Morning Shock, Memories of Past-Life Sorrow

As the kiss fell, heaven and earth seemed to fall silent.

Gu Yue froze in Tang Wulin's embrace, her violet eyes widening slightly. The mask of icy aloofness and pride shattered completely in that instant. Her calm, arrogance, and detachment of countless millennia all turned into flustered, burning embarrassment, spreading from her cheeks to the tips of her ears. Even her slender neck was stained with a faint blush. She wanted to push him away, to scold him, to use her elemental power to put distance between them, but her body would not obey. All her strength had become soft and sluggish in that moment.

She could only stare blankly at the boy before her, listening to his steady, powerful heartbeat and feeling the warmth from his palm, while her own heart raced wildly.

Tang Wulin slowly released her. His gaze was gentle, yet a lingering heaviness lay hidden deep within it.

He looked at the girl before him, so embarrassed that she did not know what to do, then at the tranquil Shrek Academy beneath the morning light. Yet his nose seemed to catch once again the scent of smoke and blood that had filled heaven and earth. Scenes from his past life surged uncontrollably into his mind like the coldest nightmare, gripping his heart viciously.

It was a dark period he never wished to revisit for all eternity.

At that time, he had already grown into the Dragon Emperor Douluo, whose name shook the continent. He was Shrek's pillar, humanity's hope. Yet even so, he had failed to protect the place he cared about most.

The Holy Spirit Cult's conspiracy had lurked like a venomous snake for a long time before erupting without warning when everyone was caught off guard.

Terrifying explosives had been buried in every corner of Shrek Academy: underground, in the teaching buildings, training grounds, dormitory areas... Even around the Sea God Pavilion, destructive arrays powerful enough to shake Titled Douluo had been set up. When the first explosion rang out, all of Shrek trembled violently.

Flames soared into the sky, and smoke blotted out the sun.

Sturdy teaching buildings collapsed with a roar. Verdant forests turned into seas of fire. Familiar structures crumbled inch by inch, and the training grounds once filled with laughter became a living hell in an instant. Rubble, smoke, firelight, cries, the desperate radiance of soul skills, and the mad, savage laughter of evil Soul Masters... all wove together into the most tragic scene, seared into the depths of his soul.

He would never forget that day.

He would never forget the dull thuds of bricks and stones crashing down upon teachers and students. He remembered familiar instructors being swallowed by explosions while protecting their students. He remembered companions who had once cultivated and laughed alongside him stretching their hands toward him from within the flames, only for them to fall limply in the end. He remembered the place where he had grown up, the place he regarded as home, becoming devastated ruins in less than half an hour.

Shrek Academy's ten-thousand-year legacy had been destroyed in a single day.

It was the deepest pain in his heart, worse than any injury he had suffered and more despairing than facing any powerful enemy.

After the explosions, heaven and earth fell deathly silent.

Between the broken walls and ruins were charred marks and flames that had yet to die out. The once vibrant Shrek had become nothing more than a barren wasteland of deathly silence. The surviving students and instructors were covered in wounds, curled up amid the ruins with hollow eyes, all hope gone.

It was he who rose again atop those ruins.

Tang Wulin at that time had endured the agonizing pain and regret in his heart as he took on the burden of rebuilding Shrek. With the might of the Dragon Emperor Douluo, he deterred the various forces seeking to exploit the disaster, comforted the surviving teachers and students, gathered scattered resources, and rebuilt the shattered academy brick by brick.

During the day, he led the survivors in clearing ruins, erecting temporary shelters, and resisting attacks from the remnants of the evil Soul Masters. At night, he stood alone atop broken walls, gazing at the devastated land and blaming himself over and over again.

He hated himself for not being strong enough. He hated himself for failing to discover the conspiracy sooner. He hated himself for failing to protect the land that carried the youth and dreams of countless people.

The road to reconstruction was difficult beyond measure.

