Although Ya Li was also curious about Jing Ziyuan's transformation, she understood priorities well.
She instructed Jing Shaoyu to take Jing Ziyuan somewhere to rest first, then began organizing the tasks Yun Ming had entrusted to her.
"Muzi, Yinmeng, dismiss all the disciples. Today's matchmaking event is over," Ya Li said, turning to Lan Muzi and Tang Yinmeng.
Though puzzled, Lan Muzi and Tang Yinmeng had no trouble following Ya Li's orders. They replied in unison, "Understood."
"Yue'er, head to the Outer Academy and reassure the students who participated in tonight's event," Ya Li then instructed Cai Yue'er.
"Got it," Cai Yue'er nodded, though her expression was troubled. "Sister Ya Li, how is the Pavilion Master doing?"
"Brother Ming just overexerted himself—he's fine, no need to worry," Ya Li replied with a faint smile.
Hearing this, Cai Yue'er and the other Elders sighed in relief. Yun Ming was the backbone of Shrek Academy. If anything happened to him, no one could shoulder the academy's responsibilities in the short term, so the Elders were deeply concerned about his condition.
Cai Yue'er immediately turned and left for the Outer Academy.
Ya Li then moved on to the final and most crucial task. She looked at Long Yeyue, her tone carrying a note of consultation. "Sister Yue, could I trouble you to go to Mingdu and inform Guan Yue about tonight's events? Also, invite them to the academy."
"To Mingdu?" Long Yeyue's expression flickered briefly before she regained her composure and nodded. "How much should I disclose?"
"Tell them clearly that Brother Ming is prepared to share the path Beyond Quasi-God with them. As for the rest, you can decide what to say as you see fit," Ya Li explained.
"Understood. I'll set off right away." Long Yeyue nodded, then vanished from sight in a flash.
"Feng Wuyu, Zhuo Shi, you two will go to the Tang Sect and the Spirit Transfer Pagoda," Ya Li then instructed Feng Wuyu and Zhuo Shi.
"I'll take the Tang Sect," Feng Wuyu immediately volunteered.
"...Then I'll go to the Spirit Transfer Pagoda," Zhuo Shi muttered, distracted and slow to respond, his tone absentminded.
Both Ya Li and Feng Wuyu noticed his unusual demeanor.
"Old man, stop looking like someone died—that's not like you!" Feng Wuyu patted Zhuo Shi's shoulder reassuringly. "I'm sure that kid Tang Wulin will be fine. Don't worry."
"Shut it!" Zhuo Shi shot Feng Wuyu a glare. "If you don't know how to talk, then don't. You're jinxing it!"
He knocked Feng Wuyu's hand away and strode off.
"Hey, old man, who are you calling a jinx? I was trying to comfort you, and not only do you not appreciate it, you even curse at me?" Feng Wuyu chased after him, shouting, "You want me to knock your teeth out?"
"Bring it on! Like I'm scared of you," Zhuo Shi retorted defiantly.
Ya Li watched the two of them bickering into the distance, a helpless smile on her face. Though they hadn't grasped the full picture of the incident, one thing was certain—there had to be some connection between Tang Wulin and that middle-aged man who claimed to be the Father of Poseidon. Otherwise, why was he the only one taken away?
"Ah!" Ya Li sighed inexplicably, a trace of worry appearing between her brows. She had a premonition that after tonight, the long-peaceful academy and the Douluo Federation would undoubtedly enter turbulent times.
Without dwelling on it, she turned to head for the Seven Monsters' activity room to find Jing Shaoyu.
At that moment, Jing Shaoyu, Gu Yue, Na'er, Xu Xiaoyan, Wu Siduo, Ye Xinglan, Mo Hentian, and Lan Fozi were all in the activity room. Lin Xin and Jing Ziyuan were also present, though Jing Ziyuan had fallen unconscious shortly after arriving.
Jing Shaoyu quickly examined her and was surprised to find her body in perfect health. An unknown surge of life energy had erupted within her, so potent that her body couldn't withstand it in the short term, causing her to lose consciousness.
This was undoubtedly a good thing—the life energy was transforming Jing Ziyuan's body and refining her bloodline.
Jing Shaoyu recalled the moment Jing Ziyuan had transformed into the Goddess of Life. He had initially thought she was the goddess herself, but now it seemed the Goddess of Life had only temporarily possessed her. When had that happened?
By the time Ya Li arrived at the activity room, Jing Ziyuan was enveloped in an emerald-green light, the dense life energy filling the space and dispelling everyone's fatigue.
"What incredibly rich life energy!" Ya Li exclaimed in amazement.
"Godmother, you're here," Jing Shaoyu immediately stood and approached her. "Please take a look at my mother's condition."
