Zhu Ziyang walked out the door. Tang Ya, Xue Weiwei, and Jing Ziyan were talking animatedly with Jiang Nannan. Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and He Caitou, along with Ji Juechen, were squatting in a row, their faces full of worry. Only Wang Dong'er was alone, leaning against a tree trunk, secretly grieving, lost in thought.
When everyone saw Zhu Ziyang come out, they gathered around him, all showing concern. Wang Dong'er's concern was the most prominent. She asked, "Senior Brother, how is Xiao Xiao? Is she really beyond saving?"
"Hard to say!" Zhu Ziyang gave Wang Dong'er a deep look. He wasn't sure what role Wang Dong'er played in this matter, so he didn't answer directly, instead giving an ambiguous response.
Hearing Zhu Ziyang's reply, Wang Dong'er immediately became distraught. The others' expressions were a mix of sadness and a hint of strangeness. Tang Ya looked at Wang Dong'er, her expression shifting slightly, and said, "Everyone, let's leave here first. We've all been tense for a day or two, and we need rest. As for Xiao Xiao, Yu Hao is with her!"
"That's right!" Bei Bei immediately echoed, "Everyone, go back and get some sleep. Perhaps when you wake up, you'll hear good news."
The Tang Sect members didn't understand what Tang Ya and Bei Bei were planning, but they were indeed very tired. The events of the past two days were more intense than everything they had experienced in over a decade, and they also needed time to recover. So, Xu Sanshi and Xue Weiwei, Ji Juechen and Jing Ziyan, and He Caitou left one after another. Only Wang Dong'er remained standing in place, staring blankly in the direction of the wooden house, lost in thought.
Seeing this, Tang Ya walked over to Wang Dong'er, took her hand, and said, "Dong'er, go rest."
"Sister Xiaoya, I really didn't mean to! Wuwu..." Wang Dong'er suddenly covered her face and began to cry bitterly, speaking as she wept.
"I know, we all know!" Seeing her, Tang Ya immediately pulled Wang Dong'er into her embrace and comforted her, "This isn't your fault... not your fault!"
"Ziyang, let's go over there." The situation here wasn't suitable for discussing matters, so Bei Bei led Zhu Ziyang to the other side of the wooden house.
"Tell me, what exactly happened to you all?" Zhu Ziyang asked.
Bei Bei's face showed deep thought as he slowly began, "It happened like this..."
It turned out that the Tang Sect members, under Xuan Zi's escort, easily left Mingdu. They intended to return to Shrek City along the path they had taken, but an accident occurred when they passed through the Mingdou Mountain Range.
They encountered an obstacle, a mysterious person completely covered in a black robe. That mysterious person was incredibly powerful, severely injuring Xuan Zi with just two punches. Xuan Zi had no choice but to retreat with them, while the black-robed mysterious person pursued them closely from behind, but always maintained a certain distance, deliberately herding them towards the Sun Moon Mountain Range.
Eventually, they fled into the Sun Moon Mountain Range and entered a mysterious secret realm called Qiankun Questioning Valley.
The tragedy occurred in Qiankun Questioning Valley. Qiankun Questioning Valley is said to be the place where the God of Love fell, a treasure land formed by the God of Love's divine force, a place of judgment for those with and without sentiment.
The Tang Sect members who intruded inevitably triggered the God of Love's trial. The God of Love's trial had three stages: the first was called Sincerity, the second was called Adventure, and the third was called something they didn't know, because they only experienced two stages.
The accident happened in the second stage. At that time, Huo Yuhao, Xiao Xiao, and Wang Dong'er were undergoing the trial together. The God of Love actually threatened Huo Yuhao's life, forcing Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong'er into a deep adventure.
No one knew what happened during the two's deep adventure; they only knew that after the deep adventure ended, Wang Dong'er appeared before everyone holding Xiao Xiao's corpse, her face full of a distraught expression.
Seeing Xiao Xiao's condition, Huo Yuhao immediately went mad. He snatched Xiao Xiao's body from Wang Dong'er's hands and began to try and save her, but to no avail.
Qiankun Questioning Valley also underwent an anomaly at this time. A pink glow accompanied by violent tremors made the entire Qiankun Questioning Valley extremely unstable. In their panic and confusion, everyone only heard a vague and unclear sentence: "...San, you are not worthy to judge love!"
Then, they were teleported back to the Sun Moon Mountain Range, and they also reunited with Xuan Zi, who had not been drawn into Qiankun Questioning Valley. After that, they tried to leave the Sun Moon Mountain Range, did not encounter the black-robed mysterious person, and after Xuan Zi judged that person had left, they rushed back to Shrek Academy.
