Tang San: Don't, Brother Jie, Brother Jie!

"Teacher, this can't be true, right? We came to take the entrance exam, and not only do we not have to pay, but we actually get paid?"

A parent standing at the front of the registration line picked at his ear, as if he couldn't believe what he had just heard.

"Shrek Academy has a history of twenty years since its founding. We have cultivated countless outstanding Spirit Masters, so we would naturally never lie."

A middle-aged man walked slowly out of Shrek Academy. He looked to be about fifty years old, with a tall build and a very distinctive face.

His chin protruded slightly, his cheekbones were broad, his face was flat, and he had a bit of a hooked nose—it looked almost like a hook had been attached to an insole.

The middle-aged man wore a pair of black-rimmed crystal glasses. The frames were a stiff, square shape, giving him a strange appearance.

"Dean!" Li Yusong and Dai Mubai said respectfully in unison.

The person who had arrived was none other than the Dean of Shrek Academy, Flender.

He waved at the surrounding parents and students, smiling as he said, "The academy selects talent for the Spirit Master world; we are absolutely not stingy with our financial resources or our efforts."

"Furthermore, I have always had a wish to engage in charity, and this time, it just so happens to fulfill that desire."

Standing to the side, Shen He couldn't help but click his tongue. In the original story, Flender was known as an iron rooster—a miser who wouldn't pluck a single feather!

Yet, under the influence of the system, Flender had actually been turned into a charity ambassador. The power of the Rule System was truly impressive!

[Host, I must clarify something for you: the power of the system also has its limitations.]

[For material changes, such as turning raw meat into roasted meat, or ten Gold Soul Coins into ten thousand, it is currently achievable.]

[However, for mental influence—like how you have Flender distributing Gold Soul Coins to students taking the entrance exam—the effect will only be temporary.]

[After the system's influence fades, he will regain his senses, and the duration of the effect is related to the level of the system.]

Shen He rubbed his chin. "What about the money he gave out?"

[That is truly gone.]

Shen He: ...

Wonderful! The most painful thing in life is: you're still alive, but your money is gone!

Thinking of this, Shen He raised his voice and asked Flender from a distance, "If we don't pass the test, do we have to return these ten Gold Soul Coins to you?"

The surrounding students and parents couldn't help but laugh at this. Although this young man was handsome, he was quite greedy.

You haven't even passed the Shrek Academy entrance exam, and you want to keep the Gold Soul Coins they gave out? How thick is your skin?

However, at this moment, Flender's eyebrows suddenly shot up, and he shouted angrily, "Try returning them to me and see what happens! If you dare return them, I'll fight you to the death!"

"Doing charity is this Dean's lifelong dream. Whoever dares to stop me, I'll lose my temper with them!"

"I swear on the Martial Souls of every teacher and student at Shrek Academy: once the ten Gold Soul Coins are in your hands, they belong to you. I will never ask for them back!"

"Anyone who dares to mention a refund again, watch out—I'll bite your toes off!"

The students and parents waiting to register were stunned for a moment, then immediately broke into thunderous applause.

What a philanthropist! A truly rare, kind-hearted soul!

Though, this philanthropist's mental state seemed a bit concerning. Still, it was understandable; what normal person dreams of doing charity work every single day?

Flender held his head high, his chest puffed out. The applause and praise from the crowd made him feel like he was walking on air.

Shen He clapped vigorously as well. Good, he thought, that settles it!

By swearing on the Martial Souls of the entire academy, even if Flender wanted to throw away his reputation, he would never be able to demand that money back.

Shen He was a reader of the Douluo Continent tetralogy. He had always found the entrance exam for Shrek Academy to be utterly ridiculous and full of plot holes.

A registration fee of ten Gold Soul Coins—even the most prestigious Soul Master Academies probably didn't charge that much, right?

The most critical part was that if you failed the test, the money wasn't refunded. Wasn't that clearly a trap set for these commoner Soul Masters, bullying them because they lacked power and influence?

These students' parents scrimped and saved to scrape together ten Gold Soul Coins, only to travel to this broken academy in a broken village to register, just to have their money swindled away.

