Dugu Xianmeng

Zhou Sichen merely smiled without a word at Beibei's praise, following him through the teaching buildings until they reached a lush grove.

Shrek City was located in the central-southern region of Douluo Continent. Its climate was warm, and although its trees were not as towering as those in the south of the Sun Moon Empire, they averaged over thirty meters in height.

Moreover, few people passed through this area, so the grove had grown exceptionally well, its dense branches and leaves blocking out vast swathes of sunlight.

At the heart of the grove stood a magnificent building, the place where Outer Court disciples usually dueled and sparred.

Beibei led Zhou Sichen inside with practiced familiarity. Within stood enormous Soul Dueling Platforms, with countless seats rising along both sides that could accommodate at least five hundred people.

At that moment, two Four-Ring Soul Ancestors were engaged in a breathtaking battle on the most important Soul Dueling Platform.

Noticing Beibei and Zhou Sichen's arrival, Du Wilun, the director of the Outer Court's Martial Soul Department, walked over. "Beibei, what are you doing here? And who is this student?"

Beibei directly told Du Wilun everything about Zhou Sichen. After hearing it, Du Wilun stared at Zhou Sichen in disbelief.

How... how could such a genius Soul Master exist? Level 38 at Twelve Years Old, Three Purple Soul Rings...

Du Wilun studied Zhou Sichen with a scrutinizing gaze. Such talent was unheard of even at Shrek Academy, the number one Soul Master Academy on the continent.

If Du Wilun remembered correctly, Ancestor Tang San, the core and soul of the Shrek Seven Devils from ten thousand years ago who had ultimately become the Sea God, had only possessed a yellow-yellow-purple-black ring configuration upon reaching Four-Ring!

And Zhou Sichen? His soul rings had been this heaven-defying from his First Soul Ring onward?

As an academic director renowned for being harsh and impersonal, Du Wilun, who had always strictly upheld Shrek's school rules, found himself entertaining the unprecedented thought of pulling strings for Zhou Sichen.

Beibei could not possibly be lying under these circumstances, and Zhou Sichen had remained perfectly calm from beginning to end.

Du Wilun forced himself to put on a stern expression and steady his excited emotions before saying in a deep voice, "If you truly possess such strength, then you naturally qualify for the Inner Court Assessment.

"But as the academic director and examiner for new student admissions, I must remind you of something. Shrek Academy's reputation as the best on the continent is known to all, but the Outer Court was founded because our predecessors answered the Three Empires' request for Shrek to cultivate more talent for the continent."

"For Shrek Academy, only the Inner Court is the true number one on the continent.

"Even among the outstanding students who rise above the rest in the Outer Court, only a handful enter the Inner Court each year. Furthermore, students who fail the Inner Court Assessment are not permitted to remain at the academy."

"The difficulty of entering the Inner Court directly without first receiving an Outer Court education and building a solid foundation is something I need not elaborate on. You should understand it as well."

Zhou Sichen remained as calm as ever and nodded. "I understand."

Beibei did not know what to say from the side. He had already completely acknowledged Zhou Sichen's strength, but Du Wilun was not wrong either.

Zhou Sichen continued, "Director Du, with my current strength, competing alongside new students whose average strength is only Two-Ring would honestly be bullying them, as well as wasting my talent."

"If I cannot enter the Inner Court and have to waste my years away in Shrek's Outer Court, I would rather leave Shrek Academy."

Upon hearing this, Beibei immediately spoke up. "Brother Zhou, that isn't what Director Du meant. We can just follow the normal process and pass the Inner Court Assessment, can't we?"

Zhou Sichen glanced at Beibei, then at Du Wilun. "This is what I think. I wonder whether Director Du can give me an opportunity?"

Du Wilun fell silent for a long while before slowly saying, "Yes. And because your talent is exceptional, I can make an exception. Even if you fail the Inner Court Assessment, you may remain at Shrek Academy. You also will not need to bully new students. You can directly join the Fourth Year class with Beibei instead. How does that sound?"

Zhou Sichen smiled faintly. "Then thank you, Director Du."

Du Wilun whispered a few words to Beibei. Beibei nodded, then patted Zhou Sichen on the shoulder. After saying, "Good luck," he left the training hall.

Du Wilun said to Zhou Sichen, "Come with me."

At that moment, aside from the two students currently dueling on the Soul Dueling Platform, everyone else could not help turning to look over.

Leaving aside Zhou Sichen's handsome appearance and ethereal bearing, the fact that he had arrived with Beibei at this time was already enough to draw attention.

They knew Beibei, after all. That kid was one of the two famous rising stars of Shrek's Outer Court.

But this was the first time they had seen Zhou Sichen, which meant he was most likely a new student.

But what was a new student doing in the training hall? The half-month registration period for new students was when sixth-year students underwent assessments to advance to the Inner Court.

A new student showing up now was rather difficult to interpret.

"Ahem." Du Wilun coughed. "What are you looking at? Do you all think your strength is enough to guarantee entry into the Inner Court?"

There were more than a dozen handsome young men and beautiful young women present, but upon hearing Du Wilun's voice, they silently turned their heads back toward the two people dueling on the Soul Dueling Platform.

The Inner Court Assessment was simple in some ways. It consisted of two rounds. During the sixth-year graduation assessment, the top fifteen ranked students qualified for the assessment.

Of course, it was not a hard requirement that there be exactly fifteen people. If someone possessed especially outstanding talent, additional candidates could be admitted at discretion.

After obtaining the qualification, they could take the assessment when the next class of new students enrolled.

This also meant that students who had earned assessment qualifications still had several months to make another breakthrough. In truth, this was already quite humane.

But the real assessment was the hardest part, and ordinary people basically had no chance of passing.

The opponents were generally senior brothers and sisters from the Inner Court in one-on-one soul duels, after which the senior students and referees would determine the final results.

Those who could enter the Inner Court were all true geniuses, and their cultivation was higher as well. Getting a good score was extremely difficult.

Zhou Sichen followed Du Wilun to the waiting area, where Du Wilun personally explained the assessment precautions and rules to him.

Inside the training hall's lounge, four handsome young men and beautiful young women stared unblinkingly at Zhou Sichen on the Soul Tool screen before them.

When one petite and adorable girl saw Zhou Sichen, she could not help swooning. "Wow, why is this little brother so good-looking? Is he here for the Inner Court Assessment too?"

The boy behind her rolled his eyes at the lovestruck Li Runrun. "Probably not. Even though we've already been in the Inner Court for a year, we still know about the talented people in the Outer Court. There isn't anyone like him among them."

Li Runrun ignored the boy beside her entirely and asked the mature-looking woman with long emerald-green hair beside her, "Xian Meng, what do you think of this little brother?"

Dugu Xianmeng stared fixedly at Zhou Sichen. It was as though she had suddenly remembered something, and she did not rush to answer Li Runrun's question.

She had seen this boy before, only in a portrait...

Dugu Xianmeng murmured inwardly, Is this the person you think about day and night?

Then a mischievous glint appeared in Dugu Xianmeng's eyes. Since she was not here, why not have some fun with this little brother herself?

Only after a long while did Dugu Xianmeng reply, "There probably isn't a second man this handsome anywhere in the academy."

Upon hearing Dugu Xianmeng's words, everyone, including Li Runrun, could not help raising their brows. Aside from Big Sister, Dugu Xianmeng was the second person who had never shown any interest in men.

Because no man dared approach her!

Li Runrun knew that her close friend actually desperately wanted a passionate romance, but because of her Martial Soul, not a single person in the academy dared approach her!

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