Word Count: 3,472 Words
******
Morning light spilled across Shrek City. Golden radiance blanketed all things, as though heralding the rebirth of this ancient city.
A clear, resonant phoenix cry rang out. A dazzling Fire Phoenix soared across Sea God Lake, descended upon Sea God Island, and resolved into an exquisitely beautiful figure.
Ma Xiaotao carried her usual fiery style without apology. Gold-red hair cascaded to her waist like a waterfall, and a vivid dress traced the alluring rise and fall of her curves. Her beauty was enough to topple cities, and her whole bearing radiated a bright, proud confidence.
The war had only just ended, and Shrek City stood in the midst of rebuilding from the ground up. As the next-generation successor to the Sea God Pavilion Master, Ma Xiaotao had thrown herself into the reconstruction without hesitation, representing the academy in soothing the people's hearts. Only now had she managed to steal a rare moment of rest.
"This Phoenix Douluo has been working herself half to death in Shrek City, while a certain someone has been off burying himself in a beauty's soft, fragrant embrace."
Her crimson lips curved slowly upward. She stepped lightly along the path toward Han Ruoruo's wooden house.
Ling Bai had returned from the Star Dou Forest the previous evening without bothering to conceal himself at all. Quite a few people in Shrek City had seen him fly into Shrek Academy, and word had naturally reached Ma Xiaotao.
The two of them had been together for six years, and she understood his patterns all too well. Nine times out of ten, he had seen her busy, decided not to disturb her, then turned around and flown straight to Sea God Island to get cozy with Han Ruoruo instead.
Ling Bai's willingness to risk confronting Beast God Di Tian for Shrek's sake had moved Ma Xiaotao deeply. On top of that, Yan Shaozhe and Cai Mei'er frequently counseled her, for the sake of Shrek's ten-thousand-year legacy, to be more accommodating toward him.
These days her desire to keep Ling Bai all to herself was no longer as fierce as it had once been. She arrived at Han Ruoruo's door with perfect calm, ready to startle the pair awake.
"Little Junior Brother, you can do it... Elder Sister will wipe your sweat for you~"
A woman's soft, lingering voice drifted from inside the room, as though coaxing the other to keep going. Ma Xiaotao's hand froze the instant it touched the door, and her pupils dilated slightly.
It... it's still not over?!
She lifted her head toward the sky and recalled her own wild, bed-breaking nights with Ling Bai. Her physical endurance eclipsed that of the vast majority of Spirit Masters, and her Fire Phoenix was a top-tier beast Martial Spirit to boot. Yet even with all that raw power and ravenous appetite, she usually ended up sobbing for mercy and begging for a truce before the first half of the night was done.
Just what kind of bottomless succubus was the woman in that room, to still be going at this hour?!
Knock, knock, knock!
Under normal circumstances, Ma Xiaotao would never have interrupted Han Ruoruo while she was still receiving her share of rain and dew. But she had come on a task today and had no choice but to play the villain for once.
Rustling sounds came from within. The door creaked open a moment later, and Ling Bai stood there fully dressed, half leaning against the doorframe. A hint of fatigue seemed to show on his face.
"Is Sister Ruoruo really that terrifying?
Ma Xiaotao blurted it out the moment she saw the state of him. "She told me the two of you had always been completely innocent before this. Your very first night together, and she actually managed to wear you out like this?"
"Don't spout nonsense!"
Ling Bai's thick skin actually flushed red. Strange as it was to say, he was a seasoned veteran of a hundred campaigns, a thoroughly experienced scoundrel whose intimate conquests couldn't be counted on one hand. Among them the Snow Empress possessed the most formidable raw strength, and Dugu Lin was by far the most unhinged. Yet as long as he got serious, his trusty vajra jade pestle was unrivaled under heaven, and no woman had ever outlasted him.
Last night had been different. Han Ruoruo's desperate, soul-deep longing for a child had stirred something primal in him, and he had thrown himself into the effort with everything he had, driven by her breathless pleas to fill her completely and give her what she craved. Again and again he pushed past his own limits, determined to answer her fierce, single-minded hunger for motherhood. And the result? He had been the one left spent. Han Ruoruo had wrung every last drop of his stamina dry!
Women who desperately wanted to conceive were absolutely terrifying!
Ma Xiaotao folded her arms beneath her chest, the motion pushing her full breasts forward even more alluringly. "Holy Evil Douluo, forced to hold up the walls just to stand!" she mocked openly. "So this is what becomes of a man who spends all night playing breeding stallion!"
"Tonight, I'm coming to your place!"
Ling Bai ground his teeth. A man's dignity would not be challenged!
"Bring it on. Let's see whether your spear has gone dull."
