"What?"
The Seven Old Devils were utterly stunned by Xu Xiaoyan's words.
"You said the academy was hit by a twelve-level fixed soul guided cannon shell? Who did this!" The Greedy Old Devil was the first to react, his eyes bloodshot as he roared hoarsely, waves of intense energy surging behind him, revealing the fury burning within him.
Though the Seven Old Devils were trapped on Devil Island, they knew full well the terrifying power of a twelve-level fixed soul guided cannon shell. Before their confinement, three such shells had already been constructed.
Thus, when Xu Xiaoyan mentioned the academy being struck by one, the Greedy Old Devil immediately envisioned a series of events—Shrek Academy devastated by the shell, teachers and students perishing en masse, with only the current generation of the Shrek Seven Monsters surviving under their mentors' protection, now bearing the mission to rebuild the academy.
This would explain why there were only six members of the Shrek Seven Monsters, and why this youngling, merely a Soul Saint, had become both dean and pavilion master—because the academy now consisted solely of them!
The more the Greedy Old Devil thought about it, the more convinced he became, overwhelmed by grief and rage. The other six old devils reacted even more intensely, their expressions frenzied and their states bordering on madness, leaving Jing Shaoyu and the others utterly dumbfounded.
Jing Shaoyu and Xu Xiaoyan exchanged glances, scratching their heads awkwardly. It seemed they had taken the joke too far.
"Seniors, calm down! Please calm down!" Jing Shaoyu hurriedly explained. "The academy only lost a few buildings—there wasn't any greater damage!"
The Seven Old Devils froze mid-action. The Greedy Old Devil, who had been roaring at the sky, slowly lowered his head to stare at Jing Shaoyu. "What did you say? Explain everything clearly from the beginning!"
So Jing Shaoyu began with the Sea God's Fate, recounting how Tang Hao, Poseidon's father, had attacked the Golden Tree, how Yun Ming dissolved his godhood to block the twelve-level fixed soul guided cannon shell, and the subsequent reconstruction and reforms of the Inner Academy.
After hearing the full story, the Seven Old Devils fell into a long silence, their emotions complex.
"So you're actually here for special training, not to seek help?" said the tall, aged Destruction Old Devil, his eyes betraying a hint of exasperation.
"Yes, and no," Jing Shaoyu replied with a smile.
"What do you mean, 'yes and no'?" the hot-tempered Hatred Old Devil snapped. "It's either yes or no! Don't you know how to respect your elders?"
"Seniors, having lived on Devil Island for over a thousand years, you must know its origins well," Jing Shaoyu said lightly to the Greedy Old Devil, unfazed by the latter's attitude. "My companions are here for training, but I've come for what lies deep within Devil Island."
The Greedy Old Devil's expression turned grave at Jing Shaoyu's words. "You know what resides in the depths of Devil Island? How is that possible? We've lived here for centuries and still haven't uncovered the island's deepest secrets. How could a youngster like you possibly know?"
"Exactly, exactly!" The other six Old Devils nodded in agreement.
"Elder, whether it's true or not, we'll know once we test it," Jing Shaoyu said with a smile.
"Very well," the Greedy Old Devil replied, seeing the logic in his words. "We can take you to the center of the island. But if you can't prove what you said, don't blame us for intensifying your special training!"
"Of course!" Jing Shaoyu flashed a confident grin.
Xu Xiaoyan, Wu Siduo, Ye Xinglan, Mo Hentian, and Lan Fozi, though puzzled, trusted Jing Shaoyu unconditionally and nodded in agreement without hesitation.
"Follow us."
Seeing their resolve, the Seven Old Devils immediately led Jing Shaoyu and the other five deeper into Devil Island.
The scenery on Devil Island was eerily uniform—every corner looked exactly the same, making it easy to lose one's bearings. The monotonous landscape quickly induced fatigue in the eyes.
Without the Seven Old Devils guiding them, it was doubtful whether all six of Jing Shaoyu's group could have found their way to the heart of Devil Island—at least, not so easily.
The core of Devil Island was a massive pit, from which thick purple Destruction Energy radiated outward. The soil and rocks at the pit's edges had turned pitch-black under its corrosive influence, exuding an aura of decay and ruin even from a distance.
