Sea God's Fate Above Sea God Lake, a Young Man's Tears Beneath It

Tang Wulin had been in the era of the Peerless Tang Clan for several days now. He had adapted to life here and rejoined the Shrek Inner Court. One evening, as a bystander, he witnessed the Sea God's Fate matchmaking event.

Lights scattered across Sea God Lake, its rippling waters reflecting the brilliant stars overhead. The slightly cool night breeze carried the faint dampness of the lake as it brushed over the entire Sea God's Fate venue. Voices and cheers intertwined above the water. This grand matchmaking gathering for Shrek students had reached its most heart-stirring stage: mutual selection and the unveiling of faces.

Earlier, Ning Tian had confessed gracefully, and Ling Luocheng had silently revealed her feelings. These two female students, both exceptional in talent and beauty, had successively expressed their affection for Huo Yuhao, only to be gently yet firmly rejected by him. Everyone present saw it clearly: this young genius, who had won the Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament championship and gained fame throughout the soul master world, had long since filled his heart with one person. There was no room for anyone else.

As the host's clear voice fell silent, Huo Yuhao's deep gaze slowly swept across the lake, over the row of slender female students draped in elegant white gauze cloaks. His eyes did not hesitate or shift in the slightest, settling steadily on the slender, upright figure in the second position.

"I choose Number Two."

His low, steady voice pierced through the noisy crowd and rang clearly over all of Sea God Lake.

In an instant, the entire venue erupted!

Countless cries and discussions rose and fell, exploding layer upon layer beneath the night sky. Among the onlookers nearby, Dai Huabin's expression darkened like ink. Hostility surged around him as he stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao in the center of the lake, his eyes full of resentment and jealousy. Beside him, Zhu Lu, Wu Feng, and the rest of his followers all showed fierce expressions, jeering and shouting in low voices as the scene instantly grew restless.

Huo Yuhao ignored the uproar around him. His eyes held only the figure he had longed for day and night. With a light tap of his toes against the clear lake surface, he moved as lightly as a swallow, stepping across the tiny ripples until he came to a steady stop before the second female student.

The slender body beneath the cloak suddenly trembled slightly. A pair of fair, delicate hands quietly clenched the hem of her skirt, while her exquisite head remained lowered, unwilling to rise. Several strands of lustrous white hair with a faint blue sheen slipped through the cloak's collar and swayed gently in the wind. That unique hair color, that familiar outline engraved into his bones, made Huo Yuhao's burning heart jolt violently. Familiar warmth and bitterness swept through him at once.

"Are you willing to form a bond with me?"

His voice, usually calm and cold, was now incredibly soft and gentle, carrying unease and expectation that even he had not noticed, concealing the deep affection he had held onto day and night for two years.

After a brief silence, a soft, sweet female voice came from beneath the cloak, tinged with grievance and a choked sob. Its tone was warm and lively, entirely different from the cheerful, unruly "Wang Dong voice" of the boy who had always bickered and played around with him, yet it carried the exact same familiarity deep within.

"I... am willing."

Those short words landed softly, yet they weighed a thousand pounds. They fell into Huo Yuhao's heart and stirred up towering waves.

Holding his breath, Huo Yuhao raised his hand and spread his fingers, his fingertips gently touching the thin veil over the girl's head. His movements were tender to the extreme, cautious as though afraid of disturbing her. "Dong'er, may I see you?"

The intimate name "Dong'er" slipped from his lips. The body beneath the cloak instantly stiffened, and even her breathing seemed to stop.

Just then, the evening wind suddenly rose and swept over the vast blue waves, gently blowing away the white veil above her. The wide hood slipped down onto her shoulders.

A cascade of dazzling silver-blue hair spilled freely down, covering her slender shoulders and back. Her skin was clear and fair like the finest warm jade. Her crystalline violet eyes shimmered with moisture, her long lashes trembling lightly. Against the lights filling the sky and the rippling glow of the lake, her peerlessly exquisite face looked like a goddess of light descended into the mortal world—holy and radiant.

The good brother "Wang Dong," who had once worn short tied-up hair and fitted clothes, who had been frank, proud, and always liked joking and arguing with him, sharing meals and lodging with him, had now shed every disguise and become a peerless beauty—Wang Dong'er.

