Xu Tianxi, Barred from the Inner Courtyard (Seeking Collection and Recommendation)

Shrek Academy operated with remarkable efficiency. Just three days later, a simple dossier appeared on the desk of Du Weilun, the Dean of Students of Shrek Academy's Outer Courtyard.

"You've worked hard this time, brother. Take this to the city lord and claim your reward."

Du Weilun wrote out an approval slip and handed it to the masked man standing before him, whose entire body was concealed beneath a black robe.

"You're too kind, Dean Du. It is the honor of us Shrek People to serve the academy."

The masked man put away the slip. The eight Soul Rings faintly pulsing around him flashed briefly, and he vanished from Du Weilun's office.

"As expected of a Genius who came from our Shrek Outer Courtyard. With people like you around, Shrek will never fall."

Du Weilun looked approvingly in the direction where the masked man had disappeared, a faint smile curling his lips.

The man had once been a student of Shrek Academy, but he had failed to enter the Inner Courtyard. After graduating from the Outer Courtyard, he joined Shrek City's City Defense Army. He had served under Shrek City ever since and was the fastest Soul Douluo in the City Defense Army.

Dean Yan had personally instructed him to handle the matter quickly, so Du Weilun naturally did not dare delay. He had immediately gone to the City Defense Army to enlist the man's help.

His gaze returned to the simple dossier on the desk. Du Weilun frowned, pondered for a moment, then picked it up and headed toward Yan Shaozhe's office.

"Although this Xu Tianxi failed to awaken the Profound Tortoise, he possesses Level 7 Innate Soul Power. He is still a fairly decent Genius. I should leave the final decision to the dean himself..."

"Oh? A rare Mental Attribute Martial Soul, Moon Shadow, and Level 7 Innate Soul Power? This brat's talent isn't too bad. Unfortunately, judging by this, his Martial Soul underwent a malignant mutation. Even after consuming Mystic Water Pills and Black Tortoise Divine Pills, he only has Level 7 Innate Soul Power. Without those pills, he probably wouldn't even have Level 3."

Yan Shaozhe slapped the urgent intelligence delivered by the scout onto the desk, a vague sneer appearing on his face.

"Wei Lun, in your judgment, how is this brat's talent? Can he graduate from the Outer Courtyard? And can he enter the Inner Courtyard?"

"In my opinion... unless this Martial Soul possesses some special trait that we do not know about, he might barely graduate from the Outer Courtyard, but the Inner Courtyard is beyond his reach."

Du Weilun spoke with absolute certainty before calmly analyzing the matter. "Level 7 Innate Soul Power meets the minimum standard for graduation from our Outer Courtyard. No more than fifty students graduate from our Outer Courtyard each year, and none of their Innate Soul Power is below Level 7."

"Mental Attribute Martial Souls have certain peculiarities compared to other Martial Souls. If he cultivates diligently, he has a chance of graduating from the Outer Courtyard."

Shrek Academy gathered countless geniuses from the Three Great Empires, and every year, some were eliminated. Among the geniuses who reached sixth grade, there were virtually none with Innate Soul Power below Level 7.

Geniuses with Level 8 or 9 Innate Soul Power, even Innate Full Soul Power, were rare outside, but at Shrek Academy, they were nothing unusual. New ones entered every year without end.

Although ten thousand years of development had made Titled Douluo less rare than before, the Innate Soul Power of the overwhelming majority of Titled Douluo from the Original Three Kingdoms had still been above Level 7, with almost no exceptions. That was also why the Outer Courtyard had set such a high graduation threshold.

"As for the Inner Courtyard... although geniuses with Level 7 Innate Soul Power occasionally pass the assessment, it is nearly impossible for this Mental Attribute Xu Tianxi, unless the Xuanming Sect is willing to spend vast resources on him."

Du Weilun fully considered Xu Tianxi's background before reaching the most prudent conclusion.

Yan Shaozhe smiled and asked, "Then it is impossible. Why are you so certain?"

"Dean, your discerning eyes see everything. Why ask me?"

