Departure, East Sea

When Wu Changkong opened his eyes, an unfamiliar ceiling hung above him.

The grayish-white roof, several washed-out garments hanging in the corner, and a bowl of medicine yet to be cleared from the wooden table beside the bed. The dregs had settled at the bottom, forming a brown crust. He stared at the ceiling for a long while, his mind stuffed with cotton, every bone in his body seeping with aching pain.

The door was flung open.

Shen Yi stood in the doorway, her eyes red. When she saw him awake, she froze for a moment, then turned and ran down the corridor, her shoes thudding against the wooden floor all the way.

"Teacher! Senior Brother... Senior Brother is awake!"

Wu Changkong braced himself against the bed and tried to sit up, but the moment his arms straightened, the wound in his chest felt as though someone were wrenching it apart. He groaned and fell back down. Looking down, he saw clean bandages wrapped around his body. The medicinal smell was pungent, and beneath the bandages glimmered a faint golden radiance—the automatic healing of soul power.

Footsteps came from the other end of the corridor. Zhuo Shi pushed the door open and entered. His tall, burly frame nearly filled the doorway. His face was stern, the wrinkles at the corners of his eyes carved as deeply as knife marks. He raised a hand, and a thread of soul power extended from his fingertips, sweeping through Wu Changkong's body before circling him once and withdrawing.

Only after confirming that there was nothing seriously wrong did Zhuo Shi's expression finally ease slightly. But immediately afterward, his bell-like eyes widened again, and his voice crashed down like a great bell: "You're quite impressive, aren't you? So many tricks, so many hidden cards—even Dark Hummingbird couldn't beat you, could he?"

Wu Changkong was stunned. "Teacher, I..."

"Teacher?" Zhuo Shi snorted. "I can hardly be your teacher. With all your abilities, you ought to be my teacher instead."

Even as he cursed, Wu Changkong noticed that the hand hanging at Zhuo Shi's side was clenched tightly, his knuckles white and his joints taut as if they might crack.

"Teacher." Wu Changkong's voice was still hoarse. He swallowed, his Adam's apple bobbing. "Long Bing... How is Long Bing?"

Zhuo Shi's face darkened. He had scolded this brat for so long, and not a single word had gotten through.

"She's fine." Zhuo Shi's tone was stiff. "A few days of rest will do."

Wu Changkong's shoulders visibly sagged. He leaned back into the pillow and let out a long breath.

Zhuo Shi sat down in the chair beside the bed. Its legs creaked as if they could barely bear his weight. He stared at Wu Changkong for several breaths before speaking in a lower voice. "Tell me, how did you kill Dark Hummingbird?"

"Huh?" Wu Changkong blinked. "M-Me?"

He lowered his eyes, his memories churned into a blur. "I only remember that we were about to die. Then I held Long Bing... and after that, I don't remember anything. When I regained consciousness, I was already lying in the snow. Dark Hummingbird was dead, and Long Bing had passed out too. What happened in between, how I killed him—I can't remember any of it."

Zhuo Shi fell silent. He looked into Wu Changkong's eyes for a long time. Something complicated surged in those old eyes, but in the end, he only nodded. "Rest and recover for the next few days. As for Long Bing, I'll do my best to fight for her."

"Thank you, Master." Wu Changkong's voice softened. The heart that had been hanging in suspense for two days finally settled.

Zhuo Shi stood and turned his back to him. His large figure paused at the door. "Do you know why your whole body hurts so badly right now?"

"Isn't it because my injuries are too severe?"

"No." Zhuo Shi turned his head, the outline of his profile lit by the light from outside the window. "You absorbed most of Dark Hummingbird's soul power. It's all piled up inside your body now, crashing around everywhere. If you can endure it and slowly digest and convert that soul power, then by my conservative estimate, your soul power can rise by around fifteen levels."

Fifteen levels?

Wu Changkong's pupils contracted. He nearly sprang out of bed, but the pull in his chest forced him back down. He was already above level sixty; another fifteen levels would put him past level eighty—even in Shrek Inner Court, there were only a handful stronger than him.

