Tang Wutong Worried About Her Brother

Shrek Academy, on the shore of Sea God Lake.

Tang Wutong stood beside the lake, holding a yellowed parchment that listed the four heavenly treasures needed to undo the second seal inside Tang Wulin: Millennium Dragon Scales Fruit, Millennium Blue Vein Vine, Millennium Earth Dragon Tendon, and Millennium Sea Dragon Marrow.

"The academy's Treasure Pavilion has Millennium Blue Vein Vine in stock. That one will be easy." Tang Wutong put away the parchment, determination flashing in her eyes. "But I'm afraid I'll have to look elsewhere for the other three."

She turned and headed toward the inner court's Treasure Pavilion. With her status as the "Little Demoness" and the token Tang San had left her, she easily obtained the well-preserved Millennium Blue Vein Vine.

However, when she took the list of the remaining three materials to the academy's elders, their answers were far from encouraging.

"Millennium Dragon Scales Fruit?" A white-haired elder stroked his beard. "That is exceedingly rare. It can only grow in extremely hot volcanic regions. The academy exhausted its stock long ago."

"Millennium Earth Dragon Tendon and Millennium Sea Dragon Marrow will be even harder," another elder added. "You have to hunt a thousand-year Earth Dragon to obtain its tendon, while sea dragon marrow is practically the stuff of legend. Without some extraordinary stroke of fortune, it's almost impossible to find."

Tang Wutong thanked the elders, her brows drawing together slightly. She knew that the academy's resources probably would not be enough to gather everything. Her only option was to try her luck at auctions elsewhere.

"Nannan, come with me to the auction in Heaven Dou City." Tang Wutong sought out Jiang Nannan.

Jiang Nannan looked at the list in Tang Wutong's hand. Although she did not understand why Tang Wutong was so anxious to find these materials, she nodded. "All right. I need to go to Heaven Dou City to buy some soul tool materials anyway."

The two boarded Shrek Academy's dedicated vessel and traveled through the night toward Heaven Dou City.

Heaven Dou City's auction was one of the most prestigious on the Douluo Continent, bringing together rare treasures from every corner of the land.

The auction hall blazed with lights and buzzed with voices. Tang Wutong and Jiang Nannan sat in the VIP seats, their eyes fixed on the items onstage.

The first few lots were ordinary soul tools and medicinal pills. Tang Wutong did not so much as lift an eyelid.

Only when the auctioneer brought out a jade box containing a scarlet fruit shaped like dragon scales did Tang Wutong's eyes suddenly light up.

"Ladies and gentlemen, this is one of the highlights of tonight's auction—a Millennium Dragon Scales Fruit!" the auctioneer announced loudly. "The opening bid is one hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins!"

Tang Wutong immediately raised her paddle. "Five hundred thousand!"

Her bid multiplied the price fivefold in one stroke, and the entire hall fell silent. Everyone turned to look at the young woman spending so lavishly.

"Five hundred thousand, going once! Five hundred thousand, going twice! Five hundred thousand, going three times! Sold!" The auctioneer brought down his gavel.

Tang Wutong successfully won the Millennium Dragon Scales Fruit, and the heavy stone weighing on her heart finally dropped away.

However, the rest of the auction left her disappointed. Neither Millennium Earth Dragon Tendon nor Millennium Sea Dragon Marrow appeared.

Just as she was about to leave, an auction manager in a black robe hurried over and said quietly, "Miss, we have a lead concerning Millennium Sea Dragon Marrow backstage. Would you be interested?"

Tang Wutong's eyes lit up. "Oh? What kind of lead?"

The manager lowered his voice. "We received word that a sea dragon was once sighted in a Deep Sea Canyon near Eastsea City. We can't confirm whether there's a thousand-year sea dragon there, but it is an opportunity."

Tang Wutong's heart stirred. Eastsea City? Isn't that where my brother is?

"Thank you." Tang Wutong left a high-grade Soul Tool Chip as a token of gratitude, then turned to Jiang Nannan. "Nannan, we're going to Eastsea City!"

