Pressing Fast-Forward

On the Douluo Continent, there were advanced Soul Master Academies like Shrek Academy, and naturally, there were also junior and intermediate Soul Master Academies. Most Soul Masters learned to read and write in these academies while receiving the beginnings of cultivation.

But Wang Nan was different. He had matured early, finishing everything a junior Soul Master Academy could teach by the age of five or six. After his Martial Soul awakened, his cultivation talent also surpassed that of ordinary Soul Masters by a considerable margin. Sending him to school again would have been nothing but a waste of time. Besides, his father, Wang Xing, possessed the cultivation of a Soul King, so from the age of six, he had received one-on-one instruction from a Soul King at home.

The novels from his past life made it seem as though Titled Douluo and Super Douluo were everywhere, but in truth, there were only so many renowned experts. Across the entire Douluo Continent, the vast majority of Soul Masters never reached rank seventy in their lives. Quite a few were even stopped at the threshold of rank thirty.

A Soul King like Wang Xing would be someone capable of founding a sect in any of the major empires. One-on-one instruction from a Soul King was not something just anyone could enjoy.

Reading, meditating, exercising, cultivating, and occasionally exchanging a few moves with his father—this had become Wang Nan's daily routine.

And so, two and a half years passed in the blink of an eye.

During those two and a half years, he made another trip to the Star Dou Great Forest with his father and successfully obtained his Second Soul Ring. With a little help from his "talent," he was now a rank twenty-six Soul Grandmaster.

"Nan'er, stop practicing for now. Come over here."

Wang Nan had been practicing his staff techniques in the backyard when his mother appeared and interrupted him.

"What is it?" Wang Nan walked over to his mother, took the towel from her hand, and wiped the sweat from his neck.

"Your Second Uncle is back. He's talking to your father about you in the living room. Go take a look."

"Alright, I'll go now."

Wang Nan's home was not large. After just a few steps, he reached the front courtyard, where two voices faintly reached his ears.

"Nan'er is only ten this year. Isn't it a little too early?" That was Second Uncle's voice.

"One or two years won't make much difference. You know Nan'er's talent. Keeping him at home all this time is a bit of a waste."

"Fair enough. Then what about the letter of recommendation?"

"It's been prepared for a while. The Sun Moon Empire has been making frequent moves these past two years, and His Majesty also intends to..."

"Father, Second Uncle."

When Wang Nan entered the hall, Wang Xing did not continue.

"Nan'er, you're here. Come over. Since we're on the subject, do you want to go to Shrek Academy with your Second Uncle?"

"Huh?"

Following Wang Xing's gaze, Wang Nan looked to the side, where a man in his twenties sat with a gentle smile on his face.

This was Wang Nan's Second Uncle, Wang Yan.

When Wang Nan first learned his Second Uncle's name, he had his doubts. But possessing the Coiling Dragon Staff Martial Soul and teaching at Shrek Academy—putting those clues together, he knew that this Second Uncle before him was that person from his Past Life Memories.

To be honest, of course he wanted to go to Shrek Academy. In his past life, Wang Nan had seen plenty of comments about Shrek Academy. Some said it provided an excellent education and had nurtured many geniuses. Others said it was no good, that many Soul Masters relied entirely on their own talent and the academy had little to do with it.

But no matter what, the current Shrek Academy truly was the number one Soul Master Academy on the Douluo Continent. Even its most basic cafeteria meals included soup made from thousand-year Soul Beasts. That level of resources was beyond comparison with anywhere else. Wang Nan had no reason to refuse such an opportunity.

"Second Uncle, you have connections like that?" Wang Nan joked.

"What are you thinking?" Wang Xing raised an eyebrow and scolded him with a laugh. "Your Second Uncle is only taking you there this time. The entrance assessment and the New Student Assessment will both depend on you."

As he spoke, he took a bright yellow envelope from his Storage Soul Tool. It bore the seal of the Star Luo Empire's Imperial Family.

"Your age and Soul Power meet Shrek Academy's requirements, and Father has already prepared your letter of recommendation. As for the remaining practical assessment, that will depend on you."

"Don't be too nervous." Wang Yan spoke up to reassure him. "Even at Shrek Academy, your talent would rank near the top. There definitely won't be any problems."

Wang Yan had still spent too little time with Wang Nan. Since childhood, there had been very few things capable of making Wang Nan nervous. He truly did not consider the New Student Assessment particularly difficult.

"Then when do we leave?"

"Pack tonight. We leave tomorrow morning."

Wang Yan was obsessed with Martial Soul research, and his thoughts were all on the books in Shrek Academy's library. Every time he returned home, he came and went in a hurry. Even this time, when he had returned to take Wang Nan to school, he had only planned to stay for a few days. Now that the decision had been made, he was already preparing to leave.

Wang Xing naturally understood Wang Yan and was not surprised by his decision. Wang Nan was not one to drag things out either, so he nodded and agreed to the arrangement.

The next morning soon arrived, and Wang Nan and Wang Yan were already on the road to Shrek Academy.

Although the Sun Moon Empire's Soul Tool industry was highly developed, its focus remained on various weapons. Aside from Storage Soul Tools, there were very few that could be used in everyday life. It made Wang Nan miss the convenient transportation of his past life.

"This is Shrek City. What do you think? How does it feel seeing it in person?"

"It's beautiful." Looking at the buildings before him, Wang Nan could not help but marvel inwardly. It was not that he had never seen more prosperous cities, but the architectural style unique to this other world, combined with the Soul Master-specific structures unique to this world, was completely different from the simple written descriptions in his memories.

"Haha, this city is also managed solely by Shrek Academy and belongs to no empire." Wang Yan paused suddenly. "Before we enter the academy, there are a few things I need to emphasize again. With your talent, getting into the academy won't be a problem, but your goal cannot be merely entering it. Your goal should be to become a Core Disciple."

"Shrek Academy is divided into the Inner Courtyard and the Outer Courtyard. The Inner Courtyard is where the true 'monsters' gather, and the academy's resources all lean toward it. Core Disciples are the reserve candidates for Inner Courtyard Disciples. From the teachers who instruct them to their daily meals, Core Disciples receive far better treatment than ordinary students. Do you understand?"

Wang Nan nodded.

"Of course, you can't let your guard down during the entrance examination or the New Student Assessment either..."

They talked as they walked, and before long, Wang Yan and Wang Nan arrived at the entrance of Shrek Academy. More than a dozen young men and women in yellow school uniforms stood there.

"These are second- and third-year students. Within the academy, school uniforms are issued according to Soul Ring color. New students and first-year students wear white, while higher grades also have purple and black."

Hearing Wang Yan's voice, several students recognized him.

"Hello, Teacher Wang."

"Mhm, hello."

"Is this a new junior student?"

"I just brought him over to take a look. There's no guarantee he'll pass the assessment yet," Wang Yan said modestly.

"Good luck!" As Wang Nan passed by, several female students secretly called out to him.

Sigh, what a world that judged by looks.