Tang San's Shrek Test

Outside Suotuo City, on the main road.

On both sides of the road lay endless fields of golden wheat, with a man and a woman walking along the path.

Their relationship was hard to gauge; they maintained a distinct distance between them.

The young girl was about 1.7 meters tall and appeared to be twelve or thirteen years old. Her skin was fair with a rosy tint, and her large, watery eyes paired with a delicate oval face made her look both beautiful and playful. Her smooth, petite collarbones were hidden beneath her pink clothing. Though she was young, her rounded, perky hips already possessed a certain allure.

Below her supple, slender waist—which looked as if it could be spanned by a single hand—her long, toned legs were encased in white trousers. Her figure was near perfect.

No matter how critical one's gaze, one could not find a single flaw.

She was simply a work of art bestowed by the heavens.

As for the boy beside her, however...

He was half a head shorter than the girl, with dark, dull skin that made it seem as if he had been soaked in black oil for years, penetrating his very being. His teeth were the exception; when he spoke, he revealed a set of snow-white teeth, which only made his skin appear even darker by contrast. His deep blue clothing looked tacky, and he appeared at least five or six years older than his actual age.

To say he wasn't ugly would be a lie.

To say he was ugly... well, he really was quite ugly.

"Xiao Wu,"

Tang San was all smiles, his snow-white teeth standing out starkly against his dark skin. "Teacher said the Dean of Shrek Academy is a Soul Saint with formidable strength. What do you think Shrek Academy will be like?"

Xiao Wu's face remained expressionless, her tone indifferent. "We'll know when we get there."

Originally, she had wanted to attend any high-level Soul Master Academy, but she later learned that such institutions were usually backed by powerful figures. For instance, the Blue Tyrant Academy was supported by the Blue Lightning Overlord Dragon Clan, whose clan leader was a Titled Douluo; he had visited the academy twice in the last decade to give speeches.

The Heaven Dou Royal Academy was located in Heaven Dou City, and Heaven Dou City was home to the only Titled Douluo guest advisor of the Heaven Dou Empire...

The chances of encountering a Titled Douluo were low, but she could not gamble with her life.

Other high-level academies also harbored dangers to varying degrees.

After much hesitation, she had gone to ask the Dean about the Shrek Academy that Tang San had mentioned. The Dean had specifically consulted Yu Xiaogang and returned to tell her that Shrek Academy was located in a remote area, the Dean was a seven-ring Soul Saint, and the status of the remaining teachers was unclear...

So, Shrek Academy was her only choice.

The image of Xia Yan surfaced in Xiao Wu's mind once again. She wondered where he was now and how he was faring...

To this day, she still did not understand why Xia Yan had left without a word back then.

Why had he departed without even saying goodbye?

Could it be that she held no place in Xia Yan's heart?

Did he truly not like her at all?

Tang San was already accustomed to Xiao Wu's coldness. His teacher had once told him that if you like someone, you must pursue them bravely!

Show perseverance and determination, and don't be afraid of the impossible!

He didn't understand why his teacher had suddenly said these things to him, but his teacher surely had his best interests at heart!

He wouldn't lead him astray, would he?!

As they walked, Tang San kept trying to strike up a conversation.

Finally, Xiao Wu couldn't take it anymore. "Tang San, I'm really tired from walking. Let me rest for a moment."

Tang San's eyes lit up immediately.

"Xiao Wu, I'll carry you!"

As he spoke, he bent his knees and reached his arms backward, getting into position with a beaming face. "I'm not tired!"

Xiao Wu cast a glance at him with her beautiful eyes.

"I meant that talking is too tiring. I want some peace and quiet."

Tang San could only nod sheepishly.

"Whatever you say, whatever you say..."

They continued forward, and an hour later, they saw a dilapidated village surrounded by a wooden fence. Over a hundred people were gathered at the village entrance.

Tang San leaned in to take a look.