Seeing Tang Wutong's urgency, Jiang Nannan grew even more puzzled, but she still nodded. "All right. I'll go with you."

The two traveled through the night toward Eastsea City. As the sea breeze brushed her face, Tang Wutong gazed at the distant horizon and silently prayed, Little Lin, your big sister will gather every material you need and undo the seal.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Eastsea City, Tang Wulin had no idea that his sister was coming toward him with hope in her heart. He only felt that his bloodline had become more active lately, as though something important was about to happen.

Eastsea City's streets were bustling and noisy, and the sea breeze swept over them with its salty, damp scent. Tang Wutong and Jiang Nannan walked through the crowded streets, but Tang Wutong had no heart to admire the unfamiliar scenery. A trace of unshakable gravity lingered between her brows.

Suddenly, Tang Wutong stopped in her tracks.

Her gaze pierced through the layers of people and locked onto a tall figure in the shadows at a street corner. He wore a black robe, his face hidden beneath the shadow of his hood. Yet no matter how carefully he restrained it, the terrifying pressure unique to a Primordial Ferocious Beast could not escape her keen senses.

"Di Tian." Tang Wutong forced the name through clenched teeth.

At those words, Jiang Nannan's expression changed sharply. Soul power surged through her body as she looked warily in that direction.

The figure slowly emerged from the shadows. It was indeed Beast God Di Tian. His golden, slit-pupiled eyes swept indifferently over Jiang Nannan before settling on Tang Wutong, and the faintest hint of a smile curved his lips. "Who would have thought I'd encounter the princess of the Divine Realm in this little Eastsea City?"

Tang Wutong stepped forward, shielding Jiang Nannan behind her. Golden light flickered around her as she said coldly, "Di Tian, why have you left the Star Dou Great Forest and come to a human city? Don't tell me you're here to sightsee."

Di Tian folded his arms, his voice calm but faintly amused. "The Supreme Lord is very interested in a human boy. As a subordinate, naturally, I had to come and take a look."

"Tang Wulin." Tang Wutong spoke her brother's name outright, her gaze turning sharp as a blade. "You're here for him."

"Clever." Di Tian did not deny it. An unusual gleam flashed through his golden eyes. "A boy who possesses the Golden Dragon King bloodline—his very existence is an unpredictable variable. The Supreme Lord believes he might become a friend of the Star Dou Great Forest, or perhaps... an enemy."

"He is not someone you can touch." Tang Wutong's voice abruptly rose, as though thunder had exploded in the air.

Di Tian chuckled. Black Dragon Scales faintly surfaced on his body, and terrifying pressure spread outward like a tide. The surrounding pedestrians fled in terror, clearing the street in an instant. "Tang Wutong, this is the Douluo Continent, not the Divine Realm. Even as the God King's Daughter, you cannot protect him at every moment. Nor can you easily sway the Supreme Lord's will."

"I don't care what you're planning." Golden light blazed around Tang Wutong. Her sacred aura collided fiercely with Di Tian's savage presence in midair, producing sharp crackles.

She stared fixedly at Di Tian and spoke one word at a time, each seeming to have been dredged from an ice cellar. "If all you're doing is observing him, I won't interfere. But if you dare hurt him, if you dare touch a single hair on his head—"

She raised her hand and pointed straight between Di Tian's brows, golden lightning gathering at her fingertip. "I swear I will make the entire Star Dou Great Forest share his grave. Even if I have to violate the Divine Laws, I will put you, black dragon, to the sword!"

Feeling the pressure of that pure divine power, Di Tian's eyes flickered with wariness. Still, he kept his back straight and said solemnly, "The Supreme Lord is merely interested in him and bears him no ill will. That, I can guarantee."

Tang Wutong stared at him for a long time. Only when the tension in the air was almost ready to explode did she slowly lower her hand and snort coldly. "It had better be true. Listen carefully, Di Tian. Tang Wulin is the line I will never allow anyone to cross. You had better behave yourselves, or don't blame me for showing no mercy."

With that, she did not spare Di Tian another glance. She turned and took Jiang Nannan's hand. "Nannan, let's go."

