"Back then, the Tang Sect had several thousand members. The speed at which it went from prosperity to decline was just too fast. In just two hundred years, our Tang Sect declined rapidly. The once number one sect on the continent was no longer as glorious as before. By the time it was passed down to me, there were only my father, mother, and me. In a conflict during a soul beast hunt, my father and mother also left me. The Tang Sect was left with only me, the last of my line."
Tang Ya told Huo Yuhao all the sorrow and bitterness in her heart.
Huo Yuhao stepped forward and embraced her tightly.
"It's alright, it's alright…"
"Sister Ya, you won't be alone anymore. I will be your family from now on!"
Feeling Huo Yuhao's warm embrace, Tang Ya wiped away her tears and said to him, "Xiao Yuhao, the most important thing for you now is to be able to stay in Shrek Academy."
"I am already a third-year student. After obtaining a thousand-year Soul Ring this time, there shouldn't be any problem for me to advance to the fourth year. After entering the fourth year, the elimination rate isn't as high. In a few years, I will enter the inner courtyard to study."
"But you are different. After you just entered the academy as a first-year student, the competition is the most intense. The academy holds a new student assessment every three months, and only by passing the assessment can you stay."
"Even though I gave you a spot without needing to take the entrance exam, whether you can stay at the academy depends on your own abilities. No one can help you with that. Do you understand?"
Looking at Tang Ya's concern, Huo Yuhao smiled confidently.
"Don't worry, Little Ya, I definitely won't be eliminated."
"By then, I hope Little Ya can come find me more often. We can discuss the pros and cons, test the depths and shallows~"
Huo Yuhao's teasing words immediately made Tang Ya blush, and she lowered her head, chiding him.
"Don't be so improper. If you continue like this, I won't talk to you anymore!"
Seeing Tang Ya's sensitivity, Huo Yuhao didn't continue to tease her.
The two of them continued on their journey.
Several hours later, Huo Yuhao finally saw Shrek Academy.
Rather than calling it an academy, it was more accurate to say it was a city.
Following the main road out of the forest, the tall city walls of the academy stretched out across the plain in the distance.
Shrek Academy was built on the Lima Plain, and occupied an extremely vast area.
In the Douluo Continent, Shrek City was one of the largest cities, with a population of over two million.
Moreover, Shrek Academy had independent governing rights over this city, and did not need to pay taxes to any nation.
This alone was something that all other academies, including those of the Sun Moon Empire, couldn't compare to.
Shrek Academy wasn't located in the center of Shrek City, but in the east, because this side faced the Star Dou Great Forest.
Shrek City had major roads leading to the southeast, northwest, and southwest, making it a hub of transportation. Not only was Shrek Academy located here, but it was also the most important commercial city at the border of the three empires that originally belonged to the Douluo Continent.
Because of Shrek Academy's presence, Shrek City had excellent public order. Trading here was not only fair but also made people feel more at ease.
Therefore, merchants from the three empires often chose to trade in Shrek City when conducting cross-border trade.
The south, west, and north city gates of Shrek City could be entered and exited freely, but the eastern gate was exclusively for Shrek Academy.
Only the academy's disciples could enter through here.
Huo Yuhao followed Tang Ya to the east gate.
Although this gate was only for Shrek Academy's use, it was extremely lively at this moment. At least five thousand people had gathered outside the east gate, and it was bustling with activity. A large number of vendors had already swarmed in, and it was estimated that it was even livelier outside the city than inside.
"Little Yuhao, you've come at just the right time for the academy's new student recruitment. You'll be able to smoothly join this year's freshmen. These ordinary freshmen not only have to pass the assessment but also need a recommendation letter from at least a main city of the three empires. This time of year is the liveliest period in our Shrek City."
"And do you know? There are two requirements to be admitted to the outer court of Shrek Academy. The first is not to be over twelve years old, and the second requirement is that your soul power is not lower than level fifteen. If we're just looking at the assessment, you're not qualified."
Huo Yuhao was naturally well-versed in Shrek Academy's requirements.
Having obtained the spot granted by Tang Ya, he didn't need to worry about any of those requirements.
We're going through the back door!
Amazing!
Tang Ya led Huo Yuhao, bypassing the crowd from the side, and arrived outside the East City Gate.
At the East City Gate, there were over a dozen young men and women, similar in age to them, guarding the entrance. Each wore a tight-fitting uniform with a green emblem on their chest. This was the school uniform for the second and third-year students of Shrek Academy's outer court.
With Tang Ya's help, Huo Yuhao quickly completed the registration process.
After the two of them left, the surrounding people began to whisper among themselves.
"Strange, why haven't we seen Senior Bei Bei today?"
"Yeah, isn't he always with Junior Sister Tang Ya? Who was that pretty boy just now? Could it be that Tang Ya has already broken up with Senior Bei Bei?"
"Get lost, get lost. How could that be? Senior Bei Bei must have gone off to do something. Do you really expect him to be with us every single day, never separating for even a second? This person is probably just a friend or relative of Tang Ya."
After everyone analyzed the situation, they also felt that there was some truth to it.
However, one of the junior students didn't think so. He noticed the distance between Tang Ya and Huo Yuhao, which didn't seem like that of friends.
Moreover…
They seemed overly intimate!
With his uncertainty, this junior student hurriedly ran towards Bei Bei's dormitory. He wanted to tell Senior Bei Bei about this!
In the dormitory, Bei Bei was sitting on the bed, feeling incredibly restless.
By all accounts, Tang Ya should have returned to Shrek Academy by now. Why hadn't she come looking for him?
Could it be that Tang Ya was still angry with him?
At that moment, Bei Bei recalled the happy times he'd shared with Tang Ya, the memories of their past flooding back, and a pang of sadness welled up in his heart.
That's right, he was a man, how could he have acted like that?
He'd left Tang Ya alone in the Star Dou Great Forest. He'd really gone too far!
Realizing his mistake, Bei Bei decided to go find Tang Ya and apologize, hoping they could make up.
However, just as Bei Bei was about to set off, a knock sounded at his dormitory door.
"Senior Bei Bei!"
"Senior Bei Bei, are you in there?"
An urgent voice came from outside, and it sounded like a man's. Bei Bei was puzzled; who would be looking for him at this hour?