Tang Ya could still remember the fight from the previous morning.
That boy… Huo Yuhao. His powers felt alien, otherworldly.
If Bei Bei hadn't warned her to keep quiet about his origins, she would've questioned him on the spot.
What are Bei Bei and Brother Huo Yuhao planning? The way they moved lately—it felt secretive. Definitely suspicious.
But then again…
What can I do to my benefactor? Hehe... I got a 10,000-year-old spirit beast as my third spirit ring. With this, I'm one step closer to restoring the Tang Sect. And...
My vengeance.
***
When Huo Yuhao pushed open the dorm room door, he frowned.
It was filthy.
Dust clung to the floor like a second carpet. Spiderwebs sagged from the corners, and a foul, moldy scent lingered in the air.
Is this how an academy treats its students?
He clicked his tongue but didn't dwell on it.
With a thought, his body began to glow a faint, oceanic blue. The light rippled outward like silent wind, scattering particles across the room.
Dust lifted. Cobwebs disintegrated. Stains faded as if wiped by unseen hands. Within seconds, the room was pristine.
The mess was swept outward through the hallway in a single, indifferent motion.
And whoever happened to be out there? Too bad. The Quincy King didn't care.
Yuhao sat on the bed, closing his eyes to slip into his Boundless Sea Realm.
But then—a loud thud shook the silence.
"Hmph. Why did Father send me to Shrek Academy?" Wang Dong grumbled, dragging her suitcase behind her.
She looked around, slightly annoyed, then spotted a girl nearby.
"Hey, do you know where this plate number's room is?"
"E-eh?! Ah! Sorry! That way!"
The girl stammered, cheeks tinged with pink as she pointed toward the hallway.
"Hm." Wang Dong brushed past her without another word.
Just as she entered the building—plop.
Dust and cobwebs rained on her head.
Her clean uniform was instantly soiled, and something sticky with a fishy stench clung to her sleeve.
Her eyes snapped toward the source.
A black-haired boy with crimson eyes was walking past, his face void of expression.
As if none of this had anything to do with him.
Wang Dong clenched her fists, steam practically rising from her head.
Who the hell is this bastard?!
She stormed after him.
The door to the room slammed open. "YOU! You despicable bastard!"
Yuhao glanced her way, finally noticing the victim of his earlier cleaning spree.
A boy with blue hair, tinged with pink at the ends, stood before him.
'Why is she dressed up as a male human?' Yuhao noticed her disguise.
Her eyes were a striking mix of blue and pink, like a sunset seen through crystal.
But right now, she looked more like a dust-covered mess than a proper student.
Yuhao let out a small smirk.
"You think this is funny?!"
"Ugh! That's it! I challenge you to a duel!" She shouted, throwing a glove at him with fury.
He caught it effortlessly, inspecting it with faint curiosity.
Hm… what's this feeling?
His gaze lingered on her. There was something inside her—an ancient, ocean-like presence buried deep within.
Interesting.
He stood up and walked past her, voice flat and unbothered. "I'll wait outside."
As if she were a mere nobody in his path.
Wang Dong's face burned.
On the first day… and he pulls this?!
Wang Dong didn't expect there was someone else as brazen as her in this Academy.
Murderous intent swirled in her eyes as she followed him, boiling with rage.
So childish. Anyone with decent reflexes would've dodged it, Yuhao thought, stopping calmly in Shrek Plaza.
Students had already started gathering.
"Whoa! A fight?"
"First day and there's already a fight!"
"They're both kinda good-looking though…"
An old man in a rocking chair raised his eyes. Mu En had been watching with his mental power, and now, his interest was piqued.
The boy—his aura is strange. Powerful. Cold.
And the other child is spirited. Hah, younglings sure are entertaining.
Wang Dong stood opposite Yuhao, glaring like she wanted to skin him alive.
"You. What's your name?"
"…Huo Yuhao," he said. "The one who's going to show you the difference between us. You're just a weak fledgling."
"Oh?! You cocky little—I'm Wang Dong! And I'm going to beat your ass!" she snapped.
