Time flew by, and several months had passed in the blink of an eye.
Inside the Sea God Pavilion at Shrek Academy, there was silence, interwoven only with the occasional bird chirping from outside the window and the faint rustle of turning pages.
Ya Li sat alone in the main seat of the Council Hall, thick stacks of archives piled before her.
She rubbed her temples, a hint of weariness flashing in her eyes.
Ever since Na'er and Fang Yang left for the Sun Moon Federation headquarters to handle important matters, the burden of the entire Shrek Academy had fallen upon her shoulders.
The daily affairs of the Sea God Pavilion, the teaching arrangements for the Outer Academy and Inner Academy, and coordinating with various factions... these matters often kept her overwhelmingly busy.
"Sigh, that child Na'er..."
Ya Li sighed softly, her gaze drifting toward the window.
The Sea God Lake shimmered, and the golden ancient tree by the shore glittered under the sunlight, peaceful and beautiful as always.
Yet, in this tranquility, one always felt that something was missing, leaving an empty feeling.
Just as she was deep in thought, a familiar presence suddenly appeared within her sensory range.
Ya Li suddenly stood up, completely oblivious to the archives sliding off the table.
Her eyes first showed disbelief, which was immediately submerged by immense joy.
"Brother Ming!"
She appeared outside the Sea God Pavilion almost as if by Teleportation, her skirt fluttering in the wind as she ran toward the golden ancient tree.
Sunlight filtered through the dense branches and leaves, casting dappled shadows.
Beneath the towering golden ancient tree by the lake, a tall figure stood quietly.
Yun Ming was standing right there, watching her with a smile.
Ya Li's steps gradually slowed, as if she feared this was merely an illusion.
Only when Yun Ming opened his arms did she finally confirm that this was not a hallucination.
"Ya Li, I'm back."
Yun Ming's voice was as gentle as ever, but held a little more depth than usual.
Ya Li hesitated no longer and rushed into the embrace she had waited for far too long.
Her cheek pressed against the familiar fabric on his chest, feeling the firm, warm touch and his strong heartbeat, and her eyes instantly reddened.
"Brother Ming..."
Ya Li's voice was choked with sobs, "I truly... missed you so much."
Yun Ming tightened his arms, holding Ya Li close, his chin resting lightly on the top of her head.
His voice was low and gentle, "I missed you too..."
Ya Li lifted her head in his arms, tears glistening in her eyes, "Where exactly have you been all this time?"
Yun Ming raised a hand and gently wiped away the moisture from the corners of her eyes.
He looked toward the vast, blue sky, his eyes profound, "I went to complete... a mission that had to be fulfilled."
Yun Ming's words carried a hint of seriousness, but then turned gentle, "I'll tell you the details slowly later."
"For now."
He gently stroked her cheek, "I just want to look at you properly."
Ya Li didn't press further, instead burying her face deeper into his chest, drawing in his comforting presence, and softly murmured, "Brother Ming, as long as you're back."
Yun Ming looked down at the slightly trembling shoulders of the person in his arms, his heart filling with endless pity and guilt.
He solemnly made a promise: "Starting today, I will never leave again. I will be with you always, always."
A gentle breeze swept past, and the lush leaves of the golden ancient tree rustled, as if playing a soft piece of music for this long-awaited reunion.
Ripples spread across the lake surface, reflecting the sunlight and cloud shadows, beautiful as a dream.
Peaceful years, nothing more could be asked for.
Shrek Academy had finally waited for its pillar of stability to return.
"Ahem..."
A slightly deliberate cough came from not far away.
Yun Ming looked up in the direction of the sound.
He saw Wu Changkong leading Tang Wulin and a group of others standing nearby.
Wu Changkong stepped forward and bowed respectfully, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Pavilion Master, you... you're back!"
Tang Wulin and the others also bowed, their eyes filled with reverence.
The resurrection and return of the Heaven-Reaching Douluo held extraordinary significance for the entire Shrek Academy.
Yun Ming's gaze swept over the energetic faces, the smile in his eyes deepening as he nodded gently: "Yes, I'm back."
He looked at Wu Changkong, his eyes filled with gratification: "Changkong, you've worked hard to hold things together during this time."
"This was merely Changkong's duty."
Wu Changkong quickly replied, his voice still slightly trembling.
Ya Li gently stepped back from Yun Ming's embrace, a faint blush on her face, but she quickly regained her usual composure.
She looked at Yun Ming, her tenderness still present, but now mixed with the composure expected of a Pavilion Master.
"Alright, I know what you all want to ask."
Yun Ming smiled slightly, his gaze sweeping over the expectant eyes of Wu Changkong and the others, "Go find Fang Yang. He will tell you everything you want to know."
"Thank you, Pavilion Master."
Wu Changkong bowed solemnly, and the next moment, he transformed into a streak of light and instantly departed.
"Teacher Wu, wait... wait for us!"
Tang Wulin and the others hurriedly called out and chased after him.
Yun Ming gently held Ya Li's hand, his gaze tender: "You suffered these past days."
"As long as you returned safely, everything was worth it."
Ya Li shook her head, a happy smile appearing on her face.
The two smiled at each other and walked side by side toward the Sea God Pavilion. The sunlight stretched their figures, weaving them into a heartwarming scene... At the headquarters of the Spirit Transfer Pagoda, on the top floor of the Heavenly Spirit Pagoda.
Leng Yuzhu looked at Cold Remote-Azure across from her and spoke softly, her tone complicated: "Sister, long time no see."
"Younger Sister... you finally agreed to see me." Cold Remote-Azure looked at her sister, a hint of complexity flashing in her eyes.
Leng Yuzhu sighed lightly, "It's time to clarify some things."
"After all, we are sisters."
The sisters' gazes met in the air, and years of estrangement began to quietly melt away at this moment.
In another room, Su Tao was listlessly fiddling with the spirit tool in his hand.
The delicate metal parts rotated between his fingers, making faint clicking sounds.
"Zi, I want to go back to Aolai City..."
He suddenly said, his voice carrying a hint of nostalgia, "Although this place is nice, it's not Aolai City after all."
Liu Yang raised his head and arched an eyebrow: "Then let's go."
"Huh?"
Su Tao clearly hadn't expected him to agree so readily; the spirit tool components nearly slipped from his hand.
"What's with the 'huh'? Are we going or not?"
Liu Yang stood up and straightened his robes, "Wang Tianyun already went back to East Sea City to research Soul Spirit technology anyway, and the Demon Emperor went back to the sea to be with his daughter."
He walked to the window, looking at the continuous buildings in the distance: "There's no point in us staying here."
Su Tao was stunned for a moment, then broke into a joyful smile: "Great, back to Aolai City."
...Bright Capital, top-floor office of the Federal Parliament Building.
Xu Jinghuang gazed at the bustling city view outside the window and let out a long sigh.
Every day, he had to deal with mountains of government affairs, busy from morning till night, rarely getting a moment to breathe.
"Why? I still have to go to work..."
He muttered to himself, his tone full of helplessness.
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