"Of course," Ya Li agreed without hesitation, equally curious about Jing Ziyuan's transformation. She swiftly moved to Jing Ziyuan's side, extending her slender hand into the emerald glow, her expression growing increasingly astonished.
After a short while, she withdrew her hand and said, "She's perfectly healthy and undergoing a remarkable evolution. There's no need to worry, A'Yu."
Hearing Ya Li confirm his own conclusion, Jing Shaoyu was completely reassured. "That's great."
"Yes," Ya Li nodded with a smile. "A'Yu, come with me to see your godfather. Gu Yue, Na'er, stay here and look after A'Yu's mother and aunt."
Gu Yue remained expressionless, while Na'er smiled and replied, "Understood, Godmother."
Ya Li then turned to Jing Shaoyu. "A'Yu, let's go."
Jing Shaoyu followed Ya Li to the Sea God Pavilion. The events of the night had been too monumental and shocking—not only did Yun Ming need time to process them, but Jing Shaoyu himself needed to reflect and comprehend. As for why Yun Ming wanted to see him, he could already guess.
The matters concerning the God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life likely couldn't be hidden from Yun Ming, nor was there any need to. Jing Shaoyu suspected Yun Ming wouldn't press him for details, given that he had already experienced the divine realm firsthand. Though the "trial period" had ended, the experience remained.
Thus, it was highly probable Yun Ming would enter seclusion soon.
"Godmother, when are we going to Devil Island for special training?" Jing Shaoyu asked Ya Li.
"If no further incidents occur, you can set off for Devil Island in a month," Ya Li replied after a moment's thought. "Stirred by tonight's events? Heh, you're still young—there's no need to rush."
"Haha," Jing Shaoyu scratched his head and laughed, "I just want to be stronger so that next time something like this happens, I won't just be a spectator."
Going to Devil Island for special training was a tradition of the Shrek Seven Monsters. Originally, Jing Shaoyu and his six companions had already been scheduled to go, but now Jing Shaoyu had an additional reason he couldn't refuse.
Before the Goddess of Life and the God of Destruction left, they had given him a glowing orb. Besides containing their experiences and methods for developing and utilizing the powers of destruction and life, it also instructed him to formally meet them on Devil Island.
Jing Shaoyu guessed that they were probably preparing to initiate his Godhood Trial.
The thought of simultaneously undergoing the trials for two God King Divine Thrones was quite thrilling.
The two arrived beneath the Golden Tree, which now appeared much dimmer than before. The Heaven and Earth Essence that once surrounded it had completely dissipated. This incident had dealt a significant blow to the Golden Tree and had been a calamity for Sea God Island as well.
Although the buildings on Sea God Island hadn't suffered much damage, the environment had deteriorated drastically. The concentration of Heaven and Earth Essence on the island, which had once been several times higher than the outside world and greatly beneficial for Soul Masters' cultivation, had now regressed to the average level of the outside world—a tremendous loss.
Previously, Jing Shaoyu could sense dense elemental forces in the air of Sea God Island—elements like water, fire, earth, wind, light, darkness, ice, and lightning. Now, only natural energy and life force remained.
The reason for this was simple: life force and natural energy were intrinsic powers of the Golden Tree itself. As long as the tree existed, these forces wouldn't disappear. They nourished the bodies and lives of Soul Masters.
The elemental forces, however, were the legacy of past Sea God Pavilion Masters within the Golden Tree. As Limit Douluos, their physical bodies had perished, but the energy contained within them had been preserved through the Golden Tree, serving as a catalyst for gathering Heaven and Earth Essence. Now, this energy had been exhausted by Yun Ming, and the Golden Tree had reverted to its original state.
"Teacher, are you feeling better?"
Jing Shaoyu and Ya Li arrived at the Sea God Pavilion, where Yun Ming was resting with his eyes closed. Sensing their approach, he immediately opened his eyes. Jing Shaoyu expressed his concern.
"Ha ha ha, much better." Yun Ming's face lit up with excitement upon seeing Jing Shaoyu. Noticing Ya Li behind him, he quickly asked, "Ya Li, have you arranged everything I asked?"
"Yes. I sent Sister Yue to Bright City, Zhuo Shi to the Spirit Transfer Pagoda, and Feng Wuyu to the Tang Sect," Ya Li reported with a nod.
"Good." Yun Ming nodded in satisfaction at her arrangements and smiled. "Now we just wait for them to come to us."
"Ming, was that middle-aged man really Poseidon's father?" Ya Li voiced her doubts, her face reflecting both worry and confusion.
