Huo Yuhao's Frustration

Most of the Star Dou Great Forest lay within the Star Luo Empire, with only a small portion in the Heaven Dou Empire.

Shrek was located northwest of the Star Dou Great Forest, not very far from it.

The reason Tang Ya and Bei Bei had entered from the south was that there were relatively fewer powerful Soul Beasts in that direction.

It was also safer.

So after leaving the Star Dou Great Forest from the south, they had to go around the entire forest to return to Shrek Academy.

During this time, the two of them brought Huo Yuhao along, traveling by day and meditating at night to improve their Soul Power.

Huo Yuhao did the same.

He had originally been able to enter Shrek Academy, the place hailed as the best academy on the continent.

He should have been happy.

But after traveling for several days, he just couldn't bring himself to feel happy.

He'd realized that although Bei Bei and Tang Ya had accepted him into the Tang Sect, they didn't include him in anything.

They'd promised that once he joined the Tang Sect, he could learn the Tang Sect Secret Arts.

But all they did was focus on their own cultivation.

They didn't include him in their evening practice of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, nor in their morning practice of the Purple Demon Eye.

Huo Yuhao didn't feel comfortable asking them about it.

He'd also noticed that ever since Feng Piaoling had called him a white-eyed wolf that day, Bei Bei and Tang Ya had stopped treating him as well as before.

They weren't exactly keeping their distance, but whenever they looked at him, there was always a hint of scrutiny in their eyes.

Sky Dream Ice Silkworm comforted him. "All right, little Yuhao. After hearing that sly kid's provocation, it's only natural that those two would act this way. Don't take it to heart. Try to look on the bright side."

"As long as you just focus on being yourself, Tang Ya and Bei Bei will surely let go of their reservations and pass on the Tang Sect Secret Arts to you."

"You must get your hands on them. After all, they were left behind by Sea God Tang San ten thousand years ago. Even if they really are incomplete, just like Feng Piaoling said, they'll still be a great help to you."

"As for Feng Piaoling, he's definitely done for by now. Why bother holding a grudge against a dead man?"

Huo Yuhao nodded firmly. Feng Piaoling was undoubtedly dead somewhere in some godforsaken corner. There was no need to stay angry at a dead man.

Thinking of this, Huo Yuhao couldn't help glancing back in the direction they had come from, a wave of inexplicable satisfaction welling up inside him.

They were now quite close to Shrek City, where Shrek Academy was located.

They'd reach it in an hour at most.

According to Tang Ya and Bei Bei, Shrek Academy's enrollment was today, and the new school year would officially begin in three days.

If he missed today, he'd have to wait another year to apply to Shrek Academy.

Feng Piaoling was already over eleven years old, and the age limit for admission to Shrek was twelve.

In other words, if he missed today, Feng Piaoling would never be able to join Shrek Academy.

Thinking of how the other boy had already perished, Huo Yuhao felt even more cheerful, and his whole demeanor brightened along with his mood.

Bei Bei and Tang Ya, walking ahead, noticed Huo Yuhao trailing behind them, grinning foolishly to himself. They exchanged a glance and frowned in unison, unsure what he was thinking.

Shrek Academy was located in Shrek City, at the junction of the Star Luo, Heaven Dou, and Dou Ling Empires.

Shrek City had four gates, one in each direction. The east gate was reserved for Shrek Academy, and only people from the academy could enter through it. The other three gates were open to all travelers.

An hour later, the three of them finally arrived at Shrek City.

With Bei Bei and Tang Ya leading him, Huo Yuhao headed for the east gate.

The area outside the east gate was even livelier than the city itself. At least five or six thousand people had gathered there, and a great many vendors had caught wind of the day's Shrek Academy freshman enrollment and rushed over.

After passing a row of stalls, just as they were about to enter the east gate, Tang Ya murmured something in Bei Bei's ear. Bei Bei suddenly turned around and said to Huo Yuhao:

"Junior Brother Huo, we've arrived at Shrek Academy. Teacher Xiao Ya and I have discussed it, and we've decided to start formally teaching you the Tang Sect Secret Arts tomorrow."

They had no choice but to do this.

In the past, it hadn't mattered. Because the Tang Sect was short on money, Tang Ya sold its exemption slots every year.

Whether those people passed the Freshman Assessment three months later and stayed at the academy or were eliminated and expelled was none of the Tang Sect's concern.

But now Huo Yuhao had become one of their own.

Although he had a history of betrayal, if he were eliminated because he couldn't pass the freshman assessment, it would bring shame on the Tang Sect.

Taking that into consideration, they had no choice but to teach Huo Yuhao the Tang Sect Secret Arts.

Of course, they would definitely hold some things back.

For example, they only planned to teach him the first three levels of the Mysterious Heaven Skill—the highest level Huo Yuhao could currently cultivate to.

That way, they could keep Huo Yuhao from feeling resentful while still guarding against him.

And as for the most important Hidden Weapons, they planned not to teach him at all.

They would wait until Huo Yuhao passed the Freshman Assessment before deciding.

Huo Yuhao had no idea what Bei Bei and Tang Ya were planning. When he learned that he could finally practice the Tang Sect Secret Arts, an excited smile immediately spread across his face.

Just as he was about to follow Bei Bei and Tang Ya into Shrek Academy, the bustling crowd behind them suddenly grew restless.

Then came the girls' exclamations of admiration and the boys' sounds of discontent.

"Wow, look! That boy is so handsome. Is he here to sign up as a Shrek freshman too?"

"Hmph, what's so great about him? He's just a pretty boy. If he wants to get into Shrek Academy, he'll have to prove himself with his strength."

The three of them turned around instinctively and saw a handsome boy of about eleven or twelve approaching.

He wore a simple, fitted blue-green robe. His long hair fell like a waterfall, and his pure, glossy black eyes were utterly clear. His nose was high and striking, and his flawless features came together in perfect harmony.

Everyone he passed, from vendors in their fifties and sixties to the eleven-year-old newcomers applying to Shrek Academy, was drawn to him.

The girls almost all had red hearts in their eyes, while the boys looked displeased. Those without girlfriends had it easy enough.

Those with girlfriends all felt as if an invisible green hat had appeared on their heads.

If this weren't Shrek Academy, where fighting was forbidden, they would have been so furious they'd have picked a fight with him.

Who could blame them? The guy had a face practically begging to be punched—and one that attracted girls like crazy.

Even Tang Ya was staring at him. She instinctively nodded, her pretty face flushing as she murmured, "That annoying guy seems to have gotten even more handsome after absorbing his Spirit Ring."

The "annoying guy" Tang Ya was talking about was none other than Feng Piaoling.

After consolidating his cultivation, he'd taken a bath and changed clothes, then hurried here as quickly as he could.

He hadn't arrived too early or too late.

He'd reached the city just before noon the next day.

Most of the others had arrived around the same time. Even the early birds weren't much earlier.

Seeing Feng Piaoling, Bei Bei showed no surprise. But because of the things Feng Piaoling had said in the Star Dou Great Forest, insulting the Tang Sect's ancestors, and because he'd made Tang Ya swoon over him, Bei Bei instinctively felt repelled by him and hostile toward him.