The first meeting after the reconstruction of the Inner Academy concluded, having an extremely profound impact on the future of Shrek Academy—though those were matters for later.
For now, the first master of the God of Battle Pavilion, Jing Shaoyu, was preparing to upgrade the Battle Armor of his adoptive mother, the deputy master of the God of Battle Pavilion, Holy Spirit Douluo Yali. Since this was his first practical attempt, to avoid failure, he first practiced with ordinary Soul Forged Metal. Even if he failed, the losses wouldn't be significant.
After confirming his confidence in success, Jing Shaoyu informed Yali, who was thrilled. She trusted him unconditionally and didn't even consider the possibility of failure.
Thus, on this day, at the God of Battle Pavilion on Golden Island, underground level three.
The pavilion appeared to be only twenty meters tall above ground, but it actually had three underground levels, each fifteen meters high. The first and second underground levels housed the Inner Academy's treasure vaults, while the third underground level was currently the most important place in Shrek Academy.
Entering the third underground level, one would first encounter a spacious hall. The hall was empty, save for a door embedded in the far wall. The door seemed ordinary—a dark wooden door—but those with a discerning eye could immediately recognize that the wood used to craft it was none other than Golden Tree wood.
In these times when the Golden Tree had vanished, a door made from its wood hinted at the immense importance of what lay beyond.
Upon opening the door, a dazzling golden light spilled forth, as if revealing a path to another world.
The Golden Space—the place where Jing Shaoyu had awakened his Divine Blood and the final gift the Golden Tree had left for Shrek Academy. It was an independent space nearly the size of Golden Island, brimming with exceptionally rich life energy and highly active natural laws, making it an ideal secluded cultivation ground.
Yun Ming had planned to enter seclusion here.
However, the immediate priority was for Jing Shaoyu to upgrade Yali's Three-Word Battle Armor to a Four-Word Battle Armor, so Yun Ming wasn't in a hurry to begin his retreat. His original plan was to send Jing Shaoyu and the others to Devil Island for special training before returning to the academy for seclusion, so there was no rush.
The process of upgrading Yali's Three-Word Battle Armor to a Four-Word Battle Armor went smoothly.
Three days later, inside the Golden Space, Jing Shaoyu and Yun Ming watched as Yali donned a set of pristine white, exquisitely crafted, and sacred Battle Armor. Her aura surged steadily, and waves of benevolent life energy radiated from her. Both men wore expressions of joy.
Holy Thought Cloud Meditation—a brand-new Four-Word Battle Armor was born!
Yali's Three-Word Battle Armor had been named Holy Cloud Meditation. After its upgrade to a Four-Word Battle Armor, the character for "Thought" was added, renaming it Holy Thought Cloud Meditation. The meaning behind the name was self-evident.
After completing Yali's Battle Armor upgrade, Jing Shaoyu and the other five began preparing for their special training on Devil Island.
Devil Island training was a traditional program at Shrek Academy for the Shrek Seven Monsters. Each generation of the Seven Monsters was required to undergo a year of special training on a mysterious island called Devil Island, located in the northern sea of the Douluo Continent.
Given Jing Shaoyu's current status, he technically didn't need to go to Devil Island. However, he had his own reasons for insisting on the trip, and Yun Ming could guess one or two of them. Despite opposition from most members of the God of Battle Pavilion, including Yali, Yun Ming chose to support Jing Shaoyu's decision.
To reassure everyone, he decided to personally escort Jing Shaoyu and the other five to Beihai City.
However, before heading to Devil Island, Jing Shaoyu needed to first resolve the living arrangements for his adoptive mother Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin.
If the Holy Spirit Church hadn't launched their attack, Donghai City would undoubtedly have been safer than Shrek City. But now, with the Holy Spirit Church's assault over and Jing Shaoyu becoming the nominal leader of Shrek Academy, Donghai City might no longer be secure.
Thus, after persuasion from Jing Shaoyu, Yun Ming, and Ya Li, Jing Ziyuan and Lin Xin decided to stay at Shrek Academy.
Once the decision to settle in Shrek City was made, everything became much simpler. Jing Shaoyu accompanied Jing Ziyuan back to Donghai City to handle her personal relationships and work matters there. After all, once they settled in Shrek City, it was uncertain when they would return to Donghai City again.
Joining the mother and son on this trip were Cai Yue'er and Xu Xiaoyan. Cai Yue'er had naturally come to act as Jing Shaoyu's guardian, but if they were truly attacked, her primary role would likely be protecting Jing Ziyuan.
Xu Xiaoyan, on the other hand, was returning home to visit her family. Among the five who had traveled from Donghai City to Shrek City, only she and Xie Xie came from prominent families in Donghai City. Xu Xiaoyan wanted to relocate the Xu family to Shrek City, but that wasn't feasible for the time being.
