Chapter 42: Enlightenment in the Sea God Pavilion
Thank you to our new Patrons: Jakob Harris, Koner !!, Elan Jones, NaasH NS, Shon Ducusin, Kai Zambrano, mty, BenDover110, fluffiemonster, Colby Sooy and ArcherArchX! You are what makes this possible! We are up to Chapter 85: Returning to the Sea God Island, Yun Ming on Patreon!
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)
---------------------------------------------------------------------
"Follow me," Shen Yi said, leading Xu Yuan and the other two toward the Sea God Pavilion.
Xu Lizhi was visibly excited throughout the journey. Ye Xinglan maintained her composure, though her eyes betrayed her anticipation. Only Xu Yuan appeared calm and collected.
Along the way, Shen Yi observed the three of them.
She had to admit that their talents fully aligned with what her teacher had described.
Their abilities absolutely qualified them as candidates for the next generation of Shrek's Seven Monsters. Xu Yuan's mindset, steady demeanor, and leadership qualities tested during the personality trials made him a likely candidate to lead the next generation of Shrek's Seven Monsters.
Xu Yuan's background didn't matter much, but it could serve as an excuse for the elders to impose higher expectations on him. In reality, they weren't concerned about his ties to the Spirit Pagoda.
Besides, Xu Yuan couldn't truly be considered a product of the Spirit Pagoda.
As Shen Yi led them deeper into the Inner Court, Xu Yuan could feel the changes in the surrounding heaven-and-earth origin energy.
It wasn't just a matter of increased concentration—there seemed to be a dense vitality mixed within the energy!
"Xu Yuan, and you two, adjust your states when we arrive. Don't miss this opportunity," Shen Yi reminded them.
She guided them along a path where towering trees gave way to reveal a crystal-clear azure lake. At the center of the lake stood a small island with a colossal ancient tree reaching the heavens. Carved into its upper branches was a naturally sculpted structure.
Shen Yi ushered the three onto a small boat and rowed toward the island at the heart of the lake.
"You should already have some guesses, right? Next, I'll take you to meet the elders of the Sea God Pavilion. If you perform well, you might receive guidance from one of the elder masters. By the way, Elder Cai has arranged for you to cultivate within the Sea God Pavilion for the next three days. Treasure this opportunity," Shen Yi reminded them.
She turned to Xu Yuan specifically, adding, "Xu Yuan, let me remind you—the Pavilion Master also uses a spear."
"Teacher Shen, isn't it said that the Pavilion Master's requirements for accepting disciples are extremely high? Do you think I have a chance?" Xu Yuan asked, puzzled.
Shen Yi smiled.
In the past, she might have thought apprenticing under the Pavilion Master was far-fetched. But recently, both the Sea God Pavilion and the students of the Inner Court were abuzz with excitement.
Because the Pavilion Master had just taken on a disciple.
"The Pavilion Master recently accepted a disciple, so both the elder masters and the Inner Court students believe he's now more open to teaching."
A disciple?
Xu Yuan fell into deep thought.
Yun Na, Yun Ming's disciple, was the only one he knew of. How old was Na when she entered Shrek Academy? {T/N: Na'er, Gu Yuena's clone apprenticed under Yun Ming in the original Douluo 3.}
Xu Yuan didn't know the exact timeline, but he was certain that Na left Ao Le City after Tang Wulin reached level ten. Tang Wulin had been born with level-three soul power, so it would've taken him two or three years to reach level ten—it definitely wouldn't have happened in just one year.
Xu Yuan was baffled.
So even before I've participated in the plot, things have started to change?
He stored these questions in his mind, planning to investigate further when he had time.
After living in this world for so long, he already knew it was a real place. Events didn't follow a predetermined script. For him, the most important thing wasn't anything else—it was cultivation.
Everything outside of cultivation was secondary.
Stepping onto the Sea God Island, Xu Yuan felt as if the ground beneath his feet was pulsing with life.
