The Golden Tree stood silently at the heart of Shrek Academy.
Even after fifteen thousand years, its presence still dominated the land like a living monument to the academy's history. Its massive trunk rose toward the sky like a pillar of gold, while branches spread outward like an enormous canopy that sheltered the inner grounds beneath a sea of shimmering leaves.
Every leaf reflected light in a different way.
Some glowed faintly with golden radiance.
Others shimmered like tiny mirrors reflecting the sky.
And beneath it all, a vast ocean of life energy flowed quietly through the roots of the tree, spreading throughout the academy grounds like invisible veins.
Anyone cultivating beneath the Golden Tree could feel it.
The pure vitality.
The dense spiritual energy.
The subtle rhythm of life itself.
For most cultivators, cultivating here even once was an unimaginable opportunity.
For Lin Huang's group—
It became something even more extraordinary.
At the base of the Golden Tree, dozens of massive roots twisted across the ground like ancient dragons sleeping beneath the earth. Some of them formed natural platforms large enough for multiple people to sit comfortably.
Lin Huang and the others had already spread out across these roots.
Some sat cross-legged.
Others leaned quietly against the tree.
And the moment they began cultivating, the difference between this place and anywhere else became obvious.
Spiritual energy flowed like water.
Gentle.
Endless.
Pure.
Near one of the larger roots, Huo Yuhao sat quietly with his legs crossed, his eyes closed as he attempted to follow the breathing technique Lin Huang had shown him earlier.
After several minutes, he opened one eye slightly.
"…Mother."
Huo Yun'er sat beside him.
"Yes?"
Yuhao hesitated.
"…Is it supposed to feel like this?"
"What do you mean?"
He frowned slightly.
"It feels like the air is… heavier."
Huo Yun'er smiled softly.
"That means the spiritual energy here is denser."
She gently placed a hand on his shoulder.
"Just breathe slowly."
Yuhao nodded and closed his eyes again.
Not far from them, Tang Ya sat beneath one of the thicker branches of the Golden Tree.
The moment she began cultivating, her Blue Silver Emperor martial soul reacted almost immediately.
Thin strands of blue-silver vines quietly emerged from the ground around her, spreading across the roots of the tree like living threads.
But this time, there was no aggression in them.
Only resonance.
The plants around the Golden Tree responded gently to her presence.
Tang Ya opened her eyes slightly, surprised.
"…So this is what true vitality feels like."
A few meters away, Bi Ji had also noticed the same phenomenon.
Her emerald eyes observed the subtle flow of life energy moving through the ground beneath the Golden Tree.
"Interesting…"
She murmured quietly.
"The vitality here is extremely pure."
Even for someone like her—who had lived for hundreds of thousands of years—the energy around the Golden Tree felt unusually refined.
Nearby, Xue Di sat calmly with her hands resting on her knees.
Unlike the others, her cultivation method focused primarily on spiritual purity.
After several moments, she opened her eyes slowly.
"The energy here is very stable."
Her voice was calm.
"No fluctuations."
Bingdi snorted quietly beside her.
"Well, it should be. This place has been accumulating energy for thousands of years."
Further away, Zi Ji leaned against one of the massive roots with her arms crossed.
Her eyes remained closed as she cultivated quietly, absorbing the dense spiritual energy around her.
Even for someone who had already reached the threshold of a Limit Douluo and Demigod, the Golden Tree still offered benefits.
Not because the energy was stronger—
But because it was cleaner.
More stable.
More refined.
And that made it perfect for deep cultivation.
At the center of the group sat Lin Huang.
Unlike the others, his cultivation method did not rely on absorbing spiritual energy alone.
Instead, his consciousness moved through multiple layers of perception simultaneously.
Soul power circulated through his meridians.
Qi and Blood flowed through his body like a raging river.
And deeper still—
His mind observed the world itself.
With the assistance of Daevic Insight, the spiritual energy around the Golden Tree revealed itself in ways ordinary cultivators could never perceive.
Streams of life energy flowed through the roots beneath him.
Threads of natural law intertwined within the environment.
And above it all, the Golden Tree pulsed slowly like a beating heart.
Lin Huang's breathing remained steady.
But inside his mind, countless concepts began aligning.
Water.
Fire.
Earth.
Wind.
Light.
Darkness.
Lightning.
Space.
Creation.
Destruction.
Soul.
Physical law.
Domination.
Life.
Sun.
Yin.
Yang.
Moon.
Each of them existed as fragments of understanding within his consciousness.
Not fully mastered.
But present.
Connected.
Through his cultivation technique and the resonance with his partners, these elemental affinities had gradually become part of his perception of the world.
