Divine Realm.
Inside a blood-red palace infused with slaughter and evil.
Dugu Yan heaved a sigh, "Grandpa, do you think Teacher will really appear?"
Lonely and isolated for ten thousand years; ever since Teacher took her to Slaughter City to obtain the Domain of Slaughter and then venture into the Rakshasa Secret Realm, she embarked upon the grand path to godhood. Of course, it was only later did she find out that Teacher had destroyed Bibi Dong and handed the opportunity to become a god to her...
Joys overflowed on her elegant face.
She was later disturbed by the Rakshasa God and nearly fell into the abyss, but fortunately, Teacher intervened in time, thoroughly erasing those evil thoughts.
Thus, she could successfully inherit the Rakshasa Godhood while retaining enough clarity of mind.
She did not end up insane like Bibi Dong or Tang Chen.
But from that day on, Teacher vanished.
Even after new wars broke out on the continent, with the Angel Temple and Spirit Hall ultimately merging as one and fighting fierce battles with the Heaven Dou Empire, Teacher never appeared again.
She wasn't very interested in these matters.
After all, she was not Spirit Hall; her ties to the Heaven Dou Empire were shallow.
Thus she followed Teacher's advice. After becoming a god, she simply took Grandfather and ascended directly to the higher realm.
"Heh, no need to worry." In the nearby flowerbed, an elder with glasses, kind features, and shoulder-length dark green hair chuckled, "Since Su Lin made a promise, he will definitely appear at some key moment. All you need to do is watch over Qian Renxue. See if she has any suspicious moves, and you'll find…"
"One day in the Divine Realm equals a year in the Mortal Realm."
"Only decades have passed here, but countless years have already swept the Mortal Realm..."
Dugu Bo hummed a little tune, enjoying a carefree retirement life.
He had also managed to become a divine official by sticking with his granddaughter.
He was quite content.
He had invested well and now reaped the rewards.
"Yes, you're right." Dugu Yan nodded slightly.
After becoming a god, she appeared forever eighteen, her figure alluring, her slender waist like a water snake, her fair face adorned with a red-black serpent tattoo, the tail vanishing beneath her breastplate.
Her martial soul had also evolved since godhood.
It now seemed to control plague, virus, and the very essence of evil fear.
She thought she might as well be called the Goddess of Plagues.
"Yan-jie!"
A voice called from outside the palace.
"Lingling?"
Dugu Yan was slightly surprised, looking at the young girl approaching with measured steps.
The newcomer, as always, wore a pitch-black veil over her face.
Since a millennium ago, ousting Ning Rongrong and ascending as the Nine-Colored Goddess, she had never removed her veil. Given her status, no one dared try.
Unless something unexpected happened, most likely that's how her life would remain...
But Ye Lingling's voice trembled slightly.
"Yan-jie, the Angel God has descended! She's gone to the Douluo Star! And in a rush, as if searching for someone important…"
"Buzz!"
Dugu Yan's vertical pupils contracted sharply.
A vast sea of divine power shocked the entire palace. The divine officials marveled, even Ye Lingling raised her sleeves to shield her face.
Just as Grandpa had predicted.
Back then, Qian Renxue and Su Lin had been the epitome of a celestial couple, but when she later asked Qian Renxue, the latter only shook her head helplessly.
Two gods, once mortal enemies, had come to an agreement because of one person.
"Are you sure?!!"
"Absolutely!"
Ye Lingling nodded gravely.
"Everyone else is waiting…"
"Huuu…"
Dugu Yan took a deep breath, forcibly composing her excitement.
This reunion after a long separation... She had looked forward to it for decades.
She wondered, what would her teacher be like now?
Had he...reincarnated?
"Let's go!"
Meanwhile, many familiar faces are introduced: Oslo the God of War, the Speed God Zhu Zhuqing, and others. Word of the Angel God's descent spreads like wildfire through the Divine Realm...
Asura God Palace
Tang San felt aggrieved and gloomy.
Ten thousand years ago, only he, Xiao Wu, and the solitary Fatty and Oscar had ascended together.