Without enough materials, they entered the mountains to mine them themselves. Without stable defenses, he used the Golden Dragon King's origin power to set up protective barriers. Without food or resources, he ventured alone into dangerous lands to win everyone a chance at survival. Through countless days and nights, he never closed his eyes. Countless dangers, he bore alone.

He told everyone, "Shrek will not perish. As long as we remain, Shrek will remain forever."

Those words supported every survivor as they carried on.

After countless hardships, Shrek finally stood again atop the ruins. But the lives that had been lost, the shattered memories, and the figures that had vanished forever could never return. Those years of reconstruction were carved with blood, tears, and pain, becoming a scar he could never erase in his lifetime.

It was also that experience which made him especially sensitive to the Holy Spirit Cult's schemes after his rebirth. His obsession with protecting Shrek had seeped into his very bones.

He would never let the tragedy repeat itself.

He would never let that sea of fire blaze again.

He would never let those around him suffer another separation between life and death.

"Tang Wulin..."

Gu Yue's gentle voice pulled Tang Wulin back from his painful memories into reality.

She raised her head, a trace of concern in her violet eyes, and reached out to gently touch his tightly furrowed brow. She could clearly feel the overwhelming sorrow and self-blame that had suddenly welled up within the boy before her. It was the weathered grief of someone who had endured life and death and borne countless wounds, making her own heart ache slightly as well.

Tang Wulin took a deep breath and forcibly suppressed the pain of his past life deep within his heart. Resolve returned to his eyes.

He took Gu Yue's hand, his grip gentle yet incomparably firm. "I'm fine. I just remembered some things I should not forget."

Gu Yue did not press him. She merely nodded softly and tightened her hold on his hand.

She did not understand his past, but she was willing to believe in his present.

Just then, the air trembled slightly. A gentle yet boundlessly vast spiritual power swept over them like a spring breeze. It carried no sense of oppression, yet possessed unquestionable authority as it settled directly upon them.

"Would the two young friends care to come speak with me?"

The voice was aged and steady. It belonged to one of the elders of the Sea God Pavilion, Shrek's true core.

Tang Wulin understood at once.

The aura left behind by the arrival of the Beast God Di Tian yesterday had ultimately alerted the guardians deep within the Sea God Pavilion. And this was precisely the opportunity he had been waiting for.

Holding Gu Yue's hand, he walked toward the source of the spiritual power. Passing through the forest where the morning mist had yet to disperse and along quiet flagstone paths, the two soon arrived beneath the Eternal Tree in the deepest part of Shrek Academy.

The enormous Eternal Tree blotted out the sky, its lush branches and leaves overflowing with life force so dense it seemed tangible. Every leaf flowed with soft green light, nourishing all of Shrek Academy. Beneath the tree stood an elderly man in a green robe, his white hair and beard hanging down as he clasped his hands behind his back. His expression was kind, but his eyes were as profound as a starry sky. He was one of the elders of the Sea God Pavilion.

The old man's gaze first fell upon Gu Yue, carrying a trace of barely perceptible reverence.

Though he had not personally witnessed the Beast God Di Tian bowing in submission, he could infer most of it from the lingering aura. The terrifying status of this seemingly aloof and delicate girl had long surpassed the realm of human Soul Masters.

Then the old man shifted his gaze to Tang Wulin, and intense surprise flashed through his eyes.

After merely one night apart, this boy's aura had undergone a world-shaking transformation. His former sharpness, hidden beneath restraint, had become the stillness of a deep pool and the immovability of a towering mountain. His blood essence was as steady as a vast ocean, his soul power as condensed as refined steel. More importantly, the composure and weathered bearing beyond his age made the old man increasingly certain—this boy was anything but ordinary.

"This old man is Yun Ming, unworthily serving as an elder of the Sea God Pavilion. Greetings, young friends." The elder nodded slightly, his tone mild, yet his respect was exceptionally sincere.

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue both bowed slightly in greeting.

"Elder."

