"No, this can't be real…"
"You're not Ah Yin!!"
Tang Hao's furious roar rang out. He ignored the presence of strong outsiders rushing nearby, glaring hatefully at the Golden Ancient Tree.
After being driven out, a golden shield sealed off all vision within.
Instead of being surprised that Ah Yin deduced the truth about the past, he pondered: after so many years, how could she not have let anything slip?
"He really does look like a dog~"
Within the golden barrier, Su Wen mused, rubbing Ah Yin's blue hair as he watched Tang Hao's mad antics outside.
Ah Yin sighed. "It's a shame I was so naïve back then—deceived by this guy, never even noticing his intentions. I even helped him set up Xiao Wu…"
"I'm the one who doomed her…"
"Heh, and now he and Tang San are targeting the Silver Dragon King, planning to make her Tang Wulin's 'soul ring.' Golden and Silver Dragon Kings together—that's how they want to recreate the Dragon God. Quite the schemer," Su Wen sneered.
Most powerful soul beasts had already been manipulated by Tang San.
"Should we drop the barrier?" Ah Yin asked softly.
"Mm." Su Wen smiled.
With a gentle wave, the golden shield melted away.
Tang Hao brightened, thinking Ah Yin had finally relented. But then he froze: Ah Yin now stood by Su Wen's side, as if she were a servant.
What shattered him was the way she looked at Su Wen—full of devotion and adoration.
Even he had never received that.
"Ah Yin, you—you—"
Tang Hao's eyes turned red: "So it's true—I knew something was off!"
If Yun Ming were still around, he'd probably burst out laughing.
"Don't call me Ah Yin. It's disgusting." Ah Yin said coldly.
"That Ah Yin you knew is dead. Swallowed by me—my eternal shame, wiped from the world."
"No…" Tang Hao realized the truth, body shuddering, falling to his knees in anguish.
"Drop your fake tears..." Ah Yin glared. "Did you think I was that innocent girl forever? You wanted my body and soul ring, sealed me away when you feared I'd recover, leaving me to rot while you pretended to be a loving husband to the world."
"Did you actually love Ah Yin? You loved her soul ring and bone! You sure faked it well."
Nearby, several shadowy figures stood.
Qiangu Dongfeng ordered Spirit Pagoda members to seal off the area, keeping other powers out. Standing beside him were the hurriedly arrived Speaker Chen Nian and Leng Yaozhu, all quietly watching the drama.
After all—
Ah Yin and Tang Hao—legends from two millennia ago!
Their story, polished by the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, had become the gold standard for romance. People went so far as to call Tang Hao the paragon of manhood, praised for fighting the Spirit Hall for his wife and son.
But now, seeing this, perhaps the truth wasn't so pure…
"That's not how it was…" Tang Hao whispered, gripping his palms, face pale.
"I regret it. I have always lived in guilt—is that not enough punishment?"
He gazed at Ah Yin earnestly.
"Tang Hao truly has no shame." Qiangu Dongfeng sneered.
His opponent was a god?
That seemed clear.
But his own side had gods too.
As a lackey to a god, he was quick to flatter.
Their own god didn't wish to speak with this troublemaker; Qiangu Dongfeng willingly played the envoy.
"Exactly… who would have guessed the so-called True Man Tang Hao, hailed by Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, is this shameless villain?" Leng Yaozhu joined Ah Yin in glaring at Tang Hao.
The Clear Sky Douluo's face turned ugly.
He glared at them, wishing he could crush them all.
Does he care about reputation?
Of course—like Tang San, he cared greatly about 'face.'
But now… the last shred of dignity was being ripped away.
"Ah Yin, I ask you again: will you leave with me?" Tang Hao shed all pretense, coldly staring at Ah Yin.
"He's in a panic," Qiangu Dongfeng sneered.
"He's turning red," Chen Nian quipped.
"Damn you—" Tang Hao exploded, swinging his Clear Sky Hammer at them.
A god's might erupted.
But soon, his hammer met a burst of nine-colored light—an even match. Tang Hao was flung hundreds of meters back, veins bulging, glaring at Su Wen. "Good, good…"
"Just you wait!!!"
Once Tang San brought back the God Realm, that beast would die.
He was the will of Douluo Star itself. What's ten thousand years? He could wait.
Outside Shrek City, Star Dou Forest perimeter—
The soft earth bulged and several figures climbed out.
Tang Wulin, battered and bruised, looked back at the rising smoke from Shrek Academy and City. While the main defenders were bombed, the Academy and Tang Sect lost their control over city forces to the Spirit Pagoda.
Now, city security was monitored everywhere by their people…
At the explosion's start, ownership of the city changed hands.
The culprit was obvious.
Tang Wulin was filled with grief and anger.
Why would anyone do this to them? Shrek was full of kind elders—why target them again and again?
Now, only a few survived.
Shrek Academy… was gone.
