Enrollment

With two Soul Masters emerging from the village, Jack insisted on celebrating with a feast, personally heading to town that afternoon to buy two pounds of meat.

Huo Yuhao went to the creek to catch a few fish and invited Tang San to his home for dinner.

During the meal, Jack proposed sending both of them to a Soul Master Academy to study. Although the village only had one quota for a Work-Study Student, he could borrow another from a neighboring village.

He had inquired that afternoon, and none of the nearby villages had produced a child with Innate Soul Power this year.

Innate Full Soul Power!

Among Soul Masters, that was a genius among geniuses. If the village could produce another Soul Saint, it would be something to boast about for a lifetime.

If they reached even higher, perhaps renaming the village to Douluo Village or Title Village, it would be as if the ancestral graves were emitting auspicious smoke.

"Grandpa, what will you do if I leave?"

Huo Yuhao felt uneasy about leaving Jack behind.

Jack glared at him. "I'm not so old that I can't move anymore."

"Yuhao, becoming a Soul Master is a major event. It's a life of infinite glory, and you'll be a cut above the rest. If you're really worried about this old man, just come back to visit when you're on break."

Huo Yuhao understood the older generation's expectations for their children. Even though he was reluctant to leave his grandfather, he nodded and agreed to Jack's proposal.

Tang San, however, said he needed to ask for his father's opinion first.

Jack grew anxious at this. "Can that fellow Tang Hao possibly disagree? This is a golden opportunity; other villages have to share one quota between two or three villages."

"No, I'll go talk to Tang Hao myself."

With that, he pulled Tang San toward his home.

Not long after, Huo Yuhao saw Jack return sighing, realizing the outcome wasn't as pleasant as hoped.

However, Huo Yuhao didn't pay it much mind. Tang San's history was well-known in the Shrek Academy of his past life; there would surely be a turning point.

Although his goal was to compete with Tang San for the God position, he would not interfere with Tang San's choices, nor would he resort to sabotage—that was beneath him.

Even in a fair and square competition, Huo Yuhao believed he held the advantage.

For himself, heading to a Soul Master Academy was a great choice.

Firstly, it offered more freedom, as he still needed to find an opportunity to head into the Star Dou Great Forest to search for Brother Sky Dream.

Secondly, he could begin crafting items using the Soul Tool techniques from his past life and sell them to earn some money.

Just like that, the day arrived for Jack to send the two to school. Tang Hao had indeed agreed to let Tang San go to Notting Academy.

Along the way, Jack seemed to have an endless stream of words, constantly admonishing the two.

"Once you both become Soul Masters, you'll be a cut above the rest and can receive a monthly subsidy from Martial Soul Hall. Your lives will improve significantly. I hear that if you become a Soul Grand Master like a deacon, the glory is boundless."

Huo Yuhao was stunned to hear this; it turned out the policies of the Douluo Continent ten thousand years later had already existed back then.

The academies of my past life never recorded this. They only recorded that Martial Soul Hall ignited a continental war, causing misery, and were only liberated after being defeated by the Shrek Seven Devils.

Huo Yuhao glanced at Tang San. In his past life, he couldn't understand what had happened ten thousand years ago, but since he had arrived in this era, he could witness it all with his own eyes.

The distance from Holy Soul Village to Nuoding City was not far. After half a day of travel, the group could see the city walls in the distance.

The guards checked them briefly, then waved them through. Just like that, one old man and two children entered the city.

It was Jack's first time here as well, and after asking passersby several times, they finally arrived at the academy gates.

With a tall stone archway and iron gates beneath, the words "Notting Academy" were displayed in the center, looking quite imposing.

Even such a remote academy looked so wealthy, which showed just how high the social status of a Soul Master truly was.

"This is the place I'll be staying for six years..."

Huo Yuhao felt a sense of emotion. In his past life, he never attended a junior Soul Master academy, having cultivated on his own within the Duke Mansion.

He didn't head to Shrek Academy until he was eleven. Looking at the academy name before him, he couldn't help but feel a sense of anticipation for his academy life.

As they approached the gate, a young guard blocked their path, his expression turning disdainful after seeing their clothes.

Jack stepped forward, smiling apologetically as he spoke, and handed over the proof. The young man glanced at it a few times, then continued to speak with a sneer.

Being some distance away, Huo Yuhao didn't hear clearly, but it certainly didn't sound like anything pleasant.

Seeing Jack's face flush with anger, he turned to lead the two away, muttering, "We'll go find the deacon of the Martial Soul Branch Hall. I believe he will give us justice."

Huo Yuhao understood what had happened. He hadn't expected to encounter such a thing; even a lowly gatekeeper could be so snobbish.

He looked back, his gaze cold and piercing, causing the gatekeeper to shiver, his legs trembling.

With the spiritual power of a God King, a single look from Huo Yuhao was something no ordinary person could withstand.

The gatekeeper, already convinced the proof was genuine and about to say something to salvage the situation, heard another voice ring out.

"Please wait a moment. What happened here? Could you tell me about it?"

