A youth around sixteen or seventeen year old, dressed in deep-blue attire and holding a crystal-tipped staff, walked down the bustling main street.
His striking appearance drew countless glances from young women, many sending him coy looks.
White hair cascaded over his shoulders, streaked with hints of blue, and paired with dark-blue gloves, giving him an air of refined nobility.
"Phew… it's been a long time since I last came here."
Neuvillette let out a slow breath, resting both hands atop his staff while curiously taking in the surroundings.
The broad, spotless streets spread out in all directions.
Shrek City was home to two million residents. Thanks to its tax-free, self-governing status, countless merchants had settled here. Convenient transportation, its location by the Star Dou Forest, and its position at the crossroads of two nations meant fewer than five thousand businesses flourished here.
The cries of street vendors rang out endlessly, and among the goods were rare and expensive treasures.
As he reached the East Gate, he saw over a dozen youths — all about sixteen or seventeen — standing guard. They wore yellow uniforms marked with a green emblem on the chest: the school uniform of Shrek Academy's fourth- and fifth-year students.
At the moment, three people stood before them, apparently going through registration.
The handsome young man leading the group was chatting and laughing easily with the gatekeepers, clearly on friendly terms.
Neuvillette's gaze slid past the man and woman in front, landing directly on the young girl at the back — and a faint glimmer of understanding flickered in his eyes.
The plot begins.
The girl was the infant he had personally gone to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion to protect ten years ago — Huo Yutong. The other two, naturally, were Beibei, the eldest brother of the Tang Sect, and Tang Ya, the last orphan of the Tang Sect.
Expression calm, Neuvillette slowly approached.
"Sir… excuse me, but are you here to enroll? Shrek Academy doesn't accept students over twelve years old."
One of the registering students hesitated as he spoke, his wariness coming not from Neuvillette's fine clothes, but from the oppressive aura of authority that made one instinctively uneasy.
"I'm not here to enroll."
Neuvillette shook his head, turning to look at the trio.
"Beibei. It's been a while."
"Neuvillette…"
Beibei's expression was complicated as he looked at this "peer" who, whether in looks or strength, utterly outclassed him.
Perhaps when they were young, he had felt a little resentment at losing his child bride to this man. But with time, he had met Xiao Ya, and that childish anger had faded into something more complex.
After all, Elder Mu had poured all his efforts into Neuvillette — and the latter had displayed terrifying talent.
Within Shrek's Inner Court — where even "geniuses" from the outside world were nothing special — Neuvillette had still stood above all, stepping on the neck of an entire era's worth of talent.
He was a genius who had suppressed a generation, lying dormant for now, quietly awaiting the moment to let his brilliance shine.
"You… graduated?"
Beibei hesitated for a moment before finally asking.
"Mm."
Neuvillette gave a slight nod and a faint smile.
The surrounding students were startled, whispering to each other.
"An Inner Court senior! No wonder he knows Senior Beibei."
"My god, the Inner Court is full of monsters… I've heard the graduation requirements are impossible for normal people!"
"Yeah, my cousin told me — just qualifying to take the Inner Court assessment requires reaching Soul Emperor before age of twenty!"
"Wait — then this senior is… a Soul Emperor?!"
Neuvillette ignored their hushed chatter.
He lightly tapped his staff on the ground and turned his gaze to the bewildered young girl.
"Welcome to Shrek Academy, Huo Yutong."
"Y-you… know me?"
The girl raised her head, pointing at herself in surprise, suddenly feeling shocked and flattered.
Beibei and Tang Ya were stunned as well.
After all, how could someone of Neuvillette's status have any connection to a barely acknowledged illegitimate daughter of the Duke's household?
"Heh, ten years apart — you've grown."
Neuvillette's lips curved into a small smile.
He opened his palm.
In the next moment, a light shone from the girl's chest and floated slowly into the air, drifting toward Neuvillette's hand.
Looking at the intact crystal resting in his palm, Neuvillette gently stroked it, then closed his hand around it. His gaze returned to the wide-eyed, stunned girl.
"Now… it's back to its rightful owner."
"Senior Beibei, who was that just now?"
A female student at the registration table had stars in her eyes, curiosity shining.
"Yeah, Senior Beibei — you know him, right? Tell us! He's the first Inner Court senior I've ever seen since joining!"
Beibei sighed softly.
"He's not just an Inner Court senior."
"At six years old, he was born with full innate soul power. That same year, he obtained his first thousand-year soul ring and became a Soul Master."
"At ten, he advanced to Soul Elder."
"At fourteen, he became the youngest Soul Emperor in Shrek Academy's history, joined the Inner Court, and broke every record."
"At sixteen, he advanced to Soul Sage — and in the Star Dou Forest, he single-handedly fought a hundred-thousand-year soul beast…"
As Beibei's quiet words continued, the students' eyes grew wider and wider.
"Wait, a hundred-thousand-year soul beast? Senior Beibei, you're joking, right?"
"Yeah! Forget a hundred-thousand-year beast — last time during training, I nearly collapsed just from the aura of a three-thousand-year Blazing Lion… Facing a hundred-thousand-year beast and surviving — that's not even human!"
"Seriously, stop messing with us!"
"Heh."
Beibei chuckled faintly, looking toward the direction Neuvillette had disappeared.
"When have I ever joked?"
"And the most terrifying part is — against that hundred-thousand-year soul beast… he won."
The moment the words left his lips, the area fell silent.
Beibei and Tang Ya led a distracted Huo Yutong into Shrek Academy.
The Academy wasn't magnificent in architecture, but lush with plant life. Walking along its wide main path filled one with a sense of ease.
After several hundred meters, a row of towering statues came into view, blocking the road ahead.
"These are the founders of Shrek: the Grandmaster, Liu Erlong, and Flender," Beibei explained to Huo Yutong.
"And behind the Golden Iron Triangle are seven more statues — the Shrek Seven Devils who forged the Academy's glory. First is Dai Mubai, then…"
After the introductions, Huo Yutong nodded absentmindedly.
"Alright, Yutong."
Beibei sighed. Ever since Neuvillette had left, the girl had been unsettled.
Just within the Inner Court alone, there were already the Senior Sister and Ma Xiaotao… And that was with Neuvillette spent his entire first seventeen years inside the Inner Court, barely known to the outside world.
He could understand her feelings, but…
"Thank you, Senior Beibei, Senior Sister Tang Ya."
The girl bowed to the two of them.
"Thank you for taking care of me these past few days. But now, I've finally made my decision — I won't be joining the Tang Sect. Instead, I'll devote my life to repaying the favor I owe."
"Though I'm still weak now, I believe that before long, with hard work, I can become someone useful to His Highness the Holy Son!"
With that, she waved goodbye to the two of them, eyes filled with resolve as she walked toward the Martial Soul Department's registration desk.
"Beibei, do you think…"
Tang Ya, watching Huo Yutong's back, slipped her arm through Beibei's and spoke with some disappointment.
"It's her choice — no one can interfere. I don't know what Neuvillette thinks of her. I'm not clear on what happened back then…"
Beibei's tone was calm.
"Hah… that kid knows how to play his cards. I was just about to recruit another Tang Sect disciple — and he swoops in to take her away completely. Honestly…"