"Maybe we should split up," the last Shrek 'Seven Monster' reserve sighed, despair in his eyes. "Shrek is history. We should just join the Spirit Transmission Academy."
"Bastard!" Tang Wulin lunged, punching him, face furious, grabbing him by the collar. "Shrek Academy hasn't perished!"
"I'll rebuild it. I won't let Shrek Academy's glory end."
"You're a coward, a disgrace! You'll be reviled for history."
"…"
Silence fell.
Ye Xinglan frowned. Truthfully, she had felt little belonging to Shrek Academy. When she joined, she looked down on everyone. But realizing Tang Wulin and the others were just as strong, she slowly accepted the team.
But…
Was she genuinely willing to die with Shrek Academy?
Would she drag her clan into blood feuds for a school she'd just joined?
Tang Wulin's angry speech stung her.
To him, Shrek Academy was home, because it housed Ah Yin, Tang Hao, and Wu Zhangkong. But to others, it was just a school, a place to learn, nothing more.
The destruction of Shrek was tragic—but not worth dying for.
For her, more a regret than a call to vengeance.
So Tang Wulin's words felt cruel, putting everyone on the spot.
"Tang Wulin, this is your home, not ours." The student sneered, pushing Tang Wulin off.
"Shrek is all about you, like child's play—that's all. The other six of your 'Seven Monsters' are just your props."
"I don't care who you are in Sea God's Pavilion. If you want revenge, go. Leave us out."
"If you still want to play lord, sorry, count us out."
"Bullshit!" Tang Wulin shouted, his eyes red. "When have I ever acted like a lord? What do you mean, you're all just my sidekicks?! You…"
But his voice faded—
Because their words rang true.
Ah Yin had often said Shrek's future rested on his shoulders, as had his father. Even the elders looked at him with loving expectation.
Whether he liked it or not…
Shrek Academy was his Shrek…
"Wulin, ignore him. I'm with you, for vengeance!" Xie Xie stood by him.
"Me too!" Xu Xiaoyan said, determined.
"Me as well." Fatty Xu Lizhi raised a hand.
"I…" Le Zhengyu looked away, "Sorry, I need to ask my grandfather first."
"I quit."
Ye Xinglan crossed her arms. "What?!!" The others were shocked.
Xu Lizhi stared, "Sister Xinglan, how can you quit? We're—"
"Enough with the moral blackmail." Ye Xinglan frowned. "Tang Wulin, are you really leading them to die?"
"The Tang Sect and Shrek have been uprooted everywhere: Star Luo Empire, Blood God Army—all taken out. Where will you go?"
"Shrek is gone—no resources, you'll have to steal, rob…"
"Just a few teenage Soul Masters?"
"Tang Wulin, you're dreaming."
"A miracle is called a miracle because it doesn't happen. It sounds hot-blooded, but do you want everyone to run and hide like rats forever?"
"Answer me!"
"…"
Again, silence.
Tang Wulin struggled to reply.
"He won't admit reality," another student sighed. "Let him be."
"You act like Shrek and Tang Sect are saints…"
"But now, online, who isn't applauding their end?"
With Shrek and Tang Sect's destruction, the federal net was in uproar.
Once praised, now maligned.
Some of it was Spirit Pagoda propagating rumors; some, undeniable facts.
Many pointed out Shrek and Tang Sect were cancers on the Federation, a nation within the nation—an independent military, manipulating the continent from the shadows.
Some even said—
Shrek was no better than Spirit Hall.
Comparisons appeared online.
Spirit Hall tried to unite the continent; Shrek, as a 'parasite,' repeatedly thwarted unification. Two millennia ago, Tang San and his old guard, aristocratic remnants, stopped Spirit Hall's unification; a millennium later, Tang San intervened again, taking away the Tower Lord Huo Yuhao; now, at last, Shrek disrupted the fragile unity.
Reading post after post—
Tang Wulin grew even angrier.
His sacred Shrek had been dragged through the mud, his heart full of righteous indignation.
"This can't be! They can't compare Shrek to Spirit Hall—Shrek Academy was never evil!"
"Enough. See the truth?" the student sneered, cutting off Wulin's mumbling.
"Shrek… huh…"
"Monopolizing opportunity, sucking the Federation's life—what's the difference between that and a parasite?"
"Let's go, Ye Xinglan. Trying to change this young lord's mind is pointless…"
"Sister Xinglan, don't leave!" Xu Lizhi called desperately.
He wanted to chase after her, but hesitated, drooping back to stand by Tang Wulin.
He could only watch as Ye Xinglan and another 'Seven Monster' returned to Shrek City.
"They're going to die. Without Shrek's protection, the Transmission Tower will see them as enemies," Xie Xie said coldly, watching them go.
"We need to get moving," Tang Wulin said after a long pause.
"If they reveal our location, we could be in danger."
...