Shrek Academy

Biodata

Background

Shrek Academy is regarded as the continent's premier Soul Master academy and a sanctuary for Soul Masters. Its reputation rests on producing exceptional talents, including the first generation of Shrek Seven Devils, whose eventual ascension to godhood became a foundational legend of the institution. The academy's prestige later grew further through figures such as Huo Yuhao, the Spirit Ice Douluo. 204 283 382 383

The academy occupies Shrek Inner City, the original Shrek City. As the surrounding city expanded, the original settlement became the academy's enclosed core; Shrek Academy manages the entire city, while access to the Inner City is restricted to academy-recognized individuals and students. 283

For much of its history, Shrek operated with broad independence from the Sun-Moon Federation. Shrek City maintained its own rules, currency, private armed forces, and tax exemption, while Federal law held limited authority within the city. This autonomy, combined with the conduct of some graduates outside the city, bred long-standing resentment among other Federation factions. 322 367 383

Under Mu En's leadership ten thousand years earlier, the academy established a Soul Guidance Department despite internal opposition. This reform helped transform Shrek from a traditional Soul Master school into a comprehensive power combining Soul Master education with modern Soul Guidance Technology. 384

Shrek also presents the suppression of Evil Soul Masters as part of its duty to uphold justice. Successful campaigns are heavily publicized to reinforce its reputation and attract exceptional applicants. 249

Golden Ancient Tree

The Golden Ancient Tree was Shrek Academy's central foundation: a sacred tree transplanted from Sea God Island by Sea God Tang San. It gathered elemental energy and fortune, nurtured student cultivation, and housed the sealed souls and origins of deceased Sea God Pavilion predecessors for use in crises. 367 383

Its stored power had repeatedly protected Shrek during existential threats. During Di Tian's siege ten thousand years earlier, Mu En drew upon the tree to shield Shrek City, empower Xuan Zi to contend with Di Tian, and manifest his own remnant soul. 367

When the tree attempted to escape and ultimately vanished, Shrek lost its most important source of fortune, protection, and accumulated reserve power. The loss contributed to declining cultivation opportunities, reduced funding and recruitment appeal, and a broader collapse in the academy's influence. 358 359 383

The disappearance affected both current students and graduates, who sensed the loss of an invisible protection. The tree's fortune had improved their cultivation, comprehension, opportunities, and luck in dangerous encounters; these advantages were no longer assured after its departure. 360

Several months after the tree's departure, Shrek City is notably bleak and diminished. The loss of the tree's spiritual nourishment is associated with the city's desolate atmosphere and loss of its former vitality. 560

Grounds & Facilities

• Shrek Inner City — The academy's ancient core grounds, characterized by stone-and-wood architecture, quiet streets, training fields, libraries, artificial lakes, and extensive greenery. 283
• Shrek Building — The Outer Court's principal teaching building, a massive circular stone structure whose murals depict the academy's recorded history. 283
• Spirit Ice Plaza — A large plaza surrounding Shrek Building, named for Huo Yuhao, the Spirit Ice Douluo. Its buildings bear statues of every disciple who entered the Inner Court. 283
• Sea God Island — The location of the Sea God Pavilion. Normally only the academy's most core members may land there. 300
• Colosseum / Virtual Beast Arena — An entrance-examination arena created through a virtual environment, where applicants must withstand soul beast attacks. 286 291
• Golden Ancient Tree — Former sacred foundation of the academy and source of spiritual nourishment and fortune; later lost. 359 367
• Work-Study dormitories — Zero Class is initially assigned a dilapidated, dusty room containing rusted bunk frames without beds, provoking conflict over the academy's treatment of them. 306
• Teachers' dormitories — Outstanding faculty receive generous accommodation and cultivation benefits. Wu Zhangkong's suite includes arrays that draw energy from earth veins and convert it into concentrated natural essence. 323
• Inner City commercial district — Streets near Spirit Ice Plaza contain shops, restaurants, and entertainment venues for students. 316
• City walls and defensive array — Shrek City possesses fortified walls and a long-established Soul Guidance defensive array. The Holy Spirit Cult attack damages the array and collapses numerous sections of the walls, prompting extensive rebuilding. 518 560

Admissions & Education

Entrance Examinations

• Mental-strength assessment — Applicants endure the pressure of a painting infused with a drop of the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King's blood; longer resistance earns a higher score. 285
• Colosseum assessment — Participants must survive soul beast attacks for at least one minute. Damaging the beasts grants additional points, while larger groups face stronger and more numerous enemies. 287 291
• Obstacle assessment — Applicants traverse guillotine gates under a time limit to earn points. 291

Academy Code

Cai Yue'er states that Shrek students must possess both strength and character. The academy's stated standards require respect for teachers and the path, solidarity with classmates, refusal to bully the weak, and courage before the strong; violations are subject to severe punishment regardless of talent. 322

“Respect your teachers, value the path, unite with your classmates, do not bully the weak, and do not fear the strong.” 322

