Suotuo City's First Debt

Suotuo City was much larger than Notting City.

Tang San and Xiao Wu entered the city in the evening.

The streets were bustling with people. Shops were already lit, the aroma of food drifted out of the restaurants, and groups of Soul Masters could be seen walking together along the roadside.

Xiao Wu carried a bundle on her back, and her eyes lit up.

"This place is much livelier than Notting City."

Tang San nodded.

"It is an important city in the Balak Kingdom, after all."

Xiao Wu turned to look at him.

"Where should we go first?"

Tang San took a folded piece of paper from his clothes.

It was a simple map of Suotuo City, given to them by the Martial Soul Hall in Notting City.

It showed the Martial Soul Hall Branch in Suotuo City, several accredited academies, inns for Soul Masters, pharmacies, and Soul Hunting task registration points.

There was also one place circled on it.

Shrek Academy.

Beside it was a note in small writing:

[Information incomplete. On-site verification recommended.]

Seeing the note, Xiao Wu snorted.

"Information incomplete, and the fees are high."

"Tang San, the more I look at this academy, the less reliable it seems."

Tang San put the map away.

"Let's go take a look first."

"If it really has something to offer, then this trip won't be wasted."

"If it's no good, we can consider other academies."

Xiao Wu nodded.

"Then let's find somewhere to stay first."

They walked around the city, and soon spotted a nicely decorated hotel.

The Rose Hotel.

It was a slightly odd name.

Xiao Wu looked up at the sign.

"Let's stay here."

Tang San hesitated a little.

The place didn't look like an ordinary inn.

But it was already getting late, and looking for another place would be a hassle.

When the two of them went inside, the receptionist saw how young they were and paused in surprise before asking politely,

"Would you two like a room?"

Tang San nodded.

"We'd like two rooms."

Xiao Wu immediately said, "One room is fine too."

Tang San looked at her.

Xiao Wu sounded perfectly reasonable.

"We'll save money."

Before Tang San could say anything, the receptionist already looked troubled.

"I'm sorry, but we only have one room left tonight."

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up.

"Perfect, then."

Tang San was about to speak when a languid voice suddenly came from outside.

"I'll take that room."

Everyone turned toward the door.

A blond young man walked in.

He was tall and looked a few years older than Tang San and the others. Two beautifully dressed young women followed beside him.

As soon as he entered, the young man's gaze fell on Xiao Wu.

Then he looked at Tang San.

His eyes held a casual air, along with a hint of contempt.

"The last room in this hotel has always been mine."

The receptionist looked even more troubled.

"Young Master Dai, these two guests arrived first today..."

The blond young man waved his hand.

"I said I want that room."

Xiao Wu's brows furrowed.

"What's wrong with you?"

"We got here first."

The blond young man looked at her and smiled.

"Little girl, there are some things in Suotuo City that aren't decided by who arrives first."

Tang San's expression darkened slightly.

He didn't like that.

Over the years in Notting City, the first rule the Martial Soul Hall School and the academy had taught him was that Soul Masters must not bully ordinary people with their strength or disrupt public order at will.

This fellow clearly hadn't attended that lesson.

Xiao Wu was already rolling up her sleeves.

"Then I'd like to see how things aren't decided by who arrives first."

The smile faded a little from the blond young man's face.

"Are you here to study in Suotuo City?"

Tang San didn't answer. He simply said,

"If you reserved the room in advance, we can let you have it."

"If not, then we should go by who arrived first."

The blond young man raised an eyebrow.

"You do like to stick to the rules."

Tang San replied calmly, "If the rules are useless, the weak will never have a chance to speak."

At that, the blond young man's eyes shifted slightly.

It was as if he was looking at Tang San seriously for the first time.

"Interesting."

Soul Power surged from his body.

A White Tiger apparition appeared faintly behind him.

Two yellow Soul Rings and one purple Soul Ring appeared around him.

A Soul Elder.

