Shrek Academy

South Gate of Suotuo City.

"This should be the place." After leaving Suotuo City, Nan Li looked toward the small village ahead. "There are lots of people gathered at the village entrance, and plenty of children too. That should be Shrek Academy's registration site."

"Mm." Dan Hong nodded. "Little Nan Li, you should go line up and register too."

"..." Nan Li shot her an irritated glance.

The two walked to the back of the line and queued up.

A table stood at the very front of the line, where an old man in his sixties handled the initial screening for new students. Beyond him, the wooden archway at the village entrance bore the five words "Shrek Academy," along with a green Shrek monster emblem.

Compared to Nuoding Academy, Shrek Academy's facade was not merely lacking—it could simply be described as shabby.

"No wonder the academy's dean is such a money-grubber." Nan Li and Dan Hong exchanged a glance, both seeing disbelief in the other's eyes.

Voices of doubt and confusion also arose from the crowd waiting in line, but everyone had the mentality of "we're already here," intending to see how things went first.

However, Nan Li spotted a young man of thirteen or fourteen near the old man in charge of the initial screening. He had deep blue eyes and fairly handsome features.

"That's the Evil-Eyed White Tiger, Dai Mubai." Jiang E Li reminded her within the Sea of Consciousness. "After he releases his Martial Soul, his eyes turn into heterochromatic pupils, one blue and one red. That is why he is called Evil-Eyed."

"Evil-Eyed? Interesting." Nan Li curled her lips with interest. The pupils within her crimson eyes faintly seemed on the verge of splitting apart, but quickly returned to normal.

Someone near the front of the line was dissatisfied with the academy's refusal to refund the registration fee and began arguing with the old man. Unhurriedly, the old man called Dai Mubai over.

Soul Power rippled through the air as an invisible pressure descended. Two Century Soul Rings rose beneath Dai Mubai's feet.

The parent still seemed unconvinced. They shoved their child forward several times, ignoring the boy's resistance and insisting that he spar with Dai Mubai.

Without any surprise, Dai Mubai won.

Seeing this, the unconvinced parent yanked their child away and left dejectedly while scolding him.

The old man rose to his feet and released his Soul Power. Six Soul Rings—white, yellow, purple, purple, purple, and black—appeared beneath his feet. He was astonishingly a Soul Emperor!

The old man explained the meaning of "Shrek" in Shrek Academy's name, declaring that the academy only accepted "monsters," not ordinary people.

Intimidated by the old man's formidable strength, no one dared question their child's rejection again.

The line gradually moved forward, and soon it was Nan Li's turn.

"Next."

Nan Li dropped ten Gold Soul Coins into the wooden box and held out her hand to the old man.

The old man pinched Nan Li's hand bones, a puzzled look appearing on his face.

Seeing this, Nan Li removed the Soul Tool bracer from her left wrist and offered her hand again.

This time, the old man successfully examined Nan Li's skeletal condition. "Only ten years old. You're still rather young among those registering. Are you sure you want to enroll in Shrek Academy? The minimum requirement for our academy is Soul Power at rank twenty-one."

Back when she had been at Nuoding Academy, Nan Li had only relied on drinking Holy Pool Water to conceal her Soul Beast identity.

But during the year she spent training in the Star Dou Great Forest, Dan Hong developed a more effective medicine that could conceal one's condition. Although Holy Pool Water remained the most important ingredient, it could also conceal one's Soul Power cultivation.

"Mm, I'm sure." Nan Li nodded with a firm gaze.

"Very well. Release your Martial Soul." A ten-year-old Soul Grandmaster—this old man was pleased with Nan Li's talent.

The next instant, an even more surging fluctuation of Soul Power than when Dai Mubai had released his Soul Rings erupted through the area. Feeling the invisible pressure, the young man looked at Nan Li in astonishment.

Three Soul Rings in an unprecedented configuration appeared before everyone's eyes.

Yellow, purple, black!

A ten-thousand-year Soul Ring!

A ten-year-old Soul Elder!

An almost terrifying Soul Ring configuration!

Any one of those titles would have inspired envy in others. A genius of such caliber now stood before them, all those achievements gathered upon this single girl.

This went beyond merely being a genius. She had dared to absorb a ten-thousand-year Soul Ring without exploding to death. It had to be said that this not only represented exceptional luck, but also proved that she possessed frightening talent!

"Little girl, lift your leg." The old man could hardly believe it. Was the girl before him truly only ten years old?

Nan Li obediently raised one leg. The old man carefully inspected her skeletal condition. "Th-this... she really is only ten!"

The old man's eyes filled with shock before turning into delight a moment later. Staring fixedly at Nan Li, he waved Dai Mubai over. "Mubai, take her inside! Quickly!"

Dai Mubai suppressed his stunned expression, stepped forward, and gave Nan Li a somewhat forced smile.

Dan Hong suddenly spoke up. "May I go in too?"

Dai Mubai said nothing, instead looking toward the seated old man. After passing the first test, applicants would enter the academy for the remaining tests. Generally, family members were not permitted to accompany them.

"Go on in." The old man waved his hand, letting her through.

Led by Dai Mubai, Nan Li and Dan Hong entered the village together—the location of Shrek Academy.

Nan Li and Dai Mubai chatted for a while, gaining a general understanding of each other.

The academy's interior was not quite so dilapidated. Rows of wooden buildings gave it a simple, rustic feeling—unadorned, yet not crude.

"Those are the people who passed the first test earlier." Dai Mubai raised a hand and pointed toward the line ahead as he explained to Nan Li. "The initial screening at the academy entrance was the first test. Ahead is the second test, which assesses Soul Power and identifies Martial Souls. The third test examines how well applicants can apply their own Martial Souls."

"However, according to academy rules, anyone whose Soul Power cultivation has reached rank twenty-five or above can proceed directly to the fourth test. You can skip the second and third tests. I'll take you straight to the fourth test."

Nan Li and Dan Hong followed behind Dai Mubai as they passed by the side of the line.

The teacher in charge of the second test noticed that Nan Li was younger than the others and had family accompanying her. Curious about the girl, he called out, "Mubai, wait a moment."

The three stopped. Before Dai Mubai could ask what was wrong, the teacher beckoned Nan Li over.

"Come, little girl. Let's test your Soul Power." Smiling amiably, the teacher handed her a white crystal ball.

"Wait!"

Dai Mubai tried to stop her, but the teacher held him back. "Oh, just let her test it..."

Nan Li poured her Soul Power into the crystal. In an instant, it blazed with light, then exploded with a bang, shattering into pieces.

The teacher's smile froze on his face, and his voice cut off abruptly.

In the Original Work, Dai Mubai had "double pupils in each eye." Here, to distinguish him from Nan Li, I changed it to the anime's different-colored eyes. Consider it a personal alteration.

Nan Li entered Shrek two years before Tang San. Dai Mubai and the other two's enrollment times and Soul Power cultivation levels were extrapolated backward from the Original Work.