Even the draconic essence inherited from the Silver Dragon King and the Kitsune essence connected to Tushan Honghong had become part of his evolving understanding.
None of these forces existed independently.
They intertwined like threads in a tapestry.
And Lin Huang's path was slowly weaving them together.
Several meters away, Mu En observed everything quietly from beneath the shade of the Golden Tree.
The old man leaned back in his chair, his eyes half closed.
At first glance, he looked like he was simply resting.
But his spiritual perception was carefully watching the group.
After a few minutes, he chuckled softly.
"…Interesting."
Cai Mei'er, who stood nearby, glanced toward him.
"What is it?"
Mu En slowly opened one eye.
"That young man."
His gaze rested on Lin Huang.
"His presence has changed again."
Cai Mei'er followed his gaze.
Even without sensing deeply, she could tell that Lin Huang's aura had become far more stable than before.
Almost as if multiple forces inside him had reached a new balance.
Mu En smiled faintly.
"…Let's see what happens."
The Golden Tree above them rustled gently as the wind moved through its leaves.
And beneath its ancient branches—
The first day of cultivation had only just begun.
The first day beneath the Golden Tree passed quietly.
No sudden breakthroughs.
No violent surges of power.
Only cultivation.
Pure, uninterrupted cultivation beneath one of the most ancient spiritual anchors on the continent.
Above them, the golden leaves of the tree swayed gently in the wind.
Each movement released faint strands of life energy into the air.
The spiritual energy here was not merely dense.
It was balanced.
Stable.
Harmonious.
For high-level cultivators, that stability was far more valuable than raw quantity.
By the end of the first day, subtle changes had already begun.
Day Two
The second day passed in silence.
Most of the group had already entered deep meditation.
Only a few remained partially aware of the outside world.
Among them was Lin Huang.
His breathing remained steady as multiple cultivation systems inside his body circulated simultaneously.
Soul Power flowed through his meridians.
Qi and Blood surged through his body like a living furnace.
Meanwhile, his spiritual perception expanded outward.
Inside his mind, the structure of the Sovereign Armament was undergoing its final transformation.
Originally, the armament had been formed by three converging forces.
Kokusen.
Touki.
Longwei.
Three different manifestations of dominance and martial will.
But now a fourth force had begun integrating into the structure.
Spear Intent.
At first, the four forces resisted one another.
Intent was not simply power.
It was understanding.
Direction.
The expression of a cultivator's will.
But under Lin Huang's control, the four forces slowly began aligning.
Kokusen represented overwhelming impact.
Touki represented unyielding battle spirit.
Longwei carried the authority of draconic supremacy.
And Spear Intent—
It represented the path of piercing forward without hesitation.
Inside his spiritual sea, the four forces rotated slowly around one another.
Then—
They synchronized.
The fusion completed itself naturally.
Kokusen.
Touki.
Longwei.
Spear Intent.
Together they formed the complete structure of the Sovereign Armament.
Lin Huang exhaled slowly.
His armament no longer felt like a technique.
It felt like an extension of his will.
Day Three
While Lin Huang refined his power, the others also began experiencing changes.
At first, those changes appeared as faint fluctuations in aura.
But gradually, deeper transformations emerged.
Most of them shared one common origin.
Weapon Intent.
For cultivators who had trained their weapons to a high level, their understanding of combat had gradually evolved into intent.
But beneath the Golden Tree, those intentions began evolving further.
They began merging with the cultivators' elemental laws and domains.
Wu Feng
A heavy crimson aura surrounded her body.
Her weapon was technically a sword.
But the way she wielded it resembled a heavy greatblade.
Her Sword Intent had always been aggressive.
Direct.
Overwhelming.
Now, under the influence of the Golden Tree, that intent began merging with her Draconic Fire.
The flames around her grew deeper.
More condensed.
Her intent no longer existed separately.
It had fused into her power itself.
The beginning of a Domain Expansion.
Meng Hongchen
Cold mist surrounded her body.
In her hands rested a long staff.
Her cultivation path resembled that of a mage.
Her Staff Intent was not violent.
It focused on control.
Precision.
The Law of Ice slowly merged with that intent.
The frost around her became structured.
Ordered.
The foundation of an expanding Ice Domain.
Xu Tianzhen
Golden sunlight gathered quietly around her.
Her bow rested across her knees.
The moment her aura stabilized, her Bow Intent began merging with her perception of the Law of the Sun.
Unlike flames, her power radiated warmth and brilliance.
Solar energy condensed around her body like a miniature sunrise.
Zhang Lexuan
Moonlight drifted gently around her figure.
