Morning arrived slowly over the Lin Clan territory.
Golden sunlight spread across the rooftops of Yuelan City, reflecting off spirit-engine towers and glass structures that had become symbols of the city's rapid rise.
The streets were already alive.
Merchants opened their shops.
Young cultivators trained in courtyards.
In the distance, several athletes were already practicing in the sports fields.
The territory felt vibrant.
Fortunate.
Alive.
Deep beneath the land, the Dragon Qi Luck Vein continued to circulate quietly.
Its invisible currents carried faint threads of destiny through the earth.
And above the Lin Clan residence—
a door finally opened.
Lin Huang stepped out.
He paused for a moment.
Then slowly stretched his arms upward.
Crack.
A faint series of pops echoed through his back as his muscles loosened.
Honghong, who had been resting lazily along the railing of a nearby balcony, opened one eye.
Her crimson gaze slowly moved toward him.
She stared silently for a few seconds.
Then her tail flicked once.
"…That dragon really didn't hold back."
Lin Huang ignored the comment.
But the evidence was difficult to hide.
Several faint marks were visible along his neck.
A few more along his collarbone.
Even his movements carried the slight stiffness of someone who had… clearly not spent the night sleeping.
Honghong yawned lazily.
"…You look exhausted."
Lin Huang rolled his shoulders slightly.
Another quiet crack echoed from his back.
"I'm fine."
Honghong snorted.
"…Sure you are."
Lin Huang didn't bother responding.
Instead he simply turned and walked toward the inner courtyard.
The morning air was cool.
Calm.
He headed straight toward the kitchen.
Honghong tilted her head slightly.
"…Where are you going?"
Lin Huang answered simply.
"To cook."
Honghong blinked.
"…You're cooking?"
Lin Huang nodded once.
"She needs recovery."
Honghong stared at him for a moment.
Then slowly began laughing.
"…Of course she does."
Inside the kitchen, Lin Huang moved with practiced efficiency.
Several spiritual ingredients appeared from his storage ring.
Spirit beast meat.
Rare herbs.
A few medicinal plants rich with vitality.
A faint flame appeared in his palm.
Controlled.
Precise.
Soon the aroma of food filled the room.
The meal was simple.
But extremely nourishing.
When it was finished, Lin Huang placed everything neatly on a tray.
Honghong watched from the window.
"…You're spoiling her."
Lin Huang picked up the tray.
"Maybe."
Then he walked back toward the room.
The door opened quietly.
The room was still dim.
Gu Yuena lay resting beneath the blankets.
Her silver hair spread loosely across the pillow.
The faint aura of draconic power around her was calmer than usual.
But still overwhelming.
She slowly opened her eyes as Lin Huang entered.
Her silver gaze immediately found him.
"You're awake."
Lin Huang placed the tray beside the bed.
"Eat first."
She looked at the food.
Then back at him.
A faint smile appeared.
"…You cooked."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
She sat up slowly.
The movement revealed faint red marks along her shoulder as well.
Gu Yuena glanced at the food again.
Then picked up the bowl calmly.
"…You didn't need to do this."
Lin Huang simply replied:
"You need to recover."
For a moment—
she said nothing.
Then she began eating quietly.
The atmosphere in the room was peaceful.
Unhurried.
Outside the window, the morning sun continued to rise over Yuelan City.
And somewhere beyond the walls of the residence—
several of the girls had already begun to notice something unusual.
Because when Lin Huang finally stepped out of the room again later that morning—
those marks on his neck
were still very visible.
The morning sun had climbed higher by the time Lin Huang left the residence again.
The courtyard outside was quiet.
Only the rustling leaves of the World Tree and the soft circulation of spiritual energy could be heard.
The influence of the Dragon Qi Luck Vein had grown more stable overnight.
The spiritual energy within the Secret Realm flowed smoothly, almost like a calm river.
