Yan Shaozhe's passing

The ripples in space quietly faded beside the familiar lake in Shrek Academy's outer court, and Tang Wutong slowly emerged. She held the sleeping, swaddled infant tightly in her arms, a trace of weariness and gravity from crossing planes lingering between her brows.

She had intended to head straight for the Clear Sky Sect, where her grandparents lived—the roots of the Tang family. Yet somehow, a strange force had severed her unseen connection with Da Ming and Er Ming, leaving her unable to locate them for the time being. With no other choice, she could only come to Shrek Academy first. This, the sturdiest fortress on the Douluo Continent, might offer temporary shelter for her and her younger brother.

She was just about to walk toward the academy gates when a graceful figure suddenly hurried toward her along a nearby path.

The woman had long golden hair that flowed like a waterfall. Though she no longer carried the flamboyance of her youth, she seemed all the gentler for it. Time appeared to have treated her with particular kindness, leaving only a mature charm upon her. That temperament, refined by the years, still made her shine brilliantly in a crowd. Even though she had long since shed the halo of the "Shrek Seven Devils," she remained an indelible legend in the hearts of countless people at the academy.

It was Jiang Nannan.

Tang Wutong paused in surprise. She remembered this senior sister. When she had still been a child, Jiang Nannan had been the outer court's undisputed "greatest beauty," as well as the "Mad Demon Soft Rabbit" whose fame had shaken the continent. Now, as the stars shifted and the heavens turned, most of the Seven Monsters from those days had vanished into history's dust, either aging or fading away. Only the few of them who bore divine seats and missions still lingered in this world.

Apart from those of their own line, scarcely anyone had survived from that war-torn era to the present while retaining such looks and presence.

"Wutong?!"

Jiang Nannan stopped dead, then an incredulous, joyful light burst into her eyes. She hurried forward, gazing at the old friend she had longed for day and night. Her eyes reddened at once, and two trails of clear tears slipped down without warning.

"It really is you! Thank goodness... thank goodness..." Jiang Nannan stumbled over her words. Overwhelmed with excitement, she forgot everything else and stepped forward to hug Tang Wutong tightly, as though she needed to confirm that she was real.

Caught off guard by this familiar, enthusiastic embrace, Tang Wutong nevertheless felt the heartfelt concern behind it. She gently patted Jiang Nannan's back and said softly, "Senior Sister Nannan, it's been so long."

Jiang Nannan released her, and her gaze was immediately drawn to the infant in Tang Wutong's arms, exquisite as a porcelain doll. Her eyes softened at once. Unable to resist, she reached out and carefully touched his plump little cheek, her gaze glowing with maternal warmth. Smiling, she asked, "Wutong, is the baby in your arms... yours and Yuhao's? Good heavens, this child is absolutely adorable! Those features—surely this is a beautiful little girl, just like you!"

Seeing Jiang Nannan's certainty and envy, Tang Wutong could not help lifting the corners of her mouth. She deliberately teased her, "Senior Sister Nannan, if he and I really had a child this adorable, I'd be so happy I'd cuddle the baby to sleep every night. I wouldn't even want to return to the Divine Realm."

She paused, taking in Jiang Nannan's expression of I knew it, then shook her head with a smile and gently corrected her. "Unfortunately, you guessed wrong. He isn't my child. He's my younger brother, Tang Wulin."

"Your younger brother?" The smile instantly froze on Jiang Nannan's face, and her mouth fell open in surprise. Clearly, she had not recovered from this sudden revelation. "Your younger brother? Since when did you have a younger brother?"

The smile on Tang Wutong's face gradually faded. Looking down at her brother, who was still sleeping in her arms, she felt a flicker of complicated emotion and tender sorrow. "It's a long story. Senior Aunt Nannan, my brother and I have only just arrived, and there are some matters I need to deal with. Is Dean Yan here? I need to see him."

Although Jiang Nannan was full of questions, Tang Wutong's serious expression told her this was no small matter. She immediately set aside all thought of joking, took Tang Wutong by the arm, and said urgently, "Dean Yan is in the Sea God Pavilion. Come with me!"

As she spoke, she carefully helped shield the child in Tang Wutong's arms while leading her briskly into the academy. Along the way, she still could not resist glancing repeatedly at the sleeping infant, silently wondering, A younger brother? Since when did Wutong have a younger brother? And this child's aura... why does it feel a little strange?

Holding Tang Wulin, Tang Wutong followed Jiang Nannan toward the Sea God Pavilion, the symbol of Shrek Academy's highest authority. She knew that from the moment she stepped into this place, her brother's fate would be bound tightly to this legendary academy. And as his elder sister, she would use every ounce of her strength to protect him as he grew.

With the swaddled infant in her arms, Tang Wutong followed Jiang Nannan swiftly into the Sea God Pavilion. The light inside was somewhat dim, and an aged sandalwood scent hung in the air, as though time itself had grown thick and slow within these walls.

On a cushioned couch beside the window, Yan Shaozhe reclined against a pillow. The Bright Phoenix Douluo who had once commanded the winds and clouds now looked terribly old and frail. When his gaze touched the sleeping infant in Tang Wutong's arms, a faint glimmer passed through his clouded eyes before dissolving into a long sigh.