In the past, her weapon had always been dual swords.
Now her Sword Intent slowly merged with two different laws.
Light.
Moon.
The two forces intertwined naturally.
Soft radiance gathered around her.
The beginning of a Lunar Radiance Domain.
Jiang Nannan
Small distortions appeared around her body.
Her weapon was a pair of daggers.
Her Dagger Intent focused on precision.
Speed.
Lethality.
Now it began merging with three different laws.
Space.
Wind.
Lightning.
Small spatial distortions flickered around her.
The first signs of a Spatial Lightning Domain.
Long Xiaoyi
His spear rested beside him.
His aura was deep and steady.
His Spear Intent merged naturally with the Law of Earth.
Gravity fluctuations appeared faintly around him.
Stone fragments on the ground trembled slightly.
Qiu'er
Golden flames flickered around her body.
Her Spear Intent resonated strongly with her natural power.
Light.
Fire.
Soul.
The three laws intertwined around her spiritual sea.
Her aura grew sharper.
More radiant.
Ma Xiaotao
Crimson flames surrounded her.
Her Spear Intent merged with the raging fire of the phoenix.
The flames became more stable.
Less chaotic.
More controlled.
Ning Tian
Unlike the others, her cultivation path did not revolve around weapons.
The Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda floated faintly behind her.
Her power focused on support.
Amplification.
Structure.
Instead of weapon intent, her cultivation deepened her understanding of spiritual amplification laws.
Her permanent buffs quietly improved.
Ye Guyi
Not far away, Ye Guyi cultivated silently.
Her martial soul—Angel—manifested faintly behind her.
In her hands rested a slender sword of light.
Her cultivation time with the group had been shorter.
Her weapon intent had not yet fused with her laws.
But it had advanced significantly.
Her Sword Intent condensed deeper within her spiritual sea.
The stage known as—
Sword Heart.
She was already close to the next step.
The Sword Soul.
Day Five
By the fifth day, the atmosphere beneath the Golden Tree had begun changing.
Spiritual energy gathered more densely than before.
Not because the tree had changed—
But because the cultivators beneath it had begun synchronizing with its rhythm.
At the center of it all sat Lin Huang.
Through Daevic Insight, the world appeared layered with countless threads of law.
Most cultivators could only perceive one or two.
Lin Huang perceived dozens.
Water.
Fire.
Earth.
Wind.
Light.
Darkness.
Space.
Creation.
Destruction.
Soul.
Physical law.
Lightning.
Domination.
Life.
Sun.
Yang.
Yin.
Moon.
Each law existed like a thread woven into the structure of the world.
Among them, one stood out more clearly than the others.
Domination.
The law closest to his path.
Not the strongest.
But the most aligned with his will.
Lin Huang did not grasp it fully.
He simply observed.
Understanding would come naturally.
Day Eight
The moment arrived quietly.
Without warning.
The Golden Tree suddenly reacted.
Leaves trembled across its branches.
Ancient roots pulsed with golden light.
Life energy gathered beneath the tree like a rising tide.
Cai Mei'er looked up in surprise.
"The tree…?"
Mu En remained silent.
His gaze had already locked onto one person.
Lin Huang.
Golden leaves began drifting down from the branches above.
One.
Then another.
Then dozens.
They fell slowly around Lin Huang like fragments of sunlight.
And in that moment—
His consciousness slipped deeper.
Far beyond the Golden Tree.
Far beyond ordinary cultivation.
The Divine Trial had begun.
The moment Lin Huang's consciousness sank deeper, the world around him disappeared.
The rustling leaves of the Golden Tree.
The faint breathing of the cultivators around him.
The quiet spiritual rhythm of Shrek Academy.
All of it faded into silence.
What replaced it was something far more profound.
Darkness.
Not the oppressive kind.
But the kind that existed before the birth of light itself.
Lin Huang remained calm.
His consciousness floated within that endless void, neither resisting nor seeking control.
Moments passed.
Or perhaps centuries.
Time had no meaning here.
Then—
A faint glow appeared.
Soft.
Emerald.
Like the first sprout emerging from barren soil.
The light slowly expanded, forming countless threads of life energy that spread through the void like roots reaching through invisible earth.
Lin Huang observed quietly.
He did not attempt to interact with it.
He simply watched.
The threads continued expanding.
They intertwined with one another, forming rivers of vitality that pulsed with quiet power.
Within those rivers flowed the essence of life itself.
Birth.
Growth.
Decay.
Rebirth.
A cycle older than any civilization.
Then a presence appeared.
Not a body.
Not a face.
Just a consciousness vast enough to encompass the entire sea of life energy.