The four of them boarded the Soul Guidance Train from Shrek City, heading east without stopping until they reached Donghai City.
As soon as they stepped out of Donghai Soul Guidance Train Station, a car from the Xu family appeared in front of them. Xu Xiaoyan let go of Jing Shaoyu's arm and said cheerfully, "Brother Shaoyu, remember to come to my house for dinner tonight."
"Mm, I'll be there," Jing Shaoyu replied with a smile.
Xu Xiaoyan got into her family's car and left first, while Jing Shaoyu and the other two didn't linger, heading straight to his home in Donghai City.
Over the next few hours, Jing Shaoyu helped Jing Ziyuan settle her personal affairs. When evening arrived, he took Jing Ziyuan to the Xu family as guests.
Xu Xiaoyan's grandfather Xu Daoheng and father Xu Mingcheng were very courteous to Jing Shaoyu and Jing Ziyuan. Jing Shaoyu even sensed a hint of deference in their attitude toward him. Clearly, Xu Xiaoyan had told her elders about the events at the academy, which was why they seemed somewhat uneasy around him, despite being his seniors.
Jing Shaoyu found this situation rather awkward. He could only tell them not to worry about formalities and to treat him simply as Xu Xiaoyan's boyfriend.
Xu Daoheng and Xu Mingcheng both nodded in agreement, but whether they could actually do so was another matter.
"Xiaoyan, why haven't I seen Brother Xiaoyu?" Jing Shaoyu sprawled casually on Xu Xiaoyan's bed in her room and asked curiously.
"He's with the Donghai Corps now," Xu Xiaoyan said, lying beside Jing Shaoyu. "Grandfather mentioned he's on a mission and doesn't have time to come back. If you want to see him, you'll have to wait for another time."
"The Donghai Corps, huh? What rank is Brother Xiaoyu now?" Jing Shaoyu grew even more curious. "I remember he's twenty-two this year, a Soul King. In the federal military, that should make him a major, right?"
"Of course not!" Xu Xiaoyan rolled her eyes and said, "He's in the Eastern Sea Corps, not the Western Sea Fleet or the Northern Sea Fleet. Although our Xu family isn't ranked highly on the mainland, we still have some influence in the Eastern Sea Corps. So my brother is now a lieutenant colonel and reportedly even the captain of a frigate."
"That's great," Jing Shaoyu smiled. He truly knew little about these matters and hadn't paid much attention before. The reason he brought it up now was that after the Devil Island training, the six of them still had to complete a year of military service.
He had already decided to join the Blood God Corps, but Xu Xiaoyan and the others hadn't made their choices yet. Jing Shaoyu wanted them to accompany him to the Blood God Mountains, but Yun Ming said at most only one person could go with him. That made things difficult—rather than having one person follow him, it would be fairer if none did.
So Jing Shaoyu was also considering suitable military service locations for the five girls. Since Xu Xiaoyan's family had influence in the Eastern Sea Corps, she could naturally go there. Mo Hentian and Wu Siduo were straightforward cases—one was the daughter of a prominent southwestern clan, and the other was the princess of Star Luo City's ruling family, both wielding significant influence in the Western Corps and Central Corps. They could simply join those respective forces.
The key was Ye Xinglan and Lan Fozi. Ye Xinglan could consider going with Xu Xiaoyan to the Eastern Sea Corps, while Lan Fozi could see if Wu Siduo or Mo Hentian would be willing to take her along.
"Shaoyu-gege, can I go home with you tonight?" Xu Xiaoyan turned and hugged Jing Shaoyu, gazing at him with pleading eyes as she whispered softly.
Jing Shaoyu's heart skipped a beat—how could he not understand what she was hinting at? He chuckled lightly and replied, "Sure, as long as you behave."
"Mhm, I'm always well-behaved!" Xu Xiaoyan was overjoyed and immediately nestled her head against Jing Shaoyu's chest, her voice sweet and soft.
That night, after the banquet ended, Xu Mingcheng arranged a car to take Jing Shaoyu and Jing Ziyuan home. Xu Xiaoyan seized the opportunity to tag along. Though Xu Mingcheng was helpless, he couldn't stop her—children grew up, and he could no longer control them.
Xu Xiaoyan was assigned to Na'er's room, but in the dead of night, she quietly pushed open the door to the neighboring room and climbed onto Jing Shaoyu's bed.
"Shaoyu-gege, I'm here," she murmured softly by his ear.
Jing Shaoyu, of course, wasn't asleep either. The moment he sensed Xu Xiaoyan entering, his eyes snapped open. And when he felt her warmth—
The beast slumbering within him awakened!
