On the other side, at Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department building, inside the dean's office.
Outside the office, Zhang Lexuan raised her hand and gently knocked on the door.
"Come in."
A calm voice sounded from within.
Zhang Lexuan opened the door and entered. Inside the dean's office sat two people.
One was an elderly man with gray-white hair; the other was a middle-aged man wearing glasses.
The elderly man had a refined, scholarly appearance. His handsome features still held traces of the charm he must have possessed in his youth.
The middle-aged man looked to be around forty. His appearance was unremarkable, but he had a distinctly scholarly air about him.
The elderly man was the dean of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department, the renowned level-ninety-five Super Douluo of the Douluo Continent, Bright Phoenix Douluo Yan Shaozhe.
The bespectacled middle-aged man was Wang Yan, a teacher in Shrek Academy's Outer Court.
Seeing Zhang Lexuan, Yan Shaozhe smiled. "Lexuan, why aren't you staying in the Inner Court? What brings you to see me today?"
Wang Yan also smiled and greeted Zhang Lexuan.
Zhang Lexuan gave them both a slight bow and said with easy grace, "I didn't expect Teacher Wang to be here, too. I've come today to ask Elder Yan's approval on something. If it's inconvenient, I can come pay my respects another day."
"Oh? You need my approval?" Yan Shaozhe's interest was piqued.
As dean of Shrek Academy's Outer Court Martial Soul Department, Yan Shaozhe was usually swamped with work and rarely had any dealings with the Inner Court.
What could the Inner Court possibly need the Outer Court dean's approval for?
"Wang Yan and I were discussing Xiaotao's Martial Soul. He's no outsider, so don't worry. Whatever it is, you can say it here."
Yan Shaozhe waved his hand.
"Yes."
"Actually, when Ruoruo and I returned from our recent trip, we found a promising young talent. We'd like to recommend him for the Inner Court. Elder Yan, since you're the dean of the Outer Court, we naturally need your approval."
Zhang Lexuan's voice was very pleasant.
"Oh? You found a promising talent outside the academy? That's unusual. How old is this person, and what's his cultivation? A Spirit King? A Spirit Emperor?" Yan Shaozhe asked curiously.
"He's eleven years old. As for his Soul Power cultivation, he's only at level fifteen," Zhang Lexuan replied.
"Eleven years old, level fifteen, and you want him to join the Inner Court?" Yan Shaozhe and Wang Yan exchanged glances. The astonishment in each other's eyes confirmed they'd both heard correctly.
"Lexuan, he's eleven and only a Soul Master at level fifteen. Even in the Outer Court, he'd barely qualify as an entry-level student. You want him to join the Inner Court? That's against the rules." Yan Shaozhe furrowed his brow, making his refusal clear.
"Elder Yan, this student isn't an ordinary Soul Master. At level fifteen, he defeated Xu Sanshi, who's a Soul Elder.
"Not only that, his Martial Soul is extremely unusual: a mutated, spiritual-type Body Martial Soul—the eyes. His Martial Soul comes with all kinds of powerful Soul Skills. He can even control the element of thunder and unleash lightning attacks no weaker than those of a three-ring Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Soul Master.
"I suspect this type of Martial Soul is a new form that's never appeared on the continent before. It has great research value.
"Most importantly, Elder Yan, I investigated him. This student is a commoner Soul Master with no faction backing him at all. If we bring him into the Inner Court and train him well, his future will be limitless."
Zhang Lexuan hurriedly explained. She'd deliberately emphasized that he had no backing, hoping to catch Yan Shaozhe's interest.
Sure enough, Yan Shaozhe's eyes lit up at once.
"A One-Ring Soul Master defeating a three-ring Soul Master? And Xu Sanshi, of all people? A Mutated Martial Soul with no background? He's certainly worth cultivating."
Yan Shaozhe knew Xu Sanshi. He was the young master of the Black Tortoise Sect, and his strength was undeniable. To defeat a three-ring Soul Master while only having one ring was simply astonishing.
Most importantly, if Zhang Lexuan was right and the boy was a commoner Soul Master with no backing whatsoever, bringing him into Shrek's Inner Court for training could eventually make him another member of the Sea God Pavilion.
"That's right. His name is Huo Yuhao, and he's an orphan," Zhang Lexuan hurriedly added.
"But there's never been an exception to admit someone into the Inner Court with only one ring." Yan Shaozhe rubbed his chin with his right hand, looking conflicted.
