Entering Shrek City

"Keep it secret for now. You'll understand once you get to Shrek Academy in Shrek City." Zhou Hansheng smiled mysteriously.

"You'll thank me later, but remember—don't let anyone see the number on this card."

"Then thank you. I'll remember your advice."

Meng Li put away the card without much thought, still unaware of how important it was!

Without that card, he would have lived like a pauper at Shrek Academy.

On the Soul Tool Train, Meng Li fingered his silver pendant and watched Eastsea City recede beyond the window. Three-odd years was neither particularly long nor particularly short. After spending so much time together, sadness and reluctance to part were inevitable.

He wanted to relax and rest for a while. There had always been a giant hand behind him, urging and watching his every move. Only when he was strong enough would he no longer be at others' mercy!

And Na'er had been missing for so long without a single shred of news. There was no way he could afford not to worry.

He had commissioned both New Soul Tool Technology Company and Spirit Pagoda to search for her, but neither had made any progress.

Compared to this lonely world, he still preferred his old one—the world that valued life above all else, the world whose food suited his tastes, the world where he had family by his side.

The Soul Tool Train rode smoothly, and there was still a long journey ahead. Meng Li closed his eyes and went to sleep.

"Dear passengers, we have now entered Shrek City, the largest city on the Douluo Continent. Shrek City has a long history and a rich culture. It is home to the continent's number one academy, Shrek Academy, as well as the headquarters of Spirit Pagoda..."

The train broadcast introduced the local customs, geography, and landmarks of Shrek City as they arrived.

Meng Li woke slowly and felt something inexplicably weighing on his shoulder. Turning his head, he saw that Gu Yue was lying on his shoulder as usual.

"Life really is full of dog food." Xie Xie sighed as he watched the intimate Gu Yue and Meng Li.

The term "dog food" came from Douluo Short Videos. Douluo Short Videos was full of talented people; the dancing was damn good, and there were plenty of girls too.

Xie Xie loved scrolling through videos of pretty girls there. Unfortunately, the system detected that he was underage and wouldn't let him send gifts. He had even cursed out the people who made Douluo Short Videos over that. He had changed his username to Young Master of the Xie Family, but it was all for show—he couldn't do a thing.

"Agreed." Xu Xiaoyan nodded.

"Mm." Tang Wulin nodded in agreement as well.

"Mm." Gu Yue rubbed her eyes and straightened up.

"Did you sleep well, Gu Yue?" Xie Xie asked with a smile.

"Mm, pretty well." Gu Yue nodded. "What does that have to do with you?"

Gu Yue really was a conversation killer. Xie Xie opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but for a moment, he had no idea what to say.

"That must be Spirit Pagoda's headquarters, right?" Meng Li pointed into the distance.

As the train slowly passed by, a towering structure that seemed to pierce the clouds appeared before them.

It stood grand and majestic, gleaming with a faint silver radiance. The tower had eight sides, and its highest section was already hidden amid the clouds and mist.

Gu Yue's thoughts stirred as she looked in the direction Meng Li was pointing.

"Who do you think is stronger, New Soul Tool Technology Company or Spirit Pagoda?" Xu Xiaoyan asked.

"Probably Spirit Pagoda. Spirit Pagoda has been around for ten thousand years, while New Soul Tool Technology Company only appeared recently. One researches soul spirits, while the other is a pioneer in Soul Tool Technology." Xie Xie thought for a moment before explaining.

"You can't compare them. They're in different fields," Meng Li said.

Since he had dealings with both forces, he spoke from experience.

The Soul Tool Train traveled for another hour before arriving at Shrek City Station. The station was enormous, stretching so far that its end could not be seen at a glance.

There were still several days before Shrek Academy's entrance examination, so everyone checked into a hotel. Hotels here were extremely expensive, but to keep Xie Xie from getting any ideas, Meng Li paid for each of them to have a single room.

They had entered a new city, and since they had time, they naturally had to have some fun. Meng Li took Gu Yue, Xie Xie, and Xu Xiaoyan around to wander aimlessly.

Tang Wulin had been taken away by Wu Changkong and was effectively out of contact.

Meng Li and the others simply wandered wherever they pleased, eating what they wanted and playing whatever they wanted.

The next few days passed like that.

On the eve of Shrek Academy's entrance examination, an accident occurred. Tang Wulin had fallen into a prolonged coma while trying to awaken his bloodline.

A white-haired figure appeared outside the room. It was Shen Yi.

Shen Yi sat down in a chair.

"The exam is tomorrow. How are your students prepared?"

Wu Changkong frowned slightly. "The reason I asked you here was because I wanted to trouble you with this matter. The other students are fine.

"One of my students has entered deep meditation, and I don't know when he'll wake up. So, could we postpone our examination for a while?"

Shen Yi froze, her delicate brows knitting tightly. "I'm afraid that won't be possible. You know the academy's rules. The academy's regulations have always been strict, and so many people have come to apply. There are only so many spots..."

Shen Yi went on at length. In any case, postponing the examination was simply impossible.

In the end, Wu Changkong nodded and changed his wording. "All right, then let my other students participate in the assessment first."

Xie Xie was the first to refuse taking the exam early, making it clear that he was not the kind of person to abandon a friend. Xu Xiaoyan followed.

Then came Meng Li and Gu Yue. Neither of them had wanted to attend Shrek Academy in the first place. If everyone else was not going, why would they go in?

Wu Changkong was silent for a long while before saying, "You don't need to worry about this. Go back and rest. Your teacher will handle it."

The group exchanged glances, nodded, and chose to leave.

Looking toward the door, Wu Changkong's aura changed slightly. "Let's go."

Shen Yi asked in confusion, "Where?"

Wu Changkong said, "Back to the academy."

Shen Yi's body trembled. "You're going back to the academy? You..."

A new day arrived—the day of Shrek Academy's entrance examination. After telling them to leave, Wu Changkong had vanished somewhere with the white-haired woman.

Xie Xie paced in circles around the hotel room as he waited.

Even when the assessment was about to begin, Tang Wulin still had not awakened.

Then there was a knock on the door. Everyone thought Teacher Wu had returned and was just about to relax, but when they opened it, it was not him. It was the white-haired Shen Yi.

"It's you. Auntie, where is Teacher Wu?" Xu Xiaoyan immediately asked.

Shen Yi walked into the room. "Your Teacher Wu is fine. He's at the academy, helping smooth things over for you. Has Tang Wulin woken up yet?"

Xu Xiaoyan shook her head. "Not yet."

Shen Yi sighed softly. "Then we'll wait. Wait until he wakes up."

"Is Teacher Wu really all right?" Meng Li asked doubtfully. This was Shrek Academy—the massive academy that Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan had praised so highly. How could it possibly postpone the assessment just for them?

There had to be something they didn't know. Maybe this was the back door the author had opened for Tang Wulin!