Book 15: Victors

Chapter 128.2: The Light of the SeaG.o.d"s Pavillion

The Hallmaster"s eyes were tender, as if he were speaking to his own child, and there was even a tinge of benevolence within his voice.

"Sssss…" The white mist abruptly crashed violently against the G.o.dsealing Altar"s golden light barrier, as if a wail had suddenly appeared in the Hallmaster"s consciousness.

The Hallmaster continued to grin as he said, "You should count yourself lucky, as there are hardly any treasures that are worthy of my emphasis and my cherishment. Do you know what a person"s greatest agony is when he or she has reached the pinnacle? It"s the lack of happiness. I can feel this blissful sensation from you, and I believe this blissfulness will be with me for quite a long time."

At Shrek Academy"s main gate.

It was almost midday, and it was still lesson time. Shrek Academy"s main gate felt extremely tranquil today as the myriad of vendors and merchants that would gather here on typical days were all absent. There were five people standing before the enormous gateway.

The person standing in front was Shrek Academy"s Martial Soul Deparment"s Dean, Yan Shaozhe, and the Soul Tool Department"s Dean, Xiao Lin"er.

The three people behind them were: the Martial Soul Department"s vice-Dean, Cai Mei"er, the Soul Tool Department"s vice-Dean, Qian Duoduo and the Soul Tool Department"s core teacher, Fan Yu, who was also Huo Yuhao"s mentor.

The four Deans were all present along with Fan Yu, who was almost set to become the Soul Tool Department"s next vice-Dean. This group was substantial and monumental, but they were not accompanied by other teachers.

Their heads were slightly tilted as they glanced towards the far end of the horizon, and everyone was standing silently in wait.

Several figures that looked like tiny black dots gradually drifted into view one after another in the skies in the distance, and descended from the sky as the five of them looked on.

"They have returned." A faint smile broke out on Yan Shaozhe"s face.

Xian Lin"er took a step forward and muttered, "They"re finally back." Her eyes flowed with obvious excitement and exhilaration, and it was a wonder she wasn"t trying to oppose Yan Shaozhe at every available opportunity like normal.

Yes, the five of them were here to welcome the return of Shrek Academy"s heroes.

Several figures flitted onto the ground. The first person that came into view was the slovenly-dressed Elder Xuan, and he waved his large hand, and the others descending behind him caught the two stretchers in the sky.

Xu Sans.h.i.+ was still unconscious on the stretcher, but Jiang Nannan was wide awake. She was so thrilled when she saw the words "Shrek Academy" across the enormous gate that tears of excitement flooded from her eyes.

Even though they hadn"t even been gone for two months, they had experienced and gone through far too much over these two months.

Bei Bei and Dai Yueheng caught Xu Sans.h.i.+"s stretcher, while Huo Yuhao and w.a.n.g Dong were responsible for Jiang Nannan"s stretcher. Everybody"s eyes sparkled with excitement, and the younger ones all began to tear up.

They had been through so much suffering, but they managed to defend Shrek"s honor and glory. They were finally home, and they were finally standing before the main gate that they were so familiar with.

"Welcome home, children." Yan Shaozhe and the others strode forward and welcomed them with open arms. All five of them paid their respects to Elder Xuan as they spoke before they arrived before Shrek Academy"s marvelous students.

Yan Shaozhe and Cai Mei"er managed to suppress their emotions, but Fan Yu couldn"t control himself, and lunged forward as he pulled Huo Yuhao and He Caitou over. He scrutinized his two dear disciples, and only heaved a sigh of relief after he was sure that they were in one piece.

He Caitou swallowed and said, "I didn"t embarra.s.s you master. I didn"t embarra.s.s Shrek."

Fan Yu glanced at him, and then at Huo Yuhao beside him, whose face was flowing with tears, and he grabbed the both of them into a bear hug as he said, "Silly child. I am not afraid of you guys disappointing me - all I wish for is that everyone returns home safely!"

This period of time was way too torturous and agonizing for Fan Yu. He wasn"t even supposed to be here, as he was not yet the Soul Tool Department"s vice-Dean.

Fan Yu hadn"t enjoyed a single day of peace ever since the main team members had returned with heinous injuries, and his heart began to beat out of his chest when Elder Mu decided to let Shrek Academy continue on in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament with an incomplete team. He was extremely aware that the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament wasn"t an entirely safe compet.i.tion, and partic.i.p.ants died almost time.

He only had two direct disciples! Fan Yu and Zhou Yi didn"t have their own children, and he had long treated He Caitou and Huo Yuhao as his own children. There were several times when he wanted to venture into Star Luo City, but was stopped by Qian Duoduo.

How could Fan Yu not be elated, now that his prized disciples had returned home? This hardened man couldn"t help it, and tears cascaded down his cheeks in an instant.

The four Deans shook hands with the group before they personally led them all back into the academy. A small boat was already waiting on the the Sea G.o.d"s Lake"s sh.o.r.e.

Everybody exchanged looks with one another as they turned towards the Deans with astonished looks on their faces.

