Shrek's Only Dual-Core Disciple

Chapter 14: Shrek's Only Dual-Core Disciple

A single battle in the freshman assessment made him a legend.

Huo Yuhao's name spread throughout Shrek Academy overnight. Dismantling a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with his bare hands, a terrifying soul ring configuration of one purple and two black... these feats were recounted with such exaggeration that some even rumored he was the pride of some hidden, ancient family.

Meanwhile, inside the Sea God Pavilion, a "tug-of-war" over the rights to Huo Yuhao was raging.

On either side of a long table, Yan Shaozhe, Dean of the Martial Soul Department, and Qian Duoduo, Dean of the Soul Guidance Department, were at each other's throats, the air thick with the smell of gunpowder.

"Is this even a discussion?" Yan Shaozhe slammed the table, spittle flying. "Twin Martial Souls! Ultimate attributes! A Body Martial Soul! He is a treasure gifted to Shrek by the heavens. Huo Yuhao must focus entirely on cultivating his martial soul; he is the future pillar of Shrek Academy! You want him to go tighten screws? That's a waste of heaven's gifts!"

Qian Duoduo sneered, calmly pulling a badge from his robes and slapping it onto the table with a "clack."

"Old Yan, don't get excited. Look at this first."

Yan Shaozhe focused his gaze, his pupils constricting. "A Level 3 Soul Tool Master badge? What are you doing with this?"

Qian Duoduo crossed his arms, looking smug. "Huo Yuhao just earned this a month ago. And by the way, he's only been exposed to soul tools for two months. Two months, from zero foundation to a Level 3 Soul Tool Master—you tell me, is that a genius or not? He is the future of the soul guidance world!"

"What?!" Yan Shaozhe was so shocked he nearly bit his tongue. "Two months? That's impossible!"

"Facts speak louder than words." Qian Duoduo shrugged. "His talent for soul tools is even more terrifying than his martial soul. Your Martial Soul Department wants to hog him? Not a chance!"

Neither side would budge, arguing so fiercely they were nearly ready to roll up their sleeves and brawl.

Just then, Elder Mu, who had been lying on his recliner with his eyes closed, slowly opened his cloudy eyes.

"That's enough."

The aged voice was not loud, but it instantly silenced the entire Sea God Pavilion.

"Since the child has such astonishing talent in both fields, do not limit his development," Elder Mu said calmly. "He may dual-cultivate in both the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Guidance Department. The academy will not interfere, and he shall receive double the resources."

Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo exchanged a glance; though both were unwilling to give up exclusive rights, they knew this was the best possible outcome.

"As Elder Mu commands."

The next day, Shrek Square.

When Du Weilun, the Dean of Students, finished announcing the list of core disciples and Huo Yuhao's name was absent, the entire crowd began to murmur.

Du Weilun spoke again: "In light of student Huo Yuhao's outstanding performance in the freshman assessment and his studies in soul guidance, the academy leadership has decided to grant him the status of a dual-core disciple of both the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Guidance Department! He shall enjoy double the top-tier resources!"

A dual-core disciple!

In the ten thousand years since Shrek was founded, this was the only one!

Huo Yuhao remained calm, as Fan Yu had already informed him in advance.

Standing beside him, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao felt a sense of reflected glory.

After the awards ceremony, the three members of Huo Yuhao's team gathered together, holding two soul bones.

Huo Yuhao first introduced the soul bone won as the freshman assessment championship prize: "This soul bone is a Ten Thousand Year Kongming Demon Leopard left leg bone. Its primary attribute is speed, and it comes with an attack skill. What do you think?"

Wang Dong glanced at it and tilted his chin haughtily. "I am the Radiant Goddess Butterfly; this pitch-black soul bone doesn't match my attributes. I don't want it."

Huo Yuhao naturally didn't care for it either. The two soul bones he already possessed came from the 400,000-year-old Ice Jade Empress Scorpion and the 700,000-year-old Snow Empress. A soul bone of this level would only lower his standards.

Consequently, both their gazes turned to Xiao Xiao.

Xiao Xiao was stunned, pointing at her own nose. "For... for me?"

"Who else?" Huo Yuhao laughed. "Neither Wang Dong nor I are a good fit. You have twin martial souls; this soul bone can increase your speed and make up for your lack of mobility. It's perfect."

"But..." Xiao Xiao was at a loss, her face turning bright red. "This is a ten thousand year soul bone! If you sold it, it would fetch at least several hundred thousand Gold Soul Coins, and it's practically priceless... you're just giving it to me like this?"

In the world of soul masters, examples of brothers turning into enemies over a single soul bone were everywhere.

Yet, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong didn't even blink, as if they were giving away a head of cabbage.

"Take it. We're a team." Huo Yuhao shoved the soul bone into Xiao Xiao's hands. "Follow me from now on, and I'll take you to the top."

Xiao Xiao clutched the soul bone, feeling its heavy weight, and her eyes instantly turned red.

She looked up at Huo Yuhao's handsome profile and his carefree smile, and the emotion in her heart surged like a tide.

In that moment, the young girl looked at the young boy with eyes so tender they seemed ready to melt.

"Thank you, Class Monitor... thank you, Wang Dong..." Xiao Xiao's voice was as soft as a mosquito's hum, but she secretly vowed to follow this class monitor for the rest of her life.

"What about me? What about me?" Wang Dong chimed in.

Huo Yuhao waved his hand grandly. "Then we'll fly together!"

"Right, there's also this."

Huo Yuhao picked up the other soul bone in his hand and said, "This is the reward given by Old Lady Zhou—the bet she won from Mu Jin, the homeroom teacher of Class Nine: the Soul of Secret Arts soul bone."

"This thing..." Wang Dong leaned in and looked at it with disdain. "It looks like a rock. I want it even less."

"It is indeed a bit of a chicken rib." Huo Yuhao toyed with the soul bone and shook his head. "Although it is a soul bone, it was created through extremely cruel means, and its only effect is to increase one's maximum soul power by five percent."

"Forget it. We'll sell it for money when we have the chance and split it three ways."

With the loot divided, the three of them headed toward the classroom.

According to academy tradition, students would be reassigned to new classes based on their Martial Soul type following the freshman assessment. The Power Attack and Control systems were merged into Class One, the Agility Attack system went to Class Two, the Support system to Class Three, and the Food system along with other special categories were placed in Class Four.

Without a doubt, the "Iron Triangle" trio of Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao remained firmly in Class One.

As the three of them walked into the classroom, the originally noisy space fell silent for an instant.

Immediately after, gazes filled with extreme friendliness were cast their way.

"Huo Yuhao, hello! We're classmates from now on, please take care of us."

The ones speaking were a pair of pure-looking twin girls, none other than Lan Susu and Lan Ruoruo.

Although Huo Yuhao had ruthlessly torn apart their Martial Soul Fusion Skill during the quarterfinals, the world of soul masters had always respected the strong.

The terrifying strength Huo Yuhao had displayed had instead won them over.

Huo Yuhao smiled slightly and nodded in greeting: "Welcome to Class One, I'll look out for you all from now on."

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, the three of them took their seats. Not long after, the aged face of Zhou Yi appeared on the podium, and the air in the classroom instantly froze.

"I won't waste time with nonsense." Zhou Yi swept her gaze across the room: "Even though classes have been reorganized, in my Class One, the rules remain the same: whoever has the biggest fist makes the rules."

She paused, her gaze landing on Huo Yuhao: "The class monitor remains Huo Yuhao. Regarding this decision, who agrees, and who opposes?"