Shrek City is one of the largest cities on the Douluo plane, home to several million people. Situated at the junction of various nations and backed by the Star Dou Forest, it serves as the central hub of the entire continent. Looking down at the vast city below, Huo Yuhao's eyes showed a trace of shock.
Tang Ya, like a narrator, explained Shrek Academy's assessments, the division between the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Tool Department, and the Tang Sect's rise and fall. She even, carried away by emotion, let slip some of her resentment toward soul tools.
Back when the Tang Sect flourished, they had thousands of members—a glorious era. But ever since soul tools emerged four thousand years ago, the Sun Moon Empire, leveraging them, crushed the original continent's forces who were equipped with Tang Sect concealed weapons like the Godly Zhuge Crossbow. The Tang Sect then fell into decline.
"Survival of the fittest, that's all…" Wu Feng curled her lip.
In their Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's vaults, there were still piles of Zhuge Crossbows and other Tang Sect hidden weapons gathering dust.
"If not for my Tang Sect ancestor supplying Zhuge Crossbows back then, would your Seven Treasures Glazed Tile School have escaped the Spirit Hall's encirclement?!" Tang Ya retorted hotly.
"It was mutual cooperation. Did your Tang Sect sect master give them to us for free? The price was so outrageous even a dog would shake its head. Luckily, our then-sect master was generous and even gave your Tang Sect sect master the first funds for your rise." Wu Feng snorted.
"Tch, do you even have a Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda wielder in your sect?" Tang Ya planted her hands on her hips, not backing down an inch.
"You—!" Wu Feng's eyes blazed.
"…"
"Enough, stop arguing…" Bei Bei's mouth twitched. He and Su Wen pulled the two apart.
"Let's go register first." Seeing Wu Feng fuming and about to charge in to fight Tang Ya, Su Wen shot her a light glance.
"…Oh."
Only then did Wu Feng let out a aggrieved little hum.
Shrek's south, north, and west gates were open to the public, while the east gate was closed because it led straight to Shrek Academy. At the east gate, a dozen students wearing pale yellow uniforms with green badges on their chests—second- and third-years—were handling registration and screening.
They would filter out qualified candidates and let them in to register.
No one dared cause trouble at Shrek Academy, so students were entrusted with the job—and could earn credits for it.
"Senior Bei Bei!" The boys and girls had been joking around, but when they saw Bei Bei, they stood up straight with respect.
Bei Bei showed signs of becoming a smooth operator, chatting and laughing with them for a bit, then pointing at Huo Yuhao.
"Since Senior Bei Bei brought them, of course there's no problem!" a male student said with a grin. "Senior, remember to treat us later."
When it was Su Wen's turn, that boy's expression grew noticeably restrained.
"Junior Su Wen, you're here to register too?"
Su Wen paused, slightly surprised. "You know me?"
"I… worked part-time at the milk tea shop—cough, cough…" The boy scratched his head with a sheepish smile.
"…"
Once the group had left,
the stifled atmosphere finally dissipated.
Someone teased, "Tian Che, that junior isn't that old. Why do you look like you just met the school leadership—nervous as anything?"
"You don't get it. He's even more imposing than the teachers. My palms were sweating." The boy named Tian Che shrugged, eyes following the gradually disappearing figure.
"Oh? Tell us the details?" The others crowded around, curious.
They all knew Bei Bei—one of the twin stars of the outer court, breaking through to Soul Elder at thirteen and now nearing Soul Ancestor. His talent spoke for itself. But as for Su Wen, most of those present were hearing the name for the first time.
"Put it this way: every milk tea shop in Shrek City is backed by him alone," Tian Che said mysteriously.
"By him alone?" They were stunned. As Shrek students, most were nobles or from major clans and understood how these things worked. Milk tea shops nowadays were basically money printers. Just the stores near Shrek Academy probably pulled in a million gold soul coins a month. With profits like that, who wouldn't be jealous?
But the problem was, to this day those shops were doing just fine—while any competitors that sprang up were quickly suppressed, shutting down in a matter of days.
Even their parents were curious who stood behind those shops—until the Treasure Gathering Pavilion fully took over. Then everyone realized it was, in a real sense, one of Shrek's own.
That kind of weight was not something outer court students could compare to.
When they asked their parents, they only smiled and said nothing.
But Tian Che's father was one of the old nobles of the Heavenly Soul Empire. During the summer break, he told Tian Che to apply for a part-time job at the main milk tea shop and to make sure to build a good relationship with Su Wen, and he revealed some inside information he'd gathered…
"What inside information? Spill it!" someone hurried him.
"He's a true inner court direct protégé. Going through the outer court is just a formality. Several times when he went out to get soul rings, Dean Yan personally led the team. It's said that back then the Martial Soul and Soul Tool departments nearly came to blows fighting over him. You know what it means to be inner court direct line." Tian Che sighed. It was a pity that after a whole summer of part-time work, he never even caught a glimpse of the guy.
Still, this was a chance to leave an impression.
"Inner court direct line…" The others' pupils shrank as they drew in cold breaths.
That status was even weightier than a regular inner court disciple!
Those who could be given that label—perhaps only a handful even in the monster-crammed inner court.
He might even be a future successor to Shrek Academy.
"The outer court's about to get lively~"
…
Inside, at the registration office.
Du Weilun looked at the five of them—especially Su Wen—barely able to keep the smile off his face.
The last two days had driven him nearly mad. He even found excuses to drop by the Soul Tool Department to chat with Fan Yu from time to time, afraid this treasure would get poached by them. Thankfully, in these final days, he finally saw the youngster's shadow.
It was still bustling outside with long lines.
But he overruled objections and brought Su Wen and the others in first. He saw the parents and students outside showing some dissatisfaction, but he believed that once they heard about these kids' talent, all complaints would vanish…
"Name…"
Suppressing his excitement, he first looked at the thin boy to the side, his expression cooling somewhat.
"Huo Yuhao."
"Martial soul."
"Spirit Eyes."
Du Weilun glanced at the boy in surprise. If this martial soul were thrown to the Body Sect, it'd be a trump card.
Shrek scored big.
"Cultivation."
"T-ten, eleven."
"Hm?" Du Weilun froze and looked at Bei Bei and Tang Ya. They hurried to explain they were using the Tang Sect's recommendation quota.
"…"
Du Weilun's mouth twitched. Catching sight of the restless parents and students outside, he coughed awkwardly twice and glared at Bei Bei—Why didn't you say so earlier!
Bei Bei scratched his head in embarrassment—You didn't ask…
<><><>>><><><><><><><>
Advanced chapter here: p-atreon.com/Sajaboyzzz
<><><><><>><>>><><><><>
Keep the Chapters coming - Support with Power Stones!
Every 200 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter!