Huo Yuhao from The Peerless Tang Sect is incredibly talented.

When Xu Sanshi was called by name, he froze for a moment, then quickly straightened up, coughed twice, and walked over as if nothing had happened.

"Tang Ya, can you tell me what you and Nan Nan talked about?" he said, while desperately stealing glances in the direction Jiang Nan Nan had left.

"You wouldn't understand even if I explained it to you."

"How do you know I don't understand if you don't tell me!"

Tang Ya took a bite of her steamed bun and said with a smile, "Nan Nan didn't mention you. Even if she's thinking about you, she won't say a word."

The consequences of going to the wrong door, the psychological trauma—all combined, Jiang Nannan could say...

A broken home, a sick mother.

Xu Sanshi didn't know whether to be happy or disappointed. In the end, he could only say to Huo Yuhao, "Give me five steamed buns." Then he lowered his head and ate the buns.

What can relieve sorrow? Only overeating.

"Tang Ya, you're close to her, can you tell me—what kind of person does Nan Nan like?"

Tang Ya put down the steamed bun in her hand, looked him up and down, and a plan came to her mind: to trick him into joining the group.

"Seriously?" Tang Ya said, "She doesn't like the way you pursue her."

Xu Sanshi was stunned for a moment.

"You think you're loving her by standing up for her and helping her get what she wants but can't have. But in Nan Nan's eyes, this isn't love; it's a burden."

"Please teach me, sister."

Tang Ya smiled slightly, "You know what? San Shi, for Nan Nan, if you want her to feel that you really love her, don't just give her things directly. In her eyes, that's not love, it's charity."

"Nan Nan has a strong sense of self-respect. She wants someone who can work hard with her and take care of the family together. The two of you are equals. Think about how you usually pursue her. When have you ever really solved a problem with her? When have you ever worked with her? You've taken on all the responsibility."

At this point, Xu Sanshi couldn't help but scratch his head awkwardly, looking embarrassed.

Looking back on how I pursued Nan Nan, I realize I completely overlooked her own perspective.

"Then, sister, how should I pursue Nan Nan? If you ever need me, I'll be there for you through thick and thin!"

"Hmph."

Hearing Xu Sanshi's statement, Tang Ya appeared very smug.

"Young Master Sanshi, listen to me. Nannan has joined the mutual aid society I'm running. If you can join, I can arrange for you to work together."

You know what I mean.

At this point, Xu Sanshi still doesn't understand that if he joins her, he can legitimately work with her instead of secretly following her around.

A bunny girl is stalked by a perverted man.

Tang Ya placed the membership list and pen in front of Xu Sanshi at the same time.

"I'll sign." Xu Sanshi picked up the charcoal pencil without hesitation and wrote his name on the paper in a flowing, elegant style.

Tang Ya put the paper back into the box with satisfaction: "A wise choice. You'll find out what joining this mutual aid society really means in a few days."

Xu Sanshi started rubbing his hands together like a fly: "Sis, can I ask when there's an activity, and if I can be in the same group as Jiang Nannan?"

"Wait for notification. Don't worry, there will be an event in the next few days, probably within a week."

Xu Sanshi's eyes lit up, and he took out a small box from his storage soul tool. "A small token of my gratitude."

After saying that, he ran away in a flash.

Tang Ya glanced at the contents of the box—the Mysterious Water Pill—and accepted it without hesitation.

Then Tang Ya looked at Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had almost finished cleaning up the stove and pots.

There were two steamers of buns left on the table. Huo Yuhao wrapped them in oil paper, handed one to Wang Dong, and kept one for himself.

"Will you come again tomorrow?" Wang Dong wiped the sweat from her forehead, her voice carrying an expectation she herself was unaware of.

"Come on, let's try something different," Huo Yuhao said. "Today we have steamed buns, tomorrow we'll have ramen. You're not very good at kneading dough, so tomorrow is a good opportunity for you to practice more."

"You'll do that much?"

"Children from poor families mature early." Huo Yuhao's tone was calm, as if he were stating something perfectly natural.

Wang Dong was silent for a moment, then suddenly said, "I'll come tomorrow too."

Huo Yuhao glanced at her: "Your hands have blisters."

Wang Dong looked down and saw that she did indeed have several red blisters on her hands, which hurt when touched. She had been so busy that she hadn't noticed them.

"It's nothing." She clasped her hands together, raised her chin, and said, "This little bit of pain is nothing. You said it yourself, how can you practice physical martial arts without getting injured, right?"

Huo Yuhao looked at her, something flashing in his eyes. For a moment, Wang Dong thought he was about to say something, but in the end, Huo Yuhao simply turned away, his back to her, and said calmly, "Whatever."

"Hand out."