Of the other four, Zhu Zhuqing had defected; two more could have fought for godhood—after the Sea God Trials, their cultivation also surged.
Ning Rongrong could have become the Nine-Colored Goddess, but her soul power was rejected as too low, her talent too weak. Even with Oscar chosen as God of Food, she was abandoned.
She died in the lower realm, full of regret and unwillingness.
Tang San was furious. Of his brothers, only he and Xiao Wu remained worthy—the rest either spent their lives alone (Fatty and Oscar) or had broken relationships (Dai Mubai).
Yet those across from him flourished, blessed—having taken celestial herbs.
Of the once famous Shrek's Seven Monsters, only four remained.
But the Heaven Dou Royal Academy team, not a single one was left behind—all were led by the mysterious "Su Lin" to the Divine Realm.
For decades, Tang San searched the Divine Realm, trying to imprison Su Lin's soul for revenge.
Yet even as a God King, he could not find them.
He had no choice but to give up.
But—
"What's causing all that racket outside?!"
Tang San frowned as he listened to the noisy commotion, thinking one might mistake the Divine Realm for a marketplace.
No dignity at all!
"These people shouldn't have ascended, they lower the bar."
"Reporting, Your Highness—the Angel God has left her station, reportedly to the lower realm in search of someone called Su Lin. The Rakshasa God noticed and is also preparing to descend, together with the Nine-Colored Goddess and the Speed God, among others."
A divine official ran in, flustered.
"What did you say?!"
Upon hearing that terrifyingly familiar name, Tang San's entire body shuddered, nearly wetting himself. The fear from being thrashed by that towering figure once again surged up.
Su Lin...
Though he had relentlessly "hunted" them over the years, hearing that name still shook him deeply.
He had since revived Grandmaster, Flender, Liu Erlong, and rebuilt Shrek Academy.
But the shadow of that day still hovered over him.
"Your Highness?"
The divine official's heart trembled.
Because they saw—on Tang San's face—a trace of fear.
Lord Asura God, actually afraid of someone's name?
Could this be some overrated ancient being hiding among mortals? Like those ancient gods of Good and Evil?
"It's nothing."
Tang San exhaled heavily, preparing to go outside. Just then, Tang Hao rushed in.
"Father?"
"Do you think...this Su Lin could be...Su Wen?!"
"…"
A deathly silence.
Tang San froze.
Memories flooded in.
As a chronic peeper on the mortal world, he had learned quite a bit about Su Wen...
His ability was beast-taming...
And the legendary, sky-covering, golden Behemoth in those memories? Su Wen seemed to have one too, and their combat power was about equal.
Wait!
Tang San began to hyperventilate.
If so...
Even his Sea God Godhood might have been snatched by him!
And the soul devices conjured up by the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Clan!
All Su Wen's doing!
Cold sweat soaked through his clothes.
Tang San was truly drenched in sweat.
This didn't just mean Su Wen's power was unfathomable—it might even be beyond comprehension...
It also meant...
That person could interfere with the past and the future.
What kind of monster was this?!
Tang San's throat bobbed.
But no matter what, it was already too late.
If only he'd valued this sooner, or not used Wang Dong'er as bait, or kept supporting Huo Yuhao instead of switching, maybe, just maybe, things could have gone differently?
"Is it really him?" Tang Hao was stunned, then erupted in rage: "San, kill him! He took your mother away!"
"It was him who took away Ah Yin back then."
"Now I remember, years ago, he even appeared with the Snow Empress and Ice Jade Scorpion from the Far North—why didn't I realize then?"
"Damn!"
"San, hurry, let's go right now to—"
"Too late."
Tang San let out a long, tired sigh, his tone weary and lost.
"The Angel God's already gone, let alone Rakshasa God. Even the Death God from the Divine Realm Committee is his person..."
"Besides, I've made mistakes here and am being hounded by Destruction. If I do anything more, I'll really get kicked out of the committee and even stripped of the Divine Realm core."
"But what about your mother?!" Tang Hao grabbed his hair, eyes blood-red, swinging the Clear Sky Hammer in the Asura Palace.
