No More Smiles! Big Changes Were Coming to Shrek

The next morning, after Tang Wulin and Xiao Wu checked out of the Rose Hotel, they set off for Shrek Academy.

"Wulin, we've both graduated from junior academies now. Where did you go to school after you left Nuoding City?"

Xiao Wu yawned sleepily and looked at him, curiosity in her drowsy eyes.

"Mm, I went to Spirit Hall Academy."

"I guess that counts as graduating from a junior academy."

Tang Wulin answered with a smile. Strictly speaking...

He hadn't actually graduated.

Aside from studying at Spirit Hall Academy for the first three years, he had never gone back afterward.

Thanks to Whale Rubber, not only had his senior sister's fourth Soul Ring surpassed ten thousand years, but he himself had already become a Soul Elder with a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring before he turned ten.

What's more, before he became the Son of the Spirit Hall, he had been unrivaled below the Soul Ancestor level at rank twenty-nine. At that stage, there really hadn't been much need for him to attend the academy.

As for why he had come to Shrek Academy...

Part of the reason was Tang Hao, of course.

But the greater reason was...

Leaving aside Ning Rongrong, the young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Zhu Zhuqing, the hardest-working of the Shrek Seven Devils, was precisely the person he hoped to meet.

She was also the girl in Douluo he felt the most regret for. Since he had come to this world, he naturally wanted to make up for that regret.

He admitted he was shameless, but he truly wanted to give her a home.

"Spirit Hall Academy..."

Hearing the name, Xiao Wu nodded, seeming much more awake. No one knew what she was thinking as she murmured.

"That's right. But Xiao Wu, don't doze off now, or you won't pass the entrance exam later."

"I won't. Wait, no, I wasn't sleeping yesterday! I was just meditating!"

"..."

Before long, Tang Wulin and Xiao Wu arrived at their destination. Since it wasn't very early, there weren't many people left in line.

Looking into the distance, they could see a wooden doorframe and an academy sign at the end of the crowd.

"So this is Shrek Academy?"

"This... are you sure the facilities are just a little bad?"

Xiao Wu stared at the five large characters spelling out "Shrek Academy" on the wooden board not far away, her brows tightly furrowed.

She had heard long ago that the conditions here weren't ideal, but wasn't this a little too far from ideal? Was she sure this wasn't a backward little village?

"Mm, perhaps it's excellent on the inside."

Tang Wulin also sighed. Shrek's reputation for being run-down was well deserved. He even felt that the place was worse than the work-study students' dormitory at Nuoding Academy.

But that didn't stop him from spotting a girl with long, straight black hair standing in the line at a glance.

"Zhu Zhuqing."

Sensing her Soul Grandmaster cultivation, Tang Wulin recognized her at once.

Anticipation appeared on his calm face.

"Wulin, that blond guy is right at the front too! He's a student here!"

Xiao Wu's gaze fell on several figures not far away. Besides an old man, there were Tang San and a short-haired girl with pink hair beside the blond Dai Mubai.

"Mm..."

Looking at the short-haired girl who was keeping her distance from Tang San, Tang Wulin naturally knew she was the young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. He had to admit, the people Shrek Academy had tricked into coming this year...

Were all quite strong.

"Let's get in line, Wulin. Huh?"

"Wait for me."

Before Xiao Wu had finished speaking, she saw that he had already gone ahead and hurried after him.

"Why couldn't you wait for me?"

She couldn't help muttering. In the end, she simply stood behind him, puzzled.

"Check in."

Standing behind Zhu Zhuqing, Tang Wulin silently spoke the words, a faint smile on his face.

Before getting to know her, the system's check-in reward came first, of course!

[Check-in successful. Goddess checked in: Zhu Zhuqing]

[Congratulations, host. Reward obtained: Dark Power]

[You will receive a top-tier dark-attribute elemental boost, which can be applied to Soul Skills or self-created elemental moves]

"Hm?"

"The dark element?"

A smile appeared on Tang Wulin's calm face. Before this, he had obtained another special element from the Poison Douluo's granddaughter: the ability to use the Poison Element.

He hadn't expected to obtain this dark attribute from Zhu Zhuqing. In that case, he would probably get something like the Light Element from Qian Renxue...

As he was thinking, Soul Emperor-level cultivation suddenly emanated from a spot in the distance:

"Parents and youngsters, let me repeat myself: Shrek Academy is a Monster Academy!"

"If you're over twelve and haven't reached the Soul Grandmaster level, don't waste your registration fee. You're not suited to our academy."

The old man in front of the academy spoke coldly.

At his feet, six Soul Rings shone brightly: one white, one yellow, three purple, and one black. He was unmistakably a Six-Ring Soul Emperor.

"Even the old man guarding the gate is a Soul Emperor!"

Xiao Wu froze, unable to hide her surprise.

In that case, the academy was quite strong. The facilities might be poor, but its teachers were formidable.

"Little girl, I'm a teacher at the academy!"

"Forget it. Anyway, if there are any twelve-year-old Soul Grandmasters left, come forward and register!"

Hearing her unexpected assessment, Li Yusong, who was holding the Dragon Pattern Staff, twitched at the corner of his mouth and spoke somewhat helplessly.

"Ah, sorry."

Xiao Wu was instantly embarrassed. Seeing the old man dressed in rags, he had thought he was a gatekeeper.

"Wait, it's them!"

"Those two came to Shrek Academy too!"

At the entrance, Dai Mubai, one side of his face still swollen, shifted his gaze from Zhu Zhuqing to Tang Wulin. His expression stiffened.

The smile that had lit up his face at the sight of his fiancée vanished in an instant.

"..."

Tang Wulin looked back at him and gave him a deceptively kind smile that sent a chill down Dai Mubai's spine!

"Good thing I'm not in charge of the final test today, or that guy would beat me up again..."

Dai Mubai took a deep breath. Because his face was swollen like a pig's head, Dean Zhao had decided to oversee the final test today.

Thinking about it that way, he suddenly felt that getting slapped hadn't been entirely without benefits. At least he wouldn't have to take another beating!

"No, I'm leaving right away! Once Zhu Zhuqing passes the first stage, I'll take that Tang San and Ning Rongrong over there first."

Dai Mubai gritted his teeth. Beating him up wasn't something he could let go so easily. He would go see Dean Zhao later and have him put some extra effort into the test!

Meanwhile, the girl in front of Li Yusong stepped forward, handed over ten Gold Soul Coins, and held out her hand.

After that, she released her Martial Soul.

"Eleven and a half. You meet the age requirement... and your Martial Soul cultivation qualifies too. You can proceed to the next stage."

"..."

Tang Wulin, standing behind Zhu Zhuqing, froze. A silent look came over his face as he suddenly realized she wasn't even twelve yet.

Then he thought back to what had been on his mind earlier...

"I can't. At least, I shouldn't right now!"

Tang Wulin couldn't help sighing inwardly. No matter how shameless he was, he couldn't be that inhuman!

"You few, come with me first..."

"I'll take you to the next stage."

Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing had passed the first stage, Dai Mubai hurriedly motioned for Tang San, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing to follow him closely, then headed into the academy.

He promptly strode away, as though he would explode if he stayed another second.

"That brat. There are only two students left, and he couldn't even wait..."

"Young man, hold out your hand..."

Li Yusong gave Dai Mubai a displeased look. Still thinking about it, he turned his attention to the person in front of him.

"You meet the age requirement. Wait..."

"You're a Soul Ancestor?"

He had been about to say something else, but the next moment, sensing the young man's cultivation, he froze. Cultivation so far above that of his peers was all too easy to recognize.

But he truly hadn't expected this youth, who looked even younger than Mubai, to already be a Soul Ancestor!

Why test a genius like this? They should admit him straight away. After all, even the famous Spirit Hall Holy Son might not have such poten...

Wait, the Spirit Hall Holy Son!

"I am indeed a Soul Ancestor."

"Is there a problem, sir?"

Tang Wulin spoke calmly.

"No, no problem. May I ask your name? Are you the one from Spirit Hall..."

Li Yusong looked at him, his eyes now filled with astonishment, and couldn't help asking.

"My name is Tang Wulin. I am indeed from Spirit Hall."

"You..."

Hearing the expected answer, Li Yusong couldn't help taking a deep breath. He rose shakily to his feet, even addressing him respectfully.

He did not know the Spirit Hall Holy Son's name, but the young man's Soul Elder cultivation at such a tender age had long been famous across the continent, to say nothing of his current Soul Ancestor cultivation.

Sure enough, he was the only one who could have such potential!

"Does that esteemed person know you're here?"

Li Yusong was anything but calm as he spoke.

"Of course. Or..."

"Are you saying you don't dare accept me here?"

Tang Wulin showed little reaction. He smiled gently and spoke in an even tone.

"Whew, of course you can enroll. There's no need for a test. Just go straight to the final stage later... Follow that blond— ahem, the academy's student, Dai Mubai."

Li Yusong hurriedly shook his head. If this young man truly wanted to join Shrek Academy, the significance would be even greater than that of the young mistress of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!

Big changes were coming to Shrek Academy!

"..."

P.S. These two chapters were both around 2,888 characters, nearly 6,000 in total. Please give me recommendation votes and monthly votes!

Something happened at home these past two days, and I'm sorry I made everyone wait so painfully for updates. I stayed up late to write both chapters today. From now on, I'll post every morning!