The Ten Shrek Monsters?!

At that moment, a petite girl in a fiery red alchemist's robe stepped forward. She had phoenix eyes and a face that, while not as breathtaking as Zhu Zhuqing's, still made her a first-rate beauty. The scent of medicine always lingered around her; she had clearly spent years handling medicinal herbs.

"My name is Dan Moyou. I'm thirteen and a half, a level thirty-one defense-type Battle Soul Elder, a second-grade Alchemist, and my Martial Soul is the Fireheart Cauldron!" With that, she released her Martial Soul and Soul Rings.

A fiery red three-legged cauldron appeared, accompanied by three Soul Rings: yellow, yellow, and purple!

Alchemists were ranked from first to ninth grade. Legend even spoke of god-grade Alchemists! First-grade Alchemists could refine Yellow Tier pills; second-grade Alchemists, low-grade Black Tier pills; third-grade Alchemists, mid-grade Black Tier pills; fourth-grade Alchemists, high-grade Black Tier pills. Fourth-grade Alchemists could refine low-grade Earth Tier pills, fifth-grade Alchemists mid-grade Earth Tier pills, and sixth-grade Alchemists high-grade Earth Tier pills...

"To refine Black Tier pills at such a young age and already have three rings—she truly is the Pill Sect's super-genius!" Dean Flender said delightedly, stroking his chin.

"Wow! Third Brother, she's amazing! She's not only a three-ring Soul Elder but also a second-grade Alchemist!" Xiao Wu exclaimed.

"She certainly is a genius. But we're not bad either!" Tang San nodded.

Beside them, Dai Mubai's eyes gleamed green. So beautiful...

Yang Que, however, was not thinking about how talented she was. He was wondering whether he could become an Alchemist.

"System! Can I become an Alchemist?"

"Because the host has no fire-attribute Martial Soul, you lack the aptitude to become an Alchemist!"

"Then can I obtain another fire-attribute Martial Soul?"

"In theory, no. But with this system at your side, host, anything is possible!"

"Cut the nonsense. Get to the point!"

"...Your current body cannot withstand the power of a third Martial Soul!"

"How strong must my body become to withstand it?"

"Given that the host cultivates the first volume of the Jade-Suppressing Nether King Body, you must at least reach its second layer and attain strength of one hundred thousand jin to withstand the pressure of a third Martial Soul!"

"The second layer? I've already reached minor mastery of the first, but getting to the second will be difficult. Looks like I'll need some outside stimulation..."

Yang Que was still pondering this, but the introductions had not stopped.

A tall young man wearing only a black tank top stepped forward. His muscles bulged, he stood nearly 1.8 meters tall, and he was a giant of a man in every sense. Most striking of all was his bald head...

"My name is Lin Song. I'm fourteen, a Body Tempering Soul Master at Profound Passage, a level twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster. My Martial Soul is the White Jade Rhinoceros, and my Soul Ring Configuration is standard!"

He released his Martial Soul. A white rhinoceros suddenly appeared behind him, fierce and powerful! Paired with Lin Song's physique, it made him look like a beast in human form. Two Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet: yellow and yellow!

On Douluo Continent, Body Tempering was divided into Body Tempering, Meridian Passage, Profound Passage, Bone Tempering, Tendon Punishment, Marrow Suppression, Soul Shaping, Fusion, Nine Palaces, and Fleshly Sainthood! Each stage had early, middle, and late phases, corresponding to the ranks from Soul Scholar to god-level!

"Profound Passage? What stage is that, System?" Yang Que asked.

"That's a Douluo Continent classification..." The system explained the continent's Body Tempering ranks to Yang Que.

"Then what rank am I?"

"You? You don't have one!"

"What? I don't have a rank?"

"Strictly speaking, your body doesn't fit Douluo Continent's classifications! If I had to assign you one, your body has probably reached Tendon Punishment!" the system said.

