Taking a Master

Yan Shaozhe stood quietly to the side, wearing a smile as he waited patiently.

It was not until Xia Ming opened his eyes again, the sharp light within them retracted and his aura becoming increasingly steady, that he finally spoke: "Let us go in."

"Creeeak—"

Yan Shaozhe pushed open that seemingly ordinary wooden door.

The scene inside came into view.

The first thing they felt was an aura of warm light elements and life force, several times more concentrated than it was outside the door.

With every breath, it felt as if they were inhaling liquid soul power.

The interior space was much more spacious than it appeared from the outside, yet the furnishings were extremely simple.

In the center sat a long table, ancient and heavy, having clearly weathered countless years.

Several chairs were neatly arranged on either side of the long table.

And at the far end of the table, against the inner wall, sat a simple recliner.

An old man lay quietly on the recliner.

He was thin, wrapped in a simple grey cloth garment, his face aged and covered in deep wrinkles.

His eyes were slightly closed at this moment, as if he were taking a nap.

There was no powerful fluctuation of soul power radiating from his body; he looked just like an ordinary old man enjoying his twilight years, the kind one could see anywhere.

Yet, the moment Xia Ming saw this old man, his heart tightened violently.

An indescribable sense of oppression, not stemming from any outward display of power, but from an invisible gap in the level of life and spiritual realm, caused him to hold his breath involuntarily.

Yan Shaozhe stepped forward a few paces and came to a stop beside the long table.

He bowed deeply toward the old man on the recliner, his tone filled with unprecedented respect:

"Teacher, I have brought Xia Ming."

"Mm." The gentle and kind voice sounded once more; it was the same voice that had invited them in earlier.

The old man on the recliner, Dragon God Douluo Mu En, slowly opened his eyes.

The instant he opened them, Xia Ming felt his vision blur.

The next moment, Mu En appeared right in front of Xia Ming.

"Child," Mu En's voice resonated directly in Xia Ming's heart, gentle yet carrying an unquestionable power of penetration, "Show me your Martial Soul, and the domain that accompanied your awakening."

"Yes." Xia Ming took a deep breath, suppressing the excitement and slight nervousness in his heart, and replied in a deep voice.

He knew that this was the critical moment that would determine his starting point at Shrek.

"Martial Soul, Possession!"

With a low shout, Xia Ming leaned his body slightly forward.

A fierce and domineering aura, originating from the depths of his bloodline, erupted from his small frame like a sleeping lion awakening!

Pale golden light radiated from his body, and his hair began to flutter without any wind.

A sharp golden glint flashed in the depths of his eyes, and the muscles all over his body bulged slightly, filled with an explosive sense of power.

At the same time, a strange halo of light emerged from beneath his feet.

Immediately following—

"Domination Domain, activate!"

Xia Ming's aura surged visibly by a significant margin.

A clear ripple finally appeared in Mu En's otherwise calm, stagnant eyes.

He carefully sensed the soul power Xia Ming exhibited after his Martial Soul Possession, especially the powerful aura emanating from the activation of the boy's innate domain.

A moment later, he nodded slightly, a look of satisfaction appearing on his face.

"Mm. The Martial Soul is indeed peerlessly powerful, especially when paired with this innate domain."

Mu En spoke slowly, every word carrying the weight of Thousand Jun, "Truly gifted by the heavens."

The evaluation was exceptionally high!

Immediately after, Mu En's gaze became incomparably solemn.

He stared into Xia Ming's eyes, his gaze seemingly able to pierce through skin and bone to look directly into the depths of his soul:

"Xia Ming, are you willing to take me as your master?"

There was no long-winded preamble, nor any complex test; after personally confirming Xia Ming's unimaginable potential, this Limit Douluo, who stood at the pinnacle of the continent, issued his most sincere invitation directly.

Xia Ming's heart gave a sudden leap, followed by a surge of immense joy.

He did not hesitate for a moment: "Disciple Xia Ming pays respects to Teacher!"

His voice was clear and resonant, striking the air with conviction.

To him, being able to take Mu En as his master was far more than simply gaining a powerful backer.

It meant he would directly enter the most core lineage of Shrek Academy, gaining access to top-tier guidance and prioritized resources.

This was undoubtedly the best possible start one could hope for at Shrek Academy.

"Good, good." A genuine and gratified smile appeared on Mu En's face.

He repeated the word "good" twice, clearly very satisfied with Xia Ming's decisiveness.

"From this day forth, you are my, Mu En's, final disciple."

He paused slightly, his tone shifting to that of making arrangements: "You shall stay here in the Sea God Pavilion today to consolidate your cultivation.

Tomorrow, I will have Yan Shaozhe take you to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for your first soul ring.