Yun Ming looked warmly at the two and slowly said, "Yesterday, the Beast God Di Tian personally came to Shrek, yet departed peacefully. Young friend Gu Yue, this old man admires your abilities. And young friend Tang Wulin, the power of your blood essence is earth-shaking, and your potential is limitless. You also possess wisdom and will far beyond ordinary people. For Shrek to have a student like you is the academy's fortune."

Tang Wulin shook his head. There was not the slightest hint of pride on his face; instead, his expression grew even more solemn. "Elder, you flatter me. Today, I must report a matter concerning the life and death of everyone at Shrek Academy."

The smile on Yun Ming's face slowly faded, and his gaze turned serious.

He could sense that Tang Wulin was not making empty threats. The boy's tone held the resolve and heaviness of someone who had passed through life and death.

"Speak freely, young friend. This old man is listening."

Tang Wulin tightened his hold on Gu Yue's hand and took a deep breath. Pain from his past life and resolve in this one flashed through his golden eyes. Meeting Yun Ming's gaze, he spoke clearly and heavily, without concealing anything.

"Elder, the Holy Spirit Cult has already devised a meticulous plan. They intend to blow up all of Shrek Academy."

The moment his words fell, the air froze.

Yun Ming's pupils abruptly contracted. The gentle aura around him instantly turned incomparably sharp, vast soul power quietly surging as the air around them grew oppressive.

"Young friend, do you understand what you are saying?" Yun Ming's voice was low and stern. "Shrek Academy has stood upon the continent for ten thousand years. Its defenses are stringent, and its intelligence network reaches everywhere. How would the Holy Spirit Cult dare be so bold? How could they possibly have the ability to do this?"

"They dare, and they are already doing it."

Tang Wulin's voice was incomparably resolute. As he spoke, the tragic scenes from his past life surfaced in his mind once again, making his voice even heavier and more genuine.

"Elder, believe me. I have not spoken a single false word. The Holy Spirit Cult's evil Soul Masters have long infiltrated Shrek in disguise. Beneath the academy, inside the teaching buildings, training grounds, dormitory areas, and even at the outer defensive nodes, they have secretly planted explosives and destructive arrays capable of annihilating everything. Their goal is not provocation, nor plunder. It is to erase all of Shrek from this continent, slaughter every teacher and student, and sever the foundation of humanity's Soul Master legacy."

He paused, his voice trembling faintly, the pain rising from the depths of his soul.

"In my previous life, I witnessed that scene with my own eyes."

"Flames rose into the sky. Teaching buildings collapsed. The Eternal Tree was shrouded in smoke. Countless teachers and students perished in the sea of fire, and the home we once knew became charred ruins. The survivors had nowhere to go, and despair spread into every corner..."

"It was I who led the surviving teachers and students atop those ruins, clearing away the rubble bit by bit and rebuilding Shrek brick by brick. We had no resources, no safe shelter, and we had to remain on guard at every moment against attacks from the Holy Spirit Cult's remnants. Every day, we struggled at the edge of life and death."

"It took me a full three years just to give Shrek the beginnings of a new form. But those who had died could never return. Those years of reconstruction drained every drop of blood and tears from us, carved with pain until they became a nightmare I could never erase in my lifetime."

"I do not want to go through it again. Even less do I want everything before my eyes to repeat the same disaster."

Every sentence came from the depths of his heart. Every word carried the truth of blood and tears.

Tang Wulin did not deliberately raise his voice, but his words struck Yun Ming's heart like heavy hammers.

He looked at the agony and regret in the boy's eyes, so real they reached the extreme, and felt emotions that could not possibly be feigned. The final trace of doubt in his heart completely vanished.

Many of the details Tang Wulin mentioned were secrets that even Shrek's intelligence network had failed to uncover. Yet this boy spoke of them with perfect clarity, as though he had personally seen and experienced everything.

Yun Ming closed his eyes. Only after a long while did he slowly open them again, his gaze filled with cold severity and gravity.

"This old man believes you."

Four simple words, yet they weighed as much as a thousand mountains.