Jiang Nannan gave Di Tian a long look, her eyes filled with worry, then hurried after Tang Wutong.

Di Tian remained where he stood, watching the two women leave. A complicated gleam passed through his golden, slit-pupiled eyes. He murmured under his breath, "The Golden Dragon King bloodline... Supreme Lord, this child really is no ordinary boy."

The setting sun stained the sea off Eastsea City blood-red. Tang Wutong and Jiang Nannan dragged their exhausted bodies along the stone-paved road back to their inn. A full day of rushing about had left both of them looking pale.

"Wutong, have some water." Jiang Nannan took a waterskin from her soul tool and offered it to Tang Wutong, her eyes full of concern. "Don't push yourself too hard. We can keep looking tomorrow."

Tang Wutong accepted the waterskin but did not drink. She merely held it, feeling its slight coolness against her hand. She shook her head, her voice a little hoarse. "It's no use, Nannan. We searched all day, asked at every medicine shop and auction house, and even made inquiries about some underground black markets. All we got was one vague scrap of news."

She stopped and gazed at the turbulent sea, confusion and anxiety flickering in her eyes.

"Millennium Sea Dragon Marrow, Millennium Sea Dragon Marrow..." Tang Wutong murmured helplessly. "All we know is that a sea dragon was once sighted near Eastsea City. But the East Sea is enormous, and there are countless Deep Sea Canyons. Without an exact location, how is this any different from fishing a needle out of the ocean?"

Jiang Nannan sighed, stepped beside her, and gently patted her shoulder. "At least we have a lead, don't we? That's better than having no idea at all."

"A lead..." Tang Wutong gave a bitter smile. "Nannan, you don't understand. Liu Yuan said this Millennium Sea Dragon Marrow has to be pure sea dragon essence. Marrow fluid from an ordinary Deep Sea Demon Whale or Demon Soul Great White Shark cannot replace it. And sea dragons are solitary by nature and exceedingly rare. Even if we turned the entire East Sea upside down, we might not find one."

She turned toward Jiang Nannan, determination shining in her eyes, though deep worry lay beneath it. "The seal inside Little Lin could lash back at him at any moment. I can't afford to wait, and neither can he. Having this scrap of news is no different from having nothing."

Seeing her anxiety, Jiang Nannan felt a pang in her heart. She knew how deeply Tang Wutong cared for her brother, and she knew how difficult this matter was.

"Wutong, don't panic yet," Jiang Nannan tried to reassure her. "Since Di Tian said their Supreme Lord is interested in Little Lin, perhaps they have a way?"

"Di Tian?" Tang Wutong sneered. "Rely on that old black dragon? Don't forget, he was threatening us just now. Besides, I will never put Little Lin's fate in an outsider's hands, especially not the soul beasts of the Star Dou Great Forest."

She drew a deep breath and handed the waterskin back to Jiang Nannan, her gaze firm once more. "If I can't rely on anyone else, I'll rely on myself. Tomorrow, I'll ask the academy's teachers again, or... make inquiries in the nearby fishing villages. There has to be a way."

With that, she turned and continued forward, her retreating figure looking rather frail, yet utterly unyielding.

Watching her go, Jiang Nannan sighed inwardly. She knew Tang Wutong had backed herself into a corner. But as her friend, all she could do was stay beside her and quietly offer her support.

Night deepened. Waves crashed against the rocks along the shore with rolling roars. Tang Wutong stood beside the sea, gazing into its darkness, while her heart was lost in uncertainty. That faint thread of hope was like the scattered lights of fishing boats on the water: seemingly within reach, yet impossibly far away.

She clenched her fists, her nails digging deep into her palms. No matter how difficult it was, she would find the Millennium Sea Dragon Marrow. For her younger brother, she was willing to pay any price.

Meanwhile, at the other end of the inn, Jiang Nannan watched Tang Wutong and pondered another question. Perhaps they really did need to open a different path and find another approach. After all, searching blindly like this was no different from fishing a needle out of the ocean. The hope of success was far too slim.