Shrek City

"Such an appetite?" Shen Yue stared in astonishment.

Before her, Gu You wolfed down food. It was hardly gourmet fare, but there were plenty of buns, noodles, and the like.

The scene was rather awkward, though. Xin Ya watched him as if he were a food streamer.

Gu You was puzzled too. He did not possess Bloodline Power like Tang Wulin's, requiring vast amounts of energy, so why was he eating so much and still not full? Could it be that people with Dragon Martial Souls were naturally big eaters?

"By the way, I've already reported Yue Tian's situation. He can enroll directly once he returns," Xin Ya said, looking at Shen Yue. The Sun Moon Federation had corresponding policies for talented but impoverished children. Ordinary families received three years of free compulsory education at junior academies, while intermediate academies required payment. Those with talent could have their fees covered by the government. For some poor families, both junior and intermediate academies were free, but obtaining a quota for impoverished students was extremely difficult.

"Thank you." Shen Yue nodded heavily.

Two days later, a Soul Guidance Automobile sped along the Tianhai Expressway. Xin Ya drove one-handed while admiring the scenery along the western coast.

Gu You rolled down his window as well and gazed at the boundless sea, filled with emotion. The Star Dou Great Forest was nearing extinction. How much longer would this vast, endless ocean last?

Xin Ya noticed that Gu You was deep in thought and glanced back at him from time to time.

"I know I'm handsome." Gu You ran a hand through his hair.

"Heh, look at you showing off. You know, sometimes I really feel like you're not the same age as the others. At the very least, you shouldn't be six," Xin Ya said calmly.

"So what if I matured early?" Gu You was speechless. Xin Ya's remark slowly swept away both the sadness he had felt when leaving his teacher and grandmother and the melancholy stirred by the sea.

Shrek City.

There were not many skyscrapers as one might imagine. Instead, the city was filled with rather retro architecture, ancient and quaint. Still, this was a historic city as famous as Heaven Dou City, so the presence of old buildings was only natural.

With the addition of many advanced Soul Guidance technologies in later generations, these ancient buildings possessed a unique charm. For instance, a medieval house in the distance emitted faint yellow particles of light. That was a Soul Guidance barrier, which stored Soul Power through solar energy and could withstand fixed-mounted Soul Guide Cannons below Level Five. This was Shrek City's charm—a profound sense of security.

Gu You gazed into the distance. A towering structure pierced the clouds. It was the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda's Eighteen Heavenly Pillars, known as the "Heavenly Spirit Tower!" It had a full eighty-one floors and stood nearly three thousand meters tall.

This was also the first destination for Gu You and Xin Ya. He would first select a suitable soul spirit and become a Soul Master before heading to Shrek Academy.

"The government has already spoken to the Spirit Pagoda. Your soul spirits for the first six rings will all be free, and you can choose whichever ones you like. Also, one of Shrek's elders has taken a liking to your talent. Even without an introduction from a councilor, getting into Shrek is practically guaranteed," Xin Ya said enviously.

Gu You could only smile. Talent was a good thing, but it certainly dealt blows to others. Still, the Federation must have paid a considerable price. What did free soul spirits for the first six rings even mean, especially with free choice?

Inside the Heavenly Spirit Tower headquarters, Leng Yaozhu looked at the report in her hand and frowned. The Federation government had actually offered such generous terms for a single child.

Innate Full Soul Power and a Martial Soul unseen in ten thousand years—interesting. Although he was not loyal to the Spirit Pagoda, there was nothing excessive about taking him as a disciple, was there? If she acted in her own name, the Federation surely would not object. At this thought, Leng Yaozhu smiled. She did not believe that she, the dignified Heavenly Phoenix Douluo and one of the renowned powerhouses of the continent, would be refused if she wished to accept a disciple.

Thinking of this, Leng Yaozhu nodded in satisfaction, then called softly, "Ya Li!"

"I'm here, Vice Tower Master." Long Yali pushed open the door to Leng Yaozhu's office and entered.

"I have something for you to arrange..."

At noon, after dawdling by the roadside for who knew how long, Xin Ya and Gu You finally arrived beneath the Spirit Pagoda.

Only upon seeing this magnificent structure up close did Gu You appreciate its masterful craftsmanship. The entire building followed an octagonal design, with three tiers, four faces, and eight sides. Every nine floors, it narrowed inward, all the way to the pointed summit.

Upon entering, they found the interior extraordinarily spacious and resplendent. The floor was paved with dark-gold stone veined with dazzling natural patterns, while enormous stone pillars supported a dome over fifty meters high.

At the very center stood two statues. Gu You recognized them at once: the once-renowned Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao and his wife, the Dragon Butterfly Douluo Tang Wutong. Some kind of Soul Tool within the surrounding walls continuously projected scenes of Huo Yuhao's seven soul spirits and some of his earth-shattering tales. Yet this was only a portion of it. Each of the Eighteen Heavenly Pillars recorded different stories, and only together did they form a relatively complete account.

As for Huo Yuhao, what could Gu You even say? He began by changing his surname and devoting himself to revenge, then later voluntarily took the surname Dai. In the end, because of Tang Wutong, he still became a loyal dog of the Tang family.

There were many visitors wandering around. The Spirit Pagoda's income from selling soul spirits alone was enough to rival that of a nation.

"Hello, how may I help you?" the receptionist asked with a smile.

Xin Ya produced a special black card and scanned it over the card slot beside him. Information immediately appeared through the Soul Tool's projection.

"Selecting soul spirits, thank you." Gu You widened his eyes.

"Are you Gu You?" The receptionist's voice trembled slightly.

"Yes." Gu You scratched his head, somewhat baffled.

"Please wait a moment. I understand!" The receptionist hurried away, leaving Gu You and Xin Ya looking utterly confused.

"This is their service attitude? If she weren't a girl, I'd have started cursing already." Xin Ya frowned in displeasure.

"Sister Yali, you're here! That child you mentioned has arrived." The girl who had left found Long Yali, her tone excited.

"Understood, Hui Qing. Be quieter next time. There are many executives' offices here." Long Yali rubbed Hui Qing's head. How could she not know what materials those offices were made from? Even if Shrek City exploded, the sound of the blast might not reach their ears. Her purpose was simply to help this girl, new to the workplace, understand some subtle principles.

"I understand... Sister Yali."

While waiting, Gu You considered what he should choose as his first soul spirit. In an instant, the words Tyrant Dragon occupied his mind. A Sub-Dragon Species focused on offense—it could not be more suitable. The main question was whether the Spirit Pagoda had one. He remembered that Tang Wulin's Tyrant Dragon soul spirit had been brought out from the Spirit Ascension Platform.

"Hello, child." The sudden voice caught Gu You off guard. Xin Ya beside him froze, while the gazes of the surrounding crowd converged on them. The girl looked no older than seventeen or eighteen. She wore a dark gray-black gown and carried herself with the air of nobility. The newcomer was Long Yali.

Gu You was curious. Such attire would have been nothing unusual outside, but this was the Spirit Pagoda, where strict hierarchies existed. Just like soul rings, white represented the lowest rank, with each level rising from there. Perhaps it was a matter of preference, but Gu You had noticed that people on the Douluo Continent always liked using colors to indicate status.