The System Arrived Late

Deep beneath Sea God Pavilion, in a secret chamber, Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department Dean Yan Shaozhe stood watching a private chamber. "Boom—the door opened, and a young man stepped out.

The youth had sharp, sword-like brows and bright, starry eyes. His tall, straight figure was well-proportioned, and his silver-blue pupils lent him an otherworldly air.

"Senior Brother!" the youth called.

"Did you succeed?" Yan Shaozhe had already guessed the answer, but still had to ask.

"I did. But I'll need to consolidate my cultivation a bit more before I can hunt for a Soul Ring." The words that came out of the young man's mouth made Yan Shaozhe suck in a sharp breath.

"Then congratulations on becoming a Titled Douluo, Junior Brother. Go consolidate your cultivation for now, and think of a title for yourself while you're at it. I'll go tell Teacher the good news."

Yan Shaozhe patted the young man on the shoulder as he spoke. The shock he'd felt at first had given way to pure excitement. A Titled Douluo at twenty-two!

"All right. Take care, Senior Brother."

After Yan Shaozhe left, the young man looked at the translucent panel floating before him, his eyes full of confusion.

His name was Jiang Che. Twenty-two years ago, he had unexpectedly transmigrated to this world, the Douluo Continent.

He had been lucky. He had been born near Shrek Academy, then found by Mu En, the Sea God Pavilion Master of the time. Mu En had believed that their chance encounter was fate, so he had brought Jiang Che back to live on Sea God Island.

When Jiang Che first learned that this was the Douluo Continent, he had been somewhat apprehensive. He had no system and no cheat.

Fortunately, at the age of six, Jiang Che awakened the Ice Dragon King Martial Soul, which possessed the Ultimate Ice attribute. He had also been born with Innate Full Soul Power.

Only after completing his Martial Soul Awakening had Jiang Che finally put his mind at ease. With talent like his, becoming a Titled Douluo would hardly be a problem. Even without a cheat, he was confident he could make something of himself.

But Jiang Che hadn't expected his talent to be this strong. He had reached level 90 at just twenty-two.

But... Jiang Che looked at the panel before him again.

[The host has been detected to be 12 years old. In this dangerous world, you must have powerful backing to survive more easily.]

[ Ding! The system has issued a beginner's quest: Shrek Academy is currently recruiting new students. It is one of the top powers on the Douluo Continent. Joining Shrek Academy will not only provide you with guidance but also allow you to lie low more safely under its protection. Please go to Shrek Academy's admissions site and enroll.]

[Complete the beginner's quest to receive the Second Martial Soul as a reward. Please complete it as soon as possible.]

So... this was my system, arriving late?

Meanwhile, Yan Shaozhe had also arrived beneath the new students' dormitory building. "Teacher, Junior Brother has broken through to Titled Douluo!"

Unable to contain himself, Yan Shaozhe hurried to share the good news with the elderly man before him.

The old man wore a gray cloth robe. Deep wrinkles creased his face, his eyes were cloudy yellow, and his drooping eyelids made him look as though he were on his last legs.

Sunlight between the buildings fell just right on him, and the chair he reclined in looked quite comfortable.

But when he heard Yan Shaozhe's words, his drooping eyelids suddenly flew open. A glint flashed in his eyes, and his whole bearing abruptly turned commanding.

This old man was none other than Mu En, the renowned Dragon God Douluo.

"Good! Very good! Hahaha!" Mu En laughed, delighted.

He had previously worried that after his departure, Shrek Academy would be left without a Limit Douluo. With only Xuan Zi, it would be difficult to keep everything under control. But now Mu En could rest easy. Shrek Academy had produced a Titled Douluo at twenty-two, with a bright future ahead of him—perhaps even at the Limit Douluo level.

"Shaozhe, have Little Che attend future Sea God Pavilion Meetings. It's time he started getting involved in these matters." Mu En sighed. He hadn't expected the baby he'd picked up on a whim twenty-two years ago to have such extraordinary talent.

"Yes, Teacher. I'll let Junior Brother know," Yan Shaozhe replied.

"Also, what does your Junior Brother plan to do about his ninth Soul Ring?" Mu En began asking about Jiang Che's Soul Ring.

"Well... Junior Brother hasn't decided yet. He said he wanted to consolidate his cultivation first." Yan Shaozhe had no idea what Jiang Che was planning.

"Mm... That's fine. The ninth Soul Ring is of great importance. He really shouldn't rush into it. We can discuss it later."

Shrek Academy stood on the Lima Plain, its grounds vast enough that it was practically a city in its own right, known as Shrek City.

On the Douluo Continent, Shrek City was one of the largest cities, with a population of more than two million.

Shrek Academy held independent governing rights over the city and did not have to pay taxes to any nation.

Shrek Academy was not located in the center of Shrek City, but in its eastern district.

The southern, western, and northern gates of Shrek City were open to everyone. The eastern gate alone belonged exclusively to Shrek Academy.

Jiang Che had come to the eastern gate. Don't underestimate this gate, which was reserved solely for Shrek Academy's use. At least five thousand people had gathered outside it.

It was currently the time of year when Shrek Academy recruited new students.

Outside the eastern gate, the crowd surged, and the clamor nearly seemed to overturn the sky.

The young men and women who dreamed of joining the academy huddled together, their eyes burning with excitement and nerves. Their parents stood nearby, repeating their instructions again and again. The Soul Masters' auras mingled together—mostly scattered and faint, yet brimming with youthful vigor.

Martial Souls of all kinds flickered in and out of sight: docile Beast Martial Souls and unremarkable tool-type Martial Souls alike. Their Soul Power varied widely. Everywhere one looked, people yearned for and dreamed of joining Shrek Academy.

Jiang Che stood at the very edge of the crowd, tall and straight as a pine. His silver-blue eyes were calm, and he seemed completely out of place amid the surrounding commotion.

He was already a powerful Titled Douluo. His Soul Power was reined in to the utmost, not giving off the slightest hint of pressure. He looked like an ordinary young man, and though he was mixed in with the throng of new applicants, no one noticed him.

He lowered his eyes to the translucent panel still hovering before him. The system's prompt remained clearly visible, every word of the beginner's quest plain as day. He couldn't help laughing.

Other transmigrators started out with a system and rose smoothly to greatness. He, on the other hand, had relied on his Ultimate Ice Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power, cultivated painstakingly for sixteen years, and forced his way to the Titled Douluo level. Then, at long last, his system had arrived—only to issue a quest telling him to return to Shrek's admissions and apply as a new student.

If Senior Brother Yan Shaozhe, or the elders of Sea God Pavilion, found out that he, a twenty-two-year-old Titled Douluo, was going to sneak into the crowd and apply to Shrek, they would probably drop their jaws.

Jiang Che shook his head lightly, pushing aside the absurdity of it all. Though his strength had long surpassed that of Shrek's new students—and even most of the academy's instructors—this late-arriving system was still a stroke of fortune from his transmigration. The reward of a Second Martial Soul was especially tempting.

Even as a Titled Douluo, gaining another Martial Soul would greatly boost his strength. It would also give him more confidence when it came time to break through to the Limit Douluo level and perhaps reach even greater heights.