A Genius with the Dark Sacred Dragon Martial Soul?

Shrek Academy

Outer Court

It was currently break time. On the broad main road shaded by lush green trees, students passed by in an endless stream.

Yet the flow of people unconsciously parted down the middle, and quite a few wore varying expressions as they looked toward the two figures approaching at an unhurried pace.

On the left was a slovenly old man with white hair and beard, dressed in tattered clothes. A huge purplish-red gourd hung from his waist, and he held a greasy roasted chicken leg in one hand, tearing into it with huge bites as he walked, his mouth glistening with oil.

Beside him walked a boy so exquisitely handsome that he hardly seemed human.

The boy had short white hair like fresh snow, and his features were incomparably handsome, without the slightest flaw.

Most eye-catching were his clear yet profound ruby-like eyes. Even under the open and covert scrutiny of hundreds of gazes around him, his expression remained as calm as still water, without the slightest ripple.

Such a visually striking contrast drew countless students to stop and stare, even at Shrek Academy, which was renowned for producing monsters.

"Who's that old geezer? He's dressed like a beggar. How did he sneak into Shrek Academy?"

A freshman frowned and muttered quietly with a disgusted expression.

A senior beside him heard that and hurriedly lowered his voice as he turned toward him. "Junior! Don't spout nonsense if you don't know anything. That's an elder from the Sea God Pavilion!"

"An elder... from the Sea God Pavilion?!"

The freshman swallowed hard and immediately hid behind the crowd, silently praying that the other man had not heard his disrespectful words.

"Then who's that white-haired boy beside the elder?" Another senior studied the white-haired boy and muttered to himself.

"With those looks, that hair color, and those eyes, he doesn't look like a local at all. Could he be from Sun Moon?"

"You don't know anything. I've seen people from Sun Moon—they're all dark-skinned. Besides, how could Shrek Academy possibly accept someone from the Sun Moon Empire?"

"Where he's from isn't important. What matters is... he's really handsome!" Several girls whispered among themselves in the distance, their faces flushed as their eyes glittered while they looked at the boy.

"I just wonder how strong he is..." "If an elder personally brought him into the academy, then surely..."

Just then, Xuan Lao, who was gnawing on his chicken leg, suddenly stopped. He waved his greasy hand toward the front and shouted indistinctly:

"Bei Bei!"

Not far ahead, a youth with short dark-blue hair and a gentle, refined temperament turned around at the call.

Upon recognizing the newcomer, his expression became slightly solemn. He quickly stepped forward and respectfully bowed.

"Xuan Lao, why have you come to the Outer Court?"

As he spoke, Bei Bei's gaze naturally fell upon the white-haired boy beside him, and a trace of surprise flashed through his eyes.

Xuan Lao, who normally could not be bothered with affairs, had personally brought him here. Could it be...?

He looked at Xuan Lao, who was wiping grease onto his pants, then at the immaculate white-haired boy.

All right, they could first rule out any blood relation.

"This is...?"

Xuan Lao swallowed the chicken in his mouth, took a swig of wine from his gourd, and chuckled as he mysteriously leaned closer.

"What a coincidence. Come on, you young people should get acquainted. I picked this little monster up in Shrek Outer City!"

Picked him up?

Before Bei Bei could voice his confusion, Xuan Lao deliberately lowered his voice even further.

"Bei Bei, don't be fooled by how delicate this kid looks, like a little girl. With his martial soul, his future achievements may well be no less than your great-grandfather's."

Bei Bei's heart jolted at those words, and his eyes widened slightly in disbelief.

Who was his great-grandfather? He was the current master of the Sea God Pavilion, the Limit Douluo standing at the very pinnacle of the continent—Mu En!

Although Xuan Lao was usually wild and unrestrained, he would never speak carelessly about such matters.

To receive such an appraisal from Xuan Lao, and even be compared to his great-grandfather, just how terrifying was the talent of this white-haired boy, who did not appear much younger than him?

Suppressing the storm in his heart, Bei Bei swiftly adjusted his expression. He put away the easygoing manner he had used toward ordinary freshmen, solemnly extended his hand, and smiled.

