Enrolling at Beast Academy

Meng Shu saw how serious She Long was, and his heart tightened. He said solemnly, "All right! Rest assured, Brother She. I will protect him at all costs!"

She Long nodded, his tone softening again. "Don't worry. There will be benefits for you in the future. Brother Meng, you're a smart man. This deal won't leave you at a loss."

She Long turned his head toward Zhang Fei and gave a slight nod.

Understanding the cue, Zhang Fei stepped forward and cupped his fists. "This junior is Zhang Fei, nine years old. My martial soul is the Golden Dragon, and I am a level twenty-eight assault-type Soul Grandmaster."

Meng Shu's eyes widened, his face full of disbelief. "Nine years old, level twenty-eight? Are you making a fool of this old man?"

Zhang Fei did not explain. With a thought, two Soul Rings—one yellow and one purple—rose from beneath his feet.

Immediately afterward, a majestic dragon's roar resounded through the hall as the phantom of a Golden Dragon abruptly unfurled behind him.

The Dragon Staff in Meng Shu's hand trembled violently and let out a low whimper. It was actually submitting!

"Golden Dragon..." Meng Shu's voice trembled.

Chao Tianxiang was equally horrified. Having lived to such an age, this was the first time she had seen a dragon-type martial soul with such terrifying pressure!

Zhang Fei withdrew his martial soul, his expression calm, and cupped his fists again. "Dean Meng, during my time studying here, I will abide by the academy's rules and never cause any trouble for the academy."

Meng Shu's mouth hung open, yet he could not speak for a long while.

He finally understood why a dignified Titled Douluo had personally escorted a young man to this remote academy.

What trouble was this? This was clearly a towering pillar of the future! The future core of Spirit Hall!

Meng Shu took a deep breath, his face shining with fervor, as though he had seen the future glory of the Meng Family.

"Good! Good!" He said the word twice in succession. "From this day onward, as long as I, Meng Shu, still draw breath, no one will be allowed to touch a single hair on his head!"

Chao Tianxiang also smiled and nodded, her eyes filled with admiration. "With such talent, his coming to Beast Academy is a blessing for our academy. Rest assured, Brother She. The two of us will certainly give it our all."

She Long nodded in satisfaction, rose, and walked over to Zhang Fei. He took a pitch-black token from his robes.

"Xiaofei, I must return to Heaven Dou City. Cultivate well here and do not slack off." He handed the token to Zhang Fei, his tone unusually gentle. "This is my Elder Token. Should you encounter any difficulties, go to the Spirit Hall branch in Balak City for help, or have them send me a message."

Zhang Fei held the still-warm token, warmth rising in his heart. He nodded seriously. "All right, I'll remember. You take care as well."

She Long looked deeply at him, reached out to ruffle his hair, then flickered and transformed into a streak of bluish-purple light that shot into the sky. He sped northward and soon vanished beyond the horizon.

Zhang Fei watched the streak of light disappear into the sky before withdrawing his gaze and turning to Meng Shu with a grin. "Dean Meng, you can just call me Xiaofei. Please help arrange my enrollment."

Meng Shu looked at the young man before him, his heart surging as though he were watching a rising sun ascend into the heavens. He declared loudly, "Good! Good! I'll arrange your enrollment immediately!"

Meng Shu summoned a middle-aged man.

The man was around forty, of average build, and bore a fifty-percent resemblance to Meng Shu. He wore a dark gray academy uniform, with a vice dean's insignia pinned to his chest.

"Father, what did you call me here for?" The middle-aged man hurried into the hall and asked respectfully.

Meng Shu pointed at the man as he introduced him to Zhang Fei. "Xiaofei, this is my son, Meng De. He is currently the vice dean of Beast Academy and is responsible for the academy's daily administration."

Upon hearing the name "Meng De," Zhang Fei's mouth twitched almost imperceptibly.

The image of a certain fierce man who had "one cannonball harming three sages" instinctively surfaced in his mind, making him shudder. I'd better keep my distance from this 'Meng De' in the future.

Meng Shu pointed at Zhang Fei and introduced him to Meng De. "Xiaofei is an honored guest of our Meng Family. He will be attending Beast Academy from now on."

Zhang Fei gave Meng De a slight bow. "Hello, Uncle Meng. My name is Zhang Fei. Please take care of me."

Meng De smiled and nodded, though his gaze lingered on Zhang Fei for an extra moment. For the old man of his family to call this youth an "honored guest," his identity was surely far from ordinary.

Meng Shu continued, "Meng De, take Xiaofei to complete his enrollment procedures and place him in the Advanced Class."

Meng De was taken aback and asked in confusion, "The Advanced Class? Father, admission requirements for the Advanced Class are for geniuses who reach level twenty before thirteen. There are only nine students in the entire academy. This little brother, he..."

"Of course I know." Meng Shu glared at him, his tone brooking no objection. "Just do as I say. Don't ask what you shouldn't."

Meng De's heart tightened, and he hurriedly replied respectfully, "Yes, Father."

He turned to Zhang Fei, his gaze now holding even more curiosity. Any youth the old man treated with such gravity could not possibly be ordinary.

"Student Zhang, please come with me."

Zhang Fei nodded and followed Meng De out of the hall.

Beast Academy covered an enormous area, and its architecture was rugged and imposing. Along the way, Meng De dutifully introduced the academy.

"That is the main teaching building. All theory classes are held there."

"That is the Mimic Cultivation Arena. It simulates a variety of soul beast habitats inside, which greatly benefits the cultivation of beast martial soul masters."

"Further ahead is the Spirit Battle Training Arena. The academy regularly organizes internal sparring matches there..."

Zhang Fei listened while discreetly surveying his surroundings.

It was midday, and quite a few students were coming and going throughout the academy.

When the female students saw the unfamiliar young man beside Meng De, their gazes were immediately drawn toward him.

Zhang Fei had broad shoulders and long legs. His dark teal casual clothing outlined his lean, capable physique, while his lightly tanned complexion shone with healthy radiance beneath the sunlight.

Standing over 1.7 meters tall, he stood head and shoulders above the crowd of twelve- and thirteen-year-olds. His long hair was tied into a high ponytail, with the remaining strands falling over his shoulders and fluttering in the breeze, giving him an exceptionally heroic bearing.

His eyes were black and deep, occasionally flashing with a captivating faint golden gleam.

"Wow, is that a new student? He's so handsome..."

"I've never seen him before. Was he sent here by some great clan?"

"I don't know, but he's really manly... Look at those shoulders, they're so broad..."

Several female students huddled together and whispered among themselves, their cheeks slightly flushed. Their gazes drifted toward Zhang Fei from time to time before they hurriedly lowered their heads again, their hearts pounding wildly.

Zhang Fei was long accustomed to such stares. At the Crown Prince's Residence, the maidservants had looked at him the same way. He kept his eyes forward, his expression indifferent, as though those burning gazes did not exist.

The registration process was quick. Filling in his information, collecting his uniform and dormitory key—all of it took only a few minutes.

However, when Zhang Fei filled in his Soul Power Level, both Meng De and the registration clerk stared at him as if he were a monster.

His dormitory was arranged in a relatively quiet, secluded courtyard at the very back of the boys' dormitory area.

The courtyard contained a bedroom and a meditation room. The surroundings were tranquil and far from the noise of the other students. It was clearly a special arrangement.

Zhang Fei was extremely satisfied. It was quiet, making it perfect for cultivation.