The late-night sea breeze was slightly cool, brushing through layer upon layer of ancient branches and leaves with a soft, rustling whisper. All of Sea God Island lay immersed in darkness.
Inside the Sea God Pavilion, the lamps blazed brightly. Warm golden light shone through the carved window lattices, illuminating the entire hall as brightly as day.
Figures had gathered in the Sea God Pavilion, the elders seated along both sides with solemn expressions. The atmosphere in the entire hall was oppressively heavy.
The last time they had held an overnight meeting was during the Skysea Grand Competition three years ago.
Back then, Shrek had suffered a crushing defeat against Tianhai Academy. Its ten-thousand-year legend of invincibility had been shattered for the first time, dealing a blow to the prestige of this premier academy that stood at the continent's pinnacle.
That defeat had prompted the entire Sea God Pavilion to convene an emergency meeting overnight to discuss how to remedy the situation.
But the current situation was far more serious than the last.
Everyone understood that the crushing defeat three years ago and today's failed expedition to Mingdu were on entirely different scales.
The elders looked grim, their brows filled with worry and anger.
At most, the defeat at the Skysea Grand Competition had merely broken Shrek's ten-thousand-year legend of invincibility.
There was no such thing as an undefeated legend in this world to begin with. Wins and losses were nothing unusual.
Shrek had stood on the continent for ten thousand years, firmly holding its head above every major power. It had already been winning for ten thousand years. An occasional defeat was regrettable, but not unacceptable.
As long as they stabilized the situation afterward and regained their winning momentum, they could still sit securely on the throne of the