When Ya Li and Yun Ming proposed to adopt him as their godson, Jing Shaoyu had actually been mentally prepared for it.
He harbored no resistance to the idea, because over the years at the academy, Ya Li had already treated him like a son. Even Na'er could intuitively sense this and had complained to him more than once, joking that after his arrival, she had successfully been "upgraded" from daughter to daughter-in-law.
Though this was just Na'er's playful remark, it spoke volumes.
Thus, he didn't refuse. After seeking permission from his adoptive mother, Jing Ziyuan, he acknowledged Yun Ming and Ya Li as his godparents.
In the original storyline, Ya Li had achieved a fulfilled state of mind and broken through to the Limit Douluo realm after Tang Wulin recognized her as his godmother. The same effect applied to Jing Shaoyu—if not even greater—because compared to Tang Wulin, Jing Shaoyu and Ya Li shared a far more mother-son resemblance.
As a result, Ya Li broke through immediately, and the unique aura of a Limit Douluo erupted from the Sea God Pavilion. Shortly after, Jing Shaoyu was unceremoniously shooed away by Yun Ming.
According to Yun Ming, he should go meet his companions first, as Ya Li needed time to stabilize her breakthrough and consolidate her realm. Once her foundation was steady, they would hold an adoption banquet for him.
Jing Shaoyu inwardly scoffed at Yun Ming's behavior—just moments ago, he was the beloved son, and now he was an inconvenience. Tsk, men!
Despite his mental grumbling, he still left the Sea God Pavilion. Reuniting with the girls was the most important thing right now.
Descending from the Golden Tree, he made his way toward the Inner Academy. From Yun Ming, he already knew where Gu Yue and Na'er were currently staying.
Along the way, Jing Shaoyu encountered an acquaintance who piqued his interest—
Yuanen Yehui!
Yuanen Yehui was now also an Inner Academy disciple, dressed in feminine attire. Her demeanor was icy, exuding an air of aloofness that kept others at a distance. When Jing Shaoyu spotted her, she noticed him as well. Their relationship was merely cordial, so they exchanged a brief nod before continuing on their separate paths.
The reason Jing Shaoyu found her intriguing was because he sensed an aura from her—one that didn't belong to her, nor to the Douluo Continent. This energy was incredibly subtle, and had it not been for his recent experiences in the Dragon Valley Small World, he might not have detected it at all.
It was a dark, gloomy presence. Connecting it to Yuanen Yehui's Martial Soul, Jing Shaoyu seemed to understand.
The Demon Realm, huh? Interesting.
This minor detour didn't distract him from his goal for long. Soon, he arrived at the designated activity area allocated to their generation of the Shrek Seven Monsters—a three-story villa with a courtyard, fully equipped with all necessary facilities.
"Brother Shaoyu!"
The moment he reached the entrance, an ecstatic cry rang out from inside. Then, he saw Xu Xiaoyan leap from a second-floor window, vaulting over the courtyard straight toward him.
Without hesitation, he sprang up and caught the excited girl mid-air, landing smoothly in the courtyard—only to be immediately swarmed by the other girls.
"Xiaoyan, let go of him already! How can you just hog him like this?"
"Yeah, yeah! Hurry up and let go! It's my turn now!"
"Stop pushing, everyone! Weren't we supposed to line up properly?"
"..."
Jing Shaoyu's body was tightly wrapped by Xu Xiaoyan, Na'er, Wu Siduo, Ye Xinglan, and Mo Hentian, who had pounced on him, leaving only his head exposed. He saw Gu Yue standing on the steps, her face expressionless but with a flicker of emotion hidden in her eyes. He also noticed the unfamiliar blue-haired girl standing beside Gu Yue, her face full of curiosity.
In the first-floor hall, the women, having calmed down, gathered around Jing Shaoyu, expressing their longing for each other. Gu Yue, however, sat at the far end of the long table, watching everything with a cold gaze, exuding a sense of solitude as if she alone were sober amidst the intoxicated. Lan Fozi stood behind her, staring intently at Jing Shaoyu.
After a year and a half apart, the changes in the women were quite significant.
The most obvious was their age. Except for Na'er, everyone had already celebrated their seventeenth birthdays, and in a few months to a year, they would all be adults. Compared to before their separation, each had matured considerably, now at their prime.
