Unmatched Qilin, Shrek City

At the instant Tang Wulin was dragged into the spatial-temporal turbulence, his remaining consciousness had already been on the verge of collapse. The agonizing pain of his shattered body was still nailed deep into his soul when an even more terrifying torment swept over him like a tidal wave.

There was no light, no sound, no sense of up or down—only an endless, surging black tide of chaos.

It was pure spatial-temporal power stripped of all planar laws. It had no fixed temperature. At times, it turned so cold that even Dragon God's Origin seemed about to freeze. Bone-piercing chill burrowed through every severed meridian and into his marrow, coating his broken dragon scales with a layer of deathly white frost. At other times, it erupted with a heat that could burn away the soul. The blazing temperature scorched his already mangled flesh, melting the shattered dragon scales on the surface. Golden dragon blood streamed continuously down his limbs, only to be vaporized into fine golden mist by the spatial-temporal turbulence the moment it seeped out.

The most unbearable torment was never the alternating extremes of cold and heat, but the endless tearing of the turbulence.

The intangible spatial-temporal power turned into countless fine blades, wrapping around every inch of his bones and every strand of his soul. At times, it pulled his left arm forward while dragging his right leg backward, opposing forces tearing at him as though they wanted to rip his entire body apart from the torso. At other times, it compressed him layer by layer. The chaotic tide tightly wrapped around his ruined body, crushing his bones and organs. His internal organs, already shattered and displaced, were ground over and over again. Every squeeze made him vomit a mouthful of golden essence blood.

Dragon God's Origin trembled anxiously within him. The origin powers of the Golden Dragon and the Silver Dragon King had already fallen out of balance due to his severe injuries, and now they were constantly battered and churned by the disorderly laws of space-time. The ancient inherited memories of the dragon race surged madly through his mind: the horrific destruction of Shrek, the fading figure of Pavilion Master Yun Ming, the despairing faces of his crying companions, the agonizing pain of using his body to block the cannon fire. Countless images bombarded his spiritual sea one after another beyond his control.

Time lost all meaning here.

He did not know how long he had drifted—perhaps an instant, perhaps a thousand years.

At times, he fell into echoes of a past sealed in ice for ten thousand years and saw the founding of the first Shrek Academy. At times, he slipped into fragments of a future where planes collapsed and glimpsed the desolation left by the extinction of countless living beings. Broken fragments of space-time flashed before his eyes. Chaotic memories of passing years relentlessly scoured his soul, his spiritual power continuously crumbling. Several times, his consciousness sank completely into darkness, only to be forcibly dragged back awake by the piercing agony of being torn apart.

The spatial turbulence carried the sharp edges of countless planar fragments, constantly scraping and cutting his body. His already cracked dragon scales peeled away one by one. The exposed flesh beneath was sliced open by spatial-temporal debris, leaving countless wounds of varying depths. Golden blood flowed away without end, and his dragon power rapidly weakened along with it. The once vast and tyrannical golden dragon aura gradually became thin and dim.

He wanted to use the Dragon God's power to protect himself, but his meridians were shattered and his soul power exhausted. Even drawing upon a trace of dragon power brought agony as if his soul were being torn apart. Chaotic power drilled into his body through his wounds, continuously corroding and wearing away at the foundation of his origin, as though countless tiny insects had burrowed into the depths of his soul and were slowly gnawing at it.

A suppressed groan of pain spilled from his throat, yet not a single sound could travel through this void. He could only swallow all his suffering alone. Loneliness, despair, and tearing pain intertwined, making this even harder to endure than the helplessness of witnessing Shrek's destruction with his own eyes.

He had clearly just sacrificed himself to protect his companions, believing his end would be to perish amid the scorched ruins. Yet now he was trapped inside this boundless prison of space-time, enduring an endless punishment with no end in sight.

He did not know where he was drifting, where the end lay, or how to distinguish the past from the future. His body and soul continued to suffer the torment of being dismantled inch by inch.

Just as his consciousness was about to dissipate completely and Dragon God's Origin was nearly consumed by chaotic power, a gentle, warm ray of heavenly light suddenly shone from the end of a distant rift. A steady, vibrant planar aura pierced through the black tide of chaos and gently enveloped his battered body.

The torment of tearing, burning, and freezing abruptly lessened by more than half. The violent spatial-temporal turbulence gradually eased its pulling force, carrying the grievously wounded and barely conscious Tang Wulin as he plunged heavily toward that light.

When Tang Wulin opened his eyes again, he was shocked to discover that Shrek City, which had just been on the verge of destruction, stood intact before him. It was simply far less technologically advanced than it had been in his time.

"Where is this?" Tang Wulin forced himself to stand. Traces of soul-guided cannon explosions remained on his golden dragon claws, while his body was covered in wounds left by spatial rifts. Slowly supporting himself against a nearby tree, he walked into Shrek City.

The immediate plains stretched as far as the eye could see. Massive bluestone city walls extended for dozens of miles, their surfaces engraved with reliefs of powerful Shrek figures from every generation. Shrek guards clad in dark green armor stood watch on the walls year-round, their soul power pressure spreading outward and intimidating visitors from all directions. Streams of people flowed through the four gates. The south, west, and north gates were open to merchants and civilians, while the east gate belonged exclusively to Shrek Academy. Those passing through it all wore blue-green academy uniforms, giving it an entirely different air.

