Two days later.
The two finally arrived at the imperial capital of the Heaven Soul Empire — Heaven Dou City.
Gazing at this bustling ancient capital, the two decided to rest for a night.
Heaven Dou City, once the capital of the old Heaven Dou Empire and now the seat of the Heaven Soul Empire, was one of the five most prosperous cities on the entire Douluo Continent. Whether in scale or vibrancy, it was far beyond what the northern frontier city of Anyang could compare to.
Walking through the dazzling, neon-lit streets full of endless entertainment, both Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan couldn't help but feel somewhat out of place. The stark contrast between the thriving capital and the impoverished villages they had passed along the way felt like two completely different worlds. That overwhelming disparity made the two youths feel, for the first time, the weight of reality.
They didn't wander long and soon returned to their inn for the night.
Speaking of the inn, Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but sigh — this was indeed the imperial capital. Just one night's stay cost ten gold soul coins, which was enough to rent a house with a courtyard for a whole month in Anyang.
At six the next morning, Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan set off again. After traveling a dozen kilometers, they passed by a forest.
Zhu Ziyang instinctively paused, eyes narrowing slightly in contemplation. Jiang Nannan noticed and asked curiously, "Ziyang-ge, what's wrong?"
"It's just a forest," he replied.
"What forest is this? It's so close to Heaven Dou City. Are there soul beasts inside?" she asked, intrigued.
"There are. In fact, it's said there's a hidden paradise in there," Zhu Ziyang replied, his tone ambiguous.
In the early records of the Tang Sect, there was a name frequently mentioned — the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well! A mysterious and famous treasure ground recorded in ancient texts, brimming with heavenly herbs and rare ingredients.
In the rise of Sea God Tang San, this place had provided pivotal support. Even the ascension of the original Shrek Seven Devils to godhood was closely tied to it.
However, in some lesser-known texts, Zhu Ziyang discovered another detail — that this sacred ground originally belonged to a Title Douluo of the Jade Phosphor Serpent lineage.
Of course, that was unrelated to him. All Zhu Ziyang cared about was whether he might gain some fortune from this land someday. Given that the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well had vanished from historical records for nearly seven thousand years, he had reason to believe it was protected by some kind of sealing or concealment.
He decided to return in the future, once he became stronger.
Jiang Nannan didn't know any of this, so her curiosity ended quickly. "Oh, I see."
"Let's keep moving," Zhu Ziyang said.
They bypassed Sunset Forest and headed directly toward Soto City, the capital of the Suonan Province.
After three days, they arrived at Soto City.
Two days later, they finally reached Shrek City.
Shrek City — home of Shrek Academy.
No doubt the number one academy in the world. A grand metropolis that had grown around a single academy. Nowhere else on the continent could claim the same.
Shrek City's size and prosperity were unrivaled. Though its population barely exceeded two million, over 1.7 million of them were soul masters. That alone was enough to dominate the entire continent.
Because of this, Shrek City's City Lord was also the only City Lord on the continent who held the strength of a Title Douluo.
"This is Shrek City? It's amazing!" Jiang Nannan exclaimed in awe as she gazed at the towering city ahead.
"Let's go register first. Once we become students of Shrek Academy, we'll have plenty of time to explore," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile.
As someone who aspired to join Shrek Academy, his understanding of the institution was no less than that of a current student. If it had been written down, he had likely read it.
Shrek Academy wasn't located in the city center, but in the eastern part of Shrek City — facing toward the Star Dou Forest.
Shrek City was connected in all directions with wide avenues, making transportation extremely convenient. As the continent's key hub at the junction of the three empires, it was also a major commercial center. With the Academy's presence, Shrek City had an outstanding public order. Business here was not only fair but trustworthy. For that reason, most merchants from the three empires preferred conducting cross-border trade here.
Of the city's four gates, the south, west, and north gates were open to all. Only the east gate was exclusive — accessible only to Shrek Academy students.
At this moment, it was the academy's annual enrollment day. Outside the east gate, more than a thousand people had gathered — from eager applicants to all kinds of merchants hoping to profit from the crowd. It was lively and chaotic.
Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan didn't pay them much attention. Their focus was solely on registering and passing the exam to join the academy.
They bypassed the crowd and went straight to the east gate.
At the entrance, over a dozen students — each a year or two older than them — were diligently registering candidates. They all wore yellow training uniforms with a green emblem over the chest. These were the uniforms of Shrek Academy's second and third-year outer court students.
Only three or four people were ahead of Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan, so their turn came quickly.
"Hello," Zhu Ziyang said politely.
"Hello, please fill out this form and present your City Lord's recommendation and registration fee," the girl in charge of their group replied. She was a lovely young woman who, upon seeing Zhu Ziyang's face, paused, her cheeks flushing slightly before handing him the form.
Zhu Ziyang simply smiled, said nothing, and began filling out the form.
Name, age, country, city, city lord — just five fields. Yet Zhu Ziyang could feel the underlying message of rejection embedded within the form.
And who was being rejected? Naturally, soul masters from the Sun-Moon Empire.
Once he finished filling out the form, he couldn't help but sigh inwardly. Truth be told, he didn't agree with how the original nations of Douluo handled such matters — rejecting innovation and clinging to conservatism. Such stubbornness would inevitably lead to stagnation. And those who fell behind were doomed to be eliminated.
This was a lesson he'd learned from history.
The three great empires would one day pay the price for this, he believed.
With the form completed, he handed over the recommendation letter from Dragon City's City Lord and ten gold soul coins.
Registering for Shrek's entrance exam cost ten gold soul coins. If you passed, this fee became your tuition for the year. Just tuition — not including meals or lodging. If you failed, the fee wasn't refunded. It was simply considered the cost of registration and kept by the academy.
A domineering rule, but not one that parents or students complained about. This was the power of reputation and strength.
"Alright, please proceed to that room for the entrance exam. If you pass, you'll officially become a student of Shrek Academy. Good luck!" The girl stamped the form, handed it back to Zhu Ziyang, and pointed to a nearby room — once used by gate guards as a resting area.
"Don't worry, I will. Thank you, senior!" Zhu Ziyang replied confidently with a smile.
Seeing his smile, the girl's face turned even redder. She quickly looked away, too flustered to meet his gaze.
'Being good-looking really is a blessing,' Zhu Ziyang mused.
(End of Chapter)
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