The gatekeeper's expression changed upon seeing the newcomer, and he said obsequiously, "Grandmaster, you've returned."

Huo Yuhao looked toward the newcomer upon hearing the gatekeeper's address, feeling a sense of realization. The man was of medium height, somewhat thin, and looked to be in his forties or fifties.

Though there were slight differences from the statue at the Shrek Academy of his past life, he could still recognize the outline. So this is Grandmaster?

Old Jack realized this was a person of great importance and immediately handed over the martial soul certificates while recounting what had just happened.

The man looked over the two certificates and nodded slightly.

"The certificates are genuine, old sir. I apologize to you on behalf of the academy. I will take these two children inside myself."

Seeing such a prominent figure actually apologizing to him, Old Jack's face flushed red as he waved his hands repeatedly.

"No need to apologize, no need at all, it's just a small matter. Grandmaster, I'll leave these two children in your care. Huo Yuhao, Tang San, be obedient once you're inside and don't cause any trouble."

Huo Yuhao thanked Grandmaster, though his gaze remained fixed on the man who had laid the foundations for Shrek Academy.

Grandmaster felt Huo Yuhao's naked, scrutinizing stare and felt a bit puzzled. Does this child know me?

Tang San also nodded, secretly tucking his Sleeve Arrow away.

After watching Old Jack depart, Grandmaster shot a glance at the gatekeeper and gave him a stern lecture, drawing a series of apologetic smiles from the man before leading the two boys into the academy.

It was merely an insignificant interlude; there was no need to waste time on such people.

Along the way, Tang San took the initiative to chat quite a bit with Grandmaster, while Huo Yuhao followed closely behind, showing no intention of interjecting or reading books.

When he heard Grandmaster correctly identify that Tang San possessed Twin Martial Souls, he nodded silently.

The records about Grandmaster from my past life were not unfounded; his research into martial souls is indeed profound.

Although he could see that Grandmaster was deliberately showing off, hoping to make Tang San his disciple, his knowledge was indeed ahead of its time. While there were many loopholes, the general direction was correct.

His knowledge did indeed lay the foundation for many theories ten thousand years later, but to call himself Grandmaster and hold such unwavering faith in his own theories is perhaps a bit too arrogant.

Having spent decades with Tang San in the God Realm, Huo Yuhao naturally knew that Tang San's martial soul was not a simple Blue Silver Grass. It could be said that Grandmaster's revelation about Tang San's second martial soul relied heavily on luck.

It was a pity that later generations revered the saying "there are no useless martial souls, only useless Soul Masters" as a classic.

Huo Yuhao shook his head slightly, recalling Tang Ya from his past life, a tragic soul poisoned by that very phrase.

Unable to face her own mediocrity and unwilling to accept her low talent as a sect leader, she eventually went down a dark path and became an Evil Soul Master, only being saved years later.

Looking back now, the person Huo Yuhao felt most sorry for was Senior Brother Bei Bei.

As Grandmaster explained his theories to Tang San, he secretly observed Huo Yuhao's expression. Seeing that he remained expressionless, he couldn't help but mutter to himself.

Does he not understand the value of my Ten Great Theories? What Soul Master could remain so calm after witnessing my theories?

Seeing that Huo Yuhao had no interest in his theories, Grandmaster had to abandon the idea of using them to impress both boys and focused on explaining things to Tang San; he would take what he could get.

Grandmaster did not speak too quickly, and his explanations were easy to understand. After hearing Grandmaster explain the origins of mutated martial souls, Tang San realized the extent of his brilliance. He took a step back, immediately knelt on both knees, kowtowed three times, and requested that Grandmaster take him as a disciple. Grandmaster naturally accepted with joy.

When Tang San stood up, Grandmaster glanced at Huo Yuhao with a look of expectation.

Your good friend has been convinced by my theories and has taken me as his master; what about you?

Grandmaster fantasized about the scene of two geniuses with Innate Full Soul Power joining his tutelage.

Tang San also spoke up to persuade him.

"Yuhao, Grandmaster is incredibly knowledgeable. Just this explanation alone has been of great benefit to me. Why don't you take him as your master too? I believe Grandmaster's guidance will help us avoid many detours."

Huo Yuhao, seeing the conversation suddenly shift to him, snapped out of his thoughts. Meeting Grandmaster's expectant gaze, he recalled Elder Yi and Mu En, who had taught him in his past life, and smiled as he shook his head.

"I have already witnessed Grandmaster's knowledge, but I am not particularly interested in theoretical studies. I think I will pass on taking a master."

"Taking a master is a matter of mutual consent. If this student is unwilling, I will not force the issue."

Although Grandmaster felt a bit of regret, Huo Yuhao had spoken very tactfully, so he did not feel annoyed. He had already secured a genius with Twin Martial Souls and did not value Huo Yuhao quite as much.

He believed that under his guidance, Tang San would quickly pull ahead of Huo Yuhao, and by then, Huo Yuhao would realize just how wrong his choice had been.