Entering the city required only a single silver soul coin as a gate tax. The instant he crossed through the gate, a wave of bustling noise and heat washed over him. The city had a permanent population of over two million. Located at the borders of the Heaven Soul Empire, Dou Ling Empire, and Star Luo Empire, it connected in all directions. Merchant caravans, soul masters, and travelers from across the continent gathered here. It was one of the most prosperous trade hubs on the entire continent, governed independently within its walls and subject to no empire, confident in its position.

The main street was extraordinarily wide, enough for six beast-drawn carriages to travel side by side. Its smooth bluestone pavement had been polished until it gleamed. Shops lined both sides of the road in endless rows. Traditional ancient pavilions stood alongside modern soul-guided high-rises, their contrasting styles creating a unique character. A dazzling variety of signs hung along the streets. Banners made from gilded metal, beast bones, and glowing soul-guided materials swayed gently in the wind, while cries from vendors rose and fell, weaving together a vibrant tapestry of noise.

The storefronts offered everything imaginable. Street stalls carried the sweet scents of roasted meat, wheat cakes, and spirit fruits. Apothecaries released the crisp aura of medicinal herbs. Flames soared from blacksmith shops, where the ringing clang of forged soul bone weapons never ceased. The most eye-catching were the rows of soul-guided device stores. Their display windows held all manner of soul-guided cannons, storage soul tools, and soul-guided lamps, faint metallic radiance flowing over their surfaces. Many students gathered around the counters to choose carefully and haggle over prices. Soul-guided technology flourished here, second only to the Sun Moon Empire. Treasure pavilions, martial soul ingredient stores, soul beast fur merchants, and cultivation aid shops stood on both sides. Merchants from every nation pushed beast carts piled high with goods through the streets, their wheels rumbling over the stone pavement.

All sorts of people filled the streets. Shrek Academy students could be seen everywhere, chatting and laughing in groups of three or five, their youthful spirit overflowing. Nobles from the empires, dressed in lavish attire, selected treasures under the protection of their guards. Soul masters carrying travel packs and heading for the Star Dou Great Forest to train wore soul-guided storage pouches at their waists. Managers from merchant associations, wandering sect powerhouses, and craftsmen selling homemade soul-guided devices from stalls moved among the crowd. The air was filled with the mingled scents of food, the bitter freshness of herbs, metal, charcoal fire, and the strong or weak soul power auras of countless soul masters. The spiritual energy of heaven and earth was rich; even a deep breath could stir the soul power within one's body.

Giant soul-guided streetlamps stood in the middle of the roads. During the day, they concealed their faint glow, but at dusk they all lit up, their soft white light spreading across the long streets and driving back much of the night. The closer one came to the city center, the grander the buildings became. The central square was broad and level, where an enormous Shrek monument stood. Civilians and students alike stopped there year-round to look upon it with reverence. Teahouses and taverns around the square were packed with customers, while the private rooms on the second floors were filled with guests discussing business, martial souls, and soul-guided techniques. The faint sounds of string and wind instruments drifted out.

Order within the city was impeccable. Shrek patrol soul masters traveled the streets, powerful enough that incidents of troublemaking were rare. In the southeast, the towering Eternal Ancient Tree could be seen from afar. Beneath it lay Shrek Academy's outer court, its dark green school buildings stretching in clusters, separated from yet still connected to the bustling outer city. In the distance, the lake surface shimmered. Spiritual energy continuously flowed from the academy toward every corner of the city, nourishing the entire place.

After nightfall, Shrek City became even more prosperous. The street stalls shone brightly, and late-night food vendors formed long rows while the number of pedestrians did not diminish in the slightest. Taverns, auction houses, and soul-guided exhibition halls glittered with light. High-level soul masters came and went, flashes of brilliant soul power occasionally streaking past. On the plains outside the city, countless merchant tents stretched in continuous rows. Travelers who could not enter the city rested where they were. The entire land was alive with voices, never falling silent from dawn until deep into the night.

This city, born in reliance on Shrek Academy, possessed both a thousand-year foundation of martial cultivation and top-tier soul-guided civilization. Visitors came from all directions, trade flourished, and the spirit of cultivation thrived. It brimmed with vigorous life in every corner. It was the paradise longed for by all soul masters, as well as an irreplaceably prosperous stronghold of the Douluo Continent.

"But wasn't this city already destroyed?" Tang Wulin's heart was filled with countless emotions. Some students rushed past him. "Hurry up, hurry up! Today is Sea God's Fate." As they brushed past Tang Wulin, he froze. "Sea God's Fate..." he murmured to himself.

That day, at Sea God's Fate, that girl with black hair and purple eyes had admitted that she loved him. Yet she had left the very next day. Tang Wulin did not know why, but he knew only that he had to grow stronger and find her again. Thus, he passed the trial of Demon Island and gained that green soul ring unique to him. But events had unfolded too quickly. A surprise attack one night had taken away the academy teacher he respected most. Skycrossing Douluo Yun Ming had detonated his divine position and his life, all to protect...

Thinking of this, Tang Wulin could not help but shed tears, though he quickly wiped them away. He did not know why he had come here, but he knew this was absolutely not his era. His injuries were too severe, and he collapsed...