The Sword of Nature invaded the Nest of Stars, the Pillar of Genesis illuminated with the radiance of life, and Starlight sang the harmonious melody of spring.
This time, she was first!
Xu Xiaoyan thought excitedly, feeling a mystical energy awaken from deep within her body. Her Martial Soul trembled with excitement, and the Soul Power around her surged as if boiling.
Jing Shaoyu stared blankly at Xu Xiaoyan, who had transformed into a Starlight Cocoon, his expression thoroughly exasperated. He had never expected something like this to happen.
"Hehehe, Brother, serves you right for sneaking treats." Na'er's laughter echoed from within the Heart of Natural God, carrying a hint of schadenfreude. While she understood Xu Xiaoyan's sneaky behavior, she disapproved of Jing Shaoyu's indulgence.
Honestly, she hadn't even tried to sneak anything, yet Xiaoyan had beaten her to it. How infuriating.
"Alright, stop laughing. I know I was wrong," Jing Shaoyu said helplessly, glancing at the fully cocooned Xu Xiaoyan before lowering his head with a resigned sigh.
This incident made Jing Shaoyu realize something—as the Planet Spirit and Core of Life, his essence blood was an incredibly precious treasure. Calling him a walking divine herb wouldn't be an exaggeration.
Xu Xiaoyan's current state was undeniable proof. Jing Shaoyu could clearly sense the positive transformation occurring within her Starlight Cocoon. Her life essence was evolving, and it was certain that once her metamorphosis was complete, her strength and potential would see a tremendous boost.
However, Jing Shaoyu wasn't sure how long Xiaoyan's transformation would last. If it was just a day or two, it would be manageable. But if it exceeded three days, it would delay their return to Shrek Academy and postpone their trip to Devil Island.
Most importantly, Wu Siduo, Ye Xinglan, and Mo Hentian would undoubtedly discover Xiaoyan's sneaky act. What if they demanded equal treatment from Jing Shaoyu? Of course, he wouldn't refuse, but what if one of them underwent a similar transformation like Xiaoyan? That would only waste more time, and Yun Ming would surely give him a beating.
Jing Shaoyu was deeply troubled.
Fortunately, Xu Xiaoyan truly cared for him. Her transformation only took one night, and by the next morning, she had awakened from it.
"What happened to me?" The girl opened her eyes, murmuring in confusion before her cheeks flushed crimson. She must have recalled her actions from the previous night, her eyes filled with bashfulness and joy.
"Xiaoyan, how do you feel?" Jing Shaoyu immediately moved closer, ignoring the girl's flushed body, and asked with concern.
"Shaoyu-gege!" Upon seeing him approach, Xu Xiaoyan let out an affectionate cry before her pretty face lit up with excitement, delight, and exhilaration. She threw her arms around Jing Shaoyu and squealed, "I—I've broken through to Soul Emperor!"
"Mhm, I can sense your Soul Power level. But besides that, have there been any other changes?" Jing Shaoyu asked with a doting yet somewhat helpless smile, patting her smooth back.
"There is!" Xu Xiaoyan instantly understood his meaning and giggled. "My Martial Soul seems to have changed too."
With that, she summoned her Star Staff. It now looked completely different—its length had increased from about 120 centimeters, resembling a magic wand, to 200 centimeters, transforming into a regal scepter.
Secondly, its color was no longer a single shade of gold. Instead, intricate silver patterns now adorned the golden surface. The magnificent gold paired with the mysterious silver gave the Star Staff an added touch of wonder and mystique.
Lastly, its power—while still retaining its stellar attributes—was no longer limited to just that. Waves of spatial energy emanated from the top of the staff, making the starry diagram at its crown appear even more expansive, as if it were a true stretch of the cosmos.
The Star Staff Martial Soul—no, the Starry Sky Divine Staff Martial Soul.
"Stellar power and spatial power!" Jing Shaoyu's eyes gleamed brightly as he spoke.
"Mhm!" Xu Xiaoyan nodded joyfully. "The spatial power has enhanced both my fourth and fifth Soul Skills."
Her fourth and fifth Soul Skills already possessed some spatial properties to begin with, so it was only natural that they would be strengthened now that she had awakened spatial power.
What concerned Jing Shaoyu was—what tier of Martial Soul did Xu Xiaoyan's Starry Sky Divine Staff now belong to? Above super-grade, but below divine-grade? Perhaps the answer would become clear once her strength reached a certain level.
Xu Xiaoyan's Soul Power had reached rank 63, making her the third strongest in the team, just behind Jing Shaoyu and Wu Siduo. This filled her with immense pride.
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