Seeing Hongchen Again

It was an antique room. From its furnishings to the air within, everything carried the marks of age. Yet, strangely, a faint golden fluorescence glowed from the surrounding walls, making the dim room somewhat brighter.

This was the third floor of Sea God's Pavilion, one of the most mysterious and fantastical forbidden grounds in the world. Even someone as powerful as Jing Hongchen, master of Ming De Hall, had needed to pay the price of two Rank 9 Soul Tools before he could leave safely after venturing here rashly.

Yet today, this room at the absolute heart of Shrek Academy welcomed two special guests.

Xiao Hongchen slowly woke from his sleep. He was still wearing his original clothes, though they had long since been soaked through with sweat.

He only felt that he had had a long dream. In that dream, their entire group had been wiped out, and they had not even managed to see who their opponent was.

What made his back go cold even more was that, within the dream, he had seen his own corpse and his sister's. The feeling had been so real that even now, he could still sense the ache in his heart.

"Brother!" At that moment, a sweet voice tinged with surprise and unease rang out, pulling Xiao Hongchen from his muddled state back to reality.

"Good. It was only a dream. A dream is fine..." Xiao Hongchen murmured as if in a daze, the corners of his lips lifting slightly as he looked toward the source of the voice. But in the next instant, every muscle in his body tensed. He sprang up and instinctively grabbed Meng Hongchen, darting to the wall.

He discovered that he was in an unfamiliar environment. An antique room, antique furnishings, and with no windows, he