Na'er Nearly Exposed, the Yin Yang Qilin and the Golden Tree Spirit

A new day, a new beginning.

The two walked along the tree-lined path toward Class Zero's teaching building. Na'er circled in front of Zhao Xuanzhen, brandishing the Silver Dragon Spear with imposing flair. It slashed open one Space Rift after another as she vividly declared,

"Yesterday afternoon, I fought the Sky Pillar Douluo for eight hundred rounds! We went back and forth, nearly smashing Sea God Island to pieces and wiping out Sea God Lake!"

"That happened?" Zhao Xuanzhen showed just the right hint of surprise.

"Of course!" Na'er flicked her spearhead, spinning nine silver-white blossoms of light. "Otherwise, how do you think the two of us earned the right to enter the Golden Tree?"

"This contribution is greater than the heavens." Zhao Xuanzhen gave her a thumbs-up and praised her sincerely.

With the Silver Dragon Spear resting across her back, Na'er turned away from Zhao Xuanzhen. Sunlight pouring down from above outlined half of her exquisite profile. Putting on the air of a master, she sighed emotionally.

"The Sky Pillar Douluo was pretty good!

"Unfortunately, he ran into me. With my Astonishing Wisdom, I saw through his weakness, then finished him with overwhelming strength and a Fatal Blow to win the chance for Golden Tree Enlightenment!"

"Yes, yes, Emperor Na'er is unmatched beneath the heavens!"

Zhao Xuanzhen clapped and said with a smile, "How about I write a book for you? I've already thought of the title.

'A Goddess Descends from Heaven: At Ten Years Old, I Defeated the Number One Person of the Current Era.'"

Hearing Zhao Xuanzhen play along so generously, Na'er became even more delighted. The Silver Dragon Spear thrust out again and again with little grunts as she said heatedly,

"With my years of experience surfing the Soul Network and reading hundreds of books, this one will definitely blow up! Remember to make me look cooler... Hey, let me describe the battle in more detail..."

"Alright, we're at the teaching building. We can talk about your glorious achievements after class." Zhao Xuanzhen said with a laugh.

"The road was so short. I haven't talked enough yet."

Na'er pouted regretfully and withdrew the Silver Dragon Spear.

Shrek Academy held classes five days a week, and Class Zero was no exception. Actual combat was forever the foundation of a Soul Master's strength, so three days were devoted to practical combat. The other two classes covered battle armor and Soul Beast Theory/moral education respectively.

Today, Shen Yi was teaching a branch of Soul Master Theory: Soul Beast Theory.

Although Soul Beasts across the continent had become increasingly scarce and were nearing extinction, Soul Spirits, Beast Souls, and beast-type Tool Souls still retained Soul Beast characteristics.

Understanding Soul Beasts was effectively understanding those three categories, allowing students to form a basic impression and recognize their strengths and weaknesses.

"A Beast Soul, as the name implies, is a Soul whose form is that of a real Soul Beast. The proper path of development for Beast Soul Masters is to study Soul Beasts, maximize their strengths, and avoid their weaknesses..."

Shen Yi's lecture drifted into her ears. Han Tianyi had long since taught Zhao Xuanzhen and Na'er that knowledge, even using the True Illusion to simulate all kinds of phantom Soul Beasts for them to fight.

Na'er propped up her chin with one hand and soon began to lose focus. She already disliked dull theory classes, let alone old knowledge repackaged as new. Out of boredom, she secretly tilted her head and watched Zhao Xuanzhen at the neighboring desk.

Zhao Xuanzhen's expression was calm as still water. He kept his eyes on Shen Yi at the podium, treating the class as a review.

As Na'er watched him, she gradually found herself unable to look away. In her memory, her Childhood Sweetheart rarely showed impatience. No matter what he did, he was always exceptionally patient.

At that moment, sunlight streamed through the windows into the spacious, bright classroom. It made his handsome face look so unfairly good that it struck her pink girlish heart senseless.

She switched to cupping her face in both hands. Beneath the desk, her slender calves unconsciously kicked up, and her little white teeth peeked out as well. Na'er suddenly felt that class was not so bad after all; she would not tire of secretly watching Zhao Xuanzhen for an entire day.