Everyone in the hotel immediately backed away.

The receptionist went pale.

Xiao Wu's eyes narrowed, and she released her Martial Soul too.

The Soft Bone Rabbit.

Two yellow Soul Rings appeared.

Tang San raised his right hand as well.

Blue Silver Grass sprouted from his palm, and two yellow Soul Rings slowly rose around him.

The blond young man had seemed relaxed before, but his expression finally changed.

"Blue Silver Grass?"

"Two Hundred-Year Soul Rings?"

Tang San didn't waste words.

Blue Silver Grass had already spread along the ground.

The White Tiger's aura behind the blond young man grew heavy.

The two sides looked on the verge of a fight.

Just then, a voice came from the hotel entrance.

"Under the Martial Soul Hall Public Security Regulations, Soul Masters who damage civilian buildings in a fight within Suotuo City must pay compensation."

Everyone turned to look at once.

A Middle-aged Soul Master wearing the uniform of a Martial Soul Hall Branch official stood at the entrance.

Beside him, a gray-and-white cat was crouching.

The cat looked ordinary, but its eyes were bright.

For some reason, Xiao Wu froze when she saw it.

Tang San noticed it too.

The cat was far too quiet.

It didn't seem like an ordinary cat.

The blond young man frowned.

"Does the Martial Soul Hall regulate hotel rooms too?"

The official replied coolly,

"The hotel regulates its rooms."

"The Martial Soul Hall regulates fights between Soul Masters."

"If you want to spar, you can go to the Soul Fighting Arena in West City or register for a training room at the branch."

"But if you break anything here, you'll have to pay triple."

Xiao Wu blinked.

"There's a rule like that?"

The official nodded.

"There is."

"Since the Martial Soul Hall School began promoting it, the Suotuo City branch has also started enforcing the Low-Rank Soul Master Public Security Regulations."

"Especially in places run by ordinary people, such as inns, restaurants, and markets."

"If Soul Masters start fights at will, they have to pay compensation."

The blond young man's mouth twitched.

He had never actually encountered anything like this before.

It wasn't that no one dared to stop him.

It was just that, in the past, little disputes like this were usually over once the fight ended.

Paying a little compensation wouldn't have bothered him.

But now that a Martial Soul Hall official had caught him in the act, it would be a bit embarrassing if word got around.

Tang San withdrew his Blue Silver Grass.

"Thank you for the reminder, sir."

Xiao Wu was a little reluctant, but she withdrew her Martial Soul too.

The blond young man glanced at Tang San and dismissed his Soul Rings as well.

"Forget it."

"You can have the room."

With that, he turned to leave.

Xiao Wu said, "Didn't you say it was always yours?"

The blond young man stopped.

Then he looked back at her and smiled.

"I'm in a good mood today."

Xiao Wu was about to say something, but Tang San stopped her.

"Let it go."

The blond young man didn't linger. He left with the two young women.

But when he reached the door, he looked back at Tang San once more.

"My name is Dai Mubai."

"I'm a student at Shrek Academy."

"If you're going to Shrek too, we'll meet again."

With that, he left the hotel.

Xiao Wu frowned.

"A student at Shrek?"

"This academy really is strange."

Tang San fell silent as well.

They had not even reached the academy, yet they had already encountered a student who was obviously trouble.

It did not make a good first impression.

The Martial Soul Hall Branch deacon stepped forward, his tone softening.

"You're Tang San and Xiao Wu, right?"

Tang San nodded.

"Yes."

"The branch in Notting City sent over your information."

The deacon took out two thin registration forms.

"If you're planning to apply to Shrek Academy, I recommend keeping every receipt for fees you pay."

"If the academy doesn't issue official receipts, you can also register a complaint with the Martial Soul Hall Branch in Suotuo City."

Xiao Wu took the forms at once.

"We really can file a complaint?"

"Yes."

The deacon nodded.

"The Martial Soul Hall doesn't interfere with an academy's normal teaching."

