Why did they land only after flying near Mingdu?
The reason was simple—Mingdu, as the capital of the strongest nation on the continent, and one that had once suffered the humiliation of having enemy forces at its gates, had by far the most formidable defensive system on the entire continent. If one didn't want to be mistaken for an invader and subjected to a barrage of soul tool bombardments, they had to land at least a hundred kilometers from the city. Any closer, and they'd be within the range of Mingdu's defense array.
"Everyone, listen up. We've entered Mingdu's vicinity. Stay low-key in person, but act high-profile. Understood?" Zhu Ziyang said after the Shrek team landed.
"Understood!" everyone responded loudly.
"Very good. Let's go!" Zhu Ziyang grinned, satisfied with their spirit.
Under Zhu Ziyang and Ma Xiaotao's lead, the Shrek Academy team advanced rapidly toward Mingdu.
Before long, they arrived at Mingdu—the imperial capital of the Sun Moon Empire, the greatest city on the continent!
And it did live up to its reputation. As the most technologically advanced city in terms of soul tool innovation, Mingdu was immaculately planned. Tall buildings were interconnected by metal pillars carrying soul power lines, and nearly every building had soul-powered equipment. This was far beyond what any city in the original Douluo continent could offer—not even Shrek Academy could compare.
"As expected, the development of soul tools is the future trend," Zhu Ziyang sighed with admiration.
Most members of the Shrek team were traditional soul masters, and while many of them had lingering biases against soul tools, they couldn't help but be impressed by the technological superiority of the Sun Moon Empire. Their beliefs began to waver.
"Let's head to the hotel!" Zhu Ziyang smiled.
According to the rules, all participating teams had to report to Mingdu's defense department immediately upon arrival to verify their registration. After that, the Sun Moon Empire would provide the best accommodations and meals free of charge.
However, the Shrek team didn't need to do this. As the reigning champions, they had special privileges. They could proceed directly to their hotel, leaving the paperwork to others.
In truth, the moment Shrek Academy stepped into Mingdu, their arrival was already noticed by interested parties and reported to a certain desk in the imperial palace.
The hotel designated for receiving the teams was called Mingyue Hotel. Located in the center of Mingdu, it was an eight-story building clad in silver-white metal, appearing sleek and high-tech. It was one of the finest hotels in the city, showcasing how much the Sun Moon Empire valued the tournament.
Zhu Ziyang and Ma Xiaotao led more than a dozen Shrek students into the hotel lobby. The moment they entered, they immediately drew all attention.
At that moment, the lobby was already packed with many teams—more than a hundred people. But once Shrek entered, everyone paused what they were doing and turned to look. The once-bustling hall fell silent.
Eyes filled with awe, admiration, jealousy, and hostility all locked onto them. Everyone knew who they were—Shrek Academy.
Zhu Ziyang and his teammates ignored the stares. They had long stopped trying to conceal their identities, each proudly wearing the academy's iconic uniform. This, seemingly, contradicted Zhu Ziyang's earlier words about being "low-key."
A tall, graceful young woman in a silver gown quickly approached. Her looks were stunning, her figure elegant, and her demeanor exuded noble charm. With a gentle smile and a melodic voice, she said warmly:
"Esteemed guests from Shrek Academy, welcome to the Mingyue Hotel. I am Yan'er, the floor supervisor. From today forward, I will be in charge of all matters concerning your stay. Please, follow me."
"Lead the way," Zhu Ziyang replied calmly.
Following her lead, the Shrek group went upstairs. The moment they left, the once-quiet lobby burst into noisy chatter.
"That's Shrek Academy? They all look so strong!"
"Is that the legendary Zhu Ziyang among them? The one with six hundred-thousand-year soul rings?"
"Tch, I don't believe it. Just a commoner from an academy. I, Sun Zifu of Tyrant Sect, will show him what a true soul master is!"
"Shrek Academy… heh!"
"Did you see their leader? So handsome! I think he stole my heart…"
"Damn! Those Shrek girls… mature bombshells, cold beauties, cute dolls… I wouldn't mind spending the night with any of them!"
…
Among the many gathered teams, one included a beautiful young girl whose eyes sparkled with joy upon seeing Shrek Academy. She opened her mouth excitedly to call out—
—but before she could say a word, a graceful woman in her early twenties covered her mouth and whispered gently, "Zhenzhen, don't shout! You'll draw too much attention."
The girl was none other than Yang Zhenzhen, and this team belonged to the Advanced Soul Master Academy of Falan City.
"Oh, okay!" Yang Zhenzhen quickly nodded, and the woman released her hand.
"I know your brother and sister are in the Shrek team," the woman said, "but it's better to greet them privately later. Shouting here would make you a target."
"Mm, I got it!" Yang Zhenzhen scratched her head shyly. "I was just too excited, hehe!"
Back to Zhu Ziyang's group—they were led by Yan'er to the top floor of Mingyue Hotel. The top floor had only two suites, both of the highest tier: Imperial Suites.
One of the suites was naturally reserved for Shrek Academy. The space was huge, easily accommodating the entire team with rooms to spare.
The other suite was for the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Academy. As Zhu Ziyang's group arrived, they happened to run into the Sun Moon team coming downstairs.
The returning students, Xiao Hongchen and Meng Hongchen—brother and sister—were the captain and vice-captain of this year's Sun Moon team. The two sides exchanged cold glances but refrained from starting any conflict.
That said, it was obvious from the way Meng Hongchen looked at Zhu Ziyang, reluctant to leave, that she still wanted to talk to him.
Inside Shrek Academy's Imperial Suite, Ma Xiaotao—nominally the team leader but actually the second-in-command—quickly began room assignments. The suite had ten bedrooms: one large master bedroom with an extra-large bed, and nine other rooms with two big beds each.
Room assignments were easy.
The master bedroom went to Zhu Ziyang.
The rest were paired off: Ma Xiaotao and Diwu Huan'er, Jiang Nannan and Qian Lingyi, Ning Tian and Wu Feng, Chu Hua and Zhu Lu, Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu, Dai Huabing and Zhou Tianhe, Xie Huanyue and Cao Jin Xuan.
(End of Chapter)
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