Wang Dong was a little confused, but he still obediently stretched out his hands.

Huo Yuhao also took out the ointment and applied it to the blisters on Wang Dong's hand.

Huo Yuhao's fingertips, damp with slightly cool ointment, gently pressed against her palm.

Wang Dong's fingers curled involuntarily, only to be grasped by him without warning. His fingertips, calloused, brushed against her blistered skin, causing a slight stinging sensation, but more than anything, a strange itch—spreading from her palm all the way to her heart.

She tried to pull her hand back, but the moment her fingertips moved, he gripped it even tighter.

The heat rose from where their hands were clasped, turning her neck crimson, and her heart pounded like a drum, making her eardrums buzz.

Wang Dong stood there, stunned, feeling a mix of emotions he couldn't quite describe.

This person clearly taught her martial arts, helped her gather the energy of heaven and earth, and even applied medicine to her just now, but every time she tried to get closer, he would use that indifferent attitude to pull the distance back up.

Tang Ya stood to the side, smiling as she sized up Huo Yuhao.

The freshmen's clothes were faded from washing. They were level 15, one-ring Soul Masters with the Martial Soul Ice Silkworm... She had a very good memory and had Bei Bei take her to the Martial Soul Department Dean's office to see the student files.

Most poor kids are a little introverted and awkward, but this person in front of me doesn't show any of the introversion or awkwardness that a poor kid should have.

"How should I address you, junior?" Tang Ya asked with a smile.

"Huo Buxiao".

"Huo Buxiao, would you be interested in joining an organization?"

"What organization?"

Mutual Aid Society.

Tang Ya brought out her usual rhetoric again—mutual help, poverty alleviation and education assistance, work-study programs. She spoke it fluently, clearly having repeated it many times.

"Members of the mutual aid association can receive a basic subsidy each month. Members from poor backgrounds and those with limited resources also receive additional subsidies. They can accumulate enough points by participating in activities to exchange for cultivation resources, and they can apply for special assistance if they encounter difficulties."

She paused, then added, "Of course, there are also obligations. You must participate in community service at least once a month and cannot be absent from mutual aid meetings without a valid reason. If you are able to do so in the future, you should help those who come after you."

"Okay," Huo Yuhao said.

Tang Ya was taken aback: "You...aren't you going to ask me what specific benefits I get?"

"You said there would be subsidies."

"Just because of that?"

"Because the documents you have have the seal of Tiandou City, and I stayed in Tiandou City for a period of time. Someone there helped me out; otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to get the city lord's recommendation letter at all."

"I'll join too," Wang Dong suddenly said from the side.

"Are you sure?" Tang Ya was a little surprised. She had only intended to win over Huo Yuhao; this girl with light blue hair seemed to come from an extraordinary background and should be well-off.

"I'm sure," Wang Dong said. "Anyway, we're in the same dorm, so I'll follow along and see what he does." She deliberately emphasized the words "dorm" as if to stress something.

Tang Ya keenly caught Wang Dong's furtive glance at Huo Yuhao and roughly understood what was going on.

A Soul Master named Goddess of Light Butterfly sneaked into the men's dormitory, sharing a room with someone, and was from the Haotian Sect.

In an instant, Tang Ya conjured up countless versions of tragic love stories in her mind, such as a rich girl falling in love with a poor boy, or her and him when they were young.

So cute!

Tang Ya took out the list filled with names, then took out a charcoal pencil and wrote two lines on it. She then looked up at Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong and said, "Believe me, you won't regret this. You'll understand in a few days."

After saying that, she put away her pen and paper and walked towards the school gate without looking back.

Tang Ya was in a great mood. She had gathered several people with her today, including two people with considerable connections.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong stood there and watched her walk away.

"What exactly is this mutual aid society all about?" Wang Dong asked, frowning. "What she said is no different from handing out flyers."

"You'll know in a few days," he said, using the exact same tone Tang Ya had just used.

Wang Dong blinked, feeling that there was something hidden in those words.

Wang Dong followed behind Huo Yuhao, walking along the official road towards the school gate. The evening breeze, carrying the aroma of steamed buns, blew past the Shrek Academy walls, and her shadow, stretched long by the setting sun, almost overlapped with Huo Yuhao's.

She looked down at the two figures, who were almost touching each other on the ground, and suddenly slowed her pace.

No other meaning. I just didn't want to walk too fast.

Back in her dorm room, Tang Ya took out the list.

There's definitely something wrong with Huo Buxiao. She couldn't quite put her finger on what it was, but her gut feeling told her that Huo Buxiao was suspicious.

But it's okay.

Tang Ya took out the list and checked the long string of names on the parchment one last time.