"Hmph. All bark but no bite," he replied with a faint smirk.
A heavy silence dropped between them.
Two auras clashed—one cold and curious, the other fiery and furious.
Wang Dong dashed forward, roundhouse kick slicing through the air.
"What?!—"
Yuhao caught her foot mid-spin with ease.
She tried to punch him, but he lightly swept her supporting leg. She stumbled, but before she hit the ground, he released her foot.
She regained her balance, barely.
"Is that all?" he asked, his voice bored.
His patience wore thin. She wasn't fighting seriously. If she wouldn't give it her all—then he would make her.
In a blink, he appeared at her side.
Wang Dong's pupils shrank. That speed!
She lifted her hand, but his fist struck before she could even blink—force trembled through her body.
"Ugh…!"
She staggered back, clutching her arm.
"You…! I'm not holding back anymore!"
With a shout, her first spirit ring flared.
From her back, luminous blue wings burst forth—elegant, patterned with golden lines.
"The Bright Goddess Butterfly!"
Gasps erupted from the crowd.
"It's so beautiful…"
She dashed forward with renewed speed.
But to Yuhao, she may as well have been crawling.
Her yellow spirit ring gleamed, summoning crescent-shaped energy blades that hurtled toward him.
"Guillotine Wings!"
However, much to her surprise. Yuhao didn't move.
"Idiot! Dodge it!" Wang Dong screamed, eyes wide with worry.
She was too furious, she didn't realize this could heavily injure a student.
But Yuhao lifted his right arm to guard, allowing the concentrated crescent waves to hit him.
Boom!
However, to the surprise of everyone his arm who took the brunt of several crescent waves remained unscathed.
Beneath his skin, Reishi energy surged and destroyed the spiritual energy.
Wang Dong froze, stunned. "How… did you do that?"
"It's weak," Yuhao said flatly. "That's why."
"You… bastard! Just when I was worried." she roared. "Then take this!"
She flung wave after wave of crescent blades at different angles, desperate to find a gap.
Yuhao dodged every single attack, with minimal movement. At one point, he even closed his eyes.
"Tsk."
'Does he have eyes on the back of his head?'
Realizing long-range wouldn't work, Wang Dong darted in, spirit energy flaring.
Second Spirit Ring: Light of the Butterfly Goddess!
A radiant blast of light particles surged from her wings, all directed at Yuhao.
Let's see you dodge this!
But Yuhao merely raised his hand.
Reishi spears materialized around him like silent guard sentinels.
Reishi Construct: Brionac.
The spears launched in all directions, intercepting the incoming light and obliterating them mid-air.
Then it returned back to circling around him, levitating.
The plaza fell silent.
Even Mu En raised an eyebrow. This boy… what power… is this mental power?
Yuhao looked at her again, expectant.
But when she looked away in quiet defeat, he let out a breath of disappointment.
"You've lost. Is that it?"
"…"
"Disappointing."
He turned to leave.
But Wang Dong's voice rang behind him. "I swear—I'll defeat you."
Yuhao paused, a small smirk forming. "Then I'll be waiting."
That power inside you… it might be useful to me.
Without another word, he returned to the room, calm as ever, and sat down as if nothing had happened.
***
When Huo Yuhao opened his consciousness within the Spirit Sea Realm, he was greeted by a familiar presence.
Standing calmly before him was Yi Lai Ke Si.
"You've returned. How was the Kingdom?" Yuhao asked, reclining lazily on his throne with a faint intrigued smile.
"Amazing," Yi Lai Ke Si replied, his voice filled with awe. "The entire place was formed from your energy. You called it Reishi, didn't you?"
"Indeed," Yuhao nodded. "Reishi is the main component of souls and spiritual matter. In simple terms, it exists in everything."
"In my world, it forms the foundation of all existence. Everything—living or dead—is built upon Reishi."
"I see."
"But," Huo Yuhao added, "that's how it works in my world." He emphasized his world since otherworlds are built differently compared to his previous world.