Ma Xiaotao flashed a charming smile and crooked her index finger at him in open provocation. Even with the evil fire purged from her Fire Phoenix, her carnal appetite remained as strong as ever.
Months without seeing him had left her body aching with want, and now that the beast tide was over and quiet days had returned, this was the perfect time for a long-overdue, skin-slapping reunion.
"Is Sister Ruoruo asleep?" Ma Xiaotao peeked her head inside.
Han Ruoruo had indeed drifted deep into slumber. A contented smile lingered at the corners of her lips, and both hands rested protectively over her slightly rounded lower abdomen. After an entire night of sweet exhaustion, she harbored a quiet, earnest hope that the seed had taken root in fertile soil, ready to bloom and bear fruit ten months from now.
As for the sultry words Ma Xiaotao had heard through the door, that had not been Han Ruoruo pressing Ling Bai onward at all. She had been talking in her sleep. Even dead to the world, her subconscious was still hungrily urging him on.
"Good that she's asleep. Saves Sister Ruoruo from misunderstanding and thinking I'm here to steal you away." Ma Xiaotao's expression turned serious. "The academy is convening a Sea God Pavilion meeting. Elder Mu wants you to attend."
"Mm. Give me a moment."
Ling Bai nodded slightly. With the Star Dou beast tide concluded, Shrek Academy was bound to hold a Sea God Pavilion meeting to assess their gains and losses. Holy Evil Douluo had saved the academy in its darkest hour, and leaving him uninvited would have been inexcusable.
He walked to the bedside. In his brilliant golden eyes lay the reflection of her peaceful sleeping face. She longed desperately for a child, yet understood in her heart that the Seraphim bloodline made conceiving extraordinarily difficult. That was precisely why she had demanded so much from him, placing her hopes on the simplest, most stubborn logic: if the volume was high enough, one of those seeds would eventually hit the mark.
Nor was Han Ruoruo alone in her hopes. Zhang Lexuan, the Big Senior Sister of the Inner Courtyard, was looking forward to this child just as much. Although Yin Yang Love Querying Valley had not erased her memories of deeply loving Bei Bei, Zhang Lexuan could not bring herself to come between him and Tang Ya. She had resolved to remain alone for life and become godmother to her closest friend's child instead, helping Han Ruoruo raise the baby together.
Ling Bai placed a Storage Spirit Guidance Device on the table and slipped a sheet of white paper beneath it, his handwriting graceful and flowing. The note told Han Ruoruo that the device contained a living sea spirit beast sealed in ice: a 100,000-year Blue-Ringed Octopus King.
Han Ruoruo's spirit power had reached Rank 90, leaving her one spirit ring short of Titled Douluo. The Blue-Ringed Octopus King's tentacle-based control bore a striking resemblance to that of her Dazzling Golden Rope, which made it an ideal candidate for her ninth spirit ring.
She had already absorbed the immortal herb Black Jade Divine Bamboo and a 100,000-year Soul Devouring Spider Emperor skull spirit bone, raising both her spiritual power and physical constitution to the required threshold. Fusing with a 100,000-year spirit ring posed no danger to her.
Only after seeing to all of this did Ling Bai feel at ease enough to leave with Ma Xiaotao and head toward the Ancient Golden Tree.
"You know, Elder Xuan's condition isn't looking too good." Ma Xiaotao let out a sudden sigh.
"Dead already?"
Ling Bai looked slightly taken aback. Had Elder Xuan really been slapped to death by Di Tian?!
"...Not quite that bad."
Ma Xiaotao's pretty face darkened. Unreliable as Elder Xuan might be, couldn't this boy think of something positive for once? All day long, all he ever did was curse the old man!
"You'll see for yourself when we get inside."
…
The Sea God Pavilion remained the same Sea God Pavilion it had always been, untouched by the Star Dou beast tide or the passage of time. Its members, however, had changed.
Greenshadow Douluo Elder Song had fallen in the western mountains outside Mingdu, and Elder Li, who presided over the Surveillance Pavilion, had perished in the Star Dou beast tide. Their seats had been filled by Shrek's next generation: Phoenix Douluo Ma Xiaotao, Big Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan, and Huo Yuhao, specially admitted for his contributions in drafting Sun Moon Spirit Guidance Device blueprints.
The members of the Sea God Pavilion sat on either side of the long wooden table. The instant Ling Bai stepped through the door, every gaze in the room landed on him, each carrying a complex, unspoken meaning.
Elder Lin, Xian Lin Er, and Qian Duoduo had all been grievously wounded by Xiong Jun. Wrapped head to toe in bandages like cosplaying mummy-men, the eyes they turned on Ling Bai were nonetheless brimming with approval, as though looking at a hero who had saved the world.
