The Four Trials

One by one, the boys and girls before Wang Xiaofeng were eliminated. He had also figured out the process. From his observations, a small number were eliminated as soon as their hands were examined, while most were eliminated after releasing their martial souls.

So examining their hands was probably to check their age, while releasing their martial souls was to check their cultivation level.

Before long, it was Wang Xiaofeng's turn. He placed the ten Gold Soul Coins he had prepared into the wooden box and held out his hand.

The Old Man squeezed Wang Xiaofeng's hand and nodded. "Your muscles are well developed. Looks like you exercise regularly. Your bone age is suitable."

"Alright, release your martial soul."

At once, Wang Xiaofeng activated the Soul Power within him. Green light rose up as two Century Soul Rings spiraled out at the same time, floating around his body. A Green Calabash slowly appeared in his palm.

The Old Man gave Wang Xiaofeng a puzzled look. "An ordinary Green Calabash can cultivate this quickly?"

Wang Xiaofeng smiled without answering his question. "Teacher, does this mean I've passed the assessment?"

"That will do. Mubai, take him to the next trial." The Old Man waved toward the young man in the tree.

"Yes, Teacher." The young man dropped to the ground in a flash. Only then did Wang Xiaofeng realize that someone had been in the nearby tree all along.

"What? There's another trial?" Wang Xiaofeng was dumbfounded. Why was this like a match-three game, with one level after another?

"Come on, stop standing around. The next trial is inside." Led by the golden-haired youth, Wang Xiaofeng entered Shrek Academy with him.

Along the way, Wang Xiaofeng felt that the atmosphere was a little awkward, so he started a conversation. "Senior, I heard Shrek only has two students. Is that true?"

When the golden-haired youth heard him say "our Shrek," he immediately felt a little more favorably toward him.

"My name is Dai Mubai. I only came to Shrek a year before you."

"You knew to gather information in advance. Seems you've got some brains." Seeing Wang Xiaofeng looking a little flustered, Dai Mubai smiled and patted him on the shoulder. "That was a compliment, not sarcasm."

"There really are only Fatty and me at the academy right now. Oh, Fatty is the other student, but the Dean took him to hunt for his Second Soul Ring a few days ago, so you won't be seeing him for now."

"Second Soul Ring?" In Wang Xiaofeng's view, the First Trial should have been screening for Great Soul Masters under thirteen. What was this Second Soul Ring nonsense?

Seeing Wang Xiaofeng's confusion, Dai Mubai explained, "Fatty's martial soul is a Phoenix. The Dean brought him back a year ago, and he's two years younger than you."

After walking a short distance, Dai Mubai brought him to an open area. Wooden houses surrounded it, and the space was about five hundred square meters, right at the center of Shrek Academy. Wang Xiaofeng also saw the Cafeteria where he had eaten for over ten days not far away. It looked like lunch would most likely still be there.

Dai Mubai pointed at the Old Man ahead and said, "Teacher will tell you what to do. I'm heading back to the First Trial. I hope you pass. There are too few people at the academy—it's really boring." With that, he turned and left.

The Old Man looked kindly at Wang Xiaofeng, then pointed to the Crystal Ball on the table before him. "Inject your Soul Power into it."

It looked like this trial was meant to accurately measure the examinees' Soul Power.

Wang Xiaofeng took the white Crystal Ball and slowly poured his Soul Power into it.

In an instant, the white crystal in Wang Xiaofeng's hand emitted a faint glow that filled every corner of the sphere.

A smile appeared on the Old Man's face. "Level 23. Not bad!" He then took the Crystal Ball from Wang Xiaofeng's hand. "Now, show me your soul skills."

Wang Xiaofeng immediately activated his Soul Power. A Green Calabash appeared in his right hand, while two yellow Soul Rings floated around his body.

"My First Soul Skill is Absorption. It can place a thin film over my teammates that absorbs damage. My Second Soul Skill is Attribute Boost, adding 20% strength and 10% attack power."

