Dorm 108?

Watching Tang Ya and Bei Bei's backs disappear around the street corner, Su Chen turned and began walking at a leisurely pace toward the freshman dormitory area, following the numbering on his key.

In the Sea of Spirit, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, who had been quietly watching the show, finally spoke up, his voice dripping with thick, inseparable mockery and teasing:

"Tsk tsk tsk, kid, I've seen it all. That little girl named Tang Ya, from the Star Dou Forest until now, that look in her eyes, that attitude... hehe, it seems she really likes you, doesn't she?"

Su Chen didn't stop, his expression remaining as usual as he responded calmly in his mind: "You're overthinking it."

"Overthinking?" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm let out a strange laugh. "I've lived for a million years, what haven't I seen? That little girl's feelings are all written on that pretty little face of hers!"

"Her eyes shine like stars when she talks to you, she leans in so close, and the way she looks so reluctant to part... tsk tsk, youth is truly wonderful!"

"Does your grand plan for godhood include matchmaking?" Su Chen countered.

"Hey! You can't put it that way!" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm retorted righteously. "Isn't it wonderful to have a soulmate by your side on the path to becoming a god?"

"Besides, this little girl has good talent and is quite the beauty... If you're interested in her, taking her in wouldn't be a bad idea. After all, by human age, she's only two or three years older than you."

"Kid, consider it? I don't think you're entirely indifferent to her either."

Su Chen didn't reply. Sky Dream Ice Silkworm wasn't entirely wrong; he was naturally aware of Tang Ya's feelings.

This Tang Sect leader was lively, kind, and resilient, and she truly held an unusual fondness for him. From a strategic perspective, if he could bring the declining Tang Sect under his control through Tang Ya, it would be another card to play against Tang San in the future.

But this was not his immediate priority.

Meanwhile, the now-distant Tang Ya was being questioned by Bei Bei.

"Xiao Ya, you seemed... exceptionally enthusiastic toward Su Chen today." Bei Bei weighed his words, probing cautiously.

Tang Ya's footsteps faltered, a flash of panic crossing her face, but she quickly masked it and feigned ease. "Did I? I just think Su Chen is so talented and handsome, and since we were the ones who brought him back, of course we should take care of him! After all, he might become a great help to our Tang Sect in the future!"

"Is that so..." Bei Bei looked at Tang Ya's slightly reddened earlobes, and that strange feeling surfaced in his heart once again.

But he didn't press further, merely nodding. "You're right. Su Chen is indeed a talent worth recruiting."

Leaving the bulletin board where the class assignments were posted, Su Chen walked alone along the indicated path toward the freshman dormitory area at a steady, unhurried pace.

The inner city of Shrek Academy was vast with clear road planning; even without Tang Ya as a "guide," finding the dormitory building was not difficult.

After walking for a while and passing through a small grove meant for students to relax, rows of neat, gray-white buildings appeared in his field of vision.

These buildings were uniform in style, four stories high, and appeared plain and unadorned, but they covered a large area, clearly providing ample interior space. This was the dormitory area for freshmen and lower-grade students of the Outer Court.

The number on Su Chen's key pointed to one of these buildings. As he reached the entrance, his gaze was immediately drawn to the scene on one side of the door.

There sat an old, worn, yet clean recliner, and on it, an old man was resting with his eyes closed. The man wore the most ordinary gray cloth robes, his hair sparse and gray, his face covered in deep wrinkles and age spots. His body was curled up in the chair, appearing thin and withered, his breathing so faint it was almost imperceptible, as if he might quietly pass away in the autumn sunlight at any moment.

Anyone unaware would assume this was just a dying, ordinary old man assigned by the academy to watch the door and pass the time.

But Su Chen's footsteps faltered, almost imperceptibly.

Mu En.

The name, along with the information associated with it, surfaced clearly in his mind.

This old man, who looked as if he could expire at any moment, was one of the top powerhouses on the Douluo Continent today, the true pillar of Shrek Academy, and the Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion—Mu En! A ninety-nine-level Limit Douluo, with the Radiant Sacred Dragon martial soul, titled "Dragon God"!

Watching this peerless powerhouse "hiding" in such a posture at the entrance of the freshman dormitory, Su Chen couldn't help but feel a complex and subtle emotion. Information from his memories surged like a tide.

