Feng Ling's body collapsed powerlessly onto the floor, yet her face bore a blissful, fulfilled smile.
As if she had fulfilled her lifelong wish, accomplished some grand endeavor, and could now die without regrets.
Her aura was fading rapidly.
To nurture the Middle Corpse's body, Feng Ling had exhausted everything. Her prior normalcy was only because the Middle Corpse's body within her sustained her.
Once Huo Yuhao extracted it, Feng Ling's life reached its end.
But Huo Yuhao paid her no mind, focusing instead on the object in his hand, his smile growing brighter.
The Middle Corpse's body in his grasp wasn't an infant… but a fleshy orb!
Tendrils like meat sprouts extended from the orb, probing in all directions, as if searching for something.
Those tendrils touching Huo Yuhao gently brushed his skin, seemingly affectionate.
Yet Huo Yuhao knew clearly: the orb lacked self-awareness. It wasn't seeking closeness but aiming to pierce his body, devouring his flesh for nourishment to grow further.
The orb had no consciousness, only an insatiable instinct to expand!
"Heh, infused with so much darkness and evil, it's indeed a monstrosity—just what I needed."
"Wonder if it's a boy orb or a girl orb."
Huo Yuhao's smile faded as he prepared for serious work.
Holding the orb in one hand, he pointed to his chest, at the middle dantian, and growled.
"The body is formed—Middle Corpse, emerge now!"
With his command
Viscous, oil-like liquid oozed from his middle dantian, coalescing into a distorted humanoid creature. It lingered briefly before merging into the orb.
As the Middle Corpse entered, the orb pulsed like a heart, mimicking an infant's first beat.
The pulsing quickened, growing fiercer.
The orb leapt from Huo Yuhao's hand, not falling but buoyed midair by dark, evil forces radiating from it.
Huo Yuhao carefully sensed the orb's attributes.
Evil from Feng Ling, darkness from the Dark Phoenix, and a devouring force—born of the Middle Corpse's desires.
Upper Corpse craves adornments, Middle Corpse craves flavors, Lower Corpse craves lust.
Jin Daxian and Xu Tiancheng exemplified this: Jin Daxian loved lavish decorations and treasures, Xu Tiancheng toyed with cauldrons.
The Middle Corpse's "flavors" manifested directly as a gluttonous desire for consumption, tied to devouring power.
"I've got two perfect items to complete your formation!"
Huo Yuhao grinned, tossing out two pill-like objects.
One was a Dragon Pill—technically a pseudo-Dragon Pill from Xuanzi's body. After absorbing Xuanzi's full power, it was a true Dragon Pill, or rather, a Gluttonous Dragon Pill!
The other was Leviathan's inner core, also bearing devouring attributes.
The moment they touched the orb, it absorbed them, digesting rapidly.
The orb pulsed more violently, as if something was breaking free, growing with each beat.
Finally, when it swelled to half a man's height, the orb burst.
No blood splattered; the flesh dissolved into energy, consumed by the entity emerging within.
A curled-up teenage boy appeared before Huo Yuhao.
Exuding dense evil, darkness, and devouring power, he triggered the Golden Ancient Tree's instinct to suppress him, but Huo Yuhao intervened.
As the boy stood, his appearance was strikingly similar to Huo Yuhao's, looking seventeen or eighteen, with traces of Feng Ling's demeanor.
The Middle Corpse resembled a noble, cloaked in impenetrable darkness, with innate nobility from his bloodline and a chilling aura that seemed ready to devour all.
When he opened his eyes, three martial soul seals appeared: on his left palm, right palm, and forehead.
Three martial soul phantoms emerged from the seals:
-Swallowing Heaven Phoenix: Devouring and evil attributes, evolved from the Evil Phoenix martial soul, capable of wielding demonic flames.
- Gluttonous Demon Dragon: Devouring and darkness attributes, evolved from the Gluttonous Divine Ox martial soul, with earth-control abilities.
- Abyssal Leviathan: Devouring and darkness attributes, Leviathan's power turned into a martial soul, with darkness and water manipulation.
Born with triple martial souls, centered on devouring, with supremely potent Ultimate darkness and evil attributes—an undeniable pinnacle.
His strength? With such resources, the Middle Corpse was born a level 99 Limit Douluo.
Not because his potential was capped, but because breaking past level 100 required a transformative choice.
Would he inherit a divine throne or continue cultivating?
