Enrolling at Shrek, Mu En's Suspicions

Led by the student, Gu Shengge passed along the academy avenue lined with towering statues. As they walked, the student kept introducing Shrek Academy to him, his tone carrying a faint hint of flattery.

"Junior, Shrek Academy is divided into the Outer Court and the Inner Court, as well as the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Guidance Department. I'm a third-year student of the Outer Court's Martial Soul Department. As a first-year freshman, you'll have an assessment three months after enrollment. But with your strength, passing it will be child's play."

Gu Shengge merely nodded in agreement.

They turned left at the statues and entered a broad fork in the road. Looking to the right, Gu Shengge could vaguely see a vast lake through the lush trees. Its rippling surface resembled a massive sapphire embedded in the earth, gleaming brilliantly beneath the sunlight.

There was a small island at the center of the lake. The passing students repeatedly turned their gazes toward it, their faces filled with anticipation.

The student leading the way was no exception. Pointing at the island, he vividly introduced it to Gu Shengge.

"That's Sea God Island. It was formed when the academy diverted underground water into the area, and it covers a vast expanse. See that island in the middle of the lake? That's where the Inner Court is located. Every Outer Court disciple takes pride in entering the Inner Court!"

Gu Shengge still nodded indifferently, showing little interest. To him, Shrek Academy was nothing more than a temporary stop. The so-called Inner Court meant nothing to him.

However, Gu Shengge looked at the towering, luxuriant tree on the island, which nearly covered the entire island. Even from so far away, he could still sense its vigorous life force.

The Golden Ancient Tree possessed the ability to gather the spiritual energy of heaven and earth and improve the surrounding environment.

Cultivating near the Golden Ancient Tree allowed one to achieve twice the result with half the effort.

This was the true foundation upon which Shrek had been established.

Yet compared with the Life Ancient Tree of the Goddess of Life, it was merely a sapling.

Gu Shengge withdrew his gaze and walked along the lakeside path for over ten minutes. He then headed west and walked for another quarter of an hour. The road gradually narrowed until an incomparably spacious rectangular square came into view. At its center stood a soul guidance crystal display, showing [Shrek Square].

Students came and went across the square in groups of three or five. Most wore identical academy uniforms, with the only difference being the ring-shaped pattern on their chests. These came in white, yellow, purple, and black, representing their respective grades.

The teaching buildings behind the square were also divided into white, yellow, purple, and black. Of course, they were not entirely painted those colors; only the walls bore markings in the corresponding shades.

Looking north, one could see a gray teaching building, which belonged to the Soul Guidance Department.

The building for freshman registration was at the southernmost end. The student guide led Gu Shengge past the south side of the square and arrived beneath the freshman teaching building.

Since it was currently the enrollment period, the area beneath the freshman teaching building was especially lively. Young men and women who had passed the assessment gathered together to register.

"Little brother, I'll leave you here. The rest is up to you. Oh, right, my name is Chen Xuan. I'm in Class Four, Year Three of the Martial Soul Department. If there's anything you don't understand at the academy in the future, feel free to find me. This senior will tell you everything I know."

"Gu Shengge. Goodbye, Senior."

After Chen Xuan escorted Gu Shengge to the freshman registration area and they introduced themselves, they went their separate ways.

Gu Shengge swept his gaze over the crowd of freshmen, then walked up to a registration teacher who had just finished enrolling someone and handed him his proof of passing the assessment.

The girls who had come to register also noticed Gu Shengge, and a trace of amazement appeared in their eyes.

What a handsome guy!

The registration teacher glanced at the name and cultivation listed on the document. When he saw the soul ring configuration, his eyes abruptly narrowed, revealing utter disbelief.

To make sure his eyes were not playing tricks on him, the registration teacher looked over it several times, then looked at Gu Shengge repeatedly. With a stunned expression, he asked uncertainly, "Little brother, you have three hundred-thousand-year soul rings?!"

Gu Shengge nodded.

The registration teacher still found it hard to believe. Even Titled Douluo might not possess a hundred-thousand-year soul ring, so how could a mere Soul Elder have three of them?

However, the assessment seal on the document was indeed genuine, proving that Gu Shengge had passed the assessment.

The registration teacher did not investigate further. If the youth before him truly possessed three hundred-thousand-year soul rings, the academy would surely receive word of it. The academy could handle the verification; he only needed to complete the registration.

There was no way he would do any extra work unless he got a raise.

Gu Shengge filled out the enrollment form, paid ten gold soul coins, and received a dormitory key, two well-fitting academy uniforms, and a white freshman badge.

The registration teacher said, "The dormitory building is at the very back. Your dormitory number is 209."

Following the direction of the registration teacher's finger, Gu Shengge saw a building much larger than the teaching buildings. He nodded without asking further questions, stored his belongings in his life spirit bracelet, and headed toward the dormitory building.

Gu Shengge passed through the teaching buildings and arrived beneath the dormitory building. Quite a few freshmen who had completed registration were already dragging suitcases or carrying luggage inside.

He also noticed Mu En beneath a large tree beside the building. The old man lay in a reclining chair with a book covering his face, pretending to sleep. However, unlike Huo Yuhao, Gu Shengge did not greet Mu En and simply walked straight into the dormitory building.

"Hmm?"

Mu En slightly opened his eyes. His aged, clouded gaze shifted as he looked through the gap beneath the book at Gu Shengge's disappearing figure in the dormitory corridor, a trace of puzzlement appearing in his eyes.

That was strange. From the youth who had just passed by, he had sensed an extremely powerful aura of life, not inferior to that of an ordinary Titled Douluo. Moreover, that life aura was remarkably similar to the Golden Ancient Tree's, perhaps even purer.

Was it an illusion?

The question arose in Mu En's mind. How could a youth possess such formidable vitality? Not even soul beasts could reach such a level.

Moreover, if he were a transformed soul beast, it would not have escaped Mu En's notice.

Ah, he was truly old. Even his senses had begun to make mistakes.

Although Mu En attributed it all to a sensory error, a trace of doubt still lingered in his heart.

Gu Shengge went up to the second floor and stopped as he passed Dormitory 201. He remembered that in the original novel, Huo Yuhao's dormitory had been 108, while in the animation it had been Dormitory 201. The difference was rather substantial.

He just did not know whether this world followed the novel or the animation.

At the thought of Tang Wutong's appearance in the animation, Gu Shengge felt speechless. In the first Soul Land animation, any random passerby looked better than her.

When he arrived before Dormitory 209, the dormitory key appeared in Gu Shengge's hand. Sensing the key's presence, the door began to glow along its seams, and the key lit up as well. Then the door opened automatically, looking rather high-tech.

This surprised Gu Shengge somewhat. It seemed that Shrek Academy had thoroughly integrated soul tools into daily life, far more extensively than East Sea City.

He entered the room, and the dormitory window opened automatically as well. Sunlight streamed in and illuminated the room. At the same time, an owl-shaped soul guidance announcer emerged from a swirling opening in the wall.

"Welcome, freshman Gu Shengge of Dormitory 209, to Shrek Academy."

From this moment onward, Gu Shengge had officially enrolled at Shrek. But this was merely one of his starting points, and also a new starting point for Spirit Hall.

PS: Tang Wutong's appearance in the animation is hard to put into words.