At last, the four of them set foot on the Lima Great Plains.
The vast grasslands unfurled beneath their feet, and on the distant horizon.
The outline of a towering city gradually emerged.
It was home to the continent's renowned foremost institution-Shrek Academy.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya exchanged a glance, each seeing the relief in the other's eyes, as though a weight had been lifted.
Their journey had yielded no small rewards, but they were still travel-worn and dust-covered.
The moment they saw home, the taut string in their hearts finally relaxed.
The four passed through the gates of Shrek City, right in the middle of the new student enrollment season.
The entire city was extraordinarily lively.
Vendors crowded both sides of the streets, their cries rising one after another.
All manner of soul tools, medicinal herbs, and soul beast materials filled the stalls. People jostled shoulder to shoulder, and the air was thick with the aroma of food.
Huo Yutong lay against Gu Xingyue's back and raised her head slightly.
She curiously surveyed the city of the legendary foremost academy on the continent, her eyes reflecting the lights and figures filling the streets.
After they crossed the main street, a magnificent gate appeared before them.
Above it, the five large characters spelling "Shrek Academy" were wrought in iron strokes and silver hooks, bold and vigorous, seemingly gleaming gold in the lingering sunset.
The four stopped before the gate.
A problem followed.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya were already officially enrolled students of Shrek's Outer Court and could come and go freely.
But Huo Yutong and Gu Xingyue-they posed a problem.
Huo Yutong in particular did not even meet Shrek's minimum admission threshold with her soul power cultivation. Entering through the normal channels was almost impossible.
Tang Ya pondered for a moment before saying, "I have a plan. Yutong can temporarily enroll as a Tang Sect disciple, using my recommendation quota for admission without an examination..."
Before he could finish, Gu Xingyue interrupted him. "No problem. I'll handle it."
His tone was certain, not as though he were putting on a brave front.
Huo Yutong grew anxious instead. She struggled down from his back and hurriedly waved her hands. "No, Xingyue. You've already helped me so, so much along the way. If I even need you to worry about getting me into the academy, then I..."
"All right, all right." Gu Xingyue cut her off with a smile, his eyes curving with a hint of mischief. "I never said I'd help you for free. I expect payment. Surely you weren't planning to freeload, Student Yutong?"
Of course, Huo Yutong knew that was only an excuse.
Throughout their journey, whether it was his patience while catching fish or his decisiveness in shielding her during battle.
Or the quiet consideration he showed while carrying her on his back, this boy had never asked her for anything.
Precisely because of that, a sense of unease arose in her heart instead.
Was someone as ordinary and untalented as me really worth their treating me with such complete generosity?
She lowered her lashes, her voice soft but earnest. "Xingyue, I'll definitely repay you someday."
"Then I'll look forward to it." Gu Xingyue responded naturally, his tone carrying a smile. "Maybe your martial soul talent just hasn't risen yet, Yutong, but your talent for soul tools is outrageously strong. Just make me a few Level 12 Fixed-Installation Soul Cannons to play with someday."
His words brought a small smile to Huo Yutong's lips, and she nodded firmly. "Mm."
Beside them, Bei Bei and Tang Ya looked at each other.
They had heard of fixed-installation Soul Guidance Cannons, but Level 12?
What sort of concept was that?
In theory, the highest classification of soul tools currently on the continent was only Level 9. A Level 12 Fixed-Installation Soul Cannon... that thing was already beyond the scope of human capability, wasn't it?
Was it meant to blow up gods?
By unspoken agreement, neither exposed the flaw. They simply treated it as a young man's joke, exchanged a smile, and let it pass.
Bei Bei led the two through the academy gates and turned toward the new student registration office with practiced familiarity.
The Outer Court student handling reception looked up and recognized Senior Bei Bei, one of the Outer Court's twin stars. He hurriedly stood, his back ramrod straight. "Hello, Senior!"
Bei Bei nodded and stepped aside to reveal Gu Xingyue behind her. "This is my friend. He's here to enroll."
The student quickly sat back down at the desk, opened the register, and looked up in a businesslike manner. "Please show me your recommendation letter."
"I don't have one." Gu Xingyue's tone was casual, as though he were commenting on the pleasant weather.
"Oh, I see. What-you don't?!" The student nearly lost his grip on his pen, his eyes widening.
"Is a recommendation letter mandatory? I'll choose another method." Gu Xingyue still spoke in that unhurried tone.
The student froze for two seconds, then swallowed when he recovered. "O-okay. I'll report this to the higher-ups right away." He hurried to his feet, called over a colleague to take over temporarily, and dashed out the door.
Before long, he returned.
A woman followed behind him.
She looked a little over thirty, with a neat ponytail and delicate, lovely features. A mature charm lingered about her eyes and brows. Her figure was slender and straight, her steps unhurried.
When she entered, the atmosphere of the entire registration office seemed to change.
Without question, she was in charge here.
But who was she?
Just as Gu Xingyue sank into thought, the Outer Court disciple provided the answer the very next second.
The student stepped aside and introduced her. "This is the director of the Academic Affairs Office-Director Du Weiya. As long as you pass her assessment, you can enroll in Shrek Academy."
Gu Xingyue's gaze settled on Du Weiya, and for a moment, he was dazed.
It felt as though he had fallen under Medusa's gaze, his entire body rooted to the spot.
The noise in his mind was instantly wiped clean for a moment.
Du Weiya noticed his lapse in composure. The corners of her lips lifted slightly, her tone carrying a hint of teasing. "What's wrong? Scared silly? The assessment is about to begin~"
Gu Xingyue abruptly came to his senses and hurriedly collected himself. He straightened his back and met her gaze, his voice settling into a serious tone. "I'm ready."
Though what exactly he meant by being ready was unknown...
"Good." Du Weiya chuckled and wasted no more words. One slender arm circled Gu Xingyue's waist, and with a light tap of her toes against the ground, the two shot into the sky.
Wind howled past his ears, and his view rose rapidly. Gu Xingyue only had time to catch a delicate fragrance before the dizzying movement swept him away from where he had stood.
By the time his feet found solid ground again, he was standing atop a broad arena platform.
The platform was paved with a single slab of lapis lazuli and was extremely spacious.
Someone stood opposite him.
A girl whose looks, build, and bearing were all so ordinary that she would be impossible to pick out if tossed into a crowd.
She wore the standard uniform of Shrek's Inner Court, her hands hanging at her sides and her expression so calm it bordered on indifference.
Gu Xingyue looked around and discovered that Du Weiya had taken a seat at some unknown point on a raised dais at the edge of the platform. Holding a cup of tea, she watched him with keen interest.
"The rules are simple." Du Weiya's voice drifted down from above, carrying a casual hint of amusement. "Beat her, or remain standing for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, and you pass."
Gu Xingyue withdrew his gaze and looked again at the girl opposite him.
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