Encountering a Dandy in Lincheng, First Display of Sharpness

Night passed in the blink of an eye. At dawn the next day, soft morning light spread across the entire courtyard.

Homecoming Cottage's old wooden gate swung inward, marking the official end of their year of peaceful days.

Huo Chen carried a simple cloth bundle on his back, containing only a few changes of clothes and healing pills.

Huo Yuhao followed closely beside him, standing tall with clear, resolute eyes.

The Ice Empress and Snow Empress walked side by side behind them—one valiant and icy, the other elegant and ethereal. The four of them stepped out of the courtyard and headed for the main road.

Little White crouched atop the wall, its snowy fur bathed in the morning light. It meowed softly a few times, its tail swishing back and forth.

"Little White, watch over the courtyard well. We'll be back once we're done," Huo Yuhao said, waving toward the wall.

Little White flicked its tail, then leaped into the trees inside the courtyard, remaining behind to guard the little home brimming with memories.

The four traveled southeast toward Shrek City.

With Huo Chen's cultivation, he could have reached it in half a day at full speed, but he deliberately slowed down and strolled along the main road.

The Ice Empress and Snow Empress had lived in the far north all year round and rarely entered human towns. He wanted to use the journey to let them experience the bustle of everyday life, familiarize themselves with the rules and variety of the human world, and help temper their Dao hearts.

Farmland stretched endlessly along the road, village cooking smoke curled into the air, and the mountains and rivers lay vast and peaceful. When they reached a lively market town, shops and stalls lined both sides of the street. Hawkers' cries and laughter mingled together, and the rich atmosphere of ordinary life rushed over them.

It was the Ice Empress's first time seeing such a bustling marketplace. Her ice-blue eyes brimmed with curiosity as she stopped to inspect all manner of trinkets.

"Are these all things humans use in their daily lives? There certainly are quite a lot of varieties." She stared unblinkingly at the ornaments and food.

Huo Yuhao spotted a vendor selling candied hawthorns at once. He ran over, bought a skewer of bright red fruit coated in sugar, and held it out to her. "Sister Bing, this is called candied hawthorn. It's sweet and sour—give it a try."

The Ice Empress hesitated slightly before biting into one. The sweet-and-sour flavor spread across her tongue, and a glimmer lit her eyes as genuine delight appeared on her face. "It tastes good."

"There are roasted sweet potatoes and sugar-fried chestnuts up ahead too. I'll take you to buy some!" Huo Yuhao said, pulling her toward the roadside snack stalls.

On the other side, the Snow Empress stopped before an ancient-looking tea stall. The owner warmly brewed a pot of fresh tea, and steam carrying its fragrance drifted over. The Snow Empress lowered her head to sniff it lightly, then frowned faintly. "The tea leaves are not aged enough, the roasting is crude, and the brew lacks depth."

The stall owner rubbed his hands awkwardly. "Please forgive me, miss. This is a small place—we only have ordinary coarse tea."

The Snow Empress took out a Gold Soul Coin and placed it on the table. Her voice was elegant and calm. "I'll buy all the tea at your stall. If you acquire any aged fine tea in the future, I will come again to purchase it." One Gold Soul Coin was enough to buy the entire stall's stock of tea. The owner stood frozen in place, overwhelmed with joy.

At the street corner, Huo Chen watched the lively, heartwarming scene before him, a faint smile curling at his lips. The Ice Empress freely sampled the snacks, vibrant and relaxed; the Snow Empress calmly selected tea, her aloof chill from the glacier years gradually fading away.

The youths played without a care in the world. Such simple mortal warmth was better than any illusory grand Dao in the world.

The four continued onward, stopping now and then to admire the mountains and rivers and taste street food. Before they knew it, the sun had sunk low, the sunset clouds had dyed the sky red, and the towering, imposing outline of Shrek City finally appeared at the far end of their vision.

Bluestone walls stretching for miles rose from the ground. Though weathered by ten thousand years of wind and rain, they remained majestic and ancient. Watchtowers stood high atop the walls, while city guards patrolled in formation, lending the place an air of stern authority.

Directly above the city gate, the four gilded characters, "Shrek City," were vigorous and antique, gleaming brilliantly.

The queue at the gates stretched for dozens of meters, with a ceaseless flow of people coming and going. Merchants who had traveled far and wide, Soul Masters exploring in groups, and, more numerous still, youths carrying dreams of applying to the academy—all of them held yearning in their eyes for this ten-thousand-year-old institution.

"There are so many people," Huo Yuhao murmured, rising onto his toes to look at the long line.

