Whether it was the Skydream Iceworm or Electrolux, they were both essentially parasites in Su Yu's spiritual sea. Therefore, he needed to establish control over them.
He didn't want to end up like Huo Yuhao, where everything in his spiritual sea could be seen by the beings residing within it. They would only see what he allowed them to see. If he didn't want them to see something, no one would have access to it.
With the Dragon God Seal Martial Soul, Su Yu could fully control his spiritual sea. He could cut off or block the Skydream Iceworm and other entities from perceiving the outside world at will.
To Su Yu, this control was vital.
A massive seal hovered above, and the nine-colored brilliance illuminated his entire spiritual sea. Su Yu nodded in satisfaction and exited his spiritual sea.
After leaving the Star Dou Forest, Su Yu headed west toward the Sun Moon Empire.
The location Su Yu had chosen was the Sun Moon Imperial Academy, and the reason was simple: a certain God-King's plan revolved around Shrek Academy and the Tang Sect. Wasn't the original plot's Huo Yuhao manipulated in the same way?
For his first step, Su Yu decided to jump out of that trap entirely. Whatever plans were laid out for Shrek Academy or the Tang Sect, he would simply avoid going there. If he wanted to defeat the God-King, he couldn't be led around like a pawn.
As for why he didn't choose an academy in the Heaven Dou or Star Luo Empire, that decision was also simple. The three original empires of the continent all wanted to ally with Shrek Academy, and at the very least, wouldn't easily come into conflict with it. Since Su Yu intended to counter Shrek Academy, it was natural to choose the academy that disliked Shrek the most.
And that was, of course, the Sun Moon Imperial Academy.
In terms of talent development, the Sun Moon Empire had a more open-minded approach compared to the three original empires of the Douluo Continent. Jing Hongchen, the head of the academy, was someone who valued and appreciated talent. Su Yu didn't have a bad impression of him.
Moreover, this academy would also allow him to study soul tools, which was another advantage of the Sun Moon Imperial Academy.
As for the academies of the three original empires, Su Yu felt there wasn't much worth learning. He was already knowledgeable about soul master techniques, and in the realm of soul tools, none of them could compare to the Sun Moon Empire.
Of course, the Sun Moon Empire's collusion with evil soul masters was reprehensible, but that had nothing to do with Su Yu. He was there to learn about soul tools, not to pledge loyalty to the empire. As for the corrupt Sun Moon royal family, they didn't deserve his respect. If given the chance to deal with them, he wouldn't hesitate.
To Su Yu, all these empires were essentially the same. Why side with any one of them? They could fight their wars; it had nothing to do with him.
Su Yu's only goal was to grow stronger, protect those close to him, and eventually overthrow a certain God-King. Whatever wars these empires waged, it was none of his concern—unless they provoked him. If they did, it wouldn't matter which empire it was; Su Yu would simply twist off their heads.
No emperor or royal family would stand in his way if his strength was sufficient.
With two Super Douluo leading the way, Su Yu traveled at incredible speed. In just a day or two, they arrived at the Sun Moon Empire's capital, Mingdu.
The capital, also known as Radiant City, was the political and economic center of the empire. Its size surpassed that of any city in the Douluo Continent. Even the capitals of the Star Luo, Heaven Dou, and Dou Ling Empires combined couldn't compare to Radiant City.
By the time Su Yu and his companions reached the outskirts of the city, it was already nighttime. Looking out, there were vast expanses of buildings that stretched as far as the eye could see. Some of these buildings were over five stories tall, with others reaching over a dozen stories high. This wasn't an exception either—buildings like these filled the skyline.
The countless lights illuminated the entire city, giving it a radiant splendor.
It was the most magnificent city Su Yu had seen since arriving on the Douluo Continent.
"Although it still falls short compared to the top-tier cities of my previous life, it's certainly unique for this continent."
"It's a pity this prosperous city was later bombed by Huo Yuhao. Countless innocent civilians were affected—utterly disgraceful. How is this any different from Tang San condoning Dugu Bo's massacre of a city?"
Su Yu shook his head silently.