Its voice was gentle.
Yet carried a weight older than the continent itself.
"You perceive more than most."
Lin Huang did not answer immediately.
Instead, he observed the presence carefully.
It did not feel hostile.
Nor did it feel distant.
It felt…
Natural.
Like a forest observing the wind passing through its branches.
Finally, Lin Huang spoke calmly.
"You are not the tree."
The presence responded without hesitation.
"The Golden Tree is only a vessel."
The emerald light around them pulsed softly.
"A channel through which this world may be reached."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
That matched what he had sensed earlier.
The Golden Tree carried immense life energy, but it lacked will.
This presence was something else entirely.
"You carry many paths," the voice continued.
The emerald sea shifted.
Threads of different laws began appearing around Lin Huang.
Water.
Fire.
Earth.
Wind.
Light.
Darkness.
Lightning.
Space.
Creation.
Destruction.
Soul.
Physical law.
Domination.
Life.
Sun.
Yin.
Yang.
Moon.
Each law appeared like a star within the void.
The presence observed them calmly.
"Few walk so many roads without losing themselves."
Lin Huang remained silent.
The voice continued.
"But among them…"
The emerald light focused on one particular thread.
Life.
"…this path may yet grow."
Lin Huang finally spoke again.
"You wish to test it."
The presence responded immediately.
"Yes."
The emerald sea shifted once more.
Countless threads of life energy gathered together.
Then a symbol formed.
A simple mark.
Like the outline of a growing tree.
It floated slowly toward Lin Huang's consciousness.
"The path of life does not belong to the strong."
"It belongs to those who can nurture."
The symbol stopped in front of him.
Then merged with his spiritual sea.
A faint emerald rune appeared deep within his consciousness.
"The Divine Trial of Life has begun."
The voice echoed through the void.
"The Golden Tree will serve as the bridge."
"You may walk the path."
"But inheritance…"
The emerald light pulsed softly.
"…must be earned."
Lin Huang felt a stream of information appear within his mind.
The first examination.
Clear.
Simple.
Yet profound.
First Divine Trial
Create a method capable of nurturing life energy.
Not simply controlling it.
Not stealing it.
Not manipulating it.
But nurturing it.
A system that could allow life itself to grow stronger.
Lin Huang remained silent for several moments.
Then he nodded once.
"…Understood."
The emerald presence seemed almost pleased.
"You have already begun."
The light around them slowly dimmed.
The endless sea of vitality faded.
The final words echoed quietly through the void.
"We will observe."
Then everything disappeared.
Lin Huang's consciousness returned to the world beneath the Golden Tree.
Golden leaves still drifted gently through the air.
The spiritual energy around him remained calm.
But something inside him had changed.
Deep within his spiritual sea, the emerald rune pulsed quietly.
The mark of the First Divine Trial.
Not far away, Mu En slowly opened his eyes.
He had felt the change.
The old man watched Lin Huang carefully.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Finally, Mu En asked calmly,
"…Did something interesting happen?"
Lin Huang opened his eyes.
His gaze moved briefly toward the massive Golden Tree above them.
Then he replied simply,
"The Golden Tree is remarkable."
Mu En studied him for a moment longer.
Then a faint smile appeared on the old man's face.
"…Indeed it is."
Neither of them said anything else.
But both understood one thing.
Something significant had just begun.
The first change came quietly.
It was the eighth day beneath the Golden Tree.
No one noticed it immediately.
The spiritual energy around Shrek had always been dense near the tree, but now it seemed to move with a slightly different rhythm.
More ordered.
More harmonious.
At the center of the phenomenon sat Lin Huang.
His breathing was calm, his posture unmoving.
But inside his body, several cultivation systems moved simultaneously.
Soul Power flowed through his meridians.
Qi and Blood surged like a living furnace.
Meanwhile, deep within his spiritual sea, the emerald rune left behind by the Divine Trial pulsed faintly.
Lin Huang did not attempt to solve the trial immediately.
Instead, he focused on cultivation.
Understanding would come naturally.
Day Nine
By the ninth day, the first major breakthrough occurred.
Lin Huang's aura shifted slightly.
The spiritual pressure around him rose.
Then stabilized again.
Rank 74.
The advancement came smoothly, without turbulence.
The Golden Tree's balanced spiritual energy allowed his cultivation to progress naturally.
But that was not the only change.
Inside his body, the circulation of Qi and Blood suddenly accelerated.
The violent current of vitality condensed inside his body.
Then—
A new ring formed within his internal Qi and Blood system.
The Seventh Qi and Blood Ring.
