Before the Academy (Please Favorite!)

After leaving the Rose Hotel, Jiang Qianhai and Zhu Zhuqing searched the surrounding area but couldn't find a single hotel with an empty room. Left with no choice, they could only rent a small guesthouse in the suburbs to stay in.

That night, after eating the dinner provided by the guesthouse, Jiang Qianhai took out a map of the surrounding area he had bought in the city during the day from his Storage Ring, then raised his hand and spread it across the table.

"What are you doing?" Zhu Zhuqing leaned over from behind him and curiously watched what Jiang Qianhai was doing.

Jiang Qianhai pointed here and there on the map. "This is Suotuo City. We're here. The three closest rivers and lakes are these."

Then he took out another book, River and Lake Insights, and found the detailed descriptions of those three places inside.

"Of these three, the Soul Beasts in the two lakes are only three to five thousand years old at most. Only this river is a little hard to pin down, because it passes through the Star Dou Great Forest and flows to the sea, so the ages of the Soul Beasts inside are somewhat uncertain."

As soon as Zhu Zhuqing heard Jiang Qianhai's words, she knew what he was thinking. Aside from fishing, there was nothing else it could be. But she didn't object to this hobby of Jiang Qianhai's.

If he hadn't been so obsessed with fishing, back then she might have turned into withered bones at the bottom of that river long ago. There would never have been their later meeting, nor their mutual affection.

The life she had now had all been made possible by fishing.

Zhu Zhuqing didn't let Jiang Qianhai analyze it alone. She also sat down by the table and began offering him suggestions from time to time.

Once Jiang Qianhai had more or less chosen his fishing spot, Zhu Zhuqing brought up what she had heard today.

"Qianhai, I heard there's an academy outside Suotuo City that only accepts monster students. Some people say that as long as someone graduates from Shrek Academy, both the imperial family and Spirit Hall will fight over them after graduation. Their most outstanding graduate even became Spirit Hall's youngest elder, and supposedly their status is second only to the Pope."

"Just rumors." With Slime on top of his head, Jiang Qianhai casually stated the truth.

Zhu Zhuqing froze. "Huh? It's actually a rumor?"

"Want to know how I found out?" Jiang Qianhai laughed. "It was a coincidence, really. Today, I sensed a Soul Saint acting all sneaky, so I got curious and followed him. Guess what I heard?"

"So you left during the day to eavesdrop." Zhu Zhuqing rolled her eyes in annoyance.

"I listened openly and aboveboard. They just didn't notice, that's all."

Jiang Qianhai made it clear he was absolutely not the sort of petty person who eavesdropped. He only listened openly and aboveboard!

"Yes, yes, you were open and aboveboard. Go on, what did you hear?"

"Funny thing is, that Soul Saint secretly made a deal with an old man and used ten Gold Soul Coins to have him bring people around to spread some news. It was exactly the news you heard. That's why I concluded it was definitely a rumor."

"What does a Soul Saint gain from doing that?" Zhu Zhuqing said, not understanding.

"He's probably from Shrek. After all, an academy naturally needs students, so they wanted to cast a wide net to catch big fish."

"This academy is... really bizarre."

Zhu Zhuqing couldn't even begin to complain, but she still decided to go take a look personally tomorrow. After all, judging from Dai Mubai's tone, he should be a student there.

"What? You're interested in that academy?"

"A little. After all, I've never seen an academy this bizarre before."

"Then let's go take a look. With me backing you up, just do whatever you want. As long as you're not fighting a Title Douluo to the death, everything else is a minor problem. I can't beat a Title Douluo for now."

A warm current welled up in Zhu Zhuqing's heart. This guy was always like this. Every now and then, a casual sentence from him would strike the softest place in her heart.

Chu~

Zhu Zhuqing kissed Jiang Qianhai on the cheek. "Qianhai, take out the new quilt. The old bedding here isn't clean."

That night, the lights went out.

The two of them fell asleep one after another.

Morning arrived as expected. After packing up, Jiang Qianhai and Zhu Zhuqing left the guesthouse. Their target was none other than the legendary Shrek Academy!

On the road, Zhu Zhuqing looked at the increasingly desolate surroundings, and the confusion in her eyes grew heavier.

"Did we take the wrong road?"

Jiang Qianhai glanced at the map and shook his head. "No, this is the right direction."

"If we keep walking, won't we be leaving the suburbs soon?"

"It should be up ahead."

They continued forward, and finally, in the suburbs of the suburbs, they found traces of Shrek.

By the roadside, a broken wooden sign had the words "Shrek Academy Admissions Office" written on it, followed by an arrow pointing ahead.

It was crude, plain and simple.

Jiang Qianhai pointed at the wooden sign. "Look, haven't we found it?"

The corners of Zhu Zhuqing's mouth twitched. She felt she had underestimated just how bizarre Shrek Academy was.

From here, they could already see the line ahead. Looking at that long queue, Zhu Zhuqing agreed even more with what Jiang Qianhai had said last night.

This really was casting a wide net, and not just any wide net either. These people had to be from at least a dozen different villages.

"Want to sign up and give it a try?"

Jiang Qianhai looked toward Zhu Zhuqing.

Zhu Zhuqing thought for a moment, then gave a cool smile. "Then let's give it a try. Anyway, don't I still have you backing me up?"

Then she lined up at the back of the queue.

As the line slowly moved forward, the two of them soon saw the registration desk, and also the even shabbier Shrek Academy gate not far off to the side.

Just then, a commotion came from up ahead, and they looked toward the sound.

It was a father and son.

"My son has always ranked among the best at Junior Soul Master Academy. Why doesn't he meet your academy's registration requirements?"

The old man who looked like a gatekeeper sat there calm and unbothered. "We're Shrek Academy. Do you know what Shrek means? It means a monster! And we at Shrek only accept monsters!"

"We don't accept anyone over thirteen. Your son is too old."

"My son only had his thirteenth birthday yesterday. Can't you make an exception?"

The old man opened his eyes slightly. "An exception? Do you think Shrek only has an age requirement? We don't want anyone over thirteen, and we also don't want anyone whose Soul Power hasn't reached rank twenty-one!"

"We only accept monsters, not ordinary people!"

"Rank twenty-one! Are you kidding me? I think you're nothing but a scam academy! If you won't accept him, then we won't attend! Give me back the registration fee!"

"Heh. Once the registration fee is paid, it will not be refunded or exchanged!"

"You! You're being unreasonable! You're nothing but a robber!"

Hearing that, the old man gave a cold, disdainful laugh. "Reason? Here, I am reason!"

Six Spirit Rings—white, yellow, purple, purple, purple, and black—slowly rose, and the pressure of a Soul Emperor instantly cowed the father and son so badly that they did not dare say another word. They turned and fled in a sorry state.