Enrolling at Shrek Academy

The student showed no surprise. At this time every year, he saw far too many young boys like this.

Following the rules, he patiently explained, "Young man, Shrek Academy has clear requirements for enrollment.

"First, you must be no older than twelve. Second, your Soul Power Level must be at least fifteen.

"Third, and most importantly, you must have a letter of recommendation issued by an official authority or an influential faction from at least a major city in one of the three empires."

His gaze swept over Huo Yuhao's simple clothes once more. His tone remained unchanged, but his meaning was obvious: for a boy who wasn't born into nobility or a powerful faction, obtaining a letter of recommendation from a major city was an insurmountable hurdle.

"I know all those requirements."

Huo Yuhao nodded, showing no embarrassment or anger at being questioned.

He reached into his clothes, took out the dark-gold Shrek Token and the yellowed, ancient letter, and held them out. "But I happened to acquire this token and this letter. I wonder if they're enough to let me enter Shrek Academy?"

The student's gaze fell on the token and letter. He froze for a moment, then his expression turned solemn.

He carefully took the token and letter and examined them closely.

The token felt heavy in his hand, its patterns archaic. The three ancient characters spelling "Shrek" radiated an unquestionable authority.

He quickly read through the letter, and when he reached the Academy Supervisory Committee's seal and the description of the token's privileges, his expression changed abruptly.

He looked up at Huo Yuhao, his eyes now filled with undisguised surprise and caution.

He respectfully returned the token and letter to Huo Yuhao, then spoke in a much more courteous tone. "Young man, this is a serious matter, and I can't make the decision myself.

"Please wait here for a moment. I need to go into the academy right away and report this to the teacher on duty. Only after the teacher makes a decision can we determine whether to let you in. I hope you understand."

Huo Yuhao took the token and letter back and nodded calmly. "That's fine. I'll wait here."

He felt little stirring in his heart.

If Shrek Academy refused to recognize the token, or something unexpected happened, all the better. He would simply turn around and leave, heading straight for the Sun Moon Empire. That would save him a lot of trouble and effort spent acting later.

He would put this "debt" on Tang San's account.

The student didn't dare delay. He turned and hurried through the city gate, disappearing into the shadow of its towering archway.

The wait wasn't long. About the time it took to drink a cup of tea later, the student returned with a middle-aged man.

The man looked to be around forty. He was of average build, dressed in a simple gray robe, and had an unremarkable face, but his eyes were unusually bright and lively, radiating wisdom and warmth.

He walked at an easy pace, his bearing steady. Clearly, he held a high position within the academy.

"Hello, young man." The middle-aged man approached Huo Yuhao with a warm smile and introduced himself. "My name is Wang Yan. I'm a teacher in Shrek Academy's Outer Courtyard. I'm mainly responsible for Martial Soul Theory research and helping receive some of the new students. My student said you have a special token?"

Huo Yuhao bowed slightly. "Hello, Teacher Wang. Here's the token, along with this letter explaining it."

He handed over the token and letter once more.

Wang Yan accepted them with both hands. First, he carefully felt the token's material and patterns, a flicker of surprise crossing his eyes. Then he unfolded the letter and read it word by word.

He read at an unhurried pace, his expression focused. From time to time, he gave a slight nod or fell into thought.

After a moment, Wang Yan looked up at Huo Yuhao. His gaze had grown gentler, though it now held a trace of curiosity. "Young man, based on my preliminary examination, this is indeed a genuine Shrek Token.

"According to academy regulations, no matter how or by what means you obtained this token, the academy won't ask about its specific origins.

"We recognize the token, not the person.

"Whoever holds it is entitled to all the privileges listed in the letter."

He paused, then continued earnestly, "So with this token, you may now officially enter Shrek Academy. You'll be exempt from all standard assessments and requirements and will be granted admission directly. A staff member will help you with the subsequent registration, class assignment, resource allocation, and other matters."

