It was time for Shrek Academy's annual start of term again. Students who had already studied there for some time returned one after another, while many fresh, youthful faces appeared throughout Shrek City.
Shrek Academy was the continent's foremost academy. Every year, countless gifted twelve-year-olds gathered from across the Douluo Continent, bringing recommendation letters to take its entrance assessment and join the academy, where they would undergo a year of study and evaluation.
Some senior students helped the teachers conduct the assessments. All of them were Soul Elders with at least three rings; only Soul Elders qualified to assist the teachers. Shrek Academy had always required students to reach the rank of Four-Ring Soul Ancestor before finishing their sixth year to graduate. If they failed to become Soul Ancestors, they could not graduate from Shrek Academy, no matter how outstanding their performance was.
Today was the final day of the assessments, as well as the last day of the returning students' holiday. People still streamed endlessly toward Shrek City, their eyes shining with anticipation, hoping to join Shrek Academy.
A year ago, Jiang Hai and the others had been just like them.
At Shrek Academy's entrance by the East City Gate, a pair of eyes kept gazing beyond the city, nearly wearing themselves out with longing, filled with worry and anxiety.
Just then, a travel-worn boy slowly approached along the main road outside Shrek City's east gate.
At the sight of him, the owner of those eyes reacted and rushed over, demanding, "Jiang Hai, it's you! Where's Huo Yuhao? Were you the one who took him away?"
"Wang Dong!" Jiang Hai brushed the dust from his clothes and met Wang Dong's anxious gaze. They had not seen each other for a month. She was still wearing her school uniform, and