The Middle Corpse retracted his power. Still unclothed, he waved a hand, donning a sleek black outfit woven from dark energy.
He stretched, clenched his fists, and a healthy smile spread across his face.
"So this is being alive? I've wanted out for ages—this feels amazing! Main body, you're too slow!"
Huo Yuhao: "???"
The Middle Corpse laughed. "Upper and Lower Corpses have names, so I need one too. Since my body was nurtured by Feng Ling, from now on, I'm Feng Wudu!"
"No limits! No restraint! Devour endlessly! Unmatched!!!"
"Hahahaha!!!!"
After his boisterous laugh, Feng Wudu looked at Huo Yuhao, reading his thoughts without a word.
"Fellow Daoist, I'll forge my own path. If I inherit a divine throne, I won't settle for less than Xu Tiancheng's Seven Elements God throne—I'll aim for the Seven Sins God throne!"
"Let me out. I'll grow by devouring beyond Douluo Continent. You've nearly stripped this place bare—staying here would stunt me."
Huo Yuhao nodded. "Your strength is enough for the journey. But if you're leaving, take Jin Daxian. He's broken through to seven rings and needs more resources to grow fast."
At the mention of babysitting, Feng Wudu's grin vanished.
"Can I refuse?"
"What do you think?"
"…"
Feng Wudu left, taking Jin Daxian.
He wasn't ready to inherit a divine throne, planning to devour and grow in other planes, like the Abyss Plane.
For Jin Daxian, scavenging behind Feng Wudu sufficed. He only needed resources to grow, his Behemoth bloodline ensuring at least a peak first-tier god's potential.
Finally, Huo Yuhao looked at Feng Ling on the floor.
Her aura flickered like a dying candle, yet she lived, sustained by the Golden Ancient Tree's power. Her ghastly abdominal wound was stabilized by its energy.
"This seat is always fair. Since you offered your bloodline and power, I'll grant you a new one later."
"Didn't you once want to devour Yan Shaozhe?"
"Then I'll make you a Light Phoenix."
"For now, sleep."
With a wave, Feng Ling's body sank into the Golden Ancient Tree, her head left exposed, in slumber.
Her face still bore a blissful smile.
After sending the Middle Corpse and Upper Corpse on a journey out of the Douluo Plane, Huo Yuhao once again toured his divine kingdom.
The current state of his divine kingdom had become orderly and well-structured.
All the treasures, weapons, martial souls, and subordinates related to Huo Yuhao had fully integrated into the divine kingdom's environment.
Specifically, these entities had assimilated into the divine kingdom and formed regions imbued with their unique powers.
For example, the Blood Fiend Valley, formed from the fusion of Grand Eunuch Gao and the Blood Slaughter Orb; the three divine peaks shaped by the Temples of Wisdom, Rakshasa, and Angels; and the White Lotus City founded by a group of White Lotus believers.
Speaking of White Lotus City, it did bring Huo Yuhao some unexpected joy.
White Lotus City was the holy city of the White Lotus cult. Even the "offerings" from the four great empires—including queens, concubines, and other imperial consorts—mostly joined the White Lotus cult. Only a small number joined the other three divine peaks.
Thus, White Lotus City had become the most powerful force within the divine kingdom.
(The world inside the Hao Emperor Banner was not counted in this.)
To Huo Yuhao, White Lotus City was the place where he condensed his power of faith.
In the Douluo Continent, without inheriting a divine position, the most likely path to godhood was collecting faith to forge a divine seat.
There were only two successful gods who took this route: the Angel God and the Sea God.
However, in this current era, trying to shape a divine seat through faith was practically impossible.
The environment of the continent wouldn't allow it, and the heavenly Tang Old Dog wouldn't allow it either.
With the continent fragmented, even if the entire Sun-Moon Empire joined the White Lotus cult, the faith of just one nation's people would still take an incredibly long time to forge a divine seat.
It was said that even though the Angel God and Sea God dominated the land and the sea respectively, it still took them a thousand years to succeed in their path through faith.
Yet Tang Old Dog demanded Huo Yuhao eliminate the "rebels" of the Sun-Moon Empire within just a few years.
Didn't you see how he even brought Huo Yuhao's parents personally to supervise the battle?
Huo Yuhao was sure that if he returned to Shrek Academy without preparing to strike at the Sun-Moon Empire, Tang Hao and Ah Yin would show up again to push him.
