Tang San struggled to his feet, then hurried to help Grandmaster up and detoxify him. Thankfully, his Sleeve Arrow poison wasn't very potent. Otherwise, Grandmaster would have been in danger.
After a while, Grandmaster slowly opened his eyes. Looking at Tang San before him, he wore a resentful expression. "Little San, where's Chu Qing?!"
Tang San quickly helped Grandmaster into a chair. "He already left." As he spoke, he casually patted the footprint on his chest.
Yu Xiaogang's face darkened. Grinding his teeth, he said, "Don't worry, Little San. I'll get revenge for this!"
Tang San didn't say much. His nature had always been dark; he simply silently calculated how to take his revenge in the future.
After that, the master and his disciple left the restaurant.
Once the two were gone, the restaurant owner pinched his nose and promptly threw out the chairs they'd sat on. The stench had sunk deep into the wood.
By then, Chu Qing had already brought Rongrong to the entrance of Shrek Academy.
Rongrong frowned.
Before them stood a battered wooden table with a sign bearing the words "Shrek Academy."
An old man in his sixties sat behind the table, alongside a charmingly handsome young man.
After paying, the two couldn't help whispering to Chu Qing, "What a shabby place."
It was worlds apart from the Shrek Academy she'd imagined. She'd thought the academy that accepted only monsters would be in a league of its own, but it was actually tucked away in a village—and it was this run-down, too.
The old man's expression tightened. "Mubai."
The young man behind him immediately stepped forward and said coldly, "If you don't want to come, then don't. Don't insult Shrek Academy! If you want to leave, then just leave!"
Chu Qing's expression turned cold. "What, we just said it was shabby. We never said we wouldn't enroll. Can't you even handle hearing the truth?!"
Dai Mubai gave an equally cold laugh. "Want to stand up for your little girlfriend? I'm game!"
Ning Rongrong blushed and snuck a glance at Chu Qing. His expression hadn't changed; he was watching the other man intently.
Then Dai Mubai released his Martial Soul. A fierce White Tiger appeared before him.
"White Tiger Possession!" His muscles swelled, his eyes grew even more ferocious, and his long golden hair turned black and white.
"Dai Mubai! White Tiger Martial Soul, level thirty-six Battle Soul Elder! Please, enlighten me!"
Chu Qing's expression turned cold. Level thirty-six? Eight levels above him. Good. It was the perfect chance to test the results of his training.
Rongrong said anxiously, "Brother, maybe we should let it go. Dai Mubai is level thirty-six. I'm worried..."
Chu Qing gently took her hand and said earnestly, "Don't worry. Just watch."
Dai Mubai glanced at him and said arrogantly, "What, scared? If you are, hurry up and apologize!"
Chu Qing said nothing. He released his Martial Soul as well. Black flames appeared, circling one yellow and one purple Soul Ring.
The old man's expression shifted in surprise. This young boy before him couldn't even be ten, yet he already had two Soul Rings—and his second one was a thousand-year Soul Ring! Even a prodigy like Dai Mubai only had a five-hundred-year second Soul Ring!
"Chu Qing! Level twenty-eight Battle Soul Master! Martial Soul: Nihility Devouring Flame! Please, enlighten me!"
Facing Dai Mubai, who was five levels above him, Chu Qing didn't dare be careless. He fully powered up from the start, and the enormous phantom of the Nihility Devouring Flame enveloped him. Its scorching heat made the air grow faintly charred.
Dai Mubai's hands transformed into tiger claws. Surging Soul Power carried him forward as he lunged at Chu Qing.
Chu Qing didn't panic. The flames swallowed the space around him, and in the blink of an eye, he vanished from where he stood.
Dai Mubai froze, searching for the vanished Chu Qing. A Power Attack System Soul Master—could he really have an invisibility Soul Skill?
In the space of a single instant, Chu Qing appeared behind Dai Mubai. He immediately channeled his Soul Power. "First Soul Skill, Flame Devouring Heaven Burning!" Balls of flame shot toward Dai Mubai's back.
Caught off guard, Dai Mubai took the hit head-on! His back was left a battered mess!
"Not bad, kid. I underestimated you. You actually broke through my White Tiger Protection Barrier!"
Indeed, Dai Mubai had secretly activated his first Soul Skill right from the start. Even against an opponent weaker than himself, he hadn't dared to be careless.
"Now it's my turn!" Dai Mubai licked his lips and grinned wickedly. "White Tiger Light Splitting Wave!"
With a roar of a tiger, a beam of white light shot toward Chu Qing. Dust billowed, and Dai Mubai said, "It's impressive you lasted this long. Not bad."
But as the dust cleared, Chu Qing stood before him without a scratch, sneering. A red domain spread around Dai Mubai.
"What?!" Dai Mubai was shocked. He'd never seen a child under ten master a domain before.
A sticky sensation immediately enveloped his body. Dai Mubai tried to channel his Soul Power and attack again, but found it incredibly difficult.
"Let's see you dodge this!"
"Flame Split Wave!"
The terrifying flames combined with the domain, blotting out the sky and covering the earth as they engulfed Dai Mubai in an instant.
Dai Mubai didn't even have time to use his third Soul Skill before the flames knocked him down. He passed out on the spot!
Rongrong could barely contain her excitement. Her eyes sparkled as she looked at Chu Qing. She'd already been secretly channeling her Soul Power, ready to use the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda to help if Chu Qing couldn't handle him. She hadn't expected him to defeat Dai Mubai despite their level gap!
The old man sucked in a sharp breath! Dai Mubai was a rare genius, already level thirty-six in his teens. Yet this boy before him was under ten and had defeated an opponent eight levels above him!
What kind of terrifying talent was this?! Recruit him! They had to recruit him!
He immediately forced a smile and said, "On behalf of Shrek Academy, I apologize. Don't be put off by our academy's somewhat poor surroundings. Our teaching quality is widely recognized as excellent..."
Chu Qing snorted and ignored him, instead looking toward Rongrong for her opinion.
When Rongrong saw Chu Qing looking at her, her pretty face flushed. "Since we've already come all this way, let's enroll and take a look."
The old man glanced at Ning Rongrong but said nothing. His meaning was clear, though. Ning Rongrong frowned and released her Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda. "What, am I not strong enough?"
The old man exclaimed, "I can't believe two geniuses have come today! Please, come in." Then he took down the sign, signaling that enrollment was over.
Only then did Chu Qing nod. He took Rongrong's hand and walked into Shrek Academy.
Dai Mubai also slowly came to. With a sigh, he said, "There's always someone better, and there's always a higher sky. I need to train even harder!"
Then he, too, walked into Shrek Academy.