Du Weilun smiled apologetically and shook his head, then said seriously, "The reason is simple. Mental Attribute soul beasts are too rare, and powerful ones are rarer still. Even with our academy's ten-thousand-year foundation, it would be difficult to find suitable Soul Ring combinations for him, much less for the Xuanming Sect."

"Without suitable Soul Rings, it will be difficult for that Martial Soul to keep cultivating. Reaching the Seventh Ring would already be no easy feat. Where would he find suitable soul beasts afterward? He cannot exactly go to the Sun Moon Empire to seek out Evil Eyes."

As he spoke, even Du Weilun found his own words amusing. Evil Forest was a Soul Master forbidden zone no less dangerous than the Land of Great Ferocity in the Star Dou Great Forest. Even Titled Douluo feared it deeply.

Even if the Xuanming Sect possessed considerable reserves, they likely would not spend them on a junior with such slim prospects. Their internal competition was extremely fierce.

"By the way, what about Old Monster Xu and the Xu Family head? Have their circumstances been investigated as well?"

Yan Shaozhe recalled the two people in the Xuanming Sect closest to Xu Tianxi and asked cautiously.

If Old Monster Xu stubbornly insisted on nurturing Xu Tianxi, then Yan Shaozhe truly could not do much to him.

"What a coincidence. Our people have just sent word back. Xuanming Sect Master Xu Fu has been handing over the affairs in hand to the other Clan Members these past two days, claiming that he is going into secluded cultivation in the back mountain. As for Old Monster Xu, we were unable to obtain any information."

"It is normal that you found nothing... Send word to Xue Lingxun. Let her consider for herself whether she wishes to agree."

Yan Shaozhe paced with his hands behind his back for a while before making his decision.

"Understood." Du Weilun accepted the order and turned to make preparations.

Xuanming Sect, the Sect Master's Wife's chambers.

Xue Lingxun, dressed in an elegant and plain palace gown, held the letter in hand with her delicate brows tightly furrowed.

After thinking with her eyes closed for a long while, she opened her Beautiful Eyes and beckoned to the two maids standing respectfully beside her.

"Xue Han, Xue Nuan, what do you think?"

The two women glanced at each other and replied in unison, "We leave everything to Your Highness's decision."

The two were Xue Lingxun's personal maids, whom she had brought from the Dou Ling Empire. She had bestowed the surname Xue upon them, and they were absolutely her own people.

"Leave it to me... Heh, this matter is truly troublesome. What am I supposed to do?"

Having married into the Xuanming Sect for many years, Xue Lingxun had some understanding of its strength. One word described it perfectly: unfathomable.

She had once considered bringing San Shi and her husband back to Dou Ling to visit relatives, allowing the Imperial family to use that opportunity to invite the Xuanming Sect into Dou Ling as a State-Protecting Sect. It would have greatly benefited both her husband's family and her maiden family.

Yet she had never expected her maiden family to harbor such immense resentment toward the husband who had eloped with her. Even after he revealed his identity as the Xuanming Sect Master and displayed cultivation nearing that of a Titled Douluo, even her Imperial Father, who had once doted on her most, showed them no welcome. Her nephew, who had just ascended the throne, was even worse.

Her husband had also been a peerless prodigy in his youth. He was no clay figure without a temper, and he could not endure the mockery and contempt. Before long, the visit ended in a bitter parting.

When she returned with her husband, although she had not been stripped of her title as Princess, she, a Princess from the previous dynasty, had little influence left in the Dou Ling Empire.

The dean of Shrek Academy wanted her to make things difficult for Xu Tianxi. He really had some nerve. Shameless enough.

"This matter can be as major or as minor as one wishes. It still depends on how important that brat is in my husband's eyes."

Xue Lingxun slowly made up her mind, then turned and instructed the two women.

"Xue Han, take some people and prepare a nourishing Whale Rubber soup. Invite the sect master tonight. I wish to speak with him by candlelight."

"Xue Nuan, take some people to the market and buy more things children like. The more varieties, the better. Tomorrow, send them to Xu Tianxi of the second branch in my name. Also, see whether he lacks anything good and make up for it all."

Xue Han's cheeks reddened slightly at those words, but she respectfully accepted the order. Whale Rubber was a powerful aphrodisiac, so of course she understood what "speaking by candlelight" meant. Your Highness missed the sect master.