"What a pity..." Yan Shaozhe's voice was hoarse and weak, as though squeezed from the depths of his lungs. "I wanted to see Shrek's future with my own eyes, to see how far these children of the new generation could grow. Now it seems my time ends here."

With difficulty, he turned his head toward the upright young man standing beside him, whose features were resolute. Clad in dark robes, the man faintly radiated a pressure that made the heart tremble. He was the current Sea God Pavilion Master and Shrek Academy's strongest fighter—the level 99 Limit Douluo, Skycrosser Douluo.

"Yun Ming..." Yan Shaozhe called his name with unprecedented solemnity, entrusting him with his final wishes. "From now on, the burden of the Sea God Pavilion, along with this child's protection and education... will rest entirely with you. Protect this child as you protect the academy, and protect Shrek's future as well."

His expression solemn, Yun Ming bowed deeply to the old man on the couch and said in a low voice, "Rest assured, Grandmaster Ancestor. I will bend my back to the task and give my all until death. I will never fail your expectations or those of the academy."

Yan Shaozhe nodded in relief. His gaze passed between Tang Wutong and Yun Ming before finally settling on Yun Ming. The corners of his mouth lifted slightly into a peaceful smile. Then this old man, who had poured his heart's blood into Shrek Academy throughout his life, who had committed wrongs but also earned illustrious merits, slowly closed his eyes. His breath ceased entirely.

Tang Wutong's heart trembled. She knew that Dean Yan's life had reached its final full stop here in the Sea God Pavilion today. Though his obstinacy had once led him to make mistakes, in the end, he had chosen to stand on the side of justice and the future.

Just then, hurried footsteps broke the silence within the Sea God Pavilion. Several familiar auras poured in from outside the door.

"Wutong! You really are back!"

Tang Wutong looked up and saw several old friends standing in the doorway. Although the years had left their marks upon them, that familiar warmth had not diminished in the slightest.

Bei Bei and Tang Ya led the way, followed by Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, He Caitou, and Xiao Xiao. A warm current surged through Tang Wutong's heart as she looked at these six elders. Apart from the deceased Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong'er, and the others whose whereabouts were unknown, these six were all who could still gather from the Shrek Seven Devils of those days.

"Senior Brother Bei Bei, Sister Yaya..." Tang Wutong greeted them one by one, her eyes slightly red.

Bei Bei stepped forward and patted her shoulder with a smile. "It's good that you're back. It's good that you're back. What are your plans now?"

Tang Wutong looked down at her younger brother and said softly, "I plan to stay here and watch my brother grow up. It's just... I'm sorry for the trouble I'll be causing everyone."

"What trouble!" Xu Sanshi waved a hand expansively, then leaned closer to look at Tang Wulin, his eyes full of affection. "So this is little Wulin? What a handsome boy!"

Tang Ya stepped forward then and gently took Tang Wutong's hand, her eyes filled with tenderness. "Wutong, now that you're back, think of this place as home. From now on, we'll be this child's family on his mother's side."

Jiang Nannan smiled beside them as well. "That's right, Wutong. If you ever need help, just ask."

Touched, Tang Wutong was about to thank them when Bei Bei said with a smile, "Wutong, since you're staying here with your brother, he'll have a companion. Your sister-in-law Yaya gave birth to a daughter two years ago. She's just turned two, so she's two years older than little Wulin. They'll be able to play together."

"A daughter?" Tang Wutong looked at Tang Ya in surprise, then smiled. "That's wonderful. Little Wulin will have an older sister to look after him."

Tang Ya smiled and nodded, though a barely perceptible trace of wistfulness crossed her eyes. "Yes. This child didn't come easily."

Xu Sanshi chimed in from the side. "Wutong, you might not know this, but there seems to be a strange fate at work on the Douluo Continent. The stronger a soul master becomes, the harder it is to have children. Look at us couples—after all these years, only Yaya and Senior Brother Bei Bei finally managed to have this daughter."

He Caitou nodded as well, his expression somewhat forlorn. "Yes. Xiao Xiao and I..."

Xiao Xiao gently clasped He Caitou's hand and shook her head, signaling that he need not say any more.

Looking at these elders who had given everything for the soul master world, Tang Wutong felt all five flavors mingle in her heart. At last, she understood why Dean Yan had sighed with such emotion before his death, and why Bei Bei and Tang Ya treasured their hard-won daughter so dearly.

"Oh, right." Bei Bei seemed to remember something and smiled. "We named our daughter Tang Mulan. Now that little Wulin is here, they'll be the best of playmates."

Tang Wutong looked at her sleeping brother, then at the elders before her, so full of warmth. At last, the heart that had been suspended in her chest slowly settled.

Perhaps this was fate's arrangement. After the upheaval in the Divine Realm and the agony of losing loved ones, her younger brother Tang Wulin had finally found a home of his own in this place filled with love and protection. And his older cousin, Tang Mulan, might become the warmest guardian of his childhood.

Author's note: Let me explain why this doesn't match the original. Hadn't all the Peerless Seven Monsters already left? How could they all still be alive here? Here's my reason: since Tang Wutong was coming down, those six definitely had to be alive. Who knows where Da Ming and Er Ming ran off to, so this is how it has to be for now.