The lotus leaf slowly drifted back, and Tang Wulin returned to his original spot.
Who was he referring to? This was the question in almost everyone's minds. Many of the female participants were quite disappointed as he clearly wasn't talking about them.
Dai Yun'er's smile had completely stiffened, and Wu Siduo's face had paled even further. Girl Number 18 remained completely still, as did Girl Number 17, but if one were to look closely, they would see ripples running through the water around the lotus leaf beneath her feet.
Dai Yun'er pursed her lips, and her face paled as she realized that Tang Wulin still only had eyes for a single woman. As Tang Wulin was delivering his confession, she felt as if her heart had been punctured by something, and the agony was so intense that she was struggling to breathe.
It had been over three years since they'd parted with one another. She was initially completely heartbroken following his disappearance, but she'd received news about him not long ago, and her grief was transformed into elation. However, her joy had since turned into a sinking feeling in her stomach after hearing his confession, and she felt as if her heart were being torn out of her chest.
However, during the past three years, she'd grown up, and she'd become a lot more mature. Perhaps it really was true that pain and adversity were the best catalysts for growth. She learned to be strong, to be resilient, and to never give up.
No, I won't give up, no matter what!
A stubborn and resolute expression gradually appeared on Dai Yun'er's pale face. She'd waited for so long and endured so much before finally being reunited with him; she couldn't just give up here!
Happiness was something one had to strive for. Regardless of how much he loved that woman, more than three years had passed, and in the end, she was going to be the one who won his heart.
With that in mind, Dai Yun'er took a deep breath to try and calm herself down so she could fight for her love in her best possible condition.
Wu Siduo stared blankly at Tang Wulin. Back when she had rejected Luo Guixing and Xu Yucheng, her heart had been throbbing with pain.
The three of them had known one another for so long, and this wasn't the result that she wanted. However, she knew what she wanted, and she couldn't lie to herself. She knew that the man she wanted had never even seemed to consider her as a love interest, but she still had to fight.
She had always been a perfectionist, and she always had to have the best of everything, which translated directly into her pursuit to be the most powerful being there is. She was Hell Wu Siduo, a prodigy with twin martial souls and a self-soul fusion skill. If there were one man who was worthy of her among all of the men that she knew, then it had to be him.
He was handsome, wise, hard-working, and supremely talented. She had been drawn to his handsome looks the first time she'd seen him, but as time passed, she gradually became drawn to him as a person. He was able to defeat her over and over again under the unlikeliest of circumstances, and she gradually began to develop feelings for him without even realizing it herself. She didn't even know when she'd fallen in love with him, but she had always been paying attention to him, all the way until he disappeared.
After being close friends with Luo Guixing and Xu Yucheng for so many years, how could she be unaware of their feelings? In particular, during the period of time where Tang Wulin had disappeared, she had once tried to accept one of them, but she found herself unable to do so. At the very least she was unable to accept either one of them now as her heart was filled with the image of him.
Perhaps he'll come back someday. It was exactly this lingering hope in her heart that spurred her on to continue working hard in her cultivation. After the new generation of Shrek’s Seven Monsters was decided, she became the class president of the genius class. She cultivated with all her might in the hope that she'd be able to catch up to him one day. If he were to come back, she had to at least be on equal footing as him.
And now, he really had come back, and he'd made his return during the Sea God Fate Match-making Convention. Unbeknownst to him, she had prepared herself to let go of her crush and accept a new relationship during this match-making convention, but his return had her at a complete loss for what to do.
However, during this brief period of time, she made her decision. She had to make an attempt no matter what. She knew that her chances of success were quite slim, but she had to at least try. Otherwise, how could she leave this match-making convention with no regrets?
She had always been extremely decisive, and after making a decision, she wouldn't give up on it easily. She knew that her actions could lead her to miss out on the most important person in her life, but she was still determined to make one final roll of the dice. Even if she were merely a moth rushing toward a flame, she had to do this. Otherwise, thoughts of what could've been would plague her for the rest of her life.
The Love at Second Sight segment continued, and all of the remaining male participants displayed their powers and confessed their love. Soon, the eventful third segment concluded, and thankfully, the second half wasn't plagued with frequent interludes as the first half of the segment had been.
Lan Muzi and Tang Yinmeng exchanged a glance, and the latter said, "At this stage, we are already past the halfway mark of this Sea God Fate Match-making Convention. However, what I must tell you all is that the most exciting segment is just beginning. All male participants, you can pray to your lucky stars now as this upcoming fourth segment will decide whether you'll have a chance to court the woman of your dreams."
Lan Muzi nodded, and continued from where Tang Yinmeng had left off. "That's right, we are about to commence the most exhilarating fourth segment of this Sea God Fate Match-making Convention. According to statistics gathered from past editions of the event, at least 70% of all of the matches will be made during this segment. As such, I must remind all of our celestial maidens to choose wisely as your decisions are final. Look deep into your hearts, and don't do anything that you'll regret in the future."
All of the women adopted serious expressions upon hearing this.
Lan Muzi glanced at girls number 17 and 18, who were still wearing their veils, and he said, "At this point in time, we have two of our celestial maidens who are still wearing their veils. Would you like to remove your veils now? If you turn down this opportunity, then you'll have no further opportunities to remove your veils, so make sure to choose wisely. Due to the fact that you two have been able to protect your veils for so long, if you choose to remove your veils now, you two will be given priority during the fourth segment, Affinity Spanning Three Lives. I will give you one minute to consider."
"I'll take off my veil," a heavenly voice rang out across the entire Sea God's Lake. The one who had spoken was none other than Girl Number 18.
She raised a hand to remove her veiled bamboo hat, revealing a set of breathtakingly beautiful features.
Her long silver hair spilled down her back like a luscious waterfall, and her large purple eyes were like shimmering amethysts. Even the lights of the moon and the stars seemed to have paled in the face of her stunning beauty.
All of the lights on the Sea God's Lake seemed to have become her backdrop, and everyone instantly focused their eyes on her.
"It's the Dragon Spear Goddess!" someone suddenly exclaimed, and their cry of surprise was instantly echoed by countless spectators on the shore.
Even the inner court male disciples on the Sea God's Lake were appraising her with scorching looks in their eyes.
It had always been rumored that the Dragon Spear Goddess was going to be participating in the Sea God Fate Match-making Convention, but that was yet to be officially confirmed. At this moment, the Dragon Spear Goddess chose to unveil herself, and everyone's first impression was that she was most definitely Shrek's number one beauty.
The likes of Wu Siduo, Ye Xinglan, and Yuanen Yehui were already very beautiful, but their beauty still paled slightly compared to hers.