Monsters Only

Among Soul Masters, Soul Rings were always the best source of authority. Seeing the three Soul Rings around Dai Mubai, including one thousand-year Soul Ring, the boy's father's expression changed drastically. Throwing out a "Our bad luck," he hurried away with his son.

Dai Mubai returned to his seat at the side, his evil eyes coldly sweeping over the youths and parents waiting to register behind him. The threat was obvious. The pressure brought by three Soul Rings was not something ordinary people could withstand. At this moment, he no longer looked like a spoiled young master, but more like a thug.

After this scene, a third of the people waiting in line immediately left. No one wanted to waste money for nothing, especially since Shrek Academy's appearance was truly hard to praise.

Another boy came before the old man to register, accompanied by both his parents. His mother confidently placed ten gold coins into the wooden box, and the boy obediently held out his hand.

The old man squeezed his hand, glanced at the boy with his murky yellow eyes, and said, "Exactly twelve years old. Release your martial soul and let me see it."

The boy nodded. Pale green Soul Power emerged from his body, and a hundred-year yellow Soul Ring rose and fell around him.

The aura of the hundred-year Soul Ring was clearly not weak. As his martial soul appeared, a thick, long vine coiled around his body.

This martial soul was somewhat similar to Tang San's Blue Silver Grass. However, his martial soul was not grass, but a type of vine directly—similar to Tang San's second Soul Ring, the Ghost Vine, except it lacked the Ghost Vine's poison.

The old man shook his head and said, "Unqualified. You may leave."

The boy's parents had both worn confident expressions, but when they heard the old man say their child was unqualified, their faces immediately froze. His mother could not help asking, "Why? My son is a top student at his junior academy. Didn't you see that his Soul Ring is a hundred-year one? There aren't many Soul Masters with hundred-year Soul Rings."

The old man said blandly, "A first Soul Ring that is a hundred-year one is naturally quite good. But he is merely ordinary."

The boy's father frowned. "I don't understand what you mean."

Growing somewhat impatient, the old man rose from behind the table. He spoke not only to the boy's parents before him, but also to those lined up behind them. "If you came to register at Shrek Academy, you should first understand the rules. Coming here without figuring them out is just wasting the registration fee. It is not too late to regret it now. Do you know what 'Shrek' means in the name Shrek Academy?"

Most of the applicants looked bewildered after hearing the old man's words.

The old man said coldly, "A Shrek is a kind of monster, an exceptionally strange existence even among Soul Beasts. The meaning of Shrek Academy is Monster Academy. In other words, we only accept monsters here, not ordinary people. Those older than thirteen, or whose Soul Power has not reached level twenty-one or above, need not waste their time here."

Like everyone else, Tang San had initially been somewhat disappointed in Shrek Academy. But after hearing the old man's words, his interest was piqued. An academy that only accepted monsters—didn't the word "monster" also mean genius?

As he spoke, an incomparably powerful aura suddenly erupted from the old man. Even with Tang San's strength, his entire body could not help but tremble. A dense red radiance burst forth from the old man, and a long staff covered in countless fine patterns appeared in his right hand. Most terrifying of all, six Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet, their dazzling light instantly becoming the focus of the entire crowd.

The six Soul Rings were, respectively, one white, one yellow, three purple, and one black. In other words, one ten-year Soul Ring, one hundred-year Soul Ring, three thousand-year Soul Rings, and one ten-thousand-year Soul Ring. This old man, who looked like an ordinary farmer, was actually a Soul Emperor-level super expert above level sixty.

Level sixty—he was level sixty! Even in the entire Balak Kingdom, Soul Masters of such a level could be counted on one's fingers.

The old man's staff struck the ground, and a deep, muffled boom spread outward. Nearly everyone staggered.

He waved a hand at the dumbfounded family of three before him. "Next."

The light of the Soul Rings faded, and all his Soul Power vanished in an instant. The old man returned to his previous lazy appearance, as though the aura of a Soul Emperor had not been released by him at all.

If some parents had still been indignant because of the old man's words earlier, now everyone was as silent as cicadas in winter. Who would dare offend a Soul Emperor-level expert, especially a Soul Emperor with a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring?

In war, the strength of a single Soul Emperor could at least rival a thousand outstanding soldiers.

The disdain and contempt in the eyes of the parents and applicants vanished in an instant. Even a teacher responsible for registration possessed strength above level sixty—just how powerful was Shrek Academy's faculty?

However, most parents soon revealed regretful expressions and silently left with their children.

Reaching Soul Power above level twenty at the age of twelve, just as the old man had said, was likely something only monsters could achieve.

The line, which had originally held more than a hundred people, was reduced to just over a dozen applicants in the blink of an eye.

The old man did not seem to care about the number of students and continued his registration work.

Those who remained were clearly confident they could pass the old man's test. The next few boys to register all had Soul Power above level twenty and possessed two Soul Rings. After paying the ten-gold-coin registration fee, the old man told them that they had passed the first stage of the entrance examination and could enter the academy for the second stage. Parents were not permitted to enter the academy with the examinees.