Time flew by, and in the blink of an eye, several months had passed.
Inside Shrek Academy's Sea God Pavilion, all was quiet, with only the occasional bird calls from outside the window and the faint sound of turning pages interweaving.
Ya Li sat alone on the main seat in the council hall, with thick files piled up before her.
She rubbed her brow, a hint of fatigue flashing in her eyes.
Ever since Na'er and Fang Yang had gone to the Sun Moon Federation headquarters to handle important affairs, the heavy burden of the entire Shrek Academy had fallen on her shoulders.
Daily affairs of the Sea God Pavilion, teaching arrangements for the inner and outer academies, liaising with various powers... all these matters often kept her incredibly busy.
"Sigh, that child Na'er..."
Ya Li sighed softly, her gaze turning to the window.
The surface of Sea God Lake shimmered, and the ancient Golden Tree on the shore shone brilliantly under the sun, as tranquil and beautiful as ever.
It's just that in this tranquility, one always felt that something was missing, an emptiness.
Just as she was lost in thought, a familiar aura suddenly appeared within her perception.
Ya Li shot to her feet, not even noticing as the files on her desk slid to the floor.
First, disbelief filled her eyes, which were then immediately flooded with immense joy.
"Brother Ming!"
She almost teleported, appearing outside the Sea God Pavilion, her skirt fluttering in the wind as she ran towards the ancient Golden Tree.
Sunlight filtered through the lush branches and leaves, casting mottled shadows.
Under the majestic ancient Golden Tree by the lake, a tall, straight figure stood quietly.
Yun Ming was standing right there, a smile on his face as he looked at her.
Ya Li's steps gradually slowed, as if afraid this was all just an illusory dream.
It wasn't until Yun Ming opened his arms that she finally believed it wasn't an illusion.
"Ya Li, I'm back."
Yun Ming's voice was as gentle as ever, yet held a bit more depth than before.
Without any further hesitation, Ya Li threw herself into that embrace she had waited for for so long.
Her cheek pressed against the familiar fabric of his chest. Feeling the firm, warm touch and his strong heartbeat, her eyes instantly reddened.
"Brother Ming..." Ya Li's voice choked with sobs, "I really... missed you so much."
Yun Ming tightened his arms, holding Ya Li tightly in his embrace, his chin resting gently on the top of her head.
His voice was low and gentle, "I missed you too..."
Ya Li looked up from his embrace, tears glistening in her eyes, "Where have you been all this time?"
Yun Ming raised a hand, gently wiping away the moisture from the corner of her eye.
He looked towards the vast, azure sky, his gaze profound: "I went to complete... a mission that had to be completed."
Yun Ming's words carried a hint of gravity, which then turned into gentleness, "I'll tell you the details slowly later on."
"Now."
He gently caressed her cheek, "I just want to look at you properly."
Ya Li didn't ask any further. She just buried her face deeper into his chest, absorbing that reassuring presence, and murmured softly, "Brother Ming, it's enough that you're back."
Yun Ming looked down at her slightly trembling shoulders in his arms, and a boundless sense of pity and guilt surged in his heart.
He made a solemn promise: "From today on, I won't leave again. I will stay with you, always and forever."
A gentle breeze blew past, and the lush leaves of the Golden Tree rustled, as if playing a soft melody for this long-awaited reunion.
The surface of the lake rippled, reflecting the sky and clouds, beautiful like a dreamscape.
The years were serene and beautiful; nothing was more perfect than this.
Shrek Academy had finally welcomed back its pillar of support.
"Ahem... cough cough..."
A somewhat deliberate, light cough came from nearby.
Yun Ming followed the sound and looked over.
He saw Wu Zhangkong standing not far away with Tang Wulin and the others. Wu Zhangkong stepped forward, bowed respectfully, his voice trembling slightly with excitement: "Pavilion Master, you... you're back!"
Tang Wulin and the others also bowed one after another, their eyes full of reverence.
The resurrection and return of the Heaven-Securing Douluo was of extraordinary significance for the entire Shrek Academy.
Yun Ming's gaze swept over these vibrant, youthful faces, the smile in his eyes deepening as he nodded gently: "Yes, I'm back."
He looked at Wu Zhangkong, his gaze filled with relief: "Zhangkong, you've all had a hard time holding down the fort these past months."
"This was merely my duty." Wu Zhangkong said hastily, his voice still trembling slightly.
Ya Li gently pulled away from Yun Ming's embrace, a faint blush on her face, but she quickly regained her usual composure.
She looked at Yun Ming, her eyes still full of tenderness, but now with the steadiness befitting a Pavilion Master.
"Alright, I know what you all want to ask."
Yun Ming's gaze swept over the expectant eyes of Wu Zhangkong and the others, and he smiled slightly, "Go find Fang Yang. He will tell you everything you want to know."
"Thank you, Pavilion Master."
Wu Zhangkong bowed solemnly, and the next moment, he transformed into a streak of light and departed instantly.
"Teacher Wu, you... wait for us!"
Tang Wulin and the others shouted hurriedly, rushing to follow.
Yun Ming gently took Ya Li's hand, his gaze tender: "You've suffered these past days."
"As long as you returned safely, it was all worth it." Ya Li shook her head, a blissful smile on her face.
The two looked at each other and smiled, then walked shoulder-to-shoulder towards the Sea God Pavilion. The sunlight stretched their shadows long, intertwining them into a warm, beautiful scene.
...
Spirit Pagoda Headquarters, top floor of the Heavenly Spirit Pagoda.
Leng Yuzhu looked at Leng Yaozhu across from her, speaking softly in a complex tone: "Older sister, long time no see."
"Litle sis... you're finally willing to see me." Leng Yaozhu looked at her sister, a flicker of complexity in her eyes.
Leng Yuzhu sighed softly, "It's time to clear some things up."
"After all, we are sisters."
The sisters' gazes met in the air, and the years of estrangement between them began to quietly dissolve.
In another room, Su Tao was listlessly fiddling with a soul tool in his hand.
Exquisite metal parts spun at his fingertips, making faint clicking sounds.
"Liu Yang, I want to go back to Aolai City..."
he suddenly said, his voice tinged with nostalgia, "It's nice here, but in the end, it's not Aolai City."
Liu Yang looked up and raised an eyebrow: "Then let's go."
"Huh?"
Su Tao clearly hadn't expected him to agree so readily, and the soul tool parts in his hand nearly slipped.
"Huh, what. Are we going or not."
Liu Yang stood up, straightening his robes, "Besides, Wang Tianyun went back to East Sea City to study spirit soul technology long ago, and the Demon Emperor returned to the sea to be with his daughter."
He walked to the window, looking at the sprawling buildings in the distance: "There's no point in us staying here anyway."
Su Tao was stunned for a moment, then a joyful smile appeared on his face: "Okay, back to Aolai City."
...
Mingdu, top-floor office of the Federal Parliament Building.
Xu Jinghuang looked out at the bustling cityscape and let out a long sigh.
Every day, he had to deal with a mountain of official duties, busy from morning till night, barely even having a moment to breathe.
"Why? Why do I still have to work..."
he muttered to himself, his tone full of helplessness.
------------------------------------------------------
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)