As an elder of the Sea God Pavilion and a guardian of Shrek, he understood better than anyone the Holy Spirit Cult's madness and ruthlessness. If Tang Wulin's words were true, then Shrek was facing the most fatal crisis since its founding.

The stone hanging over Tang Wulin's heart finally fell halfway.

He had exposed the conspiracy in advance, prevented that earth-shattering explosion, and rewritten Shrek's fate.

"Elder, we have no time." Tang Wulin said gravely, "The Holy Spirit Cult's hidden agents have already laid most of their preparations. Before long, they will launch their final assault. We must immediately activate the highest alert, seal off the entire academy, thoroughly search underground and inside every building for explosives and arrays, and eliminate every infiltrating evil Soul Master!"

"At the same time, activate the Eternal Tree's academy-protecting grand array, strengthen our defenses, and move every student to safe zones. We cannot allow a single person to fall into danger!"

Yun Ming nodded heavily without the slightest hesitation.

"Effective immediately, Shrek Academy shall enter the highest red alert!"

"Seal all entrances and exits. No one may enter or leave!"

"All instructors, assemble. Divide into teams and conduct a full search of every corner of the academy. Focus on underground passages, building foundations, remote corners, and any other suspicious locations. If explosives, arrays, or evil Soul Masters are discovered, kill them without mercy!"

"Activate the Eternal Tree's academy-protecting grand array and raise defenses to their highest level!"

"Notify all students. Cease all activities and gather in the safe zones. No one is to act without authorization!"

One order after another spread instantly to every corner of Shrek Academy through vast spiritual power.

The tranquil morning was instantly shattered by piercing, solemn alarm bells.

Urgent footsteps, instructors' shouts, and the surging fluctuations of Soul Masters rapidly gathering rose one after another. The students who had been engaged in morning training changed expression and quickly assembled in an orderly fashion under their instructors' commands. Everyone understood that Shrek had encountered an unprecedented crisis.

The Eternal Tree shone brilliantly. Gentle green light soared into the sky, forming an immense barrier that firmly protected all of Shrek Academy within it. Its defensive power rose to the utmost limit.

Only after completing all this did Yun Ming turn around to look at Tang Wulin, his eyes filled with gratitude and solemnity.

"Young friend Tang Wulin, Shrek owes you its life today. The entire academy, every teacher and student, owes you their lives. If you had not revealed this conspiracy in advance, the consequences would have been unimaginable."

Tang Wulin shook his head and looked into the distance. Blazing battle intent ignited in his golden eyes.

"There is no need for courtesy, Elder. Protecting Shrek is what I should do."

"In my past life, I failed to protect it and could only rebuild it with difficulty atop the ruins."

"In this life, I will never give the Holy Spirit Cult another chance."

"Shrek will not be blown up. It will not be destroyed. Not a single person will be sacrificed."

"From today onward, the Holy Spirit Cult's conspiracy is utterly bankrupt."

Beside him, Gu Yue leaned lightly against Tang Wulin's side. There was not the slightest fear in her silver-gray eyes, only icy killing intent and complete trust.

Whoever dared harm the people she cared for, whoever dared destroy the peace before her, she would make them vanish into ash.

Morning light pierced through the thin mist, falling upon the green radiance of the Eternal Tree and upon the resolute figures of the boy and girl.

A catastrophe capable of destroying Shrek had its beginning severed in advance.

The pain of his past life became the protection of this one.

The ruins of his past life were destined never to appear again.

The main battle was about to begin.

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue had long been ready. Standing side by side, they faced all darkness.

Their story, their protection, and their happy ending had only just begun.

Next, we'll move directly into the main storyline. Which would you like to write:

1. A full-academy hunt for the Holy Spirit Cult's planted explosives and hidden agents

2. Tang Wulin and Gu Yue's first time joining forces to suppress evil Soul Masters

3. A climactic battle to defuse the bombs in advance

Choose a direction, and I'll write the next chapter immediately!