Even though the red mecha transformed into a car, its speed remained impressive. After picking up Tang Ziran and Lang Yue, it departed from Tianhai City Airport, and on the same day, Tang Wulin's family of four arrived in Shrek City.
By the time they reached Shrek City, it was already evening. Tang Ziran and Lang Yue were ordinary people, and after a long journey from the Douling Continent, they were quite exhausted. Upon arrival, they checked into a hotel to rest.
"Thank you, Sister Yue," Tang Wulin said to Long Yeyue. Along the way, Long Yeyue had spent most of the time chatting with Tang Ziran and Lang Yue, which meant Tang Wulin hadn't had the chance to talk much with them. As a result, Tang Ziran and Lang Yue still hadn't asked why Na'er wasn't with him.
When it came to Na'er, Tang Wulin truly didn't know how to explain it to his parents.
One could say Na'er died by Xia Yi's hand. One could also say she committed suicide. But most truthfully, it was her own fault.
If she hadn't been so obsessed with killing Xia Yi, she wouldn't have met that end.
"Come, I'll take you to meet someone. Afterward, you can explain everything about me and your sister to your parents. You'll have to face it sooner or later—you can't hide it from them forever," Long Yeyue said calmly.
"Meet who at this hour?" Tang Wulin asked curiously.
"I told you before, didn't I? Some people—no matter if I stand them up—they'll do whatever it takes to find me," Long Yeyue said proudly.
"You mean His Excellency Hanhai Douluo? He followed you all the way to Shrek City?" Tang Wulin asked, intrigued.
"No choice. He's like a clingy plaster—can't shake him off." Long Yeyue curled her lips, but when she looked at Tang Wulin, her eyes were full of pride.
Yes, Long Yeyue was a bit older, but even someone like Chen Xinjie, whose spiritual power had already reached the divine level, still revolved around her. She, Long Yeyue, was not someone who lacked admirers!
"Let's go!" Long Yeyue grabbed Tang Wulin's hand, and before long, they arrived at the ruins of the former Shrek Academy to meet Chen Xinjie.
The entire Shrek Academy had been obliterated by a Grade-12 Godslayer Fixed Soul Guidance Missile, leaving behind a massive crater. Rainwater and groundwater had collected there, turning the former grounds into a huge lake.
Because of the residual radiation from the explosion, which couldn't be neutralized in the short term, the Sun-Moon Federation had temporarily abandoned any plans to develop the area.
As they stood there, looking at what was once the mighty Shrek Academy, both Tang Wulin and Long Yeyue seemed to hear echoes of the students training and shouting in the past, and they could almost see the majestic and ancient teaching buildings once more.
Tears streamed uncontrollably from Tang Wulin's eyes.
Their gazes grew intense, and the hands they held tightened even more.
"Yueyue!" A voice filled with affection brought them back to reality.
Chen Xinjie looked at their tightly clasped hands and, instead of getting angry, smiled and asked, "Yueyue, is this student a survivor from Shrek Academy?"
"Yes. And he's also my fiancé," Long Yeyue replied nonchalantly. She pulled Tang Wulin in front of her and said, "Wulin is my fiancé. From now on, when we're together, you have to protect us. If enemies show up, you have to help us escape first. Any treasures suitable for his cultivation—you have to hand them over to him first."
"Sister Yue, are you sure he won't flip out if you talk like that?" Tang Wulin tugged her hand, trying to remind her not to go too far.
"That's just how he is. Masochistic," Long Yeyue said indifferently. "I'm being nice to him."
"Yueyue, don't be like this. I know you love me. You want to rebuild Shrek Academy and don't want to burden me, so you're pretending to be with a student to make me give up. But I won't leave you, no matter what," Chen Xinjie said, eyes full of deep emotion.
"See? Told you," Long Yeyue said proudly to Tang Wulin.
"..." Tang Wulin said nothing, though his expression was clearly a bit confused.
"Yueyue, I know what you're thinking. You don't want to drag me down. But do you have to hurt me like this? Isn't this a bit too much?" Chen Xinjie said, gritting his teeth.
"Too much? Not at all." Long Yeyue snorted coldly. "You think you know what I'm thinking? Fine, I'll show you how naive you are."
She stared coldly at Chen Xinjie. "Your family has a divine artifact—the Sea God Helmet, right? Wulin needs it. Give it to him."
"The Sea God Helmet?" Chen Xinjie's face changed. He had already given Long Yeyue the Sea Dragon Douluo family's soul spirit, which she had then passed to Tang Wulin.
Now she wanted their family's divine artifact too?
"What, is there a problem?" Long Yeyue asked coldly.
"Yueyue, even if you want me to give up, you don't have to go this far. Don't think that just because I like you, you can do whatever you want. I won't agree to this," Chen Xinjie said through clenched teeth. Although the helmet was in his possession, it belonged to the entire family. Giving it away would be tantamount to betraying them.
"You really won't give it?" Long Yeyue's eyes turned icy cold.
Seeing her expression, Chen Xinjie shuddered involuntarily. He deflated like a balloon and sighed, "Fine, I'll give it."
He took a deep breath, raised his hands slowly as if holding something heavy, and in the next moment, a deep blue helmet began to form in his palms.
The moment the helmet appeared, the lake beneath their feet instantly turned blue, like a miniature ocean.
"Yueyue, I don't believe you'd really give it away just to get me to give up. You wouldn't be so heartless as to give my Sea God Helmet to someone else," Chen Xinjie said, gritting his teeth as he handed the helmet over.
Long Yeyue glanced at him and, without hesitation, handed it to Tang Wulin. "Put it on. From now on, this divine artifact is yours."
Tang Wulin looked at them both, stunned. Was this Chen Xinjie... a love rival?
Grinding his teeth, Tang Wulin raised his hand and placed the Sea God Helmet on his head.
It was a divine artifact.
No matter how it came to him, it was still a divine artifact.
Just like the Golden Dragon Spear.
And it was a gift from his wife?
Of course he wasn't going to refuse.
The moment the Sea God Helmet settled on his head, a golden trident symbol flashed across his forehead. The helmet transformed into a wave of blue light and merged into his head. Chen Xinjie watched, devastated, as his connection to the helmet was severed.
This meant the Sea God Helmet now truly belonged to Tang Wulin.
Tang Wulin didn't understand why the helmet fused with his mind. He only felt his soul power and spiritual power rapidly draining.
Yet, at the same time, various elemental energies in the air surged toward him, replenishing the loss.
This was...
Tang Wulin didn't know what was happening, but a strange equilibrium formed in his body. Amid this balance—
Suddenly, he felt waves radiating outward from his body, as if they were reaching far into the distance, into the infinite cosmos.
"Haha! Wulin, by offering up the Sea God Helmet, I've sensed my true body again. He's stronger than ever. Soon, you'll uncover the secret of your Golden Dragon King bloodline," Old Tang's voice rang in his mind, though it sounded weary.
Still, despite the exhaustion, it was filled with unprecedented excitement.
At that moment, Tang Wulin's spiritual sea trembled. He seemed to sense something.
A faint, distant voice was calling his name over and over again.
He couldn't make out the words, but he could clearly feel the deep, bone-aching familiarity and warmth in the call.
(End of Chapter)