Shrek's entrance examination, held once every three years, had begun.
As a result, Shrek City was especially lively, packed with a sea of people.
Huo Yuhao led Class Zero to Shrek Inner City, and they followed the crowd of fellow examinees into Shrek Academy.
"Speaking of which, where's Boss Yue?"
Xie Xie looked around, but he couldn't find Yu Longyue anywhere in the crowd.
"Boss Yue probably got in through the preselected route, right?" a sweet-looking girl with light blue hair in two small braids said timidly among Class Zero's little group. "He definitely doesn't need to take this crowded route with us."
Xu Xiaoyan, one of Class Zero's members, was already level 31.
She was also the only girl in the class.
"Good point." Xie Xie nodded in wholehearted agreement.
Huo Yuhao occasionally took their classmates to see Yu Longyue, and over time, they had grown close and become friends.
Yu Longyue also helped them improve their strength, sending their Soul Power soaring. As a result, nearly all of them were Soul Elders.
They were still young, so they all sincerely admired Yu Longyue's strength and started calling him Boss Yue.
"Look, isn't Longyue right up ahead?"
Smiling, Huo Yuhao used Spiritual Detection Sharing on everyone. Only then did they spot a boy and a girl standing near the entrance to the building ahead, drawing a great deal of attention.
The boy wore a fine white outfit. His handsome face, upright figure, and neatly combed hair attracted many gazes.
The girl wore a white dress, its skirt swaying gently in the breeze and displaying her dignified, elegant bearing. Her long hair was tied in a high ponytail, with a few playful strands falling beside her neck, adding a touch of liveliness to her delicate face. Her skin looked translucent in the sunlight, and with only light makeup, her natural beauty needed little embellishment.
Standing together, the two made a striking sight, and quite a few of the students taking the examination noticed them.
"Hey, isn't that the big shot ranked first on the Young Genius Ranking? That's Yu Longyue! Is he here to take Shrek's exam too?"
"Rumor has it his Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Martial Soul is overbearingly powerful. It's no exaggeration to say he's invincible at the same level. No one under eighteen is his match."
Many of the students taking the examination were themselves on the Genius Youth Ranking. When they saw Yu Longyue, their expressions grew grave.
A formidable rival.
Even Tang San, who was among them, was somewhat moved when he saw Yu Longyue in white, his bearing extraordinary.
He's so young, yet even I, a God King, can't see through his cultivation?
This person is no ordinary man.
I wonder if he'll stand in my way during this examination.
Tang San thought it over carefully, then shook his head.
If he used his Hidden Weapons skillfully, even the Immovable Wisdom King, who had been a Soul Saint at the time, had to treat them with some caution-and Tang San had still been a Soul Elder back then.
However strong this person was, he surely couldn't be stronger than the Immovable Wisdom King. If they fought, Tang San was certain to win. And when that happened, the number one on the Young Genius Ranking?
Heh.
At the thought, the corners of Tang San's mouth curled up slightly, and he looked away.
Once nearly everyone in the line had entered the building, Huo Yuhao and the others at the very back called out to Yu Longyue.
"Longyue, Gu Yue, long time no see." Huo Yuhao greeted them both warmly. "Looks like your cultivation has advanced even further. Don't tell me you've both reached Soul King?"
"We were just lucky." Yu Longyue cupped his fists. "Besides, we're still not One-Word Battle Armor Masters, so of course we have to come to the academy to further our studies. I'll leave the Battle Armor making to you. Don't worry, you'll be paid in full."
"Speaking of which, what levels have you reached in your second professions? Wulin, you're already a level-five blacksmith, right?"
Yu Longyue looked at Tang Wulin, who had long since paid back the million.
"That's right, Brother Yue. I really have to thank you. Without you, where would I be today?" Tang Wulin scratched his head with a simple, honest look.
"I'm level five in mecha manufacturing, mecha design, mecha repair, and forging. That's enough to help make you a set."
Huo Yuhao looked thoughtful.
"Brother Dong does all that work by himself..."
Behind him, Xie Xie, Xu Xiaoyan, and the others were speechless.
Look, this was a true genius.
