Douluo Continent, Huo Yuhao who returned from Sekiro

Chapter 31 Shrek City

Is it almost here?

Huo Yuhao subconsciously looked up and realized that Shrek Academy was more like a city than an academy.

Emerging from a forest along the main road, the towering city walls stretch out to the left and right across the distant plains. The sheer size of these massive walls is awe-inspiring, not only for their immense size but also for the majesty and solemnity they exude. Each brick and stone bears the marks of time, weathered by storms, as if whispering an ancient tale.

Shrek Academy is built on the Lima Plain, covering a vast area and is itself a city, known as Shrek City.

On the Douluo Continent, Shrek City is one of the largest cities, home to over two million people. Shrek Academy has independent governance over this city and is exempt from paying taxes to any nation. This alone makes it unparalleled by any other academy in any country, including the Sun Moon Empire.

Shrek Academy is not located in the center of Shrek City, but in the eastern part of Shrek City, because it faces the direction of the Star Dou Great Forest.

In the words of Master Qian in my mind, Shrek Academy has replaced the Spirit Hall's former position on the Douluo Continent, so it naturally has to shoulder the responsibilities that the Spirit Hall once bore. Just as every Grand Elder of the Spirit Hall bore the responsibility of suppressing possible beast tides and being ready to perish together with the Spirit Beast Emperor of Star Dou Forest, Shrek Academy moved from the original site of Heaven Dou City to the ruins of Spirit City because they had to bear everything that the Spirit Hall had once borne.

Shrek City is connected by major roads in all directions, making its transportation network extremely convenient. It is not only the location of Shrek Academy, but also the most important commercial city at the intersection of the three major empires of the original Douluo Continent. While the south, west, and north gates of Shrek City are open to all, the east gate is exclusively for Shrek Academy.

Although this city gate is only for Shrek Academy's use, it is extremely lively at this moment. At least five thousand people have gathered outside the east gate, making the area outside the gate exceptionally bustling. A large number of merchants have already arrived, and it is estimated that the area outside the city is even more lively than the city itself.

Huo Yuhao knew that this was because he had just arrived at Shrek Academy during its enrollment season. The new students were busy preparing for their enrollment. Looking at the bustling crowd, especially the children who were only a few years older than him, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but feel a little envious.

After all, Shrek Academy's admission requirements, besides being no older than twelve and having a soul power level of no less than fifteen, also require a recommendation letter from at least the main city level of one of the three great empires. The children who can embark on the path to Shrek Academy are truly talented and wealthy individuals. He, on the other hand, can't even think about a recommendation letter from a city lord level right now; he has to figure out how to settle down and establish himself in Shrek City first.

After picking Huo Yun'er up from the car, the two walked along the East Gate, enjoying the bustling atmosphere of Shrek Academy during the enrollment season. This lively yet peaceful atmosphere was actually quite rare. Huo Yun'er frequently smiled, and she looked at the girls who were about the same age as Huo Yuhao with satisfaction. She seemed to be dazzled by the sights, glancing at Huo Yuhao one moment and then at the girls full of youthful energy the next, wondering what she was thinking.

"Mom, what are you looking at? You're making that little girl next to you uncomfortable."

Huo Yuhao gently touched Huo Yun'er beside him and asked with some surprise.

"Oh? Oh, it's nothing, it's nothing. Mom is just happy because you'll be going to Shrek Academy in a couple of years and studying with these classmates. Look at your classmates, they all look so energetic."

Huo Yun'er was taken aback by Huo Yuhao's question, and then, without giving a sincere answer, turned her gaze to the other side and explained.

Huo Yuhao found a reasonably clean inn to stay at and painfully took out ten gold soul coins as payment for the room. He felt as if his heart was bleeding.

You should know that these ten gold coins were only the cost of five days' room at this inn. This extremely expensive price made Huo Yuhao feel heartbroken and unable to breathe.

"What, does Shrek Academy have its own special currency exchange rate?"

Fortunately, the inn only raised its prices during the start of the school term. After these few days, the prices should drop. At that time, it would be reasonable to either come back to extend the stay or check out and find a place to rent. Thinking of this, Huo Yuhao finally felt a little more comfortable.

After spending some time strolling around outside Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao had a basic understanding of the general layout of Shrek City. Shrek Academy was located in the eastern part of Shrek City. The most bustling place was not the east gate, which Huo Yuhao had entered when he entered the city and which echoed the Star Dou Forest, but the back gate of Shrek Academy, which was the west gate that directly connected to the other three major districts of Shrek City. Most students would leave through this gate after class to explore and relax in Shrek City.

As for the east and west gates of Shrek Academy, there is a snack street on each side. The business on the street is very lively, but Huo Yuhao took a closer look and found that it was basically still the same old three dishes: stew, boil, and roast. This gave Huo Yuhao a better idea of ​​what was going on.

In the end, Huo Yuhao set his sights on Shrek Academy. If he wanted to visit Shrek, this was probably the best time. Once the enrollment season was over, it wouldn't be so easy to find an opportunity to visit Shrek.

After wandering around for a while, Huo Yuhao found himself back at the East Gate. There, a dozen or so young men and women of similar age stood guard, each dressed in a yellow outfit with a green pattern on their chest. This was the uniform of second and third-year students from Shrek Academy's outer courtyard.

Among them, the most eye-catching was a young man. He was tall and slender, with long, dark blue hair that shone like jewels in the sunlight. He exuded a refined air, and his handsome face wore a lazy, gentle smile.

Although he was only wearing Shrek Academy's exclusive school uniform, the other person gave off a noble air. Huo Yuhao's expression hardened. This was the second time he had encountered such a person in Douluo Continent. The last time he encountered a similar person was Long Aotian, who was already hunting for the fifth spirit ring at the age of thirteen or fourteen.

Standing beside her, smiling sweetly, was a girl whose aura was no less impressive. The girl's long black hair was styled in a ponytail, cascading down her back. A light blue outfit accentuated her youthful figure, making her appear like a budding flower. She had large, expressive almond-shaped eyes, a straight nose, and a near-perfect oval face—a beautiful face. While not flawlessly beautiful, she possessed a refined and elegant charm.

(End of this chapter)