Lin Arrives at Sea God Pavilion, Elder Xuan's Night Talk

As the setting sun sank westward, a bright moon quietly rose over Sea God Lake. Half moon, half red sun, together they painted a wondrous scene across its waters.

"Where is this?" Tang Wulin opened his eyes and discovered that his wounds had already been bandaged. Around him were intricate, interwoven tree roots gleaming with golden light.

"Little fellow, you're awake." An elderly man with grizzled white hair spoke casually, taking a huge swig from the wine gourd in his hand before walking over.

"Thank you, Senior." Tang Wulin forced himself into a sitting position and looked around. He could warmly sense the powerful life force here resonating with his green soul ring. Sitting cross-legged on the bed, he entered deep meditation.

Xuan Zi watched this unfamiliar youth rapidly enter deep meditation and felt somewhat helpless.

Yesterday, he had been cultivating within the Golden Ancient Tree when he sensed a powerful force of time and space. By the time he arrived, he saw only Tang Wulin lying in a pool of blood. He brought him back to Sea God Pavilion and had Elder Zhuang treat his wounds. He could sense the powerful bloodline within Tang Wulin, and the fragments of his tattered clothes bore Shrek's emblem, though they differed somewhat from Shrek's current uniforms.

Night had fully fallen, and all of Shrek had sunk into silence. Only Sea God Lake at its center rippled with faint light. A full moon hung in the ink-blue sky, its silver-like radiance pouring over the lake. Layers of thin mist slowly rose from the water, draping Sea God Island at the lake's heart in a hazy veil.

A long bridge paved with white jade stretched across the lake, its stone surface steeped in gentle moonlight. Thin, pale-golden spiritual energy drifted along the bridge, and with every step, tiny streams of light spread through its patterns. The water below was crystalline, with spiritual grasses swaying gently beneath the currents. A soft blue glow lay hidden at the lakebed, entwining with the moonlight above and dyeing the entire lake a transparent pale green. When the wind swept over it, it shattered the lakeful of silver radiance, while ripples pushed the light and shadow toward the island's center.

Sea God Pavilion stood at the island's center, the entire structure carved around the ten-thousand-year-old Golden Ancient Tree. Its natural grain carried a warm dark-golden sheen. Six tiers of upturned eaves rose one above another, ancient bronze bells hanging from their corners. When the night wind passed, their chimes rang clear and distant, lingering long within the watery mist. The carved patterns beneath the eaves stood sharply outlined in the moonlight, while the three gilded characters, "Sea God Pavilion," on the black plaque above the main entrance were coated in a cold lunar glow. Solemn and majestic, it carried the weight of ten thousand years of legacy.

Warm yellow lamplight shone through the pavilion's lattice windows. It was not blazing, but calm and gentle, its halos filtering through the wooden frames and falling upon the ancient pines and cypresses around it. The ancient tree's roots spread across the entire island, its branches stretching into the night sky. Fine golden motes drifted down among its leaves—the Golden Ancient Tree's naturally flowing origin soul power. They floated softly on the wind, settling upon the lake, stone steps, and corridor pillars like scattered stars.

The mist over the lake's heart shifted and flowed. At times, it thinned, revealing Sea God Pavilion's complete and towering outline; at other times, it thickened, leaving only the layers of lights within the pavilion flickering through the fog like a sacred lighthouse submerged in the deep sea. No noise remained nearby. The distant student dormitories had long since gone dark. Only here was spiritual energy abundant, as the sea breeze carried the fresh moisture of the lake ashore, mingled with the faint fragrance of ancient wood.

Occasionally, elder masters slowly emerged from the pavilion gates, their soul power completely restrained, their figures blending into the moonlight and mist. Low conversation could vaguely be heard from within, blurred by the water and fog, making this holy place seem all the more tranquil and solemn. The river of stars hung overhead, moonlight flowed across the lake, and the ancient tree's golden radiance burned eternal. Sea God Pavilion stood quietly in the center of the waters, half immersed in moonlight like flowing water and half wrapped in hazy waves of mist, concealing Shrek's unchanging guardianship and foundation of ten thousand years.

When the wind stopped, the lake returned to stillness. The pavilion's reflection spread whole across the water, golden, silver, and deep-blue lights blending together. Between heaven and earth, only the moonlight, ancient pavilion, and tranquil water remained. It was so quiet that time itself seemed to slowly come to rest here.

Tang Wulin ended his meditation and opened his eyes. "Senior, who exactly are you? And where exactly is this?" Looking around, Tang Wulin felt an inexplicable sense of familiarity, as though he had seen this place somewhere before.

