Entrance Examination

The admissions office established by Shrek Academy was extremely crowded, packed with people.

Shrek was the name of a monster. Shrek Academy was named after Shrek, meaning that the academy only cultivated super-geniuses who were monsters among their peers.

Shrek Academy's curriculum lasted twelve years and was divided into the Outer Court and Inner Court. Students who excelled in the Outer Court could advance to the Inner Court.

At present, Shrek Academy admitted around a thousand students each year, while its total student population remained at roughly five thousand.

These figures meant that Shrek Academy had an extremely high expulsion rate. In fact, seventy percent of its students would be expelled or advised to withdraw, leaving Shrek in dejection.

Yet even with Shrek Academy's stringent requirements and expensive tuition, young Soul Masters across the Douluo Continent still flocked to it. Some waited in line with their parents and family members, while others traveled alone to Shrek City to register. A month before registration even began, all sorts of inns and hotels in Shrek City were already full.

The registration line stretched outside the east city gate, with at least five thousand people gathered there. Vendors had caught wind of the crowd and rushed over to sell food and drinks. Naturally, their prices were far above normal.

Most of the young Soul Masters registering for Shrek came from well-off families and could easily afford these few coins. Commoner geniuses either brought their own food or waited in line on an empty stomach.

A commotion arose near the front of the line, and Bai Cai curiously craned her neck to look. Some noble Soul Master couldn't accept being turned away by Shrek Academy. In his desperation, he even gave the name of his family and threatened the staff responsible for testing and recording applicants.

"Dare to throw your weight around in Shrek City?" The staff member in charge of testing waved his hand. The Shrek students on guard immediately cracked their knuckles and started dragging the troublemaker away.

"I'll repeat this: don't count on getting lucky and assume Shrek Academy's students can't detect your age and Soul Power."

"Even if you're less than a month past thirteen, Shrek Academy will still turn you away. And to those who've taken drugs or temporarily boosted their Soul Power, please—Shrek Academy's Soul Tools for checking Soul Power are at least equivalent to a Soul Emperor. A Soul Saint would have to personally examine your Soul Power state."

"Also, among every ten Soul Masters registering in line, eight are nobles or wealthy merchants of varying rank from the three empires, or have some connection to one of the Soul Master sects."

Bai Cai continued waiting in line, her expression blank. She wasn't a noble's child, had no money in her pockets, and her relatives' Martial Souls were all vegetables and farming tools. It seemed she'd dragged down Shrek's average.

Under the blazing summer sun, the line crawled forward. Every boy and girl who failed registration burst into tears, lamenting the injustice of fate.

"Name?"

"Bai Cai."

"Age?"

"Ten years and three months."

"Martial Soul?"

"Ralts."

The staff member recording the details looked a little surprised. "A Mutated Martial Soul?"

"Yes." Bai Cai was brief, staying true to the low-key manner she had cultivated since childhood.

"Soul Power?" The staff member recording the details grew a little more interested. A Mutated Martial Soul, registering alone—could she be a commoner genius?

"Probably around twenty-two." Bai Cai added, "I haven't obtained my Second Soul Ring yet, so there may be some margin of error."

"Very good, very good." The staff member recording the details encouraged her. "If your information is accurate, I look forward to welcoming you to the Inner Court as my junior."

The staff member recording the details was actually a senior from Shrek Inner Court!

"The testing area..." The senior from the Inner Court paused. "Never mind. I'll take you there myself."

"Ah Hong, come cover for me." The senior from the Inner Court put away the document Bai Cai had handed over and patted his companion on the shoulder. "I'll treat you to a meal later."

"You're not trying to skip work, are you?" the young man called Ah Hong asked suspiciously as he took over. "You meet a junior girl and don't say a word, but you meet a junior boy and suddenly you're all enthusiastic."

"Can't be helped. It's Dean Qian's orders." The senior from the Inner Court shrugged, then led Bai Cai into Shrek Academy.

The roads were wide, and the surroundings beautiful. Exotic flowers and plants competed in splendor, pines, cypresses, poplars, and willows grew lush and green, and bushes had been trimmed into all sorts of shapes.

Shrek Academy sprawled across an enormous area, with countless Mimicry Cultivation Grounds. The senior from the Inner Court was in high spirits as he introduced them one by one.

"The Mimicry Cultivation Grounds for plant Martial Souls are quite pleasant to look at—flower beds, grasslands, forests, and so on."

"The Mimicry Cultivation Grounds for Fire-type and Metal-type Martial Souls are relatively close to the Soul Guidance Department. In fact, the Soul Guidance Department assigns many of the metal-refining tasks."

"The Mimicry Cultivation Grounds for Earth-type and strength-based Martial Souls are pretty battered. The academy can't repair them as fast as they're wrecked."

"The girls in the Mimicry Cultivation Grounds for Water-type and Ice-type Martial Souls are very enthusiastic. Slim waists, long legs, fair skin, and beautiful faces."

"The Mimicry Cultivation Grounds for gem Martial Souls and treasure Martial Souls are set up in the academy's little vault."

They passed teaching buildings of various colors, and the senior from the Inner Court led Bai Cai toward the Assessment Area.

"Teacher Lin, the student for testing has arrived." The senior from the Inner Court stepped forward and knocked. "Teacher Lin, are you there?"

"Stop knocking!" The young teacher opened the door, looking impatient. "Take her straight to the Soul Tool testing equipment."

"Mutated Martial Soul, ten years old, twenty levels." The senior from the Inner Court smiled. "You're sure you want to take her to the Soul Tool testing equipment?"

"Well, would you look at that." The young teacher exclaimed in delight. "Cases of Mutated Martial Souls are extremely rare, especially beneficial mutations. If we can thoroughly understand the conditions that cause Martial Soul Mutation, we might be able to induce targeted mutations and improve the quality of Martial Souls."

The young teacher's surname was Lin, and his given name was Yun. He was a former graduate of Shrek. After staying on at the academy, Lin Yun devoted himself to researching Martial Soul Mutation while also taking on some teaching duties.

"What's your name?" Lin Yun gazed at her as though he'd discovered a rare treasure, his eyes shining.

"Wait." Lin Yun interrupted her urgently. "Don't tell me. It'd be a waste of time."

"Zhong Xin, apply to open Section Three of the Assessment Area." Lin Yun called to his assistant in the office. "I'll take her there right away."

"Child, I hope you haven't lied." Lin Yun turned around, his expression serious. "As a teacher, I'm willing to believe my students. I hope you can tell me whether the information on your registration form is accurate."

"Since I registered for Shrek Academy, of course I filled it out truthfully." Bai Cai looked up at Lin Yun, unshaken.

"Good." Lin Yun clapped enthusiastically, full of praise. "Once you pass the test, I'll give you a present."

Assessment Area, Assessment Site Three.

Some Martial Souls and Soul Masters possessed extremely unusual talents, such as Martial Soul Fusion Skills and Ring Fusion.

To preserve confidentiality, Shrek Academy had spent a fortune building a series of enclosed assessment sites. Assessment Site Three was one of them.

"Shrek Academy won't try to pry into its students' privacy." Lin Yun gradually activated the Soul Tools used for monitoring and said earnestly, "I swear on my Martial Soul that I won't reveal anything about your secrets."

"So," Lin Yun said, his eyes shining with anticipation, "show me the full power of your Mutated Martial Soul!