Huo Yuhao stood blankly upon the lake, his entire aura frozen as his breathing abruptly halted. Countless memories of their days and nights together flooded wildly into his mind like a tide: their companionship when they had first entered the Shrek dormitory, fighting enemies side by side in the Star Dou Great Forest, the shock of Hao Dong's Power merging for the first time, the endless longing and concern during their two years apart... The person he had thought about day and night had always been by his side. The brother who had accompanied him through all his youthful years and endured every difficult low point with him had, from beginning to end, been a girl who hid deep affection in her heart and silently stayed beside him.

"You fool, Huo Yuhao. Do you finally see it now?"

Wang Dong'er's eyes instantly reddened, tears swirling within them. Suppressing the sourness in her nose and the grievance in her heart, she raised her slender hand and lightly punched his chest. Her tone was both angry and sweet, full of reproach. "After spending so long together every day, you never noticed a thing."

Huo Yuhao came back to himself and reached out, firmly pulling the girl before him into his arms. His strength was gentle yet utterly resolute, allowing no possibility of escape. The girl's unique sweet fragrance lingered at the tip of his nose. All the confusion, unease, longing, and apprehension of the past two years vanished in that moment, leaving only overflowing joy and burning heartache.

"I was a fool." He rested his chin lightly on her soft hair, his voice trembling slightly with guilt and cherishment. "I missed you for two whole years. Whether you looked like a boy or possess this peerless beauty now, the one I have always liked is you, and only you."

The emotions she had suppressed for years finally broke free. Wang Dong'er buried herself against his warm shoulder, soft sobs escaping her. The restraint of remaining at Shrek disguised as a boy, the unease and jealousy of watching others appear beside him with affection for him, the torment of hiding all the love in her heart—every grievance poured out in this moment.

On the shore, the Shrek Seven Monsters quietly watched the lake. Bei Bei smiled and shook his head, his eyes full of relief. Jiang Nannan and Xiao Xiao exchanged smiles, their eyes equally filled with gentle warmth.

Just as tenderness filled the air, a furious roar suddenly tore through the silence!

"Huo Yuhao! Why should it be you? I refuse to accept this!"

Dai Huabin's hostility soared to the heavens. Unable to suppress the jealousy in his heart any longer, his soul power erupted! Hundred-year and thousand-year soul rings rose one after another, three rings—yellow, purple, purple—circling his body. The overwhelmingly powerful aura of his beast martial soul exploded outward. He stomped hard upon the lake, pouring massive soul power into the water and throwing up several towering waves. Together with Zhu Lu, Wu Feng, and three core followers, he charged fiercely over the water toward them, intending to disrupt the ceremony and steal the bride before everyone, shattering Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er's perfect union!

"Since you want to steal a bride, don't blame us for being ruthless! Today, I will ruin your Sea God's Fate!" Wu Feng's eyes gleamed viciously as her Evil Eye martial soul instantly possessed her body. Black soul power surged around her, and a cold Spiritual Shock drove directly toward Huo Yuhao's mind. Zhu Lu followed close behind. Her Netherworld Spirit Cat martial soul blossomed as her body turned into a black afterimage. Sharp claw-light gathered at her fingertips as she raced over the water's surface, lunging from an angle at Wang Dong'er's flank in an attempt to ambush and restrain her!

Crisis descended in an instant!

All gentleness vanished. The warmth in Huo Yuhao's eyes instantly faded, replaced by bone-piercing coldness and sharp ferocity. He slightly raised his arm and gently but firmly shielded Wang Dong'er behind him as frigid energy exploded from his body!

Ultimate Ice soul power surged wildly. Pale blue, biting frost mist swept madly across the entire lake from him as its center, instantly freezing the evening wind around them. A brilliant golden spiritual halo suddenly enveloped him. His Spirit Eyes martial soul fully opened, gleaming with violet-gold radiance.

His first and second soul rings lit up simultaneously!

Spiritual Detection Sharing! Ultimate Ice Shield!

Invisible spiritual power instantly spread across a hundred meters. Every movement trajectory and flaw in the soul power circulation of Dai Huabin's group appeared clearly in Huo Yuhao's mind. At the same time, dense ice-attributed soul power condensed before him in an instant, forming a thick, transparent diamond-shaped ice shield covered in fine frost patterns, firmly protecting the entire area ahead.