Unlike soul rings, it did not appear outside his body.
It existed within the internal circulation of his vitality.
The structure stabilized quickly.
Lin Huang exhaled slowly.
Another step forward.
Day Ten
On the tenth day, another system evolved.
Inside Lin Huang's spiritual sea, his mental power condensed.
His perception sharpened.
Thoughts became clearer.
Deeper.
Then—
A faint ring appeared within the spiritual space of his mind.
The First Psychic Ring.
A new system of power.
Not related to soul rings.
Not related to Qi and Blood.
But purely mental.
Lin Huang did not activate it yet.
The abilities would take time to understand.
Day Eleven
Nearby, Qiu'er opened her eyes briefly.
Her aura had grown noticeably stronger.
The golden energy surrounding her body became sharper.
Inside her spiritual sea, three rotating cores of soul power moved in perfect synchronization.
Her third Soul Core had stabilized.
Her cultivation advanced as well.
Rank 72.
She glanced briefly toward Lin Huang before closing her eyes again.
Day Twelve
Elsewhere, Zhang Lexuan's aura deepened.
Moonlight and radiance intertwined around her.
Inside her spiritual sea, her third Soul Core stabilized.
Light and Moon laws resonated gently with one another.
Her domain expanded slightly.
Not violently.
But with quiet elegance.
Day Thirteen
The same day brought changes to others.
Meng Hongchen's frost grew colder.
Wu Feng's flames grew denser.
Xu Tianzhen's solar aura became brighter.
Across the roots of the Golden Tree, the group continued evolving.
Day Fourteen
Meanwhile, deeper changes occurred among the spirit beasts.
Zi Ji's cultivation had reached an astonishing level long ago.
But now she followed Lin Huang's idea.
Instead of compressing her power further—
She reorganized it.
Deep within her body, a fourth Soul Core formed within her heart.
The moment it stabilized, her circulation of soul power became far more efficient.
Nearby, Bi Ji followed the same concept.
Her own fourth Soul Core formed shortly after.
Xue Di's third core stabilized soon after.
Bingdi successfully condensed her second core.
Even Lie Yang, Di Long, Qi Luo and Mo Yu followed the same principle.
Each formed their second Soul Core based on their understanding of laws.
Day Fifteen
By the fifteenth day, the Golden Tree had grown unusually quiet.
Not because its energy had weakened.
But because the cultivators beneath it had begun synchronizing with its rhythm.
Lin Huang opened his eyes slowly.
The fifteen days had passed.
And the transformation of the group had only just begun.
By the fifteenth day beneath the Golden Tree, the quiet transformations that had begun earlier were reaching their natural conclusion.
None of the breakthroughs happened suddenly.
They had been building slowly over the previous days, forming piece by piece as each cultivator refined their understanding of power.
Now those changes were stabilizing.
The first to complete the process were the ones whose breakthroughs had begun earlier.
Zi Ji
Deep within her body, the fourth Soul Core that had begun forming several days earlier finally stabilized.
Unlike her previous cores, this one resided directly within her heart.
The moment it finished forming, the circulation of soul power throughout her body changed completely.
Energy no longer moved only through meridians.
It moved through multiple rotational centers.
Four cores now rotated in harmony.
Soul power flowed faster.
Smoother.
More efficiently.
Zi Ji slowly opened her eyes.
A faint draconic pressure spread outward for a brief moment before she suppressed it again.
Even without releasing her aura intentionally, the difference in her presence was obvious.
Bi Ji
Not far away, Bi Ji's breakthrough completed shortly after.
Her fourth Soul Core had begun forming soon after Zi Ji's, following the method Lin Huang had explained earlier.
Unlike Zi Ji's violent draconic power, Bi Ji's new core radiated gentle vitality.
Emerald light flickered faintly within her spiritual sea.
The moment the core stabilized, the life energy within her cultivation system circulated far more smoothly.
For someone whose abilities focused on healing and vitality, the improvement was enormous.
She glanced briefly toward Lin Huang.
The idea had been his.
Xue Di
The third Soul Core within Xue Di's spiritual sea rotated slowly.
Perfectly balanced.
Her control over spiritual power had always been exceptional, but the third core deepened that control even further.
Her aura became even calmer.
Sharper.
More precise.
Bingdi
Beside her, Bingdi's second Soul Core completed its stabilization as well.
Cold energy condensed around her body like frost spreading across invisible glass.
Unlike before, her power felt far more structured.
Less chaotic.
More controlled.
Lie Yang, Di Long, Qi Luo and Mo Yu
The four spirit beasts had followed the same concept Lin Huang had proposed earlier.