They had all grown taller—even Xu Xiaoyan had gained about a centimeter. Gu Yue's demeanor had become even more aloof and noble, Na'er's beauty more striking, Xu Xiaoyan remained petite and delicate, Wu Siduo's figure had grown more alluring, Ye Xinglan's legs more enticing, and Mo Hentian's chest more voluptuous.
In less than half a day, the barriers caused by their long separation between Jing Shaoyu and the women vanished instantly, and they became close again. If not for the presence of an outsider, they would have long shed their unnecessary restraint.
"Alright, let's get down to business!" Jing Shaoyu clapped his hands, sitting up straight with a serious expression.
Seeing this, the women quickly returned to their seats. After all, this was the first team gathering since Jing Shaoyu's return, and none of them wanted to make things difficult for him. Instead, they wanted to show him their maturity and composure.
"Gu Yue, you've worked hard during this time," Jing Shaoyu said gently, looking at her, who had remained distant.
Meeting his gaze, Gu Yue instinctively averted her eyes and replied, "It's nothing. Now that you're back, my task is complete. I won't disturb your meeting—I'll take my leave."
With that, she stood up, ready to walk away.
Her abrupt action left the other women stunned, staring at her in disbelief.
"Stop!" Jing Shaoyu flashed in front of her, blocking her path. "Who said your task is over? I just got back and still need to familiarize myself with many things. At the very least, you should assist me until I'm fully settled in!"
"Is that really necessary?" Gu Yue murmured, her head lowered.
"Yes!" Jing Shaoyu's reply was firm and resolute.
Gu Yue looked up at him, and in his eyes, she saw only trust. The psychological defenses she had built over nearly a year crumbled instantly. She had imagined many scenarios but never anticipated this one. Indeed, she hadn't misjudged him!
A sweet warmth rose in her heart, and she nodded softly. "Mm."
Everything was within Jing Shaoyu's expectations. Did Gu Yue truly want to leave? Of course not. She merely lacked a legitimate reason to stay—and Jing Shaoyu had provided her with one.
Resuming his seat, Jing Shaoyu scanned the room, his gaze lingering on each person for three seconds before finally settling on Lan Fozi.
"You must be the top genius of this year's first grade. Hello, I'm Jing Shaoyu," Jing Shaoyu said with a warm smile.
"Yes!" Lan Fozi stood up excitedly, her eyes sparkling. "Senior, I'm Lan Fozi! I've finally met you!"
"Lan Fozi!" Jing Shaoyu's heart skipped a beat. The lively blue-haired girl before him instantly overlapped with the blue figure he'd encountered at sea. No wonder she felt familiar—she was another old monster who liked pretending to be young!
"I heard you possess an Ultimate Soul?" he asked calmly, maintaining his gentle smile.
Lan Fozi nodded eagerly. "Yes, yes! My Martial Soul is the Sea King Whale—Ultimate Water."
"The Sea King Whale Soul? That's the first time I've heard of it," Jing Shaoyu remarked.
"Brother Shaoyu, Fozi isn't just an Ultimate Soul wielder—she was already a Soul King when she enrolled!" Xu Xiaoyan chimed in proudly, as if boasting about herself.
Seeing her enthusiasm, Wu Siduo and Ye Xinglan couldn't help but roll their eyes.
"I see," Jing Shaoyu nodded, shifting his gaze from Lan Fozi to Xu Xiaoyan with a smile. "Then, Xiaoyan, what's your current Soul Power level?"
Uncertain of Lan Fozi's intentions, he decided to observe quietly rather than expose her.
"Me? Hehe, I'm a Soul King now too!" Xu Xiaoyan giggled. "My Soul Power is level 54."
"Impressive progress! Keep it up," Jing Shaoyu praised.
Thrilled by his words, Xu Xiaoyan beamed. Not wanting to be left out, the others quickly shared their own achievements—partly to divert Jing Shaoyu's attention from Lan Fozi and partly to earn some praise themselves.
"Brother, I'm at level 58 now. Only Duoduo is higher than me!" Na'er announced.
"Indeed. My Soul Power is level 59. With you back, I expect to break through to Soul Emperor within three months," Wu Siduo said coolly, her expression aloof.
"I'm at level 55," Ye Xinglan stated.
"Same here—level 55," Mo Hentian added.
Hearing their levels, Jing Shaoyu nodded approvingly. All of them had reached Soul King tier—excellent, truly excellent.
"And Gu Yue?" He turned to her next.
"Level 61," Gu Yue replied succinctly.
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