Shen Yi further explains that students represent the academy in their outside activities and remain subject to Shrek's disciplinary authority. She explicitly distinguishes that authority from the Federation's legal system. 322

Practical Expeditions

Travel-based final examinations require students to reach a designated destination while challenging local Soul Masters along the route. Such examinations traditionally appeared during the Outer Court's first three years and were regarded as safe because local factions feared offending Shrek; some even supplied weaker opponents to secure easy victories for its students. 390

The later Eastsea expedition expands this model to all six Outer Court grades. Faculty secretly follow the students to observe their performance and intervene in emergencies, but the arrangement fails against the Black Hand Clan's coordinated regional ambush. 384 391 414 423

Key Personnel & Affiliated Groups

• Yun Ming — Dean of Shrek Academy and Pavilion Master of the Sea God Pavilion; a level-99 quasi-god who seeks to preserve Shrek's legacy and prevent its decline. During the Holy Spirit Cult attack, he temporarily enters the Divine Realm through his spear path and confronts the God-Slaying shell aimed at the academy. Following the attack, Shrek awaits his emergence from seclusion and hoped-for lasting breakthrough. He later orders teams to investigate the South Sea tower while prioritizing their safety. 359 383 384 520 560 624
• Long Yeyue — One of Shrek's two Limit Douluos and a Sea God Pavilion elder; later negotiates for the release of captured Shrek students and faculty. After the Holy Spirit Cult attack, she remains concerned about the city's condition and Lan Muzi's prolonged unconsciousness. 358 459 560
• Yali — The Holy Spirit Douluo, who attempts to heal and calm the enraged Golden Ancient Tree but is rejected by it. 358
• Cai Yue'er — Authority responsible for the Outer Court; delivers the academy's freshman code and expectations. Zhong Shenxiu later cripples her Soul Power, depriving her of her cultivation and greatly reducing her remaining lifespan. 322 383 453
• Shen Yi — Shrek teacher and examiner who guides Zero Class through their entry process and later teaches the freshman class. 280 283 322
• Wu Zhangkong — Shrek graduate, former candidate for the Shrek Seven Devils, and teacher of Eastsea Academy's Zero Class. He brings his students to Shrek's entrance examinations and later joins Shen Yi in teaching their class, while retaining a troubled relationship with his alma mater. 155 187 188 261 321
• Feng Wuyu — Shrek elder who intervenes during the Black Hand Clan's assault on the Outer Court expedition and later criticizes the academy's educational shortcomings. 414 415 423
• Zhuo Shi — Sea God Pavilion elder and Yun Ming's martial uncle. He later represents Shrek in negotiations and reports the withdrawal of the Outer Court expeditionary students. He supports participation in the Federation campaign against Doulong Technology and subsequently confronts Yue Zhengen during the South Sea expedition. 301 475 476 629
• Lan Muzi — A Shrek combatant who fights alongside Zhuo Shi against Sagittarius Star Dragon. He remains unconscious after receiving the Star Dragon's punch, and Long Yeyue hopes Yun Ming can heal him upon reaching the Divine Realm. 485 560
• Xuan Yan Douluo — An assault-system Titled Douluo of the academy whose Mystic Rock Turtle martial soul provides exceptional defense. He fights the Holy Spirit Cult's blood mist during the invasion of Shrek City. 519
• Ye Xinglan — A Shrek prodigy and prospective Inner Court core candidate. Her conviction that Shrek represents absolute justice is severely shaken after Zhong Shenxiu confronts her with accusations of the academy's double standards. 204 466 467
• Sea God Pavilion — The academy's highest core body, based on Sea God Island. Its authority extends over both Shrek Academy and Shrek City. 300 327 359
• Spirit Pagoda — A historically close ally whose headquarters remains in Shrek City; the relationship was damaged by prior Sea God Pavilion political decisions, and the Pagoda later considers cooperating with Doulong Technology to divide Shrek's resources and influence. Despite these rivalries, it joins the anti-Doulong coalition and contributes reinforcements to Shrek City's later defenses. 267 384 387 476 560
• Doulong Technology Co., Ltd. — A rising East Sea power that publicly challenges Shrek's authority and orchestrates opposition to its expeditionary final exam. It subsequently becomes the target of a Federation-led military campaign in which Shrek participates. 367 385 392 476
• Sun-Moon Federation and War God Temple — Political and military powers that cooperate with Shrek against Doulong Technology. They later reinforce Shrek City, although Federation council members fear that Yun Ming's possible ascension could leave the country subordinate to the academy. 476 560
• Holy Spirit Cult — An enemy faction that launches a direct assault on Shrek City and fires God-Slaying Fixed Soul Guidance Shells at the academy and Tang Sect headquarters. 518 519 520

Major Arcs

Decline

Shrek's loss of the Golden Ancient Tree coincides with a sharp challenge to its historical dominance. Other factions, long resentful of Shrek's autonomy and influence, interpret the academy's silence as weakness and begin reconsidering their alliances, investments, and deference to its students. 367 383 385

The academy's expeditionary final exam worsens this vulnerability. Shrek students had previously treated such journeys as safe “dojo-crashing” exercises because local powers feared retaliation; after Shrek's prestige declines, that protection no longer holds. 390 391

The Eastsea operation demonstrates the practical consequences of this loss of deterrence. Nearly all Outer Court elites who entered the region are detained, while the later withdrawal of the expedition confirms that Shrek can no longer compel other territories to accommodate its examinations. 455 475

Feng Wuyu later concludes that Shrek's educational approach had focused too heavily on strength and combat, leaving many students unprepared for the cruelty and uncertainty of real conflict. 423

The later Holy Spirit Cult assault compounds Shrek City's condition. In the months after the attack, the city is portrayed as grim and deserted, with the loss of the Golden Ancient Tree leaving its spiritual environment diminished and its defenses under heightened security. 560

The destruction is substantial: a God-Slaying shell annihilates Tang Sect headquarters and reduces half a block to ruins, while the city's inherited defensive array is riddled with damage. Exhausted guards patrol streets where the few remaining students no longer display their former vitality. 560

Despite these setbacks, Shrek remains a significant political and military force. It participates in the Federation's campaign against Doulong Technology, receives outside reinforcements, and later dispatches investigators to the South Sea tower. Its dependence on coalition support does not eliminate mutual suspicion: Federation council members openly fear that a successful divine breakthrough by Yun Ming could allow Shrek to overshadow the government. 476 560 624

Institutional Criticism

Zhong Shenxiu publicly characterizes Shrek as an institution that invokes justice and training to excuse its own exploitation of weaker groups and its unequal application of rules. These accusations, combined with the experience of leaving Shrek City, prompt some students to reassess the assumptions that Shrek's authority, traditions, and strength are inherently correct. 459 465 467

Ye Xinglan's breakdown particularly illustrates the crisis created by this challenge to Shrek's moral image. Having been raised to regard the academy as the Soul Master world's supreme and just orthodoxy, she struggles to reconcile its prestige and benefits with the conduct Zhong attributes to it. 466 467

Wu Zhangkong's own doubts predate the Eastsea disaster. After leaving Shrek and entering wider society, he recognizes the domineering and unreasonable aspects of its teachings, including students' disregard for Federation law and aggressive conduct outside the academy. His attachment to Shrek nevertheless leads him to hope that his pupils can benefit from its resources. 187 261

Tang Wulin and Xie Xie likewise become increasingly uncomfortable with Shrek-style arrogance after Zhong Shenxiu's departure. During their expedition, they observe contempt toward lesser academies, disregard for Federal restrictions, and an ingrained sense of superiority over other Soul Masters. Tang Wulin later identifies the influence of a hidden divine consciousness as an additional cause of his own unquestioning acceptance of Shrek's authority. 420 465

Zhong Shenxiu acknowledges Shrek's historical contributions to protecting the continent but rejects the claim that those achievements excuse its present conduct. His criticism distinguishes past merits from the academy's current monopolization of resources and use of institutional prestige to shield abuses. 467

Fighting Spirit

Despite the academy's political and institutional decline, Shrek students retain a deeply ingrained refusal to yield. Later encounters depict four Shrek fighters repeatedly continuing their assault despite overwhelming injuries and an insurmountable disparity in strength, embodying the perseverance associated with Shrek's identity. 485 497

Wu Zhangkong also identifies breakthroughs during battle as a characteristic strength of Shrek's students, warning Zhong Shenxiu that an opponent who is weaker at one meeting may become a match for him by the next. 188

Armed Forces & Defenses

• Independent military establishment — Shrek maintains private troops and a complete armed-force system in addition to its faculty and student combatants. Its graduates' influence throughout the Federation further strengthens its political and military connections. 367 383
• Shrek City Guard — The city's organized security force uses standardized armor, weapons, and Soul Tools. During the confrontation around Spirit Pagoda headquarters, a Titled Douluo commander directs guards in sealing off the surrounding space. 433
• Holy Spirit Cult invasion defense — Three thousand City Guard Soul Masters take positions on the walls under two Soul Douluo elders from the academy. Titled Douluo defenders also engage the attackers, including Xuan Yan Douluo. 518 519
• Protective formations — Shrek possesses a large defensive array, but clashes involving the Star Dragons strain its protection, and the later Holy Spirit Cult bombardment leaves it badly damaged. 344 560
• Yun Ming's deterrence — As a rank-99 quasi-god, Yun Ming serves as the academy's foremost active protector. During the God-Slaying shell attack, he temporarily reaches the Divine Realm through his spear path rather than relying solely on his ordinary cultivation. 384 520
• Post-attack reinforcements — Over three months, troops and experts from the Federation, Spirit Pagoda, and War God Temple strengthen Shrek City's defenses while its leaders await Yun Ming's breakthrough. 560