New and Old Students Assemble, Proctor Xiao Qing

Xiao Wu's attention was quickly drawn to the savory aroma of food wafting from Oscar's stall.

She twitched her nose, her eyes lighting up, and immediately tugged on Tang San's sleeve, pointing over there: "Third Brother, they're selling sausages over there! Let's go buy some to eat; we didn't get our fill this morning."

Tang San naturally wouldn't refuse Xiao Wu, so the two of them walked over.

Seeing more new students approach, Oscar immediately resumed his enthusiastic salesman persona, greeting them with a smile:

"New classmates? Try my sausages! The low-end version is one Copper Soul Coin each; the effects are average, but they'll fill you up and taste decent. As for the Recovery Big Sausage made with my Soul Skill, I'll treat you to those as a welcome."

Tang San nodded, not declining, and paid two Copper Soul Coins. He took the two charred, fragrant meat sausages and handed them both to Xiao Wu, while he himself accepted the Recovery Big Sausage made of soul power that Oscar offered.

Xiao Wu took a bite of the grilled sausage, squinting in satisfaction: "Mmm! Delicious! Crispy on the outside and tender on the inside!"

Tang San also placed the Recovery Big Sausage in his hand into his mouth. Once the sausage reached his stomach, a gentle, warm current rapidly spread through his limbs and bones, and the slight fatigue from their journey dissipated at a clearly perceptible speed.

Although the effect wasn't particularly strong for him, this immediate, food-derived recovery was something he had never experienced before.

Tang San felt fortunate once again that he had followed Yu Xiaogang's advice and come to this seemingly dilapidated academy.

Just the Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun he had met before entering, along with this food-type Soul Master, Oscar, were enough to make him feel that this place was truly a world apart from Nuoding City.

Ning Rongrong also held that Recovery Big Sausage, tasting it in small bites, her eyes sparkling with wonder; she clearly sensed the marvels within it as well.

Although Zhu Zhuqing had not come over, her gaze lingered on Oscar and his small stall for a moment.

Seeing that Zhu Zhuqing hadn't left immediately, Dai Mubai felt slightly relieved and walked over as well.

Having finished his guiding task, Ma Hongjun simply crowded over as well.

In an instant, several people were gathered in front of Oscar's stall, and the atmosphere was actually livelier than before.

Taking this opportunity, Tang San briefly introduced himself and Xiao Wu to Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun, and also learned the names of Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing.

The few youths were of similar age and all possessed outstanding talent; although their personalities were vastly different, they soon began their initial interactions.

Just as their conversation was hitting its stride, Zhao Wuji arrived with Xiao Qing.

Zhao Wuji stood still before the group, his gaze sweeping over the four new students as he spoke in a gruff voice: "I am Zhao Wuji, responsible for your final entrance examination. However, the examiner for this test is not me, but him!"

Zhao Wuji pointed to Xiao Qing beside him.

"All of you new students must defeat Xiao Qing within the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn, or hold out against him for that duration without being defeated. As long as you achieve either, you all pass. If you can't, get lost."

As soon as these words were spoken, Tang San's gaze immediately focused on Xiao Qing.

Make him the examiner?

Tang San's brows furrowed imperceptibly. He admitted that Shrek Academy was full of hidden talents—Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun had already surprised him—but the youth named Xiao Qing before him looked far too young.

Ning Rongrong's reaction was much more direct; having grown up in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she was accustomed to seeing geniuses and powerhouses.

Although Oscar's sausage had made her look at the academy in a new light, it didn't mean she would easily accept a peer as an examiner.

She immediately voiced her skepticism, looking straight at Xiao Qing: "Teacher Zhao, let him be our examiner? I don't doubt that Shrek has geniuses, but to have us four hold out against him for a stick of incense, or defeat him? Isn't this examination looking down on us a bit too much?"

Zhu Zhuqing didn't speak, but her gaze toward Xiao Qing carried a sense of scrutiny and a sharp, eager-to-try edge.

Xiao Wu curled her lips and leaned into Tang San's ear, whispering: "This Xiao Qing looks like he's full of himself."