"...Tendon Punishment?" Yang Que murmured.

"Third Brother, that muscle man is so gross. Don't turn into that..." Xiao Wu's face was full of disgust.

Tang San fell silent. My dear Xiao Wu, I couldn't turn into that even if I wanted to!

Next came Yang Que and the others' introductions, which naturally drew another round of astonished cries!

"All right, you've met one another. Next..." Dean Flender began, but a voice interrupted him.

"Wait, wait! Dean, there's still me! Me!" A young man with a thick, unruly beard came running over.

"Hehe, juniors, I'm your senior, Oscar!" Oscar said.

"Ew!" The girls all looked disgusted.

"Mister, are you a student too?" Xiao Wu asked curiously.

"What do you mean, mister?" Oscar roared, his face red with anger.

"I'm only fourteen! How can you call me mister?"

"Huh? But you are a mister!" Xiao Wu looked puzzled.

Oscar was speechless.

"Hahaha! Oscar, I told you to shave and tidy yourself up. Now your juniors are laughing at you, aren't they?" Dai Mubai called from the side.

At his words, everyone turned to look.

Yang Que looked over with keen interest. So that's Oscar? The food-type support from the original story?

"Ahem! Let me introduce myself!" Oscar coughed lightly to ease the awkwardness.

"I'm Oscar! A handsome fourteen-year-old, a level twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster, and my Martial Soul is Sausage!" He released his Martial Soul, and a fiery red sausage appeared...

"This—pfft! Hahaha!" The whole crowd burst into laughter.

"He calls himself handsome looking like that? And what kind of bizarre Martial Soul is that?!"

"..."

"Ahem! Don't laugh, everyone. Oscar's Martial Soul may be a little amusing, but he's a genuine genius born with full level-ten Soul Power, and a formidable support-type Soul Master!" Dean Flender explained, trying to spare Oscar some embarrassment.

"Exactly! My Martial Soul might look like this, but I'm a genius! Want a sausage? They're cheap—one Gold Soul Coin each!"

"Oscar, make a sausage for everyone right now!" Dai Mubai said.

"Uh, wouldn't that be a bad idea? We've only just met. Boss Dai, don't set me up!" Oscar looked deeply embarrassed.

"Enough talk. Make one!" Dai Mubai clearly wanted more entertainment and pressed him on.

"Fine! I've got a big..."

A golden light appeared in Oscar's hand!

The crowd fell silent! Then the boys exploded with laughter, while the girls blushed and spat in disgust.

Zhu Zhuqing suddenly thought of something. Red spread from the tips of her ears down her neck. She walked over to Yang Que and gave him a hard pinch!

"Ow!" Yang Que cried out, though his body had barely felt it.

He looked at Zhu Zhuqing, whose face was red as a monkey's backside, and suddenly realized what she was thinking. Grinning, he leaned close and whispered something in her ear...

Zhu Zhuqing's face grew even redder. She twisted his waist again, harder this time, and used Soul Power!

Yang Que bared his teeth in pain!

"How can there be a Martial Soul like that? It's so strange!" Tang San said.

"Uh, I can't help it. The chant is a little odd, but the sausage tastes great! It restores Soul Power and heals injuries too. Everyone, have one!"

"Ew—no thanks. Eat it yourself!" Everyone recoiled in disgust.

Dean Flender watched the children fooling around before him, his heart full of emotion. They were Shrek Academy's future. Shrek's glory would be built by them!

At this moment, Shrek was stronger than ever before—stronger than in any previous year. That strength lay in its students!

Dean Flender firmly believed that Shrek would take first place in this year's Continental Soul Master Tournament!

"All right. Next, you'll take the remaining test!" Dean Flender said.

"There's another test?" Everyone was puzzled.

"That's right! Admission to Shrek Academy involves four tests. The first three won't be a problem for any of you!" Dean Flender said.

"What are the first three, Dean?" Tang San asked.

