Soto City

The four of them walked along the bluestone road as crowds bustled around them, beginning their day.

"Hey, have you heard? Shrek Academy, in the southern outskirts beyond the city, has started recruiting. The lines have been stretching forever these past few days."

"Is that the Shrek Academy that only takes in monsters?"

"That's the one. The admission requirements are fierce, too: a twelve-year-old Soul Grandmaster at level twenty-one."

"That impressive? My kid's level eighteen at twelve. I'll take him to try his luck and see if the Lord Soul Masters at the academy will make an exception."

"Ah, too bad my daughter's already over the age limit. Otherwise, I'd definitely take her to try."

Listening to the conversation beside her, Dugu Yan knitted her brows. She had never heard of this academy. A twelve-year-old Soul Grandmaster was a genius wherever you went, and if the academy's admission requirements were so demanding, it should be renowned throughout the Douluo Continent.

"Yang Fan, go to the Spirit Hall Branch Hall in Suotuo City and summon its hall master to Shrek Academy. It's time to clean the vermin out of the Soul Master World."

Su Zhen instructed Yang Fan, who was behind him.

"Yes, young master."

Yang Fan replied, then vanished on the spot.

"Didn't you say you were from Thunder God Palace? Why are you looking for Spirit Hall?"

Dugu Yan was instantly confused by Su Zhen's arrangement and asked.

"My teacher is a high-ranking member of Spirit Hall, and he has some influence there."

"You never told me that before."

Dugu Yan took a step back. The warmth of their ten days spent together vanished, and wariness filled her eyes. When her grandfather became a Titled Douluo, Spirit Hall had tried to recruit him. When he refused, they had instead injured him. In her eyes, Spirit Hall was no different from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect.

"I know Senior Dugu had old grievances with Spirit Hall, but Spirit Hall isn't represented by a single pope. The faction I belong to is on good terms with Senior Dugu. Otherwise, before he passed away, he wouldn't have entrusted you to me."

At Su Zhen's explanation, the wariness in Dugu Yan's eyes eased somewhat, but she still didn't step forward to stand beside him.

Seeing this, Su Zhen offered no further explanation. After asking a passerby where Shrek Academy was, he turned and left with Li Hao.

Dugu Yan watched the two of them go, then stood there thinking for a moment before following. She desperately needed someone to rely on, even if that someone was Spirit Hall. As long as she could avenge herself on the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, she could throw in her lot with any faction.

The three of them left through the south gate and walked a little farther before spotting a long line of adults and children outside a village.

In the middle of the line, Su Zhen saw a thin figure dressed in blue, standing all alone. He had no idea where the boy's younger sister had gone.

Su Zhen headed toward the village entrance. Just then, a child finished his assessment.

"Bone age: twelve. Soul Power Level: sixteen. Rejected."

The old man seated at the table announced the child's result.

"Lord Soul Master, my child was always top of his class at the junior Soul Master academy. Please, make an exception!"

The child's parent pleaded humbly with the examiner, hoping to secure a better place for his child to study.

"No means no. Shrek Academy only accepts monsters. Do you know what a monster is? Your child's talent is too mediocre. Now get lost! Don't get in the way of my recruitment."

"Fine, I'll go—but give me back my ten Gold Soul Coins!"

Seeing that pleading was useless, the parent held out his hand for the registration fee. Ten Gold Soul Coins would have supported his family for years.

"Registration fees are nonrefundable. Mubai, clear them out."

"On it, Teacher Li."

The golden-haired youth leaning against a tree nearby walked over to the parent.

Looking down at him, the golden-haired youth possessed his martial soul. Two yellow Soul Rings and one purple Soul Ring appeared beneath his feet, and a white giant tiger materialized behind him. Its terrifying pressure instantly enveloped the parent.

"If you want your registration fee back, beat me."

"Oh? As long as I beat you, I can get my money back?"

Hearing someone speak, the golden-haired youth turned to look at the young man before him and sneered.

"Where'd this little brat come from? If you want to stick your neck out for someone, you'd better make sure you're even qualified."

The golden-haired youth finished speaking and kicked at Su Zhen. He couldn't sense a trace of Soul Power from him, so he assumed he was just an ordinary person trying to show off.