Rather than forcing compression through brute strength, they allowed their understanding of laws to guide the formation of their cores.
One by one, their second Soul Cores stabilized.
The process had taken longer.
But the results were far more stable than traditional methods.
Among the human cultivators, the changes continued.
Zhang Lexuan
Moonlight gathered softly around her.
Within her spiritual sea, three rotating cores of soul power now moved in perfect harmony.
Her third Soul Core had stabilized completely.
At the same time, the Laws of Light and Moon she had begun perceiving earlier intertwined more naturally.
Her domain expanded slightly.
Quiet.
Elegant.
Like moonlight spreading across still water.
Meng Hongchen
A faint frost covered the ground around her.
The third Soul Core within her spiritual sea stabilized slowly.
Her perception of the Law of Ice deepened further.
The cold surrounding her no longer spread randomly.
It moved with deliberate structure.
Xiao Hongchen
His breakthrough completed soon after.
The third Soul Core within his spiritual sea rotated steadily.
His soul power circulation stabilized quickly.
Ji Juechen
Ji Juechen's third Soul Core was slightly different.
It had been shaped not by elemental law—
But by Sword Intent.
Within his spiritual sea, the core rotated like a slowly turning blade.
As it stabilized, his understanding of the sword deepened further.
For the first time, he could faintly perceive something beyond pure intent.
The early signs of sword law.
Jiang Nannan
Subtle distortions flickered around her body.
Space bent slightly.
Wind moved quietly.
Small sparks of lightning appeared and vanished.
Her third Soul Core stabilized gradually.
Inside it, the three laws she had begun perceiving intertwined naturally.
Space.
Wind.
Lightning.
Ye Guyi
Her breakthrough was slower than the others.
But steady.
The first Soul Core within her spiritual sea finished forming near the end of the fifteenth day.
Her cultivation rose naturally as the core stabilized.
Her aura brightened slightly.
Rank 55.
Behind her, the faint silhouette of her Angel martial soul appeared briefly.
At the same time, her perception of several laws deepened.
Light.
Fire.
And the Law of the Sun.
Meanwhile, within her spiritual sea, her Sword Intent condensed further.
The stage known as Sword Heart had stabilized completely.
Only a small step remained before reaching the next stage.
Across the roots of the Golden Tree, the group remained in quiet meditation.
Even those who had not formed new cores experienced gradual improvements.
Ma Xiaotao's phoenix flames grew calmer and more refined.
Wu Feng's draconic fire condensed more deeply.
Xu Tianzhen's solar aura radiated with greater stability.
Ning Tian's Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda floated faintly behind her as her amplification abilities deepened further.
At the center of it all, Lin Huang remained still.
He observed the results calmly.
One by one, the members of the group had completed the process that had begun days earlier.
The Yin–Yang Soul Core system he had proposed was no longer a theory.
Now it was real.
Multiple cores rotating in harmony.
Better circulation.
Greater stability.
A cultivation system that could continue evolving far beyond traditional limits.
When the fifteenth day reached its final hours, the Golden Tree grew unusually still.
The wind had quieted.
Even the leaves above seemed to move more slowly, as if the ancient tree itself were listening to the changes unfolding beneath its branches.
Across the massive roots where the group had been cultivating, the fluctuations of power were no longer chaotic.
Instead, they had become synchronized.
Soul power circulated through multiple Soul Cores.
Weapon intents had merged with elemental understanding.
Domains had begun expanding naturally.
And for the first time since the group had begun cultivating here, the laws of the world responded clearly.
Qiu'er
Golden light flickered faintly around her figure.
Her spear rested quietly beside her, but the power surrounding her had grown sharper.
Within her spiritual sea, the third Soul Core rotated steadily.
At the same time, three different laws resonated within her perception.
Light.
Fire.
Soul.
The three forces did not clash.
Instead, they reinforced one another.
Her spiritual power was especially strong, allowing her to perceive the Law of Soul more clearly than most cultivators.
The golden aura around her body stabilized gradually.
Ma Xiaotao
Crimson flames gathered around her shoulders.
But unlike before, those flames no longer burned violently.
They had become focused.
Controlled.
Within them flickered the concept of the Phoenix Flame Law.
Her spear intent had merged with those flames, forming the early shape of a domain centered around rebirth and destructive fire.
Wu Feng
Her aura felt heavier.
Denser.
Draconic flames spread quietly around her body.
The Law of Draconic Fire continued deepening within her perception, merging with the sword intent she had cultivated for years.
Her domain began expanding slowly.
Xu Tianzhen
Golden sunlight radiated faintly around her.
Her bow rested across her lap, but her aura now carried a unique warmth.
