Zhu Ziyang buried the events of the previous night deep in his heart, pretending as if nothing had happened. Early the next morning, he and Jiang Nannan left Shrek Academy and set off for home.
Once a soul master reached the Soul King realm, they gained the ability to perform low-altitude flight—a highly significant advancement. After all, aside from those with flying-type martial souls, soul masters who wanted to fly had to rely either on special soul skills, soul bones, or flying-type soul tools. To fly with one's own ability alone, one had to reach the Soul King level, which allowed hovering about ten meters above the ground. As for true, free flight, that required the level of Soul Sage.
Even if it was only low-altitude flight, it was far more convenient than traveling on foot. On their way home, Zhu Ziyang happily took advantage of this ability, flying forward with ease.
He held Jiang Nannan by her slender waist, eyes focused on the path ahead. Jiang Nannan wrapped her arms around Zhu Ziyang's body, her delicate figure pressed closely against his. Her small head rested on his shoulder, her pretty face filled with contentment.
After a full day and night, they passed by the Sunset Forest. Looking at the gloomy, fog-filled forest, Jiang Nannan still felt a lingering fear. Even though a year had passed and her soul power had reached rank 45, the memory remained. Zhu Ziyang's expression, however, was far more complex—there was wariness, curiosity, hesitation, and contemplation.
After their panicked escape last time, Zhu Ziyang had searched through every book he could find about the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. Combined with Electrolux's analysis, he was nearly certain that the hidden force behind the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was none other than Sea God Tang San. The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had first appeared in historical records because of the Jade Phosphor Douluo, Dugu Bo. Every appearance afterward was tied to Sea God Tang San. The divine sense Electrolux sensed, the god-like aura of that unfamiliar man—everything pointed to Tang San.
There was no doubt that the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had been deliberately hidden by the Sea God. As for why he chose to conceal it, an early Tang Sect record mentioned this line: "The ancestor, to protect the sacred land, issued a decree forbidding future generations from disturbing it."
Zhu Ziyang couldn't be sure if that line was true, but Tang San's intent to monopolize this treasure was obvious. That divine sense in the clouds, the sea of Jade Phosphor Flowers on the ground, and that unknown man—were all his arrangements.
Was it truly necessary to take this risk?
Zhu Ziyang silently weighed the pros and cons. They passed through Heaven Dou City once more.
The two headed north and stopped for half a day at Zhangyang Village. It was Zhu Ziyang's third time awakening martial souls for the children there. Unfortunately, aside from the first group where eleven children had innate soul power, neither the second batch of nine nor this time's six had any. Still, there was good news—Yang Zhenzhen, the girl affectionately called Nannan, had decent talent and already reached rank 9. If she kept progressing, she had a good chance of reaching rank 10 before turning ten.
Zhu Ziyang had already decided to see things through. He would help her obtain her first soul ring, and if she wished, even arrange for her to enter the outer court of Shrek Academy.
After leaving Zhangyang Village, they didn't stop again. After three full days of travel, they finally returned to North River Village of Anyang City.
"Mom! Dad! I'm home!" Zhu Ziyang shouted as he stepped through the door.
"Yangyang, you're back!" Zhu Changhe, Liang Ying, and the toddler Zhu Ziguang, cradled in Liang Ying's arms, came out to greet him joyfully.
Zhu Ziguang was already two years old. He bore some resemblance to Zhu Ziyang, with large dark eyes staring curiously at his big brother. He didn't remember Zhu Ziyang—after all, it had been two years since they last met—but their blood bond made him stretch out his small arms toward him. His soft voice, still carrying a baby's lisp, called out, "Ziyang… bro… brother…"
——
Zhu Ziyang spent a peaceful half-month at home. Having not seen their eldest son for two years, Zhu Changhe and Liang Ying missed him dearly. Every day was filled with delicious meals and long chats by candlelight—they tried to pour all their longing from the past two years into these short days.
When Zhu Ziyang left, his Starflame Ring held a bundle of new clothes—each piece hand-sewn by Liang Ying over the past two years.
On the way back to Shrek Academy, Zhu Ziyang made up his mind after half a month of careful consideration.
"Brother, are we really going back into the Sunset Forest?" Jiang Nannan asked worriedly. "Just the two of us? Is that really enough?"
"Don't worry. I've already planned everything out." Zhu Ziyang replied confidently.
His certainty reassured Jiang Nannan, and the worry in her eyes faded. She nodded firmly. "Mm, I trust you!"
The two quickly arrived at the same spot in the Sunset Forest where they had entered last time. After preparing themselves, they stepped into the forest once again. Although a year had passed, little had changed. They moved swiftly and skillfully through the terrain and soon arrived at the area filled with Jade Phosphor Flowers.
Looking at the narrow path through the flower field, Zhu Ziyang finally relaxed a little. That path had been cleared using his death energy last time. The unknown man who had driven them away hadn't destroyed it—clear proof that he didn't care about the flowers.
"Nannan, let's begin," Zhu Ziyang said, turning to her.
"Okay." Jiang Nannan nodded and pointed in a direction. "Brother, this way."
"Good. Nannan, stay behind me and don't move." Zhu Ziyang's expression turned serious. He summoned his Stillness Fate Ending Scythe and pointed to his shadow, gesturing for Jiang Nannan to stand within it.
She obeyed but failed to notice something lurking in that shadow.
It was a pair of dark, glowing eyes—the eyes of the Lich King, ruler of the lich race within the Undead Demiplane. At Electrolux's suggestion, Zhu Ziyang had summoned this being—whose power rivaled a rank 94 Title Douluo—and hidden him in his shadow to ensure absolute safety.
The Lich King commanded shadow evasion techniques. In times of danger, he could pull both Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan into a shadow space, greatly increasing their chances of survival.
Zhu Ziyang focused his gaze on the Jade Phosphor Flowers ahead. According to Electrolux, these flowers held no divine sense, so he could freely drain their life energy to open a path.
He gripped his scythe, flooding it with death energy. With a flash of light in his eyes, he hurled the weapon forward. It spun rapidly, forming a swirling vortex of death that harvested the surrounding flowers. Their vast life force was absorbed by the Stillness Fate Ending Scythe and fed into Zhu Ziyang's body.
While refining the massive influx of life energy, he simultaneously controlled the scythe to clear the Jade Phosphor Flowers blocking their path.
Some of the more powerful Jade Phosphor Ninefold Flowers attempted resistance, but Zhu Ziyang was no longer the same as he was a year ago. With elemental advantage and far greater strength, he easily overwhelmed them. Those that stood in his way were devoured, while the rest trembled in fear and closed their petals, not daring to move.
Death energy was simply too terrifying for plant-type soul beasts.
After about seven or eight hours, Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan decided to rest. They could already see the end of the flower field—around eight hundred meters ahead stood a stone wall. Though only one or two meters high, it was steep and sharp as if carved by a blade. The Jade Phosphor Flowers grew up to within five meters of it—beyond that, nothing lived.
Seeing the wall, both Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan were thrilled. They knew what it meant—this stone wall marked the hidden valley shrouded in poisonous fog. And inside that valley was most likely the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well!
"Nannan, no more rest. Let's charge through in one go!" Zhu Ziyang said, excitement written all over his face.
"Mm-hmm!" Jiang Nannan nodded in agreement.
Zhu Ziyang once again threw the Stillness Fate Ending Scythe into the field. The death vortex reappeared, consuming another swath of life force. Countless green leaves withered, falling and returning to the earth. Zhu Ziyang, nourished by this life energy and watching his soul ring years steadily rise, stepped forward slowly with joy in his heart.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well—was now within reach.
(End of Chapter)
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