"It's Shrek's annual admissions ceremony. Talented youths from across the continent gather here, so crowds are normal," Huo Chen reassured him softly. "We just need to queue to enter the city."

The four made their way to the back of the line and waited quietly. Just as the queue slowly moved forward, a sudden commotion erupted before the gates.

"Out of the way! Don't block the road!"

An overbearing shout came from within the city, accompanied by urgent hoofbeats. Several magnificent horses charged out, their hooves kicking up clouds of dust.

Several richly dressed young men and women sat on horseback, their clothes adorned with jade ornaments, their expressions arrogant and haughty. At their head was a boy of fourteen or fifteen in a golden robe. His features were passable, but his brows and eyes were full of conceit, and he radiated the brutish arrogance of a spoiled noble scion.

The moment the horses burst out of the gate, an old farmer carrying a shoulder pole laden with fruit baskets failed to dodge in time. His feet slipped, and he fell heavily. The baskets rolled away, scattering fresh fruit across the ground.

The old farmer went pale with fright and hurriedly knelt, knocking his head against the ground in apology. "This lowly one deserves death! Please forgive me, young master!"

"Are you blind?" The golden-robed youth yanked sharply on the reins. His steed reared and neighed, and he looked down at the old man with a cruel tone. "You dared barge into my path. Can your worthless life afford to pay for that?"

The old farmer pressed his forehead into the dirt, not daring to raise his head. Still not appeased, the golden-robed youth flicked his wrist. His horsewhip sliced through the air with a sharp howl as it lashed straight toward the old man.

"Stop!"

A clear, resolute young voice pierced through the crowd. Huo Yuhao stepped forward swiftly and stood firmly before the old farmer. Raising his eyes to meet the fop on horseback, his gaze remained clear and utterly unyielding. "The old man has already apologized sincerely. You were born into wealth and privilege—why bully others with your power and make things difficult for a mere farmer?"

The golden-robed youth froze for a moment, then looked Huo Yuhao up and down. Seeing his plain clothes and youthful aura, his face filled with mockery. "Where did this wild brat come from? You dare meddle in my business?"

"My name is Huo Yuhao. I've come to apply to Shrek Academy," Huo Yuhao replied, neither servile nor arrogant.

"You?" The golden-robed youth sneered, and the richly dressed youths behind him burst into laughter. "Dressed like some poor nobody, with such weak soul power, you think you deserve to enter Shrek's gates? Keep dreaming!"

Faced with their mockery, Huo Yuhao's temperament far surpassed that of his peers. He calmly replied, "Whether one may enter the academy depends on talent and character, not family background or clothing. It is not for you to judge."

His words enraged the golden-robed youth. His face darkened, and he raised his hand to teach Huo Yuhao a lesson.

"Enough."

A detached, icy female voice rang out. In a blur, the Snow Empress had already arrived at Huo Yuhao's side.

She did not spare the golden-robed youth a single glance. With a casual wave of her fair hand, an ancient pressure of extreme cold spread soundlessly outward.

The magnificent horse beneath the golden-robed youth trembled violently. Its legs gave way, and it crashed to its knees. The tremendous force threw him off, and he tumbled miserably into the dust. His luxurious brocade robes were smeared with mud, and none of his former arrogance remained.

"Y-you dare attack me?" The golden-robed youth scrambled to his feet and shouted angrily. But the moment he met the Snow Empress's indifferent, icy eyes, a bone-deep chill swept through his body. Every threat caught in his throat, and he could not utter a single word. Only intense fear remained in his heart.

"There is no need to waste time on common rabble. Enter the city," the Snow Empress said, taking Huo Yuhao by the wrist and walking calmly toward the gate.

As they passed the golden-robed youth sprawled on the ground, the Ice Empress deliberately paused, pretending to accidentally step on the back of his hand.

"My apologies, I stepped in the wrong place." She smiled with her eyes, her tone teasing, yet there was not the slightest hint of remorse in her gaze.

A piercing pain shot through him. The young man in golden robes trembled all over, cold sweat streaming down his face, but he clenched his teeth and did not dare make a sound. He could not even muster the thought of resisting.

Huo Chen walked slowly at the rear, glancing indifferently at the bedraggled playboy before shaking his head with a soft sigh.

No matter what world it was, there would always be those who relied on their family background to bully the weak.

Fortunately, Yuhao's temperament was now resilient, and he had the two women by his side to protect him. He would never again be bullied as he had been in the past.

He raised his eyes toward the three figures walking side by side ahead of him. Warmth rippled through his gaze as he quickened his pace to catch up.