On the other side, Huo Yuhao climbed down from the carriage and looked around. His eyes were immediately drawn to the magnificent city before him.
Under the sunlight, Shrek City radiated an ancient aura. Its towering walls were built from enormous rocks and stood a full hundred meters tall.
A constant stream of people flowed through the city gates. Countless vendors, carriages, and pedestrians passed in and out.
Huo Yuhao paid the guards one Silver Soul Coin as his entry fee, then was allowed through without a hitch.
He passed through a stretch of dark tunnel beneath the city wall. A moment later, a bustling metropolis appeared before him.
The deafening din filled his ears as countless people walked through the city.
Shops lined both sides of the street, while vintage trams and advanced Soul Guidance Buses traveled along the roads.
Technology and antiquity, two utterly different styles, were woven together to form the greatest city on Douluo Continent.
Huo Yuhao asked a passerby for directions, then headed toward the gates of Shrek Academy.
The gates of Shrek Academy were easy to find, because they were simply enormous.
They said that Shrek Academy occupied more than two-thirds of the entire city.
Huo Yuhao had only walked down a few streets before he gradually came to a stop.
He looked up at the imposing school gates before him, his gaze sharpening slightly.
Then he scratched his head in dismay, because a sign was hanging at the entrance.
It read: New students registering at Shrek Academy must pay 10 Gold Soul Coins.
"What am I supposed to do if I'm broke?"
Huo Yuhao only had a few Silver Soul Coins on him. They were the money he'd brought from the Duke Mansion, which Huo Yun'er had secretly saved for him over the years by scrimping and saving.
"Guess I can only fall back on my old grilled-fish trade?"
Huo Yuhao thought it over. Now that he was dirt poor, the most convenient way to quickly scrape together 10 Gold Soul Coins for Shrek Academy's entrance assessment seemed to be going back to his old grilled-fish trade.
"What a hassle. I have to set up a stall again." Huo Yuhao sighed.
Why was Huo Yuhao so determined to join Shrek Academy?
That brought us to the pair of Sharingan he possessed.
As everyone knew, the Sharingan was a ridiculously overpowered thing in Naruto. Its most famous ability was letting its user summon a giant warrior and cleave a mountain in half with one stroke.
But even that wasn't the Sharingan's truly outrageous power. Its real trump cards were two Genjutsu that could be used without even awakening the Mangekyo.
Those were Izanagi and Izanami.
These two ocular techniques were downright absurd. The former could turn any attack, no matter how devastating, into a dream, making it practically a resurrection token. The latter was even more outrageous: once someone was caught in Izanami, there was no escaping unless the caster chose to release them.
But these two Jutsu had a weakness: each use cost the user an eye.
Yet Uchiha Madara, in his old age, had managed to restore an eye that had already gone blind, thanks to the incredible vitality in the First's flesh.
That was why the Life Source was something Huo Yuhao absolutely had to obtain for the sake of his Sharingan.
As far as anyone knew, only two places on Douluo Planet held Life Source energy: Sea God Lake and the Golden Tree at Shrek Academy, and the Lake of Life deep in Star Dou Great Forest, where the Silver Dragon King was sleeping.
Huo Yuhao couldn't exactly run straight into Star Dou Great Forest and bathe in the same pool as Gu Yuena.
He'd probably be eaten as a snack before he even got there.
With no better option, he could only settle for Shrek Academy.
There was no choice. Huo's secret grilled-fish barbecue had to make a comeback.
"Since I'm setting up a stall anyway, I might as well add a milk-tea stand."
Huo Yuhao got the idea on a whim. In his previous life, he'd worked at a milk-tea shop, so he knew exactly what ingredients and equipment he needed. He was sure he could find similar substitutes.
First, Huo Yuhao found a nearby carpenter's shop and bought a handcart. Then he spent the rest of his money on a few dozen fresh fish and some ingredients that could be used to make milk tea from a nearby vendor.
Huo's secret grilled-fish barbecue and Huo's Tea House were officially back in business!
A sign hung from Huo Yuhao's handcart: "Huo's Grilled Fish and Milk Tea. Grilled fish: 5 Silver Soul Coins each. Milk tea: 1 Silver Soul Coin per cup. Buy two fish, get one milk tea free." He set up shop on the snack street not far from Shrek Academy's gates.
After a busy stretch, evening was drawing near.
The sun sank in the west. Shrek Academy's students began streaming out of the school and heading to the snack street to feast.
Before long, the first customer arrived at Huo Yuhao's stall.
"Holy crap, boss, is your fish grilled from gold or silver? Why's it so expensive?"
The newcomer wore a dark green outfit, with a Golden Tree emblem on the chest.
A Shrek student?
"All my fish are caught in Star Dou Great Forest. They're pure wild fish, nothing like farmed ones. Transport, ingredients, and labor all cost money. You think it's expensive? I think it's expensive too!"
Huo Yuhao replied.
"W-well, fine. Give me one. Make sure it's cooked through!"
The students at Shrek Academy really were all rich kids. They didn't know the price of rice, oil, and salt, so after a little smooth talking, they handed over the money without complaint.
Besides, those rich kids didn't care about a little pocket change. It was nothing to them.
"Coming right up! Not only is it cooked through, it's delicious too. Go ahead, take a bite—you won't be able to say a word!"
Huo Yuhao took the five Silver Soul Coins. A moment later, he handed the customer a freshly grilled fish.
The Shrek student took the fish and bit into it.
His eyes lit up instantly.
Then he polished off the whole fish in just a few bites.
"Hey, this grilled fish is way too good! Give me another one—no, two! No, no, make it three!"
Huo Yuhao chuckled. As if the Innate Grilled Fish Sacred Body were all talk!
"Buy two grilled fish and get one milk tea free! You can pick the sweetness. How many spoonfuls of sugar would you like?"
Before long, Huo Yuhao handed over three more grilled fish, along with a free milk tea.
"What's that? Milk tea?"
"How many spoonfuls? Then let's go with three spoonfuls of sugar."
"Three spoonfuls of sugar, coming right up!"
The Shrek student had only taken a sip of the milk tea to see what it was like. Then he downed the whole cup in one go.
The flavor shot straight to the top of his head.
"Boss, I'll take ten cups of this milk tea too. Pack them up so I can take them back and enjoy them slowly."
Huo Yuhao cheerfully collected the money.
As time passed, a long line formed in front of Huo Yuhao's stall.
Most of them were customers, and most of those customers were girls.
Once the first person spread the word, the female students of Shrek Academy went practically wild over the milk tea.
This sweet drink had an absolutely terrifying hold on them.
Huo Yuhao was raking it in. In just half an hour, he'd already made almost dozens of Gold Soul Coins.
On Douluo Continent, one Gold Soul Coin was worth 10 Silver Soul Coins, or 100 Copper Soul Coins. A single Gold Soul Coin could support an ordinary family for a month or two.
Eventually, Huo Yuhao had to limit each person to buying no more than two grilled fish.
Even so, the grilled fish and milk tea still couldn't keep up with demand.
In just one hour, only a single grilled fish remained at Huo Yuhao's stall.
Huo Yuhao hadn't eaten dinner yet, so he turned to the people still waiting in line and said, "Sorry, everyone. We're sold out of grilled fish for today, so we're closing up. Please come back another time."
The people waiting in line looked disappointed and dispersed.
But just then, a clear, sweet voice suddenly rang out. "Hey, I've been waiting here for ages. Could you sell me that last grilled fish you have?"
Before you continue