Yan Shaozhe's injuries were no lighter. His gaze moved back and forth between Ling Bai and Ma Xiaotao, and he looked rather pleased that his own disciple had found such an outstanding partner.
Zhang Lexuan's expression was calm and gentle. She smiled and nodded at Ling Bai.
Huo Yuhao, on the other hand, was a picture of conflicting emotions. Part of it stemmed from the tangled, complicated relationship between the two of them. The rest came from his deep worry that Ling Bai would torment Tang Wutong.
She might indeed have been the chief culprit behind the beast tide, but in Huo Yuhao's heart she would always be the Wang Dong Er he loved so deeply.
Ling Bai paid Huo Yuhao no mind. He simply greeted the elders of the Sea God Pavilion, then halted as his gaze caught on the Pavilion Master's seat at the head of the table, where a figure lay sprawled across a familiar reclining chair.
The one lying there was, of course, not Mu En. Mu En's soul stood nearby, beaming as he beckoned Ling Bai toward the first seat on the left. Only then did Ling Bai finally understand what Ma Xiaotao had meant about Elder Xuan's condition.
Elder Xuan had actually followed in Mu En's footsteps. His spine was shattered. For the rest of his life, he would never again stand tall!
When Beast God Di Tian broke through the Ancient Golden Tree's seal, Elder Xuan's spirit power had already been nearly exhausted. How could a mere Rank 97 Titled Douluo hope to block Di Tian, whose fury soared to the heavens? That he had kept his life at all was already a stroke of immense luck. The price had been his spine.
Under the watchful eyes of everyone present, Ling Bai took the first seat on the left side of the conference table. He said nothing, yet an invisible aura seemed to radiate outward from where he sat, and every heart tightened in quiet awe. Truly worthy of the Holy Evil Douluo who had single-handedly forced back the Star Dou beast tide. His bearing far surpassed Mu En at his peak. He really was the number one man on the Douluo Continent!
Ma Xiaotao's standing had risen accordingly after her advancement to Titled Douluo. As the designated successor to the Pavilion Master position, she sat in the second seat on the left. Across from her sat her teacher, Yan Shaozhe, while Zhang Lexuan and Huo Yuhao, the two juniors, could only occupy the lowest seats at the far end.
"Everyone is here. The Sea God Pavilion meeting will now officially begin."
Mu En presided over the meeting in his soul form. Elder Xuan, his spine shattered, looked wan and listless, mechanically alternating between a bite of chicken leg and a swig of wine.
Under ordinary circumstances, Mu En and the other elders would never have allowed such behavior to desecrate the Sea God Pavilion. This time they all turned a blind eye, indulging Elder Xuan with unusual leniency.
"First, on behalf of Shrek Academy, I thank Holy Evil Douluo for your support. You contained the Star Dou beast tide and saved countless civilians in Shrek City."
"It was only right," Ling Bai replied with a faint smile. "Elder Mu, you have shown me great kindness. The Radiant Thunder Hell Dragon spirit bone has helped me immensely over the years.
As a member of the righteous path on the Douluo Continent, I could never stand by and watch spirit beasts slaughter Shrek City at will. And to speak frankly, both Shrek City and the Star Dou Forest were victims in this. The true mastermind was someone else entirely."
Mu En said wistfully, "Before my life came to an end, I divined that the academy would face a great calamity within ten years. Back then, I considered giving you the Radiant Thunder Hell Dragon spirit bone in the hope that you would lend the academy a hand.
In the end I let that thought go. And yet you still came.
Xiao Ling, let me confirm one more time..."
He paused, and every eye in the room focused squarely on Ling Bai.
"The Clear Sky Clan attacked the Emperor Destiny Beast, which triggered the Star Dou Forest beast tide. Was that done under the Sea God's orders?"
"Yes."
Ling Bai answered without a shred of hesitation, and that single word severed the final thread of hope in everyone's hearts. They had worshipped Tang San for ten thousand years. Sea God Lake, Sea God Island, his traces were everywhere. Yet Tang San had clearly abandoned this group of loyal believers.
"Ever since Yin Yang Love Querying Valley, Sea God Tang San has been scheming against both me and the Emperor Destiny Beast. I simply had enough hidden cards to stop him from succeeding.
As for the identity of the figure holding the trident at the end of Yin Yang Love Querying Valley... Big Senior Sister, Huo Yuhao, you both saw it with your own eyes. You already know the answer."
Zhang Lexuan nodded silently. Huo Yuhao's eyes dimmed to an ashen gray.
"Tang San wants to control the fate of both races. He has plotted against me again and again. Tang Wutong, the Clear Sky Clan, the Sky Azure Bull Python, the Titan Giant Ape... they are all just blades in his hand.
