"Freshman Class Nine—Mujin."
After paying tuition and collecting their dorm keys, two sets of uniforms, and white academy badges, Chen Junting led the group to the bulletin board to check who their homeroom teacher would be.
"The class rosters aren't posted yet?"
He scanned the lists beneath the first eight class advisors—each already displaying their students' names. His eyes drifted down… until they landed on Freshman Class One.
"Huh?!"
Chen Junting's brow furrowed slightly.
Wang Dong's name was missing from the roster.
Was this an oversight… or something more?
"Brother Junting, what are you looking at?" Ning Tian's voice pulled him back.
"Nothing," he replied casually. "I just heard this homeroom teacher, Zhou Yi, is notoriously harsh—got curious." He didn't dwell on it, instead calling to Wu Feng and Huo Yuhao, who were still browsing other class lists.
"Let's go. We'll head to the dorms first."
Unbeknownst to them, moments after they left—
A strikingly handsome youth—fair-skinned, with soft powder-blue hair and matching eyes—arrived at the registration desk they'd just vacated. He submitted his information, which was placed directly after Huo Yuhao's on the list.
All the while, he grumbled under his breath:
"Stupid Big Dad and Second Dad! I was already on my way out when they dragged me back, saying they 'missed me' and wanted to see me 'a few more days.' Then why rush me to Shrek Academy in the first place?!"
"Almost made me miss enrollment entirely…"
After completing registration, he snatched his freshman supplies and strode toward the dormitory.
…
Shrek Academy's dormitory was vast—a single building painted in four colors: white, yellow, purple, and black—clearly corresponding to the four teaching departments. It stood six stories tall:
- Floors 1–3: Male students
- Floors 4–6: Female students
"Shrek Academy is so stingy!" Wu Feng blurted the moment she learned all grades and genders shared one building—completely ignoring the old man dozing beneath a tree near the entrance.
"Feng!" Ning Tian tapped her forehead sharply. "Can you please stop blurting things out so recklessly?"
"Ugh… sorry, Ning Tian," Wu Feng mumbled.
Meanwhile, Chen Junting's gaze had locked onto the elderly man.
'So this is Dragon God Douluo—Mu En.'
Frail and aged, his formidable aura was well hidden.
"Brother Junting… is something wrong with that elder?" Huo Yuhao asked, halting his instinct to apologize for Wu Feng's rudeness.
"Nothing," Chen Junting lied smoothly, shifting blame. "I was just worried Feng might get scolded by the dorm supervisor—for badmouthing Shrek right to his face."
"Oh! Then I should apologize for her!" Huo Yuhao, taking the bait, stepped forward—after all, Wu Feng had been kind to him these past days.
On the lounge chair, Mu En sensed the commotion. His eyelids lifted slightly, catching Chen Junting's gaze—and glancing at the chastised Wu Feng, he spoke flatly:
"No need, little one."
Huo Yuhao froze.
"Brother Junting—the elder heard us," he whispered.
Ning Tian, having finished scolding Wu Feng, immediately tugged her toward the old man. In Shrek Academy, there were no weaklings—and an elder like this? Likely a Title Douluo.
But the old man waved off their apology.
Chen Junting stepped forward and lightly smacked Wu Feng's head—then, as she yelped, bowed respectfully to Mu En. 'Attitude first, regardless.'
Ning Tian curtsied gently. "Grandpa, Feng is young and thoughtless. Please forgive her."
Seeing the elder close his eyes again, the four quickly entered the dormitory.
Behind them, Mu En reopened his eyes, watching with an odd expression as Wu Feng rubbed her sore head—and as Chen Junting and Ning Tian played their roles: one delivering discipline, the other offering grace.
"Another from the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?" he mused. "Sharp minds, keen eyes… even for a trivial matter, they show such proper decorum. Last time must've been Bowen's doing…"
…
"Alright, you two go up."
"Meet downstairs once you're settled."
