Outside Suotuo City, on the main road,
Endless golden wheat fields stretched along both sides of the road. A young man and woman walked along it,
It was hard to tell whether they were on good terms or not; they kept their distance.
The girl stood about 1.7 meters tall and looked twelve or thirteen. Her fair skin had a rosy glow, and her sparkling eyes paired with her soft, oval face made her look both pretty and playful. Her smooth, delicate collarbones disappeared beneath her pink clothes. Though she was still young, her rounded, pert bottom already had a certain allure.
Below her slender waist, so delicate it looked as though it could be grasped in one hand, long, taut legs were wrapped in white trousers. Her figure was nearly perfect,
No matter how critical the eye, one couldn't find a single flaw,
She was simply a work of art bestowed by the heavens.
But the boy beside her...
He was half a head shorter than the girl, and his dark, dull skin made him look as though he'd spent years soaking in black oil, until it had seeped into every part of him. His teeth were the exception: when he spoke, they flashed snow-white, making his skin look even darker by comparison. His dark blue clothes looked dowdy, and he seemed at least five or six years older than he really was,
It wasn't that he was hard on the eyes; he was actually quite hard on the eyes,
And if you called him ugly, well, he really was pretty ugly...
"Xiao Wu,"
Tang San wore a broad smile, his snow-white teeth standing out against his dark skin. "The teacher said the dean of Shrek Academy is a Soul Saint, a powerful one. What do you think Shrek Academy will be like?"
Xiao Wu's expression remained unreadable, her manner as cool as ever. "We'll find out when we get there."
She had originally planned to go to any advanced Soul Master Academy, but later learned that such academies usually had powerful figures backing them. Blue Tyrant Academy, for example, was backed by the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan, whose patriarch was a Titled Douluo. He had visited the academy twice over the past ten years to give lectures,
Heaven Dou Royal Academy was in Heaven Dou City, and Heaven Dou City was home to the Heaven Dou Empire's only Titled Douluo retainer...
The chances of running into a Titled Douluo weren't high, but she couldn't gamble with her life,
Other advanced academies also had dangers of one sort or another,
After much hesitation,
She went to ask the dean about the Shrek Academy Tang San had mentioned. The dean went out of his way to ask Yu Xiaogang, then returned and told her that Shrek Academy was in a remote location, its dean was a Seven-Ring Soul Sage, and he didn't know about the other teachers...
That left only Shrek Academy.
Xiao Wu's mind conjured up Xia Yan's figure once more. She wondered where he was now, and how he was doing...
Even now,
She still didn't understand why Xia Yan had left without a word back then,
Why he had gone without even saying goodbye,
Did she mean nothing to him?
Did he truly not like her at all?
Tang San was used to Xiao Wu's coolness by now. His teacher had once told him that if he liked someone, he should bravely pursue her!
He needed to be persistent and determined, and never fear what seemed 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 find things to talk about,
Finally, Xiao Wu couldn't take it anymore. "Tang San, I'm really tired from walking. Let me rest for a bit."
Tang San's eyes lit up at once:
"Xiao Wu, I'll carry you!"
As he spoke, he bent his knees and held his arms behind him, striking a pose. His face split into a delighted grin. "I'm not tired!"
Xiao Wu glanced at him with her lovely eyes:
"I mean talking is tiring. I want some peace and quiet."
Tang San could only nod dejectedly:
"Whatever you say, whatever you say..."
They continued along the road. An hour later, they spotted a shabby village surrounded by a wooden fence, with over a hundred people gathered at the entrance,
Tang San went over to take a look,
Five large green characters were carved into the wooden sign at the village entrance: "Shrek Academy."
Huh?
Tang San looked around blankly. This shabby little village, that battered wooden sign, that old man... Was this really what Shrek Academy looked like?
It looked only a little better than Holy Soul Village...
Only the golden-haired man with shoulder-length hair behind the old man looked like someone from an academy...
"You're cheating us out of our money!"
Across from the old man, a shrewish parent was so frantic that spittle flew as she spoke. "My son just turned twelve! What gives you the right to reject him?!"
"Give us our money back!"
Just as Tang San, Xiao Wu, and the crowd were all looking over,
An immensely powerful aura suddenly burst forth,
A rich red glow blazed from the old man, and a long staff covered in countless fine markings appeared in his right hand.
White, yellow, purple, purple, purple, black—six Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet.
A Soul Emperor—he was actually a Soul Emperor!
The staff struck the ground with a dull thud that echoed all around. The whole area fell silent,
Not a single person dared speak,
The old man, Li Yusong, looked impatient,
Every year, he made the admission requirements clear, yet every year, some clueless parents insisted on demanding their money back. Every year, he had to explain it all over again...
"Twelve years old, and above level twenty..."
"The requirements were explained long ago. Go back the way you came..."
The mother immediately changed her tune. She respectfully led her son away, afraid of angering Li Yusong,
The entire village entrance sank into silence. More than half of the hundred or so people left in disappointment,
Those who remained naturally met the requirements,
Taking advantage of the commotion,
Tang San straightened his back and walked to the front of the line. He took out his money pouch and opened it, showing Li Yusong the twenty Gold Soul Coins inside before pouring them into the wooden box,
Then he pointed at Xiao Wu:
"This is for both of us."
So the teacher really hadn't lied to me!
Tang San was thrilled. Even the teacher in charge of admissions was a Six-Ring Soul Emperor. The strength of the entire Shrek Academy was beyond imagination!
The teacher really did know everything!
Li Yusong sized Tang San up. His first reaction was to frown. He had already said countless times that applicants had to be twelve years old; even one year older wouldn't do,
The person in front of him clearly looked six or seven years too old,
And yet, after he'd reiterated the requirements, he still dared come forward and insist on paying ten Gold Soul Coins...
However,
Li Yusong took a closer look. It seemed he could just barely make out the signs of someone the right age in Tang San's eyes and brows,
Maybe he really was the right age...
Li Yusong couldn't help sizing Tang San up again, this time more carefully: his skin, his clothes...
Tsk... sigh...
He shook his head despite himself...
Of course, Tang San noticed Li Yusong's movements,
The corner of his eye twitched uncontrollably,
If Li Yusong weren't a Six-Ring Soul Emperor, capable of crushing him with ease, then Li Yusong would already have been courting death!
Li Yusong's tone was lazy. "Hold out your hand."
Tang San could only suppress his anger and extend his pitch-black left hand,
Li Yusong squeezed his palm and raised an eyebrow without thinking:
"Hmm?"
He looked up. "Have you cultivated some kind of hand-based Soul Skill?"
He couldn't feel his bone age at all.
A flash of smugness crossed Tang San's eyes. So what if Li Yusong was a Six-Ring Soul Emperor? He still couldn't see through Tang San's Secret Skill, the Mysterious Jade Hand:
"Yes."
Li Yusong noticed Tang San's subtle smugness, but chose to ignore it. He couldn't be bothered to argue with a child:
"Lift your leg. Let me see."
Tang San immediately raised his leg. Li Yusong squeezed his calf. "The age is right. Summon your Martial Soul and let me see."
Under everyone's gaze,
Tang San proudly raised his hand and released his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, along with two yellow Century Soul Rings.
The Blue Silver Grass was the fruit of his and his teacher's hard work. It was only because of his efforts over the years and his teacher's diligent guidance that the Trash Martial Soul, Blue Silver Grass, had become powerful!
Hmph, let's show you what we've got!
Before you continue