Before long, Huo Yuhao followed Zhou Yi into the faculty office.
She didn't waste time. "Huo Yuhao," she said coldly, "I don't like nonsense. I'm curious about your martial soul. During the run earlier, you didn't reveal it for assistance."
"I asked the examiner who supervised your entrance test. Among all the first-class students, the most outstanding martial soul belongs to Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly. The next most remarkable is your spirit-type original martial soul, the Spirit Eyes."
"The examiner's evaluation of you was quite high. Tell me, what is your first soul skill?"
Huo Yuhao frowned. "Teacher Zhou, that question seems a little inappropriate."
"A soul skill is a Spirit Master's most important means. Except for those famous, widely known techniques or hereditary skills, most people's soul skills are private."
"So if that's your question, I must refuse to answer."
Naturally, he couldn't explain that he had already used his martial soul—she simply hadn't noticed.
Zhou Yi's expression didn't change. Her tone remained steady as she continued.
Indeed, probing another person's soul skill violated common sense among Spirit Masters. While a teacher could inquire, she couldn't demand.
"Very well," she said finally. "Since you don't wish to say, forget it. The main reason I called you here is to suggest that you consider joining Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department."
She got straight to the point. Having heard Fan Yu's endless praises for spirit-attribute martial souls—especially Body Spirits—Zhou Yi was convinced she'd found a gem.
To her, it made sense: with only rank twelve spirit power, Huo Yuhao would find little room to shine in the martial soul division. Better to enter the Soul Tool branch, where mental power could compensate for lack of raw force.
"You know your own situation," she pressed. "Your martial soul is special, yes, but your foundation is weak. Rank twelve proves your innate spirit power isn't high. Rather than struggle in the Martial Soul Department, why not try Soul Tools?"
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "Sorry, Teacher Zhou. I'm not interested in Soul Tools. Please find someone else."
Join the Soul Tool Department? She's insane. If I wanted to study soul engineering, I'd go to the Sun and Moon Empire itself—not risk learning their discarded experiments from Shrek's half-baked imitators.
And at my current level, I barely have time to strengthen my cultivation, let alone research machinery. Even if I did, I'd wait until my spirit power and mental strength are far higher. That's when such studies would actually pay off.
Her gaze cooled slightly, but she didn't push further.
After all, his apparent value was limited—a promising but low-spirit-power student. His potential didn't justify further debate.
"Very well. Think it over," Zhou Yi said. "Tang Ya and Beibei once proposed combining Tang Sect hidden weapons with Soul Tool technology. They lacked talent for it—but a spirit-type like you might succeed."
Huo Yuhao nodded politely. "Goodbye, Teacher Zhou." He turned and left.
Still… she reminded me of something I've been neglecting. I haven't had time to study this thing yet—the White Tiger Dagger. It's a level-five Soul Tool, and even if its origin is dubious, it's worth analyzing.
If the Soul Tool's core formation can function on metal, maybe I can modify it through mental control—replicate its mechanism as a soul skill itself.
Imagine using soul power to reproduce a Soul Tool's one-time ability continuously—like the Invincible Shield. That's far more practical than obsessing over ring combinations.
After eating lunch, he returned to the dorm. Wang Dong was already inside, seemingly waiting for him.
"So?" Wang Dong asked eagerly. "What did that crazy old hag want with you?"
"You talk too much," Huo Yuhao said lazily, collapsing onto his bed. "By the way, did you finish thinking about what I asked earlier—what kind of person you think Zhou Yi is?"
Wang Dong bit her lip. "Cruel? Unreasonable?"
Huo Yuhao sighed and shook his head. "She was right about one thing—you are an idiot."
"You're from a big sect or family, aren't you? They never taught you this? Listen carefully—I'll only explain once."
"You've heard Zhou Yi's reputation around campus, right?"
"A strict teacher? Praised by the inner court? The one with a quarter of her students advancing inside? Sounds familiar?" he asked, half-smiling.
Wang Dong nodded. "Yeah, what's wrong with that? At least she's strict but fair. She expelled some students, but—"
"But what? You're about to say they deserved it for breaking her rules, right? Then tell me—who made those rules?"
"The academy's official regulations? Or her own?"
"That quarter acceptance rate looks impressive, but check again—her expulsion rate is even higher than other teachers' combined."
