The mountain road stretched on, and the morning mist gradually dispersed.
After traveling at an unhurried pace, Lin Chen finally emerged from the endless mountains with Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing. In the distance, they could see the outline of Suotuo City.
Shrek Academy was located in a remote little village outside Suotuo City.
By now, the village entrance was already teeming with people. Young Soul Masters from every corner of the continent had gathered here, all drawn by Shrek's admissions policy: "We only accept monsters, not ordinary people." Countless talented youths with dreams in their hearts had assembled here, and the air was thick with tension and excitement.
"Shrek's admissions site is just ahead."
Lin Chen stopped and gazed calmly at the restless crowd. Soul Power flowed steadily across his body, keeping his aura firmly fixed at the level of a twenty-one-rank Soul Elder—perfectly meeting Shrek's strict entry requirement.
Xiao Wu looked around curiously, her big eyes shining with anticipation for her new academy. Zhu Zhuqing, meanwhile, reined in the instinctive wariness of her Hell Spirit Cat Martial Soul. Her cool gaze swept over the many applicants, her expression composed.
The three walked forward shoulder to shoulder, calmly joining the line of applicants.
At the first checkpoint of Shrek's admissions stood a tall, stern-looking middle-aged Soul Master, seated behind a table. He was Li Yusong, the Soul Emperor in charge of the preliminary assessment.
According to Shrek's unchanging rules, admissions had only two ironclad requirements: applicants could be no older than thirteen, and their Soul Power had to reach at least the level of a twenty-one-rank Soul Elder. In addition, each applicant had to pay ten Gold Soul Coins as an application fee. The rules were strict, with no exceptions.
The line crept forward, and soon it was the three of them.
"Age, Soul Power, Martial Soul." Li Yusong didn't even raise his head. His voice was calm and authoritative.
Lin Chen stepped forward and calmly handed over thirty Gold Soul Coins, then let Li Yusong examine his bones.
"Twelve years old."
After a brief examination, a flicker of surprise crossed Li Yusong's eyes. He then brought the Soul Power detector close to Lin Chen.
Faint black Soul Power surged gently as the Ink Shadow Spirit Cat Martial Soul appeared. Two yellow Hundred-Year Soul Rings revolved neatly around him, and his Soul Power reading settled at twenty-one—no more, no less, just enough to qualify.
"Twelve years old, twenty-one-rank agility-type Soul Elder, high-quality Martial Soul. Qualified."
Li Yusong made a note, and his gaze held a touch more approval. To possess such Soul Power at this age made Lin Chen a rare talent.
Next came Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing.
A twelve-year-old, twenty-nine-rank Soft Bone Rabbit Soul Elder and a twelve-year-old, twenty-seven-rank Hell Spirit Cat Soul Elder—their talents far surpassed the entry requirements, and both passed the preliminary assessment with ease.
The three successfully obtained their preliminary assessment qualifications. Amid the envious gazes of the other applicants, they walked straight into the village to await the second round.
Not long after they left, two bedraggled figures finally appeared at the end of the road behind them.
They were Tang San and Yu Xiaogang, dusty and worn out after a journey full of setbacks.
Their clothes were caked with dirt, and their faces were utterly exhausted. The long journey and the Soul Beasts that had harassed them along the way had nearly drained most of Tang San's Soul Power, leaving him in a terrible state.
When Yu Xiaogang saw Li Yusong seated behind the table, his eyes lit up. He immediately hurried forward with Tang San, hoping to use his old friendship with Flender to get special treatment.
"Brother Li, long time no see. I'm Yu Xiaogang. Could you make an exception for me?"
But Li Yusong didn't even lift an eyelid. His tone was as cold as ever. "Shrek's admissions follow the same rules for everyone. No matter who you know, if you don't meet the requirements, there's nothing to discuss. If you won't pay the application fee, then leave."
His merciless words publicly humiliated Yu Xiaogang.
Yu Xiaogang's face turned white, then red. With no other choice, he gritted his teeth and had Tang San pay the ten Gold Soul Coins.
Tang San's age passed the bone examination, and the Soul Power detector confirmed that he had indeed reached rank twenty-nine. But the anxiety and Soul Power he had lost on the journey left his Soul Power fluctuating wildly and his foundation unstable.
"Your Soul Power is unstable, and your temperament is impetuous. Go over there and regulate your breathing until your Soul Power settles. You may not take the next round until then."
Li Yusong's casual remark landed like a slap across the faces of Tang San and his teacher.
Many applicants nearby cast amused, mocking looks their way. Tang San, whose pride was already fierce, was so humiliated he wanted the ground to swallow him. He could only clench his fists, endure the shame burning in his heart, and go sit cross-legged in a corner to regulate his breathing.
Yu Xiaogang looked toward the distant figures of Lin Chen and the two girls, then at himself and Tang San, disheveled and dejected. His heart was a tangle of emotions, and a deep sense of helplessness quietly took root.
Beyond the village, Shrek's second assessment site came into view.
Shrek's senior disciple, Dai Mubai, was already waiting there. Tall and straight-backed, he let his domineering Soul Power seep faintly from his body as he prepared to lead the applicants who had passed the first round through the second assessment, a test of endurance and movement.
A rugged forest path served as the testing ground, challenging the Soul Masters' ability to sustain their Soul Power, their physical endurance, and their capacity to react to sudden changes.
Lin Chen activated his Ink Shadow Spirit Cat Martial Soul and maintained a steady output of twenty-one-rank Soul Power. His figure moved lightly and nimbly, like a ghost, as he crossed the rugged mountain path as easily as if he were walking on level ground. Without rushing, he kept an eye on Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, quietly helping the two girls maintain a steady rhythm with their Soul Power.
The three kept pace with one another and remained composed, pulling far ahead of the others before reaching the end of the test first.
Watching Lin Chen's calm bearing and measured movements, Dai Mubai felt a flicker of admiration. He had already made a quiet note of this newly arrived talent.
Only after a long while, once he had finished regulating his breathing, did Tang San manage to reach the starting point of the assessment.
His unsettled state of mind, unstable Soul Power, and the exhaustion of days on the road made every step of the mountain-path test a struggle. His Soul Power drained rapidly, and he lagged far behind every other applicant from start to finish.
Yu Xiaogang followed behind, endlessly spouting theory, but none of it helped in practice. He couldn't relieve Tang San of even the slightest burden.
When Tang San finally reached the finish, utterly exhausted and drenched in sweat, the first thing he saw was Lin Chen and the two girls resting at ease.
The enormous gap between them and the bitter resentment inside him wrapped around Tang San's heart like poisonous vines.
He stared fixedly at that calm, straight-backed figure. The obsession and hatred in his heart grew deeper still.
Shrek's assessment had only just begun.
The road ahead of Lin Chen already lay wide and clear, while the path of hardship for Tang San and his teacher had only just begun.
Tang San's glory had already been completely taken from him, step by step, by the person standing before him.
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