There were only four people in Class Zero, and no matter how slow Shen Yi was, she could not overlook Na'er. Seeing the Silver-haired Girl's thoughts floating far beyond the clouds, Shen Yi came up with an idea.

"Next, let us discuss the most special kind of Soul Beast: Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

"Ancient Texts record that when Soul Beasts break through to a Hundred Thousand Year Cultivation Level, they gain one chance to transform into humans. The Soul they awaken is their Original Body. For example, Ancestor Tang San's mother was a Hundred-Thousand-Year Blue Silver Emperor, while his wife, Soft Bone Douluo Xiao Wu, was a reincarnated Hundred-Thousand-Year Soft Bone Rabbit.

"However, everything has exceptions.

"Ten Thousand Years ago, Ancestor of Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao encountered a Golden Dragon Soul Master named Wang Qiuer, whose Original Body was actually the Imperial Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Lion.

"The Academy speculates that when special Soul Beasts such as Auspicious Beasts transform, they possess the rare ability to awaken a certain bloodline within themselves and make it their Soul. The Three-Eyed Golden Lion carried the Golden Dragon Bloodline, which was why it possessed the Golden Dragon Soul and wielded a divine Golden Dragon Spear.

"Speaking of the Golden Dragon Spear, I suddenly remembered that it is rather similar to one student's Soul in this class.

"The Silver Dragon Spear and the Golden Dragon Spear happen to correspond to the bloodlines of the Golden and Silver Dragons. What a coincidence, wouldn't you say, Na'er?"

Na'er turned her head mechanically, as though lagging. Her Silver-white eyes widened into perfect circles, and her expression was beyond shocked. Wait, how did I get exposed?

"Teacher Shen, does that mean Na'er is also a Soul Beast?" Xu Lizhi raised his hand to ask.

The moment those words came out, Na'er broke into a cold sweat. Her eyes darted everywhere as she picked at this and touched that, pretending to be very busy.

Shen Yi smiled. "Lizhi, your willingness to ask questions is commendable, but you overlooked one detail.

"Wang Qiuer's Golden Dragon Spear existed as a weapon, while her Soul was still the Beast Soul Golden Dragon. Na'er's Silver Dragon Spear, however, is a weapon-type Tool Soul. There is a fundamental difference between the two.

"If Na'er had undergone Soul Beast Transformation like Wang Qiuer, then her Soul would necessarily be the Silver Dragon, and she would wield the Silver Dragon Spear as a weapon.

"Therefore, the conclusion is obvious. Na'er did not undergo Soul Beast Transformation. She is an ordinary human Soul Master."

After that sudden twist, Na'er's soul, which had nearly scattered, gathered itself again. The feeling of standing at the edge of a cliff was utterly terrifying. She stared at Shen Yi with faint resentment, her expression somewhere between that of a bitter wife whose husband had run off and an innocent passerby wrongly thrown into prison.

Seeing Na'er finally listen attentively, Shen Yi smiled slightly and continued, "Over the past twenty thousand years, Soul Master scholars have developed a method for identifying reincarnated Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts.

"Reincarnated Soul Beasts can only possess Beast Souls or Plant-type Souls. Soul Masters with weapon-type Tool Souls like the Silver Dragon Spear and Stargod Sword, Body Souls, Food-type Souls, and so on can never be Soul Beasts.

"Rest assured, every one of your classmates is a human Soul Master.

"That concludes today's lesson. Class dismissed."

Once Shen Yi left the classroom, Na'er's delicate body immediately went limp as she collapsed onto her desk.

Na'er finally realized that she had not been listening just now. She had spent the entire time staring intensely at Zhao Xuanzhen, to the point where she had nearly started drooling. Shen Yi had used that method to remind her to pay attention.

But Shen Yi had planted willows without intending to, only to find them flourishing. Whether Na'er admitted it or not, she had undergone Soul Beast Transformation—and she was even part of the Soul Beast ancestor, the Silver Dragon King!

That scared me to death. Good thing the Silver Dragon Spear turned into my Soul... Na'er secretly rejoiced.

The Next Second, a shadow fell over her head. Na'er looked up and saw Zhao Xuanzhen smiling down at her.

"Feeling guilty, Little Silver Dragon?"