But once Huo Yuhao returned, it would indeed be time for a grand, all-encompassing war—because only by doing so could he continue to squeeze out the remaining value of the Douluo Continent.
This would be sustainable overfishing of the continent's resources.
At the same time, it would allow Huo Yuhao to gain even greater power of faith!
Though the other three empires didn't follow the White Lotus faith, their royal families were all under Huo Yuhao's control. The people's trust in their royalty could still generate faith.
Originally, the upper echelons of the four empires had no idea how to gather faith. But Huo Yuhao clearly knew how—it was one of the most common cultivation paths among practitioners.
Especially in eras where becoming immortal was extremely difficult, many chose the path of the divine and used incense offerings to ascend. It was the preferred choice for the majority of cultivators.
Prominent orthodox sects like Mount Mao were the ones who popularized this practice.
Eventually, the faith from all four empires would converge upon Huo Yuhao—or more accurately, upon his divine kingdom.
Once White Lotus City was established, the previously scattered faith was drawn toward it and molded by the doctrines of the White Lotus belief.
Now, at the center of White Lotus City, a golden Egg of Faith had appeared. What was incubating inside wasn't life—but a yet-unformed divine seat!
The only thing Huo Yuhao regretted was that he didn't have a thousand years to accumulate faith. Even if his plan went smoothly and he squeezed more faith from the Douluo Continent, the most he could forge was a Level 3 Divine Seat.
Don't be fooled into thinking Huo Yuhao's upgrade from Level 3 God to Godking took just a few years.
He had relied on the entire Douluo World's fortune, as well as major resources like the Dragon Tomb.
In reality, every step to divine rank was like crossing a massive chasm—the higher one climbed, the more terrifying the gap became.
Huo Yuhao knew this feeling all too well.
Before becoming a Godking, he had already discussed with the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent about how to break through to the Supreme Godking realm.
Yet, once he actually reached Godking level, he suddenly realized: he could see the realm of the Supreme Godking—but couldn't touch it.
He knew a path existed, but didn't know how to step onto it.
Because it was extremely difficult for him to comprehend the so-called Relative Law Attributes.
Even his self-comprehended Law of Fate hadn't yet reached its peak. It was still a ways off from true mastery.
Huo Yuhao admitted he'd spoken a bit arrogantly before—ignorance had made him fearless.
As the saying goes: before breaking through, one is like a frog at the bottom of a well; after breaking through, one becomes a mote floating in the vast sky.
Someone like the Dragon God, who upon entering the cosmos instantly comprehended Relative Laws that led straight to Supreme Godking, even understanding two laws at once—such beings were rare beyond rare.
Perhaps, the outcome of one's cultivation journey was determined from the very first choice made.
Realizing this, Huo Yuhao suddenly felt his insight into the Law of Fate deepen a little more.
Still, even with the awareness of his own insignificance, Huo Yuhao did not lose confidence.
After all, reaching Supreme Godking through Relative Laws was only a theory he and the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent had come up with. Who's to say there's not another path?
Besides, outside the Douluo Divine Realm system, Huo Yuhao could still perceive his own Dao Fruit, allowing him to advance further.
No matter how pieced-together his cultivation path was—even if it was a "patchwork road"—as long as it led to the other side, it was a good road!
As the saying goes: My fate is mine to command, not the heavens'. As long as I want to walk, the path will appear beneath my feet!
What if there's no road? Then think of your loved ones—think of your comrades in the Divine Kingdom!
As soon as Huo Yuhao had such thoughts, his insight into the Law of Fate advanced again.
"The Law of Fate is telling you to accept fate, then transcend it," said the voice of the Holy Spirit Feathered Serpent beside his ear.
But Huo Yuhao shook his head.
"No, I don't think that's what it means."
"Then what do you think it means?"
"The Law of Fate is telling me: I'll walk however I want—go wherever I please!"
"...Truly worthy of being you."
Inside White Lotus City, after enjoying the emotional devotion of his followers and sampling the flavors of the Hao Alliance members, Lan Yin, the empresses and concubines of the four great empires, and various female devotees…
Huo Yuhao finally looked toward the golden pill at the city center where a divine seat was being nurtured.
"A Level 3 divine seat is still a bit low for me, but as long as I can grasp control of the Douluo Plane—or spread White Lotus faith to other planes—its level can continuously rise."
"So, while the initial divine seat isn't high in rank, its future is full of potential. It just needs time to grow."
"A god..."