Moonlight spread over Sea God Lake, and thin mist curled around the white jade bridge. Carrying his wine gourd, Xuan Zi strolled slowly beside Tang Wulin. His cloudy gaze rested on the pavilion rooted in the Golden Ancient Tree at the lake's heart, and his tone lost its usual casualness, gaining a trace of gravity.

"Kid, take a good look at the pavilion before you. It is Shrek's root—Sea God Pavilion."

Xuan Zi raised a hand, his fingertip pointing toward the layered eaves in the mist. The night wind stirred the bronze bells, their soft chimes falling upon the two of them.

"The entire Sea God Pavilion was built around this ten-thousand-year-old Golden Ancient Tree. The tree itself forms the pavilion's beams and pillars, naturally circulating origin soul power. Even ordinary Title Douluo can nourish their Soul Cores by drawing upon the ancient tree's aura when they approach it. The mist that gathers over the lake year-round is spiritual energy released by the ancient tree itself. It blocks outside prying eyes and protects every secret on the island."

Tang Wulin followed his gaze. The six-story pavilion stood quietly, warm light glowing softly from its windows as golden motes rustled down from the branches and leaves, falling into the lake and shattering into countless silver specks.

Xuan Zi took a sip from his gourd and slowly said, "Sea God Pavilion holds Shrek's highest authority. Across the continent, only this place can make all major decisions for the academy. The elder masters within are Title Douluo and Ultimate Douluo who have lived for more than a century. They usually reside throughout the continent, gathering here for a Sea God Pavilion meeting only when the academy faces a matter of life or death. Even the four deans must obey the elder masters within. Any decision concerning Shrek's survival or the balance of the soul master world must be discussed and finalized here."

"Outsiders only know this is a place for deliberation, but they do not know that Sea God Pavilion contains all the foundations Shrek has accumulated over a thousand years." Xuan Zi lowered his voice. "Beneath it lie one hundred and eight cultivation chambers suited to every type of martial soul, as well as a top-secret library containing all records from the past ten thousand years concerning soul masters, soul beasts, and ancient ruins. There are also soul bones and soul tool treasures left behind by generations of sages. Ordinary students may never set foot inside in their entire lives. Even core disciples of the inner court cannot enter the pavilion without the Pavilion Master's permission."

He paused and looked at Tang Wulin, his expression turning solemn. "Ordinary people never get the chance to approach Sea God Island in their lifetimes. I brought you here today because you carry a secret that even the elder masters care about."

"Look at that 'Sea God Pavilion' plaque hanging high above. It has stood there since Shrek was founded, witnessing the rise and fall of countless prodigies and warding off countless calamities." Xuan Zi lowered his wine gourd and gazed at the pavilion lights. "To enter Sea God Pavilion is Shrek students' highest honor. But if one commits the sin of betraying the academy, then Sea God Pavilion's judgment is a conclusion that even the entire continent's soul master world cannot overturn."

Thin mist flowed, half concealing the pavilion's outline, and the bronze bells beneath the eaves chimed once more. Xuan Zi turned toward the youth beside him, his tone softening slightly. "If you gain the recognition of the elder masters within in the future, you may come here often to cultivate. The Golden Ancient Tree's origin power will greatly benefit the power hidden within your body. But remember this: Sea God Pavilion hides too many secrets. Without permission, you must never trespass into its depths."

Tang Wulin quietly gazed at the majestic and solemn Sea God Pavilion in the night. Only then did he understand that this ancient waterside pavilion bore Shrek's thousand years of guardianship and weight.

"But..." Tang Wulin wanted to say that Sea God Pavilion had already been blown up, yet he could not speak. The Sea God Pavilion in his memories was extremely similar to this one, even its aura almost identical. Yet the soul tool technology here was even more backward than he had imagined.

"Senior, may I ask your name?" Tang Wulin gave a respectful bow.

"This old man is Xuan Zi!" Xuan Zi took a sip of wine and looked appreciatively at the youth before him.

"Elder Xuan..." Of course Tang Wulin had heard of the renowned Taotie Douluo. In the Sea God Pavilion library, he had read historical books about Sea God Pavilion. They recorded that ten thousand years ago, when the Sun Moon Empire invaded the continent, Shrek had possessed an Ultimate Douluo known as the Taotie Douluo, Xuan Zi.

Xuan Zi stroked his beard and looked at the youth with interest. "Kid, I've finished speaking. Shouldn't we talk about you now?" He casually set down the wine gourd. "This old man can sense the powerful force within your bloodline."