Within a hundred-meter radius of the pit lay a barren wasteland devoid of any vegetation, save for seven crude stone huts.
The Seven Old Devils brought Jing Shaoyu's group to the edge of this circular zone, where they could go no further.
"This is the core of Devil Island," the Greedy Old Devil announced. "See that purple energy? That's the purest Destruction Energy. If any of you can absorb it, this would be the ultimate training ground. So, does anyone here have that ability?"
He looked at Jing Shaoyu and the others, his gaze a mix of anticipation and mockery.
No one answered him—the five girls were too stunned by the dense, nearly visible Destruction Energy to speak. Despite their current strength, standing at this spot still triggered a visceral resistance in their bodies, a testament to the terrifying power of this energy.
Jing Shaoyu, however, stared fixedly at the pit. The Destruction Shards within it were particularly eye-catching. The moment he saw them, his second Martial Soul stirred violently, nearly bursting forth from his body in excitement.
"Kid, prove your words to me," the Greedy Old Devil challenged.
Jing Shaoyu grinned. "Easy."
Under the astonished gazes of the Seven Old Devils, Jing Shaoyu stepped forward into the circular wasteland saturated with the Power of Destruction. Suddenly, an emerald-green light shot up from the pit, piercing the sky. A surge of dense Life Energy instantly showered everyone present.
"Tidal Life!" the Seven Old Devils exclaimed in unison, their faces filled with shock and disbelief.
Now, they had no doubts about Jing Shaoyu's claims—they only wanted to know why this was happening. But Jing Shaoyu had no time to explain. The Life Energy surging from the pit immediately enveloped him, wrapping him in its dense embrace and triggering an instantaneous physical response.
With the Natural God Spirit Soul Avatar activated, his wings folded together, cocooning him into a large chrysalis suspended above the deep pit. Life Energy immediately enveloped him, followed closely by Destruction Energy, which wrapped around the Life Energy. The two energies swirled around Jing Shaoyu, forming a harmonious balance.
"This... this... this..." The Seven Old Devils exchanged bewildered glances, utterly baffled by the scene before them.
"Hmph!" Xu Xiaoyan, standing nearby, said smugly, "Now do you believe us? Brother Shaoyu never boasts!"
Hearing her words, the Greedy Old Devil quickly nodded. "We believe, we believe! But can you tell us what exactly is happening?"
"It's actually quite simple," Wu Siduo said proudly. "Devil Island was formed from Destruction Shards and Life Energy—both originating from the God Realm, specifically from the Destruction God King and the Life God King."
The Seven Old Devils nodded. Of course, they knew this—it was a conclusion they had drawn themselves.
"Brother Shaoyu is the chosen successor of the Goddess of Life and the God of Destruction," Ye Xinglan continued. "Devil Island is the trial ground prepared for him by the two God Kings!"
The three girls' words left the Seven Old Devils utterly stunned, their mouths agape in speechless shock.
Seeing their reaction, Xu Xiaoyan and the others grew even prouder. Everything they had just said had been told to them by Jing Shaoyu. When they first learned of it, they too had been astonished—but more than that, they were thrilled and overjoyed. The man they admired was the chosen successor of gods! Any woman would be excited by such a revelation.
"So... is he undergoing Divine Throne inheritance now?" the Nightmare Old Devil asked, his tone tinged with anticipation.
The other Old Devils also looked hopeful. If Jing Shaoyu truly inherited the Divine Thrones of the two God Kings, would they finally have a chance at liberation? They didn't dare hope for resurrection—even complete annihilation would be better than remaining as these half-human, half-ghost spirits bound to this wretched island!
"Well..." Mo Hentian hesitated. "We're not entirely sure. You can ask Brother Shaoyu yourself once he wakes up."
Unfazed, the Seven Old Devils remained in high spirits. "Fine, we'll wait. We've endured a thousand years—what's a few more days?"
"What about our special training?" Lan Fozi asked.
"Minor issue," the Greedy Old Devil waved dismissively. "Doom, Nightmare—take these five girls for their training."
"Got it, Oldest!" The Doom Old Devil and Nightmare Old Devil, in excellent moods, chuckled. "Come on, girls."
As the two Old Devils led Xu Xiaoyan and the others away, the remaining five gathered around the pit, their eyes fixed expectantly on Jing Shaoyu.
