The air seemed to shimmer with a misty haze, hazy and dreamlike, like a fairyland.
Inside a magnificent, grand blue palace, a handsome man with long blue hair gazed into the distance.
He was Sea God Tang San, who had become a god ten thousand years ago. His brows were tightly furrowed, and he looked rather irritated.
His original plan had been to have Tang Wutong disguise herself as a man and get close to the Child of Destiny, then find a way to lure her to Universe Asking-Love Valley and turn her into a male Child of Destiny. After that, Wang Dong'er could take the opportunity to return to being a girl, transform into Tang Wutong, and turn the Child of Destiny into a dog for the Tang family.
But when he saw the Emperor Auspicious Beast among the Soul Beast Clan, Tang San came up with even more ideas.
Before he could act, however, not long after he sent Tang Wutong down, Douluo Continent became shrouded in a fog, as if something had cut it off from the outside world.
Six days had passed already, which meant six years in the lower realm. Tang San was growing somewhat anxious, afraid that things would stray from the intended path. He was also furious with embarrassment that he might not achieve his aims.
"Third Brother, are you watching Douluo Continent again? How is that girl Xiao Qi doing down there?"
Tang San's heart jumped when he heard the voice. He still didn't dare let Xiao Wu know that Douluo Continent had gone out of contact, so he casually put away its projection.
"Xiao Wu, Xiao Qi is doing well on Douluo Continent. She's already set out for Shrek Academy, just like we did back then."
Tang San stepped forward, put an arm around Xiao Wu's waist, and pulled her against him. Xiao Wu looked at her husband with some suspicion, but figured it might have something to do with their plans for the Child of Destiny, so she didn't think any further of it.
After all, this was her Third Brother, so pure and noble, so perfect.
Just as the two were getting cozy and preparing to make a little one, a thunderous boom erupted outside the Divine Realm. Countless beams of light shot into the sky, several of them especially dazzling.
Tang San's expression changed in surprise. He immediately flew toward the God Realm Hub, where four people were already waiting.
"Tang San, you're just in time. We need to take control of the God Realm Hub. A space-time turbulence is coming," said the God of Destruction, wearing a hood, his voice tinged with urgency.
The others looked at Tang San, who had frozen in place, and urged him to hurry.
Tang San, no! My ten-thousand-year plan!?
The light around Tang Ya faded, and three Soul Rings—two yellow and one purple—circled the Blue Silver Grass in her hand, pulsing gently.
When she opened her eyes and saw the three of them chatting on the ground, she hurried over.
She no longer looked as pitiful as she had before absorbing her Soul Ring. Her ponytail swished behind her, brimming with youthful energy.
"Wow, that grilled fish smells amazing. Yu Tong, your grilled fish really is the best!"
The moment Tang Ya came over, she grabbed a grilled fish and started eating. She had clearly been hungry for a while.
Huo Yutong's little face flushed red. It was hard to tell whether it was from the fire or from Tang Ya's praise.
Xiao Yi sat astride a tree root and thought this was pretty nice. This was reality, after all. When he had crossed over, he'd been prepared to meet characters from the original story.
Those impressions had all come from books. Except for the few who were truly notorious, Xiao Yi still treated the others with goodwill. Of course, if anyone came looking for trouble, he wouldn't go easy on them.
After they finished eating, the group decided to rest and continue on their way early the next morning. They were already very close to Shrek.
"Brother Xiao Yi, you and Junior Sister should get some rest. Teacher Xiao Ya and I will keep watch for the first half of the night. You and Junior Sister can take over for the second half."
Seeing that everyone was getting ready to rest, Bei Bei said this.
Although they were on the outskirts of Star Dou Great Forest, this was still Star Dou Great Forest. Soul Beasts passed through from time to time, so it was always best to be cautious.
"No need, Senior Bei Bei. My partner can keep watch."
The three of them looked at him curiously.
"Partner?"
A three-petaled flower appeared in each of Xiao Yi's emerald-green pupils. At the same time, three purple Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet.
"Judging by the Soul Power fluctuations and their color, they must all be six thousand years old. How did he manage that?" Bei Bei couldn't help murmuring.
