The morning sun painted the sky crimson as the road to Shrek City stretched before the two brothers. Birds soared through the clouds while carriages rumbled in the distance. The air itself seemed charged — a faint resonance of destiny shifting course.
Huo Yuhao walked beside Huo Tian, his eyes sparkling with excitement. "Tian-ge, we're finally going to Shrek Academy! The greatest academy in the entire Douluo Continent!"
Huo Tian smiled softly, his silver-white hair swaying in the breeze. "Yes, Yuhao. Shrek… the place where fate begins — and where I'll start to break it."
---
The Path to Shrek
They traveled for days, through forests and plains, sleeping under the stars. Along the way, Yuhao's Spirit Eye improved rapidly under Huo Tian's guidance. Every time Yuhao meditated, Huo Tian secretly released threads of Chaos Life Energy, enhancing his brother's soul foundation.
> [System Notice: Target's potential evolution detected. Predicted Martial Soul mutation → "Divine Spirit Eye (Chaos-Linked Variant)".]
Huo Tian glanced at Yuhao as he slept by the campfire. The boy's soul waves shimmered faintly gold now — proof of the coming transformation.
He whispered to himself, "The gods may control destiny, but they will not touch my family."
---
Arrival at Shrek
The massive gates of Shrek Academy rose like the walls of a divine fortress. Even from miles away, the dense concentration of spirit power was overwhelming. Students of all ages walked through the grand archway, each emanating unique soul auras.
The twin brothers arrived amidst the crowd, drawing curious glances.
"Another pair of twins? White hair and golden hair… quite the contrast," someone murmured.
The examiner at the gate, a Soul Emperor with sharp eyes, raised a brow. "Name and age."
"Huo Yuhao, six," Yuhao said proudly.
The examiner nodded. "Spirit Eye, Rank 12 Soul Scholar. Acceptable."
Then he turned to the older-looking twin. "And you?"
"Huo Tian," he replied calmly. "Age six."
The examiner's spiritual sense brushed over him — and instantly froze.
What he felt… was nothing. Not even the faintest ripple of soul power. As though the boy didn't exist.
"Strange…" the man muttered, narrowing his eyes. "You possess no measurable spirit power?"
Huo Tian smiled faintly. "Perhaps your senses are too weak."
The examiner frowned, insulted, but before he could retort, the crystal ball beside him flickered with chaotic static. It had never reacted that way before — as if reality itself was confused by what it detected.
"Go inside," the man said after a pause, uneasy. "Further evaluation will be handled by the elders."
---
The Hidden Examination
Within the inner court stood several examiners — among them, an elder in green robes whose aura flowed like a river. He was Elder Song, one of Shrek's peak-level soul masters.
She observed Yuhao and Huo Tian closely. "Hmm… two interesting seedlings."
When Yuhao activated his Spirit Eye, the orb glowed with steady power. "Excellent perception and spiritual control," she said. "He passes."
Then came Huo Tian.
He raised his hand gently, placing it on the testing orb. The instant he touched it, the orb turned black — not from corruption, but from infinite absorption. The energy inside the testing device screamed, then shattered into dust.
The room fell silent.
"What— what just happened?" a teacher gasped.
Elder Song's eyes widened. Her spiritual power scanned him, yet found only… emptiness. Not even a fluctuation.
"That was a Divine-Rank testing orb," she whispered. "No mortal should be able to break it."
Huo Tian simply lowered his hand. "I apologize. It seems I used too much strength."
> [System: Automatic Camouflage Level Increased to "Mortal Veil Tier III." All divine power readings nullified.]
Elder Song stepped forward, studying him with cautious curiosity. "Your soul power cannot be measured, yet your control is perfect. Tell me, what is your martial soul?"
"The White Flying Tiger," Huo Tian replied calmly, releasing a faint silhouette of his beast spirit. The illusion of a pure-white tiger shimmered briefly — elegant, harmless, even beautiful.
Elder Song nodded slowly, her earlier suspicion easing slightly. "A rare mutation indeed… Welcome to Shrek, Huo Tian."
---
The Dormitory of Fate
That night, the two brothers shared a small dorm at the edge of the academy grounds. Yuhao was ecstatic, speaking nonstop about their future adventures.
But Huo Tian sat by the window, gazing at the moon. The air around him rippled faintly, and the Chaos System awakened once again.
> [Check-In Successful.]
[Reward: Chaos Domain (Hidden Form) — Creates a sealed area immune to divine observation.]
A subtle aura wrapped around their room, invisible and eternal. Within this domain, no god, no elder, no fate thread could peer in.
He turned to his sleeping brother and whispered, "Sleep peacefully, Yuhao. As long as I breathe, no one — not even Tang San himself — will ever harm you."
Outside, the wind whispered through the trees, carrying faint echoes from realms above.
In the Divine Realm, Tang San's brows furrowed once more. "The anomaly has moved… to Shrek."
The Goddess of Life sighed. "And so it begins."