Enrollment Troubles

Early in the morning, Tang San set out from Suotuo City's southern gate with Xiao Wu.

Although Grandmaster had told him that Shrek Academy would be visible not far beyond Suotuo City's southern gate, all he could see were vast stretches of farmland.

Where was there any academy?

But things had come to this, so Tang San could only steel himself and continue onward.

"Honestly, instead of attending a perfectly good Intermediate Soul Master Academy, we had to come all the way out here."

After walking for some time without seeing the so-called "Shrek Academy," Xiao Wu could not help pouting in complaint.

A hint of helplessness crossed Tang San's face.

"Don't worry. Teacher wouldn't do anything meaningless. If he sent us here, there must be a reason."

Xiao Wu frowned but said nothing more.

Although she did not like that Grandmaster, she did not argue for Xiao San's sake.

No matter what, Grandmaster was still Xiao San's teacher.

Even though not all of Grandmaster's knowledge regarding soul beasts was correct, and some of it was misleading.

But Xiao San believed in him.

So, after trying to persuade Xiao San twice, Xiao Wu gave up on changing his impression of Grandmaster.

It was too difficult.

It simply was not something a Rabbit could accomplish.

Before long, a small village appeared in Tang San's field of vision.

The village was not large.

But rather strangely, quite a few families were crowding at the village entrance.

Tang San's heart skipped a beat.

He had seen scenes like this many times before.

It was just that they usually happened around the time new students enrolled.

Combined with Grandmaster's instructions, Tang San could not help smiling wryly.

"This can't be, can it?"

"What's wrong?"

Xiao Wu's eyesight could not compare with Tang San's after cultivating the Purple Demon Eyes. While Tang San could see things clearly, Xiao Wu could only make out their general shape.

In other words, everything was blurry, and she could only see the outlines.

"I think I found Shrek Academy."

"Then what are we waiting for?"

Xiao Wu excitedly ran ahead, leaving Tang San standing where he was, wanting to speak but stopping himself.

Not long afterward, the two arrived before the village.

Looking up at the shabby plaque hanging from the wooden archway at the village entrance, Xiao Wu wore an expression of utter disbelief, and Tang San did not look much better.

Shrek Academy.

Those five simple words shattered every fantasy Tang San and Xiao Wu had held.

Together with the green, rather goofy-looking monster head before them, the words carried an overwhelming air of mockery.

For the dumbstruck Xiao Wu in particular, it dealt ten thousand points of critical damage.

"This is the academy that claims its graduates can become Empire Viscounts? This is just too—"

"Watch your words!"

"But it should be right. After all, someone from Spirit Hall said so personally."

A young couple ahead of them discussed it in low voices.

Their words reached Tang San's ears, and he could not help freezing.

Empire Viscount?

Ordinarily, an Empire Viscount was a noble title. Common people had no right to grant it, much less establish terms for granting it on such a broad scale as "becoming an Empire Viscount upon graduation"!

Yet there were two possibilities!

The first was that this academy's dean, or the person supporting it from behind the scenes, held an extremely influential position within the empire.

The second.

Was that the graduating Soul Masters possessed exceptionally outstanding Soul Power Levels!

Only then would the Heaven Dou Empire or the Star Luo Empire make an exception and grant them noble titles in order to recruit these geniuses!

That was not some wild fantasy.

After all, Soul Masters themselves were jokingly called "half-nobles"!

The Holy Sons and Holy Daughters of Spirit Hall throughout the generations held status no lower than the crown princes or eldest princesses of the two great empires!

The nobility of Soul Masters was plain to see!

"The registration fee is ten Gold Soul Coins."

Looking at the anxious boy before him, the plainly dressed old man pointed to a crude wooden box beside him, indicating that he should pay before taking the test.

The boy's father hurriedly tossed ten Gold Soul Coins into the wooden box.

"Hold out your hand."

The old man lazily pinched the boy's hand.

"Your bone age doesn't qualify. You may leave."

The boy helplessly turned to look at his father behind him. His father frowned, stepped forward, and said quietly:

"Teacher, do you think you could make an exception?"

"Do you know the rules here?"

"Yes, of course I do."

Impatience flashed through the old man's eyes as he suddenly raised his voice.

"Since you know we don't accept children over thirteen whose Soul Power Level hasn't reached twenty-one, why are you still wasting words here?!"

"Go, go, go! Make room for the people behind you!"

The boy's father hesitated. "Then what about the registration fee?"

"Once paid, fees will not be refunded."

The boy, standing behind his father, had more or less understood what was happening. His face flushed red with anger. "Your Shrek Academy is clearly nothing but a bunch of swindlers!"

"Swindlers?"

The old man sneered.

Six Soul Rings slowly rose around him.

One white, one yellow, three purple, and one black.

The powerful Pressure instantly crushed the boy until he could not speak.

"Do I need to deceive you?"

The old man asked without changing expression.

Tang San's expression shifted slightly.

This was clearly a Soul Emperor!

The teacher handling registration was already a Soul Emperor, so just how powerful were the teachers responsible for instructing him, and the dean?

Although this place was indeed somewhat run-down, Grandmaster truly had not deceived him!

"Senior, isn't this a little inappropriate?"

Along with that voice from an unknown direction, a powerful Killing Intent soared into the sky. It forcibly inserted itself into the Pressure released by the old man, taking a stance of equal opposition.

The Killing Intent had appeared so suddenly that the old man did not dare remain arrogant. He could only draw back his Pressure.

Yet after the Pressure receded, that bone-chilling Killing Intent vanished as well, as though it had never existed.

The boy and his father gulped down air. The suffocating feeling from moments ago made them afraid to linger. They did not even want their Gold Soul Coins back. They bowed to the old man, then bowed to the surrounding crowd before leaving directly.

The first bow represented respect for the strong, not gratitude toward the old man for stopping.

The second bow expressed gratitude toward that unknown expert.

The old man's expression changed slightly.

Killing Intent was not the same as Pressure.

Pressure could be released or withdrawn at will, but if Killing Intent was not controlled properly, it could even harm its wielder!

If the two were truly classified by type, Killing Intent would undoubtedly fall under Aura.

Although Killing Intent was the simplest and easiest type of Aura to cultivate, one could easily suffer Qi Deviation in the process and become unable to distinguish friend from foe!

Therefore, only those with great courage and great perseverance could possibly cultivate and control these indescribable Auras!

As for Pressure, as long as one's strength was sufficient, releasing or withdrawing it was no difficult matter.

After all, Pressure was simply an advanced application of the Soul Power within one's body.

Ordinary Pressure and Pressure infused with Aura brought entirely different levels of force.

It was like a Titled Douluo and a Soul Douluo—their very essence had changed.

Perhaps only Pressure infused with Aura could be considered true Pressure!

The old man's sharp gaze swept across the crowd one person at a time.

To be honest, that sweep really did uncover several promising candidates.

He simply did not know which one was the candidate who had so freely released and withdrawn that Killing Intent just now.

"It seems Shrek Academy may truly welcome a real monster today!"

The old man could not help smiling wryly to himself.

If Little Monster referred to a genius who surpassed most talented Soul Masters.

Then today's real monster had undoubtedly risen to prominence by stepping directly on the reputation of him, a Soul Emperor!

Yet the old man felt no displeasure whatsoever.

After all, this real monster would soon be joining Shrek Academy!

Please recommend, bookmark, and comment.