Zhu Lu's sharp Netherworld Cat claws arrived in an instant, their fierce claw-light striking the ice shield viciously!

Clang—!

An ear-splitting metallic crash exploded across the lake. Flying sparks and fragments of ice scattered through the sky. The sharp claws containing netherworld power slammed into the shield's surface, leaving only several shallow white marks before the frigid aura of Ultimate Ice instantly froze and dispersed them. Zhu Lu felt bone-chilling cold rush back through her claws and pour into her body. Her limbs stiffened at once, and her movements faltered sharply.

Before she could retreat, violet-gold light flared in Huo Yuhao's eyes!

Spiritual Shock!

Spiritual power condensed to the extreme became an invisible blade that pierced through the air and stabbed directly into Wu Feng's sea of consciousness! Wu Feng, who had been gathering power to unleash the suppressive force of her Evil Eye, suddenly felt explosive agony rip through her head. Her mind buzzed, her vision went black, and the black soul power around her instantly fell into chaos and scattered. She staggered backward through the air and crashed heavily into the lake, sending up a great spray of water. Dizzy and disoriented, she could no longer move at all.

Seeing this, Dai Huabin's hostility only grew fiercer, and he launched a savage attack!

White Tiger Fierce Light Wave!

The shadowy phantom of his black White Tiger martial soul appeared faintly. His third thousand-year soul ring blazed as dense crimson, scorching light gathered in the tiger's mouth. Carrying violent destructive force and rolling heat, it blasted directly toward Huo Yuhao's face with tyrannical, ferocious momentum, seeking to crush him in one strike!

At that very moment, a pair of dazzling golden wings suddenly spread wide!

Wang Dong'er stepped lightly forward, no longer hiding behind Huo Yuhao. Her blue hair danced wildly in the wind as two pairs of incomparably beautiful pale-gold Radiant Dragon God Butterfly wings burst open from her back. Blazing light soul power illuminated every direction, dispersing all cold hostility. Yellow, purple, and purple soul rings revolved in order around her body as the holy, majestic pressure of the Dragon God Butterfly erupted.

Without needing words, their hearts understood one another. Their minds became one as Ultimate Ice and pure light power instantly merged!

Hao Dong's Power! Seamlessly fused, ice and fire complementing each other, light and ice intertwined!

Pale blue frost mist and radiant golden brilliance coiled together around them, forming a dazzling offensive and defensive barrier. Warm light and biting ice achieved perfect balance, their aura instantly overwhelming the entire venue!

Double Stacking! Hao Dong Aurora Slash!

Huo Yuhao's ice-blue eyes were cold, while Wang Dong'er's gaze was clear. They raised their hands simultaneously. Their fused Hao Dong's Power condensed into an enormous light-ice blade—one half Ultimate Ice capable of freezing all things, the other holy light illuminating heaven and earth. Carrying immense pressure, the blade tore through the sky and collided head-on with Dai Huabin's White Tiger Fierce Light Wave!

Red and blue ultimate energies collided explosively!

A deafening boom shook heaven and earth. Terrifying shockwaves burst madly outward from the point of impact. The vast lake beneath their feet was forcibly pressed flat for an instant, then enormous waves surged into the sky. The watching students activated their soul power to resist the aftermath, retreating again and again!

The violent, scorching White Tiger flame wave was crushed beneath the Hao Dong Aurora Slash. Like snow beneath the blazing sun, like darkness encountering light, it melted and scattered at a visible speed!

The remaining aurora blade lost none of its force as it carried irresistible crushing power straight toward Dai Huabin!

Dai Huabin's pupils contracted, his face filled with terror. He desperately gathered all his soul power to form a White Tiger protective barrier, trying to withstand the attack! Yet the dominance and intricacy of Hao Dong's Power far surpassed anything he understood. The freezing force instantly froze his protective soul power, while the power of light dismantled his martial soul defense layer by layer!

Crack—!

The thick White Tiger barrier shattered instantly!

Piercing cold invaded his body through every limb and bone, freezing his meridians and obstructing his soul power. Boundless light energy slammed fiercely into his chest!

Pfft—!

