Douluo Continent, Huo Yuhao who returned from Sekiro

Chapter 54 Xiao Tao's Destiny (Please read on, it's really important!)

"Perhaps this is Xiaotao's fate?"

Elder Xuan picked up the wine pot and took a few sips, saying, "At first, I wanted to find a top-tier ice-type soul beast of sufficient age, drag it back to the school to raise, and use it to suppress the evil fire on Xiao Tao's body, but I came up empty-handed."

"Later, I went to the ice cap in the far north and found a crack to go into. I spent a month exploring the underground world of the far north, but unfortunately, I didn't even find a single piece of the Ten-Thousand-Year Mystic Ice Marrow."

"Later, I thought, if all else fails, I'll secretly capture a 100,000-year-old ultimate ice soul beast and give it to that girl Ling Luochen. Once she's capable of absorbing a 100,000-year soul ring, she can take over Xu Sanshi's task of suppressing Xiao Tao's evil fire, but..."

At this point, Elder Xuan sighed again, took a few sips of wine, and said, "I even ventured deep into the heart of the far north and encountered several 100,000-year-old soul beasts. However, the Titan Snow Demon and the Ice Bear King were too large, and fighting them would easily cause a commotion. Several 100,000-year-old Ice Jade Scorpions were always near that Ice Emperor, so I dared not make any rash moves."

"As for the Snow Emperor, I really didn't notice her existence. However, in the areas where the Snow Emperor was recorded to have lived, I smelled an extremely faint scent of a top-grade ten-thousand-year-old snow lotus. It might even be a hundred-thousand-year-old snow lotus, but I ultimately failed to find that snow lotus."

After listening to Elder Xuan recount the whole story, Wang Yan couldn't help but sigh. Elder Xuan had already tried his best, but many things are useless if you only rely on hard work; you also need a bit of indispensable luck.

Three months in the far north, trying every possible method, but ultimately returning empty-handed, a situation that would be hard for anyone to accept.

Huo Yuhao was unaware of the conversation upstairs. After finishing the barbecue at the table where Elder Xuan was, Huo Yuhao had already taken off his apron and was ready to leave work.

Holding the special library card that Wang Yan had helped him obtain, Huo Yuhao entered Shrek Academy with ease and headed straight for the library.

During his year at Shrek Academy, Huo Yuhao successfully passed the Level 2 Soul Master qualification exam and also raised his Soul Power level to Level 16. However, even so, Huo Yuhao was not in a hurry to enroll. He was only ten years old this year, and it would be enough for him to enroll next year.

This choice was made due to a variety of factors. The most important reason was that Huo Yuhao's apprentices had not yet graduated. Although their skewers, sprinkled with various spices, were still delicious, they were worlds apart from the skewers Huo Yuhao made himself.

So, with no other option, Huo Yuhao had to stay for another year after being pleaded with by many senior students.

Of course, there are other reasons as well. For example, Teacher Wang Yan generously helped Huo Yuhao with the matter of borrowing books. In other words, even if Huo Yuhao did not study at Shrek Academy, he could still systematically learn the theoretical knowledge of Soul Masters.

According to most of the senior students, the vast majority of freshmen will enter Shrek Academy at the age of eleven, and very few students will join Shrek a year or two earlier.

The reason is simple: it is indeed remarkable to reach level 15 at the age of ten or even nine, meeting the minimum admission requirements of Shrek Academy. But instead of rushing to enroll, why not stay at home for a year or two, cultivate to level 20, obtain the second spirit ring, and then enroll?

Is the bed at home not soft enough, or are the rewards from the freshman competition not appealing enough, that makes you want to enroll at Shrek Academy so early?

Upon hearing the words "Freshman Competition Rewards," Huo Yuhao's ears practically perked up immediately.

After making some inquiries, I learned that the academy seems to hold a freshman competition three months after the new students enroll each year. Teams that achieve good rankings in this competition seem to have the opportunity to receive preferential treatment in the academy's teaching resources, and there seems to be a special reward called "core disciple".

This is why Huo Yuhao is even more determined to enroll next year. He has a feeling that if he can achieve a dazzling result in the freshman competition, it might become a stepping stone for him to enter the inner academy of Shrek Academy in the future.

"Xiao Yuhao, here at the library again, getting ready to study?"

"Tsk tsk tsk, so overly complicated, so overly complicated. You're already being overly complicated before you've even started school. Luckily, we're not in the same grade, Xiao Yuhao."

"Hello, Senior Huo! Goodbye, Senior Huo!"

Along the way, Huo Yuhao carried two theoretical books he had just finished reading in his left hand, while his right hand kept raising and lowering them, constantly greeting others.

Although he hasn't enrolled yet, the school is already filled with legends and titles about Huo Yuhao.

For example, strange and unusual titles such as "Rising Star of Grilled Fish", "God of Grilled Skewers Who Controls the Taste Senses of Teachers and Students", and "King of Battle Spirits Born for Battle Spirits, Who Breaks Through the Eighteen-Level Difference in Battle Spirits".

As a result, many of the new students who enrolled this year even called Huo Yuhao "senior" under the encouragement of the crowd, which Huo Yuhao found somewhat difficult to handle.

Huo Yuhao found a corner to sit down and started reading two books he had just taken from the bookshelf. However, he had only been reading for a short while when he heard faint sobbing.

Following the sound of sobbing, Huo Yuhao saw a girl with light red hair wearing a yellow school uniform and a high ponytail.

Huo Yuhao closed his book, got up and walked forward, observing the girl.

The girl had delicate features with a few playful freckles. Tears streamed down her cheeks, but she didn't bother to wipe them away. Her eyes were fixed on the textbook in front of her, and she kept highlighting the important points. But soon, her eyes were blurred with tears, making it difficult to see the words on the textbook.

Huo Yuhao knew this girl; she was a student in Class 1 of the second year and had a good relationship with Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, and others.

Oh right, this year it should be Class 1, Grade 3.

"What's wrong? Is there anything I can do to help?"

Huo Yuhao took out a few tissues and handed them to her. Hearing Huo Yuhao's voice, the girl subconsciously trembled, awkwardly took the tissues, wiped away her tears, and then whispered, "I'm sorry, did I bother you? I'm so sorry."

"How could that be?" Huo Yuhao shook his head. "Senior, what happened?"

Hearing the familiar voice, the girl looked up in surprise and met Huo Yuhao's golden eyes.

"Oh, it's you, Xiao Yuhao. Do you know how awful it is to scare your senior?"

The girl rubbed her eyes, pretending to be calm as she looked at Huo Yuhao, even reverting to her senior-student demeanor.

The first round of recommendations has begun! I humbly request everyone's continued reading. Whether it gets a second round depends on you, dear readers. I'll maintain a daily 10,000-word limit after it's released; plenty of content to satisfy your reading appetite.

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orz (I'm bowing down)

(End of this chapter)