Throwing All Shame Away

The storm of the advancement assessment had barely settled for three days, yet the small courtyard in the core dormitory area of Shrek Academy was already packed and ready for departure.

Early autumn sunlight filtered through the window lattice, spilling onto the Storage Soul Tool resting on the stone table. Huo Yuhao sat on a stone stool, his fingers gently stroking the storage pouch at his waist. In the depths of his eyes lay both anticipation for the future and a trace of imperceptible melancholy.

He had spent nearly a year at Shrek Academy, growing from an ignorant youth into a Soul Ancestor with Twin Martial Souls. Here, he had met companions like Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, with whom he had fought side by side, and encountered Fan Yu, the teacher who had guided him with such care. To say he felt nothing would be a lie.

However, Yan Shaozhe's repeated, forceful attempts to recruit him, the omnipresent prying eyes within the academy, and the persistent, haunting provocations from the likes of Dai Huabin had long since worn away the last shred of his attachment to this place.

Especially after the advancement assessment, Yan Shaozhe had practically blocked the entrance to his laboratory and dormitory every single day, exhausting every means to force him to choose Shrek. He had even gone so far as to use core resources like a quota for the Sea God Pavilion to coerce him, leaving him unable to catch his breath.

"What? Reluctant to leave?"

Gu Yuan walked out of the room slowly. Seeing Huo Yuhao's melancholy expression, he spoke with a smile.

Over the past few days, he had seen the undercurrents of Shrek clearly. Yan Shaozhe's relentless pressure and the secret surveillance of the Sea God Pavilion had long since exceeded the bounds of normal appreciation for talent, devolving into near-paranoid coercion.

He had brought Huo Yuhao to Shrek originally to pull the wool over their eyes, letting that person above feel that things were not yet entirely out of his control. Shrek's "appreciation of talent" was truly a fine tactic—it had reached a point that left one speechless.

Patience has its limits; did Shrek think Huo Yuhao had no one backing him? They didn't even bother to use their brains before coming to solicit him so wantonly. Yan Shaozhe's train of thought was simply beyond comprehension.

Moreover, with the Soul Spirit system just emerging, the god-level foundation of the Ice God Martial Soul needed polishing, and the cultivation of spiritual power required more systematic guidance. What Shrek could provide, the Douluo Hall could provide as well. Gu Yuan was not stingy about increasing the weight on his own side of the scale.

Huo Yuhao looked up at Gu Yuan and scratched his head, feeling a bit embarrassed: "A little... but there's nothing really to be reluctant about. Compared to staying here and being forced to join every day, I'd rather follow Brother Yuan to see the Douluo Hall."

Besides, he had already communicated with Fan Yu. Although Fan Yu felt regretful, he respected his choice and even gave him a pile of soul guidance core materials and blueprints, telling him not to let his study of soul guidance technology slide once he reached the Douluo Hall.

As for Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, they had come to say goodbye yesterday. Both companions were reluctant to part; Xiao Xiao had smiled and wished him a bright future, but Wang Dong? He had just been acting strange.

Gu Yuan saw Huo Yuhao's distress. Although the boy was precocious, he was, at the end of the day, still a child.

"Your path is always yours to choose. Bringing you back to the Douluo Hall this time is just to let you see a broader world, to come into contact with a cultivation system more suited to you, and to fully unleash the potential of your Twin Martial Souls."

"Mm! I understand, Brother Yuan!" Huo Yuhao nodded heavily. The melancholy in his eyes dissipated, replaced by overflowing anticipation.

He had long heard of the various wonders of the Douluo Hall. It possessed the continent's most cutting-edge soul guidance research institute, the most complete training system for civilian soul masters, and countless soul masters with dark martial souls—spurned by the world—who had found their own paths there.

He also wanted to see the Douluo Hall, to learn more, to become stronger—strong enough to truly protect those he wanted to protect, and strong enough to stand upright before the Dai Family and demand justice for his mother.

Off to the side, Jin Ruiqiu had long since finished packing her little bundle, bouncing around and shaking Gu Yuena's arm as she said with a giggle: "The milk crisps I ate at the Douluo Hall last time and the steamed bun shop on the street—I can have them again!"

Gu Yuena nodded slightly, dotingly tapping her forehead.

"You, oh you!"

She raised a hand to gently smooth her silver hair, which had been ruffled by the wind, and spoke calmly: "If everything is packed, let's set off. Delays lead to changes; I fear the people of Shrek won't let us leave so easily."

Gu Yuan nodded slightly, a faint coldness flashing in his eyes.

Yan Shaozhe and that group of old masters would never watch idly as Huo Yuhao, this peerless piece of uncarved jade, left Shrek to throw himself into the embrace of the Douluo Hall. This departure was destined not to be peaceful.

"Let's go." Gu Yuan waved his hand and took the lead, walking toward the courtyard gate.

Huo Yuhao, Gu Yuena, and Jin Ruiqiu followed immediately, and the four figures soon vanished at the end of the Ginkgo Forest.