Xue Nuan, however, looked puzzled and asked, "This servant is dull-witted. I do not understand Your Highness's intentions."

"What other intention could there be? Simply treat him better. Give him whatever he likes, let him indulge in pleasure, and keep him from cultivating wholeheartedly. Is that not how the Imperial family raises wastrels?"

Xue Lingxun lazily brushed her hair aside and said with a smile, "That child has just lost his Mother. It is only right that I show him concern. As for whether it will work, that is no longer my concern."

"I have handled this matter and done my utmost. I only hope they will pay more attention to San Shi as well. After all, I am merely a small Soul King. They cannot possibly expect me to take action myself."

"Enough. The two of you should go. Send Xue Xin and Xue Ling in. I need to bathe and dress. I have not seen the sect master in quite some time, and I miss him. He said he would enter secluded cultivation for two or three years. If I do not see him now, I will have much to miss later."

"Yes." The two women curtsied gracefully and left.

Once she saw that no one remained in the room, a trace of mockery rose in Xue Lingxun's eyes.

Shrek people had truly grown accustomed to being arrogant and overbearing. Did they really think everyone was a fool willing to serve as their weapon? If not for their wariness of the Sun Moon Empire, why would the Three Great Empires tolerate such a Retired Emperor lording over them?

Especially for the Imperial family, the Sun Moon Empire's threat was certainly terrifying, but was Shrek, which could overturn their throne at any time, any less terrifying?

That night, Xu Fu, summoned by Xue Lingxun under the pretext of "discussing important matters," was startled to discover that the first wife had changed into an elegant formal gown and was waiting for him.

A golden hairpin pierced her false chignon, floral ornaments and dangling hairpins swayed around her, accentuating the broad expanse of pale skin at her chest.

After several bowls of nourishing Whale Rubber soup went down, there was naturally no need to say more.

At noon the next day, Xu Tianxi, who was reading in the Library, stared at the pile of antique toys, leisurely miscellaneous books, and a Gold Soul Card that Xue Nuan had brought with her people. Question marks seemed to pop up across his forehead.

"Chen Wu, Yue Lao, what does the first wife mean by this? Why did she give me these things?"

Xu Tianxi casually picked up an arrow used for pitch-pot and rolled it between his fingers, his eyes thoughtful. The item was nice enough, but why give it to him for no reason? It was not as though he had gone to pay his respects to her.

Yue Lao frowned in thought, while Chen Wu said bluntly, "I think she just wants to flaunt her status. Why not go play with the Second Brother, Third Young Master?"

"That makes sense."

Without wasting more words, Xu Tianxi directly asked Xu Xiaoyun to help him find Xu Sanshi, who had been avoiding him at all costs these past few days. Smiling, he said:

"Second Brother San Shi, your Third Brother has something I would like you to clarify for me..."

After quickly explaining his doubts regarding Xue Lingxun, Xu Sanshi frowned and thought for a long time before finally answering.

"I do not know about anything else, but when I went to pay my respects to her this morning, I found that she was still lying in bed and could not get up. When I asked my Mother's personal maid, she said Old Man had been invited over by my Mother last night, and the two of them tossed about all night..."

"My Mother was very happy at the time. She even casually gave me a Gold Soul Card and told me to spend it however I wanted after returning to Shrek."

Xu Tianxi: "...???"

What was going on? Could it be that Xu Fu had pleased her so much that she felt like handing out rewards everywhere?

Come to think of it, Xu Fu was quite righteous. Xue Lingxun was at an age like a wolf and tiger, and he had worked so hard. He was practically giving himself like a tiger to secure benefits for the two of them, even if Xu Tianxi did not particularly need them.

"Looks like Old Man is a good person."

Xu Tianxi sighed in an indescribable tone. Although he still could not completely determine Xue Lingxun's motives, with the ancestor standing behind him, there was no need to overthink it.

"Yes, Old Man truly is a good person." Xu Sanshi stroked the Gold Soul Card he had just received and wholeheartedly agreed.

Xu Xiaoyun stood silently, a flicker passing through his eyes as he caught a familiar scent in the matter.

I should still go ask that kid Xu Fu later...