Lin Huang walked toward one of the open cultivation platforms beneath the tree.
Honghong followed lazily, jumping from the balcony railing to his shoulder.
She studied him for a moment.
"…You're doing it now."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"Yes."
The soul ring granted by the divine trial had not yet been fully absorbed.
He had waited intentionally.
His body needed to stabilize first.
Especially after the cultivation with Gu Yuena the night before.
Honghong flicked one of her tails.
"…You're careful today."
Lin Huang simply stepped onto the platform.
Then he released his spiritual power.
A faint golden light appeared in front of him.
Slowly—
a soul ring materialized.
At first it looked weak.
Pale.
Almost fragile.
A white ring.
Honghong narrowed her eyes.
"…Starting from the beginning."
Lin Huang closed his eyes.
The absorption began.
Spiritual energy gathered around him as the ring slowly descended.
The moment it touched his body—
the color shifted.
White → Yellow
The pressure increased slightly.
A faint aura spread across the platform.
But the transformation did not stop.
The ring continued evolving.
Yellow → Purple
The spiritual pressure grew heavier.
The air vibrated faintly.
Honghong observed silently.
Then the ring changed again.
Purple → Black
Now the aura became oppressive.
The surrounding spiritual energy reacted instinctively.
But even that was not the end.
Moments later—
the ring deepened further.
Black → Red
A terrifying aura filled the courtyard.
Yet Lin Huang remained perfectly calm.
The energy continued rising.
The red light brightened.
Then slowly—
the color began changing once more.
The deep crimson gradually transformed.
A brilliant golden radiance emerged.
Finally—
the ring completed its evolution.
Red → Golden
A Divine Golden Soul Ring.
Honghong let out a low whistle.
"…Well."
"That's impressive."
Lin Huang opened his eyes.
But something unexpected happened.
Instead of his aura increasing—
it began to compress.
The spiritual pressure around him suddenly shrank.
Condensing inward.
Honghong's ears twitched.
"…What are you doing?"
Lin Huang's voice remained calm.
"Refining."
The golden ring merged with his second martial spirit.
At the same time—
the vast divine energy within his body began condensing.
Soul power compressed.
Layer after layer.
The aura surrounding him dropped.
Honghong immediately noticed.
"…Your rank."
Lin Huang nodded.
The compression continued.
The dense spiritual power folded inward like collapsing stars.
Finally—
the process stopped.
His soul power stabilized again.
Rank 79 → Rank 78
Honghong tilted her head.
"You just lost a level."
Lin Huang shook his head slightly.
"No."
"Compressed."
Inside his body—
the divine energy had changed form.
Instead of circulating like ordinary soul power—
it had condensed into fine golden mist.
The mist flowed through his meridians.
His bones.
His blood.
His muscles.
Every part of his body began storing energy.
Honghong watched carefully.
"…Your body is changing."
Lin Huang flexed his hand slightly.
Golden mist moved beneath his skin.
"The body should carry power too."
His physical cultivation had also advanced.
Thanks to the intense dual cultivation with Gu Yuena—
his body had grown stronger again.
Body Cultivation → Rank 9.5
Half a step away from Rank 10.
His spiritual cultivation had also improved.
His spiritual sea had grown deeper.
More stable.
He had stepped into a new boundary.
Half-Step Divine Spiritual Realm.
Honghong flicked her tail slowly.
"…So your entire body is becoming a cultivation vessel now."
Lin Huang nodded.
"That's the idea."
He stood there quietly for a moment.
Feeling the golden mist circulate within him.
The Divine Golden Soul Ring rotated slowly behind his back.
Its aura calm.
Yet ancient.
Honghong stretched lazily.
"…You're getting harder to understand."
Lin Huang simply looked toward the distant mountains beyond the Secret Realm.
Because the next step—
was not about his power anymore.
It was about everyone else's.
Several of the girls were already approaching Rank 70.
And once they reached it—
their evolution would begin.