Yan Shaozhe smiled and said, "You have sacrificed so much for the academy. You continued on in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament with an incomplete team, and eventually brought home the champions.h.i.+p. This record will forever be etched into Shrek Academy"s history, and the conference held within the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion has decided that everyone shall be rewarded - on the Sea G.o.d"s Island, inside the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion."

Neither Huo Yuhao nor w.a.n.g Dong knew what the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion was about, but Dai Yueheng and Ling Luochen were aware, and they instantly reacted with intense shock.

The Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion was Shrek Academy"s cardinal location for official businesses and meetings, and it was also Shrek Academy"s actual treasury. Shrek Academy"s top secrets were all kept there, and n.o.body was allowed to enter besides the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion"s Elders and the four Deans under normal circ.u.mstances. The opportunity to enter the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion was an incredible honor. Both Dai Yueheng and Ling Luochen had never heard of any student who had been allowed to go inside, and this was the case even for their seniors that partic.i.p.ated in the previous Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament and eventually took home the crown.

Everybody got onto the boat, and Yan Shaozhe personally checked Xu Sans.h.i.+"s health. He immediately pa.s.sed on an order for both Xu Sans.h.i.+ and Jiang Nannan to remain on Sea G.o.d"s Island for treatment and recovery.

Huo Yuhao knew that the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion existed, but he didn"t really know anything much about it. He was anxious and excited when he was told that he was about to set foot on the island. Sea G.o.d"s Island had something that was touted as the most impressive cradle for soul masters across the entire Continent - Shrek Academy"s inner courtyard!

The fact that Huo Yuhao, w.a.n.g Dong and Xiao Xiao were able to visit the island at such a young age was enough to excite them.

The Sea G.o.d"s Lake"s surface area was immense, and it was far larger than the rest of Shrek Academy added together. The boat pierced through the layers of mist, and the shape of an island gradually drifted into view after about fifteen minutes

The Sea G.o.d"s Island only appeared to be roughly two square kilometers, and its surface wasn"t flat and smooth at all. Instead, it seemed like a small mountain, with all kinds of buildings constructed upon it. The structures that were usually obscured behind the layers of dense mist finally appeared right before their eyes, and the excitement in their eyes grew ever more radiant.

Even though everything was unfamiliar and novel, these things were still the stuff of legends to them.

Yan Shaozhe didn"t let someone take Xu Sans.h.i.+ away to rest yet. Instead, he took them all and stepped along a narrow stone path towards the Sea G.o.d"s Island"s inner regions.

Sea G.o.d"s Island was extremely quiet, almost as if it were uninhabited. Everything just seemed too tranquil and serene, and the entire place felt like Shangri-la. The various pavilions and structures that were hidden within a myriad of tall and endless vegetation appeared graceful and elegant. This was Huo Yuhao"s first time here, but he fell in love with it at first sight.

The vegetation here had more than a few thousand years of history, and some trees were even a hundred meters tall. The air along the trail was fresh, and all that vegetation blocked everyone"s vision. There was a mysterious and enigmatic feeling as they sauntered along the footpath, as if they were just inside the mountain.

It didn"t take long for them to reach a position near the mountain summit, and a single pavilion immediately appeared before everyone"s eyes.

This was a three-storey building, and the entire structure was gray and made of wood. It appeared simple and unadorned, yet there were tinges of vicissitudes upon it. One would realize upon closer inspection that there was a layer of grease-like light on the structure"s wooden body.

The three-storey building was about ten meters tall, and it didn"t feel grand or magnificent at all. However, a black horizontal inscribed board hung from the top of the first level"s entrance, and three radiant golden words announced the building"s ident.i.ty - Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion.

Everybody developed a solemn and respectful feeling as they saw these three words. Judging by the distance, the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion was not only close to the mountain summit, but was also near the island"s center.

Yan Shaozhe stopped before the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion"s entrance and turned towards the Shrek team members with a faint smile on his face. "I didn"t let Xu Sans.h.i.+ and Jiang Nannan rest because I wanted them to have the experience of stepping into the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion."

He turned back towards the Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion after explaining himself, and he bowed respectfully and said, "They"re back, teacher."

Everybody was taken aback when they heard "teacher". Both Dai Yueheng"s and Ling Luochen"s faces were stricken with shock, even though they were disciples from the inner courtyard.

Yan Shaozhe was the Martial Soul Department"s Dean, and his status was already extremely high in the minds of the inner courtyard"s disciples. Even Elder Xuan wasn"t as important to them as Yan Shaozhe due to the differences in their responsibilities. Never once did they expect that Yan Shaozhe"s teacher was still alive.

"Come in, everyone." An old voice rang out, and a scene that astonished everyone appeared before their eyes.

The three-storey Sea G.o.d"s Pavilion that was just as una.s.suming as it could be suddenly brightened without warning right before them. Radiant beams of golden light glowed, and the entire pavilion became golden, as if it were a building made entirely from pure gold.