Chapter 106: The So-Called Beauty, Across the Water

Xu Lizhi chuckled but didn't take offense.

Squeezing between the two, he walked in the center. "You know, this actually makes it look like a boss walking with his two bodyguards."

"You damn fatty!" Xie Xie and Yue Zhengyu swore at the same time.

Then, the two turned to glare at each other and, once again in perfect sync, said, "Can you stop being so in sync with me?"

Xu Lizhi grinned. "You two joining the Sea God's Fate matchmaking event—is this just an excuse to confess to each other?"

"No worries, I totally get it. But I'll leave you two to it."

As he spoke, he took off like the wind. Despite his ever-increasing weight, his speed had also significantly improved.

Yue Zhengyu and Xie Xie exchanged a glance, then simultaneously scoffed and turned away from each other.

At this moment, a leisurely figure finally caught up—it was Tang Wulin.

A helpless smile spread across his face as he slung an arm around each of their shoulders, pulling them close like a trio of best friends, striding toward the Sea God's Fate matchmaking event venue.

Over the Sea God Lake

By now, the setup was well underway.

Arriving at the lakeside, Xie Xie, though mentally prepared, couldn't help but feel nervous now that the event was truly about to begin.

"You really think this will work? What if Ye Hui gets mad?" He turned to Yue Zhengyu, seeking reassurance.

Yue Zhengyu rolled his eyes. "Can you stop being so timid? If you're this scared, just go home. I've never seen anyone as hopeless as you. Is Ye Hui a monster or something?"

A calm and indifferent voice suddenly spoke from behind.

"Who are you calling a monster?"

Xie Xie and Yue Zhengyu whirled around, only to find Yuanen Yehui standing behind them.

"Uh…"

Yue Zhengyu instantly shifted the blame. "He said it, not me!"

Then, before anyone could react, he bolted.

After all, he knew he wasn't a match for Yuanen Yehui. Among the new generation of Shrek's Seven Monsters, she was the one advancing in cultivation the fastest.

"Uh, Ye Hui."

Facing her directly, Xie Xie felt all his courage vanish in an instant. He anxiously rubbed his hands together.

Yuanen Yehui glanced him up and down in his formal attire, her expression cold and unreadable. Without saying a single word, she turned and walked away.

As he watched her leave, Xie Xie's face fell, his heart sinking into darkness. He saw no hope for success.

Nightfall

As if echoing Xie Xie's emotions, the sky darkened completely, and night fell.

A grand viewing boat slowly glided across the Sea God Lake.

Lights illuminated the vessel, and as it approached, the students of the academy respectfully bowed.

Only the most distinguished individuals of Shrek Academy were allowed aboard. At the head of the gathering sat a young man—the current Pavilion Master of the Sea God's Pavilion, the strongest person on the continent, Yun Ming.

At his side, his wife, Yali, listened as he affectionately spoke about his beloved disciple, Na'er, participating in the matchmaking event.

With the arrival of the grand boat, the Sea God's Fate matchmaking event officially began.

The event was traditionally hosted by the academy's senior-most students.

As expected, the emcees for this year were Lan Muzi and his wife, Tang Yinmeng.

They gave a brief introduction to the rules.

For over ten thousand years, the event's structure had undergone minor changes, but the core traditions remained unchanged.

The male and female participants stood separately on lotus leaves floating on the lake, using their own strength to maintain their balance. Anyone who fell into the water would be disqualified.

The stronger participants could fight for better positions, leading to fierce competition.

The next phases included unveiling the veils of the female participants and the classic "stealing the bride" segment, where strength played a significant role.

Unless the feelings were mutual, power often determined the success of a pairing.

"Begin!"

With the hosts' announcement, chaos erupted across the lake as the participants battled for prime positions, showcasing their skills in various ways.

On one side stood thirty female participants; on the other, fifty male participants.

Unlike the original timeline, this year's event had a perfectly balanced number of participants, thanks to certain changes.

Without the Dragon Valley expedition, Dai Yun'er had never formed a close emotional bond with Tang Wulin.

No matter how headstrong she was, her father—the emperor of the Star Luo Empire—would never risk offending an Ultimate Douluo for her whims.

This year's matchmaking event remained the usual "many monks, little gruel" scenario, yet an interesting imbalance persisted—more men than women, but still overwhelmingly in favor of the females.

Despite there being more male participants, the women were the ones competing fiercely.

Most of them only had eyes for the top few male candidates, which led to more leftover women than leftover men.

And as time passed, these "leftover" women only grew stronger, further deepening the imbalance.

During the first segment, Yue Zhengyu took inspiration from the legendary Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao.

Using his chubby little angel soul spirit as a stand-in for Huo Yuhao's baby Snow Empress soul spirit, he successfully secured an early victory.

With precise eliminations, he successfully revealed the face of his desired partner—Xu Xiaoyan.

Three years had turned Xu Xiaoyan into a stunning young woman, known among Shrek's Seven Monsters for her impeccable sense of fashion.

The first round concluded only when participant number fifty—Tang Wulin—made his move.

Using a rare Tang Sect hidden weapon technique, Peacock's Tail, he revealed the faces of many of the female participants, bringing the round to a dramatic finish.

Yet, just as everyone expected Yue Zhengyu and Xu Xiaoyan to be a perfect match, drama unfolded.

During the event, their relationship fell apart.

A high-born son and a modestly born daughter—love on its own wasn't enough to bridge the gap.

Of course, such hiccups weren't unusual during the matchmaking event, so the disruption didn't halt proceedings.

On the other end of the spectrum, Xu Lizhi and Ye Xinglan successfully paired up.

With such contrasting outcomes surrounding him, Xie Xie grew even more nervous.

His nerves were so obvious that he introduced himself with a stammer: "M-my name is Not Nervous."

The audience burst into laughter.

Thankfully, with Tang Wulin's encouragement and his friends' support, he managed to compose himself and finally delivered his confession.

Xie Xie's Confession

"I apologize—I lost my composure."

"I'm not usually like this. Maybe it's because I care too much."

"Our meeting was pure chance. The first time I saw you, I almost got beaten to death. And that wasn't even the only time."

"I don't know if your coldness toward me all these years is because of what happened back then."

"I know I was punished by the academy, but I still feel I should explain myself again."

"From where I stood at the time, with the steam obscuring my vision, I really didn't see anything inappropriate."

"At first, I approached you only out of guilt, wanting to make amends. But over time, through all our training and battles, I realized…"

As Xie Xie poured out his heartfelt confession, Yuanen Yehui's expression became incredibly complex.

Her brows furrowed deeply, and instead of showing any surprise or joy, she seemed bewildered—as if she couldn't understand why Xie Xie would even like her.

(End of Chapter)