Inside the Golden Tree, time seemed to flow more slowly than in the outside world.
Thick, pale-golden veins pulsed slowly along the wooden walls, diffusing pure life energy through the air. There were no lamps here, yet every inch of space naturally radiated a gentle glow. It was a phenomenon formed by the mingling of the legacy light left behind by the first-generation Shrek Seven Monsters and the spirituality accumulated by the Golden Tree over ten thousand years.
At this moment, five figures sat gathered around the widest growth-ring platform at the tree's core.
Seated in the middle was Yun Ming, dressed in white with his eyes closed in concentration. He was not deliberately circulating his Soul Power, yet a warm, jade-like radiance naturally flowed around him. It was a sign that his Soul Power cultivation had reached its peak, nearly resonating with heaven and earth. At his side, Ya Li—the Holy Spirit Douluo—knelt quietly with her hands folded atop her knees. Pale-golden healing light flickered at her fingertips like breathing.
On the left sat Long Yeyue. Even in such a sacred place, the Light and Dark Douluo sat ramrod straight, while faint light and shadow intertwined along the edges of her black robes. Zhuo Shi on the right was far more casual, sitting cross-legged directly on the ground. His fiery red beard trembled slightly with each breath, and his blazing gaze remained fixed on Yun Ming. Cai Yue'er stood a short distance away, leaning against a protruding tree root with a Soul Tool bulletin in hand, her brows slightly furrowed.
Everyone's gaze was focused on Yun Ming—or, more precisely, on the incredibly faint, nearly imperceptible pale-blue gleam that appeared as his Soul Power circulated.
"I see it." Ya Li spoke softly, her voice especially clear in the quiet space