"Little Silver Dragon, my ass!

"Do I look like a dragon to you?"

The Silver-haired girl protested indignantly, raising both hands over her head to mimic two horns.

Zhao Xuanzhen laughed as if he had heard something amusing. As he looked at the haughty girl, he said softly,

"Even if you are, it doesn't matter. I'll keep raising you."

"Eh!?"

Na'er raised her head to dodge the Fatal Blow, then flung her silver hair into disarray at light speed. In a conspicuous attempt to hide her embarrassment, she covered the cheeks blooming red as her heartbeat spun wildly out of control.

"What are you doing? Who needs you to raise me?" Unwilling to lose in spirit even if she had lost the exchange, Na'er put on a fierce expression. "Rumors take one mouth to spread, but clearing them takes broken legs! Didn't you hear Teacher Shen's twist? I'm obviously not a Silver Dragon!"

"Fine~ You're Na'er, the Dragon Spear Goddess. Let's go eat."

"Hehe, let's go!"

If Gu Yue had been beside them at that moment, she definitely would not have had the slightest appetite for food. Yet the Silver-haired Girl's extraordinary dullness had prevented her from noticing that she had said "look like," whereas Zhao Xuanzhen had quietly changed it to "are."

One teased while the other laughed, and the two left the classroom together. Ye Xinglan watched it all, an unusual glimmer flickering deep within her azure eyes.

"Sister Xinglan, what's wrong?" Xu Lizhi asked carefully.

"Nothing."

Ye Xinglan shook her head and rose to leave the classroom. The two playful figures could still vaguely be seen ahead of her. She did not know why, but all of a sudden, she felt a little envious of them...

After lunch, Zhao Xuanzhen and Na'er headed to the heart of Sea God Island: the Golden Ancient Tree.

The Golden Ancient Tree stood at the center of Sea God Island, radiating boundless Life Energy that nourished the entire island.

A Wooden House had been built against the Golden Tree. A black plaque hung above it, bearing three gilded characters that marked its supreme status: Sea God Pavilion.

The Sea God Pavilion was Shrek's highest decision-making chamber and Shrek Academy's treasury. All secrets were stored within.

The two stopped before the Sea God Pavilion. Only the ten Sea God Pavilion Elders were permitted to enter and leave the Golden Tree. Ordinary Inner Court students had only one opportunity in their lives to enter the Golden Tree for enlightenment, while Outer Court Students were not even qualified to dream of it and could only look on enviously.

"Senior Sky Pillar, we're here!"

Na'er shouted, and the entire Sea God Pavilion immediately lit up. Dazzling Brilliant Golden Light bloomed, turning the Sea God Pavilion into a gorgeous golden structure, as though it had been built from pure gold.

Rich, gentle golden light descended. Zhao Xuanzhen and Na'er's vision turned dazzlingly bright, and when their feet touched solid ground again, they were already in a spacious hall. Several corridors extended along either side, while a young man stood in the center of the hall.

"Senior Sky Pillar."

This was Zhao Xuanzhen's first time meeting the Sky Pillar Douluo. Compared to Na'er, who had been mainly curious yesterday, his gaze was much deeper, carrying emotions too complex to describe.

Yun Ming nodded gently. "You are currently in the Golden Tree Underground Space. Shrek's ancestors constructed one hundred and eight rooms here, encompassing cultivation environments for every Soul on the continent.

"The rooms beneath the Golden Tree are each exceptionally powerful Simulated Cultivation Grounds, but you are not here merely to cultivate. More importantly, you may use this opportunity to think and seek out your own unique path toward the future."

After a brief pause, Yun Ming gave Na'er a meaningful look and said,

"Na'er, take the fifth corridor on the left and enter the third door. Zhao Xuanzhen, take the eighth corridor on the right and enter the last room.

"When you Awaken from meditation, your enlightenment will be over."

Although Na'er was reluctant to part from Zhao Xuanzhen, the attributes of their Souls were vastly different, and they were destined to be unable to cultivate together. She waved to him and walked left.

The glittering golden door was made from Golden Tree wood. It was slightly ajar. Na'er pushed it open, and an enormous wave of spatial energy rushed toward her, dyeing her entire body a crystalline silver-white in an instant.

