Shrek Academy

After placing the Board Crystal on the ground, Tang San took out his forging hammer from Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night.

His forging hammer was two sizes larger than those used by ordinary blacksmiths. Ever since using this oversized forging hammer for the first time at Shisan Blacksmith Shop, Tang San had never changed it.

"Xiao Wu, Brother Chen, Sister Na'er, stand back," Tang San said in a low voice.

Seeing how serious Tang San was, Gu Chen thought he had found a Level 3 Helmet and was afraid his teammates would snatch it.

A faint surge of Soul Power flowed out, pouring from Tang San's hands into the forging hammer. In an instant, he pushed the internal force of the Mysterious Heaven Skill to its limit.

Tang San exerted force through his calves and half-turned his body. The first strike of the Disorder Splitting Wind Hammer suddenly swept out, carrying all of Tang San's internal force. White light blazed from the forging hammer, a series of explosions crackled through the air, and the massive hammerhead smashed heavily toward the Board Crystal.

Gu Chen and the others instinctively covered their ears.

Bang—

Amid the tremendous crash, the Board Crystal was pulverized into dust.

Countless golden specks burst forth from within the Board Crystal, scattering through the bedroom with its large purple rose-patterned bed. The entire room seemed to be shrouded in a hazy golden glow.

Gu Chen knew what those golden specks were. He called Gu Yuena over to help Tang San gather the golden particles.

Under Tang San's astonished gaze, Gu Chen handed the collected golden particles to Tang San.

"Brother, what exactly is this? Why did it make you so nervous?" Xiao Wu asked as she looked at Tang San.

After quietly listening to Tang San explain the use of the Dragon Beard Needles, Gu Chen stopped Tang San in time from ruining his own bed like in the original story.

What a joke. If this bed broke, how would I share a bed with Gu Yuena?

Perhaps because Gu Chen had intimidated the attendant earlier, although the commotion this time was louder than before, no attendant came to disturb them.

Early the next morning, the group left and headed for the Shrek Academy Grandmaster had mentioned.

It had been six years since he promised the Sky Azure Bull Python that he would protect Xiao Wu. It was about time for him to leave, wasn't it?

As Gu Chen pondered this, the group soon arrived outside Shrek Academy.

Since Xiao Wu had made Tang San carry her, Gu Yuena refused to be outdone and made Gu Chen carry her as well. The two soft mounds pressing against his back made Gu Chen enjoy himself immensely.

Though Shrek Academy was called an academy, it was actually located in a small village. A table stood at the village entrance, behind which sat an old man in his sixties.

"Brother, did Grandmaster get it wrong? No matter how I look at it, this doesn't seem like an academy. Could it be a scam?" Xiao Wu said.

Even Gu Yuena on Gu Chen's back wore a doubtful expression.

Tang San gave a bitter smile. "We're already here. Let's take a look first."

Gu Chen set Gu Yuena down, and the group joined the queue.

At this point, there were over a hundred applicants ahead of them. Quite a few of them were frowning, clearly harboring the same thoughts as Xiao Wu.

"Is this a joke? This is the so-called Soul Master Academy? The academy that claims its graduates can become Empire Viscounts?" a young boy's mother said.

The boy's father said uncertainly, "The people from Spirit Hall said so, so it shouldn't be wrong. But this academy really is too rundown."

The boy said, "Dad, I don't want to study here. It's too embarrassing. I'd rather go to Suotuo City Intermediate Soul Master Academy! After all, I was considered a genius at the junior academy."

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

There were quite a few similar conversations in the queue, and most people's eyes revealed deep disappointment.

Tang San did not linger long on the other applicants. He looked toward the front of the line, where registration was taking place. Under the effects of the Mysterious Heaven Skill, his eyesight and hearing had improved, allowing him to vaguely hear the conversation there.

The old man seated behind the table and responsible for registration looked lazy. Calling his clothes simple would be putting it nicely; no matter how one looked at him, he seemed like an ordinary old man, not even as spirited as Old Jack from Holy Soul Village.

