Do You Think I Still Have a Chance?

After hearing what Yao Shi said, the two women immediately breathed a sigh of relief.

After a while, Xu Jiujiu finally asked tentatively, "Then, Senior, what is your cultivation level now?"

"Four rings."

Yao Shi answered without hesitation. After all, he was not worried about exposing anything. With three soul beasts over a hundred thousand years old and Thunder Spirit, who possessed the combat power of an Ultimate Douluo, at his side, he could do as he pleased.

Qing Ya and Xu Jiujiu were both shocked upon hearing this.

What? Four rings!

Isn't that about the same as me?

No! He was two years younger than me, and he could even unleash the strength of a Titled Douluo!

He was simply a genius!

"Then, then from now on, can I call you Little Brother Yao Shi?"

Now that she knew Yao Shi really was thirteen years old and his true cultivation was four rings, Xu Jiujiu gathered her courage and spoke. Yet after saying it, she could not help but feel nervous inside. Even Qing Ya, standing beside her, inwardly sighed when she heard those words.

Princess Jiujiu, you're really bold!

Yao Shi looked Xu Jiujiu straight in the eyes. After a while, he smiled softly. "Sure. Going by age, I should call you Sister Jiujiu as well."

Xu Jiujiu immediately brightened. "Alright, it's settled then. From now on, you'll call me Sister Jiujiu, and I'll call you Little Brother Yao Shi."

Another two days passed.

"Lord Yao Shi, the Mingdou Mountains are not far ahead."

Uncle Mu's voice came from outside the carriage, his tone exceedingly respectful.

"Then please let me off a little closer, Uncle Mu."

Yao Shi yawned and replied lazily.

Since there were other people in the carriage these past two days, he had no chance to enter the Glazed Pure Land. Thus, he spent most of his time sleeping and meditating in the carriage, or chatting with Xu Jiujiu and Qing Ya. Through their interactions over the past few days, Yao Shi had grown much more familiar with them.

At the foot of the Mingdou Mountains, Yao Shi had just stepped down from the carriage when Xu Jiujiu followed him out. With reluctance written all over her face, she said to him, "Little Brother Yao Shi, do you really not plan to return to Star Luo City with me?"

Over the past two days, Xu Jiujiu had learned during their conversations that Yao Shi intended to go to the Sun Moon Empire to study soul tools. She had been somewhat surprised. After all, the relationship between the Sun Moon Empire and the Star Luo Empire was rather delicate now. If such a genius as Yao Shi went to another country, would that not be tantamount to adding a hidden danger to her own nation?

Moreover, after spending the past two days with him, she felt that Yao Shi's personality suited hers quite well, and she was somewhat reluctant to see him leave. Several times, she had asked him to return to Star Luo City with her, even saying that she could recommend him to study at Shrek Academy.

Naturally, Yao Shi had refused each time. He did not tell her that he had only just left Shrek Academy, merely telling Xu Jiujiu that compared to Shrek Academy's emphasis on soul master cultivation, the Sun Moon Empire's soul tools were actually more suited to him.

"No. Once I decide something, I won't change my mind easily. Besides, I already said that I'm more interested in soul tools now. The Sun Moon Empire is undoubtedly the best choice."

Yao Shi still directly refused Xu Jiujiu's attempts to persuade him to stay.

Xu Jiujiu took a deep breath. She was not displeased by Yao Shi's repeated refusals and forced a smile. "Then I won't keep you, Little Brother Yao Shi. If you run into any trouble in the future, you can come to Star Luo City and find me. As long as it's within my ability, your sister will help you."

Yao Shi nodded at her.

Then Xu Jiujiu suddenly stepped closer to Yao Shi and said softly, "One last thing... can I hug you?" She had no other intentions; she simply sympathized with Yao Shi's upbringing.

Before Yao Shi could nod in agreement, she had already thrown herself into his arms.

Yao Shi was only stunned for a moment before gently patting her back. The two embraced quietly for a while, like real siblings parting ways.

"Alright then, everyone, until we meet again."

Yao Shi gently pulled free from Xu Jiujiu's embrace. After saying his farewells, he immediately turned and headed up the mountain.

Because the terrain of the Mingdou Mountains was rather dangerous and steep, Yao Shi simply had Han Xiao possess him. He leaped and flew across the entire mountain range, only landing once he was not far from the border between the two nations.

Looking across the border, he could directly see the cities of the Sun Moon Empire, their towering buildings stacked one after another, already presenting the beginnings of a modern landscape.

"As expected of the Sun Moon Empire, known as the strongest nation in soul tool technology. Even Shrek City probably can't compare to this scale of urban development!"

After sighing in admiration, Yao Shi leaped over the border and ran all the way toward this modern metropolis.

Mingdu.

The capital of the Sun Moon Empire and the continent's greatest city of soul tool technology. Only as Yao Shi drew nearer did he become deeply shocked by this city of steel.

This city was unlike the capitals of the other three nations. Towering buildings stood everywhere, and traces of soul tool technology could be seen all around. The roads were arranged in neat and orderly fashion. Looking over the entire city, it resembled an enormous mechanical empire.

By the time Yao Shi arrived at the entrance to Mingdu, it was already night. The lights of countless homes illuminated this seemingly boundless city in dazzling splendor, as though competing with the bright moon and stars above.

Since it was already late, Yao Shi spent two gold soul coins to stay the night at a hotel in Mingdu. Having ridden in a carriage for several days, he felt truly uncomfortable, so after taking a bath, he fell asleep blissfully.

The next day, Yao Shi asked around before finally arriving at the gates of the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy, where he followed the procedure to register.

Strangely enough, this should have been the time when the second semester at Shrek Academy was just about to begin. He had not expected the Sun Moon Imperial Soul Engineer Academy to still be accepting registrations at this time.

"Name, martial soul, age?"

The teacher in charge of registration was a young man. He was writing something at the table and did not even lift his head. Only when he sensed someone standing before him did he speak blandly.

Yao Shi muttered inwardly.

What martial soul should I report? A tree branch would be too low-key. No, no.

If I report Han Xiao's lightning control, that won't work either. Nine hundred-thousand-year soul rings would be far too conspicuous.

"Are you registering or n-not registering..."

Just as Yao Shi was troubled over this, the teacher in charge of registration was beginning to grow impatient. However, the instant he saw Yao Shi's appearance, he froze. His previously irritated tone immediately became gentle.

"Miss, are you here to register or not? If you are, give me your information. If not, move aside and don't interfere with the other students registering."

Eh! I've got it.

Yao Shi immediately said, "Teacher, I want to register. My name is Yao Shi, my martial soul is Snow Woman, and I'm thirteen years old."

Hm?

The teacher's expression remained fairly normal when he heard Yao Shi's name and martial soul, but after hearing his age, he looked at him in confusion.

"Miss, the latest age for admission to our academy is twelve. You're already thirteen, so you're over the age limit and can't register. Go back."

Ah... I miscalculated.

No matter how much Yao Shi had calculated, he had never expected that he would be over the age limit!

Still unwilling to give up, he continued asking, "Uncle, I'm only one year over, and my cultivation is a little high too. Do you think I still have a chance?"

"What uncle? I'm only twenty-nine this year. Call me Brother," the registration teacher corrected, before continuing, "Over the age limit means you can't register. Even if you've reached the rank of Grand Soul Master, once you're over twelve, you can't register. Miss, you should leave. Don't block the students behind you from registering."

Tch~