Shrek's Outrageous Move

The shadow beneath his feet began to writhe.

Three black shadows burst out in an instant.

The Three Ghost Shadow Warriors wore dark armor and wielded Shadow Warrior Blades. They charged toward the young man in a triangular formation.

The young man shouted, "Bring it on!"

As he spoke, his Third Soul Skill lit up.

It was a Thousand Year Soul Ring, its purple light blooming around him.

He slammed both hands against the ground.

"Third Soul Skill, Earth Thorn Jungle!"

Rumble!

The ground on the competition stage shook violently. Dozens of sharp earth spikes burst from the ground, stabbing toward the Three Ghost Shadow Warriors.

The spikes were as thick as arms, their tips razor-sharp. They covered a vast area in a dense thicket.

However, the Three Ghost Shadow Warriors flashed and vanished into the shadows.

The spikes shot through the places where they had been, but hit nothing.

A flicker of surprise crossed the young man's eyes.

His Earth Thorn Jungle covered an enormous area, almost the entire competition stage.

Yet these summoned creatures could actually disappear into the shadows, making them completely immune to physical damage?

Before he could react, a shadow had already emerged from the darkness behind him.

The Ghost Shadow Warrior struck with its blade, slamming the back of it hard against the young man's back.

"Thud!"

The young man stumbled forward several steps, nearly falling over.

He hurriedly steadied himself and turned to counterattack.

But the other two shadows were already upon him.

Three Warrior Blades slashed at him simultaneously from three directions, their angles tricky and their coordination seamless.

The young man scrambled to block, but how could his fists and feet compare to Warrior Blades?

After just a few exchanges, he was forced back again and again.

"Damn it!"

He gritted his teeth, and his Fourth Soul Ring lit up.

It was his Second Thousand Year Soul Ring.

"Fourth Soul Skill, Earth Protection!"

A bright yellow light gathered around him, transforming into a thick suit of Rock Armor.

This was his strongest defensive Soul Skill. Once activated, it greatly increased his defense.

However, the Three Ghost Shadow Warriors gave him no chance to recover.

Their movements grew even more elusive, their attacks even more relentless.

Their Warrior Blades struck from every angle, each slash aimed at a weak point in the Rock Armor.

"Crack—"

A sharp snap rang out.

A crack appeared in the Rock Armor.

Then came a second, and a third.

"Crack, crack, crack—"

In just a few breaths, the thick Rock Armor shattered with a crash.

A Warrior Blade stopped in front of his throat, its tip almost touching his skin.

The young man froze in place, not daring to move.

The entire arena fell silent for a moment.

Then deafening cries of shock erupted.

"That's it... He won?"

"Was that a one-minute knockout? No, was it even a minute?"

"Those three summons are way too strong! A Four-Ring Soul Ancestor couldn't even fight back?"

"My God, what kind of monster is that boy?!"

Countless spectators stared wide-eyed at the scene, unable to believe what they were seeing.

Those who had been certain the young man would win now stood gaping, their mouths hanging open.

The referee paused, then raised a hand.

"The match is over. The winner is Wang Zhi!"

The young man stood there in a daze, his face turning pale and then red.

He had lost?

He, a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor, had lost to a two-ring Soul Grandmaster?

And so quickly, so completely?

Wang Zhi walked up to him and held out a hand.

"Essence Grass."

Just three words, spoken calmly.

The young man clenched his teeth, took the Hundred Year Spirit Grass from his Storage Soul Tool, and handed it over.

Wang Zhi took it and put it in his own Storage Soul Tool.

Then he turned and left.

Under countless gazes, he walked away with effortless poise.

Behind him, the crowd's discussion went on and on.

Shrek Outer Court.

The atmosphere in the dean's office was tense.

At that moment, Cai Yuer, the Shrek Outer Court Dean, wore a deeply displeased expression.

As one of the Sea God Pavilion Elders, Cai Yuer considered Shrek Academy's reputation extremely important.

For twenty thousand years, Shrek Academy had been the continent's number one academy, producing countless powerful experts and enjoying a fearsome reputation.

No one had ever dared to look down on Shrek, much less walk away unscathed after defeating a Shrek Student.

So when Wang Zhi defeated Ye Xinglan in the Tianhai Competition, she had taken an instant dislike to the boy who had damaged Shrek Academy's reputation.

She had planned to wait until he came to take Shrek Academy's New Student Enrollment examination, then give him a thorough dressing-down.

She would make him understand...

Shrek's reputation could not be tarnished!

As for whether Wang Zhi would come to Shrek Academy...

That possibility had never even crossed her mind.

What a joke.

Shrek Academy was the number one academy on the continent!

What Soul Master wouldn't want to attend Shrek Academy?

It had countless resources, the best teachers, the most outstanding classmates, and the brightest future.

But Shrek Academy only accepted monsters, not useless students.

Those with poor talent had no right to enter their Shrek Academy.

And now, Wang Zhi had slapped Shrek in the face once again.

At the Spirit Transmitter Tower Headquarters...

In front of so many people, he had easily defeated a Sixth Grade student from Shrek Outer Court.

This left Cai Yuer furious.

She had already decided to make things difficult for Wang Zhi during the enrollment examination, ensuring he would have no chance of joining Shrek as punishment!

Just then, someone knocked on the office door.

"Come in."

A middle-aged Director pushed the door open and respectfully walked up to the desk.

"Dean, I've looked into the matter."

"The student who lost to Wang Zhi is indeed in Sixth Grade at our Outer Court, and he's a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor."

Cai Yuer said coldly,

"As a Shrek Student, after six years of hard work and dedication from our teachers, he still lost to someone two realms below him."

"I'd say he clearly doesn't meet our standards for accepting only geniuses. Expel him."

The Director paused, wanting to say something but holding back.

"Dean, he's already in Sixth Grade and has less than a year until graduation."

"If he's expelled..."

"Without his Shrek Academy status, he'll probably have trouble finding a job..."

Cai Yuer waved her hand casually, cutting him off.

"What does that have to do with us?"

"Expel him."

Her tone was so offhand that she might as well have been talking about some insignificant matter.

It had to be said...

Cai Yuer's move was remarkably similar to that of Zhou Yi, the homeroom teacher from Shrek ten thousand years ago.

Just expel the underperformers and keep the outstanding students.

Then the academy could ensure that every student was a genius.

After all, anyone who wasn't a genius had already been expelled.

The Director was silent for a moment, then lowered his head.

"Yes."

He turned and left the office to deal with the young man.

The door closed softly.

Cai Yuer stood and walked over to the window. She gazed at the scenery of Shrek City outside and fell into thought.

She needed to restore Shrek's unblemished reputation as soon as possible.

Because...

Shrek Academy's twenty-thousand-year reputation...

could not be tarnished during her tenure!

Early morning.

Sunlight streamed through the window. Wang Zhi slowly opened his eyes, emerging from his meditation.