The End of the Advanced Soul Master Tournament, the Beginning of the Dragon Valley Mission

As the referee's words, "Shrek Academy wins," fell, the arena of the Star Luo Empire Soul Master Tournament was instantly swallowed by tsunami-like cheers. Tang Wulin felt the blood throughout his body boiling. The scorching pain from the Golden Dragon Claw still lingered after the fierce battle, but all exhaustion was swept away by wild joy. He suddenly turned, his gaze locking precisely onto the figure in plain white combat attire amid the crowd. Gu Yue's cheeks were still flushed from battle, the loose strands of hair at her forehead damp with sweat. In those eyes containing countless elements, an unprecedented brilliance flickered.

"Gu Yue! We won!" Tang Wulin's voice pierced through the clamor. He strode toward her and, before anyone could react, pulled Gu Yue tightly into his arms. Her slender yet upright body carried the faint, familiar scent of elemental energy, making him feel at ease. Tang Wulin tightened his arms as if he wanted to carve both the joy of victory and the person he treasured into their lives forever. He clearly felt the slight tremble of the person in his embrace. Then a pair of cool hands gently rested against his back. The force was light, but it carried an unspoken understanding. With her cheek pressed to his chest, Gu Yue could hear his powerful, drumlike heartbeat mixed with the boy's heavy breathing. The defenses she had deliberately built because of her "soul beast mission" quietly crumbled at that moment, and a faint yet genuine smile rose uncontrollably on her lips.

"Captain! Isn't that a little too biased?" Xie Xie called teasingly as he flashed to their side, followed by the panting Xu Xiaoyan and Yue Zhengyu. Xie Xie patted Tang Wulin's shoulder. "You only hug Gu Yue after winning and forget about the rest of us heroes?" Xu Xiaoyan covered her mouth and giggled, her pale blue eyes curving into crescents. "Exactly, Brother Wulin. If I hadn't trapped the opponents with the Starwheel Ice Disk at the end, how could you have won so easily?" Her Starwheel Ice Disk Martial Soul still retained a faint glow, clearly showing that the earlier battle had drained her considerably.

Yue Zhengyu pushed up his glasses, looking somewhat proudly reserved. "Hmph, this young master's Divine Flame wasn't wasted either. The credit for purifying the opponents' soul skills can't be left out." Before he had finished, Xu Lizhi gave him a hard slap on the back. Xu Lizhi still held half a Soul Power bun, his cheeks stuffed as he said, "Quit bragging! If I hadn't replenished everyone's Soul Power, you wouldn't have lasted!" His honest face was full of pride, while waves of food fragrance drifted from the Soul Tool at his waist. Those were his specialty snacks, prepared especially to celebrate their victory.

"Enough arguing," Ye Xinglan said as she approached slowly with the Stargod Sword in hand. The blade still retained the warmth of battle. Her cool gaze swept across everyone, though a rare curve appeared at her lips. "Winning this match was everyone's achievement." Yuanen Yehui, beside her, nodded. The aura of the Mighty Vajra Bear had yet to fully recede as she said brightly, "That's right! The Star Luo Empire's opponents were indeed formidable, but there has never been any reason for the Shrek Seven Monsters to lose!"

Only then did Tang Wulin release Gu Yue, though he continued holding her hand tightly. The boy's palm was warm and strong, and Gu Yue instinctively did not pull away. He looked at the companions who had fought alongside him. Every face shone with youthful vitality and the glory of victory, their eyes filled with bonds that had only deepened through hardship. "That's right, we won together!" Tang Wulin's voice was firm and forceful as the aura of his Golden Dragon Bloodline circulated faintly around him. "From Eastsea Academy to Shrek, from the Class Advancement Tournament to the Continental Soul Master Tournament, and then to today's Star Luo arena, we have always been together. This honor belongs to every one of us!"

Gu Yue watched the spirited profile of the young man beside her, watched the sunlight gild the tips of his hair, and the gloom born of fate quietly faded from her heart. She remembered how he had been gravely injured protecting her during the Tianhai Alliance Grand Tournament, how she had ultimately been unable to strike him while he was unconscious in Dragon Valley, and the brilliant light that had erupted every time their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Dragon God Transformation, was unleashed in battle. She lightly tugged at her hand, not to pull away, but to tighten her grip around Tang Wulin's palm instead. "Mm, we won together," she said softly. Those simple words carried an unprecedented gentleness. Warmth filled Tang Wulin's heart as he turned and met the starlight in her eyes. He felt that this victory was all the more complete because of the person beside him.

Seeing this, Xie Xie immediately started heckling them. "Oh? Gu Yue, why aren't you being cold today? Did the captain's charm conquer you?" Xu Xiaoyan nodded along. "It must have! You didn't even resist when Brother Wulin hugged you just now!" A faint blush spread across Gu Yue's cheeks, but unlike usual, she did not argue. She merely turned her head slightly, the smile on her lips deepening.

