Sea God Fate

Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, another two years had passed.

A masked man walked down the road, greeting his comrades before entering the central military camp.

Blood One, Cao Dezhi, was already waiting for him.

"Leaving?"

"Yes." He replied, "It's time."

A trace of amusement flashed through Cao Dezhi's eyes. "You're going to attend that, aren't you?"

The mask concealed all his expressions, and he appeared extremely calm. "Of course I'm going to handle proper business."

Cao Dezhi chuckled. "Alright, alright. Your little girlfriend holds quite a high position in the Spirit Pagoda. Over the past two years, the Tang Sect and Shrek have practically renovated the entire outskirts of Shrek City, yet the Spirit Pagoda hasn't reacted at all. You two are a proper match in terms of family standing."

Tang Wulin said helplessly, "Please stop teasing me."

Cao Dezhi said, "Only when I look at young people like you do I sometimes truly feel that I'm old."

Seeing the reminiscence in Cao Dezhi's eyes, Tang Wulin's thoughts shifted. He suddenly remembered Cao Dezhi's complicated relationship with the Amorous Douluo and could not help but feel emotional as well.

He was no longer the high-spirited youth he had once been. Fortunately, this time, Gu Yue was by his side.

Tang Wulin gave him a slight bow. "Farewell."

"Have a safe journey."

Shrek Academy.

The Sea God Fate matchmaking event was about to begin, and the Inner Court had already been busy for many days.

Two people walked along a path, bickering. One wore a black-and-white suit patterned with dragons, a roguish smile on his face, while the other wore a platinum suit and spoke with a look of utter disdain.

They were Xie Xie and Yue Zhengyu.

"At last, it's our turn to participate," Xie Xie sighed.

Sea God Fate was a grand event and a long-standing Shrek tradition. Only adult Inner Court students without partners could participate.

It was not only an opportunity to find a partner, but also an excellent chance to display oneself.

Yue Zhengyu said, "There's something wrong with you..."

Xie Xie glared. "You're the one with something wrong!"

Yue Zhengyu smiled. "For someone like me, it doesn't matter whether I participate in Sea God Fate or not."

Xie Xie sneered. "When Xiaoyan runs off with another man, you'll be the one crying."

Yue Zhengyu smacked his arm. "Look who's talking. You've chased her for three years. Any progress?"

Xie Xie immediately deflated. "She just won't loosen up."

Yue Zhengyu said, "Want your big brother to teach you a few tricks?"

"What?"

"Be thick-skinned!"

"...Get lost!"

Yue Zhengyu clutched his chest. "You don't appreciate kindness."

"Hey, hey... let me through." A round, chubby fat man squeezed between them, separating Xie Xie and Yue Zhengyu. He grinned and said, "Doesn't this look like the boss leading around two bodyguards?"

Yue Zhengyu and Xie Xie glared at him together. "Screw you!"

Xu Lizhi curled his lips. "I think the two of you should just stand with the girls later. You're a perfect match."

"Get lost!" they said in unison again.

They looked at each other, then blurted out together, "Stop copying me!"

Xu Lizhi burst out laughing and slipped away like the wind. Xie Xie rolled his eyes and vanished into thin air. Yue Zhengyu snorted, straightened his collar, and continued onward with unruffled composure.

Night fell.

A boat drifted across Sea God Lake. Pavilions stood upon it, lanterns hanging between them, while the elders sat within.

"That brat's so focused on attending the matchmaking event that he doesn't even know to visit his elders first." Zhuo Shi was so angry that his beard stuck up.

Feng Wuyu said viciously, "After it's over, I'm going to give him a proper test and see whether, after flying off for three years, he's forgotten forging entirely!"

Ya Li sat beside Yun Ming and helplessly glanced at the two living treasures of Sea God Pavilion.

Yun Ming was still agonizing over it. "Did he secretly get involved with Na'er?"

Ya Li said, "Na'er already said she just wanted to have some fun..."

Yun Ming snorted. "It'd better be that way."

"You really look like a father whose precious daughter has been abducted."

Yun Ming replied righteously, "That's exactly what I am!"

Ya Li elegantly rolled her eyes, just a little.

The other elders lowered their heads, holding back their laughter.

On Sea God Lake, Lan Muzi and Tang Yinmeng, two of the most senior figures in the Inner Court, served as the hosts for this Sea God Fate event.

After Lan Muzi announced the start of the entrance, numerous lotus leaves suddenly floated across the lake.

This was the moment for everyone to show their own abilities—masked, cloaked figures shot out one after another, their bodies shining with different lights. Some even transformed directly.

The boys' side was clearly more crowded, with everyone competing against one another, while the girls landed on the lotus leaves with ease and leisure.