Su Zhen easily dodged the kick, then blurred forward and punched the golden-haired youth in the stomach.

The punch sent Dai Mubai flying. He smashed through a tree behind him and rolled across the ground several times before finally coming to a stop.

"Bastard! I'm Dai Mubai, prince of the Star Luo Empire! How dare you hit me!"

Dai Mubai got up, wiped the blood from the corner of his mouth, and roared. He was about to charge forward and teach the boy a lesson, but after taking just one step, his throat tightened and he spat out a mouthful of blood. His martial soul possession was forcibly undone.

"You—you destroyed my dantian! How dare you? The Star Luo Empire won't let you get away with this!"

Dai Mubai could no longer sense his Soul Power. His dantian was like a punctured ball, the Soul Power stored inside draining away at a furious rate. The youth had crippled him with a single punch.

Su Zhen paid no heed to Dai Mubai's threats and turned toward the admissions teacher at the entrance.

"Are all of Dai Tianfeng's offspring this overbearing and unreasonable—useless trash who only know how to bully commoners?"

Li Hao came up to Dai Mubai and looked at this younger member of the Dai Clan with contempt.

"What are you, to dare speak the Star Luo Emperor's name? Keep it up, and you won't see the sun tomorrow."

Dai Mubai threatened the man before him. After being crippled, he was now being mocked, and fury surged in his heart.

"Argh!"

Li Hao kicked Dai Mubai between the legs, then stamped down and broke both his legs. The fierce pain drew a scream from Dai Mubai.

"Go ahead and call Dai Tianfeng. Let's see if he dares say that to my face. A useless member of the Dai Clan like you dares speak to me this way? I'll collect a little interest from you today. Write to him and tell him to wait in Star Luo City with his neck scrubbed clean."

Li Hao gave Dai Mubai a few more kicks before walking away to join Su Zhen.

"I beat Dai Mubai. Give that parent his registration fee back."

Su Zhen came to the table at the entrance and spoke to the admissions teacher.

"I already told you, registration fees are nonrefundable. Can't you understand?"

The admissions teacher shouted as he possessed his martial soul. A black staff appeared in his palm, and six Soul Rings surfaced beneath his feet, displaying his terrifying level of strength.

"I am Li Yusong, a level-sixty-three Power Attack System tool-type Soul Emperor. Friend, give me your name. My staff doesn't strike nameless nobodies."

Terrifying Soul Power pressure rose around Li Yusong, bearing down entirely on Su Zhen.

"Su Zhen, a poor soul who stands up for the common people."

Su Zhen gave his name, then calmly walked toward Li Yusong. The Soul Emperor's pressure had no effect on him.

Su Zhen clenched his right fist and punched Li Yusong in the face, sending the fearsome Soul Emperor flying into the fence at the village entrance.

"Bullying commoners like this—you're not worthy of being Soul Masters."

"Is that so? You've got some skill, brat. But what about you, bullying the teachers and students of my Shrek Academy?"

A booming voice came from inside the village. A burly man strode over, his booming voice and hulking frame making him look like a walking brown bear.

"He who bullies others will be bullied in turn."

Su Zhen turned to face the burly man, who had already reached the village entrance.

"No wonder the teachers and students here act like this. With the Immovable Wisdom King, Zhao Wuji, a butcher of commoners, leading the way, there's no chance this academy could turn out any better."

"Who are you? How did you recognize me?"

Zhao Wuji was shocked that the person before him had seen through his identity. The commoners around them heard that the burly man had slaughtered civilians and quickly backed away from the area.

"I don't care who you are. Anyone who dares smear the reputation of Shrek Academy has only one way out today: death!"

Zhao Wuji roared in fury. After possessing his martial soul, seven Soul Rings appeared, and his enormous frame charged straight at Su Zhen.

"Impudent!"

Li Hao appeared in front of Su Zhen in an instant and raised a hand to block Zhao Wuji's full-powered strike. Nine Soul Rings—yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black, black, black—shone beneath his feet, lighting up the area.

"A Titled Douluo!"

The crowd cried out in shock and hurriedly knelt to pay their respects. Only a blue-haired boy remained standing among them.