"Fang Yang."
A hoarse yet still cold and clear voice rang out.
Fang Yang slowly turned around to see Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi leading the remaining Shrek Academy students out from within.
Wu Zhangkong was still dressed in white, though stained with dust and scorch marks.
His handsome face carried grief that could not be concealed, those dark green eyes still as sharp as swords.
Shen Yi's complexion was pale, her eyes interwoven with sorrow. She pressed her lips tightly together, appearing somewhat silent.
The Shrek students were mostly in torn clothes, their faces dirty.
"Teacher Wu."
Fang Yang looked at this teacher who had once instructed him, his tone calm.
Wu Zhangkong's gaze swept over Fang Yang, then toward the rippling lake of rebirth and the completely renewed land behind him.
In the end, he simply nodded slightly: "It's good that you're back."
"Teacher Wu."
Gu Yuena and Xu Xiaoyan also stepped forward, greeting softly.
Wu Zhangkong's gaze turned to them, pausing slightly on Gu Yuena.
He nodded: "Mm, you've all returned. Very good."
Subsequently, Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi turned to Ya Li, who had been standing quietly nearby, and respectfully bowed: "Your Eminence Holy Spirit."
Ya Li held the Atlas Spear. Although her eyes were still slightly red, her voice had recovered its usual composure and majesty: "Yun Ming left instructions long ago—if he were no longer here."
"Na'er will succeed as the Sea God Pavilion Master, with Fang Yang as Vice Pavilion Master, jointly presiding over the overall situation."
This appointment caused everyone present to be momentarily stunned.
Then they understood—Na'er, as Yun Ming's direct disciple, was indeed the most suitable successor.
"We respectfully obey Your Eminence Holy Spirit's command."
Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi responded in unison, their voices carrying respect for Ya Li.
Wu Zhangkong was the first to turn to Na'er and Fang Yang, slightly bowing in the etiquette due to a Pavilion Master: "Greetings, Pavilion Master, Vice Pavilion Master."
The students behind him, seeing this, also respectfully bowed.
Na'er gently raised her hand, her voice steady: "No need for formalities. The urgent matter at hand is rebuilding the academy."
"Yes, Lady Pavilion Master."
Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi responded solemnly, and the students behind them also nodded.
After the other students received their orders and departed, only the main group remained in place.
"Teacher Wu, how did you all..."
Xu Xiaoyan asked softly, her eyes carrying concern.
Wu Zhangkong took a deep breath, his voice low and hoarse: "We were hiding in a shelter deep underground in the academy."
"When the evil soul masters attacked, the academy's defensive formation activated, but..."
His voice suddenly choked up. "When that final God-Slaying fixed-mounted soul guided cannon shell fell, the academy's teachers... at the cost of burning their lives, bought the students one minute of time."
Wu Zhangkong's dark green eyes brimmed with tears: "The shelter had limited capacity, and the protective shield required enormous energy to maintain..."
"Teacher Shen and I had planned to burn ourselves, but Elder Li pushed us into the shelter with one palm."
His voice trembled so much he could barely speak.
Shen Yi took over, her voice equally choked: "Elder Li's last words were... the children are still young. If we old folks are still alive, we really can't rest easy."
"Zhangkong, Shen Yi, you're still young. For us... take good care of the academy's future."
Speaking to this point, Wu Zhangkong's tears finally fell.
This normally cold and stern man was now displaying unprecedented vulnerability before everyone.
Shen Yi also couldn't help but turn her face away, her shoulders trembling slightly, unable to speak another word.
Everyone fell silent upon hearing this.
Heavy grief permeated the air. Only a gentle breeze brushed across the surface of the reborn lake, creating faint ripples.
Fang Yang spoke softly: "Teacher Wu, I killed the Ghost Emperor, the Blood Demon, and the Hummingbird."
"Good." Wu Zhangkong's eyes flashed with a complex light upon hearing this. "Bing'er..."
This was the eternal pain in his heart.
Shen Yi looked at Fang Yang in shock upon hearing this. Only at this moment did she realize that this young man before her possessed the terrifying strength to slay three peak evil soul masters.
"Sister Ya Li, Teacher Wu, Teacher Shen."
Fang Yang's gaze swept over everyone, his tone calm. "I plan to make a trip to Devil Island."
"Devil Island? That place..."
Ya Li nodded slightly upon hearing this. "Alright, I understand."
Wu Zhangkong and Shen Yi nodded upon hearing this.
They had heard of that place.
"Fang Yang, if you're going, be careful. That place tests not only strength but also one's mental fortitude," Ya Li instructed, concern showing in her eyes.
Fang Yang responded solemnly: "Rest assured, Sister Ya Li. I understand."
"Brother, I want to go too."
Na'er said to Fang Yang, looking at him with eager eyes, her heterochromatic pupils full of anticipation.
Fang Yang pondered for a moment, looking at Na'er, and finally nodded: "Alright, we'll go together."
"You girl, you just accepted the position of Pavilion Master and now you're running off?" Ya Li looked at Na'er helplessly, her tone carrying some resignation.
Na'er linked arms with Ya Li, softly acting spoiled: "Master, aren't you still here to oversee things!"
"You're much better than me at the preliminary coordination for the academy's reconstruction. I'll be back soon, it won't take long."
"Alright, alright, alright."
Ya Li sighed helplessly, but her eyes were full of doting affection.
"Xiaoyan."
Fang Yang's gaze turned to Xu Xiaoyan.
"I... won't be going."
Xu Xiaoyan's voice was gentle. "My brother sent a message saying that with three years of no news, my parents are very worried and want me to return home."
Fang Yang gazed at her for a moment, speaking warmly: "If anything happens, remember to tell me."
"Mm, it's just family concerns, nothing else." Xu Xiaoyan showed a reassuring smile.
She stepped forward and gently embraced Fang Yang before everyone's eyes.
Fang Yang raised his hand, and three clusters of deep, leaping black flames appeared in his palm, which he presented to Xu Xiaoyan: "Take these, just in case."
"What is this?"
Xu Xiaoyan sensed the boundless power contained within and couldn't help but ask.
"These three clusters of Heavenly Flames can protect you in times of crisis," Fang Yang explained.
Xu Xiaoyan stored away the three clusters of black flames: "Alright, I understand."
"Sister Ya Li."
Fang Yang looked at Ya Li. "To be safe, I will leave a clone to oversee the academy."
A trace of relief flashed in Ya Li's eyes: "That would be excellent. You may go with peace of mind. The academy has me."
"Mm, good." Fang Yang nodded slightly.
The history of Devil Island could be traced back thousands of years.
The Tang God King had schemed against the two great God Kings of Destruction and Life, ultimately causing their fall.
Among them, the cores of their divine positions transformed into seeds of Destruction and Life, falling into the Tang God King's hands.
The divine power of the fallen Destruction and Life God Kings descended upon the Douluo Continent. The relatively gentle Life divine power dissipated between heaven and earth, nourishing all things.
The power of Destruction, however, was incomparably brutal, especially when the two powerful divine forces combined. For the Douluo plane, which had not ascended, this was an enormous threat.
It landed upon the ocean, not causing large-scale human casualties. But at that time, the small island covered by the power of Destruction instantly became a forbidden land—Devil Island.
And when the previous generation of Shrek Seven Monsters went to investigate that area, an accident occurred.
Unfortunately affected by the power of Destruction, their temperaments completely changed, transforming into the Seven Old Monsters, remaining on Devil Island for eternity.
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