Shrek Mutual Aid Society Roster

Jiang Nannan, Beibei, Xu Sanshi, Xiao Xiao...

Then there are the two most recently added: Huo Buxiao and Wang Dong.

Tang Ya put down the roster, thinking: No matter who you are, since you've signed this document, you're one of us.

Just as Heaven Dou City doesn't care about your origins, as long as you're not a fallen Soul Master, you can receive the blessings of the gods.

Then, Tang Ya took out a lighter and lit the list. But the list did not emit any smoke or heat after burning, allowing the flames to consume the list until it disappeared.

The next day, early morning. Classroom 1.

Mu Jin got straight to the point: "Today we'll be discussing the Guiding Technique. The full name of the Guiding Technique is 'Virtual Realm Guiding Technique,' which was made public by the City Lord's Mansion of Tian Dou City. After mastering it, your spiritual power will be guided to the surface of the virtual realm—commonly known as the network."

She wrote the word "network" on the blackboard and drew a diagram of connections as dense as a spider web.

"The network has five main functions. First, chat groups. After successful introduction, an identity mark is automatically assigned, which can be used to add friends, send messages, and create group chats. Everyone here has been automatically added to the Shrek Academy Outer Court Class 1 group, and I am the group owner. Second, the shop. The currency is Holy Coins, which are condensed by Soul Masters using excess Soul Power during meditation. You can buy a lot of things, including God-given Soul Rings and Martial Soul evolution materials."

"Teacher, could you please allow my martial soul to evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?"

Unable to contain his excitement, Ning Tian couldn't help but ask a question.

The internet is a product of extraordinary ingenuity, and Ning Tian hasn't received any messages from home yet.

"Of course, but as for the value..."

Speaking of this, Mu Jin couldn't help but shake her head; that string of zeros was enough to give anyone a headache.

Then, Mu Jin wrote the word "guild" on the blackboard.

"Third, the guild. From today onwards, everyone will be automatically assigned to the Shrek Academy guild. The guild has its own independent quest system and points ranking, and the points directly affect the graduation evaluation. The ranking of guilds in the Virtual Realm is publicly available throughout the continent."

Hibiscus closed the chalk box, her voice turning serious: "The Void Realm is not a lawless place. The gods are watching you from above—this is not a metaphor. Now, practice the guiding techniques according to the illustrations in the booklet."

The room was filled with the glow of soul power, which rose and fell in waves.

Sitting in the back row by the window, Huo Yuhao opened the booklet, a barely perceptible smile playing on his lips. Every stroke of this guidance technique was hand-drawn by him. He still meticulously circulated his soul power, just like any ordinary new student.

Wang Dong, standing beside him, displayed astonishing talent. In less than a quarter of an hour, he touched the threshold of the Void Realm, his consciousness floating before the boundless light curtain.

Then, a ding sounded.

To celebrate you being the 99999th person to enter the virtual realm, character elements of death, butterfly, divinity, and wisdom have been detected. We are now giving you the [Flawed Butterfly Character Template] for free.

Wishing you all the best on your journey through life.

???

Wang Dong was stunned: What the hell? His martial soul was indeed a butterfly, but what the hell was death and divinity? Did I even have that?

Before Wang Dong could react, a stream of purple light entered his consciousness.

As time passed, many people in the classroom also entered the virtual world, the internet.

"The Body Sect has the highest contribution value? A commanding lead?!"

"Wait—look behind you! The Body Sect's contribution points are eight!"

"Wait a minute, why is the 'eight' in the Body Sect's contribution points numbered upside down?"

"Look at the shop—100,000-year-old soul bones, divinely bestowed soul rings, soul ring age-increasing items, martial soul second awakening guide stones, and they even offer soul ring resetting services?!"

"Is this for real?" A boy in the front row stood up, his voice full of doubt. "A fragment of a 100,000-year-old soul bone. This kind of thing could be exchanged for a city outside. To put it up for sale in the virtual realm? Only a fool would believe that."

A chorus of disbelief filled the classroom, but Huo Yuhao remained composed, his expression one of complete control. "Receive this blessing," he said, "I will lead you into a new world."

At that moment, the light screen in front of everyone shuddered simultaneously.

Buzz, buzz, buzz. A message was forcibly pushed to the entire virtual realm, white background with red text, shocking to the eye.

[System Announcement: The Shrek Academy guild has triggered the hidden quest chain – "The Secret of the Golden Tree". Completion conditions: Unknown. Rewards: Unknown.]

[Comment: When the seven gods ascended to heaven, they left behind only the Golden Tree, a priceless treasure. This must have had a profound meaning. So, what was the purpose of leaving the Golden Tree behind? What is the Golden Tree, given its immense significance to the Douluo Continent?]