The cocoon of the Snow Lotus was tended by the Six-Winged Angel.
After watching Huo Yuhao converse with the Snow Lotus, the Six-Winged Angel gleefully grabbed him and dragged him toward the Temple of the Angel God.
Six-Winged Angel: "C'mon, let's go inside and recharge my magic!"
In truth, the Six-Winged Angel didn't need to recharge, but having gained a more "human" essence of life, she constantly sought to express her human side.
The simplest, most direct way? Procreation.
—Indulging in the pleasures people enjoy, venting worldly desires.
Huo Yuhao felt the Six-Winged Angel was trending toward becoming a Lustful Angel.
Conversely, having severed his three corpses (a metaphysical detachment), Huo Yuhao had shed most worldly desires, able to maintain a divine perspective for extended periods.
In White Lotus City, it wasn't about enjoyment or indulgence for him; it was a "bodily salvation" to solidify faith.
Through that process, he further grasped his mindset post-severance.
How to describe it? Huo Yuhao felt calling himself a "saint" wouldn't be unwarranted.
Yet, this didn't mean he was incapable—rather, he lacked impulsiveness, gaining more skill and emotion.
Desire was secondary; emotion was primary.
If he wished, time's expanse was limitless!
"Since you're so eager, how will you spark my interest?" Huo Yuhao teased with a mischievous smile.
The Six-Winged Angel shot him a sultry glance…
In the temple, Qian Renxue and the other Qian women observed the brazen duo with varied expressions.
Qian Renxue frowned, displeased—she disapproved of such antics in the temple.
Even if the temple had a new master, now called the Six-Winged Angel Temple, it was still sacred.
How could a holy, pure angel act so shamelessly?
Even though Qian Renxue had agreed to be Huo Yuhao's sparring partner, she insisted on using the temple's secluded chamber, not the main hall.
Qian Shishi and other women watched with curiosity and longing, hoping to receive divine "grace" again.
Finally, Qian Renxue couldn't bear it. She stepped forward, accusing Huo Yuhao: "The temple isn't a playground for your whims. You're defiling faith, tarnishing divinity…"
But before she finished, the busy Six-Winged Angel pointed at her. Instantly, countless fine threads of light bound Qian Renxue in an artistic pose.
Pausing her task, the Six-Winged Angel rose, sauntering to Qian Renxue with a slight smile.
Qian Renxue glared furiously.
Her gaze couldn't stop the angel's actions. The Six-Winged Angel pressed her against her own statue, pinning her with her body.
Turning to Huo Yuhao, the Six-Winged Angel's eyes shimmered seductively, her long lashes beckoning.
Huo Yuhao smiled, stepping forward to "guide" Qian Renxue.
Qian Renxue panicked. "Let me go! This is a sacred ground, not a place for your antics! I was wrong—I just couldn't stand it. I'll join you, but not here, please… ahh~~~!"
Having lived a full life, Qian Ren Xue had grown pragmatic. To preserve the Angel God's legacy, she was willing to offer herself to Huo Yuhao.
Her old feelings for Tang San had faded long ago into a distant dream.
So, joining Huo Yuhao to fight Tang San caused little resistance.
But one thing Qian Ren Xue couldn't let go of: the Angel God's faith!
This faith was the vessel of her entire existence.
Even if the Angel God had become the Six-Winged Angel God, their shared appearance and power made them inseparable in her heart.
Yet today, under the Six-Winged Angel God's coercion, before countless believers, Qian Ren Xue's sacred, inviolable faith was profaned by Huo Yuhao.
…
Huo Yuhao finally returned to Shrek.
Training under Tang Hao took considerable time—roughly a year, by his estimate.
In that time, the Douluo Continent's dynamics shifted dramatically.
The main conflict wasn't among the four empires but between evil soul masters and regular soul mages.
In a year, the Holy Spirit Cult grew rapidly. The Corpse God, who once awed the empires' elites, joined them, cementing the cult's status as the continent's "strongest." Their influence was unrivaled.
Even the Sun-Moon Empire couldn't suppress them.
Ambitious and wicked individuals flocked to the cult, many undergoing rituals to become evil soul masters.
Given the cult's power, the four empires avoided direct conflict, especially without Shrek as their backbone.
But they curbed the cult indirectly, clashing in the shadows.
Meanwhile, the four empires' alliance stabilized and enriched most citizens' lives, with booming economies.