War rarely spares the innocent, but dragging civilians into it was unforgivable. If you have the strength, fight the armies, not the innocent people. Is that what justice looks like?
The Sun Moon Empire didn't massacre cities, but the so-called righteous Shrek Academy bombed them? Hypocrisy at its finest.
Yes, Su Yu was indirectly criticizing Shrek Academy.
Of course, the leadership of the Sun Moon Empire was no better, especially with their collusion with the Holy Spirit Cult. That alone was enough to condemn them. If someone wiped out those corrupt leaders, Su Yu would gladly welcome it.
"Let's go. Let's find a hotel to stay at, and we'll register tomorrow," Su Yu instructed.
One of the Super Douluo beside him, Lu Yuan—a Rank 97 expert with the Titan Snow Demon martial soul and the title of Snow Demon Douluo—responded promptly.
"Yes, young master."
He led Su Yu to a secluded area, where they landed and found a hotel to rest in.
The next morning, after Su Yu washed up and had breakfast, he headed toward the Sun Moon Imperial Academy. The academy was located in the southern part of the city and covered a vast area, laid out in a hexagonal pattern.
As the top academy of the Sun Moon Empire, the front gates were already crowded with people. It was the enrollment season, and many hopeful applicants had gathered.
The admission requirements were straightforward: applicants needed to have at least Rank 10 soul power and a soul ring before the age of twelve. There were no restrictions on background, which was a sharp contrast to Shrek Academy, where applicants needed recommendation letters from major cities.
Testing soul power was simple—there were crystal balls specifically for this purpose. All an applicant needed to do was place their hand on the ball, and it would indicate whether they passed.
Su Yu didn't make a grand entrance. He queued up like everyone else and, when it was his turn, casually placed his hand on the crystal ball.
Suddenly, the crystal ball emitted an unprecedented brilliance, followed by numerous cracks, before shattering into pieces.
The teacher in charge of registration was stunned and stared at Su Yu in shock. After a long pause, the teacher finally asked, "Student, has your soul power exceeded Rank 30?"
The crystal ball could only measure up to Rank 30 in soul power. Anything beyond that would cause it to shatter.
Upon hearing this, Su Yu nodded.
The teacher's face showed a hint of excitement as he grabbed a form from the side.
"Student, please fill out this registration form first. Then, take it to the testing area behind us for a more detailed evaluation. Once you pass the test and pay the registration fee, you will officially become a student of the Sun Moon Imperial Academy."
The teacher was pleased, as Su Yu's soul power was not low.
However, this was only the beginning. The first test merely eliminated those with insufficient soul power. The real challenge would come later with the physical test.
"Thank you, teacher."
Su Yu picked up the pen and swiftly filled out his name, place of origin, and background. Afterward, he nodded to the teacher again and proceeded to the temporary testing area inside.
The area was less crowded than outside, but there were still a fair number of people present.
As usual, there were always those who tried to pass the test despite lacking sufficient soul power—such people could be found everywhere.
Su Yu calmly stood at the back of the line, watching the other candidates undergo their tests.
Compared to Shrek Academy, the student quality at the Sun Moon Imperial Academy seemed somewhat lower, but their levels were still decent. So far, Su Yu has already seen several Soul Grandmasters with two soul rings.
Then he remembered the academy's tradition of using drugs to boost soul power levels, and it all made sense. For them, drug use was a common practice.
Soul engineers differed from soul masters in that their soul rings were selected to amplify their soul power, while soul tools served as their primary method of attack. Their goal was to create more powerful soul tools, which required greater soul power. As a result, drug use was widespread.
Someone like Su Yu, a pure soul master, was an anomaly at the Sun Moon Imperial Academy.
Before long, it was the turn of the person in front of Su Yu. He watched the soul testing machine with interest. This device was currently exclusive to the Sun Moon Empire and could accurately analyze a person's age, soul power, physical strength, body resilience, and even detect soul bones.
Seeing this advanced device, Su Yu knew that his physical stats wouldn't remain hidden. However, he wasn't concerned—if his information was revealed, so be it. With the protection of the Ice God Palace, there was no threat to his safety. As long as the Dragon God Seal and the Skydream Iceworm remained hidden, it wouldn't be a problem.