Her understanding of the Law of the Sun had deepened considerably.
Solar energy intertwined naturally with fire.
A rare fusion of elemental law.
Zhang Lexuan
Moonlight and radiance flowed quietly around her figure.
The Laws of Light and Moon had already begun intertwining earlier.
Now that understanding grew clearer.
Her sword intent merged naturally with those two laws, forming a domain that felt calm yet impossibly deep.
Jiang Nannan
Spatial distortions flickered around her body.
Wind moved quietly.
Lightning flashed faintly across invisible currents.
Her dagger intent had fused with the three laws she had begun perceiving.
Space.
Wind.
Lightning.
The combination created a strange but powerful domain.
Ye Guyi
Her Angel martial soul flickered behind her.
Golden radiance gathered around her figure as the Law of the Sun stabilized within her perception.
Her sword intent remained separate from her laws for now.
But her Sword Heart had stabilized completely.
The step toward Sword Soul was already approaching.
Meanwhile, the spirit beasts continued refining their power.
The newly formed Soul Cores circulated energy smoothly through their bodies.
The deeper their cores synchronized, the more stable the surrounding spiritual environment became.
And gradually—
Something unexpected happened.
The Golden Tree Responds
The Golden Tree reacted once more.
But this time, it was not responding to Lin Huang alone.
It was responding to all of them.
Dozens of Soul Cores rotating beneath its roots created a strange resonance.
The spiritual energy in the area began condensing.
Slowly.
Steadily.
The density of soul power beneath the Golden Tree increased.
Not violently.
But noticeably.
Even cultivators outside the immediate area began sensing it.
Several students cultivating nearby suddenly opened their eyes.
Among them were the young soul masters who had once trained with Lin Huang's group during the exchange period.
Han Ruoruo.
Wu Ming.
Ling Luochen.
Xi Xi.
Chen Zifeng.
Yao Haoxuan.
They had chosen to cultivate nearby after hearing that Lin Huang's group had been allowed beneath the Golden Tree.
At first, nothing unusual happened.
Then suddenly—
The spiritual energy around them surged.
Wu Ming's eyes widened.
"…What just happened?"
The soul power around them had grown far denser than before.
Ling Luochen immediately understood what had happened.
"…It's the Golden Tree."
No one else knew the real cause.
The resonance created by the dozens of newly stabilized Soul Cores beneath the tree had strengthened the spiritual environment itself.
For cultivators nearby, the effect was extraordinary.
One by one, the students sitting nearby experienced breakthroughs.
Wu Ming's aura rose sharply.
Xi Xi's cultivation advanced soon after.
Even Chen Zifeng and Yao Haoxuan felt their soul power increase rapidly.
Within a short time—
Several of them had advanced two levels of cultivation.
Not far away, Mu En slowly opened his eyes.
The old man had sensed the phenomenon from the beginning.
His gaze moved across the group sitting beneath the Golden Tree.
Then he chuckled softly.
"…Interesting."
The Golden Tree had stood here for thousands of years.
Yet today, its environment had changed in ways even he had not expected.
And at the center of it all sat Lin Huang.
The young man slowly opened his eyes.
Fifteen days of cultivation had passed.
His gaze moved briefly across the group around him.
Then toward Mu En.
A quiet understanding passed between them.
Lin Huang stood slowly.
His movement immediately drew the attention of the others nearby.
The cultivation session beneath the Golden Tree had ended.
But what had happened during those fifteen days would not be forgotten easily.
The quiet beneath the Golden Tree slowly faded as the cultivators one by one ended their meditation.
Some stretched their arms.
Others simply opened their eyes and observed the subtle changes around them.
The spiritual energy in the area still felt denser than before, but the overwhelming resonance created earlier had gradually settled back into a stable rhythm.
Lin Huang stood calmly beneath one of the massive roots of the Golden Tree.
His gaze moved across the group.
Everyone had gained something during these fifteen days.
Some had formed new Soul Cores.
Others had deepened their understanding of laws.
Even those who had not broken through had refined their foundations.
For cultivators of their level, fifteen days of such progress was extraordinary.
Yet Lin Huang remained calm.
This was only a step forward.
Not the destination.
Nearby, Mu En slowly rose from his reclining chair.
Even that small movement drew the attention of several people.
For years, the old man had rarely stood for long.
The injuries accumulated throughout his life had weakened his body significantly.
Yet now—
His posture looked slightly different.
Still old.
Still thin.
But steadier.
He walked a few steps toward Lin Huang.
Cai Mei'er and Xian Lin'er, who had been observing quietly from a distance, also approached.