"He was." Yun Ming's expression turned helpless and angry. Having witnessed everything, he could confirm that the man was indeed Tang Hao. Deep down, he was furious because Tang Hao's actions had treated Shrek Academy's dignity as utterly worthless.
"Alas! It's actually true." Ya Li sighed and said, "This is too unbelievable. Poseidon was a figure from twenty thousand years ago. How could his father still be alive now? And he even became a god—it's truly bizarre."
"I think this might be related to Poseidon," Yun Ming mused, though he wasn't certain whether the disappearance of the God Realm had any connection to Poseidon. However, he was sure that Tang Hao's appearance on the Douluo Continent must be Poseidon's doing, and the key figure in this was likely that Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin, the son of Poseidon. Tang Hao, the father of Poseidon. What exactly was Poseidon trying to accomplish? Yun Ming felt a headache coming on.
"Teacher, perhaps we could ask Jin Lao? He might know some secrets," Jing Shaoyu suggested, noticing the troubled expressions on Yun Ming and Ya Li's faces.
Hearing Jing Shaoyu's words, Yun Ming waved his hand helplessly. "Jin Lao seems to have fallen into a deep slumber. I've tried calling for him many times, but there's been no response."
Jing Shaoyu fell silent. Jin Lao's slumber was unexpected, yet it made sense—given the immense energy he had expended, it was only natural for him to rest.
"Ah, never mind. Let's not dwell on this for now. We'll cross the bridge when we come to it," Yun Ming said with a chuckle, mistaking Jing Shaoyu's silence for worry. "Shaoyu, your most important task right now is cultivation—to improve your strength. Understand?"
Yun Ming was filled with anticipation for Jing Shaoyu. He had personally witnessed how the two deities, whom Poseidon had referred to as 'seniors,' were closely connected to Jing Shaoyu. At the very least, this indicated that Jing Shaoyu was their chosen successor. As long as Jing Shaoyu grew steadily, Shrek Academy would surely produce another god-level powerhouse.
As for himself, though this experience had deepened his understanding of the divine realm, constructing his own Divine Throne would still take time. Thus, Yun Ming couldn't confidently say he would achieve godhood before Jing Shaoyu.
With this thought, Yun Ming suddenly felt a pang of envy toward Jing Shaoyu. This kid truly carried immense fortune—unlike him, who had to painstakingly forge his own Divine Throne.
"I understand, Teacher," Jing Shaoyu replied solemnly.
"After I meet with the other Limit Douluo, I will begin my seclusion," Yun Ming said, shifting to serious matters. "I can't determine exactly how long it will take, so once I enter seclusion, you and the others will first undergo a year of special training on Devil Island, followed by a period of tempering in the Blood God Mountains. Understood?"
"Understood," Jing Shaoyu nodded in agreement.
"Ya Li, after I enter seclusion, the academy's affairs will be left to you," Yun Ming continued, turning to her. "If Shaoyu reaches the Titled Douluo realm before I emerge, he will directly assume the position of Pavilion Master."
"Understood. I will ensure it," Ya Li responded gravely.
For now, these matters were only discussed privately among the three. Official decisions would require a Sea God Pavilion meeting later, but given Yun Ming and Ya Li's authority, the other Elders were unlikely to oppose their arrangements.
Once these matters were settled, Jing Shaoyu didn't linger as a third wheel. Using the excuse of checking on Jing Ziyuan, he left the Sea God Pavilion and returned to the Shrek Seven Monsters' activity room.
Inside the Shrek Seven Monsters' activity room, Gu Yue and the other six girls remained by Jing Ziyuan's side. Lin Xin, being an ordinary person, couldn't hold on after experiencing so much tonight and was taken by Na'er to rest.
When Jing Shaoyu returned, the seven girls were chattering excitedly about the events of the evening, mainly focusing on the later battle between Yun Ming and Tang Hao. They wisely avoided mentioning the incomplete Sea God's Fate ceremony.
"Brother, you're back! How is Godfather? Is he alright?" Na'er immediately rushed forward, her face filled with concern.
"Don't worry, Teacher is perfectly fine," Jing Shaoyu replied cheerfully, though his gaze drifted toward Gu Yue. He noticed the complexity in her eyes—as if she had much to say.
His heart tightened. It seemed Gu Yue had seen the God of Destruction and the Goddess of Life. He would need to find time to speak with her alone.
Just as Jing Shaoyu was pondering how to explain things to Gu Yue, the transformation in Jing Ziyuan finally concluded.
The emerald-green light dissipated, leaving Jing Ziyuan completely renewed from the inside out, as if she had become an entirely different person—an astonishing sight.
Jing Shaoyu's only thought was: As expected of the Goddess of Life. Even a temporary possession can bring about such a drastic transformation. Truly incredible!
(End of Chapter)