"Uncle, Tianheng certainly remembers you! All these years, you..."
Looking at the familiar yet unfamiliar figure before him, Yu Tianheng hesitated, his words trailing off.
Those unspoken thoughts churned within him, yet he did not know how to express them.
"Let's go! We can talk further ahead!"
After saying this, Yu Xiaogang stepped forward.
"Mm!"
Yu Tianheng responded and followed closely behind.
The uncle and nephew walked one after the other, soon arriving outside Shrek Academy.
The grassland beyond the city stretched endlessly, a gentle breeze brushing past, carrying with it waves of fresh air.
Yu Xiaogang stopped, turning to look at Yu Tianheng behind him, his gaze carrying a complex warmth.
"Tianheng, it's been a long time! How has your grandfather been all these years?"
Mentioning Yu Yuanzhen, Yu Tianheng's eyes dimmed slightly. He subconsciously clenched his fist, his tone tinged with a hint of gloom:
"Grandfather... he's still the same. Every day, aside from cultivating, he oversees the family affairs. His temperament has grown even more reserved than before."
He looked at Yu Xiaogang, this uncle who was also a figure rarely spoken of within the family.
He had seen him a few times as a child, remembering him as a gentle elder who always carried a trace of melancholy.
Later, he suddenly disappeared from the family, and whenever he was mentioned, the elders would always speak vaguely.
"Uncle, is sending Shrek's students to the Royal Academy for exchange really good for them?"
"Tall trees cannot grow in a greenhouse. They need experience, not just in Soul Power, but in their minds and hearts."
"The conflicts at Heavenly Dou Royal Academy might not be a bad thing for them. It can help them understand sooner that the world of Soul Masters is never as simple as just cultivation."
"Besides, you've seen the conditions at Shrek Academy. This place simply isn't suitable for Soul Masters to cultivate."
"At the Soul Elder stage, it's still manageable, but after reaching Soul Ancestor, without a Simulated Training Field, their cultivation speed will definitely decline!"
Yu Xiaogang turned to look at Yu Tianheng, reaching out to pat his head.
"Tianheng, it seems you haven't neglected your cultivation these years."
He examined his nephew carefully, approval showing in his eyes.
"Your Soul Power aura is steady, your foundation solid. If I'm not mistaken, you're not far from the Soul Ancestor realm, are you?"
Praised like this, a hint of pride appeared on Yu Tianheng's cheeks:
"Mm! I've never slacked off these years, striving to break through as soon as possible and not disappoint the family's expectations."
"Uncle, why don't you come back to the family with me? Even though Grandfather doesn't say it, I can tell he's always been thinking of you."
"A while ago, while organizing the study, I even saw him staring blankly at that theoretical manuscript you left behind in your early years."
Yu Xiaogang's hand paused, complex emotions flashing in his eyes—touched, hesitant, and a trace of deeply buried guilt.
He withdrew his hand, his fingers curling slightly in the air as if trying to grasp something, but in the end, he only let out a soft sigh:
"Tianheng, I know your grandfather's thoughts, and I know your good intentions."
"But now is not the time. I still have unfinished business!"
"I want to prove that even though I, Yu Xiaogang, cannot cultivate, my theories are correct!"
"These are matters for us adults. You should focus on your cultivation. The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Family will need you to inherit it in the future."
"Mm!"
Yu Tianheng could tell Yu Xiaogang didn't want to continue this topic, so he tactfully let it drop.
For a moment, both fell into silence, with only the gentle breeze rustling through the grass.
With everything here settled, Qin Ming also planned to lead the Royal Battle Team back to Heaven Dou City.
Outside Soto City—
Qin Ming had already hired the carriages, and everyone had boarded except for Ye Lingling.
Ye Lingling gazed at Su Yu, her eyes, always moist and gentle, now tinged with a faint red, as if holding back unshed tears.
She pinched the hem of her clothes, her fingertips turning pale. Though her heart was filled with reluctance, she forced a smile, one that held a hint of stubbornness:
"Once I convince my mother, I'll come find you."
Seeing her feigned strength, Su Yu took out a smooth jade token from his robes:
"This is a Communication Jade Token. Use it to contact me if anything happens."
Ye Lingling took the token, her eyes growing even redder.
She clenched it tightly, took a deep breath, and looked up, her gaze fixed on Su Yu.
The next moment, she quickly stepped forward, rose slightly on her toes, and pressed her soft lips gently against his.
The touch was light, carrying the unique fragrance of herbs from her, fleeting and gone in an instant.
Ye Lingling abruptly stepped back, her cheeks flushed crimson, even the tips of her ears tinged with pink.
Not daring to meet Su Yu's eyes, she lowered her head and whispered softly:
"Your Highness! I'll return as soon as I can!"
With that, as if afraid her flustered expression would be seen, she turned and hurried toward the Royal Battle Team's carriage, her skirt fluttering lightly in the wind.
Three days later—
Flender walked slowly along the path of Shrek Academy, the gravel crunching underfoot, as familiar as the beat of his own heart.
Over twenty years had passed—from barren land to this simple yet warm courtyard, every inch soaked with his efforts.
He reached out and brushed the mottled earthen wall beside him, his fingers touching the rough bricks.
From the training ground not far away, the echoes of the children's shouts and punches seemed to still linger in his ears.
Scenes flashed through his mind like clips from an old film, bathed in a warm glow.
His gaze swept over the stubborn weeds growing in the corner, over the old wind chimes hanging under the eaves—each place held countless memories.
His Adam's apple bobbed slightly as Flender took a deep breath, the air filled with the scent of earth and greenery.
Reluctance coiled around his heart like vines, dense and tinged with a faint ache.
But he quickly straightened his back, his eyes gradually growing resolute.
They were fledgling eagles, not meant to be confined to this small valley.
They deserved broader skies, the resources and opportunities Shrek couldn't provide.
"Enough, enough," he murmured softly, as if reconciling with himself.
"As long as they can thrive, this old place… keeping it as a memory is enough."
The evening sun's rays filtered through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows on him.
Flender took another deep breath, his chest rising and falling with the effort. Slowly, he turned around, his gaze settling on the teachers behind him.
Zhao Wuji's usual roughness was gone, replaced by a hint of reluctance in his eyes. The other teachers remained silent as well.
Zhao Wuji stepped forward first, his large, fan-like hand gently patting Flender's shoulder with a light touch:
"Flender, this isn't fleeing from hardship. It's for the academy, for the children—to carve out a broader world."
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