Mu En and his close friend-turned-enemy, Long Xiaoyao—two ninety-nine-level Limit Douluos who should have stood at the pinnacle of the continent, looking down upon all living beings and roaming the world freely—had their fates twisted dramatically because of one woman: Ye Xishui, leading both to miserable ends.

Long Xiaoyao was infatuated with Ye Xishui, even going so far as to join the evil soul master organization, the Holy Spirit Cult. Although he seemed to have awakened later, he was trapped by this twisted emotion his entire life, deeply exploited by Ye Xishui.

As for Mu En, his situation seemed even more "tragic" in Su Chen's eyes. He had also loved Ye Xishui deeply, yet gained nothing substantial, instead becoming enemies with his best friend, Long Xiaoyao, and living a life of solitude.

Furthermore, due to the earth-shattering battle in his early years against the Body Sect leader, Du Bisi, he had suffered heavy injuries despite a narrow victory. Later, he had forcibly consumed a "Dragon Pill" to increase his strength, further damaging his foundation and leaving him permanently disabled. In his later years, he could only linger on at this dormitory entrance, relying on the thin sunlight, pinning his final hopes and life's work entirely on Shrek Academy and the next generation.

Ye Xishui had at least once felt genuine affection for Long Xiaoyao and bore him a child, whose bloodline remained in Shrek in another form, even becoming the Dean of the Martial Soul Department.

But what about Mu En? Devotedly guarding, silently giving, yet ending up with nothing, crippled and dying in loneliness...

A dignified Limit Douluo, a peak powerhouse of the continent, reduced to such a state. There is no greater mockery of fate than this.

Thoughts surged like a tide in his heart, but Su Chen's face remained entirely unchanged. He walked steadily to the recliner, stopped about three steps away from the old man, and bowed slightly. His attitude was respectful but not servile, his voice clear and calm:

"Hello, I am a newly enrolled student here to move into the dormitory. Could I trouble you to help me find where my room is?" As he spoke, he held out the simple brass key.

Mu En, whose eyelids had been drooping as if in deep sleep, moved them ever so slightly before slowly opening his eyes.

His calm, waveless gaze fell upon Su Chen, observing him slowly.

A moment later, a hoarse, low voice, as if it hadn't been used in a long time, sounded. The pace was very slow, carrying the characteristic stiffness of an old man: "The key, let me see."

Su Chen complied, gently placing the brass key into the wrinkled, loose-skinned hand that Mu En extended. The hand looked withered and weak, but Su Chen could vaguely sense the terrifying power contained within, like a dormant volcano.

Mu En took the key, not even looking down to inspect it, merely waving it casually before his eyes as if to confirm the tiny engraved number, before handing it back to Su Chen.

He pointed with his other hand toward the interior of the dormitory building behind him, his voice remaining flat and devoid of emotion: "Go on. Dormitory 108, on the first floor, third room on the left." He paused, his cloudy eyes looking at Su Chen as he added, his tone slightly heavier, carrying the weight of an unquestionable rule: "Remember, from the fourth floor up, this building is a female dormitory. Men are strictly forbidden from going up. If discovered, you will be expelled immediately. There is no room for negotiation."

Su Chen took the key and thanked him simply, his voice calm, showing neither the nervousness of a freshman nor the slightest contempt for the "old man watching the door." He nodded slightly once more and turned to walk into the dormitory.

Mu En's gaze, seemingly casual, actually followed Su Chen until his figure disappeared into the shadows of the dormitory entrance.

On the recliner, the old man's seemingly stiff lips twitched upward in an almost imperceptible movement, forming a subtle arc, while a faint glimmer flashed deep within his cloudy eyes.

Such pure and powerful light attribute... although deliberately restrained and hidden, even carrying a higher-level sacred quality, at such a close distance, and both being of the light... how could it possibly be completely hidden from me. Mu En thought to himself calmly.

His martial soul is the Radiant Sacred Dragon, a top-tier light-attribute martial soul. Although it has not reached the level of Ultimate Light, it is not far off, granting him an extremely keen perception of light-attribute energy.

The moment Su Chen approached, he had already sensed the restrained yet inherently superior aura of light emanating from the youth. It was certainly not something an ordinary light-attribute martial soul could possess, causing even the dormant Radiant Sacred Dragon martial soul within his own body to produce a faint, subtle throb.