The wooden plaque at the entrance was carved with five large green characters: "Shrek Academy".

Huh?

Tang San looked around in a daze. This broken little village, this tattered wooden plaque, this little old man... was this what Shrek Academy looked like?

It looked only slightly better than Holy Soul Village...

Only the man with shoulder-length blonde hair standing behind the old man seemed somewhat decent.

"You're swindling us!"

Opposite the old man, a fierce-looking parent was spitting with rage. "My son is just twelve years old! By what right did you fail him!"

"Give us our money back!"

Just as Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the crowd turned their gazes toward him, An incomparably tyrannical aura suddenly erupted.

A dense red light radiated from the old man, and a long staff covered in countless fine patterns appeared in his right hand.

White, yellow, purple, purple, purple, and black—six Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet.

A Soul Emperor, he was actually a Soul Emperor!

The long staff struck the ground, sending a low, muffled thud echoing through the area, and the entire scene fell into absolute silence.

Not a single person dared to speak.

The old man, Li Yusong, looked impatient.

Every year he made the enrollment requirements clear, and every year some blind parents insisted on throwing their money away, forcing him to reiterate...

"Twelve years old, over level twenty..."

"The requirements were stated long ago; go back where you came from..."

The mother immediately changed her demeanor, respectfully taking her son away for fear of displeasing Li Yusong.

The entire village entrance fell into a hush, and among the hundreds of people present, more than half left silently in regret.

Those who remained were naturally the ones who met the requirements.

Taking advantage of the chaos, Tang San stood tall and straight, walked to the front of the line, took out his coin purse, opened it to show the twenty Gold Soul Coins to Li Yusong, and then poured them into the wooden box.

He pointed a finger at Xiao Wu:

"For the two of us."

Teacher really didn't lie to me!

Tang San was incredibly excited; if even the teacher in charge of admissions was a six-ring Soul Emperor, the strength of the entire Shrek Academy was beyond imagination!

Teacher really knows everything!

Li Yusong glanced at Tang San, his first reaction being to frown. He had already said countless times that one must be twelve to register, not a year older.

The person in front of him was clearly six or seven years older than that.

To think he would dare to come forward and insist on paying ten Gold Soul Coins even after he had reiterated the requirements...

However, Li Yusong took a closer look and seemed to vaguely discern from Tang San's features that he might actually be of the appropriate age.

It seemed he really was suitable...

Li Yusong couldn't help but look Tang San up and down again, this time more carefully—his skin tone, his attire...

Tsk... sigh...

He couldn't help but shake his head...

Naturally, Li Yusong's actions were all taken in by Tang San.

The corner of his eye twitched uncontrollably.

If it weren't for the fact that Li Yusong was a six-ring Soul Emperor who could easily crush him, he would have already been on the path to death!

Li Yusong said in a lazy tone: "Extend your hand."

Tang San had no choice but to suppress his anger and extend his dark-looking left hand.

Li Yusong squeezed his palm and subconsciously raised an eyebrow:

"Hmm?"

He looked up: "Have you cultivated some kind of hand-based soul skill?"

He was actually unable to determine his bone age.

A flash of pride crossed Tang San's eyes; so what if he was a six-ring Soul Emperor? He still couldn't see through his Tang Sect secret technique, Mysterious Jade Hand:

"Yes."

Li Yusong sensed Tang San's subtle pride but chose to ignore it; he couldn't be bothered to argue with a child:

"Lift your leg, let me see."

Tang San immediately lifted his leg, and Li Yusong squeezed his calf: "The age is appropriate. Summon your Martial Soul and let me see."

Under the gaze of the crowd, Tang San proudly raised his hand, releasing his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul along with two yellow-colored century-old Soul Rings.

Blue Silver Grass was the heart and soul of both him and his teacher; it was only because of his efforts over these years and his teacher's painstaking guidance that the trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass, could become powerful!

Hmph, let me open your eyes!