Xu Lizhi had already taken out a huge spread of carefully prepared food from his Soul Tool. Soul Power sausages, jade buns, and energy biscuits covered a makeshift stone table. "Everyone, hurry and try some! I made these especially to celebrate our victory. They're amazing for replenishing Soul Power!" Yue Zhengyu was the first to pick up an energy biscuit. It melted in his mouth, and rich energy instantly flowed through his body. He could not help praising him. "Lizhi, your cooking is getting better and better!" Ye Xinglan and Yuanen Yehui also picked up food without ceremony. After days of tense battles, everyone had long been starving.

Tang Wulin picked up a jade bun and handed it to Gu Yue, his eyes full of tenderness as he watched her take small bites. Sunlight spilled over the arena and onto the seven youths. Some sat, some stood, sharing food while discussing the details of the battle. At times, they laughed heartily over a brilliant moment; at times, they still shuddered over a close call; at times, they dreamed of the path of cultivation that lay ahead.

Gu Yue quietly listened to everyone's laughter, feeling the warmth in her palm and the vibrant presence of her companions. A thought suddenly rose in her heart: perhaps fate and duty did not offer only one cold path. The time spent with these people, this bond that crossed race and estrangement, might be life's most precious gift. She raised her head and looked toward the distant blue sky. A relieved smile appeared on her lips, while her eyes held an unprecedented brightness and resolve.

Tang Wulin seemed to sense her change. He turned and gave her a radiant smile, one like the warm spring sun that dispelled every shadow and illuminated the fated path where their destinies would intertwine. The cheers of the arena still echoed in their ears, while the legend of the Shrek Seven Monsters continued to write new chapters.

At Shrek Academy in the early morning, dawn pierced the thin mist and fell upon the willow branches by Sea God Lake, where crystal-clear dew clung to the leaves. Tang Wulin wore combat attire specially made by the Tang Sect, with the Golden Dragon Spear slung across his back. Wrapped in morning mist, the spear gave off a faint golden glow. He stood beneath an old banyan tree by the lake, looking at the familiar figures on the distant training grounds, his heart full of reluctance.

"Captain! Are you really going alone?" Xie Xie's voice broke the silence. He flashed over like a ghost, faint traces of the Shadow Blade and Light Dragon Dagger circulating around him. Though his signature daggers remained sheathed, they still radiated sharpness, fully displaying the swift nature of an agility-attack Soul Master. Yet his tone carried worry he could not conceal. Behind him, Xu Xiaoyan, Yue Zhengyu, Xu Lizhi, Ye Xinglan, and Yuanen Yehui approached in turn. The last to stop was Gu Yue, dressed in a plain white gown.

Tang Wulin turned around, revealing his familiar gentle smile, though a trace of solemnity hid in his eyes. "Elder Wu said that the Dragon Valley Minor Plane is exceptionally dangerous. Soul Power is heavily suppressed there, and too many people would only make it easier to expose ourselves. I possess the Golden Dragon King Bloodline, and the Bluesilver Emperor can communicate with all living things. I'm the most suitable candidate." He raised a hand and patted Xie Xie's shoulder. "I'll have to trouble you all to look after the academy's and Tang Sect's affairs."

Xie Xie curled his lips, still refusing to soften his words. "Who wants to look after anything? Just come back early! Otherwise, even if we win the next team battle without you, our backbone, it won't feel like much." Despite saying that, he took a black token engraved with intersecting blade patterns from his Soul Tool. A faint silver gleam shone around its edges. It was a special keepsake infused with the power of the Light Dragon Dagger. He shoved it into Tang Wulin's hand. "This is the Shadowlight Token passed down through my Xie family. Inject Soul Power into it if you're in danger, and it can activate both Shadow Escape and a light shield once. It can't handle a Titled Douluo, but it can buy you time to escape!"

Tang Wulin recalled entering the Dragon Valley Secret Realm during Tang Wen's reward mission in his previous life, as well as the Thousand-Day Dragon Burial in the Dragon Valley Small World. His heart filled with emotion. At the same time, he remembered encountering Gu Yuena in Dragon Valley in his past life, only to lose consciousness.

Several days later, Tang Wulin and Dai Yun'er entered the depths of Dragon Valley. The gravity within Dragon Valley grew increasingly oppressive, making their bones tremble faintly. Even their Martial Souls seemed gripped by an invisible hand, unable to muster the slightest bit of Soul Power.

Tang Wulin raised a hand and brushed aside the hanging ancient vines before him, their surfaces carrying the faint luster of dragon saliva. Beneath the leaves, dragon aura so dense it could not disperse surged like mist, glowing with intertwined cold gold and dark blue light. Even a single breath made his lungs feel steeped in ancient majesty.

