Behind the Sea God Pavilion, the Golden Ancient Tree stood towering and majestic.
Even Yun Ming had never had the chance to see the Golden Tree's tree spirit, yet it was Shrek's true "guardian."
Its trunk was as massive as a mountain, its golden bark flowing with profound natural patterns. The branches and leaves filling the sky glowed with soft golden light, and the entire Sea God Pavilion had been built around this ancient tree.
Lan Muzi, the eldest senior brother of the Shrek Inner Court, whose martial soul was the Yang Wood Blade, stood beside Tang Yinmeng, the Inner Court's eldest senior sister.
Behind them, a great number of the Inner Court's core disciples had all gathered.
The Sea God Pavilion Elders had all gone out to face the enemy, leaving the academy empty. They had come because Long Yeyue had secretly sent word, ordering them here to pray for Elder Jin to awaken.
The dense mass of figures dropped to both knees in unison before the ancient tree's roots, pressing their foreheads to the ground.
Their overlapping cries rose one after another, echoing across Sea God Island.
"We beg Elder Jin to appear!"
"Please act, Elder Jin, and turn back the raging tide!"
"Please show mercy, Elder Jin, and protect everyone in Shrek!"
Lan Muzi prostrated himself on the ground, his shoulders slightly taut, his deep voice emerging from his bowed posture.
"The flames of war have already approached the academy. We juniors are powerless to resist this catastrophe. We can only hope Elder Jin will emerge to take command and preserve Shrek's twenty-thousand-year foundation."
Tang Yinmeng bowed to the ground, her clear voice carrying a suppressed heaviness.
"For twenty thousand years, the Golden Ancient Tree has protected Shrek through countless calamities. Now that disaster is upon us,