Wealthier, they built stronger armies and recruited more soul master elites, boosting their strength.
Yet, the empires remained restrained.
Their leaders awaited one person—a decisive figure.
That person returned today, stepping onto Shrek's soil: the current Poseidon Pavilion Master, Ice God Douluo, Huo Yuhao!
The pavilion elders dubbed him "Ice God," partly to honor Mu En's "Dragon God" title, partly as a hopeful vision for him to become a true god.
Huo Yuhao now carried not just Shrek's hopes but those of the four empires' elites.
On Shrek's ruins, a small town had risen. Far smaller than the grand Shrek City, it could house Shrek's future.
Most residents were local migrants or refugees displaced by past wars.
Others were personnel sent by the empires and various factions.
Shrek Academy was rebuilt. At the town's edge, it was simple, enclosed by new fences, with a strange monster head—Shrek's emblem—at the gate.
The academy resumed admissions.
Today was enrollment day.
Shrek's reputation drew many applicants, though few were nobles.
With limited resources, admission rules changed: no city lord's recommendation needed, but applicants must be under 12, with soul power at level 21 or higher. Above level 25, they skipped the initial test.
This moment echoed ten thousand years ago.
Wasn't this a cycle of fate?
Huo Yuhao stood silently at the back of the enrollment line.
---
In front of Shrek Academy, a wooden table had been set up at the entrance.
Behind the table sat a large, rotund man—so overweight he looked like a ball, the wooden chair beneath him seemingly on the verge of collapse. Yet he gave off an impression of solidness and weight. Every gesture he made carried an oppressive aura.
This indicated that the fat man was not merely obese—he was incredibly strong!
A true powerhouse of strength.
He was none other than Xie Huan Yue.
While many had left Shrek Academy, Xie Huan Yue chose to stay. He had become one of the key figures in rebuilding the academy and was now a pillar of its foundation.
Currently, he was in charge of admissions.
At that moment, Xie Huan Yue had a warm smile on his face, looking like a benevolent Maitreya Buddha. He spoke kindly to the youth standing before him for the entrance assessment:
"Release your martial soul and soul rings."
The boy obediently released them.
His martial soul was a longbow, and his soul rings were one white and one yellow. However, his soul power level had already surpassed level 20.
"Your soul power meets the standard. Now, extend your hand so I can examine your bone age," Xie Huan Yue continued.
He squeezed the boy's arm, confirming that the youth was indeed younger than twelve. Satisfied, he nodded.
"All right, you've passed. Head to the next stage of the test. Good luck—I hope to see you on campus when the semester starts."
Encouraged by these words, the boy's face lit up with excitement. He bowed deeply and shouted, "Thank you, teacher! I won't let you down!"
In the past, someone like him, born in poverty, wouldn't have dared to even dream of entering Shrek Academy.
Though Shrek Academy had fallen from grace, even a starved camel is bigger than a horse. Rumor had it that the academy still had more than five Title Douluo. If he could perform well and catch the eye of one of those legendary figures, his future would be assured.
The boy walked into the newly rebuilt Shrek Academy, full of joy.
Watching him enter, Xie Huan Yue sighed inwardly.
"Shrek Academy really isn't what it used to be. Even those with a white first soul ring are now eligible to take the entrance exam. But the next few trials won't be so easy."
After all, the academy had declined, and with an impending battle against the Holy Spirit Church looming, disciples of powerful factions no longer wished to get involved with Shrek Academy.
Their only choice was to recruit from among the commoners—hoping to unearth new talent there.
But the truth was, the overall quality of soul masters from civilian backgrounds left much to be desired.
Let alone their soul ring configuration—there was even a shortage of high-grade martial souls.
Still, even with relaxed admission standards, not just anyone could enter Shrek Academy. The following stages of the test would assess soul skills, physical fitness, and other comprehensive attributes.
There were four stages in total. Failing any one of them meant losing the chance to enroll.
It was said that this format was modeled after the admissions process used by Shrek Academy ten thousand years ago.
According to Yan Shaozhe, "Since we are rebuilding Shrek Academy, we must start from scratch."
Only by staying true to the original intent can one reach the destination.
Because of this, admissions had been progressing slowly. Very few applicants had managed to pass and be accepted.
Of course, unlike ten thousand years ago, Shrek Academy no longer charged a registration fee to trick students. Now, all applicants could take the exam for free.
And if they managed to graduate, they could indeed obtain noble titles from the four great empires.