Dai Yun'er paused slightly beside him, clutching her skirt with her fingertips. Fear hid in her eyes, though she forced herself to follow. "This place... is far too quiet."

Silence was the most terrifying undertone of Dragon Valley's depths. There were no insects chirping, no wind howling. Only the wind passed through jagged dragon bones with a mournful whine, like the final murmur of dragonkind from ten thousand years ago, echoing through the empty ravines. The rock and soil beneath their feet were nearly ink-black, soaked through with dragon blood over countless years. Stepping on it brought a faintly cool dampness. Occasionally, they kicked rounded fragments of dragon crystal, which rippled with specks of light within the dragon aura.

As far as the eye could see, enormous skeletons filled the landscape with dread. Dragon vertebrae thick enough for several people to encircle lay across the ground like sleeping mountain ranges, vague ancient patterns carved into their chalk-white bone walls—the totems of dragonkind. Broken dragon wing bones jutted slantwise from the earth, and several dark purple spirit herbs grew in their gaps. Crystalline dew clung to the edges of their leaves; they were spiritual plants nourished by dragon aura. Farther away, a massive dragon skull had rolled to the ground, its empty eye sockets facing the churning dragon clouds as though gazing upon this eternal resting place of the dragons.

The sky overhead was blocked by thick, multicolored dragon clouds. Gold, wood, water, fire, earth, wind, and lightning—seven-colored clouds layered atop one another, slowly churning with the faint fluctuations of the dragon souls below. The light that leaked through was not the brightness of a clear sky, but shattered seven-colored halos. Falling upon the dragon bones, they gave the cold skeletons a hazy soft glow, only making this world seem even more desolate and solemn.

Tang Wulin frowned slightly. The Golden Dragon King Bloodline within him stirred faintly, drawing in and responding to the surrounding dragon aura. He seemed able to hear fragmented whispers from dragon souls at his ears. He slowed his steps and raised a hand protectively in front of Dai Yun'er. "Stay close to me. Don't touch any bones. The dragon souls here still retain their instinctive vigilance."

As his words fell, the dragon aura ahead suddenly churned violently. A pale golden phantom of a dragon soul swept past an intact Golden Dragon skeleton. Though the phantom was faint, it carried a pressure that looked down upon the world, making both of them shudder inwardly. Dai Yun'er instinctively clutched Tang Wulin's sleeve and looked ahead. In the depths of that dragon aura, skeletons were piled layer upon layer to form a valley. At its center, even denser dragon aura faintly rose. Even the seven-colored dragon clouds swirled more rapidly there, as if the deepest secret of Dragon Valley lay hidden within.

Tang Wulin took a deep breath. The Golden Dragon patterns in his palm lit up faintly, blending with the surrounding dragon aura and suppressing that intimidating pressure. Then he stepped toward the depths of the skeletal valley. With every step he took, a faint tremor seemed to answer beneath the rocky soil, as if this ancient dragon grave had finally sensed the return of the Golden Dragon King.

The wind rose again, its mournful sound growing stronger, yet it seemed to carry a vague expectation. Deep within Dragon Valley, where seven-colored halos intertwined, it drifted alongside the two advancing figures toward the end of the piled bones.

Just as in his previous life, after entering the gorge, they encountered the Dragon God Core. Heh. In order to protect Dai Yun'er, Tang Wulin sent her out of the Dragon Bone Small World.

Deep within Dragon Valley, dragon aura surged like a golden sea. Tang Wulin gripped the Golden Dragon Spear, its tip piercing into the Dragon God Core. The Golden Dragon King Bloodline rushed wildly through him, and a phantom golden dragon circled his body, resonating intensely with the Dragon God's Soul. Suddenly, all elements between heaven and earth fell silent. The dragon aura froze, and every dragon soul fell quiet and lay dormant. A silver-white figure emerged from the mist—silver hair falling to her ankles, a plain white gown, violet eyes clear as cold stars. It was Gu Yuena. She released no Soul Power, yet the elements opened a path for her on their own. Even Dragon Valley's dragon aura submitted to her.

"Stop!"

As her cool voice fell, Gu Yuena struck the Dragon God Core with one palm. Vast elemental power knocked away the Golden Dragon Spear and severed the connection between Tang Wulin and the Dragon God's Soul. Tang Wulin felt an overwhelming force surge toward him. His Golden Dragon King Bloodline stirred beyond his control, pulling against her Silver Dragon King's Origin Essence. His body shook violently as a terrifying suction force dragged him toward her.

