To the Sun Moon Empire

Xiao Changge spent a long time traveling before finally reaching the border of the Sun Moon Empire from the Heaven Dou Empire. He had also made plenty of preparations; when it rained along the way, he even had an umbrella to use.

The past few days had been fairly decent, not too bad. He had prepared food and water in advance, and there had been no losses.

"We've finally arrived at the Sun Moon Empire. I hope this place gives us a different kind of surprise. Hopefully, it's a little better than Shrek."

Whenever Electrolux thought of Shrek, he felt disgusted. After witnessing Xiao Changge's tragedy, all he could feel was revulsion. And this was supposed to be a sacred land of the continent? It was more like a den of bandits or a pyramid scheme.

In any case, Electrolux found Shrek revolting and had already been thoroughly disappointed in it.

Soon afterward, one man and one soul rode their horses to the border of the Sun Moon Empire.

"I gathered some intelligence on the Sun Moon Empire and the admission requirements for the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy. At your current age, fifteen, and with Soul Power Level 29, you're a little over the age limit. You may not be able to apply normally. But both of your Soul Rings are ten-thousand-year ones, and your second Soul Ring is around forty thousand years old. You should be treated as an exceptional soul master and receive special consideration. You should still be able to join the Sun Moon Empire's imperial academy."

That was Electrolux's assessment.

First, they needed to understand what Xiao Changge's "abnormality" was worth in the eyes of the Sun Moon Empire.

Normally, the limit for a first Soul Ring was 423 years, while the limit for a second Soul Ring was 764 years. A black ten-thousand-year ring was something one normally only encountered after reaching Level 50.

Xiao Changge was fifteen and Level 29, yet both his first and second Soul Rings were black ten-thousand-year rings. To the three major powers of Douluo Continent, he was undoubtedly a "monster," a Sky Dream Ice Silkworm-style bug, or a suspected evil soul master. But at a place like the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, where ability came first and exceptions could be made regardless of background or age, he was a Mingde Hall-level prospect.

The academy's stated requirements were simple: under twelve years old, above Level 10, and possessing one Soul Ring. Those over the age limit but exceptionally gifted in Soul Tools or soul master talent could be admitted by exception. In the original story, even fourteen-year-olds at Level 40, or those who understood Level 1 to 3 Soul Engineer theory, could enter through special admission.

Xiao Changge was three years over the limit at fifteen, but once he displayed two ten-thousand-year Soul Rings, the admissions teachers wouldn't dare dismiss him simply for being overage. They would only report him upward.

Moreover, Xiao Changge's Martial Soul had not truly awakened yet. Once it did, his strength would only grow even greater. And before his Martial Soul had fully awakened, someone had already drained him of three years' worth of Soul Power and Martial Soul energy.

It could be said that even without a system, as long as Xiao Changge had a good teacher to point him down the right path and help him fully awaken his Martial Soul, he could still become a top-tier powerhouse.

"I hope so." Xiao Changge rode to the Sun Moon Empire's border and soon encountered its soldiers.

These soldiers were all equipped with Soul Tools. They felt as though they were around the Soul Ancestor or Soul King level, so their strength wasn't bad. But they were still no match for Xiao Changge. At the Soul Ancestor and Soul King levels, the gap wasn't especially vast, and Xiao Changge was no pushover.

"What are you here for?" The soldiers noticed Xiao Changge and immediately raised their weapons at him. Xiao Changge promptly lifted both hands to show that he wasn't an enemy.

"Gentlemen, I'm here to study in the Sun Moon Empire. I want to grow stronger. I'm a soul master, and I grew up as an orphan."

"You're a soul master? Then show us your Martial Soul."

"Alright." Xiao Changge immediately released his Vermilion Bird Martial Soul. In an instant, the temperature around them rose, and two ten-thousand-year Soul Rings appeared.

"This is—"

"A top-tier Phoenix Martial Soul, and two ten-thousand-year Soul Rings! And they're his first two Soul Rings! His first and second rings are already ten-thousand-year Soul Rings!"

"How old are you?"

"I'm fifteen."

"You're a little overage. Report this immediately!"

"Yes!"

"Could you tell us a little about yourself?"

"I can."

Xiao Changge was then taken to a place for receiving and interrogating visitors. The Sun Moon Empire soldiers brought out some food, such as candy, snacks, and drinks, before beginning to ask Xiao Changge questions.

At the same time, they secretly set up a lie detector to test for lies.

It wasn't one hundred percent accurate, but it could still uncover many issues and detect quite a few lies.

"Changge, I think you should tell them about how Shrek persecuted you. It should help somewhat and clear your suspicions. Let them investigate. They should be able to find the problems. Once you join the Sun Moon Empire, you'll gain their trust more quickly."

"Alright." Xiao Changge understood Electrolux's meaning. Simply put, he needed to tell them about Shrek's persecution. Once the Sun Moon Empire investigated, they would definitely find something wrong.

Even if Shrek tried to cover things up, it would reveal flaws. That would make it easier for Xiao Changge to earn their trust, gain access to greater authority, and obtain better resources.

"Then, have you ever attended a soul master school? What was your status in the Douluo Three Kingdoms? Can you tell us more?"

"Alright."

Xiao Changge eventually told them that he had grown up as an orphan, abandoned by his mother. He had worked desperately to survive, until he met a Soul Engineer from the Sun Moon Empire at the age of twelve. That person had helped him awaken his Martial Soul for free, resulting in a top-tier Martial Soul and Innate Full Soul Power. He should have cultivated properly, but then Shrek discovered him.

The people from Shrek killed that Sun Moon Empire Soul Engineer and forcibly took him to Shrek. Their purpose was to help solve the Martial Soul problem of an Inner Court student, and they made him waste three years.

For three years, no matter how hard Xiao Changge tried to cultivate his Martial Soul power and Soul Power, they were absorbed by a student named Ma Xiaotao to resolve her Evil Fire problem.

Then, once he had lost his value, they immediately gave him one hundred Gold Soul Coins and threw him out. They warned him that he had to claim it was voluntary from then on, and that he would bear the consequences if he dared reveal the truth.

"What?!" The Sun Moon Empire soldiers hadn't expected to obtain such shocking intelligence. The mighty Shrek Academy, the number one academy in the world, had actually done something like this? That was absurd.

And the lie detector hadn't detected any lies, so it was probably true.

Of everything Xiao Changge had said, he had only lied about his top-tier Martial Soul and Soul Power Level. If he told them the truth, they would only find it even harder to believe.

He had also noticed the lie detector long ago. Electrolux had told him about it, so he had spoken truthfully about some things and lied about others.

"We'll verify this matter. We'll also arrange a place for you to stay. If you want to join the academy, we'll report it upward. Could you wait for a while? We'll arrange lodging for you first. If you want work, we'll arrange a job for you as well."

"Thank you."