"Such powerful support-type soul skills—are you sure your martial soul is really a Green Calabash?" The Old Man stood up excitedly. "Looks like our academy will recruit two Little Monsters this year."

"Follow this path, and you'll reach the Third Round Assessment." The Old Man pointed out a road for him.

Wang Xiaofeng headed inward. He had not gone far when he caught the scent of barbecue. This was...

Just then, a soft, mushy voice rang out.

"Sausages for sale, sausages for sale! Eat my sausages and you won't be short of breath or have an aching back. You'll breeze through the assessment!"

Wang Xiaofeng turned his head and saw someone nearby pushing a cart and calling out to customers.

"Handsome, give me five sausages."

"Coming right up. Five fresh sausages. You... aren't you that kid who skipped out on the bill last time?" The Grilled Sausage vendor glared furiously at Wang Xiaofeng.

"Watch your mouth. Last time, you left too quickly, so I just didn't get the chance to pay." Wang Xiaofeng could not allow his good name to be slandered for no reason. There had to be evidence.

"I don't care. If you don't pay, don't even think about eating my sausages."

"Is that little bit of money really worth making such a fuss over? But Boss, your business reaches pretty far. You're even selling sausages in Shrek Academy." Wang Xiaofeng took out some money and handed it to the vendor.

The vendor accepted the money without ceremony, then handed Wang Xiaofeng the sausages. "I'm just trying to earn a little living money."

"Hey, didn't I just tell you that you can't sell sausages in the academy?" Dai Mubai emerged from the side with a young man and shouted at the vendor.

"Sorry, sorry. I just wanted to earn a little living money." The vendor hurriedly apologized to Dai Mubai. This cart was his tool for making money; he could not let it get smashed.

"Hmph. Commoners will always be commoners." The youth beside Dai Mubai looked at the smoking sausages on the stall with disgust.

A trace of anger flashed through Dai Mubai's eyes, but he said nothing. He told Wang Xiaofeng and the vendor, who was preparing to push his cart away, "Hurry to the Third Round Assessment. I'll take this one to the Fourth Trial first."

Wang Xiaofeng asked in confusion, "Why does he get to skip the Third Round Assessment and go straight to the Fourth Trial?"

"Commoner, my Soul Power reached level 25 long ago. You can't understand the excellence of a genius."

The youth spoke arrogantly. "Senior, let's hurry. I reserved a table at the best restaurant in Suotuo City. Once I pass, we'll go celebrate."

"Oh, really? Then let's get going." Dai Mubai answered blandly, without any expression on his face. But anyone familiar with him knew that he was already angry.

Watching Dai Mubai leave with the arrogant youth, Wang Xiaofeng said to the cart vendor, "I think Mubai is already angry."

"Mubai? Is that the senior with the golden hair?" the cart vendor asked.

"Yeah. I thought you knew him, which was why you dared sell sausages in the academy. Turns out you knowingly broke the rules."

"Hehe, I just wanted to earn a little living money. Oh, I still don't know your name. I'm Oscar, and my martial soul is sausages."

"I'm Wang Xiaofeng. My martial soul is a Green Calabash. I've been living here for more than ten days now. Let me tell you..."

As Wang Xiaofeng bragged to Oscar about all kinds of Shrek gossip, the two arrived at the site of the Third Round Assessment.

A Middle-aged Man was squatting in an open space, seemingly tossing something onto the ground. When Wang Xiaofeng and Oscar approached, they saw that he was throwing the Sugar Beans in his hand to the ants.

When the Middle-aged Man saw them approaching, he scattered the rest of the Sugar Beans in his hand and clapped his hands. "The Third Round Assessment tests control over your martial souls."

"Martial soul control?" Wang Xiaofeng and Oscar looked at each other. "Teacher, we're both Support System Soul Masters. How are we supposed to be tested?"

"Oh? Two support-type soul masters actually made it to the Third Round Assessment this year." A glint flashed through the Middle-aged Man's eyes. "Testing your control over your martial souls is simple. All you need to do is..."