Shrek Academy (Part 1)

After staying in Suotuo City for several days, the day Shrek Academy opened finally arrived.

Lin Qing, Xiao Wu, and Zhu Zhuqing formed a group and headed to the location Lin Qing had asked around about to register.

Xiao Wu's complexion was visibly much better than it had been a few days ago, and her body had mostly recovered. At the very least, she was no longer sore all over.

The reason for this was that Xiao Wu had refused to let Lin Qing touch her these past few days. To keep Lin Qing from forcing himself on her, she had even moved into Zhu Zhuqing's room to sleep.

Lin Qing found this rather helpless. Wasn't his stamina just slightly better, and hadn't he merely lasted a little longer? Was there any need to be this afraid? In any case, Lin Qing figured he could forget about touching Xiao Wu again for at least half a month.

After leaving the city, they walked along a bumpy, muddy road. It was entirely dirt, without even a single paving stone.

Not only was it impossible to move quickly along this road, but it was also extremely hard on their feet.

"Lin Qing, are you sure that Shrek Academy is this way?" After walking for a long time, even Xiao Wu, with the strength of a Soul Elder, was getting tired and could not help complaining.

"The location I asked about really is in this direction. Come on, Xiao Wu, hang in there a little longer. We should be there soon," Lin Qing could only reassure her.

At that moment, Xiao Wu suddenly spotted a couple beside the road. The man crouched down, and the woman climbed onto his back. Then, he carried her as they continued walking.

Seeing this, Xiao Wu immediately rubbed her ankle and fixed her eyes on Lin Qing as she coquettishly said, "Lin Qing, my feet are so sore. Can you carry me?"

Seeing Xiao Wu like this, Lin Qing could not bear to let her suffer any longer. He walked in front of her, crouched down, and said, "Get on, Xiao Wu."

"Yay! Lin Qing, you're the best!" Xiao Wu leaped straight onto Lin Qing's back, wrapped her arms around his neck, and happily shook her head.

Lin Qing was equally helpless. They had already done that sort of thing, so why was she still so much like a child? But on second thought, if one day Xiao Wu no longer had the personality of a child, perhaps she would no longer be Xiao Wu.

And so, Lin Qing carried Xiao Wu on his back as he and Zhu Zhuqing continued toward Shrek.

The sun gradually climbed to its highest point, and it was now the brightest time of day.

"Lin Qing, look, there's a village ahead. Do you think Shrek is in that village?" Xiao Wu asked.

"Probably. After all, that seems to be the only possibility in this direction," Lin Qing said.

"Then let's go in. Lin Qing, speed up!" Xiao Wu held Lin Qing's shoulder with her left hand, raised her right hand high, and waved her fist as she shouted.

Lin Qing irritably patted her butt before quickening his pace toward the village.

Before long, the three of them arrived at an open area, where a long line had already formed.

At the very front of the line stood an archway built from wood. The archway was dilapidated and covered with wood ear fungi and moss. At the very top were several large wooden characters reading "Shrek Academy." The crooked wooden characters had been nailed to the top of the archway, swaying precariously as though they might fall at any moment.

Beneath the archway stood a wooden table. An elderly man sat before it, while a blond man whose mouth was still somewhat swollen stood beside it.

Although Lin Qing had expected Shrek Academy to be shabby, this was far too shabby!

"Is this really an academy!?" Xiao Wu jumped down from Lin Qing's back, her face full of shock at the sight of such a rundown Shrek.

"It should be. Isn't it written right there?" Lin Qing pointed at the words on the sign.

"Still, since we're already here, let's take a look," Lin Qing said.

"Fine." Xiao Wu nodded, and the three of them joined the line.

More people continued lining up behind Lin Qing's group, waiting to register.

At that moment, a young man stepped up to the table to register. The old man lazily said, "The registration fee is ten Gold Soul Coins. Just put them in that box."

The young man's accompanying father hurriedly took out ten Gold Soul Coins and placed them into a box made from several nailed-together wooden boards.

"Hold out one hand."

The young man did as instructed and extended his hand before the old man. The old man pinched it twice, shook his head, and said, "You don't meet the age requirement. You can leave."

The young man froze for a moment and turned to look at his father. There were not many teenagers as mature as Tang San.

His father hurriedly forced a smile. "Teacher, my son only just turned thirteen. Could you perhaps make an exception?"

The old man said impatiently, "Don't hold up the people behind you. Don't you know the academy's rules? We only accept children under thirteen. Anyone over thirteen will not be accepted. You can leave."

The young man's father said, "Then our registration fee..."

The old man replied without courtesy, "Once registration is complete, fees will not be refunded."

Even a clay figurine had some temper. The young man's father could not help angrily saying, "You're clearly cheating people out of their money. Return our registration fee, or we won't leave. If we'd known this so-called Shrek Academy was such a dump, we never would have come."

The old man glanced at him and said indifferently, "Mubai, someone wants their registration fee back. Deal with it."

A figure suddenly sprang up from the ground beside them. "You want your registration fee back? Fine. Beat me, and you'll get every coin back."

This person was Dai Mubai. He looked somewhat different from a few days ago, mainly because his face was swollen, making him appear as though he had gained a whole round of weight.

Dai Mubai did not waste words. He directly activated his Soul Power and released all three of his Spirit Rings—two hundred-year rings and one Thousand-Year Spirit Ring. Surging Soul Power created invisible pressure in the air as cold light flashed repeatedly in his evil eyes while he stared at the father and son.

Among Soul Masters, Spirit Rings were always the greatest authority. Seeing the three Spirit Rings on Dai Mubai, including a Thousand-Year Spirit Ring, the young man's father's expression changed drastically. He muttered that they were out of luck, grabbed his son, and prepared to leave.

"Wait!" A voice rang out from the line, stopping the father and son.

"You just said that if someone defeats you, you'll return their registration fee, right? Then can someone else help them?" the voice continued.

"Of course. As long as you can defeat me, no matter who you are, I'll return the registration fee," Dai Mubai answered the question without thinking.

"Fine, then. Little Tiger, are you ready to get beaten up again?" At last, the owner of that voice stepped out of the line, folded his arms across his chest, and looked at Dai Mubai with a teasing expression. It was Lin Qing.