Above the Sky Screen, light and shadow flow.
In the left-hand view, the students of Shrek Academy's first freshman class are sweating profusely on the playground.
In Zhou Yi's class, the usual activities are physical training and teaching meditation techniques. However, the physical training is very tiring, as each student has to run while wearing armor that is almost the same weight as them.
In the classroom, the theoretical classes were equally tedious and rigorous. The types and habits of Spirit Beasts, the evolutionary path of Spirits, the matching principles of Spirit Rings... every course required rote memorization, and the slightest mistake would result in double the punishment.
Black World, Douluo Continent.
Inside the tavern, the people watched the images on the Sky Screen and discussed them animatedly.
" Shrek's training is really ruthless. How many hours of sleep do those kids get a day?"
"But the results are really good. Look at those trainees, in just a few days, their energy and spirit have changed."
"That's true. Strict teachers produce outstanding students. There's a reason why Shrek became the top school."
However, some people have raised questions: "Can their bodies handle this kind of training? Those kids are only teenagers."
"No pain, no gain. If you want to become strong, how can you do without enduring hardship?"
Amid the discussion, the screen on the right began to scroll.
...
[ White World, south of Star Dou Great Forest, on the official road.]
[A thin figure was struggling forward. His clothes were tattered and covered in dust, his face showing the weariness of a long journey, but his eyes remained bright and resolute—it was Huo Yuhao.]
He had been walking for thirteen days.
[Starting from the edge of the Star Dou Great Forest, we crossed the border of the Heaven Dou Empire and headed south. When hungry, we ate dry rations; when thirsty, we drank from streams; when tired, we found a sheltered spot by the roadside and slept fully clothed.]
[Thirteen days ago, he declined the invitations from Bei Bei and Tang Ya, and embarked on his journey to the Sun Moon Empire alone.]
[Thirteen days later, he finally saw the legendary city— Bright Capital.]
...
Black World, Douluo Continent.
Inside the tavern, the people's attention was drawn to the scene on the right.
"That Huo Yuhao has gone to the Sun Moon Empire!"
"Look, isn't that Bright Capital?"
In the scene, Huo Yuhao stands on a high ground, gazing at the city in the distance.
It was an unimaginably vast city, without walls or boundaries, with countless buildings stretching out in all directions, seemingly without end.
In the city center, skyscrapers stand side by side, some a dozen stories high, others dozens, gleaming in the sunlight.
The streets are wide, flat, and crisscrossed. The most eye-catching feature is the soul-guiding lamps that are scattered throughout the city—a lamppost every few dozen meters, with a glowing crystal suspended at the top, which can be seen to emit a soft light even in the daytime.
Occasionally, people can be seen flying through the air using soul-guided thrusters above the city.
Huo Yuhao stood stunned on the high ground, his eyes filled with shock.
He had seen the most prosperous city in the Duke's Palace— Star Luo City. But compared to Bright Capital before him, Star Luo City was like a dilapidated village.
"This is... Bright Capital?"
...
Black World, Douluo Continent.
A gasp of surprise rippled through the tavern.
"What are those crystals on the lampposts? Do they glow?"
"That's a soul-guided lamp! It's powered by a soul-guided core and can provide illumination. But that's just theory; we can't actually build one here yet."
"That World... Soul-guiding lamps are now spread throughout the entire city?"
"And those people flying in the sky! Are those soul-guided propulsion devices? We don't even have a sample here!"
No one can answer that.
Shrek City, Inner Court.
Xuan Zi stared solemnly at the soul-guiding lamps scattered throughout the city on the Sky Screen.
He had long known that the Sun Moon Empire was a well-developed city, and he had even visited the Sun Moon Empire himself. Seeing this now, he still couldn't help but marvel.
Soul guidance technology has become so widespread.
"Elder Xuan, those soul-guided lamps…" Yan Shaozhe's voice was a little hoarse, "being able to be spread throughout the city means that the soul-guided cores can already be mass-produced. And the cost must be extremely low, otherwise it would be impossible to use them for everyday purposes like lighting."
Qian Duoduo said in the interface: "And then there are those people flying in the sky. We've been researching single-person soul-guided propulsion systems for ten years, and we're still in the experimental stage. Over there, some people are already using them as toys."
"If Yuhao hadn't brought a lot of soul-guided technology, would we be even further behind?"
Xuan Zi remained silent for a long time before slowly saying:
"The Sun Moon Empire of that world has a soul guidance technology that is at least fifty years ahead of ours."
"What if the two worlds merge..."
He didn't continue.
But everyone understood what he meant.
If the two worlds merge, with the Sun Moon Empire's soul-guided technology, what can the Douluo Continent use to stop them?
...
On the right, the Sky Screen continues to scroll:
Huo Yuhao composed himself and strode towards Bright Capital.
[Upon approaching, he truly felt the awe-inspiring power of the city. There were no city gates, no guards, only a wide avenue leading straight into the heart of the city. On both sides of the avenue, shops, workshops, and residences stood side by side, and pedestrians thronged the streets.]
He walked along the main road for half an hour and finally saw his destination— Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.
[It was a vast complex of buildings, covering thousands of acres. The most striking feature was the main gate—a thirty-meter-high metal gatehouse, cast entirely from a silver-white alloy, its surface engraved with complex soul-guiding arrays. Above the gatehouse, the enormous school emblem gleamed brightly in the sunlight.]
Looking through the gatehouse, one can see well-arranged teaching buildings, experimental areas, and dormitories.
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and stepped through the door.
The receptionist at the door was a young woman in a light blue academic uniform; she was gentle and professional.
"Hello, how can I help you?"
Huo Yuhao was slightly taken aback—he had expected to encounter a grumpy old gatekeeper like Shrek, but he hadn't anticipated this treatment.
"I...I want to enroll in school."
The receptionist paused for a moment, then politely said, "Student, new student registration closed more than half a month ago. Where are you from? Why are you only arriving now?"
Huo Yuhao paused for a moment, then replied truthfully, "I came from the Star Luo Empire. I was delayed on the way."
A flicker of surprise crossed the receptionist's eyes, but she didn't refuse outright. She thought for a moment and said, "How about this, you wait here for a moment, I'll go and get the teacher in charge of new student affairs. You can discuss the details with the teacher."
Huo Yuhao nodded: "Thank you."
[Shortly afterward, the teacher in charge of new student affairs arrived at the school gate and inquired about Huo Yuhao's background!]
Huo Yuhao only said that his parents were from Star Luo Empire Killed by White Tiger Dukes Mansion and driven to desperation, he came to the Sun Moon Empire, hoping to learn the necessary knowledge to avenge himself against White Tiger Dukes Mansion in the future.
[Upon hearing Huo Yuhao's introduction, the new teacher gave him a deep look, knowing he might be an inside man planted by the Star Luo Empire. However, considering Huo Yuhao's current attire, it didn't quite seem like it, so she had no choice but to call in a regular teacher to decide.]