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Returning to Shrek Academy, Bai Xu felt no particular emotions stirring within him. It wasn't until he saw Na'er waiting at the entrance that a faint smile finally appeared on his face.
"You're here!" Na'er waved at him with a bright grin.
"Mm. Let's go. Yun Ming wants to see me?" Bai Xu asked.
"Yes, Master wants to meet you."
"You two go ahead. I'll go find Teacher Wu to apply for graduation from the outer court," Gu Yue said without lingering, turning to leave in another direction.
Na'er led Bai Xu toward the Sea God Lake.
As they stepped onto Sea God Island, Bai Xu immediately sensed the strange life energy in the air. Every towering ancient tree brimmed with immense vitality, their presence weathered and timeless, as if they had witnessed countless ages.
Had the Plane Spirit not informed him that A Yin usually remained dormant—only awakening slightly when Tang Wulin was near—Bai Xu would never have come here.
"My lord, in the future, I ask that you help me reclaim the Life Ancient Tree. Though that Blue Silver Grass has already merged with the Golden Ancient Tree to become the life core of Douluo Star, I have a way to take it back," the Plane Spirit said respectfully.
"I will assist you."
"You've arrived?"
A telepathic voice reached him, and in an instant, a tall figure appeared before Bai Xu. The man studied him with curiosity rather than authority.
"Master?" Na'er called out worriedly.
Yun Ming chuckled. "Don't worry, I won't give him a hard time. Go find your mistress—she's waiting for you. I'd like to have a proper talk with this young friend here."
Na'er and Bai Xu exchanged a glance. Only after Bai Xu nodded did she reluctantly leave, glancing back every few steps as if fearing the two might come to blows.
Once Na'er was out of earshot, Yun Ming sighed. "I truly don't know what happened between you and Na'er to make her care for you so deeply. Normally, she's the Dragon Spear Goddess of the inner court, keeping everyone at arm's length."
"Na'er must have already told you, Atlas Douluo. This junior is Bai Xu. It's an honor to meet you." Bai Xu inclined his head politely.
Yun Ming led Bai Xu to a courtyard, where the two took seats on stone chairs. A pot of tea sat on the table between them.
"After Na'er returned, she told us about her experiences with you, her realizations, and her feelings. To be honest, it's hard for me to believe she could change so much. Her talent's recovery was thanks to you, so it's understandable that she's grown attached. When she was at her lowest, you didn't kick her while she was down—you remained composed. Later, during your training in the Star Luo Empire, you even gave her a once-in-a-century immortal herb. The depth of your affection is immeasurable."
Then, Yun Ming's tone shifted. "But I've heard you're fond of Gu Yue, that outstanding girl from the outer court?"
"Yes. Before Na'er came to the outer court, Gu Yue and I were already sharing a room."
Yun Ming frowned. "It seems the outer court's work-study arrangements need revising. But are you certain this Gu Yue knows about Na'er? And that both of them are willing?"
"Your Excellency, all three of us are aware." Yun Ming still seemed uneasy, probing Bai Xu for answers, but Bai Xu's response was firm.
Yun Ming was at a loss for words. Matters of the heart were not something outsiders could easily interfere with. Since all three were aware and reciprocated each other's feelings, there was little more he could say.
Should I use my authority to force Na'er to stay?
That might sever our master-disciple bond entirely.
Reflecting on his own life, Yun Ming knew well that Leng Yaoju, Cai Yue'er, and even the missing Dark Phoenix Douluo—Leng Yaoju's younger sister—all harbored feelings for him.
Yet his heart belonged to Yali, and he had no intention of involving himself with others. Yali, too, would never agree to share a husband with these women.
In the end, he sighed helplessly. "Very well. Since I know there's no deception or concealment between you, I'll leave it be. I suppose I just don't understand the youth of today. However… setting Na'er's matters aside, let's talk about you. You truly are as Cai Yue'er described—completely devoid of reverence for Shrek Academy, your teachers, or even me, the master of Sea God Pavilion. Your words are polite, but your bones hold no trace of submission."
Bai Xu: "..."
"Before you arrived, I personally sought out your teacher—Leng Jiuming from East Sea Spirit Pagoda—and listened to your story. It seems you never came to Shrek for its own sake, but rather to fulfill your teacher's ideals. And indeed, you've succeeded. None of this generation's Shrek Seven Monsters can defeat you. I also relayed news of you to him."
Yun Ming continued, "Your teacher told me you were precocious. You lived in an orphanage for a year, were adopted by a soul master family at four, and at six, envoys from the Spirit Pagoda came to recruit you. Eventually, he took you in, and enrolling at Shrek was his suggestion. Your life seems to have drifted with the currents, lacking strong personal ambition. Neither glory nor wealth holds much appeal to you. This isn't the mindset of a child. That's why I find you… peculiar."
Hearing this, Bai Xu froze, a trace of melancholy flickering in his eyes.
His transmigration was different from others'.
It happened one night on his university campus, where he stumbled upon a mysterious manual. Then, a fragment of power from another Bai Xu pulled him into this world, reverting his body to that of a three-year-old.
Whether it was due to that sliver of power or his own inability to adapt, Bai Xu had always felt out of place here.
Over the years, countless thoughts had crossed his mind. If he had the chance to cultivate and seek the Dao, he should cherish it. He didn't want to grow attached to this world, avoiding bonds where he could. Once he gained the strength, he would leave.
After all, this wasn't his world.
As for his true desires—first, to see how far he could go; second, something he only considered after Gu Yue changed—he wanted to build a family.
In the Heaven of Self-Transformation, there was more than one Bai Xu. All of us were waiting there, biding our time for the ultimate leap forward.
The original Bai Xu understood himself too well. That was why he tirelessly explained the circumstances to each iteration, leaving the choice to them.
Putting himself in their shoes, he knew what he would choose.
So Bai Xu replied, "In life, one merely seeks to advance further—just as you do now, Atlas Douluo."
Yun Ming was taken aback. His life now?
With Yali by his side, he had never given up his pursuit of a godhood. Since he could no longer sense the Divine Realm, he would forge his own godly position!
As the master of Sea God Pavilion, he rarely involved himself in trivial matters, only appearing for major events. Most of his time was spent in this small courtyard on Sea God Island, savoring the rest of his days with Yali while refining his divine seat.
What bliss!
"You have lofty aspirations. In some aspects, you surpass even me." Yun Ming smiled, no longer treating Bai Xu as a mere junior.
"You may go. I won't interfere further with you and Na'er—I'd rather not earn her resentment. But before you leave, I have some advice: It's natural for a soul master to seek greater heights. Yet we still live in this world, and that means we have allegiances and bonds. You've joined the Spirit Pagoda, and Shrek's relationship with them is far from amicable. Without sufficient strength… choosing between your faction and Na'er will be an excruciating decision."
"Think carefully on this."
Yun Ming assumed Bai Xu was like him—he considered Shrek his home, while Bai Xu saw the Spirit Pagoda as his. But the two factions were anything but friendly, their tensions lurking beneath a deceptively calm surface. Without enough power, steering this fragile boat would be impossible.
Unfortunately, Bai Xu was not like him at all.