Freshman Class Nine, Mingdu

The doors of the white teaching building stood open as the freshmen, dressed in white uniforms, filed inside. On the left breast of every uniform was a shit-green emblem representing Shrek Academy.

Students of different grades wore different-colored uniforms, just like their teaching buildings.

Qian Mu and Qian Fei arrived early. They found the sign for Class Nine on the first floor, in the ninth classroom on the left, and strolled inside at an unhurried pace.

Only after the bell rang and all hundred-odd students had arrived did a female teacher who appeared to be around thirty slowly walk up to the podium. She was tall and fairly delicate-looking. Beneath her short, ear-length purple hair were a pair of bright, spirited phoenix eyes. She naturally exuded an air of authority that made others wary of approaching her casually.

"Welcome to Shrek Academy. I am the homeroom teacher of your Freshman Class Nine, Mu Jin."

Teacher Mu Jin smiled and swept her gaze across the entire class.

"Hello, Teacher Mu!!" the entire class shouted in unison, their voices loud and clear.

Mu Jin nodded in satisfaction. "Take your seats. First, I'll confirm whether everyone is present."

As she spoke, she took out a roster and began calling names.

"Wu Feng."

"Present!" A red-haired girl stood and answered.

Mu Jin nodded, signaling for her to sit, then called the next name. "Dai Huabin."

"Present." This was a blond youth.

He had a handsome yet icy face, with long golden hair parted down the middle and hanging over both sides. A closer look revealed that his deep-blue eyes actually had double pupils. He was also taller and broader than others his age.

Dai?

Qian Fei cast him a sidelong glance, and a chill flashed through her eyes.

"Gou Tangsan."

"Present!"

"Si Xiaowu."

"Present."

After Mu Jin finished calling names and confirmed that everyone was present, it was time for the next step: choosing a class monitor.

"Anyone who believes they are qualified to be Class Nine's monitor may stand."

The moment she finished speaking, four people stood among the hundred students.

Qian Mu, Qian Fei, Wu Feng, and Dai Huabin!

Seeing that the three who had risen alongside him were all girls, Dai Huabin's eyes revealed a trace of surprise. However, he quickly suppressed it.

"I have three soul rings. I believe I am fully qualified to be class monitor."

A three-ringed Soul Elder?!

Wu Feng's expression changed slightly at those words, and she reluctantly sat back down.

There was an entire major realm between them. She had no desire to get beaten up.

Yet although she had sat down, Qian Mu and Qian Fei showed no intention of moving.

This made homeroom teacher Mu Jin's expression shift slightly. "Qian Mu, Qian Fei, do you intend to continue competing for class monitor?"

Her words also made Dai Huabin turn slightly. Once he clearly saw the two girls' faces, a flash of amazement passed through his eyes.

"Yes." The Shuangxue Sisters answered in unison.

Mu Jin revealed an approving smile. "Very good. In the world of soul masters, strength speaks. Then let's go to the training ground and settle this. We'll see whether you newborn calves truly don't fear tigers, or whether your confidence is simply the pinnacle."

Thud, thud, thud...

At that moment, the entire floor suddenly became restless. Footsteps could clearly be heard in the hallway outside, along with the shouts of many students. It was exceedingly noisy.

Mu Jin frowned slightly and gave an almost imperceptible cold snort before smiling at the students again. "It seems the plan has temporarily changed. Let's have class first. Once the training ground is clear, we'll go down."

That old woman Zhou Yi was probably going crazy again...

The students looked at one another, unsure why Teacher Mu had suddenly changed her mind. But since she said they would have class first, they could only comply.

However, after sitting back down, Qian Mu glanced out the window several times, a faint dark-blue gleam flashing through her beautiful eyes.

Another aura of light this rich... I really want to thoroughly Erode her.

Sun Moon Empire, Mingdu.

This city was the capital of the Sun Moon Empire, as well as a thriving metropolis.

Broad stone-paved streets crisscrossed between the buildings, with some main roads more than thirty meters wide. Commercial plazas, restaurants, taverns, shops, inns, and more lined both sides of the streets, bustling with voices.

It was currently the hour of the dragon, and there were not many pedestrians on the roads. The morning sun had just risen, casting down warmth while also creating patches of shadow between the buildings and alleys.

In one such shadow, the void rippled. Invisible waves spread outward, soon expanding into a vortex large enough for an adult.

"Human, where are we going first?"

"...Let's make some money first. Without money, we can't get anywhere in the city. The Silver Dragon King didn't give us any currency from the human world."

Two men and two women emerged from an inconspicuous alley, drawing little attention.

Little Yuhao, who walked at the back, was entering a city for the first time. Though he felt somewhat unfamiliar with everything, he could not help growing excited at the sight of the bustling city, his eyes darting everywhere.

After walking for roughly ten minutes, Lu Xueling, who was leading the way, suddenly stopped.

Sirin stopped as well and tilted her head. "Human, why did we stop?"

"I suddenly realized something very important..." Lu Xueling took a deep breath and turned to face the other three.

"What is it?"

"We seem to be lost."

Sirin, Bella, Huo Yuhao: ...6.

Of course, they still had to find the way. After several twists and turns, the three humans and one dragon finally arrived at their destination: Mingdu Auction House.

That was right—they had no money, but they did possess some priceless treasures.

Sirin was a Herrscher who only handled cutting people down, Bella was a dragon, and Huo Yuhao was too young. Naturally, the negotiating was left to Lu Xueling.

The three humans and one dragon arrived at the front desk. Lu Xueling stepped forward and explained their purpose to the receptionist.

The receptionist considered it for a moment, then pointed toward a room on the left. "If you intend to auction treasures, sir, please proceed to the Treasure Appraisal Area."

"Alright." Lu Xueling nodded slightly and called Sirin and the others over as they entered the Treasure Appraisal Area.

Inside the room, a white-haired old man who appeared to be over sixty sat quietly in a chair, sipping tea. The fragrance of tea curled through the air, refreshing the heart and mind.

When the door opened, he rose and picked up the glasses on the table, putting them on.

"Welcome. What do you wish to auction? Please let this old man have a look." The old man's tone was low and his voice unremarkable, yet the three felt a faint sense of authority in it.

Lu Xueling's lips curled slightly as he raised both hands and slowly opened them. The old man's gaze was first drawn to the item in his left palm.

"Five Soul Bones? Young friend, you are truly generous!"

Lu Xueling glanced slightly behind him and chuckled. "They are merely my wife's spoils of war, not worth mentioning."

At his words, the ahoge sticking up from the left side of Sirin's forehead trembled lightly. Her pretty face reddened, and she turned her head away.

The Treasure Appraisal Elder looked at Lu Xueling with a smile and offered a small compliment. "Young friend, your wife is truly blessed with both beauty and talent."

"Sir, that isn't all." Lu Xueling opened his right palm as well. This time, the Treasure Appraisal Elder's gaze became completely vacant.

It was a red-gold fragment of a sword blade, roughly two inches long.