Seagod Lake.
Huo Yuhao condensed water into ice as he and Ma Xiaotao made their way toward Sea God Island, located at the center of the lake.
Crossing Sea God Lake using one's own strength to reach the island was one of the classic trials for entering Shrek Academy's inner courtyard.
The last time Ma Xiaotao had attempted to cross the lake by condensing ice, her efforts were interrupted by a sudden flare-up of her evil fire.
In the end, she had to rely on Huo Yuhao to help her escape. This time, however, she wanted Huo Yuhao to experience the challenge for himself.
As they gazed at the familiar scenery before them, their thoughts inevitably drifted back to that night when the moon hung brightly in the sky, casting its silvery light over the lake, and the wind seemed to sing in harmony with the moonlight.
It was on that very night, due to the issue of Ma Xiaotao's evil fire, that the relationship between the two had begun to heat up rapidly after their first encounter.
Now, standing alone together, the atmosphere between them grew subtly ambiguous. Ma Xiaotao couldn't help but feel a growing curiosity about the handsome young man before her—his talents, his strength, and even his past experiences.
It could be said that their connection had begun even before they met at Shrek Academy. In fact, Ma Xiaotao had fallen for Huo Yuhao at first sight.
Huo Yuhao was the first to break the slightly awkward silence. "I didn't expect the chance to meet Senior sister Xiaotao again would come so soon. I thought I'd have to wait until a month later when your evil fire would flare up again."
Ma Xiaotao's cheeks flushed slightly. "I didn't expect the academy to pay so much attention to you either." She then explained, "The teacher might not have made it clear, but the inner courtyard is the true heart of Shrek Academy..."
After listening to her explanation, Huo Yuhao nodded in understanding. "I see. The outer courtyard was established at the request of the three empires, allowing people like me—those of ordinary backgrounds but with good talent—to have a chance to enter Shrek."
Ma Xiaotao nodded in agreement. "Exactly. Unlike the outer courtyard, which charges fees, everything in the inner courtyard is completely free. Later, I'll take you to the inner courtyard cafeteria. The food there is far better than even the most expensive dishes in the outer courtyard."
"Then I'll look forward to it," Huo Yuhao replied with a light joke. "As Dean Yan said, it's a good thing to be able to live in the inner courtyard dormitory early. In the future, I won't have to fight with hundreds of others for a bathroom."
Hearing this, Ma Xiaotao couldn't help but laugh, her body shaking slightly with amusement. "Everyone in the outer courtyard goes through that. Though it's not as bad as the boys' dormitory. The girls' dormitory is better, with private bathrooms..."
Huo Yuhao didn't dwell on the topic. After all, he no longer had to live in the outer courtyard dormitory.
As they chatted casually, the two began to understand each other better.
However, due to his own complicated past, Huo Yuhao could only weave his experiences together with memories from his previous life, embellishing them slightly to satisfy Ma Xiaotao's curiosity about him.
It was a classic tale: an orphan with a "useless martial soul," three years of struggles, a determined spirit, relentless training, a chance encounter with a benefactor, and solitary wanderings through the Star Dou Forest.
For the most part, Huo Yuhao listened as Ma Xiaotao shared her own story—how she had suppressed her evil fire and trained tirelessly over the past twelve years, all to uphold the glory of Shrek.
"Thanks to you resolving my evil fire, I can now focus entirely on training and fighting. Otherwise, I really don't know how I would have continued to ensure Shrek's complete victory in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Grand Tournament."
After a moment of reflection, Ma Xiaotao added, "With your strength and talent, you'll definitely be selected for this year's reserve team as a substitute for the main contestants. I don't know what the situation will be like then, but you might even get a chance to compete."
Huo Yuhao couldn't help but laugh at this. 'Divine gold, that's a good one. What would happen then? That would depend on the infamous "group annihilation engine," the Holy Spirit Church's Grand Elder, Xuan Zi.'
Huo Yuhao truly didn't understand why Xuan Zi, a 98th-level Super Douluo, had such a poor track record. He had even been outsmarted by the Death Messenger, who was only a Soul King.
Every time Xuan Zi led a team, there were often heavy casualties. Was it because he was negligent due to drinking? Or was he too eager to prove himself?
In the original novel, every time Xuan Zi caused a major incident, he would be put on trial in the Shrek Court.
He would then spread his hands, ready to resign from his position and withdraw from the Sea God Pavilion. But every time, everyone would persuade him to stay, and he would end up crying bitterly.
In the end, he would continue eating and drinking as if nothing had happened, showing no remorse. Even in the original story, he would recount his tales to others, moved by his own "heroic" deeds.
Xuan Zi's logic was simple: 'I led the team and got into trouble ≠ I can't talk about it.'
It was only because Shrek's top combat power was in short supply that they had to tolerate this "chicken-leg Douluo."
Character determines destiny, nothing more.
On the other hand, the high mortality rate among Shrek's inner courtyard students wasn't solely due to the teachers' leadership. It was also closely tied to the fact that inner courtyard students were often tasked with monitoring dangerous situations.
As the saying goes, 'if you often walk by the river, you'll eventually get your shoes wet.' This was especially true when dealing with evil soul masters, who were inherently malevolent.
In terms of talent, Shrek's inner courtyard students were among the best in any force. And in terms of resources, Shrek spared no expense in nurturing them. Yet, despite this, Shrek's inner courtyard was known for its harsh trials and life-and-death challenges.
If it weren't for Huo Yuhao's intervention and the arrival of the Sea God Mechanical Descendant, Shrek might have been swept into the dust of history.
This was also one of the reasons why Huo Yuhao had initially been reluctant to join the inner courtyard. Why suffer in the inner courtyard when he could enjoy the comforts of the outer courtyard? There seemed to be no benefit, only harm.
As for Shrek's claim to be the guardian of the continent? Huo Yuhao had always been indifferent to such grand declarations.
If he truly wanted to protect Douluo Continent, he would need invincible strength first. Only then could he even consider such lofty ideals.
After lunch, Ma Xiaotao hurriedly dragged Huo Yuhao to the inner courtyard's registration office. Inside a two-story building, a beautiful woman sat on a chair.
She appeared to be in her early twenties, with long, smooth black hair that cascaded down to her waist. Her face was delicate and flawless, and her eyes seemed to shimmer with a misty, dreamlike quality.
What stood out even more was her serene and gentle demeanor.
"Senior Sister!" Ma Xiaotao greeted her respectfully.
This was Zhang Lexuan, the undisputed chief disciple of Shrek's inner courtyard. At just twenty-seven years old, she was already an eight-ring Soul Douluo—a remarkable achievement, especially considering Shrek's policy against relying on drugs to boost cultivation. Her talent had made her a legend in Shrek Academy's three-thousand-year history.
"Xiaotao, you're here. This must be the new junior brother joining the inner courtyard. Hello, my name is Zhang Lexuan. You can call me Senior Sister," she said with a gentle smile.
"Hello, Senior Sister," Huo Yuhao replied politely.
Of course, compared to her various titles and identities, Huo Yuhao was more interested in the mission she represented.
[Zhang Lexuan]
[Relationship: Acquaintance]
[Achievement Mission: Protect Junior Brother]
If nothing unexpected happened, this was likely another backup plan arranged by one of Shrek's elders.
…
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