The day after the conclusion of the Limit Theory debate.
Spirit Transfer Pagoda.
"Yue'er, what's wrong? You've been distracted all day!" Leng Yaozhu frowned as she observed Gu Yue's absentminded demeanor.
"Teacher, for some reason, my heart rate is five beats faster than usual today," Gu Yue replied, visibly unsettled.
"Hmm?" Leng Yaozhu voiced a soft sound of puzzlement. "What do you plan to do about it?"
"Teacher, I'd like to pause today's lesson. I need to find A Yuan!" Gu Yue declared with determination, her eyes flickering with concern.
"Ah!" Leng Yaozhu sighed lightly. "I can't tell if you're genuinely sensing something or just using this as an excuse to see A Yuan. It's only been one night since you last saw him. Are you really that inseparable?"
Gu Yue's cheeks flushed pink momentarily before she quickly composed herself and explained seriously, "No, Teacher, I truly have a premonition. Something significant is about to happen soon."
"Alright, no need to explain," Leng Yaozhu said with a light chuckle, patting Gu Yue's shoulder. "Go if you want to. I never said you couldn't."
"Thank you, Teacher!" Gu Yue's face brightened with joy as she immediately turned and dashed toward the elevator.
"Wait," Leng Yaozhu suddenly called out. "Yue'er, when do you plan to reveal your true appearance to A Yuan?"
"I..." Gu Yue paused, her voice tinged with an unreadable emotion. "I'm not ready yet."
With that, she hurried into the elevator.
"Heh! I can't wait to see A Yuan's reaction when he realizes Gu Yue looks exactly like his sister. I wonder if his jaw will drop in shock?" Leng Yaozhu mused with a mix of curiosity and anticipation, unaware that this was merely a lie Gu Yue had fabricated for her.
Shrek Academy, Sea God Island.
Yun Ming was in the middle of a lecture for Jing Shaoyu when his voice abruptly halted, a flicker of astonishment passing deep within his eyes.
"Teacher, what's wrong?" Jing Shaoyu, keenly noticing Yun Ming's unusual pause, looked up at him in confusion.
"For some reason, I suddenly feel uneasy," Yun Ming said, his tone slightly grave.
Jing Shaoyu was taken aback. For someone of Yun Ming's caliber, such an intuitive feeling often signaled an imminent major event—a reflection of one's power resonating with the laws of heaven and earth. If Yun Ming felt unsettled, it must be something extraordinary. Jing Shaoyu's eyes darkened as a possibility crossed his mind, yet it only deepened his confusion because the timing didn't align.
"Let's end here for today," Yun Ming stood up abruptly. "Go inform Lan Muzi to gather all disciples currently at the academy and await my instructions."
"Understood, Teacher," Jing Shaoyu nodded promptly before turning to leave.
"Ming, what's happening?" Ya Li entered, her face full of concern.
"Ya Li, I have a premonition that Elder Jin's prophecy might be coming true," Yun Ming stated solemnly.
"What?" Ya Li was shocked, followed by bewilderment and worry. "What should we do?"
Ya Li never doubted Yun Ming's words, because he was Yun Ming—a quasi-god whose spiritual power had reached the Divine Origin Realm. His premonitions were essentially warnings and alerts from the heavens, so they had to be taken seriously.
"First, evacuate the Outer Academy students as a precaution," Yun Ming said gravely.
"Alright, no problem. I'll arrange it immediately," Ya Li agreed at once and turned to leave.
However, before she could step out, a sharp ringing from the communicator halted her movements. Yun Ming flashed to the bedside in an instant, picking up the communicator from the nightstand. It was Guan Yue calling. Yun Ming's pupils constricted violently.
"Senior Brother, two God-Slaying Soul Missiles have gone missing! I'm on my way to the academy now—you must be careful!" Guan Yue's voice was filled with unprecedented urgency.
Both Yun Ming and Ya Li stiffened. Without even replying to Guan Yue, they rushed out of the Sea God Pavilion.
"All Elders, assemble at the Sea God Pavilion immediately!" Yun Ming's voice reverberated throughout Shrek Academy. Countless students instinctively stopped what they were doing and looked up toward the Inner Academy. Regardless of their strength, they all sensed that something monumental was about to happen.
Streaks of light immediately rose from every corner of Shrek Academy, converging toward the Sea God Pavilion from all directions like shooting stars.
After notifying Lan Muzi, Jing Shaoyu happened to run into Gu Yue, who had just returned from the Spirit Transfer Pagoda. Recently, Gu Yue had spent most of her time there, rarely returning to the academy.
The first thing she said upon seeing Jing Shaoyu was, "Shaoyu, I sense danger approaching."
"I know," Jing Shaoyu replied, his heart lifting at the sight of her. He had been about to look for her, and here she was—proof that they truly shared a deep connection.
Just as he was about to speak, Yun Ming's order summoning the Elders to the Sea God Pavilion reached his ears. Hearing this, both Jing Shaoyu and Gu Yue paled. If Yun Ming was making such a decision, it meant the crisis could strike at any moment!
