First Meeting Mu En

"All right, Xiao Ya. Everyone has their own aspirations. He didn't demean our ancestor Tang San either. It's normal for a young man to have a filter when it comes to his elders. Sometimes when I'm walking down the road, I even hear some kid claiming his father is stronger than ancestor Tang San." Bei Bei was far more composed than Tang Ya and did not get angry over such a trivial matter.

After leaving the Shrek Seven Devils statues, they had to go their separate ways. The Martial Soul Branch lay to the left, while the Soul Tool Branch was to the right. These were Shrek Academy's two major divisions, both part of the outer academy. Comparatively speaking, the Martial Soul Branch was larger and had many departmental subdivisions. New students had to report to the Martial Soul Branch first and register for their dormitories. As for the Soul Tool Branch, they would only qualify to enroll after passing their first new student assessment.

Heading left from the statues, they saw a roadside sign bearing the words "Lakeside Trail."

Through the lush trees to their right, they could vaguely see a broad expanse of water. Behind the seven statues of the Shrek Seven Devils lay an enormous lake.

It was actually an artificial lake built to commemorate Tang San, called Sea God Lake, because Tang San had inherited the Sea God's divine position. Sea God Lake covered an immense area and was fed by underground water. Shrek Academy's inner academy was located on the island at the center of the lake. Every outer academy disciple took pride in being able to set foot on that island.

Xiao Xiao looked toward Sea God Lake, her eyes gleaming with determination and persistence.

Yuwen Tuo, however, showed no interest at all. He would not enter the inner academy; in fact, he would not even remain in the outer academy for two years.

Sea God Lake truly was enormous. They followed the Lakeside Trail south for nearly a quarter of an hour before turning west. After walking for another quarter of an hour or so, the path began to curve inward, and a wide rectangular plaza came into view. A sign for Shrek Plaza stood nearby as well.

Towering teaching buildings stood one after another, each in a different color: white, yellow, purple, and black, divided into four categories. Far to the north of Shrek Plaza, there was also a cluster of gray teaching buildings.

Xiao Xiao said, "Hehe, good thing I researched the academy before coming. Let me see... The introduction says that the colors of the teaching buildings represent different grades, distinguished according to the colors of Soul Rings. The white new student building is like a Ten-Year Soul Ring. The outer academy's second- and third-year buildings are yellow, for Hundred-Year Soul Rings. The fourth- and fifth-year buildings are purple, for Thousand Year Soul Rings. Finally, the black color of a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring represents the sixth-year building. Anyone who walks out of the black teaching building can receive their outer academy graduation certificate."

"Oh, right. Those gray teaching buildings seem to belong to the Soul Tool Department, but we probably won't be going there, will we?"

Xiao Xiao had no intention of joining the Soul Tool Department to study Soul Tools. With the ingrained thinking of Douluo Continent's natives, they still preferred cultivating their own strength over Soul Tools.

Yuwen Tuo neither agreed nor disagreed. In truth, Soul Tools were already extremely powerful in this era. Later on, even Limit Douluos would fall beneath Soul Tools.

Powerful as they were, however, Limit Douluos were not incapable of dealing with Level 9 Soul Tools. As long as they did not foolishly charge into the encirclement of Level 9 Soul Tools, Soul Tools would not pose too great a threat.

Rather than for one-on-one combat, Soul Tools were now more useful in warfare.

However, Yuwen Tuo had no interest in fighting for power and profit for the time being. His claim that he wanted to enter an academy in the Heaven Dou Empire and serve his country had merely been an excuse to refuse Shrek. It was only because Yan Shaozhe had shamelessly ignored his wishes and forcibly imprisoned him.

The white new student building stood at the southernmost edge of the academy, closest to the Lakeside Trail. The two of them passed along the southern side of the plaza and arrived near the teaching building.

Since it was enrollment day, the new student building was especially lively. New students who had already passed the assessment were reporting in there.

Thanks to Xiao Xiao's prior research, their reporting and registration went smoothly. Yuwen Tuo was not short on money. Over the years, whenever Ma Xiaotao was done with him, she would give him some Gold Soul Coins and tell him to buy nutritious food and build himself back up.

Yet she seemed to have overlooked the fact that he had not even been able to leave his room for the past six years. Many things had been brought to him by Senior Ling Luochen. What use was the money? Still, it had allowed him to save up quite a bit.

One academic year's tuition cost ten Gold Soul Coins, not including meal expenses. If a student failed an assessment and dropped out midway, the tuition would not be refunded.

It had to be said that even after ten thousand years, Shrek's money-grubbing school rules had not changed in the slightest.

Still, compared with back then, it was at least now truly the number one academy. Its expensive tuition gave it some justification.

After receiving their dormitory keys and white New Student Badges, Xiao Xiao and Yuwen Tuo left the new student building.

Xiao Xiao said, "Yuwen Tuo, the dorms are behind the teaching building. That largest building in the entire academy is the dormitory. Let's go put away our luggage first. Meet at the cafeteria tonight—I'll treat you to dinner. Don't worry about money. Now that we're officially Soul Masters, after registering at the academy, we can receive a monthly stipend issued by the three great empires. It's not much, but enough for ordinary meals."

"All right. See you, Xiao Xiao!" Yuwen Tuo had a favorable impression of this enthusiastic little girl.

Though he preferred mature women like Ling Luochen, there was no problem with being friends with Xiao Xiao.

He did not like Shrek Academy, but he was not so extreme as to resent even these new students.

The targets of his revenge were Sea God Pavilion, as well as Dragon God Douluo Mu En—the man who had never appeared before him, yet whom Yuwen Tuo knew was the true mastermind behind the six years he had spent crippled.

Passing between the new student building and the second- and third-year teaching buildings, Yuwen Tuo saw the dormitory building he was heading for.

Yuwen Tuo arrived beneath the white building, where a very old man sat. He wore gray cloth garments, his face covered in wrinkles. He seemed devoid of vitality, bearing the appearance of someone in his final years. Yet he basked contentedly in the sunlight, half reclined in a rocking chair that swayed gently, looking thoroughly comfortable.

Yuwen Tuo glanced at him and memorized his appearance. He had just been thinking about him, and now he had immediately run into him.

Unlike Huo Yuhao, he did not politely greet the old man. Instead, he walked right past him. Plenty of people did not greet him, and one more made no difference.

Yuwen Tuo remembered that Mu En did not have long to live. He feared that before he could avenge himself, the old bastard would die naturally. He would never accept such an ideal death. He had to make sure the old bastard met a bad end and died an unnatural death before he would be satisfied. That would count as avenging at least a small part of his grievance.

Mu En clearly noticed Yuwen Tuo and muttered, "It seems this child still harbors resentment toward Shrek. Even without knowing who I am, he saw an old man like me and did not offer a greeting. Sigh."

Just then, a voice rang out. "Hello, Grandpa. I'm a new student here to move into the dormitory. Do you need to inspect my new student identification?"

Without raising his head, Mu En extended his trembling right hand. His hoarse, low voice sounded softly. "Let me see it."

Huo Yuhao hurriedly handed it over.

After giving it a glance, Mu En returned it to him. "Go on. Your dormitory is the third room on the left on the first floor."

"Thank you." Huo Yuhao bowed respectfully to the old man before entering the dormitory building.

The old man continued rocking in his chair and muttered, "Mm, now that is a polite, good child."