Homecoming and a Farewell Song, a New Journey

The carriage carrying them home in triumph traveled along a familiar country road, its wheels crunching crisply over the gravel. Unlike the nervousness they had felt on the way there, relaxed laughter now filled the carriage. Oscar was making Xiao Wu roar with laughter using his newly acquired Soul Skill, the Excited Pink Sausage, while Tai Long cradled the silver trophy awarded at the tournament, grinning foolishly without pause.

Lin Ye leaned against the carriage window, watching the fields fly past, a faint golden light curling around his fingertips. The joy of defeating Spirit Hall Academy had long since settled, replaced by a weighty sense of responsibility. He knew that dilapidated Shrek Village could no longer conceal their brilliance, and the road ahead was destined to be anything but smooth.

"What are you thinking about?" Tang San offered him a wheat cake that Yu Xiaogang had specially prepared before their departure, its familiar wheaty aroma wafting over.

"I'm wondering what expression Grandpa Village Chief will make when he sees the trophy." Lin Ye took the wheat cake and bit into it. "And... how we should cultivate next."

Tang San nodded. "Grandmaster said our Martial Souls have all reached a bottleneck. We need stronger Soul Rings and more systematic training. The resources in Shrek Village are still far too limited."

"I heard the dean is arranging a new location," Dai Mubai suddenly said. He was leaning in a corner of the carriage, polishing his claws. "Apparently he found a valley near Suotuo City. It's much more spacious than the village, and we can set Soul Beast traps for combat training."

"Really?" Xiao Wu's eyes lit up. "Does that mean I can raise a rabbit as a pet?"

Everyone burst out laughing, and much of the tension of the past few days melted away.

When the carriage entered Holy Soul Village, the setting sun was dyeing the old locust tree at the entrance gold and crimson. Village Chief Jack stood beneath it, leaning on his walking stick, his cloudy eyes fixed on the distance. When he caught sight of the carriage, he trembled so hard with excitement that he dropped his stick.

"They're back! Our little heroes are back!" The village chief's cries alerted the entire village. The villagers came pouring out and surrounded the carriage, singing and dancing in a celebration as lively as a festival.

When Lin Ye and Tang San placed the trophy, engraved with "Runner-up of the Continent-wide Advanced Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament," in the village chief's hands, the old man's hands shook violently. Tears fell like beads from a broken string, splashing against the cold silver trophy.

"Good... good..." the village chief choked out. "Holy Soul Village... has finally produced real heroes!"

That evening, the whole village gathered at the threshing ground and lit a bonfire. Tang San wove beautiful wreaths of Blue Silver Grass and placed them on the children's heads; Lin Ye roasted a long skewer of wild boar meat with Golden Crow Fire, filling the village with its aroma; Xiao Wu danced a joyful dance with the village girls, and Oscar's sausages became the most popular snack.

Firelight shone on every smiling face, warm and pure. Lin Ye watched Tang San surrounded by children, patiently teaching them to identify herbs, and suddenly felt that perhaps this was what they had always protected-this simple happiness and peace.

Yet happy gatherings were always brief. Three days later, word came from Flender that the new cultivation grounds were ready and that they were to return to Suotuo City immediately.

On the morning of their departure, before dawn had broken, Village Chief Jack brought the whole village to see them off. He pressed two cloth bundles into the hands of Tang San and Lin Ye. Inside were wheat cakes cooked overnight, along with several Copper Soul Coins strung together with red thread.

"Out there... take good care of yourselves." The village chief's voice was hoarse as he patted both of them on the shoulders. "Don't push yourselves too hard. Come back and visit when you're tired."

"We will, Grandpa Village Chief." Tang San's voice was a little choked.

Lin Ye nodded hard, then turned and jumped into the carriage. He did not dare look back, afraid that if he saw the village chief's stooped figure and the villagers' reluctant gazes, he would be unable to hold back his tears.

The carriage left Holy Soul Village, and in the morning mist, the familiar village gradually dwindled to a hazy black speck. The carriage was silent. Even Xiao Wu, usually the liveliest of them all, leaned quietly in a corner, reluctance to leave in her eyes.

"Don't be sad." Yu Xiaogang had appeared in the driver's seat at some point. He looked back and smiled at them. "Once you're truly strong, you can come back and protect this place whenever you wish. But for now, you must keep moving forward."

The new cultivation grounds were in a valley outside Suotuo City, called the Shrek Secret Realm. Mountains surrounded the valley on three sides, leaving only a narrow entrance. Inside, vegetation flourished, Soul Power was abundant, and a clear stream ran through it. It truly was an excellent place to cultivate.

Flender and Zhao Wuji were already waiting there. Several wooden cabins had been built in the center of the valley, with a small Soul Fighting Arena paved with obsidian beside them.

"Not bad, right?" Flender patted his chest proudly. "I paid a hefty price to lease this place for ten years!"

"Dean, where did you get the money?" Oscar asked curiously.

Flender's old face reddened. "Ahem... anyway, I didn't steal or rob it! Just focus on your cultivation and don't worry about anything else!"

Everyone laughed, knowing it had to be the tournament prize money and funding from Yu Luomian behind the scenes.