"Yue'er, I need a favor," Jing Shaoyu said urgently, a flicker of anxiety in his eyes. "Take my mother and Aunt Lin Xin to the Spirit Transfer Pagoda. Ask Teacher to look after them."
Originally, he had planned to send his foster mother back to Eastsea City a day or two before departing for Devil Island. But who could have expected disaster to strike so suddenly? Though he hadn't heard Guan Yue's communication, he was almost certain—the Holy Spirit Church had obtained a twelfth-rank Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shell and was preparing to attack Shrek Academy.
Because aside from a twelfth-rank Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shell, nothing else on the Douluo Continent would warrant such grave concern from Yun Ming—unless, of course, it was something from beyond this world.
Gu Yue was momentarily stunned by his words. "Why?" she asked.
"This is my speculation," Jing Shaoyu said solemnly. "If the hidden enemy truly launches an attack, their first target will undoubtedly be Shrek Academy. The Spirit Transfer Pagoda is located on the outermost edge of Shrek City, so it should suffer the least collateral damage. That makes it possibly the safest place."
For the foreseeable future, until the attack was over, the Spirit Transfer Pagoda headquarters would undoubtedly be the safest place in Shrek City.
"Then come with me!" Gu Yue's eyes flashed as she spoke.
"No." Jing Shaoyu refused decisively. "My position makes it unsuitable for me to go to the Spirit Transfer Pagoda. At this critical moment, I must stay at the academy."
As the successor to the Sea God Pavilion Master, it would be utterly inappropriate for him to seek refuge at the Spirit Transfer Pagoda while the academy faced danger. Moreover, if he truly went to the headquarters of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda, Qiangu Dongfeng might take the opportunity to place him under house arrest. It wasn't that he didn't trust Leng Yaozhu, but she was only the Deputy Tower Master.
"But..." Gu Yue still wanted to persuade Jing Shaoyu.
However, he cut her off directly. "Enough, it's decided. Come on, I'll take you to pick up Mom and Auntie."
With that, he took Gu Yue's hand and ran toward the residence of Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin.
At that moment, Na'er and Xu Xiaoyan were already at Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin's place. When they saw Jing Shaoyu and Gu Yue, they immediately approached.
"Brother, what's going on?" Na'er asked.
"Yeah, Shaoyu, why did the Pavilion Master suddenly summon the Elders?" Xu Xiaoyan inquired.
"It's too complicated to explain right now. Na'er, Xiaoyan, go find the others immediately and tell them to head to the Golden Tree at once," Jing Shaoyu said, shaking his head.
"Got it, I'll go right away." Na'er and Xu Xiaoyan sensed the urgency and quickly agreed.
"Wait, Na'er and I should escort Auntie to the Spirit Transfer Pagoda," Gu Yue suddenly said, her gaze flickering with something unreadable as she looked at Na'er.
Na'er was momentarily stunned, staring at Gu Yue in surprise. Before she could speak, Jing Shaoyu answered for her, "No!"
Hearing his firm refusal, both Gu Yue and Na'er felt relieved, but Gu Yue's resolve remained unchanged. Her beautiful eyes locked onto Na'er's, a faint silver glint flashing within them.
Seeing this, Na'er felt a flicker of fear, but she forced a carefree smile and said, "It's fine, Brother. I can spend more time chatting with Mom and Auntie. Don't worry, I'll come back right after we escort them to the Spirit Transfer Pagoda."
Jing Shaoyu's heart sank at her words. He wanted to stop her further. "There's no need—"
"There is!" Gu Yue said with utmost seriousness, her gaze unwavering as she stared into Jing Shaoyu's eyes. "I'll bring Na'er back safely. You have my word."
"Aiya!" Seeing Gu Yue on the verge of anger, Na'er immediately turned to Jing Shaoyu and pouted playfully. "Sister Gu Yue isn't a bad person. Are you really worried she'd sell me off? Hehe, even if she did, I know you'd find me—after all, your heart still belongs to me."
As she spoke, Na'er lightly patted her own chest.
Gu Yue's eyes burned with determination, while Na'er's held a plea. Faced with the combined pressure of both girls, Jing Shaoyu had no choice but to relent.
Strength—it all came down to strength!
Watching Gu Yue, Na'er, Jing Ziyuan, and Lin Xin leave, Jing Shaoyu's eyes filled with frustration and helplessness. Indeed, he still lacked the power to change things. Now, he could only hope Gu Yue wouldn't act too rashly.
"Shaoyu, shall we go?" Xu Xiaoyan asked softly, noticing his silence.
Jing Shaoyu snapped back to reality and said, "Alright, let's go."
Meanwhile, inside the Sea God Pavilion, Yun Ming was assigning tasks to the Elders.
"Everyone, Elder Jin had issued a warning half a year ago that the academy would face a calamity," Yun Ming said gravely. "And just now, I received an urgent communication from Guan Yue—two of the Federation's three twelve-level Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shells have been stolen."
