhou Yi didn't have their own children, and he had long treated He Caitou and Huo Yuhao as his own children. There were several times when he wanted to venture into Star Luo City, but was stopped by Qian Duoduo.
Suddenly, the other four deans quickly walked up towards Huo Yuhao with worried looks on their faces.
"My God..."
"By Sea God! Y-Yuhao...what happened to your arm?!"
"Who did it? Who dares to harm one of our students?!"
"Yuhao, don't worry. As long as you give up their identity, no matter who it is, we'll guarantee you that we'll seek retribution."
"Eh..." Huo Yuhao couldn't get a word out as he was suddenly surrounded by the four deans, all of them speaking at once. Their voices overlapped, filling the air with promises of vengeance, concern, and outrage.
He glanced towards Xuan Zi, using Spiritual Sharing: 'You didn't tell them?!'
Elder Xuan shrugged his shoulders, mouthing, 'I didn't have the time or opportunity to.'
Damn old geezer! Huo Yuhao sighed deeply and used his Spiritual Sharing on the four deans: 'Everyone!'
The sudden loud voice appearing in their minds startled the four deans into silence. They froze mid-sentence, their heads snapping toward Huo Yuhao with wide eyes.
"Please," Huo Yuhao continued, speaking through his lips. "Let me explain before you jump to conclusions....or get yourselves killed by a God."
"What?!"
Huo Yuhao chuckled at their confused expressions and explained to them about some of the events that led to him severing his arm.
Expectedly, they all turned pale white in shock and froze as the gravity of Huo Yuhao's words sank in.
"A....God?" Xiao Lin'er whispered, her voice trembling. "You mean like the original Seven Shrek Monsters; Sea God; Tang San, War God; Dai Mubai, Rabbit Goddess; Xiao Wu, Nine Colored Goddess; Ning Rongrong, etc..?"
Huo Yuhao nodded solemnly. "Yes, well, more or less? They're far more older the original Seven Shrek Monsters."
"A remnant of the Ice God's power resides in the Ice Jade Scorpion soul bone I absorbed. It....tried to take over my body and soul. The only way to stop it was to sever my arm and cut off its influence entirely."
The deans exchanged wide-eyed looks, their earlier outrage replaced by a chilling fear.
"By the Sea God..." Cai Mei'er murmured. "To think such a thing could even happen."
"Well, ancient records of the original Seven Shrek Monsters ascending to Godhood exists after all. And it was stated that they inherited their divine title, from predecessors far older than themselves," Yan Shaozhe added, his voice subdued but thoughtful. "It stands to reason that other deities exists with their inheritance scattered throughout the world."
"Well, this explains why he's so gifted in his mastery over the Ice Element." Qian Duoduomuttered, remembering the advancement exam.
Fan Yu, who had remained silent until now, looked at Huo Yuhao with an expression mixed of horror and worry. "Yuhao...I can confidently say that you are the most unluckiest and luckiest person that I have ever met in my life."
Huo Yuhao's lips twitched.
Elder Xuan shook his head and said, "Let's save the rest of the chatter and questions later. Don't we have to go somewhere?"
The deans flinched, their backs straightened as Elder Xuan's sharp tone reminded them of their priorities.
"Yes, of course," Yan Shaozhe said, regaining his usual calm demeanor. "The Sea God Pavilion awaits. We must inform the elders about everything that transpired during the tournament—and about Yuhao's....experience."
The students have varying reactions, mostly shock and confusion.
The Sea God's Pavilion was Shrek Academy's cardinal location for official businesses and meetings, and it was also Shrek Academy's actual treasury. Shrek Academy's top secrets were all kept there, and nobody was allowed to enter besides the Sea God's Pavilion's Elders and the four Deans under normal circumstances. The opportunity to enter the Sea God's Pavilion was an incredible honor.
Ma Xiaotao, Xi Xi, and Ling Luochen had never heard of any student who had been allowed to go inside, and this was the case even for their seniors that participated in the previous Continental Soul Dueling Tournament and eventually took home the crown!
They personally led them all back into the academy. A medium-sized boat was already waiting on the the Sea God's Lake's shore and all of the students hurriedly got onto the boat.
Huo Yuhao knew that the Sea God's Pavilion existence, Shadow Clones are just too cheating, but he hadn't seen it in person yet. He was feeling both excited and curious about what he was going to see there.
Sea God's Island had something that was touted as the most impressive cradle for soul masters across the entire Continent – Shrek Academy's inner courtyard!
The Sea God's Lake's surface area was immense, and it was far larger than the rest of Shrek Academy added together. The boat pierced through the layers of mist, and the shape of an island gradually drifted into view after about fifteen minutes.
The Sea God's Island only appeared to be roughly two square kilometers, and its surface wasn't flat and smooth at all. Instead, it seemed like a small mountain, with all kinds of buildings constructed upon it. The structures that were usually obscured behind the layers of dense mist finally appeared right before their eyes, and the excitement in their eyes grew ever more radiant.
Even though everything was unfamiliar and novel, these things were still the stuff of legends to them.
Sea God's Island was extremely quiet, almost as if it were uninhabited. Everything just seemed too tranquil and serene, and the entire place felt like Shangri-la. The various pavilions and structures that were hidden within a myriad of tall and endless vegetation appeared graceful and elegant.
The vegetation here had more than a few thousand years of history, and some trees were even a hundred meters tall. The air along the trail was fresh, and all that vegetation blocked everyone's vision.
There was a mysterious and enigmatic feeling as they sauntered along the footpath, as if they were just inside the mountain.
The ones who didn't have much reaction to the surroundings was obviously the deans, Fan Yu, Xuan Zi, Wang Yan, the three inner courtyard students, and Huo Yuhao.
The reason was simple—he had been kidnapped/invited by Ma Xiaotao to her place, which is in the island.
Huo Yuhao was more focused on the top of the mountain summit, where a single pavilion stood out.
This was a three-story building, and the entire structure was gray and made of wood. It appeared simple and unadorned, yet there were tinges of vicissitudes upon it. It was ten meters tall and a black horizontal inscribed board hung from the top of the first level's entrance, and three radiant golden words announced the building's identity—
Sea God's Pavilion
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AN: Merry Christmas to everyone! Hope you had a wonderful year of 2024. As a Christmas Present, enjoy 5 chapters at the end of year~
Cause I'm not posting anything next week because I'll be out with the fam. See y'all later~
Use this code over at my patreon: 97397 for 50% off on membership~ C'mon now, feel the spirit of Christmas~ Hohohoho~
2/5 chapters