Through contracts.
With ferocious beasts.
When Lin Huang returned to the residence—
the morning had already advanced.
The sunlight outside had grown brighter, illuminating the inner courtyard of the Lin Clan estate.
Inside the room, Gu Yuena had finished eating.
The bowl sat empty beside the bed.
Her silver hair cascaded loosely over her shoulders as she sat quietly near the window.
The calm draconic aura around her had stabilized considerably.
Lin Huang stepped inside.
Gu Yuena immediately noticed something different.
Her silver eyes narrowed slightly.
"…Your aura changed."
Lin Huang nodded.
"I absorbed the ring."
Gu Yuena studied him carefully.
The faint golden mist circulating beneath his skin did not escape her notice.
Nor did the Divine Golden Soul Ring rotating quietly behind him.
"…Divine refinement."
Lin Huang gave a small nod.
"Yes."
She didn't ask further.
Instead she simply accepted the result.
Then Lin Huang raised his hand.
Three items appeared from his storage ring.
The first was a small sapling.
Its leaves shimmered faintly with spiritual light.
But unlike the replicas given to the Lin Clan earlier—
this one carried a faint draconic resonance.
The surrounding air subtly vibrated with dragon aura.
Gu Yuena's eyes sharpened slightly.
"…A Sacred Enlightenment Tree."
Lin Huang nodded.
"A replica."
"But tuned for dragon bloodlines."
The sapling floated gently toward her.
Its aura resonated immediately with the draconic power within her body.
Even before touching it—
Gu Yuena could feel the effect.
Her comprehension of draconic laws became clearer.
Sharper.
More natural.
She took the sapling carefully.
Then looked back at him.
"You made this for me."
Lin Huang answered simply.
"Yes."
The second item appeared.
A jade bottle.
Inside it—
a single pill.
Golden.
But within the golden surface faint draconic patterns moved slowly like living runes.
Gu Yuena immediately recognized the essence inside.
Her eyes widened slightly.
"…Golden Dragon blood refinement."
Lin Huang nodded.
"This will refine the Golden Dragon King bloodline within you."
He continued calmly.
"It should bring the purity close to ninety-nine percent."
Gu Yuena remained silent for a moment.
Because she understood exactly what that meant.
Her advancement toward the Divine King realm would accelerate dramatically.
She looked at him again.
"…You prepared all this in advance."
Lin Huang didn't deny it.
The third item appeared.
A crystal.
Deep gold in color.
Inside the crystal—
faint fragments of draconic law flickered slowly.
A Dragon Law Crystal.
Gu Yuena's gaze softened slightly.
"…Law comprehension."
Lin Huang nodded.
"It will help stabilize your authority."
For a moment—
the room fell silent.
Gu Yuena looked at the three items.
Then at Lin Huang.
"…You really spoil me."
Lin Huang shrugged slightly.
"You deserve it."
Gu Yuena watched him for a few seconds longer.
Then a faint smile appeared.
Rare.
But genuine.
"…Very well."
She stood up slowly.
Her silver aura expanded faintly through the room.
The presence of the Silver Dragon King filled the air.
Then she spoke again.
"The ferocious beasts already know."
Lin Huang looked at her.
"Yes."
Gu Yuena crossed her arms lightly.
"They felt the Dragon Qi Luck Vein."
"They felt your divine aura."
"And they felt the rebirth of those spirit beasts."
She looked toward the distant forest beyond the residence.
"They're waiting."
Honghong, who had been lying lazily on the windowsill, flicked one of her tails.
"…Of course they are."
Lin Huang nodded calmly.
Gu Yuena continued.
"I'll act as the bridge."
Because among spirit beasts—
her authority was absolute.
She was still the Silver Dragon King.
Ruler of the soul beast race.
If she acknowledged Lin Huang's authority—
the ferocious beasts would listen.
Lin Huang simply said:
"Good."