"What about you?" Yu Longyue nudged Gu Yue beside him with his elbow.
"Me? I'm level six in mecha design. That's more than enough to make a set of One-Word Battle Armor. I was just waiting for you," Gu Yue replied.
Delighted, Yu Longyue hurriedly said, "Gu Yue, we've known each other for so long, and I've never asked you for anything. Today, I have a favor to ask. About the design for my Battle Armor..."
"Don't worry, the designs are already finished. All that's left is to make it," Gu Yue said irritably. "But what about you? What's your second profession? We've never seen you show it off."
Xie Xie nodded. "Yeah, Boss Yue, you're so amazing. Your second profession must be pretty damn impressive too, right?"
"Me?" Yu Longyue fell into thought, then murmured in front of everyone, "I took training courses when I was little, but I complained to my dad that the work was exhausting and I didn't want to do it myself. Besides, I couldn't find a profession I liked..."
"You didn't learn one?" Even Huo Yuhao was taken aback.
"It's not that I didn't learn... My dad heard me complaining that I didn't want to learn this or that, so he got angry and had Uncle Song give me courses in every profession." Yu Longyue started counting on his fingers. "When I was six, I studied mecha manufacturing, mecha design, mecha repair, forging, and so on..."
"The courses have continued right up to now. Uncle Song said my professional levels should be level six in mecha manufacturing, level five in mecha design, level five in mecha repair, and level four in forging..."
Everyone staggered, nearly fainting.
Damn it, if you know every second profession, why didn't you say so earlier? Why were you standing there looking so worried...?
Come to think of it, you can make an entire set of One-Word Battle Armor yourself, so why come to us?
Even Huo Yuhao and Gu Yue, who had plenty of composure, were left speechless.
"You can make a whole set of One-Word Battle Armor yourself, yet you asked me to help design it..." Gu Yue was utterly speechless. She felt like a clown for having just said she'd made him a design.
"But I don't want to do it myself. If money can solve the problem, why do it personally?" Yu Longyue looked as though it were only natural, and was even unhappy about it. "If I had to do everything myself, wouldn't that be exhausting?"
"..."
"Besides, I'm busy eating, drinking, and having fun. I don't have time for any of that."
"I had a hard life when I was little. You have no idea. I was expected to do this perfectly, and that perfectly too. That's why I ran away from home and went far away, to have as much wild fun as I wanted."
"..."
Yu Longyue ruthlessly brought the conversation to an end. Everyone fell silent, and they entered the building together.
The students taking the examination were led to a large, spacious hall. Looking up, they saw a mural covering the entire domed ceiling.
The mural depicted a massive black dragon with golden eyes. It looked vicious and fearsome, showing off its might and brimming with life. Its overwhelming dragon's might pressed down on the students, leaving them unable to raise their heads.
Only Yu Longyue and Gu Yue felt no pressure at all. They were still quietly discussing Battle Armor.
Huo Yuhao's gaze was somewhat vacant, as though he were recalling his battle with the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King before he became a god.
As for Tang San, the pressure made it difficult for him to stand straight, and he was greatly shocked.
What Soul Beast is that in the painting?
Why did I never see such a true dragon on Douluo Continent during the time I became a god?
At only level thirty-eight, he was too weak. It was perfectly normal that he couldn't withstand the dragon's might.
Soon, the pressure ended. Several Shrek teachers came out to offer comments and assign scores. Then their gazes fell on Yu Longyue, and they spoke privately with an elderly man beside them:
"Could this be the one the pavilion master mentioned, that person's son?"
"It should be. He's completely unaffected by the Golden-Eyed Black Dragon King, so he must be from the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon. But I'm more curious about the girl beside him. She's the same."
"She must be basking in his reflected glory. Give him full marks. As for the girl... luck is part of strength too. Eight points."
"And that child called Huo Haodong isn't bad either. Ten points."
"There's one person left to score, named... Tang San?"
"Huh? How does this child have the same full name as Tang San from twenty thousand years ago?"
"Probably a coincidence. Or perhaps his parents admired Tang San and gave their child the same name."
"Hiss, that's truly disrespectful. But his performance was far too poor. Three points at most."
"+1."