Chapter 120 Return, Shrek Academy, Sea God Pavilion, Main Gate.
It was nearly noon, still during class time. The entrance to Shrek Academy was unusually quiet. The small vendors who usually gathered here were nowhere to be seen.
Five people stood before the massive gatehouse.
At the very front were Yan Shaozhe, the dean of the Martial Soul Department, and Xian Lin'er, the dean of the Soul Guidance Department.
Behind them were Cai Mei'er, the vice dean of the Martial Soul Department; Qian Duoduo, the vice dean of the Soul Guidance Department; and Fan Yu, a core teacher of the Soul Guidance Department and Huo Yuhao's teacher.
The presence of all four deans was undeniably powerful. They all tilted their heads slightly, looking towards the distant sky, waiting quietly.
Finally, gradually, the faint, black-dot-like figures in the distant sky became clearer, slowly descending under their gaze.
"They're back," Yan Shaozhe said with a smile.
Xian Lin'er had already taken a step forward, "Finally back." Her eyes shone with obvious excitement, and surprisingly, she wasn't as confrontational as usual with Yan Shaozhe.
Yes, the five of them were welcoming the heroes of Shrek Academy back.
One by one, figures landed gracefully. The first to catch their eye was the unkempt Elder Xuan.
Upon seeing the five characters for Shrek Academy on the massive gate, Huo Yuhao and Jiang Nannan were very excited. Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi smiled broadly and clenched their fists.
Two months had passed since they left Shrek Academy to participate in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament in Xingluo City, but the twists and turns of those two months had truly taken their toll.
Wu Xuan's expression remained relatively calm. He came to Shrek only to enter the inner courtyard to learn those powerful secret techniques and the cultivation path of wind element soul masters. He would naturally leave after completing his studies in the inner courtyard; unless Shrek bestowed upon him an immense favor, it would be difficult to keep him.
"Kids, welcome home." Yan Shaozhe and his four companions strode forward to greet them. As they spoke, the five of them first bowed to Elder Xuan, and then came to the Shrek team members who had returned in glory.
Yan Shaozhe and Cai Meier looked at Ma Xiaotao, their hearts filled with excitement.
Ma Xiaotao put her hands on her hips, raised her head, and said to Yan Shaozhe, "Teacher, I didn't let you down. I brought you the championship."
Cai Meier came to Ma Xiaotao, took her hand, and hugged her gently, saying, "Xiaotao, you've worked hard. It's good that you're back safe and sound."
Not only Yan Shaozhe, but Cai Meier also treated Ma Xiaotao like her own daughter, having raised her since she was little. When Ma Xiaotao led the team to the competition, she was always worried, after all, Ma Xiaotao's evil fire was more likely to erupt in battle.
If it weren't for Wu Xuan, who could eliminate the negative status of martial souls, in the team, she would not have agreed to let Ma Xiaotao participate in the All-Continent Advanced Soul Master Battle Tournament.
Yan Shaozhe also said from the side, "Silly child, how could your teacher be afraid of you letting you down? It's best that you returned safely."
Ever since the main team members returned seriously injured, Yan Shaozhe's mood had been uneasy, especially since Elder Mu still disagreed with him sending reinforcements. He was worried that Shrek Academy's eternal glory would be extinguished, and also about the safety of Ma Xiaotao and the others. In his heart, while Shrek's glory was important, Ma Xiaotao was equally important. The Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament was not an absolutely safe competition; injuries and fatalities occurred in almost every edition.
Now that all the students had returned safely and won the championship, upholding Shrek's glory, he was overjoyed.
The four deans shook hands with everyone and then personally led them back to the academy. A small boat was already waiting on the shore of Sea God Lake.
Everyone looked at each other, somewhat surprised, at the deans.
Wu Xuan was the only exception, having previously visited Seagod Island.
Yan Shaozhe smiled slightly and said, "You have sacrificed so much for the academy, participating in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament with a weakened formation and winning the final championship. This achievement will be forever recorded in the history of Shrek Academy. The Seagod Pavilion meeting has decided that your rewards will be distributed at the Seagod Pavilion on Seagod Island."
Ma Xiaotao and the others, who were familiar with the Seagod Pavilion, were also greatly surprised. What kind of place was the Seagod Pavilion! The Seagod Pavilion was not only the highest council chamber of Shrek Academy but also its true treasure trove, housing all the academy's secrets. Normally, no one except the elders of the Seagod Pavilion and the four deans could enter. Being able to enter the Seagod Pavilion was an extraordinary honor.
They had never heard of any inner court disciple being allowed to enter, let alone outer court disciples like Wu Xuan.
Everyone boarded the ship.
Although Xiao Xiao and the others hadn't heard of the Seagod Pavilion, they knew about Seagod Island! Seagod Island is home to the inner courtyard of Shrek Academy, known as the cradle of the strongest soul masters on the entire continent!
For someone their age, simply setting foot on Seagod Island was enough to excite them.
Seagod Lake is vast, much larger than the rest of Shrek Academy combined. After a fifteen-minute boat ride through the mist, they gradually began to see the island clearly.
Seagod Island appeared to be only about two square kilometers in size, not flat, but rather like a small mountain, dotted with various pavilions and towers. When these buildings, usually hidden in the mist, finally appeared before the outer courtyard disciples, their excitement intensified.
Yan Shaozhe led the group along a stone path deeper into Seagod Island.
Seagod Island was very quiet, as if no one lived there. Everything was so peaceful and tranquil, like a paradise. The pavilions and towers hidden among the tall vegetation were beautiful and elegant. Although it was Huo Yuhao's first time there, he immediately fell in love with the place.
The vegetation here is almost all at least a thousand years old, with some trees reaching hundreds of meters in height. Walking along the paths, the air is not only fresh but also obscures the view, creating a sense of being lost in the mountains.
Before long, they followed the path to near the summit, where a pavilion came into view.
It was a three-story building, brown in color, entirely made of wood, with a rustic and weathered feel. Upon closer inspection, one could see an almost oily sheen on the wood. The three-story building was only about ten meters high, lacking any grandeur or magnificence. However, directly above the entrance on the first floor hung a black plaque with three large, gilded characters identifying it: Sea God Pavilion.
Seeing these three characters, everyone felt a sense of solemnity. Based on the distance, the Sea God Pavilion was not only near the summit but also located at the very center of Sea God Island.Yan Shaozhe stopped in front of the Sea God Pavilion, bowed, and said, "Teacher, they've returned."
Hearing the word "teacher," everyone was greatly surprised.
As the dean of the Martial Soul Department, Yan Shaozhe held a very high position in the hearts of the inner court disciples. Even Elder Xuan, due to his different position, was not as important as Dean Yan in the students' eyes. Yet, they never expected that Dean Yan's teacher was still alive.
"Come in, all of you," an aged voice rang out, and then, a scene that shocked everyone appeared.
Right before them, the previously unremarkable three-story Sea God Pavilion suddenly lit up without warning, a brilliant golden light instantly radiating, turning the entire building gold, as if it were a pavilion built of pure gold.
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