"What?!" The Elders present were all shocked into silence. As Titled Douluos, they were privy to the secrets of twelve-level Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shells, and many of them had even seen one in person.
To reassure and deter major factions, the Federation invited members of various organizations to inspect and observe the twelve-level Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shells every year. This year's inspection hadn't even taken place yet, and now they were hearing such earth-shattering news.
Those were twelve-level Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shells! They still vividly remembered the shock and fear they felt when they first laid eyes on such a devastating weapon. Just the terrifying aura it emitted was enough to unsettle them, even as Titled Douluos.
Now, Yun Ming was telling them that such a horrifying weapon had been stolen—not just one, but two. How could they not feel alarmed?
"Silence!" Yun Ming's voice cut through the agitated murmurs as he released his Quasi-God aura, instantly quieting the Elders. "The severity of this matter speaks for itself. The theft of these twelve-level Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shells is likely targeting Shrek Academy. Therefore, as the master of the Sea God Pavilion, I issue the following orders:
"First, immediately evacuate all Outer Academy students from the academy and Shrek City. Outer Academy Dean Cai Yue'er will take full responsibility for this task."
"Understood!" Cai Yue'er responded without hesitation before swiftly leaving the Sea God Pavilion.
"Second, notify the Shrek City Defense Force at once to evacuate and relocate the city's residents to prevent harm from the perpetrators. Simultaneously, order the city defense to conduct a full-scale search covering a radius of five hundred miles around Shrek City.
"Twelve-level Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shells require special setups for deployment. If the thieves intend to use them, they will inevitably leave traces. Crimson Dragon Douluo Zhuo Shi, you will lead twenty Inner Academy students to assist the city defense force."
"Understood, Oldest!" Zhuo Shi stood up sharply, answering solemnly before turning to leave. The Inner Academy students were already assembled beneath the Golden Tree, awaiting orders.
"Third, immediately inform the Tang Sect of this incident and request their full mobilization from headquarters to aid in evacuating residents and searching for the culprits. Additionally, send word for the Love Douluo to return at once. Blazing Dragon Douluo Feng Wuyu, you will oversee this task and also lead twenty Inner Academy students."
"Mission guaranteed!" Feng Wuyu declared loudly before hurrying out of the Sea God Pavilion.
"Fourth, demand an immediate explanation and countermeasures from Mingdu. Make it clear to them that Shrek Academy will inform all its graduates of this incident, mobilizing them to assist in tracking down the thieves responsible for stealing the twelve-level Fixed Soul Guided Cannon Shells. Light-Dark Douluo Long Yeyue, you will handle this matter!"
"I shall set off at once." Long Yeyue's expression was solemn as she spoke in a grave tone. She understood clearly that this was a moment concerning the life and death of Shrek Academy, so she dared not be the slightest bit careless. In an instant, her figure vanished from the Sea God Pavilion.
"Fifth, notify the Spirit Transfer Pagoda and have them assist in evacuating the residents of Shrek City. I will personally oversee this matter."
"Sixth, the rest of you, please bear the burden and immediately patrol Shrek City. If the city defense forces or the Tang Sect discover any anomalies, provide support at once. Ya Li, you will go with everyone else."
"Yes!" Ya Li and the remaining dozen or so Elders responded in unison.
"Everyone, the enemy we face this time can be said to be extremely cunning, so utmost caution is required!" Yun Ming's tone was heavy as he spoke. "I entrust this to you all!"
After Yun Ming assigned all the tasks, Shrek Academy immediately entered a state of emergency, and all the Elders sprang into action. Shortly after, the Shrek City defense forces and the Tang Sect headquarters also mobilized.
The Outer Academy students, bewildered and panicked, were forcibly escorted out of the academy and Shrek City by their teachers. Many of them didn't understand what was happening, only knowing that something extraordinary had occurred.
The residents of Shrek City grew even more frantic. Some firmly believed the notifications from Shrek Academy, the city defense forces, or the Tang Sect and fled the city in droves, while others dismissed it as nonsense and paid no heed. Those responsible for the evacuation could do nothing about it.
The entirety of Shrek Academy and Shrek City was plunged into an eerie bustle. Meanwhile, Jing Shaoyu and the rest of the Shrek Seven Monsters were forcibly kept at the Golden Tree—everyone except Na'er was present.
"Shaoyu, you and the others must transfer everything from the academy's treasury, library, and storage rooms into these Space Soul Guidance Devices. If the academy truly fails to survive this catastrophe, these will be the capital for its resurgence!" Yun Ming tossed several top-tier spatial rings to Jing Shaoyu, his voice grave.
After making all these arrangements, the unease in Yun Ming's heart not only failed to subside but grew even stronger. Thus, he had made these preparations—to leave behind the seeds of rebirth for Shrek Academy.
The six members led by Jing Shaoyu immediately set to work.
Yun Ming sat calmly beneath the Golden Tree, awaiting the impending catastrophe.