"That's not the so-called Blue Silver Grass at all; it's actually the Blue Silver Emperor, a top-tier plant martial spirit. You've all been misled by historical records," Han Yu declared.
"There are no useless martial souls, only useless soul masters. Beibei, do you believe that? If I gave you a Blue Silver Grass martial soul with half-level innate soul power, could you cultivate it to Titled Douluo? Show me."
"Don't even mention Titled Douluo. If you can reach Soul Master, I'd consider that impressive!"
Beibei fell silent, realizing the truth behind Han Yu's words. Despite his own innate soul power being relatively high, he was still just a Soul Master at this point. If given a Blue Silver Grass martial spirit, achieving even that level would be questionable.
"Woo…" Tang Ya's sobs grew louder, her tears soaking Beibei's shirt.
"Beibei, what should I do? Oooooo!"
Beibei's expression darkened. If Han Yu was right, Tang Ya might never break through to Soul King. For someone like her, who was meant to revitalize the Tang Sect, this was devastating news.
"Brother Han Yu, you must have a solution if you know this information! Please, tell me—I'm willing to pay any price!" Beibei implored, a glimmer of hope in his eyes, even though he knew the chances were slim.
"Is there a solution? There is, but it may not be one you can pursue," Han Yu replied, glancing at the equally shocked Huo Yuhao.
"Any solution?" Beibei's eyes lit up. As long as there was hope, there was a chance for Tang Ya.
"As long as you can find a 100,000-year-old Blue Silver Emperor and let Tang Ya absorb its soul ring and soul bone, her spirit can evolve into the Blue Silver Emperor, and the problem will be resolved," Han Yu explained, unconcerned about sharing this method. He doubted Beibei's ability to achieve it, especially since the Blue Silver Emperor was not known to exist on this continent.
Beibei was taken aback. He lowered his head to Tang Ya and said, "Xiaoya, I promise I will find the Blue Silver Emperor's soul ring and soul bone for you, no matter the cost. Do you believe me?"
Tang Ya's tears finally ceased as she nodded in surprise. "I believe you, Beibei."
A smile spread across Beibei's face. Although hope was slim, at least they had a plan. "Brother Han Yu, I owe you a favor. I'm willing to do something for you in the future, as long as it doesn't go against my principles."
Han Yu waved his hand dismissively. "Let's discuss that later."
With their spirits lifted, Tang Ya and Beibei exchanged smiles and led Huo Yuhao and Han Yu on a tour of Shrek Academy. They were soon halted by a notice announcing the head teacher for the first class of freshmen: Zhou Yi.
Han Yu narrowed his eyes. Zhou Yi had the highest admission rate among Shrek's teachers, and unfortunately, he was assigned to this class.
"Ah, why is it Zhou Yi' that old aunt? Han Yu, Yuhao, you're in for a rough time!" Tang Ya joked, regaining her playful demeanor.
Huo Yuhao's heart raced, fear flashing in his eyes. "Sister Xiaoya, what's wrong? Is this teacher scary?"
Beibei smiled bitterly. "Teacher Zhou is very strict, which contributes to her students' high success rate in advancing. However, she's been transferred to the first grade recently, likely due to complaints."
Huo Yuhao's eyes widened in panic. "If she's strict, doesn't that mean I might get kicked out?"
Beibei waved his hand reassuringly and called a few others over. "Although Teacher Zhou Yi is tough, her results speak for themselves. She has the highest admission rate among all teachers. In her classes, at least five out of ten students advance."
Huo Yuhao let out a sigh of relief, but Han Yu regarded him with curiosity. Why was he relieved? After all, students like him were often the first to be eliminated. Han Yu kept this thought to himself; sometimes, hardship was necessary for growth.
He was eager to see just how strict this teacher was. It would be entertaining, after all.
Since opening his three tomoe Sharingan, Han Yu's mindset had shifted. Especially after his battle with Beibei, his confidence had surged. Previously, he had often felt frustrated after being bested by Du Bu Shou, but now he felt more assured.
He had found his footing, and defeating Beibei had been easier than expected—almost effortless, in fact. He hadn't even needed to use any illusions yet.
In the Douluo Continent, spiritual soul masters were formidable forces; even a glare could intimidate foes. Once he decided to employ an illusion, even a Soul Emperor might find themselves at a disadvantage. However, he knew that such a trump card should be reserved for critical moments.
Han Yu relied primarily on his sword skills, and he planned to develop these techniques for Chidori-ryu as soon as possible. His progress had been slow before due to the difficulty of getting started, but now that he had mastered the foundational methods, creating new ninjutsu would be much easier. With the added boost from the speed of thunder attribute soul skills, he anticipated rapid development.
Keeping a low profile seemed wise, especially with his teacher absent. After bidding farewell to Beibei and Tang Ya, Han Yu and Huo Yuhao headed toward the freshman dormitory.
The dormitory was easy to spot with its distinctive white exterior, and they quickly located it. At the entrance, an old man was lounging in a chair.
"That must be Dragon God Douluo, Mu En," Han Yu thought to himself.
Huo Yuhao stepped forward and addressed the old man respectfully. "Hello, sir. We are freshmen. Do you need to check our badges?"
Mu En's deep voice replied, "Show them to me."
Huo Yuhao handed over his badge, and Han Yu followed suit.
Mu En glanced at their badges and said, "You two are in rooms 108 and 109, the third and fourth rooms on the left on the first floor."
"Thank you!" Huo Yuhao replied, bowing slightly. He turned to Han Yu and said, "You should be number 109. Let's go."
Han Yu nodded at Mu En and then the two of them entered the dormitory.
As they walked away, Mu En remained in his chair, murmuring, "A polite child. The other one is quite interesting."
The figure of a sturdy young man entered Han Yu's view as he was tidying up.
"Yo! I didn't expect my roommate to arrive before me!" the newcomer exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face. "Hey, brother, you might as well help me clean up. I still have some things to do. Don't worry, I'll protect you if anything happens at Shrek Academy from now on."
Han Yu paused, glancing at the young man. He seemed friendly enough, but Han Yu was wary of making assumptions.
"Sure," Han Yu replied, choosing to keep things simple. He continued cleaning his chosen bed, focusing on making the space comfortable.
The young man chuckled, clearly in a good mood. "Name's Xiao Yi. What about you?"
"Han Yu," he answered, giving a brief nod.
As Han Yu finished setting up his bed, he noticed Xiao Yi looking around the room, a hint of mischief in his eyes. "I hope you're ready for some serious training here. Shrek isn't just any academy; it's where legends are made!"
Han Yu shrugged, unsure of how to respond. "I'm here to learn and see what I can achieve."
"That's the spirit!" Xiao Yi replied, clapping him on the back. "Let's make this year unforgettable."
With that, the two settled into their dormitory routine, each bringing their own energy to the space.