Facing Ning Rongrong's questioning and the varied gazes of the group, there was no emotional fluctuation on Xiao Qing's face. He offered no explanation and no argument.

Xiao Qing simply took a step forward.

As this step was taken, an invisible wave of soul power quietly spread out with him at the center.

Following that, a scene appeared that the four new students—especially Tang San—would never forget for the rest of their lives.

Three soul rings, all purple! All thousand-year!

Tang San's pupils contracted in an instant, his breathing hitching.

The trace of doubt and scrutiny on his face froze instantly, then was replaced by incomparable shock.

Three thousand-year soul rings? How is this possible?!

This completely contradicted the fundamental theory of the Soul Master world that Grandmaster had derived through extensive research and which he held as the golden standard!

Yet, before his eyes, the three purple soul rings at Xiao Qing's feet could not be fake.

This iron-clad fact struck like a heavy hammer against the theoretical foundation Tang San firmly believed in, causing his brain to go momentarily blank as his worldview suffered an unprecedented impact.

If Grandmaster's theory was wrong, then his own path of cultivation all this time...

No, that's not right! Grandmaster's theory was based on a vast number of cases, but what was all this before him?

Just as Tang San's mind was reeling and his thoughts were in chaos, an even more shocking scene unfolded.

Beside Xiao Qing, three figures of different sizes and forms, yet all radiating powerful and fierce auras, shifted from ethereal to solid and slowly emerged.

On the left was Xiao Feng, whose age exceeded six thousand years; it landed on its four claws without a sound, scanning the front calmly, its body wreathed in faint, pale-green currents.

On the right was A'Man, whose age was nearing five thousand years; just by standing there, A'Man gave off an indestructible sense of oppression.

And hovering above Xiao Qing's head was his third soul beast, the Wind-Thunder Falcon, with a cultivation of twenty-seven hundred years, which Xiao Qing had named Thunder Feather.

Three soul beasts, and remarkably, all at the thousand-year level!

Three purple soul rings, combined with three powerful thousand-year soul beast companions—the visual and psychological impact of this scene far exceeded the simple display of soul rings from moments ago.

The skepticism on Ning Rongrong's face vanished without a trace; her eyes widened, her small mouth parted slightly, and she stared blankly at Xiao Qing and the three soul beasts beside him, as if she were looking at some inconceivable monster.

On Zhu Zhuqing's icy face, a clear emotional fluctuation finally appeared.

Dai Mubai had not lied to her; in this Shrek Academy, there truly existed people capable of breaking conventions and creating miracles!

Perhaps she and Dai Mubai could also undergo a transformation here; perhaps that seemingly destined, desperate fate truly held a glimmer of hope for change!

Xiao Wu also put away her previous casual demeanor, her body tensing slightly; she could sense a powerful threat from those three soul beasts, especially the giant wolf and the giant falcon.

Tang San was the most shocked of all.

The impact of the three purple soul rings had not yet faded, and the appearance of three powerful thousand-year soul beasts shattered his inherent understanding, completely exceeding his cognitive scope regarding martial souls and the soul master system.

Xiao Qing paid no mind to the colorful expressions on the newcomers' faces; his expression remained calm.

With a flicker of his thought, the Wind-Thunder Falcon, Thunder Feather, above his head and the Iron Armor Bear, A'Man, to his right transformed into two streams of light, sinking into his body and vanishing.

Only Xiao Feng remained, crouching quietly by his side, before Xiao Qing took an ordinary incense stick from his cloth bag, lit it, and casually stuck it into the soft soil beside him.

After finishing all this, he finally raised his eyes, his gaze sweeping calmly over the four newcomers before him:

"All of you, come at me together!"

"Teacher Zhao said, as long as you can defeat me and Xiao Feng within one incense stick's time, or hold out for that duration without being defeated, you pass!"

As his voice fell, the field fell into silence. Only that incense stick burned in silence.

Xiao Qing stood with his hands behind his back, the Storm Wolf King poised for action at his side. An invisible pressure, like a tangible tide, permeated the air and shrouded the entire examination grounds.