The next morning.
The rising sun spilled golden light across Star Luo City, and the entire city slowly awakened in the morning glow.
Sparse pedestrians began appearing on the streets—a new day was about to begin.
Fang Yang stood quietly before the window of his hotel room, gazing at this gradually active city.
"Decided?"
Gu Yue came to his side at some unknown point, asking softly.
She wore a pale white dress, the morning light casting a soft golden edge upon her, the hem swaying gently with her light steps.
"Mm."
Fang Yang nodded slightly, his expression calm as still water, "It's time to leave."
"Aren't you going to say goodbye in person?" Gu Yue turned to look at him, her gaze carrying inquiry.
Fang Yang gazed into the distance, shaking his head lightly, "Forget it, we'll meet again."
Hearing this, Gu Yue nodded and said no more. She understood Fang Yang's choice—some partings indeed required too many words.
"Everything is packed."
Na'er walked over lightly, her silver hair gleaming with soft luster in the morning light.
Behind her followed Xu Xiaoyan, still sleepy-eyed—both were ready to depart.
Xu Xiaoyan rubbed her eyes, her light blue long hair somewhat disheveled, "Are we setting off?"
Her voice still carried the softness of just waking up, yet her eyes had already brightened.
"Mm, let's go."
Fang Yang turned and spoke softly.
Subsequently, the four left the Star Luo Grand Hotel silently.
Not long after, inside the Star Luo Grand Hotel restaurant.
"Huh? Why didn't Fang Yang and Gu Yue come for breakfast today?" Tang Wulin put down his milk cup and suddenly spoke.
His gaze swept around the restaurant, his brows carrying some confusion.
Xie Xie was buried in dealing with the fried eggs on his plate, raising his head upon hearing this.
He still had food in his mouth, speaking indistinctly as he agreed, "Yeah, didn't see them at all today. Even Gu Yue and Xiaoyan aren't here—really strange."
Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi exchanged glances, both also showing puzzled expressions.
At this time normally, Fang Yang and the others should have already appeared in the restaurant.
The Genius Team on this side was similarly unclear about the situation. They were the only team from Shrek Academy participating in the seven-person team competition.
Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi sat at the dining table. Although they wouldn't interfere excessively with the students' matches, they would secretly observe each student.
Hearing everyone's discussion, the two couldn't help but frown slightly.
"Xie Xie, go to the room and look for Fang Yang and the others." Wu Zhangkong's cold and clear voice rang out.
"Alright, I'll go right now."
Xie Xie quickly swallowed the food in his mouth, wiped his lips, rose, and quickly left the restaurant.
The restaurant fell into silence for a moment, everyone looking at each other, the atmosphere becoming subtle.
Before long, Xie Xie hurriedly ran back, his face carrying confusion, "Teacher Wu, Fang Yang is gone, and the room is empty too."
"What?"
Tang Wulin abruptly stood up, his chair falling to the ground with a heavy sound.
Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi exchanged glances, both seeing gravity in each other's eyes.
Shen Yi immediately rose, "Senior Brother, I'll go to the front desk to ask about the situation."
Just at this moment, a hotel attendant walked over, holding two pristine white envelopes in hand.
"Excuse me, which of you is Mr. Wu Zhangkong? This is a letter left for you by Mr. Fang Yang."
"It's me."
Wu Zhangkong responded in a cold and clear voice, yet his fingers tightened slightly as he accepted the envelope.
A complex emotion welled up in his heart—worry, confusion, and also a faint sense of loss.
The attendant respectfully bowed and departed. The restaurant instantly fell silent, as if even the air had solidified.
Wu Zhangkong opened one of the letters, and the moment the letter paper unfolded, the handwriting came into view.
"Teacher Wu, Teacher Shen, and everyone:
When you see this letter, we have already left Star Luo City. Please forgive our departure without saying goodbye.
Gu Yue, Na'er, Xiaoyan, and I need to go to a special place to cultivate. This journey will take three years.
That place is completely isolated from the outside world with no means of contact, but we will certainly return safely.
As for the seven-person team competition, I believe you will certainly win.
Tang Wulin, I leave the position of captain to you. Xie Xie, Yangzi, Jinxi, and everyone from the Genius Team—I look forward to the day we reunite three years from now.
The other letter is what Na'er left for the Pavilion Master and the Holy Spirit Douluo.
Do not worry!
— Fang Yang."
Wu Zhangkong finished reading the letter and remained silent for a long time.
His gaze lingered on the letter paper for a moment before handing it to Shen Yi beside him, his voice somewhat low, "They're gone..."
Shen Yi accepted the letter and read it carefully, also falling into silence.
"Teacher Shen..."
Tang Wulin's voice carried a tremor.
Shen Yi handed him the letter, speaking softly, "See for yourselves."
Tang Wulin accepted the letter paper, and Xie Xie immediately leaned over.
The two stood shoulder to shoulder reading every word on the letter, their expressions gradually shifting from shock to loss.
"This guy, leaving without a word..."
Xie Xie stared blankly at the letter paper, only murmuring after a long while, his voice carrying hard-to-conceal disappointment.
Tang Wulin smiled bitterly as he handed the letter to his other companions.
He looked toward everyone and spoke softly, "Since this is his choice, we can only believe in him. Three years from now, we will certainly meet again."
The restaurant was speechless for a moment, with only the faint sound of the letter paper being passed among everyone.
The morning light remained bright, yet it seemed as if something was missing.
At this moment, everyone silently made a vow in their hearts: "Three years from now, we must welcome our companion's return in our strongest form."
Fang Yang, with Gu Yue, Na'er, and Xu Xiaoyan, rode a soul taxi all the way out of Star Luo City.
Finally, the taxi stopped at the side of a remote small road. The surroundings were completely silent, with only the rustling sound of wind.
After Fang Yang and the others got out, the taxi quickly departed.
"Where are we going?" Xu Xiaoyan asked curiously, her light blue twin-tails swaying gently with her movement.
"Dragon Valley."
Fang Yang answered briefly, his gaze looking into the distance.
Gu Yue extended her jade-like hand and traced lightly in the air.
With her movement, the surrounding space began to distort, and a silver-white spatial gate slowly formed.
"Alright, let's go." Gu Yue stepped into the spatial gate first.
Fang Yang, holding Na'er and Xu Xiaoyan's hands, followed closely behind. With a wave of spatial fluctuation, the four figures disappeared into the silver-white light.
The spatial gate slowly closed, as if it had never appeared.
...
Deep within an unnamed mountain range in the Star Luo Empire.
Fang Yang, Gu Yue, Na'er, and Xu Xiaoyan appeared on the peak of a high mountain.
This was a towering mountain range reaching into the clouds, with an altitude exceeding four thousand meters. The air was considerably thinner compared to ground level, the ground covered with snow, and the temperature dropped to around minus ten degrees.
In such an environment, aside from some tenacious plants, there were virtually no living creatures.
Bone-chilling winds howled past, sweeping up fine snow particles that sparkled with crystalline light.
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