"Senior Xuan Zi, I am Tang Wulin, a Rank 59 Soul Emperor. My martial soul is the Blue Silver Emperor. My first four rings are all hundred-thousand-year red rings, while my fifth is a green-gold soul ring nurtured by the Golden Ancient Tree. Six seals on the Golden Dragon King's Bloodline within me have been broken, producing three Bloodline Soul Rings." Tang Wulin explained unhurriedly.

"Blue Silver Emperor! Bloodline Soul Rings! It has been a long time since anyone awakened a martial soul like the Blue Silver Emperor. The last was Thousand-Hands Douluo Tang San. And what are Bloodline Soul Rings?" Xuan Zi spat out the wine he had just swallowed and stared at Tang Wulin in shock.

"They are soul rings produced by my bloodline." Tang Wulin simultaneously revealed his Golden Dragon Claw. Golden scales covered both his arms, and sharp dragon claws emerged from his hands.

"I understand. By the way, why are you wearing Shrek clothing?" Xuan Zi looked at the fragments of Tang Wulin's clothes.

"Because I was originally an inner court student, the Sea God Pavilion's reserve Pavilion Master." Tang Wulin revealed the badge on his chest.

"How is that possible?" Xuan Zi sprayed out another mouthful of wine, staring in disbelief at the shoulder insignia and medal on Tang Wulin's chest.

"Senior, to be honest, I came from ten thousand years in the future..." Tang Wulin told him everything from beginning to end.

Xuan Zi, who had just been casually swinging his wine gourd with lazy indifference written across his brows, froze as if struck by lightning the instant he heard Tang Wulin say that he came from ten thousand years in the future.

The wine gourd paused at his lips. More than half of the amber liquor sloshed out, dripping onto the white jade steps below, but he did not notice at all. His previously half-lidded cloudy eyes flew wide open. Those eyes, which had seen through a thousand years of continental storms, witnessed the fall of Ultimate Douluo, and observed countless bizarre events, were now filled with unbelievable horror. His pupils constricted violently as they locked onto Tang Wulin before him.

The faint scent of wine that had loosely drifted around him instantly withdrew. A heavy, majestic force of an elder master's soul power, buried for many years, erupted beyond his control. The thin mist over the lake churned, golden motes from the Golden Ancient Tree at the lake's heart scattered wildly, and the bronze bells beneath the eaves shook under the soul power's impact, ringing in a rapid, piercing clamor that shattered Sea God Pavilion's midnight silence.

Xuan Zi instinctively stepped forward. His aged hand trembled slightly, reaching halfway into the air before suddenly pulling back, even his fingertips shaking uncontrollably. He had lived for nearly three hundred years, traveled every ancient ruin across the continent, and heard countless ancient legends and tales of time-space anomalies. Yet he had never dared imagine that the living youth standing before him had crossed an entire ten thousand years to arrive here.

"You... say that again?"

His voice no longer carried its usual casual rasp. It trembled uncontrollably, and even his speech became disordered. His usual calm detachment, as though he had seen through all worldly affairs, had vanished completely, leaving only utter astonishment. His gaze swept over Tang Wulin's body again and again, examining him from head to toe as though trying to see through his flesh and uncover the aura that did not belong to this era.

"Ten thousand years in the future..." Xuan Zi repeated in a low voice. A monstrous wave surged through his heart as every secret of time and space recorded across the continent's history flashed through his mind, yet not a single case matched what stood before him. He understood what ten thousand years meant: seas turning into fields, dynasties rising and falling, the entire soul master world utterly transformed. Ancient fierce beasts, lost cultivation methods, future misfortunes and blessings—all of them could be hidden within this youth alone.

Ripples spread across the lake beneath their feet, and even the origin spiritual light flowing through the Golden Ancient Tree's roots fluctuated chaotically. Xuan Zi took a deep breath, trying to suppress the storm within his heart, but his clenched jaw and slightly pale face still could not conceal the shock he could not calm.

He raised a hand and rubbed his throbbing brow, casually gripping the wine gourd without any desire to drink. His gaze settled heavily upon Tang Wulin, his tone incomparably grave. "Traveling through time and space, crossing ten thousand years... This old man has lived for so long, but only today have I witnessed something truly capable of overturning everything I know. This matter is far too important. You must not mention even a word of it to anyone else. Rest well for now. I must meet with the elder masters and discuss this matter."

"Thank you, Senior." Tang Wulin had been exhausted all day. At last, he lay down on the bed and fell asleep...