In the center of Mingdu, Ye Xinglan, Le Zhengyu, and their group entered a hotel and made their way to a room on the third floor.
"Teacher, we're here."
"Come in."
The group entered the room and were surprised to see three people.
Besides Luo Meng, the teacher for their year, there were two others.
One was a handsome young man in his twenties, wearing the inner courtyard uniform of Shrek Academy.
The other was a woman of average appearance, also in her twenties, with a gentle smile that made her very, very approachable.
The two stood very close to each other, clearly a couple.
Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi looked at the two with some surprise.
As inner courtyard students, they recognized them.
Lan Muzi, the senior apprentice brother of the inner courtyard, a Three-Word Battle Armor Master.
Tang Yinmeng, the senior apprentice sister of the inner courtyard, also a Three-Word Battle Armor Master.
To become Three-Word Battle Armor Masters in their twenties, one could imagine their strength.
Among them, Lan Muzi held a transcendental status in the inner courtyard, faintly having the momentum of the next Sea God Pavilion Master. Even the elders of the Sea God Pavilion were full of praise for him.
Xu Lizhi asked curiously, "Senior Apprentice Brother, Senior Apprentice Sister, why are you here?"
Tang Yinmeng smiled. "This isn't Shrek City. Your opponents are from the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, which has a long-standing grudge with our academy. The academy was worried that you might be treated unfairly playing away, so they sent us to back you up."
"Besides that, there is also the matter concerning the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well. We will be taking some people there from here. Do you want to go to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"
This entry into the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was due to the agreement with the Spirit Transmission Tower two years ago. But since the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well was going to be opened anyway, the academy also planned to let suitable candidates enter it.
This included the two of them.
The seven students' breathing all hitched. Even Luo Meng, a Shrek teacher, looked somewhat surprised.
The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?
These children might get to go to the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?
That was Shrek Academy's holy land, the important opportunity that allowed the first generation of the Seven Devils to become gods. Could first-year students like them also get to go in?
Ye Xinglan took a deep breath and frowned. "Senior Apprentice Sister, we are only first-years. Is that... possible?"
An opportunity that Yu Longheng had longed for so long was now placed directly before her. Ye Xinglan found it somewhat unreal.
"This is the academy's decision. Your year is already the best in recent years. Among the candidates who will enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well in the future, several of you are the most likely. Moreover, even if you do go in, given your current cultivation levels, obtaining the recognition of those immortal herbs will be quite difficult. So you don't need to feel any pressure."
Tang Yinmeng spoke with a gentle smile, her voice soft as she interrupted Ye Xinglan. Her gaze swept over her junior apprentice brothers and sisters, lingering for a moment on four of them.
Le Zhengyu, martial soul Holy Angel.
Long Chen, martial soul Light Sacred Dragon.
(Note: In the original, Long Chen was a student of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy. However, his situation was special. His original target had been Shrek Academy, but he had been poached by the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy at great cost. In this novel, the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy had no need to do such a thing.)
Ye Xinglan, martial soul Star God Sword.
Xu Lizhi, martial soul Baozi.
Duan Hunxiao, martial soul Heavenly Sound Flute.
He Xiaopeng, martial soul Eight-Pointed Plum Blossom Bright Silver Hammer.
Bai Hanying, martial soul Cherry Blossom.
These seven were the representatives for Shrek in this match. Four of them had the opportunity to enter the inner courtyard directly. The situations of Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi needed no further explanation. The focus was on Le Zhengyu and Long Chen. One had a Holy Angel martial soul, the other a Light Sacred Dragon. One could see the implications from their martial souls. Both had the potential to become Four-Word Battle Armor Masters.
If they could be fully integrated into Shrek through the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well, it would be a good thing.
Tang Yinmeng exchanged a glance with Lan Muzi. Lan Muzi stepped forward and said in a gentle but unquestionable tone, "The grudges between the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy and our academy go back a long way. This exchange match is not only a contest of strength but also a contest of honor between the two academies."
He looked around the group, his gaze lingering on each student's face for a moment, then continued, "In the match three days from now, the three of you who perform the best will be eligible to enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well with us. I hope you will make the most of this opportunity."
Lan Muzi's words were like a spark falling on dry kindling, instantly igniting the fighting spirit of the seven young spirit masters.
The air in the room seemed to grow searingly hot with their rapid breathing.
A blazing light burned in Le Zhengyu's golden eyes. He unconsciously clenched his fist. "The Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well?"
He murmured, the image of that magical land recorded in his family's ancient books appearing in his mind. A legendary fairyland capable of transforming a person, the key to the Sea God's becoming a god.
Long Chen, standing beside him, could barely conceal his excitement. He turned to look at Le Zhengyu. Their eyes met, and they both saw the eager fighting spirit in each other's eyes.
"We will definitely win."
Long Chen said softly, his voice low but full of determination.
"Of course." The corner of Le Zhengyu's mouth lifted in a confident smile.
In the room, morning light streamed through the sheer curtains, coating the quiet space in a soft, warm glow.
Huo Yuhao stood before the dressing mirror, his slender fingers gently moving through Snow Empress's silver hair, which cascaded like a river of stars, combing it.
"Xue'er, how is it?"
The woman in the mirror slightly lifted her eyes. A ripple appeared in her ice-blue eyes. She said softly, "Yes, it's good."
The corner of Huo Yuhao's mouth lifted. He continued combing gently. "Speaking of which, when we were in the Extreme North, you also helped me with my hair."
Snow Empress glanced at him out of the corner of her eye. "Who told you to live so without regard for appearance back then?"
"Aside from you, Elder Electrolux, Brother Skydream, and Ice Empress, everyone in sight was spirit beasts. Naturally, I didn't care much. There was no 'person' to look at me."
Huo Yuhao smiled and shook his head, then stepped back. "There."
Sunlight filtered through the window screen, scattering tiny specks of light on Snow Empress's silver hair, like the light refracted by the never melting ice and snow of the polar regions. She slightly turned her head. Her hair gently swayed with the movement, a dreamy luster flowing through it in the sunlight.
Looking at herself in the mirror, Snow Empress smiled and stood up. Her dress flowed like water.
"You're going to the Spirit Transmission Tower today, aren't you? Don't keep Na'er waiting. I'll wait for you at home."
As Huo Yuhao stepped out of the room, he saw Gu Yuena leaning against a pillar in the corridor. Her silver-purple hair shimmered with a soft luster in the morning light. She stood with her hands behind her back, her toes lightly tapping the floor.
Huo Yuhao naturally reached out his hand. "Let's go. Xiaoyan and the others should already be at the Spirit Transmission Tower."
"Yes."
Gu Yuena placed her slender fingers in his palm. She looked back at Snow Empress's room, curious about what the two had been doing in there all morning, but she did not know how to ask.
However, Huo Yuhao noticed this and said softly, "I was combing Xue'er's hair. Later, I'll comb yours."
Gu Yuena's eyes brightened slightly. She nodded.
***
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