Huo Yuhao had expected as much. He simply nodded, his expression calm. "Thank you for confirming it, Teacher Wang." He showed no wild joy or excitement. His composure beyond his years deepened Wang Yan's admiration.

"You're welcome. Those are the academy's rules."

Wang Yan smiled and stepped aside, gesturing with an inviting hand. "Then welcome to Shrek Academy. Would you like me to show you around and help you get familiar with the place?"

Huo Yuhao shook his head and politely declined. "Thank you for the offer, Teacher Wang, but I'd like to walk around and look for myself first."

Wang Yan didn't press him. He nodded. "Very well. Be careful, then. The academy is large, so don't wander too far.

"If you have any questions, you can ask a teacher wearing clothes like mine, or one of the upper-year students wearing an academy badge."

He pointed to the teacher's badge on his chest.

"Understood. Thank you."

Huo Yuhao thanked him once more, then, under the curious and envious gazes of the student and the other guards, strode through the towering, imposing East Gate and officially entered the ancient academy known as the "Cradle of Monsters."

As soon as he entered Shrek Academy, the clamor and restlessness seemed to be shut out in an instant.

Before him stretched a broad, straight avenue, its surface paved with smooth, neatly laid flagstones.

On either side, carefully planned greenery formed a pleasing arrangement of distinct layers. Plants, some familiar and some unknown, grew in orderly profusion, trimmed into neat, attractive shapes.

Tall trees cast dappled shadows, while low shrubs bloomed with flowers of every color, filling the air with a fresh fragrance.

The air was redolent with grass, trees, and earth, along with the tranquil, far-reaching atmosphere unique to a place of learning.

Huo Yuhao walked slowly along the avenue, his gaze calmly taking in the scenery.

He had once "inspected" every blade of grass and every tree here in his previous life, but back then he had stood as a conqueror and destroyer.

Now he had returned in a different guise, at a different point in time. His feelings were tangled, yet utterly different.

After walking about two hundred meters, several enormous statues blocked his view.

There were ten statues in all, each about ten meters tall, carved from the hardest granite. They were magnificent and lifelike.

Three statues stood at the front, arranged in a triangular formation.

The one in the center depicted a smiling, slightly plump old man wearing glasses.

His hands were tucked into his sleeves, and he looked like a kindly, unassuming man who wished for no quarrels.

Huo Yuhao knew it represented one of Shrek Academy's founders, Flender, nicknamed the Four-Eyed Cat Owl and the Flying Corner of the Golden Iron Triangle.

In Wang Teng's memories and the secret records of Shrek, Flender was described as a complicated man: devoted, loyal, business-minded, and somewhat stingy. He had especially deep feelings for Liu Erlong, the other female member of the Golden Iron Triangle, but had never found the courage to express them.

But to Huo Yuhao, this so-called "devotion" was no different from what Wang Teng's memories called a "simp"—perhaps even more pathetic.

At least the object of a simp's affection sometimes took the initiative to show kindness and offer a word or two in response.

Flender, however, didn't even have the courage to confess. In the end, he could only watch the woman he loved end up with his own brother.

On either side of Flender's statue stood statues of Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong.

Yu Xiaogang had a stern face and deep-set eyes, his expression carrying the stubborn intensity of a theoretical scholar. Liu Erlong looked bold and spirited, with a touch of fiery temper and resolve between her brows.

One was the so-called "Grandmaster," whose theories were "unmatched," yet whose Martial Soul Mutation had left him unable to break through level thirty for his entire life. The other was an illegitimate daughter of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, with a fierce disposition and a willingness to love and hate without reservation.

Their union had been viewed by many at the time as a violation of moral principles. Some saw it as an example of "bravely pursuing true love without caring what the world thinks," while others considered it "a defiance of human decency and a rejection of all proper conduct." People of different persuasions naturally held different views.

But in the eyes of Huo Yuhao—a avenger who had seen every kind of life and whose heart held nothing but the cold fire of revenge—all of it was nothing but tedious gossip and affected sentiment.