Shrek Academy

"Good!" Gu Hengzhi put on a mask as well, his gaze resolute yet mysterious, as though it concealed endless stories. "Let's first go to the Soul Master academy where your fiancé, Dai Mubai, is staying—Shrek Academy!" His voice was low and powerful, carrying an irresistible force.

Before long, Gu Hengzhi and Zhu Zhuqing arrived at a small village. The village seemed like a corner forgotten by time, exceptionally tiny and dilapidated. The houses stood crookedly and haphazardly, like building blocks scattered by a fierce gale. Zhu Zhuqing frowned slightly, a trace of doubt and hesitation in her eyes. "Are you sure?" she asked Gu Hengzhi hesitantly. "An academy is located in such a rundown little village?"

Gu Hengzhi's gaze remained firm as he pointed at a group gathered at the village entrance. "Look at those people ahead. They should be here to enroll." His voice carried a hint of confidence.

As they drew closer, Gu Hengzhi and Zhu Zhuqing saw that the gathered people were about their age, though most were accompanied by their parents. A battered table stood at the village entrance, with an elderly man in his sixties seated behind it. His face was covered in wrinkles, like marks carved by time itself, while his eyes were deep and sharp, as though they could see straight into people's hearts. Hanging from a wooden archway at the entrance was a somewhat tattered signboard engraved with five simple characters: Shrek Academy. Those five characters glimmered faintly in the sunlight, as though telling of its history and stories. Before the words was a green emblem resembling the head of a humanoid monster. It looked like a ferocious ghostly face, chilling to behold. The old man behind the table wore a similar round green badge on his chest. Its design was clear—it was likely Shrek Academy's school emblem.

At that moment, the parents of a youth standing ahead of them began complaining. "Is this some kind of joke? An academy in a broken-down village claims its graduates can become imperial viscounts?" The people nearby echoed their complaints, their faces filled with dissatisfaction and anger, as though they had been deceived.

Before long, the classic scene played out once more. A youth paid ten Gold Soul Coins, only to fail the assessment because he was nearly thirteen years old. When the youth's father tried to get the Gold Soul Coins back, the elderly examiner berated him viciously. His voice was like thunder, making everyone's eardrums ache. Fury blazed in the old man's eyes, as though he wished to swallow the youth's father whole. Then, the old man unleashed his pressure. A powerful aura swept out like a violent gale, forcing the youth's father to stagger back again and again in utter disarray.

"This is outright robbery!" Zhu Zhuqing said indignantly, clenching her fists as fire flashed in her eyes. "That requirement clearly wasn't stated on the academy's notice board..."

"Heh!" A cold curve rose at the corner of Gu Hengzhi's lips as he sneered. "And not only that. They actually dare to claim that graduates can become imperial viscounts, yet the students they recruit are all those who can cultivate to rank twenty-one before turning twelve. Even without their instruction, would these students not be able to succeed? Most disgusting of all is their school motto—those who dare not cause trouble are mediocrities! They're practically raising a pack of worthless cowards with twisted values who bully the weak and fear the strong!"

Gu Hengzhi's heart was filled with contempt and disdain. He no longer had the slightest desire to remain, and turned to leave. Seeing him turn away, Zhu Zhuqing hurriedly followed, a trace of panic flashing through her eyes. "Then where are we going now?"

"Of course, to see the fiancé you've been longing for day and night—Dai Mubai!" Gu Hengzhi's voice carried a trace of mockery.

Before they had gone far, two brazen male voices drifted over. "Boss Dai, those two chicks at the brothel today were really something, huh?"

"Fatty, your pick this time was seriously flawless..."

Gu Hengzhi looked ahead and saw two figures appear not far away. One of them was still young, short and fat, with short hair, small eyes, and two tiny mustaches above his lips. He looked exactly like a revived Blue Star devil soldier, with a shifty, rat-faced appearance that inspired instant disgust.

The other man looked half a head shorter than Gu Hengzhi. He had broad shoulders, handsome features, and a head of yellow hair cascading down his back like a waterfall. His clothes were disheveled, clear lipstick marks covered his face, and his pale lips seemed to tell of last night's romantic escapades.

They were none other than Ma Hongjun and Dai Mubai.

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze grew even colder, as though it could freeze into ice. Despair and fury gleamed in her eyes. She felt as though a green shadow hung over her head—the symbol of betrayal and humiliation. All the hardships she had endured now seemed so laughable. To her so-called fiancé, they were nothing more than a joke.

As the distance closed, Ma Hongjun noticed Gu Hengzhi and Zhu Zhuqing as well. Although they wore masks and cloaks, Zhu Zhuqing's graceful figure could not be concealed. Like a blooming snow lotus, she stood out sharply among the crowd. Greed glimmered in Ma Hongjun's eyes, and a lewd smile hung on his lips, as though he were looking at prey.

"Yo! Little beauty! Want to have a drink with your big brother here?" Ma Hongjun stepped forward and extended his fat right hand, intending to remove Zhu Zhuqing's mask. His voice was full of frivolity and provocation, making anyone who heard it feel disgusted.

With a slap, Zhu Zhuqing knocked away Ma Hongjun's groping hand. Her eyes were filled with fury and contempt. "Get lost!" Her voice was as cold and resolute as ice.

However, Zhu Zhuqing's rebuke did not frighten Ma Hongjun away. Instead, it piqued his interest. A sinister smile appeared on his face. "Little beauty, asking you to drink with your big brother is me showing you favor. Don't refuse a toast only to be forced to drink a penalty!" With that, he gathered his soul power and reached out with that groping hand again.

Dai Mubai had no intention of stopping him. He stood to the side with an interested, wicked grin, as though enjoying a farce. His eyes held a trace of indifference and disdain, as if he could not care less about any of it.

"Get lost!!!" A crisp, forceful male voice rang out, exploding through the air like thunder. Gu Hengzhi's eyes were icy as he slapped away Ma Hongjun's groping hand. His palm was as hard as steel, leaving deep finger marks on Ma Hongjun's hand. Ma Hongjun winced in pain, his face twisting, but rage soon overtook him. He shouted furiously, "Phoenix Possession!"