With the support of these empires and the protection of several Super Douluo, Shrek Academy might have lost its foundation, but it had not yet fallen to the level of begging for survival.
Shrek Academy was no longer a starving camel—it was a starving dragon.
"Next!"
Xie Huan Yue called out. He straightened his clothes, ready to assess the next applicant.
A black-robed figure silently approached the desk.
The figure was over 1.85 meters tall. Even with the robe concealing him, one could tell he had a tall, lean, and well-proportioned physique. As he neared, a cold aura spread out from him, making even Xie Huan Yue—exposed to the blazing sun—feel a hint of coolness.
Xie Huan Yue looked up and squinted at the man, noting that he stood taller than all the other applicants. A flash of light flickered in his eyes.
Such concealment… something was up.
With the rise of the Holy Spirit Church, many shady individuals had tried to infiltrate or cause trouble for Shrek Academy—but all had been dealt with swiftly and decisively.
"May I see your face?" Xie Huan Yue asked, still wearing a friendly smile.
"What, I can't hide my face if I want to take Shrek Academy's entrance exam?" the black-robed man asked in a cold voice.
Xie Huan Yue raised an eyebrow. "So you are here to cause trouble?"
But he wasn't worried.
"There's no rule against it. Fine, then—show me your martial soul and soul rings."
The black-robed man replied, "And what if I refuse?"
Xie Huan Yue's smile vanished. "If you won't cooperate, then leave. Not just anyone can join Shrek Academy."
But the man remained unfazed. Still cold, he said, "What if I insist on joining Shrek Academy?"
"You really are here to cause trouble, aren't you?" Xie Huan Yue sneered, his tone no longer friendly. His massive body rose from the chair, exuding an overwhelming pressure.
The other applicants quickly backed away, worried they'd get caught in the crossfire.
Only the black-robed man remained motionless in front of Xie Huan Yue, his robes gently fluttering.
Boom—
Xie Huan Yue immediately activated his martial soul.
With the possession of the Pi Pi Elephant, his body swelled further, ballooning like a massive sphere. Two yellow, two purple, and three black rings spun around him—seven soul rings in total, marking him as a Soul Sage.
And not just an ordinary Soul Sage. His aura showed he had reached the peak of the rank, just a step away from becoming a Soul Douluo.
His powerful presence stunned the onlookers. Even in this era, a Soul Sage was considered a high-level soul master. And yet here he was, merely handling student registrations.
The awe in the eyes of the applicants deepened. This was the kind of place Shrek Academy had become—poor in resources, rich in power.
"If you want to enter Shrek Academy, you have to get past me first!" Xie Huan Yue's voice boomed like thunder, eyes narrowed with a glint of killing intent.
His Pi Pi Elephant martial soul gave him both strength and defense. Although he specialized in defense, his offensive power was still formidable.
But the black-robed man remained unshaken. He let out a light laugh—his voice no longer cold.
"Heh… then allow me to show you whether I'm qualified to join Shrek Academy~"
A frigid aura spread from beneath his robe.
Red, black, black, black, black, red, red, red, red!
Nine soul rings emerged—an unbelievably powerful configuration.
Xie Huan Yue shivered from the sudden cold. When he saw those soul rings—shocking yet oddly familiar—his squinting eyes widened in disbelief, then awe, and finally joy.
"You're… Yuhao!!" he exclaimed. "You're back?!"
The black-robed man finally pulled down his hood, revealing Huo Yuhao's incomparably handsome face.
With a smile, Huo Yuhao said, "Brother Xie, I'm back!"
"Yuhao, it really is you!"
"You brat, how dare you scare me like that..."
Xie Huanyue spoke excitedly, raising his fist the size of a sandbag as if to punch Huo Yuhao.
But very quickly, as if he suddenly remembered something, Xie Huanyue's smile vanished. He immediately withdrew his martial soul and spirit rings, stood up straight, and bowed respectfully to Huo Yuhao.
"Shrek instructor Xie Huanyue respectfully welcomes the return of the Sea God Pavilion Master!"
Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow, then straightened his posture with exaggerated dignity, lifting his hand in a commanding wave.
"No need for formalities. Thank you for your dedication to Shrek. I won't take this honor for myself alone."
Xie Huanyue lifted his head and met Huo Yuhao's gaze. In his eyes, he saw the familiar warmth and humor.
Huo Yuhao quietly asked, "Brother Xie, how was my act?"