Regarding the content of Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong'er's deep adventure, according to Wang Dong'er herself, they were teleported to a mountaintop. The God of Love demanded that they exchange their lives for Huo Yuhao's life, and also bless the other person to be happily married with Huo Yuhao for a hundred years.
Faced with such a trial requirement, neither of them hesitated and both chose to commit suicide. But for some unknown reason, Xiao Xiao died, while Wang Dong'er was still alive. Perhaps, the God of Love did not approve of her feelings for Huo Yuhao.
Regardless of whether what Wang Dong'er said was true, it was certain that Xiao Xiao's death had a great deal to do with Wang Dong'er. This was the unanimous opinion of the Tang Sect members; although they all wanted to believe Wang Dong'er, it was impossible to say that they had no doubts at all.
"So that's how it is!" Zhu Ziyang's face showed realization after listening to Bei Bei's explanation, but his eyes revealed a strange look. He was ninety percent certain that the so-called Qiankun Questioning Valley was definitely the work of Sea God Tang San, but why would he choose such a flawed method to scheme against Huo Yuhao?
It was clear that he wanted to bring Wang Dong'er and Huo Yuhao together, but why would he let Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao be alone, and then imprison Xiao Xiao's soul? Wasn't this deliberately creating difficulties for Wang Dong'er? Or was it that he actually had a backup plan he hadn't used yet?
Hmm, it wasn't impossible. Considering that Bei Bei and the others were forcibly expelled after only completing the second stage, Zhu Ziyang had reason to believe that Sea God's scheme had definitely not been fully executed, otherwise it wouldn't have ended midway.
So, Qiankun Questioning Valley was truly the God of Love's divine fall place, and Sea God Tang San was merely a usurper. Then, his act of playing with love successfully provoked a backlash from the God of Love's residual divine force, which is why he failed to complete his scheme. It must be like this!
Zhu Ziyang quickly sorted out the cause and effect, and could guarantee that his conjecture had a ninety percent credibility. Why not a hundred percent? Because Zhu Ziyang still had one last piece of evidence to verify: the identity of the black-robed mysterious person, which required him to ask Xuan Zi for more details to confirm.
It is said that Sea God's wife has two younger brothers. The Sky Azure Bull Python has already become his spirit ring due to attempting to ambush him, so the Titan Giant Ape certainly wouldn't be idle either.
"Ziyang, tell me the truth, is Xiao Xiao really beyond saving?" Bei Bei asked, his face heavy.
"Well," Zhu Ziyang's eyes flickered as he said, "It depends on whether Yu Hao himself is lucky."
"What do you mean?" Bei Bei was startled and continued to ask.
Zhu Ziyang smiled without speaking. To resurrect Xiao Xiao was actually very simple. As long as Huo Yuhao could become a god, then no matter if Xiao Xiao's soul was shattered or imprisoned by Sea God, it would not be difficult for a god-level Huo Yuhao.
If Xiao Xiao's soul was imprisoned by Sea God, this was actually very simple. As long as Huo Yuhao ascended to the God Realm and reported this matter to the God Realm Committee, then all the gods in the God Realm would know that Sea God, as a god, interfered in mortal affairs, and even imprisoned a mortal's soul. This would definitely be a major news item that would shock the God Realm. For the sake of their reputation, the God Realm Committee would surely make Sea God release Xiao Xiao.
What? Sea God himself is a member of the God Realm Committee? Precisely because of this, the other four members of the God Realm Committee would be even more inclined to intervene! Some things, if done in private, they could turn a blind eye to. There was no need to completely fall out over a mortal; at most, it would be a matter of Sea God's personal character. But once the matter escalated, and the entire God Realm knew about it, then it would be different. This would concern the reputation of the other members of the God Realm Committee. You, Sea God, can be shameless, but we other gods need our reputation! Therefore, under pressure to save face, the other members of the God Realm Committee would definitely side with Huo Yuhao and demand that Sea God release Xiao Xiao.
If Xiao Xiao's soul was directly shattered, that would be a bit more troublesome. Huo Yuhao would need to collect Xiao Xiao's scattered soul fragments in the mortal world little by little, then reassemble them into a complete soul, and only then could he resurrect Xiao Xiao.
Compared to the two, the former was undoubtedly more convenient.
Zhu Ziyang patted Bei Bei's shoulder, then pulled Jiang Nannan away. Although Xiao Xiao's situation was very sad, for Zhu Ziyang, it was at most a moment of regret. His time and energy were precious, and he couldn't spend too much on it.
The most important matter at hand, naturally, was to convene a Tian Yuan Pavilion meeting to discuss the major events that might occur on the continent and the preparations Shrek Academy needed to make.
Regarding the plot of Qiankun Questioning Valley, I didn't write too much because I couldn't think of a very good plot, so I could only write a rough outline. There might be logical loopholes, but there's no need to delve into them.