Yuhao stood up slowly, his gaze locking onto Yi Lai Ke Si. His eyes glinted with a silent intensity.
"And what about our promise?" he asked. "What can you offer in return for your loyalty?"
"…This," Yi Lai Ke Si said as he raised his hand.
A spirit ring materialized—glowing faintly, formed from his own power.
Yuhao raised an eyebrow. "Oh? So you've already learned to manipulate the Reishi in your surroundings. That requires a deep understanding of life and death… of the soul's flow and origin. You've done this before, haven't you?"
"I am the God of the Sacred Law," Yi Lai Ke Si answered with a calm bow. "Specializing in necromancy. This much is expected, Your Majesty."
The spirit ring floated gently towards Yuhao's hand.
"Hmm…" Yuhao studied the ring. It shone with a silver hue, but inside, a golden glow flickered like a hidden flame.
It pulsed with strength—dense with knowledge of ancient magic from another world.
He closed his eyes and began absorbing it.
Inside his consciousness, constellations of his abilities and cultivation appeared, forming glowing sigils across the vast dark expanse.
[ —Martial Soul— ]
1st Martial Soul: The Almighty (Unawakened)
(Active Skill) >> Future Sight – Gazes briefly into possible futures.
(Active Skill) >> Quincy Depository – Grants access to past Quincy Schrifts and their Vollständig forms. - Available Schrift: Deathdealing
(Passive Skill) >> Heightened Senses
(Passive Skill) >> Blut Vene & Arterie Vene – Sharply increases Strength, Agility, Durability, Resistance, and Stamina.
(Passive Skill) >> Quincy King's Reishi Authority – Converts all forms of energy into Reishi. Allows perfect control over Reishi.
2nd Martial Soul: [Locked]
3rd Martial Soul: Sacred God of Necromancer
(Active Skill) – Undead Magic
(Active Skill) – Light Magic
(Active Skill) – Half-Plane World
[ —Spirit Rings— ]
1st Spirit Ring: Sky Dream Ice Worm (Tian Meng)
Age: 1,000,000 Years
Abilities: 1. Spiritual Detection – 360-degree vision, enhanced clarity, improved focus. 2. Spiritual Sharing 3. Spiritual Shock 4. Spiritual Interference
[ —Spirit Cultivation— ]
Spirit Rank: Soul Master - Rank 20 (Bottleneck)
Spirit Energy (Reishi): • Purity: 100% • Density: 100% Currently far denser and purer than average spirit masters.
[ —Mental Cultivation— ]
Mental Realm: Boundless Sea Realm / Spirit Sea Realm (3rd Tier)
Mental World Anomaly:Wandenreich
Anchor Anomaly:Soul King Lynchpin
Huo Yuhao's condition was abnormal. So much so that Tian Meng, his first spirit ring, was completely stunned when he discovered there was a second mental construct inside Yuhao's mind.
Not only that—Yuhao's mental cultivation had already reached the third tier:
Spirit Origin Realm (1st Tier)
Spirit Connection Realm (2nd Tier)
Spirit Sea Realm / Boundless Sea Realm (3rd Tier)
Spiritual Abyss Realm (4th Tier)
Spiritual Domain Realm (5th Tier)
Divine Origin Realm (6th Tier)
It was likely because he was the Quincy King—an anomaly from another world.
'I still don't know how the Soul King's anchor ended up inside me,' Yuhao thought. But somehow, it was one of the keys to unlocking divine authority.
The only thing he lacked now was a way to break free from this world's constraints.
He could feel it clearly. The dimension itself interfered with his growth. The only path forward was through acquiring spirit rings from spirit beasts.
Each spirit rank came with a bottleneck, slowing his progress.
Strangely, it wasn't only him. Every spirit master and spirit beast in this world seemed bound by the same invisible chain.
'Maybe it's not dimensional interference…?'
He didn't yet understand this world's true nature, nor did he know what kind of beings stood above it.
But one thing was certain—something was watching from beyond. He had to be vigilant.