Dai Huabin's body jolted violently. He spat out a mouthful of scarlet blood and flew backward like a kite with its string cut, crashing heavily onto the distant lake surface. Ice fragments covered his body, his meridians aching unbearably, his soul rings dim, and his soul power completely chaotic. He could no longer summon even a trace of fighting strength.

Zhu Lu, who had attempted to support him, had already been shaken by the spreading ice-light shockwaves until her blood and energy churned. Her body stiffened, and she collapsed onto the lake, completely losing her ability to fight.

Within only a few breaths, all four who had arrived arrogantly to disrupt the event were utterly crushed and defeated by Hao Dong's Power. They lay in miserable defeat, with no courage left to provoke them, able only to stare at the two in the center of the lake with resentment and fear.

The winds and waves over the lake gradually calmed. Fine ice fragments and motes of light drifted down slowly, and the evening breeze became gentle once more.

Huo Yuhao turned around, all his sharp, icy aura vanishing in an instant. His eyes held only boundless tenderness for Wang Dong'er. Raising his hand, he gently wiped away the tears lingering at the corners of her eyes. His deep voice was tender and solemn as he promised, "Dong'er, the past was full of regrets. For the rest of my life, I will protect you and keep you free from worry. I will never let you suffer alone or hide your grievances again."

Wang Dong'er looked up, her clear violet eyes filled with the reflection of the young man before her, shimmering with tender affection. She gently rose onto her toes, wrapped her slender arms around his neck, and softly pressed her warm, tender lips against his.

Lights shone brilliantly across the sky, and the river of stars seemed to spill over their shoulders. Ice and light embraced gently. The restraint, longing, and deep love hidden for years had crossed disguises and time, finally settling into perfect fulfillment at this grand Sea God's Fate, bound together year after year.

The evening breeze over Sea God Lake had shed the noise of the gathering, yet it still carried faint mist and the sweet fragrance of grass and trees. The fireworks blooming in every color gradually scattered and faded. Tiny sparks drifted slowly down onto the lake like fallen stars, sending out circles of delicate, gentle ripples.

The daylong Sea God's Fate matchmaking event finally came to an end on its most perfect note.

The voices by the lake gradually thinned as students around them left in twos and threes. Their laughter still lingered in the evening breeze, but the lights and shadows beside the central lake walkway remained tender and lingering, holding everyone's attention.

The lingering warmth of the ceremony had yet to fade. Zhang Lexuan's gentle blessings still echoed in the air, and her wishes for a long and happy union became the most moving sight at that moment.

Standing in the cool lake breeze, all the coldness, composure, and resolve in Huo Yuhao's eyes had faded away, leaving only overflowing tenderness and affection. He gazed at the girl before him, his eyes burning with love he could not hide. All things in the world and every light beneath the heavens could not compare to even a fraction of her eyes and brows.

The confession that had captivated everyone, their coordination in battle, and the certainty of their mutual understanding all settled into the most peaceful tenderness in that moment.

"Fool, you're still staring."

Wang Dong'er's soft, coquettish voice sounded gently, carrying a girl's unique sweetness and warmth. She lowered her gaze slightly, her long lashes trembling like butterfly wings beneath a faint sheen of moisture. The embarrassment from her public confession had yet to fade. A light blush colored her fair, delicate cheeks, like a begonia blooming beneath the moon—soft, captivating, and stunning enough to outshine the moonlight across the lake.

The conical hat that had caused such a stir earlier had long been removed. Her smooth blue hair was gently lifted by the evening breeze and lay against her slender shoulders. Her peerless beauty was exposed beneath the moonlight and lake glow. Her features were lively and picturesque, every frown and smile carrying natural grace and tenderness, enough to make all splendor in the world pale in comparison.

Huo Yuhao chuckled softly at her words. His low, warm voice carried a tenderness and indulgence reserved only for her. He did not answer, merely slowly raising his hand to brush away the tiny remnants of evening wind and starlight caught in her hair. His movements were light and unhurried, cautious as though tending to the world's one and only treasure.

From beginning to end, his gaze never left Wang Dong'er's face. It was focused and affectionate, untouched by even the slightest distraction.

After misunderstandings, testing, fighting side by side, and mutual devotion, after all their twists and turns, he had finally grasped the only one he would ever favor in this life. The splendor of Sea God's Fate and its countless beauties were no more than passing clouds to him. From start to finish, he had come only for Wang Dong'er, and his heart had stirred only for Wang Dong'er.