Xie Huanyue shook his head and replied, "Still missing something. Not imposing enough."
The next second, both of them burst into laughter.
Xie Huanyue came around the table and gave Huo Yuhao a powerful hug, so emotional that his eyes turned slightly red.
Though their strengths and statuses were now worlds apart, Xie Huanyue could still feel that Huo Yuhao was the same "Little Brother Huo" as before. Their bond hadn't changed, and Yuhao still called him Brother Xie.
How had he, Xie Huanyue, deserved such an honor—being addressed as brother by a peerless powerhouse?
To have such a close friend—what more could one ask for?
With his face buried in Xie Huanyue's broad chest, Huo Yuhao quickly raised his hand to pat at the exaggerated pecs, muffled as he said, "Breathing... I can't... breathe…"
Xie Huanyue laughed loudly again.
So, in his excitement, Xie Huanyue took Huo Yuhao straight into Shrek Academy, leaving the applicants outside baffled and bewildered.
However, among the crowd, a few sharp-eyed individuals caught onto some key details. Their expressions shifted subtly before they quietly left to report their findings.
Though Shrek Academy had fallen from its former glory, few dared to underestimate Huo Yuhao. Shrek still housed several Hyper Douluo, and more importantly, both Huo Yuhao and Jiang Nannan were beings favored by the gods!
No one could predict when Shrek would once again give rise to new deities and return to its peak like it did ten thousand years ago.
That's why many factions continued to keep a close watch on Shrek's developments.
Inside the Academy, gazing at its humble surroundings, Huo Yuhao sighed deeply.
Seeing his expression, Xie Huanyue patted him on the shoulder with comfort.
"Yuhao, though Shrek no longer shines as it once did, as long as you are here, as long as we are here, we'll rebuild it brick by brick. And one day, it will be even greater than before!"
"You came up with that yourself?" Huo Yuhao looked at him in doubt.
"Uh… that's what Dean Yan told us. Hahaha…" Xie Huanyue admitted honestly.
Indeed, no one's feelings ran deeper for Shrek than the deans. Only they could say such words from the bottom of their hearts.
The current state of the Academy would bring tears to any of its elders.
Though, apart from the three deans, there weren't really any elders left… so maybe not.
Soon, Xie Huanyue led Yuhao through the areas where the other three entrance examinations were being held.
There were three: the theory exam, the physical fitness test, and the combat exam.
The theory exam itself split into two tracks—Soul Master theory and Soul Tool theory. Passing the Soul Tool exam granted exemption from the physical fitness test.
The fitness test was a stamina trial: running laps without using soul power. It tested both physique and willpower, and was in fact the stage where the most candidates were eliminated.
The final combat exam required students to face off against Academy instructors, either alone or in teams. Victory or defeat didn't matter—reaching the fourth trial meant acceptance; the battle merely helped the Academy better understand each applicant's abilities.
Xie Huanyue was in charge of the soul power and age assessment. There was one shortcut: any child under twelve who had already reached rank twenty-five could skip straight to the final test.
In truth, he had only found two such candidates.
One was a true commoner blessed with a mutated martial soul.
The other was once a noble of the Star Luo Empire. After the devastating war with the Sun–Moon Empire, his family fell into ruin, forcing him to drift into the newly established Shrek Town, where he applied during this round of recruitment.
Shrek Town had indeed sheltered many war refugees, though few were of noble birth.
Generally, nobles relied on intricate family ties. Almost all with connections would seek refuge with relatives rather than becoming destitute.
Thus, those who abandoned their titles and chose exile usually had special circumstances.
Like Zhang Lexuan, who was hunted by overwhelmingly powerful enemies.
This noble youth had been betrayed by fellow nobles, his family annihilated. Bitter, he wanted no more ties to nobility or the Star Luo Empire.
One might say Shrek Academy had picked up a "bargain."
Talented commoners, meanwhile, could now rely on their skills and be nurtured directly by the empires, rather than roaming as rootless vagabonds.
The four great empires were investing heavily in supporting civilian soul masters.
Partly to secure talent, and partly to prevent gifted soul masters from turning astray—becoming evil soul masters.
The rise of the Holy Spirit Cult had sounded the alarm: the traditional paths of cultivation were no longer the only option.
If the nobles and empires continued oppressing the people, they would only drive them into the arms of the Holy Spirit Cult—and then the nobles themselves would become the fodder for these evil soul masters' growth.