"I'll let Dai Mubai explain. He'll take you to the fourth test afterward for your final assessment!" Dean Flender clearly had no desire to waste more words. With that, he left.

Everyone was speechless. Could he be any more perfunctory? He showed his face and left just like that?!

Dai Mubai stepped forward. "Ahem! In that case, I'll explain."

"There are four tests. The first measures Soul Power. As you saw, anyone who hasn't become a Soul Master by twelve is eliminated. Anyone over thirteen is eliminated too, with a few special exceptions—like those two!" Dai Mubai pointed to Dan Moyou and Lin Song.

"The first test eliminates the most people. The second tests Soul Power and Martial Souls. Anyone whose Martial Soul has little potential gets cut too. Of course, you all passed!"

"The third tests how well you can use your Martial Soul—in other words, how familiar you are with it! Actually, the third and fourth tests are conducted together!"

At that point, Tang San asked, "Then what's the fourth test?"

"The fourth test..." Dai Mubai paused, remembering his own painful experience.

"You must hold out for the time it takes an incense stick to burn against a Soul Saint!"

"But given how many of you there are, you might be split into groups, or the time might be extended..."

"Hiss..."

Everyone was alarmed! Hold out against a Soul Saint for an entire incense stick? And they might be split into groups or have the time extended? That was far too difficult!

"Of course, don't be too nervous. That Soul Saint will only use strength equal to yours! With your abilities, passing shouldn't be hard!" Dai Mubai said with a smile.

Not hard? What a joke! Even if he used only our level of strength, we couldn't withstand him. The quality of his Soul Power, his battle experience, his instincts—none of us rookies can compare...

"Isn't that too difficult?" Dan Moyou asked.

"How else would we prove we're monsters? Shrek is the name of a monster, and this academy was founded to recruit monsters!"

Fine. Since he put it that way, there's no point running. We'll just have to do it!

"Us? Dai Mubai, you're not taking it with us?" Tang San asked, catching his choice of words.

"That's right. Neither I nor Oscar nor one other student will join you. We've already passed," Dai Mubai said smugly.

"All three of you held out? You're that strong?" Ning Rongrong asked.

"Ahem! The three of us didn't have to last a whole incense stick. Only a third of one!" Dai Mubai said awkwardly.

Everyone was speechless.

"Ew—I thought you were actually impressive!" Xiao Wu said disdainfully.

Dai Mubai fell silent.

Oscar fell silent too. I caught an arrow just by lying here!

"It's fine. With seven of us, passing should be fairly easy!" Dan Moyou said.

Dai Mubai spoke again. "Ahem. Actually, the Soul Saint you'll face isn't an ordinary one. It's Zhao Wuji, the Immovable Bright King, whose Martial Soul is the Great Strength Vajra Bear!"

"What?" Dan Moyou, Ning Rongrong, and the others cried out.

"Who?" Xiao Wu asked.

"Zhao Wuji—the man who once crossed Spirit Hall and escaped an attack by sixteen archbishops! All sixteen were Soul Emperors, and he was only a Soul Emperor himself at the time. That's how he earned the title Immovable Bright King!"

"This..." Everyone drew a sharp breath.

"Lasting one incense stick isn't the worst part. The time could be extended, or you could be tested in groups—or even one at a time!" Dai Mubai glanced at Yang Que thoughtfully.

Yang Que remained unconcerned. Forget an opponent at his own level; he would not fear Zhao Wuji even if the man used strength ten levels above his. As for battle experience? Please. He had fought Soul Beasts in the Star Dou Great Forest for five years. Why would he fear this guy?

Zhu Zhuqing, however, looked worried. She stepped forward and gripped Yang Que's hand.

Yang Que sensed her concern and patted her hand, reassuring her.

Dai Mubai was speechless. Great. My warning was wasted, and I got a faceful of their romance instead...

"All right. Let's head to the fourth test!"

The fourth test, known as the devil's trial...