"Let's go back first. I want to walk around alone," Huo Yuhao said to Song Ming, who was following him outside the Star Imperial Hotel.
"But, your safety?" Song Ming hesitated slightly.
Huo Yuhao smiled faintly. "Don't worry. This is Star Luo City. Not many people dare to act recklessly here. And don't forget, Master is here too."
"Then, alright. This subordinate takes his leave." Song Ming agreed after a moment of hesitation. As Huo Yuhao said, this was, after all, Star Luo City, and it was even more heavily guarded recently because of the Soul Master Tournament. He didn't think anyone would dare to commit a crime in broad daylight at this time.
Of course, he had more confidence because of his own Sect Master.
The sun was setting, and the remaining sunlight was as red as blood. Huo Yuhao wandered aimlessly through the streets. Without realizing it, he had arrived at a crowded road. Compared to where he had come from, the foot traffic here had clearly increased.
Because this was Star Luo City's famous snack street. Looking around, there were all kinds of things, like iced desserts, stinky tofu, Tanghulu, and grilled rice cakes.
As the capital of the Star Luo Empire, Star Luo City was home to the rich and powerful. Things like Tanghulu were, in a sense, a bit beneath them.
However, high-end establishments were often just symbols of status and didn't necessarily prove anything else.
Even those accustomed to fine dining sometimes craved street food.
Arriving at such a place, it was hard not to be tempted. Huo Yuhao walked up to a stall and looked at a stout middle-aged man. He said softly, "Boss, give me two Tanghulu."
The boss was quick. He took out two Tanghulu, wrapped the bamboo skewers in paper, and handed them to Huo Yuhao. "Here you go, young master. Two Silver Soul Coins."
One Tanghulu cost one Silver Soul Coin. Frankly, that was a rip-off. You had to remember that an ordinary family on the Douluo Continent might only spend one Gold Soul Coin a month.
They were only making this much because of the Soul Master Tournament, which had caused a surge in the number of people in Star Luo City.
But who was Huo Yuhao? He was the Douluo Continent's version of a rich, handsome, and influential young man. Did he care about this small amount of money?
After casually handing the vendor two Silver Soul Coins, Huo Yuhao continued walking. He took out a Tanghulu, and took a bite. It was crisp and sticky, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour. A natural freshness, combined with the sweetness of the ice sugar, swirled in his mouth.
Huo Yuhao's eyes brightened. He had to admit, the price was justified. This was the best Tanghulu he had ever tasted. When was the last time he had one? Three years old? Four? Huo Yuhao couldn't quite remember.
Having started off well, Huo Yuhao's appetite was truly awakened. He began to let loose, stopping and starting along the way. His hands were soon full of bags, and he eventually started stuffing things directly into his Storage Soul Tool. He seemed to have completely forgotten about what had happened earlier.
"Is that you, Junior Brother Yuhao?"
Just as Huo Yuhao was enjoying himself, he heard someone calling out to him. Junior Brother... Who could it be?
He turned around and saw a girl who looked to be about fourteen or fifteen years old. She had a slender, well-proportioned figure, with long, golden hair cascading down her back in large waves. Her skin was like snow, and her eyes were like a clear pool of water. When she looked around, she had a refined and noble air. Her face was like jade, like a new moon with a halo, like a flower tree covered in snow. She was exquisitely beautiful. Her beauty was unparalleled, causing her to stand out from the crowd. Everything around her seemed to dim in comparison.
It was her. Of course, Huo Yuhao knew who she was - Jiang Nannan from Shrek Academy. He hadn't expected her to greet him. After all, not long ago, he had beaten up her... well, not quite. Xu Sanshi was just being a simp.
"Sister Nannan, what are you doing here?" The question was asked without thinking. But when Huo Yuhao's gaze landed on the Ice Cream in Jiang Nannan's hand, he immediately understood. They were kindred spirits!
"I should be the one asking you that. Xiao Xiao seemed to be looking for you. She's probably already at the hotel by now, but since you're here, she's probably going to be disappointed."
Xiao Xiao was looking for me? Huo Yuhao frowned slightly.
Seeing Huo Yuhao's expression, Jiang Nannan was slightly puzzled. "What's wrong? Aren't you and Xiao Xiao always on good terms?"