Almost at the same moment the four left the dormitory area, inside the Sea God Pavilion of Shrek Academy, an emergency meeting had reached a point of intense confrontation.

At the head of the table, Mu En still lay on his recliner, his aged eyes half-closed, revealing neither joy nor anger.

The old masters of the Sea God Pavilion sat on both sides of the round table. Yan Shaozhe stood in the center, his face flushed, his tone filled with anxiety and unwillingness.

"Fellow old masters! I will say it again! We absolutely cannot let Huo Yuhao leave Shrek! Absolutely not!" Yan Shaozhe's voice echoed in the meeting room, carrying irrepressible agitation.

"Twin Ultimate Martial Souls, a twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor! His fourth soul ring is already ten-thousand-year level! Such talent is rare in ten thousand years—no, since the founding of the academy, he is a genius who follows directly in the footsteps of Lord Tang San!"

"If such a genius can stay at Shrek, he will surely become the pillar of the academy in the future, perhaps even leading Shrek to recreate the glory of ten thousand years ago! But if he follows Gu Yuan to the Douluo Hall, he will inevitably become the sharpest blade the Douluo Hall uses against us."

After the advancement assessment ended, he had kept a close watch on Huo Yuhao's movements. Just now, he had received word that Huo Yuhao had packed his bags and was leaving Shrek with Gu Yuan for the Douluo Hall. He had panicked instantly and immediately summoned all the Sea God Pavilion old masters to hold this emergency meeting.

As his voice fell, Qian Duoduo immediately frowned and spoke in a deep voice: "Dean Yan, you cannot speak like that. It is true that Huo Yuhao is a student of our Shrek, but he has the right to choose his own future. We have repeatedly forced our recruitment upon him, which has already caused him to harbor resentment. If we force him to stay now, wouldn't that ruin the ten-thousand-year reputation of our Shrek?"

"Reputation? Can reputation be eaten as a meal?" Yan Shaozhe retorted immediately, his tone full of paranoia.

"Dean Qian, you have also watched Huo Yuhao grow up. You know how terrifying his soul guidance talent is. With his Ultimate Spirit attribute, he was born for soul guidance. Are you really willing to let such a genius go to the Douluo Hall?"

Yan Shaozhe wanted to use Huo Yuhao's soul guidance talent to persuade Qian Duoduo, adding another bargaining chip to keep Huo Yuhao.

"But the Douluo Hall is not someone we can easily provoke." Cai Mei'er, sitting to the side, also spoke, her expression grave.

"If we force him to stay, it is equivalent to directly tearing off the mask with the Douluo Hall, and it could even trigger a war between the two great powers. Can we afford that consequence?"

"Even if we can't afford it, we must!" Yan Shaozhe said, his eyes red.

"Are we just going to watch such a ten-thousand-year prodigy slip through our fingers and throw himself into the arms of our greatest competitor?"

At this moment, Yan Shaozhe was overwhelmed by emotion, having lost the ability to think fundamentally.

"For two hundred years, the Douluo Hall has been eroding Shrek's foundation step by step, gathering all the civilian soul masters of the continent. Now, even the top genius in our academy is being poached by them. If we remain indifferent, will Shrek still be able to stand on the continent in the future? Are we still the number one academy on the continent?"

The meeting room instantly fell into a dispute. The faction led by Yan Shaozhe was determined to keep Huo Yuhao, even if it meant using forceful means; while the faction led by Qian Duoduo worried that forcing him to stay would trigger a full-scale conflict with the Douluo Hall, doing more harm than good. The two factions held their own views, arguing endlessly, neither able to convince the other.

In the end, everyone's gaze fell upon Mu En at the head of the table, waiting for this Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion to make the final decision.

Mu En slowly opened his eyes. His clouded gaze swept over everyone present, and his aged voice sounded slowly, carrying unquestionable majesty.

"This child, Huo Yuhao, truly has talent rare in ten thousand years. If he could stay at Shrek, it would indeed be a great fortune for the academy."

"However, we cannot force a child to do what he is unwilling to do."

Yan Shaozhe's face turned pale instantly, and he hurriedly said: "Teacher!"

"Don't be impatient, I haven't finished speaking yet." Mu En waved his hand and continued.

"Not forcing him doesn't mean we do nothing. Immediately send men to the Shrek City South Gate to intercept them. Use courtesy before force; show our sincerity. No matter what conditions we have to offer, we must keep Huo Yuhao here."

"If he insists on leaving, then... keep him here first, and we can negotiate slowly. As for Douluo Hall, this is Shrek's territory, and I am still here. Do they really think they can run wild on our turf?"

This statement was equivalent to tacitly approving the use of force to detain him.

Yan Shaozhe's eyes lit up instantly. He bowed immediately and said, "Understood! I will go handle it at once. I will absolutely not let Huo Yuhao leave Shrek City!"

After speaking, he turned and transformed into a streak of light, rushing out of the Sea God Pavilion to mobilize men and head toward the Shrek City South Gate.