"When you put those together, you'll see her so-called 'success' isn't real teaching—it's weeding."
"A true teacher's duty is to guide the lazy and the weak—to help them improve. Zhou Yi's method? She solves the problem at its root—by cutting it out. Expel the weak, raise the statistics."
Wang Dong's eyes widened. She finally understood the strange unease she'd felt earlier when hearing Zhou Yi's praise.
"But honestly," Huo Yuhao added, "it's not really her fault. She's just stupid and cruel. You don't think someone like her could dominate Shrek by herself, do you?"
He smirked. "She's just a cog—a miniature reflection of Shrek Academy itself."
"Soul Emperor sounds strong, but on the continent, it's nothing special."
"And the inner court disciples? Have you ever wondered—how many truly want to stay in Shrek? How many come here for something else entirely?"
"Remember, the first admission requirement is a recommendation letter from a city lord."
"Anyone who can get that has a background. And their factions won't just let them stay here forever. For those without background, the city lords will recruit them anyway—strong talents are too valuable to waste."
"In the end, what determines entry into the inner court, aside from talent, is…"
"What?" Wang Dong asked quickly.
"Loyalty," Huo Yuhao said calmly. "A genuine sense of belonging to Shrek—no conflicting loyalties."
"And that's where Zhou Yi comes in."
As he spoke, he quietly activated the Eye of Truth. Outside the dormitory, a faint, brilliant human-shaped glow stirred ever so slightly—someone was listening.
"That's why the academy doesn't stop her. Even if she drives students away, those who leave still revere Shrek in their hearts. They think they simply failed to meet the 'elite' standard. At worst, they resent Zhou Yi—not the academy."
"And Shrek doesn't care about losing a few batches. As long as its reputation and resources remain, there'll always be more students."
"Besides, the academy sits beside the Star Dou Forest. Its supply of cultivation materials is endless. Add ten thousand years of fame, and you can easily pick seven geniuses to polish into 'legends' each generation."
"The nobles and sect heirs who come here all know it. They're not only here to learn—they're also here to gain prestige, build networks, and recruit promising commoners. That's Shrek's true purpose."
"Only a fool like you believes everyone comes here to study."
"Otherwise, after thousands of years, wouldn't every hereditary martial soul have evolved into divinity by now?"
"Shrek doesn't nurture—it filters."
He exhaled softly. "After this morning's class, you must have noticed how disastrous Zhou Yi's teaching is. Rigid, lifeless. Follow her long enough and you'll end up exactly like her."
He paused, then smiled faintly.
Wang Dong huffed impatiently. "You can't stop there! What do you mean by that?"
"Simple," he said with a chuckle. "You'll become a true Shrek person. Hahaha… Alright, I'm going to nap. Do what you want. We've got another class later."
He turned over and pulled up his blanket.
He'd said enough. The rest was for her to understand on her own.
Some truths could only be realized, not taught—and whether the fool grasped them or not was up to her.
Wang Dong clenched her fists, glaring at his back, furious at being left hanging by this "riddle loving man."
Outside the teaching building, basking in the warm afternoon light, Mu En reclined on his chair, eyes half-closed.
Interesting boy, he mused. Sharp, far-sighted. Shrek needs minds like his—zeal alone cannot sustain this academy forever.
That little girl from the Clear Sky Sect is talented, but naïve. Let's see what her sect is plotting—and whether this sly boy is worth Shrek's investment.
Time drifted on lazily. During the noon break, Tang Ya and Beibei stopped by the dorm looking for Huo Yuhao, but Wang Dong covered for him, claiming he was still resting after Zhou Yi's punishment.
Working? No way. I'm never working in this life, Huo Yuhao thought contentedly. Why waste time selling grilled fish?
If I'm short on money, I can sell the White Tiger Dagger. A level-five Soul Tool should fetch at least ten thousand gold coins, maybe more. Even a weaker one is worth thousands.
It's high quality—easy to use even for low-level Spirit Masters. That alone will cover my expenses for years.
As for it being Huo Yun'er's "last memento"? She's not truly gone. I'll need strength to save her. Keeping a relic won't help—using it might.
Despite calling it "sleep," his mind was busy. Within his spiritual sea, Huo Yuhao had begun dismantling the White Tiger Dagger piece by piece—analyzing its structure, core formation, and functional principles.
(End of Chapter)