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

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

"Hold out one hand."

The boy did as instructed and extended his hand before the old man. The old man pinched it twice, then shook his head. "Your age doesn't meet the requirements. You can leave."

The boy froze for a moment and turned to look at his father. Not many children in their teens were as mature as Tang San, Gu Chen, and Gu Yuena.

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

The old man said impatiently, "Don't hold up the people behind you. Don't you know the academy's rules? We only accept children aged thirteen and under. Anyone over thirteen will not be admitted. You can leave."

The boy's father asked, "Then our registration fee..."

"Once registered, no refunds," the old man said bluntly, looking just like a bandit.

Even a clay figure had a temper. Unable to hold back his anger, the boy's father said, "You're clearly cheating people out of their money. Return our registration fee, or we won't leave. If we had known this so-called Shrek Academy was this rundown, we wouldn't have come."

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

Dai Mubai suddenly sprang up from the ground nearby. "You want your registration fee back? Fine. Beat me, and I'll return it all."

Dai Mubai wasted no words. He directly activated his Soul Power and released three spirit rings: yellow, yellow, purple. His surging Soul Power created an invisible pressure in the air as cold flashes flickered in his evil eyes while he looked at the father and son.

The boy's father's expression changed drastically. Leaving behind the words, "Our bad luck," he grabbed his son and hurried away.

At that moment, Dai Mubai happened to see Gu Yuena's gaze. His back seemed to ache again, and he gave an awkward smile before returning to sit at the side.

By then, a third of the people had already left. After another boy was rejected, the old man impatiently stood up from behind the table.

"If you've come to register at Shrek Academy, you should first understand the rules. Coming here without understanding them is nothing but throwing away your registration fee. It's not too late to regret it now. Do you know what the word 'Shrek' in Shrek Academy means?"

"Shrek is a kind of monster, an extremely strange existence even among soul beasts. Shrek Academy means Monster Academy. In other words, we only accept monsters here, not ordinary people. If you are over thirteen or your Soul Power has not reached Rank 21 or above, don't waste your time here."

As the old man spoke coldly, an incomparably powerful aura suddenly erupted from his body. Dense red light burst out from him, and a long staff covered in countless patterns appeared in his right hand. Most terrifying of all, six spirit rings rose from beneath his feet.

White, yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black. It did not even meet the optimal Spirit Ring Configuration. If he had not possessed the strength of a Soul Emperor, he would have had no deterrent power at all. Gu Chen felt rather disdainful of this.

In the blink of an eye, the line of over a hundred people was reduced to just over a dozen applicants.

Suddenly, a look of uncertainty appeared on the old man's face. A young girl stood before him. She was alone, without her parents accompanying her.

Her simple white dress gave off a clean impression, and her neat ear-length hair framed her figure. She was about half a head shorter than Xiao Wu. Since her back faced Gu Chen and the others, they could not see her face, but the skin on her neck revealed that her complexion was extremely fair and tender.

But compared to Gu Yuena, she had nothing to be proud of.

"Excuse me, have I passed the initial test?" Ning Rongrong, the little devil of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, asked. Her voice was soft and pleasant at this moment, lacking some of its usual spiritedness, but still sounding wonderful.

The old man hesitated for a moment before waving at Dai Mubai, signaling for him to take her inside.

The next group of students quickly passed the initial test, and then it was Gu Chen and the others' turn.

"We're registering together." Gu Chen placed the forty Gold Soul Coins he had prepared beforehand into the wooden box and held out his hand.

The old man pinched Gu Chen's hand, nodded, and said, "Your age is suitable."

"Release your spirit rings first," the old man said.

Gu Chen nodded. In an instant, a phantom of a golden dragon appeared behind him, emitting an immensely powerful Dragon Might. Even the old man felt the pressure of a high-level soul beast.

Purple, black, black!

Three shocking spirit rings appeared behind him in orderly succession, radiating terrifying auras.

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