The choice of a soul ring is of vital importance; it concerns your future path of development, so you must be cautious.

At that time, I will provide you with some suggestions."

"Yes!" Xia Ming bowed in salute once more.

Immediately afterward, he left the Sea God Pavilion with Yan Shaozhe.

As soon as they stepped outside, the other man spoke:

"Alright, Junior Brother.

From now on, here at Shrek Academy, you are the most core successor of our lineage."

The title "Junior Brother" completely bridged the distance between them and formally confirmed Xia Ming's status within the core circle of Shrek.

"Teacher having you stay temporarily in the Sea God Pavilion is to help you adapt to the unique environment here as quickly as possible and stabilize your foundation.

However, living here long-term is not entirely beneficial for your current level of cultivation; too much of a good thing can be counterproductive."

Yan Shaozhe explained, then shifted the topic:

"Therefore, I have arranged another residence for you on Sea God Island."

He raised a hand, pointing toward an area on the inner side of Sea God Island, where the environment was more secluded and the fluctuations of soul power were noticeably denser.

"That is the core residential area of Sea God Island." Yan Shaozhe's tone carried a hint of familiarity, as if introducing his own territory, "It is different from the collective dormitory areas for the outstanding students of the Inner Court.

They mostly live on the outskirts of the island, near the teaching areas and trial grounds.

Your residence has been arranged in an area closer to us teachers."

"The environment there is quiet and rarely disturbed, making it suitable for deep meditation.

While the concentration of soul power is not as high as inside the Sea God Pavilion, it is far superior to other areas on the island, which will be of great benefit for you to consolidate your cultivation and push through bottlenecks."

As Yan Shaozhe spoke, he signaled for Xia Ming to follow, "Moreover, it is not far from my own residence. If you have any questions regarding your cultivation in the future, you can come find me at any time."

The two walked along a secluded path toward the core residential area.

Along the way, Xia Ming could feel several auras—some strong, some weak, but all obscure and profound—sweeping over them from different directions, carrying scrutiny and curiosity.

However, upon sensing Yan Shaozhe's aura, they all quickly and amicably withdrew.

Before long, a small, independent courtyard appeared before them.

The courtyard was not large, but it was exquisite.

The perimeter was enclosed by a low fence overgrown with emerald vines.

In the center stood a two-story wooden building, simple and rustic in style, sharing the same lineage as the Sea God Pavilion but appearing more lived-in.

In front of the wooden building was a small open space furnished with a stone table and stone stools.

In the corner, there was even a small, well-tended plot of land, seemingly suitable for planting herbs.

A blank wooden plaque hung above the lintel of the small building.

"This is it." Yan Shaozhe stopped and smiled, "This courtyard has been vacant for some time, but it is maintained regularly, and the basic living facilities inside are all complete." He looked at Xia Ming, "As for this plaque, according to custom, those who live here may give their residence a name.

You can think about it and carve it on; it will count as officially settling down here."

He pushed open the ajar courtyard gate and led Xia Ming inside.

The courtyard was indeed neat and clean, with the refreshing scent of grass and trees filling the air.

The interior of the building was furnished simply and practically; while not luxurious, it could certainly be considered comfortable.

Inside the courtyard, the floor of the meditation room appeared to have undergone special treatment.

Sitting within it, one could clearly feel a gentle pulse of soul power rising from beneath their feet, faintly connected to the ley lines of the entire Sea God Island.

"It is getting late today; you should rest early and familiarize yourself with the environment."

Yan Shaozhe patted Xia Ming on the shoulder.

"Tomorrow morning, I will come to take you to hunt for your soul ring.

Remember your teacher's words: the first soul ring is of vital importance, as it concerns your future path.

Tonight, you can also take some time to think carefully about the characteristics of your martial soul and domain, and what you expect from your soul ring."

"Yes, Senior Brother. Thank you for your trouble in arranging this," Xia Ming said with genuine gratitude.

This residence, whether in terms of location, environment, or symbolic significance, far exceeded his expectations.

"Between fellow disciples, there is no need for such formalities," Yan Shaozhe said with a wave of his hand and a gentle smile.

"Rest early and conserve your energy. Tomorrow is when you truly take the first step on your path as a soul master."

Having said that, he did not linger, turning to leave as his figure quickly merged into the night.

Xia Ming stood alone in the courtyard of his new home, looking around.

If it were his past life, he never would have imagined that Shrek Academy could have a place like this.

Fortunately, he was placed directly on Sea God Island, and he didn't have to fight those inner court students for living quarters.

After all, the Shrek Academy outer court, where four hundred people fought over a single restroom, was truly infamous.

His current living conditions were undoubtedly much better.

"Time to rest; tomorrow morning, I must prepare to go soul hunting."