"Nothing, it's just that I don't know why, but quite a few people have come looking for me today, and they all seem to be looking for trouble."
"Oh? Then, junior brother, guess whether I'm also here to cause trouble." Jiang Nannan seemed interested.
Huo Yuhao smiled slightly. "Just joking. And I'm no longer a Shrek Academy student. You can just call me by my name."
Hearing this, Jiang Nannan didn't respond, but fell silent for a moment. "You seem very dissatisfied with the academy? Can you tell me why? And you should know that for so many years, other than those who feel their talent is limited and can't pass the semester assessment, few people have voluntarily withdrawn from Shrek."
Huo Yuhao didn't answer immediately. Instead, he suggested with a smile, "Shall we take a walk together?"
"Alright." Jiang Nannan nodded slightly.
After squeezing through the crowd and leaving the food street, the flow of people thinned out. They walked shoulder to shoulder. If it weren't for the large bag of snacks in Huo Yuhao's hand, which somewhat spoiled the scenery, they would have looked like a couple enjoying a stroll.
"Try this, it tastes pretty good." Jiang Nannan handed Huo Yuhao an Ice Cream.
"Thank you." Huo Yuhao accepted it. This so-called Ice Cream was actually ice cream. There were no refrigerators on the Douluo Continent. Instead, people utilized ice-attribute martial souls along with food-type soul masters. This Ice Cream was made by a great food-type soul master.
He opened the lid and scooped a small spoonful, putting it in his mouth. It melted instantly, sweet and delicate, cool and comfortable. After it entered his stomach, a small stream of pure soul power immediately flowed into his limbs and bones.
"Nannan jie, have you ever been in Zhou Yi's class?"
"No, the class I was in was managed by Teacher Wang Yan. Why are you suddenly asking about this, Yuhao? Hmm, can I call you that?" Jiang Nannan didn't understand why Huo Yuhao suddenly brought up Zhou Yi. Could it be that his withdrawal from school was related to Zhou Yi?
"Of course, you can." Huo Yuhao nodded slightly, then said, "Shrek Academy is a sacred place that soul masters on the continent yearn for. So many people dream of being able to enter it, and I was no exception back then."
"Fortunately, I happened to have this qualification. When I learned that I was assigned to Zhou Yi's class, I was very excited because it was rumored that the classes she led had the highest proportion of students entering the Inner Court. Her teaching ability is beyond doubt."
Jiang Nannan nodded in agreement. "Teacher Zhou's teaching ability in the Outer Court is second to none, but I didn't have your good luck back then."
Huo Yuhao gave Jiang Nannan a look that was half a smile. "Oh, are you sure about that?"
Jiang Nannan heard something off in Huo Yuhao's words and said with dissatisfaction, "Hey, stop beating around the bush and just tell me."
Huo Yuhao dropped his smile and continued, "What you see is the promotion rate of Teacher Zhou's class, but what you don't notice is that her class also has the fewest students. Many people are expelled by her before the semester assessment."
Hearing this, Jiang Nannan fell into deep thought.
"So, those with low talent will be eliminated midway, and they won't be given the chance to advance to the higher grades. In her words, her class doesn't need waste, only monsters."
"Nannan jie, have you ever thought about a question, why doesn't Shrek Academy have a lower-level Soul Master Academy and a middle-level Soul Master Academy?"
"Why?" Jiang Nannan felt her mind was a bit muddled and couldn't think straight.
"Shrek is a haven for geniuses. The Outer Court functions more like a screening process. Those with average talent are either eliminated or graduate smoothly, while the outstanding ones are recruited by the higher-ups for advanced studies in the Inner Court."
"From the first day we entered Shrek, the teachers subtly instilled in us various ideas of glory. For example, joining Shrek Academy is glorious, entering the Inner Court is glorious, and the Shrek Seven Devils are the ultimate glory."
"Actually, I should thank Zhou Yi. If it weren't for her, I might have been kept in the dark, foolishly dedicating my life to that so-called glory."
"Back then, I went there with high expectations, but what I saw wasn't a sacred place for teaching and educating people, but a group of ambitious people, a dictatorial institution, an academy with a long history that had lost its original intentions."
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