Breathing in the air of the Sea God Island, he felt younger and more vibrant than ever.
Keep in mind—he was only seven years old!
At seven years old, even breathing this air brought such sensations.
"Let's go. The elder masters have been waiting for quite some time," Shen Yi said, not daring to delay. She led the three into the ancient yet majestic pavilion on the island.
The Sea God Pavilion
"The three of you passed the Inner Court trials and entered as special admissions students," Elder Cai explained, reiterating what had already been said earlier.
Fortunately, he didn't ramble for too long, succinctly summarizing the situation for Xu Yuan and the others in just a few minutes.
"From now on, Shen Yi will serve as your mentor and guide your cultivation. Of course, this is not mandatory—you can cultivate according to your own preferences. If you encounter any issues, consult her. Every six months, the academy will evaluate you. If you fail to meet the requirements, you'll be demoted to the Outer Court. You'll only be able to return to the Inner Court once you meet the conditions for promotion. Understood?"
"Yes, Elder Cai, rest assured—we won't slack off," Xu Yuan replied.
Xu Lizhi and Ye Xinglan nodded in agreement.
"Good. Shen Yi, take them to their rooms—one room each," Elder Cai instructed.
"Yes."
"During these three days, focus entirely on your cultivation. Take some time to reflect on your future paths," Elder Cai added as a final reminder to the three.
---
Xu Yuan entered a room, sat cross-legged at its center, and thought to himself, 'If I'm not mistaken, entering the Sea God Pavilion grants the opportunity for deep meditation, right?'
This was an opportunity from the era of 'The Unrivaled Tang Sect', but by the time of 'Legend Of The Dragon King', it seemed to have changed somewhat. There might no longer be opportunities for deep meditation, but it should still provide guidance for martial soul cultivation.
"Perfect. I can use these three days to experiment with developing the two forms of the Tianyuan Brush and Tianyuan Spear and explore the moment to separate the two forms."
Xu Yuan's mind stirred, and he made a decision.
He knew the risks of splitting a martial soul—one wrong move could damage the soul, potentially affecting future cultivation.
Perhaps waiting until after reaching the seventh ring would be safer, but when would that even be? If he couldn't establish an advantage early on, given the current state of the soul master world, would he even have a chance?
Moreover, the earlier he separated the forms, the easier it might be for him.
"My martial soul is ultimately a fusion of my father's and mother's martial souls. My father's spear remained within my mother's brush in a unique way."
"While there aren't many shared spirit souls or soul rings yet, separation is still possible. If I wait until later, when more spirit souls and soul rings are fused into both forms, separating them will only become more difficult."
"However, the premise of everything is safety."
Xu Yuan closed his eyes and entered a meditative state.
In his meditation space.
His consciousness emerged, observing the constantly floating Tianyuan Brush. He attempted to communicate with it.
The Tianyuan Brush transformed into the Tianyuan Spear, then back into the Tianyuan Brush.
The two forms continuously shifted. Xu Yuan felt the differences in soul power circulation between the two states and experienced the distinct sensations of each form.
Gradually, his mind became immersed in comprehending this transformation.
Instinctively, Xu Yuan integrated the devouring-related pathways he had summarized over the past ten days into his Great Devouring Heaven and Earth Technique, beginning to circulate it.
The five elemental forces merged with devouring energy, linking his internal organs and mobilizing all the blood and qi in his body.
Within the meditation space.
The Five-Element Spear Spirit appeared, merging into the Tianyuan Spear. Then the martial soul switched to the Tianyuan Brush form.
The five elemental forces erupted, pulling the Five-Element Spear Spirit along with a faint devouring force, slowly drawing out the shadow of the Five-Element Spear Spirit. The shadow of the Tianyuan Spear gradually manifested within the Five-Element Spear Spirit.
Bam!
Everything shattered. Xu Yuan opened his eyes, his gaze dazed.
------------------------------------------------------
Support my writing journey: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow