Shrek Academy Opens
One week earlier.
In the Swordbreak Mountain Range, Tang San trained beneath a waterfall, his eyes covered with a strip of rag.
After finishing his training that morning, Tang San jumped down from a boulder. Even blindfolded, he landed steadily.
Two months earlier, after Tang Feng had gouged out his son's eyes, Tang Hao had taken Tang San to seek treatment from a healing-type Titled Douluo he knew, who had already gone into seclusion.
At first, the Titled Douluo had been unwilling to treat Tang San.
After all, his eyeballs were gone. Healing him would come at an enormous cost.
But in the end, with Tang Hao threatening his life by detonating all eight of his rings, the healing-type Titled Douluo had been forced to use all his Soul Power and twenty years of his life. At last, he had managed to make Tang San grow a new pair of eyes.
"To think we were friends for so many years, and this is how you treat me!"
"Tang Hao, may you die a miserable death!"
Tang Hao remained unmoved by his former friend's curses and left with Tang San.
Over the next two months, Tang San told Tang Hao everything that had happened to him over the past six years.
The appearance of the mysterious Tang Feng, Xiao Wu's sacrifice, the appearance of Da Ming and Er Ming, five uneventful years, and the abduction of Da Ming and Er Ming.
In other words, over those six years, three transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts had appeared at Tang San's side.
At the thought, Tang Hao spat out another mouthful of blood.
I'm furious!!!
If all three transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts had sacrificed themselves to his precious son, Little San, Tang Hao couldn't even imagine how strong he would become.
But because that damned Tang Feng had appeared, those three Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings and three Hundred Thousand Year Soul Bones were all gone!
"Tang Feng!"
"I will kill you!"
Tang Hao made up his mind. Once he found Tang Feng, whether or not he was his own useless son who had vanished long ago, he would smash him into mincemeat and scatter him in the lake to feed the fish!
Two months later, under Tang Hao's special training, Tang San had not only broken through to Level 30 in Soul Power, but had reached Level 33.
He had also obtained a Soul Ring from a spider-type Soul Beast with a thousand years of cultivation.
However, unlike in the original story, he had not obtained an External Soul Bone.
Tang Hao had not told Tang San about Ah Yin, because Little San was not strong enough yet, and knowing would do him no good.
As for the awakening of his Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline, Tang Hao decided to wait until Little San was at least Level 50.
Tang Hao looked at his son, thinking of how Little San had encountered three utterly devoted transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beasts over the course of six years.
Tang Hao thought that perhaps he could send Little San out to gain experience and try his luck, to see if he could encounter another transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast.
If he did, Tang Hao would act at once to subdue him and make him sacrifice himself to Little San.
If he refused to sacrifice himself, Tang Hao could absorb him instead and break through to Level 90 again.
"Little San, I remember Grandmaster told you to study at Shrek Academy in Suotuo City, didn't he?"
"Yes, Father."
"But I think it would be better to cultivate by your side now," Tang San replied.
Tang Hao shook his head. If you don't go out and gain experience, how will you meet a transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast?
You're going whether you want to or not!
"Little San, an eagle can only learn to fly after leaving its parents' protection."
"Your eyes should have mostly recovered by now. Go on, go out and gain experience."
"Make more friends."
"Shrek is a good place. Its teachers are on par with those of the imperial academies of the two great empires. You can learn more there."
"This..." Tang San was at a loss for words.
Seeing that his father was determined to send him away, he had no choice but to kneel and bow three times.
"Take care, Father. I'll come back to see you."
After a week on the road, Tang San finally arrived at Shrek Academy just in time for registration day.
Tang San was not the only one who had come. Tang Hao had also quietly followed him in secret.
To subdue any transformed Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast the moment one appeared, before another Soul Master, especially Tang Feng, could snatch it away.
Tang Hao decided that from now on, he would stay close to Tang San at all times.
He would watch every suspicious person.
Xiao Wu had sacrificed herself to Tang Feng, and Zhu Zhuqing had left with Tang Feng, so Shrek accepted only two new students today.
Ning Rongrong, the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, and Tang San.
Did the death of the eldest prince, Xue Qinghe, affect the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect? Yes, but not much.
How much of an impact could a mere empire without a single Titled Douluo have on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, which had two Titled Douluo holding the fort?
Poison Douluo, the only one with any connection to the imperial family, had essentially cut ties with them. Apart from visiting his granddaughter once a month, he was nowhere to be found.
If they really pushed the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect too far, Bone Douluo could guard home while Sword Douluo carried out assassinations. The Heaven Dou Imperial Family? One man and one sword would chop the lot of them into mince.
At the academy gates, Dai Mubai glanced back and saw that none of the other applicants looked capable of joining Shrek, so he took Ning Rongrong and Tang San into the academy first, to proceed to the next test.
When they reached the entrance to the next test, quite a few students their age had already gathered there.
Oscar, sporting a full beard, was selling his sausages.
"Oscar, get lost!"
"Didn't I tell you not to sell sausages at school?"
"Hm!?"
Dai Mubai was furious. To him, Shrek was another home, and he didn't want the two promising new students beside him to form a bad impression of Shrek because of Oscar's sausages, or even leave Shrek Academy because of them.
"Boss Dai, I... I just wanted to earn some pocket money."
"Pocket money? You think I don't know what you're thinking? Looks to me like you're asking for a beating!" Dai Mubai raised his hand as if to teach Oscar a lesson.
"All right, all right, Boss Dai, I'm leaving."
Oscar had no choice but to apologize repeatedly. He pushed his grilled sausage cart away.
Tang San watched the middle-aged man pushing the cart away and asked Dai Mubai:
"Senior, who is that middle-aged man?"
"What middle-aged man? He's your senior too. His beard is just a little thick."
"Oh, right, whatever you do, don't eat his sausages."
"Why?" Ning Rongrong asked, puzzled.
"Are they unhygienic?"
Seeing that Ning Rongrong was interested, Dai Mubai had intended to tell her.
But considering that she might be the only female new student this year, Dai Mubai did not reveal the truth. Instead, he said meaningfully:
"You'll find out after classes start tomorrow."
"Little San, you already have three rings. There's no need to take the test with them. Come straight to the final test with me."
"All right."
"What about me?" Ning Rongrong asked.
"What level are you?"
"Level 26."
Hearing that, Dai Mubai went over to Lu Qibin, a teacher at Shrek Academy.
"Teacher Lu, I've got a Level 26 over there. Let's test her first."
"Mm, no problem. If she really is Level 26, just take her straight to the final test."
Ning Rongrong placed her hand on the Soul Power Testing Crystal. She was indeed Level 26; she hadn't lied.
"You come with me too. You'll go straight to the final test."
Since only two new students were joining Shrek Academy this time, there were so few that Zhao Wuji couldn't be bothered to take action.
So, as in the past, Dai Mubai conducted the final test.
With Ning Rongrong's support, Tang San, who had Level 33 Soul Power, quickly defeated Dai Mubai and successfully joined Shrek Academy.
That night, Ning Rongrong slept alone in a dilapidated wooden hut.
She felt that Shrek Academy seemed a little unworthy of its reputation.
Most importantly, why am I the only girl?
This isn't quite what I imagined...