In the days that followed, cultivation once again reached a fever pitch. Flender and Zhao Wuji devised training plans tailored to each person's weaknesses:

Tang San's Blue Silver Domain needed a wider space to expand, so every day he ventured deep into the valley, using Blue Silver Grass to connect with the vegetation within a ten-li radius and sense the pulse of the earth; Lin Ye focused on refining the purity of his Golden Crow Fire. Yu Xiaogang had found him a piece of Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron and had him burn it continuously with his flames to hone his control; Dai Mubai and Xiao Wu's speed training became a chase after the Wind Spirit Birds in the valley, while Tai Long had to carry a boulder through the stream. Oscar's sausages came in ever more varieties, and he even developed the Surpass the Limit Sausage, which could briefly raise Soul Power Level.

Every day, the valley rang with the booming collisions of Soul Power, the dull thuds of heavy objects hitting the ground, and the companions' shouts of encouragement to one another. Sweat soaked their clothes, and wounds scabbed over only to split open again, but no one complained. Everyone's eyes grew brighter, and their Soul Power rose steadily.

Half a year later, Tang San's Soul Power broke through rank forty and reached rank forty-two. His Blue Silver Domain expanded to cover twenty li, and he also awakened a new Soul Skill, the Blue Silver Overlord Spear, which compressed Blue Silver Grass into a hard spear with both control and powerful offensive capabilities. Lin Ye's Soul Power also reached rank forty-two. His Golden Crow Fire could heat Ten Thousand Year Cold Iron red-hot in an instant, and his new Soul Skill, Golden Crow Radiant Sun, could release a dazzling light that disrupted an enemy's vision. Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, Tai Long, and Oscar had also broken through rank forty, greatly increasing their strength.

One evening, the setting sun dyed the valley red. Everyone sat resting by the stream, looking at their reflections in the water, each of them a little moved.

"We seem to have... gotten a lot stronger," Oscar mumbled indistinctly as he gnawed on a sausage he had made himself.

"Of course," Dai Mubai said, lifting his chin. "Just look at who's been training."

Xiao Wu kicked at the water and suddenly asked, "Grandmaster said we need Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings after breaking through rank forty. When are we going to the Soul Hunting Forest?"

At the mention of Soul Rings, the atmosphere immediately turned serious. Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings were not easy to obtain. They would have to face powerful Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts and might even encounter interference from Spirit Hall.

"Let's wait for news from the dean and Grandmaster," Tang San said. "They should be looking for traces of suitable Soul Beasts for us."

No sooner had he finished speaking than Flender came hurrying over, his expression unusually grave. "Something's happened."

Everyone's heart leaped into their throat.

"Spirit Hall... has begun purging its opponents." Flender panted. "They've accused the deans of several academies in the Heaven Dou Empire of 'rebellion' and arrested them. Even Dean Yu Luomian has been placed under surveillance."

"What are they trying to do?" Lin Ye clenched his fists, and Golden Crow Fire quietly flickered to life.

"Control the continent's Soul Master forces." Yu Xiaogang also came over, his face pale. "What happened to Canghui Academy was only the beginning. Now they're growing more and more brazen. According to reliable information, they're looking for something called a 'Soul Bone.' It's said to greatly increase a Soul Master's strength."

"A Soul Bone?" Tang San's eyes flickered. He had seen similar accounts in the Tang Sect's ancient texts, but he had never expected such a thing to actually exist in this world.

"Worse still," Yu Xiaogang paused, his voice low, "they seem to have discovered Tang San's parentage. They know he's... the son of Clear Sky Douluo Tang Hao."

Tang San jerked his head up, shock and anger flashing in his eyes. "They want to harm my father?"

"Very likely." Yu Xiaogang nodded. "Senior Tang Hao is a thorn in Spirit Hall's eye. If they can't find Senior Tang Hao, they'll very likely come after you instead."

The atmosphere in the valley dropped to freezing in an instant. Everyone realized that their peaceful days were completely over. Spirit Hall's shadow already loomed over their heads, impossible to escape.

"We can't wait any longer." Lin Ye stood, golden flames dancing in his eyes. "We have to get stronger as soon as possible, find Senior Tang Hao, and then... confront Spirit Hall head-on!"

Tang San drew a deep breath, resolve flashing in his dark eyes. "Right. We can't keep hiding."

Dai Mubai, Xiao Wu, Tai Long, and Oscar also stood one after another, determination in their eyes. After all they had been through, they were no longer the naive youngsters they once were, but companions who could fight side by side.

Flender looked at them, gratification flashing in his eyes. "Good! That's what I'd expect from my students! We leave tomorrow. First we'll go to the Soul Hunting Forest to obtain Ten Thousand Year Soul Rings, and then... we'll search for traces of Senior Tang Hao!"

Night deepened, and the bonfire in the valley crackled, illuminating six young, resolute figures. They knew the road ahead would be fraught with thorns and danger, and Spirit Hall's forces loomed like dark clouds overhead, but they were no longer afraid.

Because they had one another-and that bond, forged in sweat and blood, was stronger than any Soul Skill.

Early the next morning, the members of Shrek packed their belongings and set out once more. This time, their goal was no longer a tournament trophy, but to protect the people and things they cherished and fight the seemingly invincible darkness.

The carriage left the valley and headed toward the Soul Hunting Forest. Sunlight filtered through the leaves and fell upon them, as if coating them in golden armor.

Lin Ye glanced back at the valley that held the sweat of their past six months, then looked at the companions beside him, a smile curling at the corners of his mouth.

A new journey had begun. And this time, they would use their own strength to rewrite the course of fate.