Shrek Academy!

Late at night—

Su Yu sat up from the bed and looked at Ning Rongrong's sleeping face beside him. He gently reached out and touched her.

"Rongrong, older brother is not a good man. Older brother is not someone devoted to one person."

"You haven't grown up yet. You haven't met anyone better. If I agreed to you now, it would be disgraceful."

Su Yu's fingertips paused softly atop Ning Rongrong's head.

Moonlight outlined her peaceful sleeping face. Her long eyelashes trembled lightly like butterfly wings, still carrying the innocence of childhood.

His voice was as soft as a sigh, nearly scattered by the wind outside the window.

"What you think is love is dependence born from spending every day together, getting used to having someone by your side to protect you."

He lowered his eyes to look at his hand—the hand that had once held a sword and formed Soul Skills—yet it now carried a trace of helplessness.

"Once you leave the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and see a wider world!"

"Once you meet someone who makes your heart skip a beat, someone you would be willing to throw yourself into danger for!"

"Only then will you understand how simple your feelings are now."

He slowly withdrew his hand, rose, and walked to the window, looking out into the deep night.

The lights of Suotuo City flickered in the distance like scattered stars.

An unconscious murmur came from the bed. Even in her dreams, Ning Rongrong seemed to be calling, "Older brother."

Su Yu glanced back at her, and the complexity in his eyes gradually turned into gentle affection.

The next morning—

Su Yu carried Ning Rongrong on his back, his footsteps light as he walked along the country road.

Wild grass by the roadside brushed past their ankles, carrying the damp scent of morning dew.

Zi Ji walked beside him, the hem of her purple dress lifting slightly in the breeze.

She seemed utterly out of place amid the surrounding fields, yet strangely harmonious with them.

Ning Rongrong lay on Su Yu's back, her arms around his neck as she asked doubtfully,

"Older brother, did you take the wrong road? We're going to Shrek Academy. Shouldn't Shrek Academy be in the city?"

"We didn't take the wrong road." Su Yu smiled and gently adjusted the person on his back.

"I asked around yesterday. Shrek Academy really is in a small village outside Suotuo City."

Ning Rongrong rested her chin on his shoulder, turning her little head from side to side as she surveyed the surroundings.

All she could see were low farmhouses and vast fields. A few farmers carrying hoes passed in the distance. Where was the grandeur an academy ought to have?

"But this place is way too shabby..."

She could not help muttering, her fingers tugging at Su Yu's collar.

"Older brother, look at this road. It's full of potholes. This might be some kind of scam."

"Alright, Rongrong. Let's go take a look. If you don't want to stay there, we'll return to the sect."

"Fine!"

She had been the one who wanted to come in the first place. Now that Su Yu had said so, she could only agree.

Ning Rongrong pouted and wrapped her arms more tightly around Su Yu's neck.

After walking for about another quarter of an hour, a cluster of low wooden houses appeared ahead.

The most conspicuous thing was the crooked wooden sign at the village entrance, with five large words written on it in charcoal—Shrek Academy.

The strokes were bold and uninhibited, carrying a wild air of roughness.

"We're here."

Su Yu stopped and cocked his chin at Ning Rongrong over his shoulder.

Ning Rongrong poked her head out for a look, her eyes widening round.

"This... this is Shrek Academy? Is this really an advanced Soul Master Academy?"

The sight before her was even more primitive than she had imagined. A few wooden houses stood there sparsely.

The academy's sign looked like nothing more than a broken piece of wood. How did it have the presence of an advanced Soul Master Academy?

"Rongrong, shall we return to the sect?"

"No! I want to see just what Shrek Academy is all about!"

"Alright. As long as you don't mind this place, Rongrong, I'm fine with anything!"

As he spoke, Su Yu carried Ning Rongrong past Shrek Academy's sign.

After passing the sign, they saw quite a few parents bringing their children to enroll.

They had not gone far when a commotion sounded ahead.

"No, my child is only thirteen this year and already a level nineteen Soul Master. Why won't your academy accept him?"

"Even at other advanced academies, my child would be considered a genius. What right does your academy have to reject him?"

"This parent, our academy is Shrek Academy."

"What is Shrek?"

"It is a type of monster Soul Beast. In other words, our academy is Monster Academy. Your child is merely a genius, not a monster!"

"Then return our registration fee! We'll leave immediately!"

Li Yusong said nothing and pointed to a sign nearby.

Once registered, registration fees will not be refunded!

"What does that mean? Is your academy trying to force us into this deal?"

Seeing that Li Yusong had no intention of refunding the registration fee, the parent glared at them with an unfriendly tone.

"I refuse to believe it. If you don't return the registration fee today, I won't leave, and your academy can forget about continuing to recruit students!"

Seeing the man's shameless behavior, Li Yusong looked at Dai Mubai beside him.

"Mubai, go handle it!"

"Alright!"

Dai Mubai walked up to the pair and directly released his Martial Soul.

A three-meter-tall White Tiger appeared standing behind him, and three Soul Rings rose in turn.

"You want the registration fee? Fine. Defeat me, and it will be returned to you!"

"You!"

Seeing Dai Mubai's unreasonable attitude, the parent pulled his child close and glared at him furiously.

"Consider me unlucky. We're leaving!"

With that, he dragged his child away in disgrace.

Watching the pair leave dejectedly, Dai Mubai cursed under his breath.

"Trash!"

Seeing this, Ning Rongrong leaned close to Su Yu's ear and whispered,

"Older brother, Shrek Academy is really strange. They take people's registration fees but won't let them enroll. Isn't that a scam?"

"And that person just now had already cultivated to level nineteen at thirteen. He counted as a little genius, yet Shrek Academy still wouldn't accept him!"

"Rongrong, perhaps that is what makes Shrek Academy unique. Let's watch a little longer."

Su Yu quietly replied to Ning Rongrong on his back.

On the other side, Li Yusong looked at the people below and directly summoned his Martial Soul—the Dragon Patterned Staff.

White, yellow, purple, purple, black, black. Six Soul Rings rose in sequence.

"I'll say it one more time: our academy is Shrek Academy. We only accept monster students, not ordinary people. As for what a monster is?"

"A monster is someone under twelve years old whose Soul Power Level has reached level twenty-one!"

"If your child cannot meet that requirement, take them away as soon as possible. Otherwise, you're just here to give us money!"

After saying this, Li Yusong put away his Dragon Patterned Staff Martial Soul and returned to his chair.

Those who had hoped to muddle through immediately left with their children upon hearing this.

The line, which had originally been fairly crowded, instantly dwindled to fewer than ten people, including Su Yu's group.

Looking at the three well-dressed people before him, Li Yusong spoke calmly.

"May I ask, who are you?"