Gu Yuena walked toward the door.
The silver aura around her slowly expanded.
Her presence spread across the Secret Realm.
Like a silent command.
Calling.
Summoning.
Somewhere deep within the forests—
ancient beings began to stir.
Because the Dragon King had spoken.
And the time for new contracts
had arrived.
Gu Yuena's aura spread across the Secret Realm like a silent command.
Silver light flowed through the forests.
Mountains.
Rivers.
Every corner of the expanding world.
It was not forceful.
It was recognition.
The authority of the Silver Dragon King.
Within moments—
several powerful presences began to move.
But unlike before—
there was no hostility.
No tension.
Only curiosity.
Because the person waiting beneath the World Tree was someone they already knew.
Lin Huang stood calmly in the clearing.
Honghong sat on his shoulder, her cerulean tails swaying lazily.
"…Feels familiar."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
After all—
he had spent a long time in the Great Star Dou Forest.
He had trained there.
Cultivated there.
Even endured two tribulation breakthroughs within its territory.
Those events had not gone unnoticed.
For the ferocious beasts—
such things earned respect.
The ground trembled faintly.
Vines slowly rose from the soil.
Ancient.
Massive.
A gigantic plant-like form emerged from the forest.
Wan Yao Wang
The Ten Thousand Demon King stopped several meters away.
Its vines shifted slowly.
"…You returned."
Lin Huang nodded calmly.
"Yes."
There was no need for introductions.
The ancient plant king already knew him.
It had watched him cultivate.
Watched him survive tribulations.
Watched him grow stronger.
Another heavy vibration spread through the clearing.
The ground cracked slightly as a massive golden-furred bear stepped into the open.
Xiong Jun
Xiong Jun's enormous form towered above everyone present.
He glanced first toward Gu Yuena.
Then toward Lin Huang.
"…You changed again."
Lin Huang simply answered.
"A little."
The massive bear snorted.
"…You smell different."
Honghong chuckled softly.
"…Divine energy will do that."
More auras could be felt in the distance.
Several ferocious beasts were watching.
But only a few stepped forward.
Because the purpose of this gathering was already clear.
Lin Huang spoke calmly.
"Contracts."
Neither Wan Yao Wang nor Xiong Jun looked surprised.
They had already expected it.
After all—
Lin Huang's contract system was something they had observed before.
But this time—
the scale was different.
Tang Ya stepped forward.
Wu Feng followed.
Lin Huang continued.
"You know my system."
Wan Yao Wang's vines moved slowly.
"…Mutual growth."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
"This isn't a master-servant bond."
"It's resonance."
Then he added something important.
"You gain something as well."
Xiong Jun crossed his massive arms.
"…Speak."
Lin Huang raised his hand slightly.
A faint pulse of divine life energy spread outward.
The surrounding spiritual energy reacted immediately.
"Improved bloodline evolution."
"Greater spiritual affinity."
"Better control over energy."
Wan Yao Wang's vines paused slightly.
Because that was already valuable.
But Lin Huang continued.
"There's more."
He tapped lightly against his arm.
"Bone inscription cultivation."
That statement caused several ferocious auras in the forest to shift.
Because they understood the significance immediately.
Lin Huang explained calmly.
"Humans rarely cultivate bone inscriptions."
"Our bloodlines are too weak."
"Our bodies aren't naturally suited for it."
Honghong flicked one of her tails.
"…Genetic limitations."
Lin Huang nodded.
"But spirit beasts are different."
He looked directly at Xiong Jun.
"Your bodies are naturally stronger."
"Your skeletal structure carries far more spiritual energy."
"Inscription cultivation is far easier for you."
Xiong Jun remained silent.
But the massive bear clearly understood the implication.
Lin Huang's system didn't just give them rings.
It gave them new evolution paths.
The Ten Thousand Demon King spoke slowly.
"…Interesting."
Then its vines moved toward Tang Ya.
