Ice Dragon Shui Xinhan

"Besides Heaven Dou Royal Academy, the strongest academies in the Heaven Dou Empire are the Five Elemental Academies—Blazing Academy, Tianshui Sect, Thunder Academy, Elephant Armor Academy, and Divine Wind Academy—as well as Plant Academy."

Dugu Bo continued, "Of these five academies, all except Skywater Academy require students to be nobles. Of course, that's no obstacle for Little Monster. With his talent, every major power on the continent would be scrambling to snap him up."

Su Yuntao said slowly, "Old Poison, which academy do you think I should join?"

Dugu Bo smiled. "Naturally, Skywater Academy."

Su Yuntao asked curiously, "Oh? Why Skywater Academy?"

Yang Wudi suddenly chimed in, "Little Monster, it's naturally because Skywater Academy has more beauties. You can have a beauty on each arm once you get in."

"Exactly, Little Monster. You can spend every day carousing at Skywater Academy. Wouldn't that be delightful?"

Seeing the strange smiles on Dugu Bo and Yang Wudi's faces, Su Yuntao naturally understood that the two old hands were trying to embarrass him.

"Just what I had in mind!" Su Yuntao said with a carefree smile. "Since Skywater Academy has so many beauties, I'll join and enjoy their tender company."

Dugu Bo and Yang Wudi exchanged a glance. They hadn't expected Su Yuntao to turn the tables. Normally, a young man in his teens would have been a little embarrassed by a question like that.

But Su Yuntao wasn't the least bit flustered. He remained perfectly calm, and in the end, he wasn't the one who felt awkward. They were.

Dugu Bo said, "All right, Little Monster. Let me tell you the real reason. The most important reason for you to join Skywater Academy is that it has no power backing it."

"Thunder Academy has the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan behind it, and Elephant Armor Academy has the Elephant Armor Sect. Of the major academies, only Skywater Academy has no faction backing it, so you won't be constrained by any other power if you join."

Yang Wudi agreed. "Exactly, Little Monster. Besides that, Skywater Academy is also one of the best academies on the entire Douluo Continent. Every year, it sends large numbers of Soul Masters to every corner of the continent to find impoverished girls and bring them to Skywater."

"Even if those girls have the poorest talent, Skywater Academy still accepts them, so they won't end up in slave markets like the Heaven Dou Auction House."

Dugu Bo nodded. "Little Monster, Skywater Academy has an excellent reputation. In the Soul Master World, it's even known as a charity. And its current headmistress is a renowned figure in the Soul Master World."

Su Yuntao asked curiously, "Who is their headmistress?"

Dugu Bo smiled. "The headmistress of Skywater Academy is one of the most outstanding figures among the previous generation of Soul Masters. Though her talent falls far short of Bibi Dong and Tang Hao, aside from those two, she was among the most gifted of her generation."

"She's already a Soul Douluo, and she's certain to break through to the Title Douluo rank!"

Su Yuntao said solemnly, "Old Poison, Old Yang, you say Skywater Academy's headmistress is so formidable. Who is she?"

Yang Wudi said, "Her name is Shui Xinhan, and her Martial Soul is the Ice Dragon. It's a dragon-type Martial Soul no weaker than the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. Headmistress Shui Xinhan is practically invincible among Soul Douluos."

"I consider myself very powerful among Soul Douluos, but if I had to face her, I'd be far more likely to lose than win."

Dugu Bo nodded. "Exactly! Headmistress Shui Xinhan is not only upright and respected throughout the Soul Master World, but her strength is no less than that of a Title Douluo. As far as I know, she once fought a true Title Douluo—and won!"

"Her Ice Dragon Martial Soul is incredibly powerful. She's even hailed as the strongest Ice Soul Master and the second-strongest Dragon Soul Master on the Douluo Continent. Though she isn't yet as strong as Yu Yuanzhen of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, her talent will surely carry her to the Title Douluo rank, where she'll overtake him."

"Ice Dragon, Shui Xinhan?" Su Yuntao narrowed his eyes and murmured.

"Little Monster, at your level, you don't need the basic instruction offered by a Soul Master academy. Skywater Academy may not be a good match for your attributes, but if all you need is a name on the roster for the tournament, it's clearly the best choice."

Su Yuntao nodded. "Old Poison, in that case, contact Skywater Academy and put my name down. In four years, I'll win the Continental Advanced Spirit Master Elite Tournament for them."

Dugu Bo shook his head. "Little Monster, I can arrange things with the other Soul Master academies just by sending word, but with Skywater Academy, you'll have to visit in person."

"Oh?" Su Yuntao was a little puzzled. "It seems Headmistress Shui Xinhan has quite a temper."

Yang Wudi interjected, "Actually, Headmistress Shui Xinhan is very easygoing, but she sticks firmly to her principles. You can't just send word and expect to get into Skywater Academy—and then ask her to break its rule of admitting only women. A word from Old Poison won't do any good."

"You'll have to visit in person and show her your talent. Only then can you get into Skywater Academy."

Su Yuntao smiled. He actually rather liked Shui Xinhan's way of doing things.

"In that case, we'll set out for Skywater Academy tomorrow."

Dugu Bo and Yang Wudi both nodded.

At dawn the next day, a huge carriage appeared at the manor gates. It was custom-built, grand and luxurious, and drawn by four thousand-year-old Horned Scale Horses.

All Soul Beasts were difficult to tame, so the value of four thousand-year-old Horned Scale Horses was easy to imagine.

Dugu Bo helped Su Yuntao and Yang Wudi aboard. Then he swept a hand through the air, and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family's coachman immediately drove the carriage southeast.

Shuiyun City lay in the southeastern part of the Heaven Dou Empire, with the sea on one side and the Star Luo Empire nearby on the other.

It stood at the westernmost edge of the Douluo Continent. Ten thousand years later, the Sun Moon Continent would drift into place, and Shuiyun City would ultimately be destroyed by war. Though it would be rebuilt, it would never regain its former glory and would fade into obscurity.

Shuiyun City had the largest harbor in the Heaven Dou Empire—and perhaps on the entire Douluo Continent. It was also home to Skywater Academy, one of the Five Elemental Academies.

It was the presence of Skywater Academy that set Shuiyun City apart from other cities.

Under the leadership of its legendary headmistress, Shui Xinhan, Skywater Academy had flourished. Though it kept out of worldly disputes, its strength was no weaker than that of any of the Lower Four Sects among the Seven Great Sects.

Thanks to its presence, all of Shuiyun City remained peaceful and secure. Headmistress Shui Xinhan would tolerate no one disrupting the city's peace. Even the two great empires had to show some deference to a powerhouse destined to become a Title Douluo.

With Shui Xinhan protecting it, Shuiyun City had become so prosperous.