"But if an academy uses fake recruitment, unreasonable fees, or deception of civilian Soul Masters to make money, the branch has the right to investigate."

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up even more.

"That's great."

Tang San took the registration forms and thanked him sincerely.

"Thank you."

The deacon nodded slightly and turned to leave.

The Grey-White Cat followed behind him.

As they reached the door, the Grey-White Cat glanced back at Xiao Wu.

Xiao Wu froze for a moment.

There was something familiar about that glance.

It was as if she had sensed something similar somewhere before.

But the cat quickly disappeared into the crowd.

Xiao Wu rubbed her eyes.

"Tang San."

"Hmm?"

"Don't you think that cat was a little strange?"

Tang San nodded.

"It probably wasn't an ordinary cat."

"A cat from the Martial Soul Hall?" Xiao Wu muttered under her breath.

Over the years, her feelings about the Martial Soul Hall had grown complicated.

There was wariness.

There was caution.

And there was also a little curiosity she could not quite explain.

Lately, she had been hearing one title more and more often.

Lord Holy Cat.

Xiao Wu had a feeling that many of the Martial Soul Hall's strange changes had something to do with the unseen Lord Holy Cat.

Tang San looked at the registration forms in his hand.

"Let's find a place to stay first."

"We'll check out Shrek tomorrow."

Xiao Wu huffed.

"If they charge unreasonable fees, I'm definitely reporting them."

Tang San smiled.

"Okay."

Spirit City.

Meow Meow watched the scene relayed by the Soul-Calming Bell, his tail swaying slowly.

"Dai Mubai has made his entrance."

Bibi Dong sat beside him, flipping through the Shrek files sent over by the Suotuo City Branch.

"Twelve years old, a Soul Elder."

"His talent is quite good."

"It really is," Meow Meow said.

"But there are plenty of problems, too."

Bibi Dong looked at the files.

"A White Tiger Martial Soul from the Star Luo Royal Family."

"He must be a member of the Star Luo Royal Family."

Meow Meow nodded.

"And not just any member of the royal family."

"He's involved in the succession struggle over in the Star Luo Empire."

"Later, the Zhu Family and their Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul will get dragged into it, too."

At the mention of the Hell Spirit Cat, Meow Meow suddenly thought of the White Tiger Sample project on the Heavenly Dou side.

The Star Luo White Tiger.

The Hell Spirit Cat.

Dai Mubai.

Zhu Zhuqing.

The things the Black Eagle Family had come up with before would probably intersect with Shrek's story later on.

"It's getting livelier by the day," Meow Meow said softly.

Bibi Dong looked at him.

"How do you plan to handle Shrek?"

"No rush," Meow Meow said.

"Let them apply first."

"Tang San and Xiao Wu should see for themselves what kind of place this academy is."

"If Shrek really has something to offer, let them study there."

"If there's a problem, let them discover it for themselves, too."

Bibi Dong said coolly, "You always like to let people choose for themselves."

Meow Meow flicked his tail.

"Only after choosing for themselves can they understand what's right and what's wrong."

"Otherwise, even if someone tells them a hundred times, they'll just think that person is standing in their way."

Bibi Dong did not argue.

She was the same way herself.

Unless she had walked a path, fallen along it, and felt the pain, it did no good for others to tell her about it.

"Has everything been arranged with the Suotuo City Branch?" Meow Meow asked.

"Yes," Bibi Dong replied.

"They won't interfere with Shrek's recruitment on their own initiative."

"But they'll keep records of the fees, the application process, and where the students come from."

Meow Meow nodded with satisfaction.

"Good."

"Especially their rule about not refunding application fees."

"Make sure the branch records that clearly."

Bibi Dong looked at him.

"You even know about that?"

Meow Meow fell silent for a moment.

"I guessed."

Bibi Dong clearly did not believe him.

Meow Meow lowered his head and licked his paw.

"Anyway, just have them keep records."