"…Let us see."
The contract formation began forming beneath their feet.
Nearby—
Wu Feng stepped forward toward Xiong Jun.
The massive bear looked down at her.
"…You want strength."
Wu Feng smirked.
"I want the strongest partner."
Xiong Jun's eyes gleamed slightly.
"…Bold."
Then he laughed.
A deep rumbling sound.
"…Good."
Behind them—
Gu Yuena watched quietly.
The bridge had been formed.
And now—
the next generation of power
was beginning to rise.
The clearing beneath the World Tree had grown completely silent.
Even the wind seemed to slow.
Because the moment the contract formation appeared—
everyone present understood something important.
This was no ordinary soul ring absorption.
This was the beginning of a new cultivation system.
The formation beneath Tang Ya and the Ten Thousand Demon King slowly expanded.
Runes of creation.
Runes of life.
Runes of resonance.
All of them began to circulate beneath their feet.
Tang Ya stood calmly.
Her aura remained stable.
But inside her eyes—
a faint devouring darkness flickered.
Wan Yao Wang's countless vines extended slowly toward her.
"…Your power devours."
Tang Ya smiled faintly.
"And yours dominates all plant life."
The ancient plant king observed her for a moment.
Then spoke again.
"…Interesting."
The contract began.
Green light spread through the formation.
A massive surge of plant energy flowed outward.
The surrounding trees responded instinctively.
Leaves trembled.
Roots shifted beneath the soil.
Tang Ya raised her hand slowly.
A dark spiral of devouring energy appeared around her palm.
But instead of clashing—
the two energies merged.
Life.
Devouring.
Growth.
Decay.
All of it entered a delicate balance.
Honghong flicked her tails lazily.
"…That one's going smoother than expected."
Lin Huang nodded.
"They're compatible."
Because Tang Ya's devouring ability did not only destroy.
It also refined.
Which meant Wan Yao Wang's vast plant energy could be controlled rather than consumed.
Moments later—
the formation stabilized.
A powerful pulse spread through the clearing.
The contract was complete.
A new soul ring slowly appeared behind Tang Ya.
Dark.
Deep.
Ancient.
A ring born from the power of a ferocious beast.
Nearby—
Wu Feng stepped forward.
She rested her heavy sword against the ground.
Then looked directly at the towering golden bear.
Xiong Jun stared down at her.
"…You want strength."
Wu Feng grinned.
"I want the strongest."
Xiong Jun snorted.
"…Good."
The massive bear stepped forward.
The ground shook under his weight.
Then he looked briefly toward Lin Huang.
"…Your system."
Lin Huang nodded.
"Yes."
Xiong Jun studied Wu Feng again.
"…Your body is strong."
"But not strong enough."
Wu Feng smirked.
"Then fix it."
For a moment—
the enormous bear simply stared at her.
Then he laughed.
A deep thunderous sound that echoed through the forest.
"…I like this one."
The contract formation appeared again.
This time the aura was different.
Heavy.
Violent.
Earth energy surged through the ground.
Wu Feng stepped into the center without hesitation.
But before the contract began—
she suddenly turned her head toward Lin Huang.
"You're providing the gold crystals."
Lin Huang raised an eyebrow.
"…Already making demands?"
Wu Feng shrugged.
"If I'm contracting with him, I'll need them."
Xiong Jun chuckled.
"…Smart human."
Honghong nearly laughed.
"…She really learned from you."
Lin Huang sighed quietly.
"Fine."
Wu Feng grinned.
"Good."
Then the formation activated.
Golden earth energy surged upward.
Xiong Jun's massive aura descended.
The contract began forming between them.
Nearby—
Ma Xiaotao stepped forward slowly.
Her phoenix flames flickered softly around her body.
Her eyes had already locked onto the distant presence approaching through the forest.
The air itself began heating.
Scarlet flames appeared among the trees.
The next ferocious beast had arrived.