"Let's go."

Huo Yuhao spoke softly, his voice gentle enough to melt the evening breeze.

As his words fell, he naturally and firmly extended his hand. There was no hesitation, no trace of unfamiliarity.

Wang Dong'er looked up at him, her eyes filled with scattered starlight and burning love. A sweet, gentle smile rose at her lips. Without hesitation, she lifted her hand and placed her slender, soft hand steadily in his palm.

The moment their fingers interlocked, their warm touch pressed tightly together. Familiar Hao Dong's Power flowed quietly as gentle, pure soul power softly wound around them, silently proving their inseparable bond. It was an understanding belonging only to them, a mutual bond tempered through countless trials and impossible to replace.

Huo Yuhao's palm was warm and strong. It enclosed her little hand securely, closing around it and gripping it tightly, unwilling to let go even slightly.

"Okay." Wang Dong'er nodded gently, her smiling eyes curved with joy and peace.

The moonlight was gentle, and the evening breeze was tender.

The two turned side by side and slowly left the central lake walkway, where the clamor was gradually fading. Their figures leaned together, their footsteps in harmony. No words were needed for their hearts to understand each other. The young man was tall and handsome, his expression gentle and steadfast; the girl was light and charming, her eyes brimming with affection. Moonlight stretched their intertwined shadows long across the ground, overlapping them as one, soft and perfect.

Students who had not yet left occasionally passed by them, and every gaze directed their way carried sincere blessings and envy.

Along the way, they had gone from clashing at the beginning and fumbling through innocent testing, to staying together day and night and protecting each other, until today, when they publicly pledged their love at Sea God's Fate and revealed their hearts to the world. All the stumbling, restraint, and endurance settled into certainty at this moment, becoming the most peaceful fulfillment.

The evening breeze gently brushed past. Wang Dong'er tilted her head slightly and leaned against Huo Yuhao's shoulder, her hair lightly grazing his sleeve, full of reliance and affection.

Huo Yuhao shifted slightly, unconsciously slowing his steps. He lowered his head a little to look at the girl beside him, tenderness overflowing in his eyes. Year after year, there would be only this one person.

Perhaps this was the most moving sight in the world. They had met in youth, never betrayed their deep affection, endured wind and rain, and finally found fulfillment.

Beneath the camphor tree not far from the lakeshore, light and shadow mottled the ground, and the evening breeze was slightly cool.

Tang Wulin stood quietly within the tree's shadow, dressed in plain clothes, his figure tall and silent. He neither approached nor left. He merely watched from afar as the perfect pair departed side by side. His eyes were gentle and clear, yet a faint chill and loneliness lay hidden deep within them.

He was a bystander to this grand fulfillment, a spectator to the happiness others would share year after year.

He quietly watched Huo Yuhao gaze at the one he loved with eyes full of devotion. He watched them interlock their fingers and remain together. He watched them overcome hardship and finally find one another. He watched them possess the most open, fervent, radiant love.

How wonderful.

It truly was wonderful.

A gentle blessing arose instinctively within his heart. He sincerely felt glad and happy for Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er. When deep affection in this world was not betrayed, when mutual devotion finally found its destination, such fulfillment was enough to warm the ending of the entire gathering.

Yet as he watched, the tenderness in his eyes quietly faded. A lingering, bitter longing slowly flooded his heart and seeped through every limb and bone.

The more perfect and moving the scene before him became, the clearer and more piercing the emptiness in his heart grew.

The evening breeze swept through the treetops, carrying the cool moisture from the lake as it gently brushed over his brows and eyes. It blew away the surrounding noise, but it could not scatter the lingering longing that had settled in his heart.

The same moonlight, the same shore of Sea God Lake, the same gentle evening breeze, the same youthful years.

Everyone else had found fulfillment as a pair. Only he was left with a heart full of memories and a body steeped in loneliness.

In a daze, the figures supporting each other before him gradually blurred. An incomparably cold and beautiful figure rose uncontrollably in his mind.

