Starlight and Foodlight, Reunion with Two Shadows

Starlight and Foodlight, Reunion with Two Shadows

The warmth of reuniting with Xie Xie had yet to fade as I held Gu Yue's hand and led my returned companion deeper into Shrek Academy. The bluestone path beneath our feet was so familiar that it made my heart burn. The flowers and grass along the roadside were still in full bloom, while the shouts of students training and their laughter drifted from afar. Everything seemed to have been gently frozen by time—no smoke of war, no farewells, only the purest passion and youthful spirit.

Xie Xie walked beside me, no longer as boisterous as before, his eyes carrying a little more seriousness. From time to time, he looked back at Gu Yue, then secretly studied the steady, weighty Gold Dragon aura around me. He was full of questions, yet he asked no more. He understood my personality, and he understood even better the bond engraved into our souls. No matter which time I came from, no matter what I had become, I would always be his captain—the person he could trust without condition.

Gu Yue stayed quietly by my side under my protection, her long black hair fluttering softly in the wind as her silver-starred eyes curiously surveyed the surroundings. Her Silver Dragon aura faintly resonated with the life energy deep within Shrek Academy. From time to time, a pale silver glow spilled from her fingertips, gently winding around the nearby plants. I could clearly feel that she was not the slightest bit unfamiliar with this place, as though she had been born to belong to this land, to belong at my side.

After crossing the central plaza, we headed straight for the tree-lined path between the student training grounds and living quarters. This had once been the place where the seven of us gathered most often. Xu Xiaoyan had always loved sitting beneath the trees to condense starlight, while Xu Lizhi would sit nearby with a huge pile of meat buns, eating to his heart's content. It had been the most peaceful, warmest corner of our youth.

The moment we neared the path, a soft and pure starlight Soul Power aura washed over us.

That Soul Power was as gentle as water, carrying the clarity of stars in the night sky. It was neither ostentatious nor sharp, yet it steadily blanketed the entire shade of the trees. It was Xu Xiaoyan's Star Staff Martial Soul aura!

My heart jolted, and my pace quickened without thought. Beneath the trees, a petite figure sat cross-legged, her hands lightly forming seals. A pale blue phantom of a Star Staff slowly revolved above her head, while flecks of starlight like tiny diamonds settled on her soft hair. The girl had her eyes closed, her expression focused, starlight flowing around her body. She was as beautiful as a fallen star that had descended into the mortal world.

It was Xu Xiaoyan!

Xu Xiaoyan, alive, unharmed, and still training peacefully!

"Xiaoyan!" Xie Xie was the first to cry out, his voice brimming with the excitement of reunion.

Xu Xiaoyan slowly opened her eyes. Confusion first flashed through those clear, bright eyes, but when they settled on me, she froze slightly. She could sense the familiar yet incomparably powerful Soul Power within me. It belonged to Tang Wulin, yet it was far heavier than the captain she had known.

"Captain Wulin?" She rose to her feet, the phantom Star Staff trembling gently as starlight remained soft around her. "You... why are you here? You seem different from before."

I walked up to her, suppressing the surging ache in my eyes, and gently placed a hand on her shoulder. Golden Dragon Power seeped warmly into her body, awakening every memory of us fighting side by side. During that catastrophe, Xiaoyan had exhausted her Soul Power to sustain her starlight and protect everyone, ultimately dissolving into starlight that scattered across the sky. That scene was a pain I had never dared revisit. Yet now, she stood before me—healthy, alive, her starlight still dazzling.

"It's me, Xiaoyan." My voice was low. "I'm back. I came to take you home."

Before Xu Xiaoyan could ask anything else, a familiar sound of ravenous chewing suddenly came from nearby, accompanied by the fragrant scent of meat buns.

A round figure sat on a stone bench, clutching a huge bag of meat buns and eating with great relish. His cheeks were puffed out, and his eyes had narrowed into contented crescents. It was Xu Lizhi! His Food Martial Soul aura was rich and warm, carrying a power that could heal everything. With every bite he swallowed, the surrounding Soul Power became more tranquil.

Seeing his carefree appearance, my nose stung. In the final battle, Lizhi had burned the source of his Martial Soul without hesitation to replenish everyone's Soul Power. In the end, he had fallen before me, unable even to finish his last beloved meat bun.

"Lizhi," I called softly.

Xu Lizhi raised his head, still with a meat bun stuffed in his mouth. When he saw me, his eyes lit up, and he shouted indistinctly, "Captain Wulin! You finally came! I was saying I'd save two meat buns for you!" As he spoke, he hurriedly pulled two still-steaming meat buns from the bag and held them out to me, his face full of honest warmth.

Xie Xie could not help laughing, and Xu Xiaoyan's eyes curved into crescents as well. Even Gu Yue lightly tugged at my sleeve and whispered, "He's so cute."

I took the meat buns, their warmth passing from my palms and instantly warming my heart. I looked at Xie Xie, Xu Xiaoyan, and Xu Lizhi before looking at Gu Yue, who stood close beside me. Four companions had already returned to my side. Ye Xinglan, Yuanen Yehui, and Zheng Yu had to be somewhere within this academy too.

I took a deep breath. Golden Dragon Power surged through my chest, and my voice was firm and powerful:

"Lizhi, Xiaoyan, I returned from the future for only one thing—to find all our companions and reunite the Shrek Seven Monsters in full."

"This time, we will not be separated again. We will have no more regrets. We will grow stronger together, protect one another together, and walk every unfinished road together."

Xu Lizhi froze for a moment, then nodded fiercely. He swallowed the last bite of his meat bun and clenched his fist. "Wherever Captain goes, I'll go! I won't be greedy for food anymore. I'll train hard and protect everyone!"

Starlight flickered in Xu Xiaoyan's eyes. She gently gripped her Star Staff, her voice soft yet incomparably resolute. "Captain, I believe you. No matter what lies ahead, I'll follow you and use starlight to protect everyone."

Xie Xie patted his chest, his twin daggers carving two crisp streaks of light through the air. "That's right! The seven of us must always stay together!"

Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering broken gold across the ground. Four figures stood beneath the trees, with Gu Yue, pure as a silver moon, at their side. Gold Dragon Power and Silver Dragon aura intertwined, while starlight, blade light, and the aura of the Food Martial Soul swirled around them. The bonds that had once been shattered were slowly gathering once more.

I knew that the path to reuniting the Seven Monsters had drawn another great step closer.

The Gold Dragon raised its head, the silver moon remained close, the starlight would never fade, and foodlight brought warmth.

The next person I would find was the ever-proud and powerful Ye Xinglan, so that her Stargod Sword could once more be drawn for Shrek.