The Truth About Shrek Academy

Two and a half years later, at the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect.

On the Soul Fighting Stage, which had been tightly assembled from chunks of special giant rock, three figures stood facing one another. The atmosphere was somewhat tense.

A boy who looked around eleven or twelve stood motionless at the edge of the Soul Fighting Stage, holding a clear blue sword. Yet his entire body radiated a vigorous heroic spirit.

He was about 1.7 meters tall, with a slender, upright build and a stern face. His brows were sharp as swords and his eyes bright as stars, his face round as a full moon. Dressed in white, with white hair draped over his shoulders, he also emanated a biting aura.

And he was Chen Junting.

The two stunningly beautiful girls standing opposite him were naturally Ning Tian and Wu Feng.

"Little Feng, this still isn't enough."

With a light tremor of the Seven Kills Sword in his hand, the incoming flames instantly went out, while he himself remained calm and composed.

Even with the two Soul Grandmasters joining forces, they were still somewhat outmatched by his peak thirty-third-level cultivation.

"Hmph! Don't underestimate us!"

Seeing that her flames had failed to even touch the hem of Chen Junting's clothes, the hot-bodied Wu Feng simultaneously lit up two yellow Soul Rings.

"Young Master, boost me!"

"Buzz—"

After two streams of light entered Wu Feng's body, she charged fiercely at Chen Junting in practically the span of a breath. Her right hand clenched into a fist, Red Dragon Flame coiling around it as it struck straight toward his face!

However, a point of cold light suddenly appeared!

The flames were instantly split in two along the Sword Edge's direction.

The sword tip touched Wu Feng's Dragon Claw. As Dragon Scales flew, the rhythm of her attack was immediately disrupted. She could only seize the moment to retreat rapidly, lest Chen Junting defeat her in an instant.

Retracting the Seven Kills Sword, Chen Junting watched her quietly.

He could naturally choose to pursue his advantage, or even use all three Soul Skills at once to defeat Wu Feng and Ning Tian instantly. But doing so would go against the purpose of this spar.

To hone their combat skills, they naturally had to be "evenly matched."

"Little Feng, Little Tian, you're just a little short."

"Who are you trying to fool?"

Looking at the gap between those two fingertips, Wu Feng curled her lips in annoyance.

After spending so much time with Chen Junting, she knew exactly what the "Fingertip Universe" meant.

Thus, her tone was not polite in the slightest.

"Hehe, you really are just a little short."

Chen Junting's expression remained unchanged.

But...

Before his voice had even faded, the first yellow five-pointed star on the Seven Kills Sword lit up, and a fierce Sword Qi suddenly cleaved forth!

Its target was Ning Tian, who stood behind Wu Feng.

"You black-hearted Sword Man!"

Wu Feng immediately roared when she saw this!

This bastard had distracted her with his words, then turned around to attack Ning Tian!

But just then, "Hm!"

As if he had sensed something, Chen Junting struck out with his sword again. This second Sword Qi instantly caught up with the first.

When the two collided, they vanished in an instant.

"Hm? Why did you stop?"

Wu Feng, who had been preparing to rush back and help, stopped in confusion when she saw this. Just as she asked, she noticed a burst of Soul Power suddenly erupt from Ning Tian's body before settling down moments later.

"Ah! Young Master, you've broken through!"

Wu Feng's face filled with delight.

"Yes. I suppose it was only natural."

The corners of Ning Tian's mouth lifted slightly, her joy impossible to suppress.

An eleven-year-old level-thirty Support System Soul Elder was rare even over the past ten thousand years.

"Congratulations, Little Tian." Chen Junting walked over to her. Looking at the girl before him, whose hands were soft as tender reeds and whose skin was smooth as congealed cream, his thoughts began to churn. "With your current cultivation, you've already far surpassed Ancestor Ning Rongrong from ten thousand years ago."

"Brother Junting, I still have a long way to go."

Chen Junting paid no heed to Ning Tian's modesty. Instead, he secretly pondered how he could enter the Ice and Fire Yin Yang Well and obtain an Immortal Herb to evolve Ning Tian's Martial Soul into the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda.

But... it would be difficult!