"Once you've recovered," Zhuo Shi said as he pushed open the door without looking back, "then we'll discuss the punishment for you and Long Bing."

Two months later. Sea God Pavilion.

The great hall was frighteningly spacious. Blue-gray stone tiles stretched to the edge of sight, while reliefs of past Sea God Pavilion elders were embedded in the walls. Pairs of stone eyes looked down from above. Wu Changkong and Long Bing knelt side by side in the center of the hall, their backs straight, their knees pressed against the cold stone floor.

Yun Ming sat at the very top, the Master of Sea God Pavilion. His white robes were spotless, and his gentle features carried an untouchable authority. The elders sat on either side of him. Zhuo Shi occupied the fourth seat on the right, his face as dark as the bottom of a pot.

"Wu Changkong." Yun Ming spoke quietly, yet every person in the hall heard him clearly.

"This student is here." Wu Changkong raised his head, his gaze steady.

"As a student of Shrek Academy, you violated school rules and discipline and showed disrespect to your teachers. By precedent, you should be expelled from the academy." Yun Ming paused. "However, considering your courage and your merit in defeating Dark Hummingbird, your temperament still requires tempering. By the unanimous decision of the Sea God Pavilion elders, you are being transferred to East Sea City to teach. You may return to the academy only after teaching a disciple you deem worthy of pride. Do you accept this?"

Wu Changkong lowered his eyes. "This disciple understands."

"Long Bing."

Long Bing's shoulders trembled slightly. "This student is here."

"You too should have been expelled from the academy. Yet you assisted Wu Changkong in killing Dark Hummingbird, and your merits may offset some of your faults, though not all. By the unanimous decision of the elders, you will accompany Wu Changkong to East Sea to assist in teaching. Unless you teach a promising disciple, you may not return. Do you accept this?"

Long Bing lowered her head, her hair slipping from her shoulder to conceal her expression. "This disciple understands."

The hall fell silent for several breaths.

Zhuo Shi suddenly rose to his feet. His booming voice made the reliefs on the walls hum. "Wu Changkong!"

"This disciple is here."

"The academy has made a special exception—" Zhuo Shi's face remained stern as his gaze fell upon the two of them. "Long Bing's identity is special. On this journey to East Sea, you must protect her and not stray too far from her. To ensure your safety, the academy will separately allocate a soul bone for the two of you to discuss and distribute as you see fit. Consider it carefully."

"Yes!"

Wu Changkong and Long Bing answered at the same time.

Yun Ming waved a hand, signaling for them to leave. The two rose from the floor, their knees numb from kneeling. Once Wu Changkong had steadied himself, he instinctively moved half a step closer to Long Bing, his sleeve brushing against hers.

Long Bing walked out with her head lowered, but the tips of her ears were red.

Outside the gates of Sea God Pavilion, the flowers along both sides of the bluestone path were in full bloom. A sweep of spring wind sent petals fluttering down across the ground. Wu Changkong looked around, and seeing no one in the corridor, he stepped up behind Long Bing and wrapped an arm around her waist, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"What are you doing?" Long Bing's body stiffened, and the roots of her ears instantly turned scarlet. "There are so many people watching..."

"But I missed you." Wu Changkong's voice was muffled, his warm breath brushing behind her ear. "I thought I would never see you again."

Long Bing's hand, which had been about to push him away, stopped in midair. After hesitating, she lowered it and gently placed it over the back of his hand. Those words pricked her heart like a fine needle, leaving it sour and swollen—when she had knelt in the snow and prepared to die for him, she had truly believed that was the end. She had thought she would never again have the chance to be held by him like this.

"I thought so too," she said. "I thought I would never see you again."

She simply leaned against him like that. Petals fell upon their shoulders, and the wind passed through the flowering trees, tangling the hems of their clothes together.

"Oh? Watch yourselves."

A gentle tease came from behind them. The two quickly separated and turned around. Ya Li stood on the steps with a smiling face, her pale green dress making her look like an orchid coaxed into bloom by the spring breeze.