Interesting. I wonder when that brat Shao Zhe will discover this true gem. Mu En closed his eyes once more, seemingly reverting to a drowsy old man, though a trace of faint amusement and anticipation flickered in his heart. The teachers responsible for admissions at Shrek Academy, and those arrogant fellows in the Martial Soul Department... I would like to see if their judgment has truly regressed to such a state.

He even thought with a touch of mischief whether he should secretly drop a hint, letting those people "overlook" this youth for a while to see how long it would take for this pearl to shine with an irrepressible brilliance on its own.

Of course, this was just a passing thought. Shrek Academy needs geniuses, but it needs proper guidance even more. The secrets Su Chen carries are likely significant; he requires observation and appropriate protection.

At the very least, under his, Mu En's, watchful eye within Shrek Academy, those who shouldn't be reaching out had better weigh the consequences carefully.

Inside the dormitory building, the light was dim but the space was tidy. The floor was paved with terrazzo, and the walls were coated in white paint; though it had seen better years, it was well-maintained. A faint scent of bedding dried in the sun mixed with the aroma of wooden furniture permeated the air.

Following Mu En's instructions, Su Chen quickly found the third room on the left. A brass number plate was nailed to the lintel: 108.

Su Chen took out the key, inserted it into the lock, and gave it a gentle turn.

"Click."

The door opened.

He pushed the door open and entered, his gaze sweeping across the room in an instant.

The room was more spacious than he had imagined, about twenty square meters. A single bed was placed on each side, topped with brand-new bedding and pillows. Between the two beds, near the window, sat a large desk accompanied by two wooden chairs.

Against the wall near the door stood a double-door wardrobe. The window was open, and a light breeze stirred the curtains, bringing a hint of coolness and the fresh scent of grass and trees from outside.

A standard, simple double dormitory.

But at this moment, the room was empty, and the other bed was perfectly made, clearly indicating that his roommate had not yet arrived.

Su Chen's gaze swept over the two beds, finally landing on the empty one to the left of the window, where he set down his simple luggage.

"Dormitory 108..." he repeated in a low voice, connecting it to the original plot and the key in his hand that should have belonged to Huo Yuhao...

I didn't expect this, Su Chen realized, the corners of his mouth curling into an imperceptible arc. I didn't pay attention to the number when I picked up the key, but I actually ended up in the same room as that "young lady disguised as a man."

Wang Dong'er. Or rather, she should be called Wang Dong now—the future Tang Wutong, who would fuse with Wang Qiu'er's divine consciousness only to lose her original, authentic charm.

Recalling the brilliance and unique charisma of Wang Dong'er and Wang Qiu'er in the original work, and comparing them to the Tang Wutong who was "arranged" by Tang San and whose personality became somewhat spoiled and willful after the fusion, Su Chen couldn't help but shake his head inwardly, feeling a genuine sense of regret.

Wang Dong'er, known as the owner of the most beautiful Radiant Goddess Butterfly martial soul on the Douluo Continent and the little princess of the Clear Sky Sect, possessed peerless beauty. Initially as proud as a swan, she was sensitive and kind-hearted deep down, growing through her trials and holding a sincere, fiery love for Huo Yuhao.

Wang Qiu'er, the transformed Emperor Auspicious Beast, the Three-Eyed Golden Ni, inherited a wisp of divine consciousness from Tang San. Her personality was fierce and persistent, daring to love and hate like a burning flame. She was beautiful and dangerous, and her struggle against fate and the purity of her emotions were deeply moving.

Both of these women, regardless of appearance, talent, or personality, were top-tier—independent stars shining with their own unique light.

However, under the "arrangements" of that dog Tang San, they were forced to fuse into Tang Wutong. They lost their individuality, their personalities became blurred and even contradictory, and she became more like a "tool" existing to be "worthy" of the Son of Luck and to continue the bloodline of the God King.

This maneuver is like taking two SSR god-tier cards with infinite potential and forcibly synthesizing them into a card that looks flashy but has lost its soul, potentially even degrading into a mediocre R-rank card, Su Chen evaluated with a hint of sarcasm. That God King's desire to control the fate of those around him is truly as "strong" as ever.

A pity, but it had nothing to do with him. At least, not for now.