Meanwhile, Jing Shaoyu's consciousness arrived in an unfamiliar world. All he could see was an endless, monotonous expanse of white—no beginning, no end, like an infinite straight line or an eternity stretching endlessly before him.
He opened his mouth to call out, but an invisible force clamped over it, pushing him upward at incredible speed. Helpless, he could only watch as he pierced through the white void like a sheet of paper.
Breaking through the white, he entered the black.
Jing Shaoyu's eyes shimmered with a helpless glow as he gazed at the boundless darkness surrounding him. All light, all brightness was devoured by this pure blackness—even the radiance in his own eyes was no exception. This place was darker than a black hole; even if Ultraman Tiga were here, he'd likely turn into a stone statue without a fight.
The same invisible force continued pushing Jing Shaoyu upward, and just as he had pierced through the white, he now broke through the black.
Beyond the black lay the cosmos.
Jing Shaoyu stared in awe at the scene below him—a familiar azure planet that felt like looking at himself. Clearly, this was Douluo Star, where he had lived for eighteen years.
So… A flicker of shock passed through his eyes. Was he truly in space now? Had the white and black he just traversed actually been a white hole and a black hole? How was that possible?
Yet, the sight before him left no room for doubt. Beneath his feet was Douluo Star, while in the distance, a golden-red "giant fireball" and its counterpart, a dark silver "giant water sphere," floated opposite each other. The "fireball" was Douluo Star's sun, and the "water sphere" its moon.
As celestial bodies of a transcendent world, Douluo Star's sun and moon were pure Law Stars. Even from this vast distance, Jing Shaoyu could distinctly sense the scorching, supremely yang solar laws and the icy, supremely yin lunar laws.
These were the sun and moon of law—so formidable that even gods dared not approach them!
Jing Shaoyu's expression turned blank. Had he just become an astronaut? Could he ask the Federation for a certificate now? The first person from Douluo Continent to reach space?
He quickly regained his composure, realizing that all of this must have been orchestrated by the God of Destruction or the Goddess of Life. Though he didn't understand their motives, he felt reassured—at least he was safe.
With his safety confirmed, Jing Shaoyu began leisurely admiring the cosmic scenery.
The laws governing the universe of the Douluo world were incomparable to those of his previous life. For one thing, the moon in his past life had merely reflected sunlight, but Douluo Star's moon emitted its own glow.
In this stretch of the cosmos where Douluo Star resided, no other stars were visible—only solitude. That was Jing Shaoyu's overwhelming feeling.
It seemed the people of Douluo Continent still had a long way to go before they could rely on technology to leave their star and venture into the universe! He sighed, then recalled that ten thousand years later, humanity on Douluo Star would indeed embark on a path of cosmic expansion and colonization. From that perspective, their technological progress was remarkably swift.
Jing Shaoyu felt a surge of pride.
Suddenly, Douluo Star before him grew hazy, soon dissolving into mist. The surrounding starscape, sun, and moon followed suit. Before Jing Shaoyu could process what was happening, a powerful force yanked him downward, sending him plummeting.
When he opened his eyes again, he was startled to find himself seated at a stone table with a person on either side of him. To his left was a stunningly beautiful elder sister in green, her expression gentle and her eyes smiling. To his right was a stern-faced, dignified, and handsome man in purple.
"Child, we finally meet again," the green-clad elder sister said with a warm smile.
"Greetings to the two God Kings!" Jing Shaoyu exclaimed in surprise, quickly standing up and bowing respectfully to them.
The two figures seated beside him were none other than the Goddess of Life and the God of Destruction.
Hearing Jing Shaoyu's form of address, the Goddess of Life's eyes flickered with disappointment and displeasure. "What's with this 'God King' nonsense? That doesn't sound good at all. You should call me Mom, understand?"
"Auntie?" Jing Shaoyu hesitated.
"What? You don't want to?" The Goddess of Life was clearly dissatisfied. "At least part of the blood flowing in your veins comes from me. Even if it's not enough to call me Mom, isn't calling me
Auntie only natural?"
"Auntie!" Jing Shaoyu relaxed inwardly and called out. After all, they had only just met—directly calling her "Mom" was a bit too much for him to accept.
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