On the third floor, Chen Junting parted ways with Ning Tian and Wu Feng, then led Huo Yuhao to Room 171.
"Huh? Why are our room numbers so far apart?"
Chen Junting frowned at his key—Room 161—then looked up at the dusty, long-unused door of 171.
"Looks like your roommate hasn't arrived yet."
Huo Yuhao pushed the door open. Stale, musty air rushed out like a trapped spirit. Chen Junting waved a hand, dispersing the foulness with a sweep of soul power.
"Need help, Yuhao?"
"No, no—I've got it!"
Seeing Huo Yuhao's refusal, Chen Junting didn't insist. He simply said, "If you run into trouble, come find me in 161," before walking away.
At Room 161, the door was clean—unlike its neighbors.
"Someone's already here?"
Noting that Room 162 was full, his suspicion grew. But when he opened the door, a faint, fishy stench hit his nose—masked by perfume, yet unmistakable.
"Snake venom?"
His soul power instinctively surged—but within a second, he concluded: the scent was harmless, merely residual toxin.
His eyes swept the room—and locked onto a boy meditating on the top bunk.
Green hair. Green eyes. Even his nails were green.
Thoroughly, utterly toxic.
Sensing someone enter, the green-haired youth slowly opened his eyes. At the sight of Chen Junting, he froze—surprise flickering in his gaze, then something deeper: quiet hope.
He hopped down and extended a hand with a warm smile.
"Hi, I'm Dugu Xin."
Chen Junting nodded politely and shook his hand. Then, bluntly:
"You're from that Dugu—the one tied to Dugu Bo from ten thousand years ago?"
Dugu Xin's smile stiffened. He ran a hand through his green locks, then laughed bitterly.
"So your background's impressive—you know everything."
"Yes, I'm from that cursed lineage—the Dugu clan, whose poison is trashier than garbage. My martial soul? The Jade Phosphorous Serpent, passed down from ten thousand years ago."
"If you want to switch rooms… go ahead."
He bowed his head. "Sorry for the trouble."
Chen Junting understood instantly.
Dugu Xin had clearly been abandoned by roommates before—all because of his toxic martial soul.
'No wonder I got Room 161's key—it's the leftover from his previous rejections.'
But Chen Junting didn't care.
Shrek wouldn't house a dangerous student with others if there was real risk.
He walked to his bed, pulled out bedding stuffed with White Jade Swan down from his storage device, and began making his bed.
Dugu Xin's dimmed eyes flared with renewed hope.
"You're… staying? Not afraid of my poison?"
Chen Junting didn't look up. "So what? Your toxin won't leak unless you want it to. Besides—I hate the hassle of moving rooms. That's that." He turned and offered his hand again.
"Let's properly meet. I'm Chen Junting."
The words warmed Dugu Xin's heart—perhaps for the first time in years.
Since Dugu Xin had already cleaned the room, Chen Junting didn't need to tidy up. And with Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Huo Yuhao still busy with their own dorms, he sat down to chat.
Dugu Xin, starved for trust and friendship, became remarkably talkative. He revealed he'd come to Shrek to find a cure for his martial soul's fatal flaw—if he failed within a year, he'd drop out.
His face darkened at the thought.
"Hm?" Chen Junting frowned inwardly.
'Didn't Tang San leave methods to refine Jade Phosphorous Serpent venom ten thousand years ago? And can't soul cores store their toxins?'
He wanted to ask—but they weren't close enough yet. He held his tongue.
But another question burned in his mind:
'Does the Dugu clan know the location of the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Well?'
Even knowing it lay deep in the Sunset Forest wasn't enough—the entire region was shrouded in lethal miasma, like an ocean of poison. Searching blindly would be like finding a needle in a stormy sea.
If the Dugu had records… he could avoid a suicidal trek. His life would be far safer.
Of course… the real question remained:
Would the God-King Tang San intervene?
Because if he did… finding the Ice-Fire Yin-Yang Eye would be meaningless.
------------------------------------------------------
Double Chapters Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)