In a modest wooden hut, a six- or seven-year-old boy lay unconscious on a bed, his face pale.
Two adults stood beside the bed—one plump, the other tall and powerfully built.
"Old Shao, how is he?"
The tall, muscular man spoke with a hint of worry as he addressed the chubby man.
The plump man didn't answer immediately, continuing to examine the boy's condition. After a moment, he finally said, "After taking my Sugar Bean, his recovery has been excellent. He should wake up soon."
"Good, that's a relief."
The brawny man let out a sigh. The boy on the bed was the sole survivor he had rescued from a village massacred by bandits.
Every other villager had perished.
"This child's physique is extraordinary. Even with my healing Sugar Beans, he shouldn't have recovered this quickly otherwise."
The plump man stared at the boy, lost in thought.
"He's lucky to be alive at all," the tall man replied, brushing off the comment. He simply assumed the boy had been fortunate.
Of course, had he not brought the child back to Shrek Academy, survival would have been unlikely.
Indeed, this was Suotuo City—home of Shrek Academy.
The towering man was the Unmoving King Zhao Wuji, while the plump one was Sugar Bean Shao Xin.
As Zhao Wuji and Shao Xin spoke, the boy on the bed finally stirred.
Upon waking, the boy felt a dull ache in his head. His eyes darted around the room, filled with confusion and bewilderment.
The unfamiliar wooden hut, the two strangers—everything filled him with unease.
"He's awake!"
Zhao Wuji noticed the boy's awakening and brightened instantly.
Shao Xin turned his gaze toward him and asked gently, "You're awake, child. Do you feel any discomfort?"
The boy stared blankly at the two strangers. His shock ran deeper than they realized—he had been an adult, yet now he was trapped in a child's body.
"Old Shao, something's not right. Didn't you say he was fine?"
Seeing the boy's dazed state, Zhao Wuji shot Shao Xin a skeptical look.
"That can't be…"
Puzzled, Shao Xin moved closer and re-examined the boy.
When Shao Xin took his hand, the boy flinched.
"Don't be afraid, child. I'm just checking on you."
Shao Xin offered a kind smile to soothe him.
Though startled, the boy didn't resist, merely watching Shao Xin and Zhao Wuji warily.
"Strange… There's nothing wrong with him." After the examination, Shao Xin frowned in confusion.
By now, the boy's expression had shifted from shock to calm contemplation.
"Really? He's alright?"
Seeing the boy's composure return, Zhao Wuji relaxed slightly.
"It must have been the unfamiliar environment and people that unsettled him," Shao Xin reasoned, observing the boy.
He then reassured him in a gentle tone, "Child, this uncle here saved you. You're safe now. There's no need to be afraid…"
Zhao Wuji chimed in, "You're the only survivor from that village. Live well from now on. This will be your home, and we'll be your family…"
After Shao Xin and Zhao Wuji spoke for a while, the boy finally asked, "Where is this place?"
By now, he had confirmed the bizarre change in his circumstances—he had transformed from an adult into a child, and this wasn't mere rejuvenation to his childhood form.
After all, Zhao Wuji had mentioned rescuing him from a village. Given his original identity, how could he have been in such a place?
Moreover, though he hadn't seen his face yet, certain physical traits confirmed this wasn't his original body. The most obvious clue was the absence of a birthmark that should have been there.
Thus, the boy concluded that he now inhabited an entirely new body—an inconceivable phenomenon!
Beyond that, he suspected he was no longer on the Sun Moon Continent—perhaps not even in his original world.
"This is Shrek Academy."
Zhao Wuji grinned. "Child, what's your name? How old are you?"
Shrek Academy?
That Shrek Academy?
The boy was stunned—but he masked it instantly, maintaining his calm. "My name is Xu Yunhan. I'm seven. And you?"
The oddly mature phrasing didn't faze Shao Xin or Zhao Wuji.
The plump Sugar Bean Shao Xin smiled warmly. "I'm Shao Xin, and this is Zhao Wuji. We're both teachers at Shrek Academy."
He paused, then added, "Xu Yunhan—that's a fine name. Tell me, have you ever undergone a martial soul awakening? If you possess a martial soul, you can train here at Shrek Academy."
Shao Xin. Zhao Wuji.
Had he traveled ten thousand years into the past?
Xu Yunhan's heart pounded. This was beyond belief.
Despite his shock, his expression remained composed. Feigning ignorance, he asked, "What's a martial soul?"
"Seems he hasn't awakened one yet." Shao Xin glanced at Zhao Wuji with hopeful eyes. "Once he's rested for a few days, we can attempt an awakening. Who knows? We might get a pleasant surprise."
Zhao Wuji nodded in agreement. "Sounds good."
Xu Yunhan had no idea whether this new body even possessed a martial soul.
If it didn't, he'd be condemned to mediocrity—an unbearable thought.
"I'm fine now. We can try." Xu Yunhan was even more eager than Zhao Wuji and Shao Xin to confirm whether he had a martial soul. He scrambled off the bed.
Zhao Wuji chuckled, then looked at Shao Xin.
After a brief pause, Shao Xin nodded. "His condition is stable. We can proceed."
"Good." Zhao Wuji turned to Xu Yunhan. "We'll attempt to awaken your martial soul now—if you have one."
Retrieving a martial soul activation tool from his storage-type soul tool, Zhao Wuji placed it against Xu Yunhan's body.
A glow enveloped the boy before fading moments later.
"Now, focus your mind and…"
Zhao Wuji guided Xu Yunhan in drawing out his martial soul, manifesting it in his hand.
For Xu Yunhan, this process was second nature.
By now, joy flickered across his face—the moment Zhao Wuji activated his martial soul, he had sensed its presence.
Suddenly, a White Tiger martial soul materialized before him.
"He has a martial soul!"
"And it's a White Tiger!"
All three—Zhao Wuji, Shao Xin, and Xu Yunhan—were thrilled as they studied the White Tiger.
Shao Xin gasped. "It even has wings—a flying White Tiger?"
Zhao Wuji's eyes widened. "And a third eye! Could this be a mutated martial soul?"
Shao Xin mused, "It must be a variant White Tiger. The question is whether it's for better or worse… Quick, check his soul power level!"
At this, Zhao Wuji immediately assessed Xu Yunhan's soul power.
Meanwhile, Xu Yunhan compared this White Tiger to the one he had originally possessed.
In his past life, Xu Yunhan had lived ten thousand years later on the Sun Moon Continent. He was the son of Huo Yuhao and Ju Zi, inheriting a mutated Three-Eyed White Tiger martial soul—a variant that combined the White Tiger's offensive prowess with formidable spiritual power.
Now, having arrived in the Douluo Continent of ten thousand years past, he had awakened a martial soul once more.
But unlike his original Three-Eyed White Tiger, this one bore wings, granting flight.
Beyond that, this new version endowed him with an even stronger physique and spiritual force—far surpassing his previous incarnation.
In other words, Xu Yunhan's current Three-Eyed White Tiger was vastly superior to his original.
This meant his future potential was greater than ever!
Tang San… I'll be waiting for you at Shrek.
The thought of Tang San deepened the hatred in Xu Yunhan's heart.
Having arrived in this era, seeking vengeance against Tang San was only natural.
At the same time, Xu Yunhan saw an opportunity—a path to godhood.
…