A Disrupted Plan

Yuwen Tuo looked at the three of them, especially Huo Yuhao among them.

Since he had appeared here and met Tang Ya and Bei Bei, it seemed he had already obtained Sky Dream Ice Silkworm and Electrolux.

Yuwen Tuo silently sighed. His original plan had actually been to intercept this kid's opportunity.

Back then, he had thought it through perfectly. He would awaken his Martial Soul first, then hurry to the White Tiger Duke's Mansion in the Star Luo Empire and keep watch there every day. Once Huo Yuhao reached level ten and left home, he would secretly follow him to the Star Dou Forest.

Then, he would have a chance to seize that million-year soul beast.

After all, if he appeared alongside Huo Yuhao, given Huo Yuhao's malnourished condition at the time, there was a decent chance Sky Dream Ice Silkworm would choose Yuwen Tuo instead. Especially because of his unusual non-Weapon Soul, the "Noble Carriage Sword"!

As for Electrolux, Yuwen Tuo did not care much about him. He only needed powerful soul rings to activate the strength of that special Noble Carriage Sword within him.

Unfortunately, because he had been imprisoned by Shrek all this time, his plan had turned into nothing before it could even be put into action.

He would put that score on Shrek's tab as well.

As for Huo Yuhao himself, honestly, Yuwen Tuo felt nothing toward him. He neither liked nor disliked him.

That soul ring of Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had originally belonged to him in the original story. Yuwen Tuo had wanted to take it only because cultivation was fundamentally about striving—striving for the fortune of heaven and earth, striving for natural treasures.

His master had taught him the Four Daoist Principles. Daoism held that if one wished to cultivate the Dao and ultimately attain fruition, four conditions had to be met: method, location, resources, and companions.

"Method" referred to the way of cultivation, the secrets of practicing the Dao.

"Location" referred to one's cultivation environment.

"Resources" referred to the materials necessary for cultivation.

"Companions" referred to those who assisted or guided one in completing cultivation.

Every one of these had to be fought for. Those who did not strive would only drift farther and farther from becoming strong.

Hadn't Huo Yuhao become Huo Gua because he had so many fortuitous encounters and resources? Those encounters and resources were currently ownerless, and anyone could fight to obtain them.

Thus, Yuwen Tuo did not actually have any issue with Huo Yuhao. He neither liked nor disliked him; it was simply the nature of cultivation.

In the early stages, this guy had been considered a normal person, at most with a slight habit of cheating. Unfortunately, after Qiankun Valley of Heart's Inquiry, he was gradually manipulated by Tang San. A dignified Child of Destiny of his generation ultimately became little more than Tang San's dog.

Fortunately, Yuwen Tuo had a calm nature. Since he could not obtain it, then so be it. He could even take comfort in adversity.

Not taking that soul ring might not necessarily be a bad thing. After all, Huo Yuhao was the current Child of Destiny, born from the accumulated fortune of Douluo Continent over ten thousand years. He had likely long since drawn Tang San's attention.

It would be fine for Yuwen Tuo to take other opportunities, such as the Ice Empress and Snow Empress. With Huo Yuhao's luck, even if he lost them, there would be other substitutes. But if Sky Dream Ice Silkworm—the greatest of them all, something that could even be called the foundation of Huo Yuhao's rise—were gone, Yuwen Tuo would likely draw Tang San's attention immediately.

He had no desire to be trained by that bastard the way Huo Yuhao had been. He still wanted to cultivate his Fire Elephant Martial Soul and Noble Carriage Sword properly. If he faced Tang San in the future, he would first evaporate his Sea God's Power, then sever his Asura Demon Sword.

The beautiful girl Tang Ya patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder. "Little Yuhao, getting into Shrek is not easy. Although you successfully joined using a place from our Tang Sect, the key for you is how to remain at Shrek, understand? This is a paradise for all students, but it is also hell. No academy on the continent has an elimination rate higher than Shrek's. You need to find a way to establish yourself here. Only from the fourth year onward will the chances of being eliminated gradually begin to decrease. But merely avoiding elimination is only the foundation. You must also strive to enter the inner academy in the future. Only then can you receive the best training."

Huo Yuhao nodded earnestly. "Teacher Xiao Ya, I will certainly give it my all. But with your and Senior Brother's abilities, you are still only outer academy students?"

Tang Ya said, "Entering Shrek Academy's inner academy is no simple matter. Shrek Academy's rules for raising monsters have never truly changed. The outer academy was built later, at the request of the continent's nobles, to train more talented individuals. However, only students who enter the inner academy are true Shrek students. Every one of them is a genius, perhaps even a monster."

"So amazing!" Hearing this, Huo Yuhao could not help but feel a sense of longing. If one day I can graduate from Shrek's inner academy, then return to the Duke's Mansion and bring Mother's remains out, perhaps she will finally be able to rest in peace. At that thought, his heart filled with determination.

Bei Bei said seriously, "It is more than amazing. I once saw an inner academy senior. He went alone into the Star Dou Forest, defeated three ten-thousand-year soul beasts without taking their lives, and brought them back to the academy. Those are the people we should aspire to become."

"Still, I heard that the inner academy has produced an oddball these past few years. He was never formally enrolled, yet he has remained in the inner academy all this time. Judging by his age, he should be one or two years older than Little Yuhao," Tang Ya said, stroking her chin. Since Shrek Academy had opened, such a person had never appeared before.

To be honest, she was quite curious about what sort of person could receive such treatment.

If possible, she even wanted to try sweet-talking him into joining the Tang Sect. After all, anyone who could remain in the inner academy could not possibly have poor talent.

Bei Bei said, "Xiao Ya, you had better not get any ideas about that person. Otherwise, a senior sister from the inner academy will fight our Tang Sect to the death. Everyone in the inner academy knows that kid is that senior sister's kept man."

Bei Bei's identity was different from others. He was a descendant of Dragon God Douluo Mu En. Even though he had not yet entered the inner academy, he knew far more about it than ordinary people.

"A... kept man?" Yuwen Tuo's mouth twitched upon hearing that. The outer academy had actually spread such an outrageous rumor about him.

He was a dignified man, yet he had somehow become Ma Xiaotao's kept man.

Yuwen Tuo had no intention of going over to befriend Huo Yuhao and the others. He quietly stood at the back of the registration line. For now, he would first meet the requirements of these Shrek higher-ups and enroll. To contact the person who could take him away from Shrek, he first needed to make a name for himself. Only then would he have a chance to meet him. That would probably take another year or so.

"Hello, may I ask if you are here to register at Shrek too?" At that moment, a crisp female voice sounded behind Yuwen Tuo.

He turned around, only to find no one behind him.

Yuwen Tuo immediately frowned. What profound cultivation. She is clearly far from me, yet her voice echoes as though it is right beside my ear. Judging by her voice, she should still be very young. Does Shrek Academy actually have such a peerless genius?