The room seemed to be a miniature of endless space. Bands of light like flowing galaxies moved across the walls, while countless twinkling stars floated across the ceiling. Na'er Took a deep breath, and every pore on her body opened as she formed a wondrous connection with the space around her.

"A room with the Space Attribute. How amazing..."

Na'er murmured to herself, then sat cross-legged and closed her eyes. She attempted to communicate with this space, guiding the Power of Space into her body.

As she savored the wonder of the Power of Space, Yun Ming's voice suddenly rang out. "Na'er, this room is Covered with Space Crystals. It is truly the most suitable place for a Space-Attribute Soul Master to enter seclusion.

"Besides cultivating, I hope you will consider becoming my one and only personal disciple."

"Understood, Senior Sky Pillar."

Na'er replied solemnly, though she was perfunctory inside. Within a few breaths, she entered deep meditation. Space Elements flowed naturally, her Soul Power circulated at high speed, and her spiritual power became more vigorous than ever before as all kinds of insights arose.

As her meditative state deepened, Na'er's thoughts gradually grew lighter, as though she had Melted Into this space. She could see Every trace of minute fluctuation within it and could even control them, creating a small Space Domain.

This unprecedented sensation filled her heart with shock and joy. Her various abilities began to merge seamlessly amid her newfound comprehension.

On the other side, Zhao Xuanzhen pushed open his wooden door as well. Beyond it lay a dim and solemn room, its surrounding walls Engraved With ancient Yin Yang Totems. A suppressive atmosphere filled the air.

The Sense of Oppression came from the center of the room—or rather, from the two enormous Soul Beast corpses there.

The two Soul Beasts came from the same clan, and their bodies stretched for hundreds of zhang. One was clad in platinum scales, while the other wore the opposite shade of deep black-gold. The edges of their scales were sharp as blades and etched with mysterious, ancient runes. They should have shone like blazing suns, yet they had now lost their former splendor. Their dimness carried the color of deathly stillness, as though darkness had devoured all their Life force.

Though the beasts were dead, their might remained. One Yin, one Yang, the Yin Yang Field formed by the two immense corpses resembled a massive cage that imprisoned Zhao Xuanzhen within, squeezing inward without cease.

After a brief moment of surprise, Zhao Xuanzhen released his True Self Soul. The Tai Chi Diagram rotated steadily as it resisted the Sense of Oppression emanating from the two colossal beasts. He sat upon the meditation cushion in the center of the room, gathered his mind, and focused his spirit.

Yun Ming's voice rang out again. "Zhao Xuanzhen, the Soul Beast remains before you are those of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Yin Qilin and a Hundred-Thousand-Year Yang Qilin.

"Thirteen thousand years ago, the Yin Yang Qilin wreaked havoc across Douluo Continent and attempted to exterminate humanity. In the end, Shrek Academy intervened, and five Sea God Pavilion Elders joined forces to kill them.

"The Yin Yang Qilin possess noble bloodlines, no inferior to the bloodline of true dragons. Their Yin Yang Interaction will make you feel enormous pressure, but growth is the process of enduring pressure.

"You will only have this opportunity once."

The moment his words fell, the auras of the Yin Yang Qilin erupted. Layer upon layer of black-and-white ripples spread through the room, forcing Zhao Xuanzhen to use his All-out Effort to resist.

After a long while, Zhao Xuanzhen's condition stabilized. His body began absorbing the energy currents of the Yin Yang Qilin, and immediately afterward, a massive Golden Light Cluster suddenly burst into his spiritual world.

"Roar—"

The Teng Snake Awakened at once. Its beastly pupils, crimson as blood, snapped open as it released a furious hiss toward the Golden Light Cluster. Blazing flames gathered deep in its throat, ready to erupt.

"Wait, Teng Snake."

Zhao Xuanzhen stopped the Teng Snake, and an aged voice came from the light cluster as well.

"My apologies, Lord Teng Snake. This Old Man bears no ill intent. I was merely forced to communicate with you in this manner."

The light cluster transformed into a stooped old man, his beard trailing to the floor. His pale golden eyes were exceptionally clear, and he spoke in a gentle voice.

"Hello, Variable of Destiny."