"Hello, junior. I'm Bei Bei. If you encounter any problems in the Outer Court from now on, feel free to come find me."

"Ye Chenxing."

Ye Chenxing offered a polite smile and calmly extended his hand to lightly shake Bei Bei's. "I'll be relying on Senior Bei Bei's guidance from now on."

Neither servile nor overbearing, calm and composed.

Bei Bei secretly admired him, and his regard for him increased even further.

"All right, all right. Why are you two kids putting on this polite act? You'll have plenty of time to get along later. I can guarantee that, with the compatibility of your martial souls, you'll get along like real brothers, just like your great-grandfather did back then."

Xuan Lao took a bite from his chicken leg and waved his hand, interrupting their pleasantries. He then said to Ye Chenxing, "Come on, kid. I'll take you to meet Mu Lao first."

After bidding farewell to the two of them, Bei Bei watched Ye Chenxing's receding figure with secret astonishment in his heart.

Just like his great-grandfather?

Though Bei Bei had never seen him personally, he had heard of such a person from his great-grandfather.

Combined with the faint dragon's might he had sensed from the other boy, as well as the repulsion between their attributes, he had already formed a guess about the other's martial soul...

"Dark Sacred Dragon!"

As Xuan Lao continued leading Ye Chenxing deeper into the academy, he sighed.

"Who would have thought that a super true-dragon martial soul like the Dark Sacred Dragon would appear in a commoner with absolutely no background?"

The last recorded wielder of the Dark Sacred Dragon martial soul had been Mu Lao's close friend—Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao, who, together with Mu En, had been known as the Black and White Sacred Dragons!

And now, a genius possessing the same martial soul as the Dragon Emperor Douluo of old had appeared before him just like that. How could he not be delighted?

An exceptionally powerful martial soul talent.

An orphaned background with no ties or attachments.

As long as he joined Shrek Academy and made a few clean-cut friends like Bei Bei.

Then he could become a reserve participant in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Tournament, where all sorts of academy honors, teacher-student bonds, and feelings of belonging would pile up.

Once he entered the Inner Court and joined the Shrek Inspection Corps, they could even have him take part in the traditional Sea God's Fate matchmaking event... one link after another.

Wouldn't this kid then devote himself wholeheartedly to Shrek?

For the rest of his life, he would be firmly welded onto the great ship of Shrek!

Xuan Lao's calculations clattered away in his heart. He recalled how he had merely gone to an old tavern in Shrek Outer City for a few drinks.

Yet by such a coincidence, he had encountered such an extraordinary boy. That dragon's might, that darkness attribute—having interacted with Long Xiaoyao at close range before, even if he forgot what the man looked like, he would never forget the sensation brought by the aura of his martial soul.

And he had actually picked up such a peerless genius for free.

Sure enough, I'm Shrek's lucky star.

At his side, Ye Chenxing followed behind Xuan Lao with a helpless expression. Watching Xuan Zi display his astonishing wisdom, he silently shook his head.

Dark Sacred Dragon?

Have you ever awakened a Dark Sacred Dragon? You're just guessing wildly and taking things for granted.

That was merely a misjudgment he had induced in Xuan Zi through certain means in order to enter Shrek Academy.

The bloodline flowing through Ye Chenxing's body far surpassed that of a true-dragon martial soul.

It was the origin of the [Fantasy Tree] that had crossed over with him from another world!

And what he sought went far beyond merely entering Shrek Academy...

Passing through the tree-lined path of the Outer Court, a broad shimmering lake gradually appeared at the edge of his vision.

At the center of the island in the lake stood an indescribably towering tree in silence.

Even from such a great distance, Ye Chenxing could clearly sense the dense life energy it radiated. Under the sunlight, it gave off a hazy golden glow.

However, deep within its invisible interior, beneath those deep roots, a creature known as the Blue Silver Emperor was coiled there, greedily absorbing the life force of the Golden Tree and the life core of that plane.

At that thought, a faint curve rose at the corner of Ye Chenxing's lips.

"Tang San, lend me your old Feng for a moment."