Chapter 109: Bombing of Shrek

On the other side of Sea God's Island, by the lakeshore, the scene was one of liveliness and overflowing joy.

The matchmaking segment of the Sea God's Fate Matchmaking Convention had already concluded, and now, the event had transitioned into a grand celebration.

According to legend, this was the blessing ceremony of the Sea God. Couples who received the Sea God's blessing would remain together for a lifetime, never abandoning one another, enjoying prosperity and honor, and walking through life and death together.

Because of this, most couples who successfully matched during the Sea God's Fate event would stay behind to partake in the celebration, hoping for a good omen.

The observation ship carrying the high-ranking members of the academy had already left, with its passengers dispersing to various destinations.

Some had departed, while others had chosen to remain and celebrate with the newly-formed couples.

Yun Ming held Yali in his arms as they sat on a swing not far away, watching the young couples, feeling the warmth of their youth and vitality, making up for the regret of not having experienced a passionate young romance themselves.

At a certain moment, the smile on Yun Ming's face suddenly faded, a hint of astonishment flashing deep in his eyes.

"Yali," he called softly.

"What is it?" Yali, who was lying in Yun Ming's embrace, turned her head to look at him.

After years of marriage, they knew each other inside and out. She could hear that there was something unusual in Yun Ming's voice.

"I don't know why, but I suddenly have a feeling of unease," Yun Ming said, carrying a trace of self-doubt.

This answer startled Yali greatly.

A strong cultivator's premonitions were rarely baseless.

Decades ago, Yun Ming had once accurately predicted a natural disaster.

She immediately asked, "Is it intense? Can you sense a specific direction?"

Yun Ming's brows furrowed even deeper, but he still shook his head. "Very intense, stronger than anything I've felt before. If it happens, it will be an unprecedented catastrophe."

"But it's strange. The feeling of unease fluctuates, making it impossible to pinpoint a specific direction."

"I see," Yali frowned as well. "Should we convene a Sea God's Pavilion meeting?"

Yun Ming shook his head, rejecting the suggestion.

"Not yet. I still can't confirm anything."

Ever since his cultivation had reached its current stage, as he continuously pushed toward the Divine Realm, the suppression from the heavens had become increasingly strong. Without a doubt, it was the power of the world's laws restraining him.

Due to the disappearance of the Divine Realm and this suppression, Yun Ming often experienced moments of disorientation. It was possible that this premonition was simply another illusion.

However, there was one lingering question in his mind—he was standing in the heart of the world, in Shrek Academy, beside the Golden Ancient Tree, the core of the world's power. Even if this was an illusion, he should still be able to determine a general direction.

It was truly strange…

Yet, the answer to his doubts lay within the shifting tides of Shrek City.

A soul-guided bus was speeding down the highway.

At first glance, this soul bus appeared completely ordinary, no different from any other.

The only slight difference was that the windows were all covered with drawn curtains, blocking out all light and preventing anyone from seeing inside.

In the distance, the Shrek City checkpoint was approaching, prompting the bus to slow down and join the queue for inspection.

At that moment, a uniformed checkpoint officer walked out from inside.

Judging by how he passed through a specific passageway unhindered, it was clear that he held a certain level of authority at the checkpoint.

He quickly approached the bus, gestured toward it, and pointed at a nearby, currently closed-off lane.

Immediately, the soul-guided bus veered out of the queue and turned in the direction indicated, heading toward the sealed-off passage.

The officer walked to the entrance of the closed passage and activated the control panel. The metal barricade, which had been blocking the road, slowly lifted, allowing the soul-guided bus to pass through and drive into Shrek City.

The metal gate then closed again, and the officer calmly walked away. That road would no longer be accessible to others.

Such a scene did not attract any attention.

After all, privileged classes existed everywhere.

A special passage was not something worth making a fuss over.

But no one noticed that after completing this series of tasks, the officer went straight to the staff lounge, changed into a different set of clothes, greeted his colleagues as if nothing had happened, and then quietly left in a soul car.

The direction he left in was not toward a residence within Shrek City but rather toward the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda.

Inside the soul-guided bus that had entered Shrek City, there were more than a dozen individuals.

All of them were silent.

Each wore a mask, revealing only their noses and eyes. Their black attire shrouded the bus in an eerie, oppressive atmosphere.

The person seated at the front spoke in a deep voice, "How is the signal-jamming device?"

At his command, a subordinate quickly checked the equipment and responded, "Everything is functioning normally. No leaks."

"Good." The leader then turned to the driver and said, "Proceed according to plan."

"Understood!" The driver replied respectfully, but his eyes revealed an unmistakable gleam of fanaticism.

The soul-guided bus continued its journey, entering a grand hotel within Shrek City. And it was not the only such bus to do so.

From the hotel's location, one could already see the silhouette of Shrek Academy in the distance.

Inside a specially prepared, sealed-off room in the hotel—similar in size to a reception hall—the domed ceiling and surrounding walls were covered with extensive arrays of magical inscriptions.

Outside the room, more than a hundred individuals stood motionless like statues, each exposing their left arm, from which blood continuously dripped from pre-cut veins.

Drip. Drip.

The blood, seemingly guided by an unseen force, flowed along specific paths, converging toward the center.

In the middle of the room, twelve individuals sat cross-legged, forming a circle, chanting eerie and incomprehensible incantations.

Each of the twelve had soul rings rising around them—every single one of them bore eight rings, all at the peak of Soul Master strength.

At this moment, their bodies were covered with dense and intricate magical inscriptions.

The thick scent of blood filled the air, instilling an overwhelming sense of dread.

On the ground, a purple-black six-pointed star encased a massive, spire-shaped object of the same purple-black color, covered in countless magic symbols. It was continuously absorbing the energy from the blood.

A neighboring room held an identical setup.

However, at its center, the colossal spire was a deep, sinister green.

At the same time, over two hundred Soul Masters, drained of all energy, collapsed to the ground, their bodies shriveled and emaciated.

Even in death, their sunken eyes still carried traces of madness.

In that instant, an unparalleled destructive force erupted from this place, as purple-black and dark green energies intertwined. The enormous hotel vanished in an instant.

Inside the inner court of Shrek Academy, Tang Wulin awoke from his sleep.

The corners of his mouth were still lifted in a smile, his face radiating with warmth from a lingering sense of bliss. His smile was more brilliant than ever.

"Hehe…" He let out an occasional, foolish laugh of happiness.

Until he looked through the skylight in his room—

And saw that the sky had changed completely.

(End of Chapter)