"Hm?" Gu Yuena's violet eyes narrowed slightly. The Silver Dragon King's Origin Essence suddenly erupted, breaking free of the pull, and she kicked Tang Wulin in the chest. "Puh—" Tang Wulin flew away like a kite with a broken string and slammed into Dragon Valley's rock wall. The Golden Dragon Spear flew from his hand as the seventh and eighth Golden Dragon King seals burst open. Golden Dragon Power leaked out wildly, and the excruciating pain nearly made him pass out.

Dragon aura, dense as solidified gold, clogged every crevice of the dragon bone forest. Just as the dull sound of Tang Wulin striking the rock wall faded, drops of blood spilling from his chest fell onto the ink-black ground, blooming into shallow crimson marks. He braced himself against the ground and raised his head with difficulty. His gaze pierced through the rolling dragon mist and locked onto that silver-white figure. His hoarse voice trembled with disbelief. "Gu Yue... it's you, isn't it?"

That single "Gu Yue" was like a stone thrown onto a frozen lake, catching Gu Yuena off guard as it shattered the cold aura around her.

The elemental power flowing around her suddenly stalled. The eternal chill in her violet eyes instantly split with an exceedingly fine crack. At this moment, she had not yet revealed her feelings at Sea God's Fate. The Silver Dragon King's mission was branded into the depths of her soul. Though Gu Yue's personality had already developed unusual feelings for Tang Wulin, they had always been firmly suppressed by the responsibility of the soul beasts' ruler—she had come to stop him from touching the Dragon God's Power, to carry out the "opposition" bestowed by fate, not to reminisce with him.

Yet he had still recognized her. He had not recognized the Silver Dragon King, nor the ruler of soul beasts, but Gu Yue—the girl who had teamed up with him at Eastsea Academy, cultivated beside him at Shrek Academy, and secretly grew jealous whenever he got close to other girls. That concern hidden beneath her cold exterior, which even she refused to acknowledge, had been so easily exposed by him.

The Silver Dragon King's Origin Essence churned within her. It wanted to answer the pull of his Golden Dragon King Bloodline, yet it was harshly bound by the obsession that she could not form ties with humans. She watched the stubbornness and pain in his eyes, the blood still wet at the corner of his lips, and the gaze he refused to turn away despite his unbearable agony. Somewhere in the sealed depths of her heart, it felt as though the wind of Dragon Valley had lightly swept across it, raising a fine, aching pain. This pain was unfamiliar, a weakness unique to Gu Yue's personality, utterly out of place with the Silver Dragon King's decisive nature.

She could not admit it.

Sea God's Fate had not yet arrived. Between them lay the chasm of "humans and soul beasts," as well as the hatred between their races that had lasted countless millennia. If she admitted, "I am Gu Yue," it would mean yielding to feelings she should not have, and betraying the hopes of the entire soul beast race. She suddenly steadied herself, forcibly suppressing that forbidden softness. The elemental power around her abruptly became sharp, and her voice turned as cold as the ice in Dragon Valley's depths. "Tang Wulin, you have mistaken me for someone else."

The moment the words left her mouth, she clearly saw the light in his eyes dim for an instant, like a candle snuffed out by a violent wind. But she could not soften—softness now would only make their future opposition more painful; warmth now would only become shackles upon the path of their destinies. She was Gu Yue, the Silver Dragon King. From the day she was born, she had never possessed the right to have human romantic love.

She watched him slowly rise while bracing himself against the rock wall. The Golden Dragon King Bloodline surged wildly through him, golden dragon patterns crawling over his cheeks, yet he still looked at her stubbornly, as if he wanted to find a trace of Gu Yue within her icy gaze. At that moment, a powerful irritation and helplessness suddenly surged in Gu Yuena's heart—she could easily sever his connection to the Dragon God's Soul and easily injure his body, but she could not sever his obsession with Gu Yue, nor the bond that had long taken root in her own heart.

The wind passed through the gaps between bones, and the mournful sound carried the grief of dragon souls. She turned away, refusing to look at the eyes that unsettled her. The hem of her silver-white skirt swept over fragments of dragon crystal on the ground, leaving faint, scattered sounds. "Live well," she left behind, her voice betraying no emotion. Only she knew that the instant she turned away, Gu Yue's personality was struggling silently—how she wanted to tell him that she remembered the Class Advancement Tournament at Eastsea Academy, remembered their daily cultivation at Shrek, remembered the determination in his eyes when he shielded her from attacks. But none of it could be said.

The dragon mist gradually closed around her, concealing her figure but unable to conceal the turmoil and pain churning within her—as Gu Yue, she secretly cared about everything concerning him; as the Silver Dragon King, she had to personally push him away. The torment of loving yet not daring to admit it, longing yet being unable to speak of it, wrapped tightly around her like Dragon Valley's dragon aura. Before Sea God's Fate, it became her heaviest secret.