Only Shrek Academy could pull off such an immoral stunt; they truly had no shame left.

"Third Brother, my feet have been standing for so long, they hurt so much!"

Xiao Wu stretched her ankles, frowning with a pitiful, aggrieved expression.

"Then let me carry you for a while, Xiao Wu," Tang San said, his heart aching for her.

"No, Third Brother, you're already exhausted. How could I add to your burden?" Xiao Wu shook her head "bravely."

"Knowing that giegie cares for me this much is enough to make me happy."

Shen He winced as he listened. Good grief, he thought, has this old rabbit spirit, Xiao Wu, survived for a hundred thousand years just by feeding on green tea?

No wonder someone as shameless and bottomless as Tang San was completely PUA'd by her. She was a true master!

Tang San looked at Xiao Wu's slightly furrowed brows, hesitated for a moment, and then took two steps forward.

His gaze swept across the area before landing on Shen He.

"This fellow student, could we cut in front of you?"

Although Tang San was making a request, his tone was filled with an overbearing sense of superiority that brooked no refusal.

Before he had arrived, Great Master Yu had already instructed him that the Dean of Shrek Academy was his longtime friend. For Tang San, arriving here was just like coming home.

Furthermore, having repelled the Soul Elder-ranked Dai Mubai at the Rose Hotel in Suotuo City just yesterday, his confidence had surged even further.

Shen He had no parents by his side, and his physique appeared frail and weak; he looked like a total pushover. If he didn't take his spot, whose would he take?

Just as Tang San had anticipated, Shen He was very easy to talk to; he nodded and agreed immediately.

However, Tang San did not expect that the reason Shen He agreed wasn't because he was a coward, but because he wanted to use Tang San to test the effects of his system.

Most of the students ahead of Shen He in line did not meet the enrollment requirements, but they all left happily after receiving ten Gold Soul Coins.

Ten Gold Soul Coins were enough to cover a family of three's expenses for an entire year. How could they not be happy about getting money for nothing?

When it was Tang San and Xiao Wu's turn, Xiao Wu stepped forward first and extended her jade-like hand.

Because he didn't have enough cash on him, Flender had sent Li Yusong to Suotuo City to withdraw money using his card, so he was the one in charge of the testing now.

Flender reached out, kneaded Xiao Wu's palm and wrist, and nodded. "Not bad, you've passed."

Tang San's eyes flashed with a cold light as he watched. To think he dared to touch Xiao Wu's little rabbit paws—he was practically asking for death!

He stepped forward, extended his hand toward Flender, and said coldly, "My turn."

Flender glanced at the unremarkable Tang San and frowned.

Are you sick in the head? I'm recruiting students and doing charity work, and this is the attitude you give me?

It's one thing to be ugly, but you're acting so arrogant? See if I don't crush you!

However, when Flender's hand touched Tang San's palm, his brow furrowed.

Tang San had practiced the Tang Sect's unique Mysterious Jade Hand since he was young. Even without circulating his soul power, the bones in his palms were different from an ordinary person's, so Flender couldn't determine his bone age.

[The bones in the palm cannot detect Tang San's bone age, so Flender decides to touch Tang San's leg.]

Watching this narration, Shen He chuckled and changed "leg" to "butt."

Flender sucked his teeth and said with a frown, "That's truly strange. How can I not feel it?"

"Hey! You, undo your pants, turn around, and let me have a feel!"

Tang San: ???

"Teacher, are you trying to feel the bones in my thigh?" Tang San asked, his face flushing red with confusion. "But I recall that feeling the bones in the lower leg can also determine bone age, right?"

"Oh? You're blushing?" Flender revealed a wicked, charming smile. "I see you don't understand anything at all, do you?"

"Heh heh heh, if you don't listen, I'll have to do it myself, won't I?"

Tang San's expression changed drastically upon hearing this. Terrified, he backed away step by step, shaking his head frantically.

"No, Teacher, don't do this!"

"Don't, Brother Jie, don't!"