Sea God Tang San. Nine Colored Goddess Ning Rongrong. They have the gall to call themselves our ancestors! I won't hide it from any of you. I have already stepped onto the path to godhood. One day, when I ascend to the Divine Realm, I will repay this blood debt a thousandfold!"
Every member of the Sea God Pavilion lowered their head in heavy silence. Mu En deliberated for a moment before a cold glint flashed through his eyes, and his voice dropped low and solemn:
"We do not deny the Sea God's contributions to Shrek Academy. But facts speak louder than words. He ignored the academy's safety and disregarded the countless civilians of Shrek City. I do not believe he is fit to remain Shrek's symbol any longer.
I propose that the Sea God Pavilion, Sea God Lake, and Sea God Island be renamed the Holy Pavilion, Holy Lake, and Holy Island. I further propose that Holy Evil Douluo be invited to serve as an honorary member of the Holy Pavilion.
Let us vote by a show of hands."
The room fell utterly silent. One could have heard a pin drop. Shrek City's defenders and civilians had suffered grievous casualties, and someone had to bear the weight of that sin. The only reason for their hesitation was that the executioner in question was Sea God Tang San himself.
"I support it!"
A slender hand rose firmly beside Ling Bai. Ma Xiaotao chose without hesitation to stand with her lover, and she represented the next generation's Pavilion Master, the very future of Shrek Academy.
In other words, once the old generation of the Sea God Pavilion passed on, Shrek Academy would effectively become the absolute domain of Ma Xiaotao and Ling Bai, two Titled Douluo with Ultimate attributes.
As long as Holy Evil Douluo Ling Bai pushed for change and Phoenix Douluo Ma Xiaotao threw her full weight behind him, Shrek Academy was bound to undergo a massive transformation sooner or later.
"I support it."
Yan Shaozhe was the first to grasp this crucial point, and he decisively threw his support behind Ling Bai. Cai Mei'er followed immediately, then Zhang Lexuan, Xian Lin Er, Qian Duoduo, Elder Zhuang, and the rest.
At the very end, only one person had yet to raise a hand.
Huo Yuhao.
"I... support it."
He did not want to support this motion in the slightest. With Shrek erasing Tang San's name, wouldn't the Tang Sect's position become incredibly awkward? But the prevailing tide was not something he could defy.
"Passed unanimously."
From this moment onward, the words 'Sea God' ceased to exist within Shrek. Mu En might have been old, but his resolve remained ironclad. He understood perfectly well that the conflict between Ling Bai and Tang San was irreconcilable, and Shrek Academy had to choose a side. Compared with Tang San, who had abandoned Shrek, Mu En chose to embrace the future. He chose Ling Bai.
"The last matter. Xuan Zi, you speak."
On the reclining chair, Elder Xuan wiped his greasy hands on his clothes and began slowly:
"I never intended to inherit the position of Sea God Pavilion Master. Circumstances forced my hand. Now I'm old, badly wounded, and all I want is to spend my remaining years in peace. The academy is producing talents in abundance. It's time to hand this seat to the younger generation.
Phoenix Douluo Ma Xiaotao. Martial Spirit: Fire Phoenix. An Ultimate Fire talent seen once in a thousand years. Grand-disciple of the former Pavilion Master, Dragon God Douluo Mu En, and direct disciple of Bright Phoenix Douluo Yan Shaozhe, Dean of the Martial Spirit Department. Her talent is exceptional and her lineage within Shrek is impeccable.
I, Taotie Douluo Xuan Zi, the current Pavilion Master, formally propose that the position of Master of Shrek Academy's Holy Pavilion be passed to Phoenix Douluo Ma Xiaotao.
Members of the Holy Pavilion, please vote."
This round of voting moved remarkably fast. Elder Xuan was truly no longer fit to serve as Pavilion Master, and for Shrek Academy's long-term future, handing the position to Ma Xiaotao was the wisest decision.
"I support it."
Once again Huo Yuhao was the last to raise his hand, and he looked somewhat dazed and dispirited. It wasn't as though Ultimate Ice had never had a chance at the Pavilion Master's seat. He had once fantasized about leveraging Shrek's power to take revenge on the White Tiger Duke. But dreams were ultimately just dreams.
Spirit Masters with Ultimate attributes cultivated notoriously slowly before reaching Spirit Saint. Huo Yuhao had not yet broken through to the six-ringed Spirit Emperor rank, so he simply had no qualifications to compete with a Titled Douluo like Ma Xiaotao, let alone contend with the true giant looming behind her: Holy Evil Douluo, Ling Bai.
"Passed unanimously." Mu En's voice rang through the hall with solemn finality. "The transfer of leadership of Shrek Academy's Holy Pavilion is complete. Phoenix Douluo Ma Xiaotao shall succeed as Master of the Holy Pavilion!"