Looking at the two girls, Yan Shaozhe asked in puzzlement,
"Qingtong wanting to go, I can understand. But Wang Dong'er, why do you want to go as well?"
Wang Dong'er slipped her arm around Jiang Qingtong's and said,
"I'm going with Qingtong! Besides, Elder Mu already gave me permission to cultivate on Sea God Island!"
Seeing her clinging to Jiang Qingtong, Yan Shaozhe's expression turned a little strange, as though he was thinking of something. But Wang Dong'er's identity was far from ordinary, so he couldn't very well refuse. He nodded and said,
"Very well. Then you can come too."
Led by Yan Shaozhe, Jiang Shengyu's group entered Shrek Academy.
Jiang Shengyu was already familiar with the academy's layout, but for Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen, and the others, it was their very first time stepping into the Continent's number one academy.
No matter how much Xiao Hongchen belittled Shrek with his words, acting as if the title of number one academy meant nothing to him—in truth, only when he set foot here did he finally realize just how terrifying ten thousand years of accumulated heritage truly was.
Especially after entering the inner court, when he saw the countless inner court students going to and fro, Xiao Hongchen was shaken to his core.
Yet instead of feeling inferior, his fighting spirit ignited!
When they arrived outside the Sea God Pavilion, Jiang Shengyu glanced back and noticed Xiao Hongchen's face—serious, determined, as though he had awakened to something.
"What's with him?" Jiang Shengyu quietly asked Meng Hongchen.
Meng Hongchen sighed, "Clearly, he's been struck by reality."
Jiang Shengyu walked over, patted Xiao Hongchen's shoulder, and said,
"Xiao Hongchen, don't let it fry your brain…"
"You're the one whose brain is fried!"
Xiao Hongchen slapped his hand away, took a deep breath, and declared,
"This—this is the world that belongs to us! Look at those Shrek inner court students. I swear I'll surpass them!"
Hearing this, Yan Shaozhe, walking ahead, turned and said,
"Little one, having such confidence is good! But for those who make it into Shrek's inner court, talent is only part of their strength. What's even more important is their state of mind."
Xiao Hongchen merely glanced at him and didn't reply.
Before the Sea God Pavilion, Elder Xuan stood waiting with several of the Pavilion Elders. Elder Song was absent—she hadn't wanted to greet students from the Sun–Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy, especially since Shrek had only recently lost to them at the tournament.
"This is Elder Xuan," Yan Shaozhe introduced. "Master of the Sea God Pavilion, a rank ninety-eight Super Douluo. His strength is on par with that Body Sect Douluo you previously met—Du Bushi."
The gazes of the elders immediately fixed upon Jiang Shengyu. He and Jiang Qingtong resembled each other too much—aside from the length of their hair, they looked almost identical. It was easy to recognize who he was.
And from what they'd heard, Jiang Shengyu's talent even surpassed Qingtong's. That made the elders' attention on him skyrocket.
Jiang Shengyu led his group to respectfully bow and said,
"Greetings, Elder Xuan."
Though the Continental Tournament had been rife with conflict, and though Jiang Shengyu himself didn't think much of Elder Xuan, they were here as exchange students. At least on the surface, the proper courtesies had to be observed.
Elder Xuan gave a faint nod. "Welcome to Shrek Academy, to study from the Sun–Moon Imperial Soul Engineering Academy. And welcome you as well, Dean Gu, to visit our academy. Let the matter of the tournament be set aside. As for how you treated our students' injuries that day—this old man remembers it well. This is Elder Zhuang, a healing-type Title Douluo of our academy. If you have any questions regarding healing martial souls, you may consult him."
He introduced Elder Zhuang to Gu Lingjun.
Startled, Gu Lingjun quickly cupped his fists, "I greet you, Your Excellency!"
Elder Zhuang stroked his beard with a smile. "You have my thanks for your help before. If you encounter any difficulties in cultivation, you may always come and ask this old man."
Although the Sun–Moon Empire was not without healing-type Title Douluo—the Tianyin Douluo, for example—her cultivation was far below Elder Zhuang's, and she had advanced mostly through reliance on medicine. The empire had desperately needed someone to fill the gap of a healing-type Title Douluo, so they had had no choice.
Elder Xuan, after introducing the two, turned to Jiang Shengyu and the others.
"Our Shrek Academy is divided into two major divisions: the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Tool Department. You may freely choose which you wish to join."
At his signal, Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er stepped forward, each giving an introduction to their respective divisions.
As expected, Jiang Shengyu, the Hongchen siblings, and Ai Cao all chose the Martial Soul Department. The other soul engineering students naturally entered the Soul Tool Department.
Of course, those soul engineers didn't really expect to learn much in terms of advanced techniques at Shrek. At most, they would study the differences in approach and some precautions. As for high-end technology? Ten Shrek Soul Tool Departments together still couldn't compare to the Sun–Moon's.
They were here mainly to make up the numbers.
Xian Lin'er cheerfully led them away, introducing the Soul Tool Department as she went.
Yan Shaozhe, meanwhile, addressed Jiang Shengyu's group.
"The Martial Soul Department is divided into outer and inner court. Upon reaching the Soul King level and passing the examination, one may enter the inner court. Since you are not formal Shrek students, you need not take the exam. Which of you have already reached the Soul King level?"
Ai Cao and Xiao Hongchen stepped forward. After a brief pause, Jiang Shengyu also stepped up.
Seeing this, Elder Xuan was taken aback.
"You… you've also reached Soul King? I remember at the Continental Tournament you were only rank forty-one. It's been less than two months—how could you possibly…"
"Just luck." Jiang Shengyu rubbed his nose and replied with a smile.
Hearing this, Xiao Hongchen turned to Meng Hongchen and said,
"Didn't he say the exact same thing to us? Looks like he's gotten 'lucky' again…"
But Elder Xuan wasn't convinced in the slightest. Luck?
What kind of luck could allow someone to advance from rank forty-one to rank fifty-one in less than two months? Was he joking?
Still, since Jiang Shengyu had chosen to answer that way, Elder Xuan didn't expose him. On the contrary, they were hoping to keep Jiang Shengyu in the academy during these three years as an exchange student. Offending him now was out of the question.
"Then this old man shall call you Shengyu, if you don't mind?" Elder Xuan said.
At these words, Jiang Shengyu deliberately glanced at Jiang Qingtong. She looked back at him with a pleading expression. Only then did he withdraw his gaze, nodding.
"Of course, Elder Xuan."
This little exchange was noticed by both Elder Xuan and Yan Shaozhe, and it filled them with greater confidence that Jiang Shengyu might truly be retained at Shrek.
Who could know they were simply acting?
No one could see through it.
(In this version, Meng Hongchen is set as a four-ring Soul Ancestor, on the verge of reaching the fifth ring and becoming a Soul King, cultivating in the outer court alongside Jiang Qingtong.)
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