Long Bing's face flushed even more. She lowered her head and stepped back half a pace. "Your Holiness, the Holy Spirit..."

Ya Li walked over and gently stroked the top of Long Bing's head, as lightly as a mother caressing her daughter. "Long Bing, regarding your father... we are sorry. Whether it was because you stood on opposing sides or because he was an evil soul master, he was still family in your bloodline."

Long Bing's eyelashes trembled, but she said nothing.

Ya Li withdrew her hand, her voice warm and soft, like the first warm current of spring flowing over ice. "If you do not mind, when you return from East Sea, I will become your teacher. How does that sound?"

Long Bing raised her eyes. A thin sheen of tears floated in them. She opened her mouth, and only after a long while did she find her voice. "Then... I will thank Your Holiness, the Holy Spirit, in advance."

"Good." Ya Li smiled and patted her shoulder, then turned her gaze to Wu Changkong. "Changkong, may this teacher speak with you alone for a few moments?"

Long Bing tactfully took two steps back. "Then I'll go pack our things. See you later." After walking a few steps, she looked back at Wu Changkong. The spring wind lifted her silver hair, and the faint smile at her lips was like moonlight falling onto water.

Only after her figure vanished at the end of the corridor did Ya Li's smile fade.

"The power within you—has it fused properly?"

"Reporting to Your Holiness, the Holy Spirit." Wu Changkong stood straight. "It has fused extremely well."

Ya Li nodded and took a green-gold orb from her storage soul tool. It was palm-sized, with emerald streams of light slowly swirling within it like a mass of condensed life force. She placed the orb in Wu Changkong's hand and looked at him gravely.

"This is a Life Orb condensed from my soul power and the power of nature. Give it to Long Bing." Ya Li's voice lowered, yet it carried a weight that sank into his bones. "In this world, you are her only remaining family. To her, you are her entire world."

Wu Changkong clenched the orb in his palm so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

"Yes." He spoke that single word as though making a vow.

When he emerged from Sea God Island, he saw Long Bing standing beneath the old locust tree in the distance.

She had changed into an ivory-white dress. The wind lifted the hem, then let it fall again. Gentle spring sunlight flowed over from behind her, making her seem to glow. Several pale pink petals had landed in her silver hair. She raised a hand to brush them away, but suddenly stopped midway and looked in his direction.

Long Bing smiled at him. The wind blew from her side, carrying the fragrance of flowers, then curled back from his side and swept that scent toward her once more. The two currents tangled together, like people unwilling to part, turning back again and again.

Wu Changkong stood rooted to the spot, staring at that ivory-white figure. The thought in his heart had never been clearer.

His life had been worth it.

"What are you spacing out for?" Long Bing jogged up to him and waved a hand. "See if there's anything else we need. I've packed everything."

Wu Changkong came back to himself and grinned. "My wife is the prettiest."

Long Bing's face blazed red, the color spreading from her ears all the way down her neck. She raised a hand to punch him. "W-Who... who's your wife!"

"Senior Brother!"

Shen Yi came running over from afar, stopping in front of them while out of breath. She stuffed a card into Wu Changkong's hand. "Master told me to give this to you. He said not to let Sister Long Bing suffer. Buy whatever you want." Then she smiled at Long Bing.

"I'm leaving first, or I'll get punished again."

Long Bing waved back at her as well.

A note was stuck to the card. Wu Changkong unfolded it and took a look. Zhuo Shi's bold handwriting said—

"Come back safely. Don't be afraid if anything happens. Your teacher has your back."

Wu Changkong clenched the note in his hand and looked up at Shen Yi, who had already run far away. As she ran, she kept turning back to wave at them, her ponytail swinging like a flag.

He folded the note and slipped it into his pocket, then took Long Bing's hand with his other hand.

"Let's go."

"Mm."

The two turned and headed toward East Sea City. Spring sunlight carpeted the ground, while Shrek City lay quietly behind them in the morning light, like a giant beast that had just awakened, squinting as it watched them depart.