The freshman building was bustling with activity. Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan easily completed their registration. After receiving their dormitory keys, two sets of white freshman uniforms, and a white Shrek badge, they stepped out of the building.
Outside, they exchanged a smile. From this moment on, they were officially students of the Number One Academy on the Continent. A sense of pride rose within them.
"Let's go organize our things in the dorm. We can check out our class assignments during dinner," Zhu Ziyang suggested.
"Okay!" Jiang Nannan replied with a smile.
They walked between the white freshman building and the black second- and third-year teaching buildings until they reached the dormitory.
There was only one dormitory building, but it covered a large area. Its design was also unique: six stories tall with four entrances, each marked by a different color—white, yellow, purple, and black—clearly corresponding to each academic year.
They approached the white entrance, designated for freshmen. There, an old man in gray clothes lay half-reclined on a bamboo chair, lazily sunbathing. He was extremely old, his face wrinkled like dried bark, his eyes half-closed, radiating a detached and peaceful aura.
Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan instinctively bowed to greet him—a gesture of respect to an elder—but didn't expect or wait for a response. They walked straight into the dormitory.
At the stairs, Jiang Nannan said, "Ziyang-ge, wait for me!"
"Mm," Zhu Ziyang nodded and headed off to find his room.
"Now that's a promising one… eleven years old and already a Soul Elder…" the old man murmured softly to himself after they left. His eyelids trembled faintly, though no one could hear him.
Zhu Ziyang quickly found his room, opened the door, and stepped inside. The simple space contained only two beds and a table. He couldn't help but chuckle.
Compared to this, Anyang Academy truly seemed like the "number one academy." The conditions here were far more basic.
Dust coated the room, and the beds were empty—his roommate hadn't arrived yet.
Zhu Ziyang got to work immediately, cleaning every corner of the room before laying out his bedding. As he worked, he wondered what kind of person his roommate might be. Hopefully someone easy to get along with—he didn't want to be the type who bullied others just because he was strong.
Still, he didn't dwell on it for long. To him, it didn't really matter. He had no intention of staying in the Outer Court for six years. His goal was to enter the Inner Court within three.
Once everything was in order, Zhu Ziyang sat on the bed and began reading while waiting for his roommate.
Half an hour passed. No one arrived, but he wasn't in a rush. Enrollment wasn't over yet—there were still three more days.
Eventually, he felt hungry. Glancing at the clock, it was almost 6 PM. He left the dorm and headed toward the building's front entrance to wait for Jiang Nannan.
This was their usual dinner time, so he figured she'd be down shortly too.
As he waited, he didn't pull out a book to pass the time—instead, he openly observed the old man at the dormitory entrance.
Despite the man's frail appearance, Zhu Ziyang could sense something extraordinary about him. His Extreme Light Martial Soul allowed him to detect the old man's powerful aura of pure and majestic light.
Only someone with a deep comprehension of the light element could emit such an overwhelming presence!
This old man was no ordinary person—possibly even a Sea God's Pavilion Elder, Zhu Ziyang speculated.
—
To understand the Sea God's Pavilion, one must first understand the structure of Shrek Academy.
The Outer Court is what most people refer to when they speak of Shrek Academy. It was expanded 4,000 years ago after the Dou Sun War, at the request of the three major empires, to cultivate more talent.
It is divided into two divisions:
The Martial Soul Division (traditional soul masters), and
The Soul Tool Division, created in response to the Sun Moon Empire's soul tool technology.
The Inner Court is the true Shrek Academy, the foundation of its undefeated legacy. It remains loyal to the original Shrek philosophy:
An academy that only accepts monsters!
What qualifies as a monster?
Admission to the Inner Court requires:
Being no older than 18, and
Achieving four soul rings (Soul Ancestor level) by Outer Court graduation.
At that stage, future promotion to Soul Douluo or even Titled Douluo is almost guaranteed.
Thus, Inner Court students are considered true geniuses, rightfully earning the title of "monsters."
The Shrek Enforcement Squad is a group formed to eliminate evil soul masters, composed of Inner Court students and teachers. From its founding, it has never ceased operations against evil soul masters.
The Sea God's Pavilion is the most mysterious and powerful organization on the continent. It is the core of Shrek Academy, composed entirely of Titled Douluo-level powerhouses, known as Elders.
To the three major empires, the Sea God's Pavilion is the ultimate stabilizing force. Their combined Titled Douluo count can't compare to the Pavilion's Elder roster.
To the Sun Moon Empire, the Sea God's Pavilion is a sword hanging over their heads—the reason they haven't dared provoke another war.
So yes, the old man—seemingly ordinary—could very well be a Sea God's Pavilion Elder.
Perhaps sensing Zhu Ziyang's gaze, the old man slowly opened his eyes. His murky yet profound eyes locked onto Zhu Ziyang's, and he asked in a hoarse voice,
"Child, is there something wrong with me?"
"N-no, not at all!" Zhu Ziyang stammered. Then he quickly bowed and said,
"Apologies, grandfather. I didn't mean to stare—I just felt… a sense of closeness."
"Oh? Is that so?"
The old man chuckled and said nothing more.
Zhu Ziyang also remained silent.
A few minutes later, Jiang Nannan finally came downstairs.
"Ziyang-ge!" she called. She stuck out her cute little tongue shyly and added,
"Sorry I made you wait."
"No worries—I just got here too," Zhu Ziyang replied, taking her hand with a smile.
Together, they left the dormitory.
"Sharp little one… Worth nurturing," the old man murmured, watching them walk away.
—
Zhu Ziyang and Jiang Nannan arrived at the freshman cafeteria.
Shrek Academy's dining system followed a strict hierarchical structure, based on the color of the uniform:
White: Freshmen
Yellow: 2nd and 3rd year
Purple: 4th and 5th year
Black: 6th year (Graduation level)
Higher-year students may not dine in lower-level cafeterias.
Lower-year students may enter higher-level cafeterias—but must accept challenges at any time.
The freshman cafeteria was also quite unique.
It had eight serving windows.
Dishes varied in price, from low to high.
There were no tables or chairs in the hall.
Students could not take food outside—dining was strictly on-site.
A truly peculiar setup.