God King Level God Core, Stirring Up Trouble

The boy's father couldn't help but rage, "You are clearly just..."

"...Mubai, Mubai?!"

Just as the two were arguing incessantly, a system prompt sounded quietly in Zhao Linchuan's ear—

[Detected current plot environment: 'Shrek Academy Enrollment Site'. 'Enrollment' is Shrek's annual 'grand event', and also an important source for the academy to swindle and collect operating funds.]

[Triggering Choice Task:]

[Option 1: Infiltrate. Join Shrek Academy and lurk within as a student. 'Observe' the growth of the Child of Destiny (Fake) Tang San up close, and wait for an opportunity to dismantle this future 'monster nest' from the inside.]

[Reward: God-Level Mimicry Training Ground (contains thirty-six top-tier training spaces that can be executed independently with fully customizable environmental parameters, covering all known extreme attribute environments), Blue Star elementary school textbook "Ideology and Morality" (complete set, hardcover illustrated edition), System Points * 200,000.]

[Option 2: Wreck the place. A youth has hot blood; how can one tolerate such petty, swindling behavior that cheats students out of their money? When seeing injustice, one should draw a sword to help. Ruin this 'enrollment gala' and expose this money-grubbing academy for what it really is.]

[Reward: Non-Attribute God King Level God Core * 1, complete soul imprint of the Shrek Seven Devils (original destiny line) before ascending to the God Realm * 1, System Points * 200,000.]

[System Warm Prompt:]

'According to preliminary calculations, choosing to join Shrek Academy does more harm than good to the host's current development path.'

'The academy's teaching resources are extremely scarce, it lacks a systematic curriculum, the cultivation environment is poor, and the core members' philosophies conflict fundamentally with the host, which may cause unnecessary interference and consumption of the host's mental growth and time planning.'

'Please consider carefully, Host.'

Hm? The system is actually offering advice now? Zhao Linchuan was slightly surprised; this was a first.

The God-Level Mimicry Training Ground is indeed good, but for my current growth path, which focuses on the Puni Martial Soul and system resources, it is not a necessity.

As for the elementary school morality textbook... System, are you serious?

He didn't hesitate at all. "System, I choose two."

[Choice confirmed. Task "Ruin Shrek Academy's current enrollment" has been accepted. Rewards will be issued automatically upon completion.]

As his thoughts raced, Zhao Linchuan regained his calm expression. Looking at Li Yusong's stubborn, old-hand demeanor and the desperate, angry expressions of the father and son, he stepped forward and spoke in a flat tone:

"Teacher, what you are doing here, isn't it a bit wrong?"

Li Yusong raised his eyelids upon hearing this and sized up Zhao Linchuan and his group of four.

He had initially thought it was just some ignorant, meddlesome greenhorn and was about to signal Dai Mubai to "escort" them away, but his gaze swept over the clothing and temperament of Zhao Linchuan, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and even Zhu Zhuying behind them.

Especially when he saw the exquisitely crafted soul tool storage rings on the fingers of Zhao Linchuan and Xiao Wu, a flash of greed immediately crossed his eyes.

These few looked wealthy or noble... perhaps they were even bigger "fat sheep"?

The impatience on his face vanished instantly, replaced by an amiable expression as he pointed to the line behind him, "Are you young friends here to sign up as well? If you want to sign up, just go to the back of the line and wait for the test."

"However, I must tell you in advance: our Shrek Academy only accepts monsters, never ordinary people."

"Sign up? Sign up for what?"

Zhao Linchuan raised an eyebrow, his tone carrying a perfectly measured amount of "indignation" and "bewilderment." "Do you expect us to sign up to join this... unreasonable, bottom-tier backyard academy?"

He looked at the angry father and son, raising his voice a notch, "Since your academy's teacher has clearly stated that this young brother is unqualified and won't be accepted, why not return his registration fee?"

"Ten Gold Soul Coins might not mean much to your academy, but for an ordinary family, it could be several years of living expenses!"

Li Yusong's face darkened. He frowned and deepened his tone, "Our rules here are exactly that! Once a registration fee is collected, it is never refunded!"

"Rules?"

Zhao Linchuan acted as if he had heard something laughable, his tone sharpening, "What kind of rules are these? Rules for forced buying and selling? Or rules for raising petty, shameless people?!"

He scanned the area and spoke loudly:

"As everyone knows, the registration fee charged by a Spirit Master academy is essentially a 'pre-payment'—a fee paid in advance by parents so their children can obtain enrollment qualifications and receive Spirit Master education."

"It can be viewed as a 'deposit' or 'exchange' for future teaching services!"

"Since your academy has unilaterally determined that they are unqualified and has refused to provide teaching services, then this 'deposit' should naturally be returned in full! That is only right and proper!"

"By withholding it, how are you any different from street thugs extorting protection money?"

His gaze swept over the remaining parents, who were now showing hesitation and dissatisfaction, his voice clear and carrying a strong sense of incitement.

"Dear parents and friends, please think carefully!"

"A Spirit Master academy that resorts to such base tactics to withhold a mere ten Gold Soul Coins—with such character and such vision, what kind of students can they possibly teach?"

"Are they teaching students how to cultivate and become stronger, or are they teaching them how to invent excuses to swindle and cheat?!"

These words were like cold water hitting hot oil, instantly igniting the already dissatisfied parents.

"He's right!"

"Exactly! This is clearly just a scam!"

"They're even greedy for ten Gold Soul Coins; what kind of good teachers could this broken academy possibly have?"

"Let's go, let's go! Child, we aren't signing up! Let's go to another proper academy!"

The crowd erupted into a commotion. The remaining parents no longer hesitated; they grabbed their children, cursing as they turned and left, as if staying another second would bring them bad luck.

In just a few minutes, the village entrance, which had been quite lively, became empty.

Only the father and son who had wanted their money back, Zhao Linchuan and his group of four, and Li Yusong, whose face had turned as black as the bottom of a pot, remained.

"Mubai! Dai Mubai! Where the hell have you crawled off to?!" Li Yusong's beard bristled with rage as he slammed his hand against the table and bellowed toward the depths of the academy.

He shouted several times, yet the Evil Eye White Tiger, who usually handled the "crowd control," was nowhere to be seen to do his job.

Ning Rongrong covered her mouth, her shoulders shaking as she clearly struggled to hold back her laughter.

Yesterday, she had specifically sent people to investigate the background of the person Zhao Linchuan had crippled. According to the report from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Dai Mubai was likely lying at some Spirit Healer's clinic in Soto City right now, wailing and begging them to stitch his "little brother" back together, so he hardly had the time to show up here.