And the clearing beneath the World Tree
was about to grow even hotter.
The contracts did not take long.
Once the first two had stabilized—
the rest followed quickly.
Beneath the World Tree, the formation continued glowing as powerful auras rose one after another.
Wu Feng's contract with Xiong Jun completed with a deep pulse of golden earth energy.
Her body trembled slightly as the bear lord's overwhelming strength flowed through the resonance channel.
A new soul ring formed behind her.
Massive.
Ancient.
The aura of raw physical dominance radiated outward.
Wu Feng flexed her fingers.
A grin slowly appeared on her face.
"…Now that's power."
Nearby, Ma Xiaotao stepped forward.
Scarlet flames began spreading across the clearing.
The temperature rose immediately.
From the forest—
a crimson figure emerged.
Chi Wang
The ferocious beast stopped before her.
Its blazing eyes examined the phoenix flames surrounding her body.
"…Phoenix blood."
Ma Xiaotao smiled.
"And Scarlet fire."
The contract began almost instantly.
Their auras resonated naturally.
Scarlet fire and phoenix flames intertwined like twin infernos.
When the formation stabilized—
another powerful soul ring appeared behind Ma Xiaotao.
The flames around her body burned brighter.
Hotter.
More stable.
Meanwhile—
space itself distorted slightly nearby.
A dark ripple spread across the air.
An enormous eye-shaped presence slowly appeared within the distorted space.
Tyrant Emperor
Jiang Nannan stepped forward calmly.
Wind.
Lightning.
Space.
All three elements quietly circulated around her.
The Tyrant Emperor's enormous eye focused on her.
"…Interesting combination."
Jiang Nannan spoke softly.
"Your space ability completes it."
The contract formation appeared once more.
Spatial distortions spread through the ground.
Lightning flickered briefly through the air.
Moments later—
another ferocious contract stabilized.
The clearing beneath the World Tree finally returned to silence.
Several new soul rings rotated behind the girls.
Each one carrying the aura of a ferocious beast.
Honghong looked around slowly.
Her tails flicked once.
"…Well."
"That escalated quickly."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"Yes."
But at that moment—
something unexpected happened.
The World Tree suddenly trembled.
Its branches shook.
Leaves rustled violently.
Honghong's ears twitched.
"…That's not from the contracts."
Lin Huang looked upward.
Then outward.
Far beyond the Secret Realm.
Because the reaction was not local.
It was planetary.
The ground beneath the clearing trembled.
A deep vibration spread through the earth.
Mountains in the distance shook slightly.
Across the planet—
similar tremors appeared.
Not violent earthquakes.
But powerful enough to be felt everywhere.
Within the sky—
the spiritual energy began shifting.
Slowly.
Subtly.
A faint new presence appeared within the atmosphere.
Divine energy.
Only a trace.
But unmistakable.
The laws of the world had begun adjusting.
Honghong stared toward the horizon.
"…The planet is changing."
Lin Huang already understood why.
Several major events had happened recently.
The Dragon Qi Luck Vein.
The rebirth of spirit beasts.
The appearance of divine power.
And now—
multiple contracts with ferocious beasts.
All of it had begun pushing the world forward.
Deep beneath the crust of the planet—
ancient veins of energy began forming.
Natural Soul Crystal veins slowly appeared within the earth.
Rare ores began condensing inside mountains.
Ancient spiritual herbs awakened within forests.
Treasure lands began forming naturally.
Even the space of the world itself expanded slightly.
The continents shifted.
The atmosphere grew denser.
Honghong watched the changes quietly.
"…You triggered planetary evolution."
Lin Huang remained calm.
"It was inevitable."
Because the world had reached a threshold.
And now—
it had taken its first step toward something greater.
Far away—
deep within the oceans…
ancient creatures stirred.
High in the sky—
spiritual currents began circulating differently.
Across the continent—
cultivators everywhere suddenly felt the change.
