– Huh?
Huo Yuhao was just about to resume thinking about the Seizing Hand technique Beibei had taught him yesterday when he was momentarily surprised by Tang Ya's words and spoke.
The three of them stood up and continued walking. As they walked, Tang Ya gave a brief overview of Shrek Academy's background.
Shrek Academy was founded ten thousand years ago. In ancient language, "Shrek" means "monster," and the founder's original intention was to create an academy exclusively for monsters to cultivate.
According to the then-president, Shrek Academy's motto was to cultivate monsters; ordinary people were not qualified to enter, and here, "monsters" referred to peerless geniuses.
The first sect master of Tang Sect also graduated from here, and was part of the generation of disciples that ushered in Shrek Academy's glorious era.
Legends of the Shrek Seven Monsters have long circulated across the continent, the most famous among them being the husband and wife sect masters of Tang Sect. Later, although Tang Sect declined, Shrek Academy remained standing as before, gradually becoming the continent's foremost academy.
Shrek Academy currently holds an extremely important position. The reason for this stems from over four thousand years ago, when Douluo Continent waged a great war against Star Moon Continent.
When the war began, because the three great empires were not united, Douluo Continent fell into a disadvantageous position. At one point, the Star Moon Continent's army even pushed deep into Douluo Continent.
At this crucial moment, Shrek Academy's dean stepped forward and issued a call to action. To everyone's surprise, nearly sixty Titled Douluo powerhouses appeared at once, becoming the supreme commanders of the three armies and routing the Sun Moon Continent's forces. The war ended, and the entire continent was unified under the name Douluo Continent. The Sun Moon Empire had to cede territory to survive, but its military strength was severely weakened, no longer able to threaten the three great empires of Douluo Continent. Its power was now equivalent to that of a single empire.
After that war, Shrek Academy's reputation spread far and wide, not only because the academy had sixty Titled Douluo powerhouses, but also because when the dean commanded the armies, the royal families of the three empires were startled to realize that most of the military's command structure originated from Shrek Academy. Under Shrek Academy's coordination, the three great empires avoided major discord and dared not impose upon the academy.
From then on, Shrek Academy became a special zone, not falling under the jurisdiction of any nation.
The successive deans of the academy were all exceptionally wise. Although the academy's status on the continent was absolute, it always treated all nations fairly. The academy never maintained its own private army, and the number of its teachers was always kept consistent. Thus, through the years, Shrek Academy remained steadfastly an academy, never causing any nation to feel threatened. As time passed, the academy achieved an absolute status that no nation dared to easily challenge.
Shrek Academy is located in the southeast of the Heaven Dou Empire. To its east lies the Star Dou Great Forest, and to its south is the Star Luo Empire. It can be said that the academy is the center, the intersection point of the three empires.
Currently, Shrek Academy on Douluo Continent is divided into two parts: the Outer Court and the Inner Court. Each year, the academy recruits over a thousand students, but the total number of students has never exceeded five thousand. After entering the academy, one must persevere for twelve years to graduate. In other words, the academy's elimination rate is extremely high; if students fail to pass the annual assessment, they will certainly be expelled.
But precisely because of this, every student who manages to graduate is an absolute prodigy.
It can be said that Shrek Academy is the cradle of powerhouses for Douluo Continent. Even the political landscape of the Tianhun Empire, Dou Ling Empire, and Star Luo Empire can shift based on the number of students from each empire who successfully join the academy, which speaks volumes about its prestige.
As for the Sun Moon Empire, perhaps still harboring resentment towards the academy, they have never sent students to participate. The Sun Moon Empire also has a few advanced academies which, after thousands of years of development, have achieved a respectable scale. However, ever since their defeat, the Sun Moon Empire has always been restricted by treaties and agreements, unable to expand its power, and outwardly always appears to be inferior.
"Xiao Huo, after you enter the academy, you will cultivate in the Outer Court. The Outer Court has many departments. You should join the Control System Department and also cultivate in the Soul Tool Department."
Tang Ya introduced the academy's situation while offering her suggestion.
"Teacher, what is the Soul Tool Department?"
Huo Yuhao asked, puzzled.
Tang Ya explained:
"The Soul Tool Department is the department that focuses on cultivating with soul tools as its primary objective."
As she spoke of soul tools, Tang Ya gritted her teeth in anger.
"Soul tools?"
Huo Yuhao asked, not understanding, which was not surprising. Shrek Academy was the continent's foremost academy, and he had grown up in disadvantaged circumstances, so naturally, his knowledge wasn't extensive.
Bei Bei, seeing Tang Ya's displeased expression, spoke up to explain:
"These soul tools have a very significant connection to our Tang Sect. In a sense, soul tools are weapons propelled by soul power. The higher the quality of a soul tool, the greater its power. In other words, even if you are just an ordinary Tool Soul Master, possessing a powerful soul tool can grant you immense offensive strength. And the development of soul tools is precisely the reason for our Tang Sect's decline."
"Our Tang Sect was still incredibly prosperous more than four thousand years ago. The conflict between the Sun Moon Continent and the Douluo Continent was when our Tang Sect began to decline."
Tang Ya said resentfully:
"Our Tang Sect rose to prominence through hidden weapons, and we also used the trade of hidden weapons as a means of economic development. At that time, every nation would purchase a certain quantity of hidden weapons from us, and so would other sects."
"More than four thousand years ago, when war broke out, the three great empires used our hidden weapons as a means of warfare. However, despite the Soul Masters of the Star Moon Empire not being particularly strong, they had unique achievements in the field of soul tools. The use of soul power to propel soul tools resulted in both their power and range surpassing Tang Sect's hidden weapons. Consequently, the three great empires, initially relying on Tang Sect's hidden weapons, suffered heavy losses."