The next day, just as dawn was breaking.
A message with a short video attached broke the silence in the Douluo Chat Group.
[Pagoda Suppresses River Demon: @Everyone, we've arrived at Shrek Academy! [Video]]
[Pagoda Suppresses River Demon: Guys, who gets it? Is this really an academy? It's way too shabby! I feel like the villages near our sect are more impressive!]
The video camera wobbled as it focused on the gate of a village that looked ready to collapse. An old wooden sign hung above it, with the five words "Shrek Academy" carved in wild, flowing strokes. It was steeped in history—or, rather, poverty.
The moment the video appeared, the group exploded.
[I Am Not Yanzi: Pfft! Are you sure you didn't get the place wrong? This looks more like a poor village about to be demolished!]
[Begonia Blossoms: Ahem, that's not quite fair. You could call it... a return to nature, brimming with the unspoiled spirit of the countryside.]
[I Am Not Swallow: That's a very tactful way to put it.]
[Heavenly King Covers Earth Fox: You can call a place like this an academy? Any branch hall of Spirit Hall is a hundred times better!]
Inside Spirit Hall's bedroom, Bibi Dong glanced at the video, a disdainful smile tugging at her lips.
[Most Beautiful Pope: The shabby grounds are secondary. The important thing is its philosophy.]
[Most Beautiful Pope: "Only monsters, not ordinary people." It sounds impressive, but it's just an excuse for a lack of educational resources and poor teaching ability.]
In the Crown Prince Residence, Qian Renxue, disguised as Xue Qinghe, read Bibi Dong's message and, for once, voiced her agreement.
[6G Sky Wing: Exactly. True education can polish mediocrities into geniuses and turn geniuses into peerless prodigies. It doesn't just sit around waiting for geniuses to show up, then claim their achievements as its own. An academy like that has a narrow outlook and isn't fit to be taken seriously.]
[I Am Not Yanzi: Wow, you guys really have some profound insights!]
While everyone was busy discussing this "Monster Academy," Xiao Wu suddenly remembered something.
[First Cute Bunny: Wait! Sisters, don't you think this is amazing?]
[First Cute Bunny: The Shrek Academy in the Group Owner's video yesterday looks exactly like the one Rongrong filmed!]
Her words instantly reminded everyone.
That's right! The video from yesterday had shown the same run-down village!
[Pagoda Suppresses River Demon: Oh yeah! The Group Owner is incredible! A super prophet! @Galaxy Baseball Bat Hero, Group Owner, who are you, really? Come out and tell our fortunes!]
[I Am Not Yanzi: @Galaxy Baseball Bat Hero +1. If you don't show up soon, I'm going to your house and stealing you!]
[Heavenly King Covers Earth Fox: @Galaxy Baseball Bat Hero +2. Group Owner, pay some attention to us~]
But no matter how they called for him, the avatar with the ID "Galaxy Baseball Bat Hero" remained gray.
What they didn't know was that Ye Qiong was lying in the soft wheat fields of Aedes Elysiae, a fluffy pink ball curled in his arms—Mimi, the pink puppy. He was basking in the breeze and warm sunlight, sleeping soundly, completely unaware of the commotion in the group.
At the entrance to Shrek Academy, the examination was proceeding in orderly fashion.
A seemingly lazy old man serving as the first gate's examiner suddenly released the formidable aura of a Soul Emperor. Six Soul Rings spiraled up, instantly intimidating everyone present.
"Anyone over thirteen, or anyone whose Soul Power hasn't reached level twenty-one, can leave."
The old man's cold voice sent more than half of the original hundred-plus applicants away in an instant.
Ning Rongrong filmed the whole thing and sent it to the group.
[Pagoda Suppresses River Demon: Guys! Look! It's exactly like the Group Owner's video yesterday! Even the old man's lines are word for word!]
[I Am Not Swallow: My goodness! The Group Owner is incredible!]
[Begonia Blossoms: He's not just a prophet anymore. He's practically fate itself!]
The group's gasps of amazement came one after another. Wave after wave of Emotion Points flowed into Ye Qiong's system in an endless stream.
"Ding, ding, ding..."
The unceasing system notifications woke Ye Qiong from his sleep.
He opened his eyes groggily, rubbed his temples, and grumbled, annoyed, "Who is it? Launching a mental attack this early in the morning..."
He casually opened the system panel, and instantly snapped awake.
[Total Emotion Points: 8668]
Staring at the number, Ye Qiong froze. How had a single night's sleep somehow given him... enough to fully unlock the Void Archives?
Curious, he opened the chat group. Seeing the screen packed with 99+ messages, he finally understood.
Well, the plot had started.
Seeing the messages still tagging him, Ye Qiong cleared his throat and replied leisurely.
[Galaxy Baseball Bat Hero: Ahem, the secrets of heaven must not be revealed. When the time is right, you will naturally learn who I am.]
That line, dripping with mystique, earned another round of astonished reactions from the group.
Ye Qiong ignored them and tagged the three people who were there in person.
[Galaxy Baseball Bat Hero: @First Cute Bunny @Pagoda Suppresses River Demon @No Petting Cats, if you run into any trouble at Shrek that you can't handle, you can always tag me in the group.]
[First Cute Bunny: Got it! Thank you, Group Owner!]
[Pagoda Suppresses River Demon: You're so nice, Group Owner!]
[No Petting Cats: Mm.]
The three girls' replies made the other young women in the group a little "jealous."
[I Am Not Yanzi: Group Owner, you're so biased, only caring about those three~]
[Heavenly King Covers Earth Fox: Exactly! Group Owner, I want your special attention too~]
The slightly flirtatious messages on the screen made Ye Qiong cringe so hard he could've carved out a three-bedroom apartment with his toes.
"Yikes, scary. I'm out of here."
He decisively closed the group chat and decided to take care of business first.
Another small wave of Emotion Points came in.
Looking at his balance of over eight thousand Emotion Points, Ye Qiong decided to unlock the Void Archives immediately!
At his command, light blazed in the palm of Ye Qiong's left hand, and an exquisite golden cube slowly appeared, radiating a sacred, ancient aura.
Seven thousand five hundred and thirty-two Emotion Points surged into the golden cube like a tide. It began to shake violently, and golden light gradually brightened across its surface, shining brilliantly.
Meanwhile, inside Shrek Academy.
The three girls passed the first test without a hitch and entered the village under Dai Mubai's guidance.
They hadn't gone far when they heard a soft, lilting voice hawking wares nearby.
"Selling sausages! Oscar Brand Sausage, delicious and sweet!"
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