Shrek Academy

A month later, Bai Ge picked up his luggage and prepared to head to Shrek Academy.

To him, where he studied did not matter much, but he had received a private letter from old man Chen Xin.

Simply put, Ning Rongrong had been somewhat neglected because Ning Fengzhi was busy with sect affairs.

The little girl had also happened to reach her rebellious phase, so she ran away from home.

But the little lass had never imagined that all her plans had been anticipated by her old father, Ning Fengzhi.

Ning Fengzhi had even arranged for someone to notify Flender in advance.

As for old man Chen Xin, worried that his precious Little Princess might suffer, he had drafted Bai Ge into service.

In his letter, old man Chen Xin repeatedly urged him to take good care of his precious Little Princess, terrified that Ning Rongrong might be wronged. Bai Ge could not help but laugh and cry at the sight.

And so, Bai Ge set off as a matter of course.

As for Qian Renxue, she had now completely settled into Xue Qinghe's identity, burying herself in official duties and memorials all day.

Furthermore, the Heaven Dou Imperial Palace was filled with spies and informants from every side. To ensure the secrecy of Bai Ge's identity—or rather, to conceal his relationship with Qian Renxue—leaving Heaven Dou for the time being was a good decision.

Besides, with Bai Ge's current Teleportation ability, getting from Shrek Academy to Qian Renxue's chambers was no more than the blink of an eye.

Shrek Academy was truly too remote. Worse still, Bai Ge's terrible sense of direction had not improved even after living two lifetimes.

There was nothing to be done about it. In his previous life, Bai Ge had been a shut-in, a failed webnovel writer. He only went out once or twice a month at most, and whenever he did, he could just call a taxi.

East, west, north, south—that was the driver's business.

Thus, Bai Ge walked while asking for directions, taking three days before he finally found the place: a small village.

Quite a few people had gathered at the village entrance, most of them youths around his age. Most were accompanied by their parents.

A table had been set up at the entrance, with an old man in his sixties seated behind it. Above the wooden archway at the village entrance hung a somewhat battered signboard, carved with five simple words: Shrek Academy.

Before those five words was an emblem that looked like the head of some kind of green humanoid monster. It was a little cute.

The old man behind the table also wore a similar green circular badge on his chest. It was probably Shrek Academy's school emblem.

Bai Ge's mouth twitched. This place is way too shabby, isn't it?

Although Douluo Continent had become wildly popular because of its anime adaptation, prompting him to reread the original novel several times, six years had passed since his transmigration. He still remembered the important plot points, but some details had grown hazy.

At the very least, Shrek Academy was far more rundown than he had imagined.

At this moment, there were around several dozen applicants ahead of him in line. Quite a few of them were frowning, clearly harboring the same thoughts as he was.

One youth in the line had both parents with him. His mother said, "Is this some kind of joke? This is the Soul Master Academy that supposedly guarantees graduates can become imperial viscounts?"

The youth's father was also somewhat uncertain. "That was what the Spirit Hall people said, so it should not be wrong, right? But this academy is really too shabby."

The youth said, "Dad, I don't want to study here. It's too embarrassing.

Let's go to Soto Intermediate Spirit Master Academy instead.

At least I was considered a genius back at Primary Academy."

The youth's father frowned and said, "Since we're already here, let's wait a little longer. Maybe this is some kind of test, and the real academy is not here."

There were certainly many similar conversations among the people waiting in line. Deep disappointment showed on the faces of most of the youths and their parents.

The old man seated behind the table and in charge of registration looked utterly lazy. To put it nicely, his clothes were plain; to put it bluntly, one might wonder whether he could not afford new clothes.

At that moment, a youth stepped forward to register. The old man said lazily, "The registration fee is ten Gold Soul Coins. Just put them in that box."

The youth's accompanying father hurriedly took out ten Gold Soul Coins and placed them into the box beside them, which had been nailed together from several wooden boards.

"Hold out one hand."

The youth did as he was told and extended his hand before the old man. The old man squeezed it twice, then shook his head at him. "Your age does not meet the requirements. You may leave."

The youth froze for a moment before turning to look at his father.

His father hurriedly forced a smile. "Teacher, my son only just passed his twelfth birthday. Could you make an exception?"

The old man said somewhat impatiently, "Do not hold up the people behind you. Don't you know the academy's rules?

We only accept children aged twelve and under.

Anyone over twelve will not be accepted. You may leave."

The youth's father said, "Then what about our registration fee..."

The old man said bluntly, "Once registered, no refunds."

Even a clay Buddha had some temper. Unable to restrain himself, the youth's father snapped, "You are clearly swindling people.

Return our registration fee, or we won't leave.

If we had known this so-called Shrek Academy was this rundown, we would never have come."

The old man glanced at him and said calmly, "Mu Bai, someone wants their registration fee back. Deal with it."

A figure suddenly sprang up from the ground nearby. "You want your registration fee back? Fine. Beat me, and you'll get every last coin back."

Dai Mubai did not waste words. He immediately activated his Soul Power and released all three of his Soul Rings—two hundred-year rings and one thousand-year ring.

The surging Soul Power created an invisible pressure in the air. Cold light flashed repeatedly in his evil eyes as he looked at the father and son.

Then, they backed down.

Indeed, the cultivation of the vast majority of people on Douluo Continent only reached around three rings.

They had no hope of attaining a higher realm in their entire lives.

Grandmaster's theory was meant for people like them. If they followed Grandmaster's guidance, they might have a chance to break their limits and advance to Soul Ancestor.

Unfortunately, they did not believe him.

As for scamming people out of registration fees, it was a little underhanded, but it was only one month's allowance. For Soul Masters, it was not too great a burden.

At Shrek Academy, teachers at the Soul Emperor and Soul Sage levels personally gave lessons. Other than Spirit Hall, no other institution had such resources, and the students they trained were exceptionally good fighters.

Combat awareness was not something just anyone could teach.

Just look at Dai Weisi and Dai Mubai. The one with higher cultivation had still lost.

To say that Shrek's admission threshold was high made it sound as though the top universities in Bai Ge's previous life had low requirements.

On the Douluo Continent, where people had rigidly followed convention for ten thousand years, Shrek was the only academy that required support-type Soul Masters to possess combat ability.

If he had not constantly received such training, then even if Oscar could later replicate Martial Souls, he might not have been able to bring out their true power.