Black World, Douluo Continent.
[Within the Sky Screen, Huo Yuhao was discovered by the homeroom teacher of the second grade, class two, for being late, and the teacher directly asked the Academic Affairs Office to expel him.]
[However, after returning to Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao first found his homeroom teacher and the Soul Tool Department teacher, Fan Yu, to explain his experience. He hid most of the critical information, only mentioning that his Spirit might have had a problem, and that he was lucky enough to awaken a second Spirit, the Ice Jade Scorpion, and obtained a Spirit Ability for his first Spirit.]
[After hearing Huo Yuhao's explanation, Fan Yu and Zhou Yi immediately decided to protect Huo Yuhao. Fan Yu did not hesitate to reveal Huo Yuhao's talent in spirit tools and took the blame for Huo Yuhao's tardiness upon himself.]
[Therefore, during the inquiry by the teachers from the Academic Affairs Office, Huo Yuhao was not expelled from Shrek Academy.]
...
Black World, inside a tavern.
"Expelled? Did that homeroom teacher get kicked in the head by a donkey? Expelling a genius like this?"
"Sigh, she didn't know Huo Yuhao's current situation, so doing that was normal. After all, Zhou Yi and Fan Yu protecting Huo Yuhao was because of the change in Huo Yuhao's talent."
"By the way, that Zhou Yi is not only young, but also very beautiful!"
"She wears that mask probably because of her appearance!"
"Fan Yu is truly good to Huo Yuhao. Not only did he give Huo Yuhao the status of a core disciple of the Martial Soul Department, but he also saved such a talented disciple for Shrek Academy. His judgment is truly good, unlike the others in the Martial Soul Department of Shrek Academy who are shortsighted!"
...
Shrek Inner Court, inside the Sea Gods Pavilion.
After seeing Huo Yuhao resolve the crisis of being expelled, Xuan Zi nodded slightly. Only then did he understand the specific reasons behind it.
Meanwhile, Yan Shaozhe also arrived at the Tang Sect and learned what exactly was in Dragon City.
...
White World, Sun Moon Empire, countless commoners were somewhat surprised to see the actions of Zhou Yi and Fan Yu.
"I didn't expect Zhou Yi to have this side to her; she really is good to Huo Yuhao!"
"Heh! If Huo Yuhao hadn't shown his value, would she be so kind? Didn't you see how many people were expelled from her class in one semester?"
"But you can't deny that her class is indeed excellent!"
"Uh... indeed excellent. She expelled all the poor students, how could they not be excellent?"
"Look, Fan Yu is truly good to Huo Yuhao. He actually took the initiative to stand up for Huo Yuhao and protected him!"
"That's normal. Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eyes Martial Soul obtained a second Spirit Ability, and the four Spirit Abilities granted by the Heavenly Dream Ice Worm were also enhanced. How could he not see Huo Yuhao's talent in spirit tools?"
"Indeed..."
Amidst the discussions of the commoners in the two Worlds, after the White World's Huo Yuhao returned to the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy on time, he also began his learning journey.
[White World, Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy.]
[After returning from the Far North Land, Huo Yuhao barely rested before diving straight into Xuan Ziwen's laboratory.]
["Teacher, I am back." He pushed open the door, his voice carrying a trace of exhaustion, but more of determination.]
[Xuan Ziwen looked up, watching this dust-covered but bright-eyed disciple, a flash of gratification in his eyes: "It's good that you're back. Four months no see, let me see how much you have progressed."]
[In the following days, Huo Yuhao's life re-entered a high-intensity learning rhythm. During the day, he followed Xuan Ziwen to systematically study advanced theories of spirit tools; at night, he practiced Necromancy under the guidance of Electrolux; in the dead of night, he also had to find time to consolidate his spirit power and familiarize himself with the Ice Empress's power.]
[But what he didn't know was that in the four months he was away, Xuan Ziwen had taken in a few new disciples.]
[It was an ordinary afternoon, and Huo Yuhao was in the laboratory crafting a spirit tool core when he suddenly heard laughter outside the door. The door was pushed open, and Xuan Ziwen walked in with three young people.]
["Yuhao, come and meet your junior fellow apprentices." Xuan Ziwen smiled and pointed to the three people behind him, "This is Ju Zi, Ke Ke, and A Fei. They are all newly accepted disciples this year. According to the time of entry, you are now the eldest senior fellow apprentice."]
[Huo Yuhao was slightly stunned, his gaze falling on the young girl at the lead.]
[She looked to be fourteen or fifteen years old, with exquisite features, and a composure between her brows that did not match her age. What was most striking were those eyes—clear yet hiding depth, as if they could see through people's hearts.]
[This person was exactly Ju Zi.]
[Huo Yuhao's heart stirred slightly. He knew this name. In another World, she was the iron-blooded Empress who started the war, the mother of his child. But at this moment, she was just a young girl who had just entered, her eyes filled with longing for the future and a thirst for knowledge.]
["Greetings, eldest senior fellow apprentice." Ju Zi bowed slightly, poised and graceful.]
[Huo Yuhao snapped back to reality and nodded in return: "Hello. If you don't understand anything in the future, you can ask me."]
...
Black World, Douluo Continent.
In the tavern, the commoners watched the scene on the Sky Screen and discussed it heatedly.
"Ju Zi? Isn't that the Empress Dowager of the Sun Moon Empire?"
"Yes! That's her! How did the Ju Zi of that World become Xuan Ziwen's disciple?"
"And it looks like she and Huo Yuhao are fellow apprentices, and their relationship seems quite good."
Someone sighed: "This is the difference in destiny. The Ju Zi on our side married Xu Tianran for revenge, became the Empress, and finally became the Empress Dowager. The Ju Zi over there is steadily being Xuan Ziwen's disciple, becoming fellow apprentices with Huo Yuhao."
"Do you think the Ju Zi of that World will still be the same as ours?"
"Definitely not! With Huo Yuhao there, how could she possibly walk down that path?"
...
Star Luo Empire, a Marshal's mansion.
A woman dressed in military uniform sat alone in the study, looking at the scene on the Sky Screen, speechless for a long time.
She was the Ju Zi of the Black World—the former Empress of the Sun Moon Empire, now an Imperial Marshal, and the mother of Huo Yuhao's child.
On the Sky Screen, that younger self was smiling at Huo Yuhao, with no hatred or calculation in her eyes, only pure respect.
"If only back then..." she murmured.
She did not continue.
Because she knew, there were no "ifs".
She chose revenge, chose to marry Xu Tianran, and chose that bloody path. Although she eventually got Huo Yuhao and the child, the pain and struggle of those years would never disappear.
And that version of herself in that World did not have to experience any of it.
"How nice," she said softly, a bitter smile appearing on the corner of her lips.
...
Shrek City, Tang Sect.
The Black World's Huo Yuhao looked at himself on the Sky Screen, who was currently talking to Ju Zi, complex emotions flashing in his eyes.
Regarding Ju Zi, his memory was extremely deep, or rather, Ju Zi was his "white moonlight," only their paths were different, and now they had become enemies.