"Beep, beep, beep." Just then, a sudden series of beeps sounded from Yan Shaozhe.
His expression changed. The next instant, he sprang to his feet.
"Not good. Xiaotao's Evil Fire has flared up again."
A dazzling light burst from Yan Shaozhe. It was blinding, yet warm, and carried an aura of light.
The next moment, Yan Shaozhe transformed into a brilliant streak of white light and vanished from the office.
Only his faint voice lingered in Zhang Lexuan and Wang Yan's ears.
"Shrek has never made an exception for someone with only one ring to join the Inner Court. Let the boy gain some experience in the Outer Court first. If he proves himself in the Freshman Assessment, he can join the Inner Court afterward.
"Wang Yan, you're the head teacher for this year's freshmen. Keep a close eye on him."
In the dean's office, Zhang Lexuan and Wang Yan looked at each other.
It still won't be easy to get him into the Inner Court. Zhang Lexuan sighed inwardly. After bowing to Wang Yan, she took her leave.
"Huo Yuhao, Huo Yuhao. Defeating a three-ring Soul Master with only one ring? What an incredible little fellow."
After hearing Zhang Lexuan's account, Wang Yan had also grown deeply interested in Huo Yuhao.
As a research-minded Soul Master, Wang Yan's greatest hobby was studying the traits of different Martial Souls. Huo Yuhao's mutated spiritual-type Body Martial Soul had left him itching to learn more.
He could hardly wait to see it with his own eyes.
"Right, I should check which class he's been assigned to."
Wang Yan took a list from his Storage Soul Tool and studied it carefully.
"Huo Yuhao, Grade 1 Class 1. Head teacher: Zhou Yi."
When he saw this information, Wang Yan couldn't help frowning.
"Why did he get stuck with that deranged old hag? Hasn't that lunatic woman been expelled from the academy yet?"
Huo Yuhao naturally knew nothing about this little discussion concerning him.
At that moment, Huo Yuhao was walking along the streets of Shrek City. As the largest city on the Douluo Continent, Shrek City was indeed prosperous. Soldiers patrolled everywhere, and merchants sold all kinds of goods along the streets.
Huo Yuhao found it all fascinating. He wandered around, stopping now and then to curiously take in everything around him.
There were all kinds of shops on either side of the road. They sold a vast array of goods, but Soul Tools were the most popular items at the moment.
The Soul Tools on display came in all sorts of varieties. Huo Yuhao looked at them with growing interest, when a sudden thought struck him.
Could he combine Soul Tools with ninja tools? Would that work?
In truth, Sasuke's fighting style in Naruto leaned toward precision, like a sharp scalpel. He could execute all kinds of intricate tactics, and those tactics often relied on using ninja tools.
The most basic ones were Kunai, Shuriken, and Explosive Tags.
Since this world had Soul Tools, Huo Yuhao could combine them with ninja tools to create Soul Tool-style ninja gear.
That way, Huo Yuhao could use a wider range of tactics when facing enemies.
It could work! After thinking it over briefly, Huo Yuhao was thrilled.
Next, he just had to find a shop that could make these Soul Tools in bulk.
Huo Yuhao searched the streets of Shrek City, but just then, the sound of hoofbeats rang out ahead. The commotion caught his attention.
Not far from Huo Yuhao, two horses seemed to have bolted. They let out shrill cries as they charged wildly through the streets of Shrek, knocking vendors and pedestrians to the ground along the way.
The riders showed not the slightest remorse. Instead, they kept lashing the horses beneath them with their whips, making them even more frenzied.
The two horses crashed into countless pedestrians before finally slowing to a stop not far from Huo Yuhao.
The people in the street glared furiously at the two riders, but the pair merely chatted and laughed as if nothing had happened, as though the collisions had nothing to do with them.
Huo Yuhao frowned at the scene before him. When he recognized one of the riders...
He froze where he stood, then began to tremble. His eyes filled with blood and turned scarlet. His hands clenched on their own, and his nails dug deep into his palms.
The boy riding the horse at the front wore luxurious robes. He had regular features and a cold expression, and his long blond hair was parted down the middle, falling on either side of his face.
Most unusual were his eyes. On closer inspection, each pupil had a double pupil, giving them a strange, uncanny appearance.
A voluptuous girl sat on the other horse. She had delicate features and an arrogant expression, and wore a tight black dress that showed off her curvaceous figure to perfection.
"Dai Huabin." A murderous aura unconsciously surged from Huo Yuhao, sending a chill through everyone around him.
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