"..."
Tang San covered his face.
"I owe you an explanation. But not now."
"For now I must tread carefully, no more mistakes. As for... sigh."
A sigh revealed his bitterness and helplessness.
He prided himself on filial piety.
Watching his father rage helplessly made him feel bad—but he had no way out, only to endure.
Besides, after so many years, if Su Wen really captured Ah Yin, it would've happened long ago...
The current Ah Yin was probably beyond saving.
Even if "rescued," so what?
"I'll go see Xiao Wu."
Tang San heaved a light sigh.
His only remaining trump cards were the Asura Godhood and the Divine Realm core.
The former, he had to hold on at all costs.
Yet just then, his heart shattered.
"Lady Consort sent a message."
The divine official reported timidly: "She said she's going to tour the Divine Realm with the Sea God for the next while. She won't see you, nor will she appear even if you call her…"
"As for your Asura Godhood, you may still use it for now."
"…"
"What do you mean!?"
Tang San erupted in rage.
"What do you mean, I can 'use it for now'? Where's Xiao Wu? Answer me!"
He grabbed the official by the collar, spitting in his face.
Yet the other still stammered.
"Fine. Fine!"
Tang San shook his sleeve and marched off.
But above all, he felt an overwhelming terror.
It was obvious—his secret was exposed. Xiao Wu now resented him. This would be even more serious than when his father tried to kill Da Ming and Er Ming and forced a split between him and Xiao Wu.
Everyone knew—Xiao Wu loved her daughter dearly.
Yet he, not only recklessly divided souls, even lost part of his daughter's soul.
To Xiao Wu, this was unforgivable.
He would have once been confident in coaxing Xiao Wu back.
He would have risked infamy and ruin, but now...
The Asura Godhood had fused completely with Xiao Wu (the former sword sheath)...
"Ahhhhhh!!!!"
Tang San screamed in rage and despair.
Ten thousand years later.
"This is your destiny, you cannot escape it..."
Within the ancient Golden Tree.
Not only Old Tang and Ah Yin, even the "Plane Will" Tang Hao, and a group of Shrek elders, bombard Tang Wulin's consciousness.
"Do I really have to kill him?"
The youth hesitated.
"You must kill him!!!"
A Sea God Pavilion elder's eyes burned red. He shook Tang Wulin's shoulders, "Do you know? He killed Elder Long, ruined Shrek's honor!"
"All this was built by your ancestor Tang San."
"This hatred runs in your blood!"
"You must never forget it!"
"You must nail him forever to the Pole of Shame! Hang his head at the academy and thoroughly humiliate him."
"Let him live a life worse than death!"
The elders raged on.
Especially after the Golden Tree's spirit claimed, this child was Shrek's future and hope—they wanted to dump all their wrath and resentments on him.
Truth be told, this scene resembled a cult.
Shrek's honor left no room for compromise.
If anyone dare speak ill, they would hunt them down without mercy. Let alone Su Wen, that mysterious and powerful figure who trampled all of Shrek's dignity and spat upon it.
"Hmm…" Tang Wulin nodded slightly.
He was unwilling to face such a strong enemy, but everything was pushing him forward now.
"So be it..."
He would do his utmost.
"..."
At this moment.
Near the Star Luo Continent.
The Beast God Gu Yuena twitched her nose, sensing the dense aura of dragon souls.
"It's close!"
"If I haven't guessed wrong, it should be somewhere around here…"
"Actually, there's no need for such urgency," Su Wen smiled.
"Since we're in the Star Luo Empire, we may as well ask for directions."
"Dragon Valley has long been turned into a secret land exploited by humans."
Noticing Gu Yuena's disgruntlement, he added, "Of course, there are restrictions on humans' power. The truly strong can't enter, let alone reach the Dragon God's core."
"What's yours, will always be yours…"
"Hmph." Gu Yuena's face softened, grumbling about the vile, crafty humans desecrating the sacred dragon tomb.
"Let's go then."
"Star Luo Empire was weak as ever ten thousand years ago. I wonder how they're doing this era."
...