Besides, the Sun Moon Imperial Academy valued talent, and since he wasn't a spy, there was nothing to fear.
Soon, it was Su Yu's turn. He set the Black Dragon Ring aside and handed his registration form to the teacher.
"Hm?"
The teacher glanced at Su Yu's place of origin and background, letting out a small noise of surprise. He was from the Heaven Dou Empire. But the teacher wasn't overly shocked, as it wasn't unheard of for people from the original three empires to attend the Sun Moon Imperial Academy—though it was relatively rare.
Su Yu approached the soul testing machine, a tall cylindrical device with a crystal strip running down the front and a circular platform at its base. The machine stood about 2.5 meters tall.
He stepped onto the platform, facing the crystal strip, while a teacher moved to the side of the machine, placing his right hand on a palm-shaped indentation. Another teacher holding Su Yu's registration form picked up a pen, ready to record his data.
"Su Yu, don't be nervous. In a moment, a beam of light will scan your body and record your physical data. Don't worry—it won't harm you," one of the teachers reassured him.
Su Yu nodded in understanding.
"Relax, we're starting now."
At that moment, another teacher spoke, and a strong wave of soul power radiated from his body, particularly noticeable around his arm, where a white halo shimmered.
Immediately afterward, a white light appeared at the top of the soul testing machine. It spread out in a fan shape, covering about a square meter, and slowly descended from the top.
The beam of light scanned Su Yu from head to toe, moving slowly downward.
When it reached his chest, the teacher holding the registration form began recording.
"Physical strength: Level 70. Physical resilience: Level 70. Soul power fluctuation: Level 37, Soul Elder. Height: 1.76 meters. Weight: 70 kilograms. Left arm length... Bone age: 11 years. Soul bone: ??? Overall evaluation:..."
The teacher paused, thinking he had made a mistake. He rubbed his eyes and checked the soul testing machine again, confirming the data. His expression shifted dramatically, and he stared at Su Yu as if looking at a monster.
An 11-year-old Level 37 Soul Elder? This was a genius among geniuses. Even if Su Yu had taken drugs to boost his soul power, it was still extraordinarily rare.
But the most astonishing thing wasn't his soul power—it was his physical strength. A Level 37 Soul Elder with the physical attributes of a Level 70 Soul Sage? It seemed impossible.
It was important to note that the soul testing machine was only a Level 6 soul tool, and Level 70 was its upper limit. Whether this truly reflected Su Yu's full capacity remained unclear.
One of the weaknesses of Sun Moon Imperial Academy was that their physical attributes often couldn't match those of battle soul masters. Some Level 6 soul engineers had physical strength equivalent to a Soul King at best. But Su Yu's physical prowess far exceeded that, leaving the teacher speechless.
"Teacher, is it done?"
Su Yu's voice snapped the teacher out of his thoughts.
"Yes, yes, Su Yu. You've passed the test. Please proceed to the payment counter. After paying, you'll receive your badge and dormitory key, officially becoming a student of our academy."
"Thank you, teacher."
Su Yu thanked him, retrieved his Black Dragon Ring, and headed to the payment counter.
Meanwhile, the teacher who had recorded Su Yu's data quickly said to his colleague, "Take this registration form to Director Lin immediately. We've got a monster in this year's batch."
The other teacher nodded and rushed off with Su Yu's registration form, heading toward the inner part of the academy.
...
Meanwhile, Su Yu paid the registration fee—10 gold soul coins, which wasn't too expensive. Considering the wealth of the Sun Moon Imperial Academy, they likely didn't care much about such a small fee. These soul engineers were well-off; selling just two soul tools could easily fill their pockets.
"Here is your student badge. As for your uniform, it will be delivered to your dormitory within a day. This is your dormitory key. Your room is in the first-year dormitory building, Block 1, Room 212. Also, here's a map of the academy."
Along with the dormitory key, a map of the Sun Moon Imperial Academy was handed to him.