Chapter 19: Reversing Cause and Effect, Shrek’s Scheme

Two days later.

On a road leading to Soto City, Mo Hui was walking alongside Bobo, carrying a backpack.

Having now left the Fasno Province and entered the Kingdom of Barak, Mo Hui’s first goal was to visit Tiandou City, and Soto City happened to be a necessary stop along his journey.

“Ah, if only there were storage-type soul devices,” Mo Hui muttered, glancing at the backpack on his back.

But for now, it was just wishful thinking. Soul devices were expensive, and those with storage capabilities cost tens of thousands of gold spirit coins—far beyond Mo Hui’s current means.

By evening, Mo Hui finally reached Soto City with Bobo.

“No wonder this is one of the two richest cities in the Kingdom of Barak. Its prosperity far surpasses that of Noting City,” Mo Hui remarked as he entered Soto City.

Compared to Noting City, Soto City was clearly larger and more bustling, with a greater number of shops and streets teeming with people.

Moreover, since Soto City was not on the border, there was no curfew, and the nightlife was even more vibrant than the daytime.

“First, I should head to the Martial Soul Hall in Soto City to collect some subsidies.”

After briefly taking in the city’s splendor, Mo Hui asked a passerby for directions to the Martial Soul Hall and proceeded toward it.

Upon arriving, the guard initially tried to stop what appeared to be a ten-year-old child, but then noticed the soul master badge on Mo Hui’s chest.

He was a Second Ring Great Soul Master!

The two guards immediately grew solemn. One half-crouched and spoke gently, “Great Soul Master, are you here to collect subsidies or for another matter?”

“I’m here to collect subsidies,” Mo Hui replied.

“In that case, please proceed that way. But as for this one with you…”

The guard glanced at Bobo perched on Mo Hui’s shoulder with a troubled expression.

The Martial Soul Hall was a sacred place; allowing a soul beast inside would be a grave offense.

“Bobo is my Martial Soul,” Mo Hui explained, understanding the guard’s hesitation. He then summoned and dismissed Bobo once, proving his claim.

Seeing this, the guard relaxed and said, “In that case, please come in.”

Mo Hui entered the Martial Soul Hall.

After he walked away, the two guards began to discuss.

“Never thought this young master was already a Great Soul Master at such a tender age.”

“Indeed, it’s the first time I’ve seen a Great Soul Master so young. Even those monsters from Shrek Academy don’t compare.”

Mo Hui couldn’t hear their conversation as he reached the subsidy collection point. Two century-old spirit rings, yellow and yellow, appeared, confirming his status as a level 22 Great Soul Master under the crystal soul power test.

“What a prodigy. Are you here to register for this year’s Shrek Academy entrance exam?”

The soul master in charge of the test remarked with admiration as he handed Mo Hui ten gold spirit coins in subsidies.

“Shrek Academy?” Mo Hui was slightly taken aback. From what he knew, Shrek was situated in a nearby village outside Soto City.

“You don’t know Shrek? Their principal is a Soul Saint powerhouse, and upon graduation, students receive a baronial title in the Kingdom of Barak. Every year, many gifted youths come to Soto City to take the Shrek entrance exam,” the soul master explained, realizing Mo Hui’s ignorance.

Hearing this, Mo Hui stroked his chin thoughtfully. He seemed to understand why, despite his low opinion of Shrek, so many still applied annually.

In Douluo Continent, noble ranks from highest to lowest are Duke, Marquis, Earl, Viscount, and Baron.

Due to the rarity of soul masters, especially high-level ones, in kingdoms and duchies outside of the two great empires Tiandou and Xingluo, a level 30 Soul Venerable can attain baronial rank, and a level 40 Soul Ancestor can attain viscount rank.

Shrek’s graduation standard is reaching level 40 by age twenty, meaning graduates are guaranteed viscount titles in kingdoms like Barak if they accept recruitment.

“So it’s all about the benefits—Shrek knows how to play the game.”

Having figured this out, Mo Hui couldn’t help but admire Flandre’s cunning. To turn an unofficial and unrecognized academy into something so successful, continually attracting extraordinary geniuses, was impressive.

That said, Shrek wasn’t without its advantages.

Because of its stringent admission standards, Shrek had very few students, allowing those enrolled to receive one-on-one instruction from starting Soul Emperors or even Soul Saints—something other academies couldn’t offer.

Still, compared to other advanced soul master academies, Shrek remained inferior.

Those who pass Shrek’s harsh admissions are top-tier geniuses; if they enrolled elsewhere, even ordinary advanced academies, they’d likely fare better.

Moreover, Shrek lacked simulated training grounds, and its food quality was poor, inevitably slowing students’ progress.

From Mo Hui’s perspective, students attending Shrek would achieve at least as much, if not more, by joining other high-level academies.

Not to mention, Shrek had even experienced fatal accidents during soul beast hunts.

After receiving the gold spirit coins, Mo Hui left the Martial Soul Hall.

He began searching for an inn to stay the night, hoping to find a safe place to meditate.

However, Mo Hui underestimated Soto City’s prosperity or perhaps the rush of academy admissions season. He visited many inns and hotels, all fully booked.

Helpless, he turned to the most expensive hotel in the city—the Rose Grand Hotel—hoping they might have a vacancy.

Though aware of the high prices, Mo Hui had no choice; carrying a backpack to meditate on the street was out of the question.

“You’re just in time, sir. We have only one room left; if you came any later, there’d be none,” said a smiling clerk at the Rose Grand Hotel’s front desk.

Mo Hui’s mouth twitched slightly at hearing “only one room again.”

“How much for a night?” he asked, not caring if it was truly the last one. All he wanted was a safe place to start his training.

“Not expensive, just five silver spirit coins,” the clerk replied with a smile.

“Five silver spirit coins ‘not expensive’? That’s half a soul master’s monthly subsidy, you know!” Mo Hui silently grumbled.

Though inwardly exasperated, Mo Hui remained composed and nodded, “Alright, I’ll take that room…”

Just as the clerk was about to process the check-in, a voice interrupted, causing both to pause in surprise.

“Wait, I want that last room!”