Shrek Academy

As the three of them traveled, Tang Ya introduced Huo Yuhao to the general situation at Shrek Academy.

Tang Ya told Huo Yuhao that Shrek Academy was currently divided into the Inner Court and Outer Court. Around a thousand new students were admitted each year, yet the total number of students had never exceeded five thousand. The Inner and Outer Courts combined covered twelve academic years, which showed just how high Shrek Academy's elimination rate was.

As she spoke, Tang Ya grinned and patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder. "Don't worry, little Yuhao. With your soul power level and such an exceptional soul skill, you can be considered a little genius even among the first-years. The freshman assessment will be a piece of cake."

Shrek City's walls were more ancient and imposing than Huo Yuhao had imagined. The bluish-gray bricks were covered in the marks of time, while the three bold characters, "Shrek," above the gates seemed to contain some invisible pressure.

"We're here. This is Shrek City." Beibei pointed at the bustling city gate ahead and said to Huo Yuhao, "The academy is in the city center. Let's register first."

Shrek City's south, west, and north gates were open for anyone to enter and leave, while the eastern gate belonged exclusively to Shrek Academy.

As far as the eye could see, at least five thousand people had gathered outside the city gates. It was extraordinarily lively, and many merchants had already caught wind of the opportunity. The area outside the city was probably even more bustling than the city itself now.

Beibei and Tang Ya led Huo Yuhao around the crowd from the side and arrived at Shrek's admissions post by the eastern gate.

More than a dozen young men and women about their age were stationed at the eastern gate. Every one of them wore Shrek Outer Court uniforms. Upon seeing Beibei, they immediately came forward. "Senior Brother Bei, you're back."

Beibei smiled and greeted them. After exchanging a few words with the leader and having Huo Yuhao registered, he led Huo Yuhao inside.

Upon entering Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao found it completely different from the grand and solemn place he had imagined. The academy grounds were beautiful, with abundant, lush vegetation everywhere. After walking some distance, they came upon ten enormous statues standing there.

Huo Yuhao immediately understood. These were probably the statues of the academy's founders that Beibei and Tang Ya had mentioned on the road.

Among them was a tall statue with double pupils and a tiger-shaped marking on its forehead. Even without Beibei's introduction, Huo Yuhao recognized at a glance that it was the statue of Dai Mubai, an ancestor of the Dai Family.

"White Tiger... Dai Mubai..." Huo Yuhao's voice was hoarse, as if scraped by sandpaper, and bloodlust instantly surged into his Spirit Eye.

He held no goodwill whatsoever toward the White Tiger ancestor from ten thousand years ago, consumed as he was by hatred for the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and prejudice against the White Tiger Clan.

Of course he knew that name. Within the cold cage of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, it was a totem revered and feared by every servant, the brightest glory of the entire White Tiger Clan.

But in Huo Yuhao's memories, that name was like a poison-coated needle. Whenever it was mentioned, it came with his mother's worsening cough and the deeper despair in her eyes.

He remembered how, before his mother died, her gaunt hand had tightly gripped his arm as she said in a thread of a voice, "Yuhao... don't hate... and don't become like them... live well..."

Had Dai Mubai ever imagined that ten thousand years later, the White Tiger Clan would become so cold and heartless, refusing even the slightest chance of survival to those with poor talent?

A cold, resolute gleam flashed through his Spirit Eye. Huo Yuhao abruptly shut his eyes, and when he opened them again, his grief and fury had become flames tempered in ice. He bowed deeply to the statue—not out of reverence, but as a declaration of war. A declaration of war against the godlike Dai Mubai, against the entire White Tiger Clan!

"One day, I'll let everyone know what filth is hidden within the White Tiger Clan's glory."

Beibei and Tang Ya led Huo Yuhao onward, introducing the academy buildings as they walked. Huo Yuhao followed closely behind them, his mother's words still echoing in his mind.

When they reached the teaching building, Huo Yuhao's reporting and registration went very smoothly under Beibei and Tang Ya's guidance. After paying ten gold soul coins in tuition, he received a dormitory key, two sets of uniforms, and a white freshman badge, then followed Beibei and Tang Ya out of the teaching building.

From far away, Huo Yuhao spotted a notice thanks to the powerful vision of his Spirit Eye. It read: Freshman Class One Homeroom Teacher, Zhou Yi. Freshman Class Two Homeroom Teacher...

Huo Yuhao looked further down and quickly found the homeroom teacher for Class Nine: Mu Jin.

Because Huo Yuhao had been delayed, and had also spent some time traveling with Beibei and Tang Ya, he had been assigned to Freshman Class Nine.

Tang Ya was happy for Huo Yuhao as well. "Teacher Mu Jin is the gentlest among all these freshman instructors. Yuhao, you really got lucky."

Huo Yuhao nodded. "Then I really am fortunate."

Beibei smiled faintly. "Then Tang Ya and I need to go take our advancement tests. I live in Dorm 316. If you need anything, just come find me there."

Huo Yuhao had experience surviving alone in the Star Dou Great Forest, so Beibei and Tang Ya were not worried that he would be unable to take care of himself.

When Huo Yuhao reached the dormitory building entrance, he saw an elderly man sitting there. He stepped forward respectfully and handed over his freshman badge. "Grandpa, would you like to inspect my freshman badge?"

Without even lifting his head, the old man stretched out his trembling right hand. His voice was somewhat low and hoarse. "Show me your badge and dormitory key."

Huo Yuhao hurriedly handed them over.

"Go on. Dorm 140 is the third room on the left on the first floor. The fourth floor is for female students. You are not allowed to go up there without permission. If you're caught, you'll be expelled."

Huo Yuhao took back his things and walked toward the dormitory entrance.

The old man remained motionless in the same posture and muttered, "A rare polite child."

Just as Huo Yuhao was about to enter the dormitory building, a figure was kicked out through a first-floor window. Huo Yuhao instinctively looked up in that direction.

A black-haired youth lay on the ground, gripping a longsword that shimmered with a single yellow soul ring.

The youth clutched his chest and struggled twice on the ground, but still could not stand. Unparalleled fury flashed in his eyes as he glared toward the window.

"In my dormitory, you follow my rules. If you want to break them, you need the strength to back it up. Obviously, it seems you don't have that strength."

Following the voice, Huo Yuhao saw a youth with short pinkish-blue hair leap out of the window. One yellow and one purple soul ring gleamed around him, and a pair of beautiful wings shone with magnificent luster beneath the sunlight.

The pink-haired youth walked toward the black-haired youth on the ground. "I'll say it again. Follow my rules, or you can change dorms. Otherwise, I'll beat you until you change dorms."

Upon entering the academy, Huo Yuhao had carefully studied Shrek Academy's rules so that he could act more effectively and discreetly within the academy. Although he had long known that Shrek Academy encouraged combat to promote mutual improvement,

he truly had not expected to witness a private fight so soon.