In the Shrek Inner Court, the Golden Ancient Tree towered into the sky, warm golden light flowing over it as vigorous vitality slowly seeped from every grain of its trunk.
A gentle, pure aura of light lingered among its branches and leaves, falling like the glow of fireflies into the pavilion within the tree. Warmth soaked into the limbs and bones of everyone who entered, soothing their inner weariness.
At that moment, silence filled the Sea God's Pavilion. Ten elders sat around an Oval Wooden Table also made from the Golden Tree. The newly appointed Gong Changlong occupied the lowest seats alongside Cai Mei'er, Xian Lin'er, and Qian Duoduo. Ahead of them were six white-haired, weathered elders-the senior elders of Shrek Academy, the core strength that awed the world.
Besides them, a tall young man with refined features stood beside the seats. Naturally, he was Bei Bei, the Sacred Dragon Crown Prince who had recently risen to fame throughout the Three Great Empires.
At the end of the table, Mu En lay in his Golden Tree chair as usual and said gently, "I was teaching Bei Bei the essentials of cultivation when Xuan Zi and Duoduo requested a Sea God Pavilion Meeting. Which of you will preside?"
The Sea God's Pavilion held regular meetings every year. The proceedings generally consisted of annual reports on the academy's achievements from the Four Deans, followed by opinions from the senior elders responsible for the Inner Court and Shrek City's businesses.
Besides the regular meetings, the senior elders and Four Deans could request emergency meetings, usually for relatively urgent reasons.
The last emergency meeting of the Sea God's Pavilion had been held after Sea God Island left. Everyone had discussed how to deal with Yan Shaozhe and protect Shrek's reputation, ultimately sending Yan Shaozhe