Once everyone had settled, Lan Muzi said with a smile, "Alright, we won't waste time on pleasantries. We'll move directly into the first stage—Mutual Appreciation!"

In Mutual Appreciation, the men used every ability at their disposal to remove the girls' bamboo hats. This tested the strength of both sides and was also a way to deepen their understanding of one another.

After contestant number one revealed his face, he had only enough time to leap up and prepare an attack before a girl struck him down, sending him into the water and disqualifying him.

Lan Muzi was somewhat helpless as well. "Boys, please take note. The girls aren't pushovers. Contestant number two, will you reveal your face?"

Number two removed his mask without hesitation and untied his cloak, revealing a handsome face and a snow-white formal suit. With deep features and a holy, elegant bearing, every movement he made seemed aristocratic—he was Yue Zhengyu, one of the current Shrek Seven Monsters.

He gave the girls a slight smile and extended his hand. A tiny angel wobbled to its feet in his palm, then flew toward the girls in a dazed, innocent manner.

Under its adorable offensive, Yue Zhengyu directly lifted the bamboo hats of eight girls.

When the eighth girl revealed her breathtakingly beautiful face, the little angel happily flapped its wings, pressed against the girl's blushing cheek, and gave her a loud kiss before turning into a streak of light and returning to Yue Zhengyu's body.

Xu Xiaoyan, who had grown ever more graceful and lovely, gave Yue Zhengyu a faint smile that lit up the night.

Soon, Lan Muzi called number sixteen.

"Number sixteen, will you reveal your face?"

Number sixteen first shook his head, then vanished directly from the lotus leaf. Before anyone understood what had happened, the bamboo hats of five girls were sent flying.

Number sixteen reappeared on the lotus leaf and removed his mask. He nodded toward the girls. "My apologies."

Yet a trace of disappointment flashed faintly through his eyes.

Unfortunately, Yuanen wasn't here. Xie Xie sighed inwardly.

One by one, the girls' bamboo hats were lifted away.

Xu Lizhi did not participate at all, because merely keeping himself steady on a lotus leaf was already difficult enough for him.

The boys' side also reached its final two contestants whose faces had yet to be revealed.

"Number fifty, will you reveal your face?"

"I will!" A deep, powerful voice rang out. As he removed his cloak, a bald head immediately drew everyone's attention.

"Dragon Maniac!" Xie Xie cried out softly.

The bald man was Long Yue, who had come to Shrek Academy on behalf of Monster Academy for an exchange program.

After Tang Wulin had enlightened him back then, he had traveled through Star Luo and Dou Ling for two years before returning to Monster Academy only the year before. Although his cultivation had fallen behind during those two years of travel, his strength had indeed risen at a geometric rate.

He had been deeply disappointed upon hearing that Tang Wulin had gone missing. He was grateful to Tang Wulin; without Tang Wulin's help, he could not have found the path of the Mountain Dragon King so quickly.

Therefore, when En Ci proposed an exchange with Shrek, Long Yue had volunteered to come. He wanted to see what the place where Tang Wulin had grown up was truly like.

The Inner Court had not disappointed him.

Just from this Sea God Lake matchmaking event, the strength displayed by the Inner Court disciples far surpassed that of most Monster Academy elites.

Long Yue cupped his fists. "Excuse me!"

He struck out with his palm, and the flowing lake water suddenly froze. In the next instant, it surged into the sky, a curtain of water crashing toward the girls.

One of the girls pointed from afar, and the Dark Curtain swallowed the water screen. Light flashed in Long Yue's eyes as seven Soul Rings rose beneath his feet. The droplets lingering in the air turned violent, shooting like arrows past the bamboo hats of the remaining girls.

But unfortunately, the girls whose bamboo hats had not yet been removed all had their own methods. Furthermore, Long Yue did not wish to be overly showy, so he failed to lift a single bamboo hat.

Lan Muzi said with a smile, "That was excellent water control."

"Then, the final male contestant, will you reveal your face?"

Contestant number fifty-one stood quietly. He looked toward the girls, and a gentle voice sounded. "Do you want to reveal yourselves?"

The girls across from him looked at one another, having no idea what he was doing.

Yet contestant number fifty-one had already received the answer he wanted. He gave Lan Muzi a slight shake of his head.

Tang Yinmeng and Lan Muzi were somewhat baffled, but they continued hosting the event.

Xie Xie, however, wore a strange expression as he stared at contestant number fifty-one in uncertainty, as though he wanted to bore a hole through his cloak with his gaze.

But the second stage was about to begin, so Xie Xie could only withdraw his gaze for now.