Tang Ya, meanwhile, watched with shining eyes. This person was destined to join my Tang Sect. She glanced at Bei Bei again, feeling a little dejected.
Their Tang Sect might have three members, but Tang Ya knew perfectly well that Bei Bei was a junior of the Sea God Pavilion Master, sent there under orders.
After so many years together, Tang Ya had naturally developed feelings for him. But whenever she thought of the Tang Sect's destruction, she couldn't understand why Shrek had stood by and watched when it could have wiped out the so-called Iron-Blood Sect with a wave of its hand, only to send Bei Bei to join the Tang Sect afterward.
Tang Ya couldn't make sense of it. She and Bei Bei had grown distant, and he could never truly be one of their own. Looking at Xiao Yi, she naturally wanted to win him over.
She had already sounded him out during their earlier chat. He came from an ordinary little clan.
Only a genius like him had a real chance of becoming one of their own.
Xiao Yi's third Soul Ring flashed. Ripples stirred in the space behind him, and an enormous snake's head slowly emerged from the space that came with his Triple Jade-Green Snake Flower Pupils. Its massive body coiled through the air twice before it brought its head beside Xiao Yi and rubbed against him affectionately.
"That's a Nether Cold Ice Python!" Bei Bei exclaimed in surprise.
Xiao Yi smiled and nodded. He patted the Nether Cold Ice Python on the head. The python nodded with remarkably humanlike mannerisms, then slowly slithered away, soon vanishing into the darkness.
"My Martial Soul lets me control snake-type Soul Beasts, and they can grow alongside my Soul Power cultivation." Xiao Yi chose to reveal a little information. Those three overpowered Soul Rings were rather conspicuous, and he had no way to hide them.
Whether he revealed more would depend on whether Shrek Academy was worth staying at. For the same reason as before, Xiao Yi wouldn't let his memories from his previous life define this real world completely.
The three were all astonished by his words, and each of them thought of the same frightening possibility.
"Does that mean you could have nothing but ten-thousand-year Soul Rings in the future, little brother?" Tang Ya blurted out almost without thinking.
"In theory, yes." Xiao Yi gave a slight nod.
Tang Ya became even more determined in her resolve.
The group didn't hesitate any longer. They set up their tents and prepared to rest. The two girls slept together. Bei Bei had invited Xiao Yi to share his tent, but Xiao Yi had declined.
Xiao Yi climbed a tree in a few quick steps, found a fairly wide branch to lie on, and gazed up at the sky.
A lot had happened that day, and Xiao Yi couldn't settle his mind enough to meditate. Huo Yuhao's disappearance, the Child of Destiny becoming a female Child of Destiny, and God King Tang hanging over his head all made him uneasy.
He was confident he could become a god with the help of his own Martial Soul. But if that lawless God King Tang pulled a deus ex machina and intervened directly, wouldn't Xiao Yi be done for?
Xiao Yi raised his hand and summoned the Fallen Heart Flame, mulling things over. Having tried absorbing a Soul Ring, he knew this wasn't merely a Heavenly Flame Martial Soul. It could change by absorbing the Soul Ring of a corresponding Soul Beast.
For instance, if Xiao Yi absorbed an Ultimate Ice Soul Ring, he could obtain the Bone Spirit Cold Flame.
Xiao Yi had already planned out which Heavenly Flames he wanted to obtain.
The flames produced by his Martial Soul ultimately lacked the world-destroying might of true Heavenly Flames, so he would have to choose carefully among those nine slots.
His priorities were flames with useful abilities and dual attributes. The Heavenly Flames unlocked by those Soul Beasts could be predicted in advance. After that, he would aim for Soul Rings with the greatest number of years, so he could obtain higher-ranked flames. Those bizarre, rule-breaking abilities were mostly found near the top of the rankings.
Once he had obtained more Heavenly Flames, Xiao Yi could try fusing several of them together, making that one of his true trump cards.
While Xiao Yi was still pondering, a Blue Silver Grass wrapped firmly around the tree branch. A figure then used it to swing up into the tree.
Xiao Yi looked at her in confusion. What was this girl trying to do?
Before you continue