Black, lustrous hair. Violet eyes as clear as ancient frozen pools. Skin whiter than snow. A presence cold and solitary beyond compare. Yet whenever she looked at him, she would shed all her distant indifference, and a faint warmth would ripple in her eyes. She would quietly remain by his side, clumsily try to treat him well, and give every bit of the tenderness she possessed to him alone.

It was Gu Yue.

It was Gu Yue, engraved in his bones and impossible for him to forget.

He stood silently amid the light and shadow, his fingertips curling slightly as boundless bitterness and melancholy welled up in his heart.

He, too, had once possessed such gentle days. He, too, had once had tenderness and warmth that belonged only to him.

Once, he had stood side by side with her and seen mountains, rivers, lakes, and seas. They had watched the sun, moon, and stars. They had cultivated together, grown together, endured difficult years without companionship together, and shared every joy and grievance hidden in their hearts. Back then, their hearts had understood one another just as deeply, their bond had been just as profound, and they had believed there would be endless days ahead, believing they could remain together year after year.

The Gu Yue of that time had been cold yet gentle, distant yet sincere.

She was not good with words. She never spoke tender, lingering words of love or made flamboyant, passionate confessions. Yet she would silently stand behind him as his strongest support. When he was lost and confused in his darkest moments, she would remain by his side without a word. She gave her purest, cleanest feelings entirely to Tang Wulin alone.

Their bond had begun in the innocence of youth, deepened through their days together, and become engraved upon their blood and souls.

Everyone knew that Hao Dong's deep affection had not been betrayed, and that their mutual devotion had finally found fulfillment.

Yet no one knew that the bond between Gu Yue and him had long since entered their bones, fused with their blood, and become entwined through life after life.

It was only that their fate had been too arduous, too twisted, too beyond their control.

Fate stood between them. The shackles of destiny wound around them layer by layer. The divide between their races, the opposition ordained by fate, and the unknown road ahead had forcibly torn apart two people whose hearts understood each other.

They had loved, accompanied, and cherished each other, yet in the end, they had not received an open, perfect union.

The lights of Sea God's Fate were gentle. They illuminated the years of devotion others would share, but they could not brighten the regret hidden deep in his heart, nor could they bring back the old companion who had once stayed with him day and night.

Watching the young man and woman before him devote themselves to each other with no barriers between them, Tang Wulin's longing became ever more turbulent.

How he envied them.

He envied them for being able to love openly, favor each other without restraint, hold tightly onto one another's hands even after weathering wind and rain, and remain together openly beneath the moonlit sky, receiving everyone's blessings.

As for Gu Yue and him, though their love was unwavering and their bond was engraved into their bones, they could only gaze at each other from afar across destiny. They could only bury all their love deep inside, remembering alone and grieving alone in the silent depths of night, amid the perfect scenes of others.

The evening breeze came again, carrying tiny sparks that settled upon his shoulder, gentle yet cold.

Tang Wulin lowered his eyes slightly. His long lashes hid the bitterness and melancholy churning within them, while his clear eyes brimmed with longing that could not be dissolved and faint loneliness.

He raised his hand and gently brushed away the tiny starlight on his shoulder, his movements soft and desolate.

The fulfillment before him remained vivid and warm. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er's figures gradually disappeared at the end of the lakeside path, and their gentle presence slowly faded.

The liveliness had completely ended, and all clamor returned to silence.

The entire shore of Sea God Lake finally became completely quiet, leaving only the cool evening breeze, the bright moonlight, and him standing alone beneath the tree's shadow.

Others had finally found fulfillment, while he was left only with lingering memories and endless longing.

Tang Wulin remained quietly where he was, gazing toward the direction in which they had left, unmoving for a long time.

In his heart, he softly murmured the name engraved upon his soul, tender and bitter, affectionate and regretful.

Gu Yue...

If you were still here, if you and I had not been separated by destiny, could we be like them at this moment?

Could we stand side by side beneath the moonlight, stay tenderly together year after year, and find such fulfillment?

No one answered. Only the evening wind whispered, and the moonlight lay silent.

A heart full of devotion and longing ultimately became a distant remembrance that no one knew of, hidden deep within the years, rising and falling with the evening breeze year after year, lingering with the moonlight year after year.

There were countless kinds of fulfillment in this world, but the one he favored remained endlessly out of reach. All that remained for the rest of his years was longing that could never be forgotten.