The elder masters in the conference room looked at Mu En's closed eyes and exchanged glances, each seeing a trace of worry in the other's gaze.

They knew clearly that this decision was no different from playing with fire. But they also understood that a genius like Huo Yuhao was simply too important to Shrek Academy—so important that they were willing to risk a total falling out with Douluo Hall.

Shrek City South Gate.

As the gateway to Shrek Academy, this gate was guarded year-round by the academy's security team. The Soul Guidance Array on both sides of the gate was always active; even a Title Douluo-level powerhouse could not force their way through at will.

Gu Yuan and his group of four were stopped the moment they reached the gate.

The heavy city gates, which should have been wide open, were now tightly shut. Eight security team members clad in black armor held their soul tools, blocking the path. The captain leading them had a tense expression; he bowed to the four of them, but his tone was undeniably firm.

"Apologies, the city gates are temporarily closed. No one is permitted to leave."

Huo Yuhao frowned instantly and asked, confused, "Why? The gates are always open all day. How could they be closed so suddenly?"

The captain kept his head low, not daring to meet Gu Yuan's eyes, and braced himself to say, "This is an order from the academy's high command. We are merely following instructions. I ask the four of you to please forgive us and return to the academy to await further notice."

Jin Ruiqiu was instantly displeased. She stood with her hands on her hips and snapped, "Is Shrek even reasonable? On what grounds are you closing the gates and not letting us leave? We aren't prisoners of your academy!"

Gu Yuan raised a hand to stop the indignant Jin Ruiqiu. His gaze swept calmly over the captain as he spoke indifferently, "Did Yan Shaozhe tell you to block us here?"

The captain shuddered, burying his head even lower. He didn't dare say a word, but his reaction said everything.

A faint, cold sneer curled the corner of Gu Yuan's mouth. Just as he expected, Shrek had resorted to the most despicable of tactics.

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps approached. Yan Shaozhe arrived quickly with a group of people.

Behind him followed Qian Duoduo, Xian Lin'er, and four elder masters from the Sea God Pavilion, every one of them a Title Douluo-level powerhouse.

Seven Title Douluos had been dispatched just to stop the four of them. This was no small display of force.

"Huo Yuhao, stay your step." Yan Shaozhe walked quickly to the group, a kind smile plastered on his face as he addressed Huo Yuhao.

"Yuhao, where are you going? Why didn't you even say a word to the academy?"

This was a question asked with full knowledge of the answer.

Huo Yuhao looked at him, his eyes turning cold: "Dean Yan, where I go doesn't seem to require your approval, does it? I am a student of Shrek, but there is no rule that restricts my personal freedom."

"Yuhao, you've misunderstood," Yan Shaozhe said hurriedly.

"I know I was too impatient before and upset you; I apologize to you here."

"As long as you are willing to stay at Shrek, I guarantee I will never force you to do anything again. All of the academy's resources will continue to be provided to you at the highest grade. The Sea God Pavilion's library and the Soul Tool Vault will be open to you without restriction. You can study whatever you want, whenever you want."

These words carried even more weight than before. Unlimited resource supply and an independent soul guidance laboratory—this was likely the highest treatment they believed Shrek could offer.

But Huo Yuhao only shook his head calmly: "Dean Yan, thank you for your kindness. But I have already decided to follow Brother Yuan to Douluo Hall. My choice will not change."

The fact that Yan Shaozhe could offer such conditions today was merely because he valued his talent. If his talent were to be exhausted in the future, or if it conflicted with Shrek's interests, these promises would vanish like bubbles.

To put it bluntly, the world is driven by profit, but Huo Yuhao was unwilling to tether his own life to Shrek's interests.

The smile on Yan Shaozhe's face froze instantly, and a flicker of gloom flashed in the depths of his eyes.

He had lowered his posture so much and offered such generous conditions, yet Huo Yuhao remained unmoved and insisted on leaving.

"Huo Yuhao, don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a forfeit!" Yan Shaozhe's tone dropped several degrees.

"You are a registered student of Shrek Academy. Without the academy's approval, you cannot leave the school at will! Today, you must return to the academy with me!"

"Oh? Since when did Shrek's rules state that students cannot leave the school?" Gu Yuan stepped forward, shielding Huo Yuhao behind him, his gaze cold as he looked at Yan Shaozhe.

"Dean Yan, we didn't hold it against you when you tried to force Yuhao to stay before. Now you've closed the gates and brought seven Title Douluos to block our path—what is this? Has Shrek abandoned the dignity it built over ten thousand years?"

"This is Shrek's internal affair, it has nothing to do with you!" Yan Shaozhe stared fixedly at Gu Yuan, his voice icy.

"This is Shrek City, not your Douluo Hall's territory! You want to take our academy's student away? Have you asked us teachers? Have you asked the Sea God Pavilion?"

"His path is his own to choose. If he wants to leave, no one can stop him," Gu Yuan said indifferently, an invisible pressure quietly radiating from his body.

"I'd like to see who dares to stop him today."