"Are they conducting identity checks?" Ye Xinglan frowned slightly.
The moment she said this, everyone in the car tensed up. Each of them had their own identification card—a metal card embedded with all personal data. But those cards had been confiscated by the academy before their journey began.
Xu Lizhi turned and looked at Gu You. "What do we do?"
If the inspection involved checking IDs and they didn't have them, they would definitely be questioned. As for what would happen afterward, none of them knew. They hadn't encountered this kind of situation in any of the cities they had passed through before.
"Abandon the car. Full assault!" Gu You said calmly.
Just after finishing his sentence, he opened the door and jumped out.
Everyone was stunned for a second, then quickly followed.
The seven of them easily vaulted over the guardrails, sprinting toward the distance. Using the surrounding buildings for cover, they quickly disappeared into the urban landscape beside the highway.
Only then did alarms sound from the direction of the checkpoint.
After running several kilometers, they boarded a city bus heading into Mingdu. It wasn't until then that they finally settled down.
Gu You bought the tickets and handed them out to the group. Just as he did, he caught sight of a familiar face.
Wu Zhangkong was seated quietly in the back row, staring out the window, a cool expression on his face as if he were lost in thought.
What? That was a Soul Saint's speed? Why didn't he have that kind of speed? It was like Wu Zhangkong had just teleported here.
The architectural style of Mingdu was drastically different from that of Shrek City. Shrek had a blend of classical and modern elements, exuding a cultural ambiance. Mingdu, by contrast, was a pure steel metropolis—an ocean of high technology. Towering buildings stood side by side, each with its own distinct design. Many of them were unusually shaped, making them look futuristic and eye-catching.
Mingdu truly lived up to its reputation. The roads were packed with traffic. Even though they'd been riding the bus for over an hour, it still felt like they'd only just entered the edge of the steel jungle.
Wu Zhangkong stood up and got off the bus. The others quickly followed.
The passersby were all in a hurry, seemingly racing against time.
Wu Zhangkong headed in a specific direction, switching buses multiple times. After transferring three times, they were still surrounded by towering buildings and bustling crowds.
While Mingdu might not match Shrek City in land area, its population density and architectural compactness far surpassed it.
"I don't like it here. It's too rushed... and suffocating," Xu Xiaoyan pouted.
Xie Xie nodded in agreement. "Yeah, it feels so... tense and busy."
While they were speaking, a particular building up ahead drew everyone's attention.
At the top were several large golden characters: Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy.
This looked like an all-metal structure, and the complex expanded outward, linking with three other buildings to form a whole interconnected zone.
This... was a school?
So this was what the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy looked like? The design was truly unique.
At that moment, Wu Zhangkong walked up to the building and with a flash of light in his hand, produced a peculiar device. It had a megaphone on the front and a boxy metal casing in the back.
Before anyone could react, he pressed a button, lifted the device, and began speaking into it with his cold, clear voice—projected across the entire street.
"To the students of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy: We are six students from Shrek Academy, average age fourteen, here to challenge your strongest under twenty. Our visit today is to show you the difference between you and the strongest academy on the continent."
His voice echoed like rolling thunder, loud enough to be heard across several streets.
What the hell... When did their always-icy Wu Zhangkong become so dramatic?
The loudspeaker had a recording function, so he only needed to say it once, not repeat himself endlessly.
In just a few minutes, a crowd began gathering. Students and staff from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy came out to see what was going on, along with curious pedestrians.
From within the building stepped a middle-aged man with golden hair. His expression darkened as he laid eyes on the loudspeaker.
"Shrek Academy?" He walked straight up to Wu Zhangkong and the group, voice icy and eyes sharp.
"You want a challenge? Fine. Follow me." With that, an intense aura surged from his body.
"Clear out! If you want to watch, wait for the broadcast on the public screens." After giving that command, he retracted his aura and turned away.
The Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy was one of the most prestigious schools on the continent, second only to Shrek Academy.
For someone to challenge them in such a disrespectful way—it was downright humiliating.
Inside, the building resembled a futuristic factory more than a school.
Everything was metallic and high-tech. Suspended in the center of the main lobby was a massive metallic sphere, slowly rotating, emitting a faint glow of soul power. Clearly, it housed a powerful core array.
The reception area looked more like a high-end corporate office than part of a school. Even the reception desk was made from rare high-grade metals.
The middle-aged man said nothing, just kept walking ahead. As they passed the front desk, two beautiful female attendants stood up and bowed respectfully to him.
There were many people in the lobby, dressed in identical white uniforms—the academy's students.
Their gazes were filled with curiosity, but also disdain and hostility.
Shrek Academy might be universally admired elsewhere, but here, they were the enemy.
Were these students brainwashed?
The group entered a spacious elevator, which, like everything else, was a pristine white. It seemed like white was the dominant theme of the school. The elevator rose swiftly but smoothly.
It stopped on the sixteenth floor. The man stepped out and led them into a conference room-like chamber.
"Sit," he said, without even bothering to add the word 'please'.
"You've come to issue a challenge?" he asked, as if confirming again.
Everyone nodded.
The man said, "Very well. Our Sun Moon Royal Soul Master Academy doesn't take advantage of age. State your ages."
Gu You glanced at him. "You're sure?"
"Absolutely," the man replied, unwavering.
"They're all fourteen on average," Gu Yue gestured to the group behind him.
"Understood. And you?" The man looked at Gu You again. He didn't appear much older either.
"I'm... a special case," Gu You replied calmly.
(End of Chapter)
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