Arrival at Donghai Academy, A Spark of Conflict
Yao Xuan and Tang Wulin weren't the first to board the bus. It was already populated with a mix of new students and parents who had accompanied them for registration. The air was thick with a blend of excitement and nervous chatter.
After a wait of about an hour and a half, the bus finally rumbled to life, its interior nearly full, and began its journey toward the famed Donghai Academy.
Through the windows, a forest of skyscrapers slid past. The contrast with Aolai City was stark. Donghai City was a metropolis—prosperous, crowded, and pulsing with modern energy. The streets teemed with pedestrians and a constant flow of soul-guided vehicles, while shopfronts displayed a dazzling array of goods.
"Donghai Academy has arrived. Students and parents, please disembark in an orderly manner and proceed to the Academic Affairs Office for registration."
Twenty minutes later, Liu Yuxin's voice sounded from the front of the bus. Following her instructions, the crowd filed out. Yao Xuan took a moment to survey his new school.
Donghai Academy was far more imposing than Hongshan Academy had ever been. The entrance was a grand archway constructed from massive stone blocks, emblazoned with four bold, crimson characters: "Donghai Academy." It exuded an air of tradition and authority.
Unlike standard intermediate academies, Donghai Academy was a comprehensive institution, housing both intermediate and advanced departments. Liu Yuxin, their welcoming senior, belonged to the latter, a testament to her own elite status. Gaining entry to an advanced Soul Master Academy was notoriously difficult, requiring grueling examinations with an acceptance rate rarely exceeding ten percent. It was a place for true prodigies.
After presenting their temporary IDs and recommendation letters for verification, Yao Xuan and Tang Wulin passed through the grand archway. The interior of the academy was a world apart from the city's concrete jungle. Lush, meticulously maintained greenery dominated the landscape, creating a vibrant, almost ancient oasis of calm.
Following the main road, they arrived at a twelve-story building—the primary teaching block for the intermediate section. A simple rule applied here: the higher the floor, the higher the grade level and the stronger the students housed within.
At the academic affairs office, after presenting their documents and tokens, they completed their enrollment. They received their school uniforms, academic calendars, official student IDs, and other essentials, culminating in their class assignments.
Based on soul power level and martial soul, the results were predictable. Tang Wulin was assigned to Class 5 of the first year. Yao Xuan, with his monstrous Level 18 soul power, was placed in Class 1—the so-called "elite class."
Yao Xuan was privately displeased with this outcome. Being separated from Tang Wulin would inevitably slow his accumulation of Golden Evolution Points. Furthermore, he would miss the indirect guidance of Wu Zhangkong, the master from Shrek Academy who would be overseeing Class 5.
Of course, it would be far too conspicuous to actively request a transfer to a lower-tier class. Yao Xuan, however, knew a more direct, if combative, way to achieve his goal.
Holding their dormitory keys, Yao Xuan led Tang Wulin toward the residential buildings.
The dormitories were as tall as the teaching blocks, also twelve stories high. Their assigned room was 205. Navigating a somewhat cramped and noisy corridor, they finally reached their new home.
The interior was spartan, a stark contrast to the building's impressive exterior. It housed two bunk beds, four simple desks and chairs, and four storage cabinets—the bare essentials.
The two lower bunks were already occupied. As Yao Xuan and Tang Wulin entered, both occupants turned to look at them.
The one on the left lower bunk was a tall, stocky boy with a muscular build, a fierce look in his bulging eyes, and a short, practical haircut.
The occupant of the right lower bunk was a young man with an entirely different aura. He had short, neat brown hair, fair skin, a sharp nose, and dark green eyes that held a cold, aloof glint. Dressed in a blue tracksuit, he radiated an air of unapproachable arrogance.
'Is that Xie Xie?' Yao Xuan wondered, his gaze resting on the cold youth. If his memory served, this was indeed Xie Xie, a future member of the Shrek Seven Monsters, possessor of the twin martial souls—Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger.
"Hello, everyone! My name is Tang Wulin, and this is Yao Xuan. We'll be your roommates from now on," Tang Wulin introduced them with characteristic warmth.
"I'm Zhou Changxi," the tall boy declared loudly, puffing out his chest. "And if all goes as expected, I'll be the head of this dormitory, your big brother! If you have any questions, you can ask me. I'll be... kind enough to answer them."
Unlike Zhou Changxi's bluster, Xie Xie's introduction was brutally concise. "Xie Xie." That was all. He didn't even look up properly.
"Wulin, wait here for me. I'm going out to buy some food," Yao Xuan said after storing his luggage, giving Tang Wulin a reassuring pat on the shoulder.
"Food? Okay! Thanks, Brother Xuan!" Tang Wulin's face lit up at the promise of sustenance.
Yao Xuan left the dormitory but didn't go far. Just outside, he leaned against the wall, extending his spiritual sense to monitor the room. He was waiting for the inevitable conflict to ignite.
Sure enough, mere minutes after Yao Xuan's departure, Zhou Changxi's eyes rolled with contempt. "Hey, newbie. Tang Wulin, right?" he said, his tone dripping with condescension. "Go clean the dormitory."
"Oh, okay," Tang Wulin replied, a bit flustered by the sudden command. Being new and wanting to avoid trouble, he obediently picked up a mop and bucket and headed to the communal bathroom to fetch water.
"Hmph, a pushover. I can't stand guys like that," Zhou Changxi sneered once Tang Wulin was gone. He stood up and strode over to Tang Wulin's luggage. "Let's see what this country bumpkin brought."
He unzipped the bag and gave it a rough shake. Several changes of simple clothes, some personal toiletries, and a neatly folded quilt tumbled out, scattering haphazardly across the floor.
"What a load of junk! God, is this guy a beggar? Hahahaha!" Zhou Changxi laughed mockingly, kicking at the fallen quilt.
"You! What are you doing?" Tang Wulin's voice, sharp with anger, cut through the laughter. He stood in the doorway, the bucket of water in his hand sloshing dangerously.
"What does it look like I'm doing? Just checking out what our little country bumpkin brought. Got a problem with that?" Zhou Changxi retorted, smirking as he crossed his arms.
"Of course I have a problem! Pick it up. Now!" Tang Wulin's fists clenched at his sides, his voice cold and firm.
"Hey! You trying to start something, you little hick?" Zhou Changxi's voice rose in pitch, his face flushing with irritation at being challenged.
'That's enough. Now it's my turn to make an entrance.'
Sensing the escalating tension with his spiritual power, a faint, calculated smile touched Yao Xuan's lips. He retrieved a bag of plump, bright oranges from his system's spatial storage, casually swung it in his hand, and strolled back toward the dormitory door as if he had just returned from a leisurely errand.