Soul Land:The Dragon King's God of Nature

The train's speed gradually slowed, causing Jing Shaoyu and the others to instinctively sit up straight.

Right on cue, the train's intercom crackled to life.

"Dear passengers, the train is about to arrive at the largest city in the Federation, the oldest historical city on the continent—Shrek City.

Shrek City boasts a rich history and profound culture. It is home to the continent's premier academy, Shrek Academy, as well as the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda.

As the Federation's foremost city, Shrek City holds an irreplaceable position in the Federation's political, economic, and cultural spheres. Dear passengers, you may now look out of the windows. On the left-hand side of the train, you can see a towering spire reaching into the clouds—that is the headquarters of the Spirit Pagoda!"

The members of Class Zero turned their gazes to the windows in unison. Outside, a colossal tower pierced the heavens, its upper half visible even from afar. With its octagonal structure, the tower shimmered with a silvery brilliance under the sunlight, its surface veiled by drifting clouds. It exuded an aura of solemnity and grandeur.

Everyone was momentarily awestruck, including Jing Shaoyu. Even though he had visited the Spirit Pagoda headquarters multiple times, this was his first time observing it from such a distant vantage point. He couldn't deny it—seeing the tower from afar and up close gave vastly different impressions.

Xu Xiaoyan, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie wore similar expressions of awe mixed with curiosity and anticipation. However, Gu Yue's reaction was more complex. Deep within her eyes, a cold, bitter resentment lingered, unable to be concealed.

As the train approached Shrek City, buildings began to appear outside the windows. The cityscape was eclectic, featuring a mixture of architectural styles: the classical Heaven Dou style, the traditional Star Luo style, modern Federation designs, and even remnants from the era of the Spirit Hall. This diverse array of structures spoke volumes about the city's inclusivity and cultural heritage.

As the continent's largest city, Shrek City was naturally enormous. Even after entering its boundaries, the train continued traveling for another hour before finally arriving at its station.

Shrek City Soul Train Eastern Station

The Shrek City Soul Train Eastern Station was the largest and most comprehensive in the Douluo Federation. From here, passengers could travel to any city connected to the soul train network across the continent. It was also the go-to station for Shrek Academy students in their daily travels.

Standing beneath the station's massive dome, surrounded by its ancient architectural design and stone carvings, the city's rich heritage slowly revealed itself to the newcomers.

The members of Class Zero felt a surge of excitement, and even their teacher, Ye Yingluo, couldn't hide her emotions. Her expression was filled with bittersweet nostalgia, likely reminiscing about her own experience coming to Shrek Academy for the entrance exam over a decade ago.

"Teacher Wu, Teacher Ye, where are we going now? Are we heading straight to Shrek Academy?" Xie Xie asked eagerly, his handsome face unable to contain his excitement.

Wu Zhangkong didn't reply but instead looked toward Ye Yingluo, his gaze calm and indifferent. In truth, without Ye Yingluo present, he would have simply taken the students to a random inn for the night. He wasn't particular about accommodations as long as they sufficed.

"No," Ye Yingluo said, suppressing the complex emotions in her heart and steadying her voice. "We'll check into a hotel first, then consider the Shrek Academy entrance exams. Teacher Wu, do you have any objections?"

"None," Wu Zhangkong replied.

They soon found a charmingly elegant inn and settled in. Since all expenses were covered by the academy, Ye Yingluo reserved seven rooms so everyone could have their own space to rest.

Jing Shaoyu entered his room, noting its tasteful décor. In addition to the usual amenities, the room came with a copy of The Shrek City Travel Guide and The Shrek Academy Entrance Exam Manual placed thoughtfully on the bedside table.

"Heh," Jing Shaoyu chuckled as he flipped through one of the books. Finding its content unremarkable, he returned it to the table and walked to the window.

From there, he could see the bustling activity of the nearby train station, with soul trains entering and exiting ceaselessly.

Knock, knock!

The sound of knocking interrupted his thoughts. Jing Shaoyu turned toward the door, already guessing who it might be. It was most likely Xu Xiaoyan or Gu Yue, with a slight chance of Wu Zhangkong.

"Brother Xiaoyu!"

Opening the door, he was greeted by Xu Xiaoyan's beaming face as she threw herself into his arms, her excitement evident.

"Xiaoyan, why aren't you resting in your room?" Jing Shaoyu asked with a smile as he carried her into the room.

"I'm bored!" Xu Xiaoyan said coyly. "Brother Xiaoyu, why don't we go explore Shrek City? It's the greatest city on the continent, and I've always wanted to see it!"

"Now?" Jing Shaoyu was momentarily taken aback but then smiled indulgently. "How about tomorrow? We've been traveling all day. Let's rest up tonight, and we'll have plenty of time to explore the city tomorrow and the day after."

"Okay!" Xu Xiaoyan agreed cheerfully. In truth, her primary goal wasn't sightseeing but spending time with Jing Shaoyu. Since he had agreed, the timing didn't matter much.

As they continued chatting, another knock came from the door. Their expressions changed immediately—Xu Xiaoyan's showing a hint of annoyance, while Jing Shaoyu seemed resigned. He had a strong hunch about who it was.

Opening the door, he found Gu Yue standing there, her expression unreadable. Without waiting for an invitation, she walked into the room.

Gu Yue's gaze landed on Xu Xiaoyan, but she didn't seem surprised. In fact, she had only come because she noticed Xu Xiaoyan entering Jing Shaoyu's room earlier. It wasn't that she wanted to interrupt them; she simply didn't want them to be alone together.

After all, she thought to herself, if this were a three-person story, why was she the one left out?

Evening

After dinner in the inn's restaurant, Wu Zhangkong approached Ye Yingluo. "Teacher Ye, I'll be taking Tang Wulin out to handle something. I'll leave the others in your care."

"What's the matter?" Ye Yingluo asked instinctively before quickly correcting herself. "Don't misunderstand; I'm just concerned about the students."

"It's a private matter," Wu Zhangkong replied indifferently.

Ye Yingluo frowned internally, frustrated by Wu Zhangkong's aloofness, but outwardly maintained her composure. With a faint smile, she said, "My apologies for being intrusive. I hope you return soon."

Wu Zhangkong didn't respond and turned to Jing Shaoyu. "Shaoyu, you four stay in the inn. If you wish to go out, report to Teacher Ye first. Keep within the vicinity and carry your soul communicator at all times."

"Understood, Teacher Wu," Jing Shaoyu replied, pushing aside the thoughts swirling in his mind.

As Wu Zhangkong and Tang Wulin departed, the remaining group dispersed. Ye Yingluo turned to the students. "Shaoyu, Xiaoyan, get some rest."

"Understood, Teacher Ye," Jing Shaoyu replied, dismissing his chaotic thoughts. He glanced at Xu Xiaoyan, Gu Yue, and Xie Xie. "Let's head back to our rooms."

Gu Yue nodded silently and left first, her expression unreadable. Xu Xiaoyan gave Jing Shaoyu a bright smile before running off as well. Meanwhile, Xie Xie stood watching the direction in which Wu Zhangkong and Tang Wulin had left, muttering, "What could they be doing that's so

mysterious?"

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