Something had awakened within the world.
Something new.
Something vast.
Beneath the World Tree—
Lin Huang simply looked toward the horizon.
Because this was only the beginning.
The world itself
had begun to grow.
The tremors did not last long.
Within minutes the shaking across the continents slowly settled.
But the world was no longer the same.
Deep beneath the crust of the planet—
vast streams of spiritual energy had shifted.
The invisible structure of the world had changed.
Where once spiritual energy circulated slowly through the land—
now new currents had formed.
Ancient veins of power began flowing through mountains, forests, plains, and oceans.
And wherever those currents passed—
resources began to change.
Spirit herbs evolved.
Ores condensed.
Natural treasures appeared where none had existed before.
It did not happen everywhere equally.
The transformation followed two forces.
The density of soul power.
And something more subtle.
Fortune.
The stronger the spiritual environment—
the greater the changes.
The luckier the location—
the more dramatic the results.
Across the continent—
many powerful forces soon noticed the difference.
In distant mountain ranges, new Soul Crystal veins appeared beneath the earth.
In ancient forests, rare herbs began mutating into higher-grade spirit plants.
Deep underground, metallic ores absorbed spiritual energy and transformed into rare forging materials.
Even the oceans produced new treasures as currents of spiritual energy passed through coral and ancient seabeds.
But some locations changed more than others.
Far more.
One of them—
was Yuelan City.
The territory of the Lin Clan sat directly above the Dragon Qi Luck Vein.
The invisible currents of destiny flowing through the land amplified everything.
Spirit herbs planted in the territory matured faster.
Ore deposits formed more frequently in nearby mountains.
Even ordinary farmland produced stronger crops.
Merchants and cultivators across the city quickly noticed the change.
A young cultivator meditating on a rooftop suddenly opened his eyes.
"…Spiritual energy increased again."
Across the city—
several alchemists stared at their herb gardens in disbelief.
Plants that normally required years to mature had suddenly reached peak vitality.
And deep beneath the city—
new mineral veins slowly formed within the earth.
But even beyond the territory of the Lin Clan—
another place experienced dramatic change.
Far to the east—
within the legendary academy that had stood for thousands of years.
Shrek Academy
Inside the Sea God Pavilion—
several elders suddenly opened their eyes during meditation.
One of them frowned slightly.
"…Did the spiritual current shift?"
Another elder nodded slowly.
"The world's energy flow has changed."
A third elder looked toward the distant horizon.
"…And the density increased."
Outside the academy—
the great Sea God Lake shimmered faintly.
The water surface rippled with new spiritual energy.
Several spirit plants growing near the lakeshore began evolving slowly.
Even the lake itself seemed deeper.
More alive.
Inside the pavilion—
a familiar old man sat quietly with his eyes half closed.
Mu En.
The Elder of the Sea God Pavilion.
He slowly opened his eyes.
A faint smile appeared.
"…That boy."
He did not need an explanation.
He could already guess the cause.
Because the shift in fortune felt familiar.
The same subtle thread of destiny he had sensed before.
Somewhere far away—
Lin Huang had done something again.
Mu En chuckled quietly.
"…You really don't stop."
Back in Yuelan City—
Lin Huang stood beneath the World Tree.
Honghong sat lazily on his shoulder.
Her crimson eyes observed the shifting energy of the Secret Realm.
"…The world just got richer."
Lin Huang nodded slightly.
"Yes."
The ferocious beast contracts had finished.
The Dragon Qi Luck Vein continued circulating.
The rebirth of spirit beasts had stabilized.
And now—
the world itself had begun evolving.
Honghong flicked one of her tails.
"…Your luck field is spreading."
Lin Huang looked toward the distant horizon.
"Good."
Because the stronger the world became—
the stronger everyone within it could grow.
And for the Lin Clan…
For Shrek Academy…
For the people connected to him—
the future had just become
far more promising.