The two women had watched the entire fifteen days with growing astonishment.
They had seen many geniuses in Shrek Academy.
But what they had witnessed beneath the Golden Tree was something else entirely.
Mu En stopped in front of Lin Huang.
For a moment, neither of them spoke.
Then the old man smiled faintly.
"…It seems these fifteen days were fruitful."
Lin Huang nodded calmly.
"The environment here is excellent."
Mu En chuckled softly.
"You always speak modestly."
He glanced briefly at the others around them.
The breakthroughs.
The formation of multiple Soul Cores.
The expansion of domains.
None of it could be explained simply by "good environment."
But Mu En did not press the matter.
Instead, Lin Huang raised his hand.
A small jade bottle appeared between his fingers.
The moment it appeared, several elders nearby instinctively felt the dense medicinal aura contained within it.
Lin Huang extended the bottle toward Mu En.
"This is for you."
Mu En raised an eyebrow.
"For me?"
Lin Huang nodded.
"You allowed us to cultivate beneath the Golden Tree."
He spoke simply.
"It is only fair."
Mu En accepted the jade bottle slowly.
The moment he opened it, a faint medicinal fragrance spread through the air.
Even Cai Mei'er and Xian Lin'er immediately recognized the quality of the pill inside.
Their eyes widened slightly.
"…Rank Eight."
Cai Mei'er spoke softly.
Mu En looked at the pill carefully.
Years of experience allowed him to immediately understand what kind of medicine this was.
Not something meant to increase cultivation.
But something far rarer.
A pill meant to restore foundations.
Lin Huang spoke calmly.
"It should repair the damage in your meridians."
Mu En did not speak immediately.
The injuries within his body had accumulated over decades.
Even Shrek had been unable to fully cure them.
Yet the pill in his hand radiated a vitality so refined that even he felt its effect immediately.
Without hesitation, Mu En placed the pill in his mouth.
The moment the medicinal energy spread through his body, his expression changed.
Warm vitality surged through his meridians.
The damaged pathways that had been weakened for years slowly repaired themselves.
The lingering damage left by the Dragon Pill dissolved completely.
Even the exhaustion deep within his bones began fading.
Mu En closed his eyes for a moment.
When he opened them again, the old man exhaled slowly.
"…Incredible."
Cai Mei'er and Xian Lin'er immediately felt the difference in his aura.
The weakness that had lingered around Mu En for years had vanished.
One of the elders who had arrived nearby stared in disbelief.
"…His injuries…"
Mu En flexed his fingers slightly.
His cultivation had not increased.
But his foundation had been restored.
For someone of his level, that was more valuable than any temporary breakthrough.
He looked at Lin Huang again.
"…You've given this old man quite a gift."
Lin Huang shook his head.
"You allowed us to use the Golden Tree."
Mu En laughed softly.
"Fair enough."
Then Lin Huang spoke again.
"There are two more."
He produced two additional jade bottles.
One he handed to Xian Lin'er.
The other to Cai Mei'er.
Both women froze briefly.
Lin Huang spoke calmly.
"These should help refine your attributes."
They exchanged glances before accepting the bottles.
When Xian Lin'er opened hers, a faint green flame flickered briefly above the pill.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"This…"
Lin Huang explained simply.
"It will refine your wind attribute."
"With the proper circulation method, it will evolve into Extreme Wind and Extreme Fire."
Xian Lin'er's expression changed immediately.
Such a transformation could reshape her entire cultivation path.
Meanwhile, Cai Mei'er opened her bottle.
The pill inside radiated a soft white glow.
But beneath that glow, another force could be sensed.
Something deeper.
Something related to spirit itself.
Lin Huang explained.
"It will refine your Light attribute to the extreme."
He paused briefly.
"And it will strengthen your affinity with the Law of Soul."
Cai Mei'er immediately understood what that meant.
Her spiritual cultivation had long been one of her greatest strengths.
If that affinity deepened further—
Even new laws could open before her.
Lin Huang continued calmly.
"It may also allow you to perceive Yin affinity."
Both women stared at him silently.
Such pills were not merely rare.
They were priceless.
Mu En laughed softly behind them.
"…You've been busy."
Lin Huang only shrugged slightly.
Around them, several elders who had gathered nearby exchanged stunned looks.
Within a single conversation, Lin Huang had just given away treasures capable of reshaping a cultivator's future.
Yet he acted as if it were the most natural thing in the world.
Mu En looked toward the Golden Tree once more.
Then back at Lin Huang.
"…If you continue like this, Shrek might end up owing you more than we can repay."
Lin Huang simply replied,
"I never intended to collect."