Soul Saint Zhao Wuji

"Currently, there are three students studying at the academy, including me," Dai Mubai said helplessly.

"Three?" Everyone at the training ground cried out in surprise.

Dai Mubai laughed self-deprecatingly. "In all of Douluo Continent, we might be the only academy with more teachers than students."

Tang San asked directly, "Then how does the academy survive? Without students, there should be no income, right?"

"That's also why the academy is located in such a tiny village," Dai Mubai explained helplessly.

"Then why not ease the admission requirements? From what I saw, even if those children who applied weren't once-in-ten-thousand geniuses, many of them were still quite talented," Ning Rongrong asked curiously.

A trace of respect appeared on Dai Mubai's face. "The Dean once said, better lacking than indiscriminate. No matter what, even if Shrek Academy has to shut down, we will not accept trash. To graduate from Shrek Academy, one must surpass level forty before turning twenty."

"The academy has admitted a total of sixty-two students, but only fourteen truly graduated. All fourteen graduates became figures renowned throughout the world. The most outstanding among them is now the youngest elder of Spirit Hall. The rest who failed to graduate either did not reach Soul Ancestor before turning twenty, or died while cultivating or hunting Soul Beasts."

After hearing Dai Mubai's words, Youquan frowned deeply. She remembered that academy teachers were supposed to have a duty to protect their students. Whether at Heaven Dou Royal Academy or Spirit Hall Academy, it was a teacher's responsibility to help their students hunt Soul Beasts and obtain Spirit Rings. Even at Jia Nan Academy, where many students perished in the Black Corner Region during training, the teachers leading them would still risk their lives to protect them.

Youquan remembered her teacher once mentioning his friend Wu Hao, who had nearly perished alongside his enemy while protecting students.

Youquan asked directly, "Spirit Hall's elders are all Titled Douluo. You said earlier that Shrek Academy was founded only twenty years ago. If someone enrolled at thirteen, then after twenty years, they would only be thirty-three. So far, it seems that such a young Titled Douluo has never appeared on the continent."

Dai Mubai was left speechless by Youquan's question and suddenly did not know how to explain. The Dean had told him all of this, and it had always been one of Shrek Academy's admissions selling points. Dai Mubai had never considered the flaws in it.

Youquan seemed not to notice Dai Mubai's embarrassment and continued, "Are Shrek Academy's teachers so weak? They can't even help Soul Ancestor students hunt Spirit Rings, yet the students have to hunt them themselves and even lose their lives over it."

Xiaoxiao suddenly asked as well, "Since the academy has no funding, didn't that Spirit Hall elder give back to his former academy after graduating?"

Ning Rongrong also came to her senses. The extremely low graduation rate was not because the students were not outstanding. On the contrary, every student Shrek Academy accepted was a once-in-ten-thousand genius. Such geniuses, even in the Seven Great Sects or Spirit Hall—not to mention intermediate Soul Master Academies—would be considered exceptionally gifted and receive focused training.

Ning Rongrong frowned and asked in return, "If I remember correctly, Spirit Hall Academy has policies supporting Soul Master Academies. Why don't you claim Spirit Hall's subsidies?"

Youquan, Ning Rongrong, and Xiaoxiao's successive questions left Dai Mubai standing there in a daze, unable to answer for a while.

Just as Dai Mubai was at a loss in embarrassment, a middle-aged man's voice came from behind them. "Six students actually made it to Shrek Academy this year?"

Looking as though he had been saved, Dai Mubai looked gratefully at the newcomer. "Teacher Zhao, not only did all six of them reach the fourth test, they were also exempted from the second and third tests."

Teacher Zhao's eyes lit up, and he immediately stepped forward. He was not tall and had an ordinary face, but his build was thick and solid, making him look extremely imposing.

Dai Mubai introduced him to everyone. "This is our academy's Vice Dean, Teacher Zhao Wuji. His martial soul is the Mighty Vajra Bear, and he is a level seventy-six Strong Attack System Battle Soul Saint."

Youquan had seen many Titled Douluo and had once been a powerhouse herself, so she was not frightened by the pressure emanating from Zhao Wuji. Instead, she continued with her earlier question.

"Teacher Zhao, if you possess the strength of a Soul Saint, why would students still die just from hunting Soul Beasts for Soul Ancestors?"

Zhao Wuji gave Youquan a flat look and replied in a rumbling voice, "We teachers do not help students hunt Soul Beasts. After all, teachers cannot look after students for their entire lives. If they die while hunting Soul Beasts, it means they lack ability."

As soon as Zhao Wuji said this, the expressions of Youquan, Ning Rongrong, and Xiaoxiao all turned unpleasant.

Dai Mubai immediately agreed. "That's right. Actual combat is also what our academy values most. If they do not even possess this much ability, then graduating from Shrek Academy would only bring shame upon us. The Dean said that Shrek would rather admit no students than accept trash."

Tang San smiled and agreed. "I'm very fortunate to be able to study at Shrek Academy."

Hearing Tang San's words, Youquan, Ning Rongrong, and Xiaoxiao all stared at him in disbelief. The three of them had not expected that Tang San, who appeared gentle and harmless, would actually agree so strongly with such bullshit reasoning.

Youquan found it even more unacceptable. The saying, "A teacher for a day, a father for life," was not merely empty words. A qualified teacher did not merely teach skills and abilities, but also the principles of dealing with people and the world. They also had to protect their students.

Youquan remembered that back on Dou Qi Continent, before her grandteacher Venerable Yao, Yao Chen's disciple Xiao Yan had fully matured, he had always stood before Xiao Yan to protect him and had even once fallen into the hands of Soul Palace.

Only then could one live up to the saying, "A teacher for a day, a father for life."

Just as Youquan was about to refute him, Zhao Wuji spoke impatiently to the group. "All right. You are all little monsters whose Soul Power exceeds level twenty-five. Not bad. I am your fourth test. However, my test will not be easy to pass. I'll give you the time it takes for one incense stick to burn to get to know each other. Once that time is up, the test begins."

As he spoke, Zhao Wuji paused and revealed a malicious grin. "The test is this: for the time it takes one incense stick to burn, you must join forces to withstand my attacks. As long as one person passes, all of you will qualify."

"However, I hope you understand that you should not try to take shortcuts. And no one can withstand my attacks alone. Joining forces, coordinating with each other, and working together are your only chance of success."