Meanwhile, Wu Feng was brimming with excitement as she discussed with Ning Tian which Soul Beast to obtain her Third Soul Ring from.

At that moment, a Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect disciple in a white outfit approached from afar and bowed before them.

"Young Master Chen, the Sect Master requests your presence."

A glint flashed through Chen Junting's eyes. He remembered something the Sect Master had mentioned to him some time ago: taking Ning Tian and Wu Feng to Shrek to study.

He supposed that today was when the matter would be brought up again.

After all, the day Shrek Academy recruited new students was fast approaching.

On the balcony of the third floor of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, Ning Bo Wen sat before a tea table, brewing a pot of fragrant Dragon Brocade Tea with a leisurely expression.

"Uncle Ning."

When he raised his eyes and saw Chen Junting arrive, Ning Bo Wen lifted the teapot and poured him a cup of tea, gesturing for him to sit.

Chen Junting accepted the teacup without ceremony.

"Junting, you can probably guess why I called you here today." Ning Bo Wen smiled and took a sip of tea.

"Because of Shrek Academy."

"Have you made up your mind?"

Chen Junting shook his head lightly. "I haven't." To be honest, he couldn't quite understand why he needed to study at Shrek Academy. After all, the cultivation resources the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect provided him were not something Shrek Academy could offer.

"You can't figure it out, can you?"

Ning Bo Wen smiled faintly, seeing through the truth at a glance.

"Actually, in your eyes, what Shrek Academy displays is merely the surface."

At this point, his tone suddenly shifted. "Do you know? Several thousand years ago, Shrek had no distinction between an Outer Academy and an Inner Academy. In reality, the emergence of the Shrek Outer Academy was Shrek Academy's compromise with the various nobles. As for its purpose, it merely created a platform for geniuses and nobles."

"Compromise?"

Had the person saying this not been his own Sect Master, Chen Junting would have thought he had just heard the ravings of a madman.

"How could the domineering Shrek Academy, which commands such awe across the continent, actually choose to compromise with the various nobles?" Staring at the tea's surface as it rippled slightly, confusion welled up in his heart.

"Any power will compromise."

Ning Bo Wen slowly set down his teacup, his expression calm.

"Actually, in Shrek Academy's eyes, only the Inner Academy is the true Shrek. To join it, all one needs is talent and strength. Likewise, students who join the Inner Academy can receive Shrek Academy's genuine training. Only there can they learn Shrek Academy's true knowledge. Moreover, Shrek's Inner Academy possesses a Golden Ancient Tree. Thus, as long as a student is in the Inner Academy, they can obtain the finest Mimetic Cultivation Ground."

"Therefore, in the eyes of Shrek Academy's leadership, the Outer Academy itself isn't important."

It seemed that Shrek after ten thousand years truly could not be underestimated. He had been the shallow one.

"Uncle Ning, you mean that I should bring Ning Tian and Wu Feng to join the Shrek Outer Academy, recruit geniuses into the Sect, and then have them enter the Inner Academy... Borrowing a chicken to lay eggs."

Now that he understood the truth about Shrek Academy, Chen Junting also understood the Sect Master's true purpose. As he spoke, he even found a pleasant-sounding excuse.

"Exactly—borrowing a chicken to lay eggs."

Ning Bo Wen chuckled. "On this point, Shrek Academy, the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, our Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, and even the Heavenly Dragon Sect—as well as the Tang Sect from thousands of years ago, before its decline—all understand it perfectly. And Shrek Academy will treat our people equally."

Was it because of the bond between the Shrek Seven Devils and the Golden Iron Triangle from ten thousand years ago?

Perhaps.

But more importantly, it was because of the interests shared by these various powers.

Chen Junting immediately understood.

Seeing this, Ning Bo Wen said,

"Well? Have you made up your mind now?"

Since the two sides were a community of shared interests, and joining Shrek Academy offered so many benefits, Chen Junting naturally had no reason to refuse.

After downing the tea in his hand in one gulp, he said, "Uncle Ning, rest assured. I'll take care of Little Tian and Little Feng."

"Hehe."

The two exchanged a glance, both letting out a soft laugh.