Just then, footsteps sounded outside the hall.

Hu Liena walked in.

"Teacher, the route to Suotuo City is ready."

"My brother, Yan, and I can leave at any time."

Meow Meow looked up.

"That was fast."

Hu Liena smiled.

"Didn't Lord Holy Cat say we needed to have a friendly exchange with Shrek?"

Looking at her beaming expression, Meow Meow suddenly felt that Hu Liena had become a little too clever.

"It's a friendly exchange," he stressed.

Hu Liena nodded.

"I understand."

Still not reassured, Meow Meow added:

"Don't beat them too badly right off the bat."

Hu Liena blinked.

"Then how hard should I hit them?"

Meow Meow: "..."

Who had taught her to say that?

It certainly wasn't this cat.

A hint of amusement appeared in Bibi Dong's eyes.

"Go to Suotuo City first."

"Don't reveal the Martial Soul Hall's real purpose."

"If you get the chance, observe Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the other students at Shrek Academy."

Hu Liena bowed.

"Yes."

Meow Meow thought for a moment, then added:

"Look into Dai Mubai while you're at it."

"And if you see a girl in black whose Martial Soul might be the Hell Spirit Cat, don't alert her. Just make a record first."

Hu Liena nodded.

"Understood."

This time, the Golden Generation was going to Suotuo not to overpower anyone outright.

They were going to see what the Shrek Seven Devils had been like at the very beginning.

Meow Meow knew that very well.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Dai Mubai had already appeared.

Next, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun would gradually take the stage.

The original Protagonist Group was finally about to come together for real.

And it was time for the Martial Soul Hall to step into the spotlight and take a look.

The following morning.

Tang San and Xiao Wu left the Rose Hotel and headed toward Shrek Academy.

After leaving Suotuo City, Xiao Wu watched the road grow more and more remote, her expression turning increasingly doubtful.

"Tang San."

"Hmm?"

"Are you sure this is the academy?"

Tang San looked at the map.

"The map says it's this way."

Xiao Wu pointed toward the village ahead.

"This is obviously just a village."

Tang San fell silent for a moment.

In the distance, a somewhat shabby wooden sign stood by the roadside.

It read:

Shrek Academy.

Beside the sign was another line of small text.

[Only monsters accepted. Ordinary people need not apply.]

Xiao Wu looked at the sign, the corner of her eye twitching.

"This place is way too rundown."

Tang San said nothing.

He was a little surprised, too.

The academy Grandmaster had recommended was actually a place like this.

But they were already here, so they might as well take a look.

The two walked forward and soon saw the line of applicants.

There weren't many people.

But there was plenty of discussion.

A middle-aged man sat behind a table, collecting the application fees.

Beside him was a sign that read:

[Application fee: ten Gold Soul Coins. No refunds.]

The moment Xiao Wu saw those words, her eyes lit up.

Not with excitement.

With the gleam of someone who'd found her target.

"Tang San."

"I saw it."

Tang San's voice was a little odd, too.

No refunds on the application fee.

The very thing the Martial Soul Hall Branch in Suotuo City had specifically warned them about had actually come up.

Xiao Wu took the Appeal Form from her pocket, carefully folded it, and put it somewhere she could reach easily.

Tang San: "..."

He suddenly had a feeling that Shrek's recruitment today wasn't going to go smoothly.

At the front of the line, a parent was arguing because their child had been rejected.

"Why won't you refund the money?"

"We just took the test!"

The middle-aged man behind the table looked impatient.

"Those are the academy's rules. The application fee isn't refundable."

The parent's face darkened.

"Are you trying to scam us?"

The middle-aged man sneered.

"We at Shrek only accept monsters."

"Ordinary people who come here and waste our time have to pay the price."

Tang San's brows knitted slightly at those words.

Xiao Wu already had the Appeal Form in her hand.

"Tang San."

"Yeah?"

"This academy's made a terrible first impression."