First Encounter with Shrek Academy

"Brother, there's a small village over there."

Tang San looked in the direction Xiao Wu was pointing. About a li away stood a small village with roughly a hundred households, even smaller than Holy Spirit Village.

"Let's go ask around. Maybe someone knows where Shrek Academy is."

"Okay!"

When they reached the village entrance, they found quite a few people gathered there.

A table had been set up at the entrance, with an old man in his sixties seated behind it.

However, Tang San and Xiao Wu were both dumbfounded. Hanging above the archway at the village entrance was a shabby-looking sign bearing the words Shrek Academy.

"No way, this is Shrek Academy?"

Xiao Wu was utterly confused. Could such a rundown place really be a Soul Master Academy? It was worse than Nuoding Academy.

It was not just Xiao Wu. Even Tang San was bewildered. Had Teacher really not lied to him?

"Brother, did Grandmaster fool us? Does this place look anything like an academy?"

"Forget it. We're already here, so let's take a look first."

Tang San gave a bitter smile.

After joining the line, they heard a young man's mother say, "Is this some kind of joke? This is the so-called Soul Master Academy?"

"This academy is far too shabby. We'd be better off going to Suotuo City Intermediate Soul Master Academy."

"Forget it, let's see what happens. Maybe it's part of the test."

A young man stepped up to the table, and the old man lazily said, "Registration fee: ten Gold Soul Coins."

"Hold out your hand."

The old man pinched his hand a few times. "You don't meet the age requirement. You can leave."

"Teacher, he only just turned thirteen. Please make an exception."

The old man grew impatient. "We only accept those under thirteen."

"The registration fee..."

"Once paid, registration fees will not be refunded."

The young man's father immediately became furious. "You're swindling people out of their money!"

"Mubai, someone wants their registration fee back."

Dai Mubai slowly stepped forward. "Want your registration fee back? Simple. Defeat me!"

Without another word, Dai Mubai activated his Soul Power. Three soul rings—two yellow and one purple—spun and gleamed around him, and an invisible pressure swept through the area.

"Hmph! Our bad luck."

The young man's father's expression turned ugly as he dragged his son away.

"Brother, it's that guy from yesterday."

Xiao Wu frowned. She had an extremely poor impression of Dai Mubai. Not only was he a scumbag, he was also an arrogant Soul Master—and he had beaten up her brother.

Tang San's face also darkened when he saw Dai Mubai. He did not know what had happened yesterday, but he had failed to bring out his fighting strength and had been thoroughly beaten.

Dai Mubai dared humiliate me like this. He has earned his death!

"Principal, this counts as an academy?"

Not far away, Zhu Zhuqing also looked at Xu Yichen with an ugly expression.

"Seems like it."

Xu Yichen was equally moved. This Shrek Academy seemed even more rundown than it had been in the anime.

"What could anyone possibly learn in an academy like this?"

Ling Xi was speechless. A few floor tiles from Angel Academy could probably buy this entire school.

"Alright, Zhuqing. It doesn't matter what this academy is like. If Dai Mubai studies in a place like this, you'll surpass him soon enough. Then you'll be free."

"Mm!"

Zhu Zhuqing nodded heavily, her eyes brimming with confidence. This confidence had been given to her by Angel Academy and Xu Yichen. Even a faint smile rose on her normally cold face.

She had never been this happy before.

A young girl walked alone to the old man. She wore a simple white dress, looking clean and neat. Her short hair fell evenly to her ears, and she was not very tall, half a head shorter than Xiao Wu. Her skin was exceptionally fair and tender.

"The target has appeared."

"That girl?"

Zhu Zhuqing asked. Though they could only see the girl's back, it was obvious that she looked like a little princess.

"Yes. She's Ning Rongrong, daughter of Ning Fengzhi, the sect master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect."

"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect!"

Zhu Zhuqing was somewhat surprised. Why would the daughter of one of the Upper Three Clans' sect masters come to such a shabby academy?

"But if she comes to Angel Academy, she'll have to transform her Martial Soul, right? Ning Rongrong might not be willing to do that."

Xu Yichen nodded, then shook his head. "Transforming a Martial Soul isn't what you think. Transforming it into an Angel Martial Soul means transforming it into a Martial Soul that suits you best and is also best suited to your original Martial Soul."

"For example, your Hell Spirit Cat possesses the power of darkness. After transforming into a Netherworld Angel, it merely amplifies the Hell Spirit Cat's power, turning it into a stronger Martial Soul. But the actual changes aren't that great. Have your soul skills changed much?"

"Not really."

Zhu Zhuqing shook her head.

"So, even if Ning Rongrong transforms into an Angel, she'll still be a Support System Soul Master. It's just that the Angel's effects will be stronger than those of the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda. She might even break through the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda's limitations."

"Alright, it's our turn. A Support System Soul Master like her is terrifying."

Xu Yichen stretched lazily. He could not bear to watch this plot any longer.

"May I ask if I passed?"

Ning Rongrong's voice was gentle and pleasant, soft and sweet enough to make one's bones tingle.

"Does your family know you came here?"

The old man was somewhat surprised.

"As long as I meet the academy's requirements, you have no reason to reject me, do you?"

"Take her inside."

The old man waved his hand.

"How could such a beautiful princess enter this rundown academy? Would you like to come to our Angel Academy instead?"

Xu Yichen's crisp voice rang in everyone's ears.

Li Yusong and Dai Mubai's faces darkened.

"Who is it? Who dares slander our Shrek Academy?!"

Soul Power surged around Dai Mubai, as though he would explode at any moment.

"Oh? Was I wrong? Isn't that simply the truth?"

Xu Yichen strolled over, with Ling Xi and Zhu Zhuqing following behind him.

"You?"

Dai Mubai was somewhat surprised when he saw Xu Yichen. This boy was actually far more handsome than him.

"Hmm?"

Looking at the two women behind Xu Yichen, both were peerless beauties, no less stunning than Ning Rongrong. One of them even felt strangely familiar.

"You're slandering our Shrek Academy?"

Li Yusong also released his Martial Soul. Six soul rings—white, yellow, purple, purple, purple, and black—spun beneath his feet, while the dragon-patterned staff in his hand glowed faintly.

"Does this shabby academy of yours even need me to slander it?"

Xu Yichen smiled and shook his head. "First, Shrek Academy cheats people out of their money. If they fail the test, you refuse to return their Gold Soul Coins. That shows Shrek Academy is desperately short of money. Uh, anyone can tell just by looking at your entrance."

"Second, it seems the Balak Kingdom has not recognized your academy, has it? Your academy isn't even legitimate. You don't even qualify to participate in the All-Continent Soul Master Academy Elite Tournament. And you have the nerve to call this an academy?"

"You..."

Li Yusong's mouth twitched. Though all of that was true, could he not have kept it to himself? If he said it out loud, how were they supposed to swindle people out of their money?

Damn it!

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