A stick of incense? That's too long!

"Sausages for sale! Sausages for sale! Come take a look!"

After walking a little farther, they heard a vendor's call. Turning toward it, they saw a heavily bearded man pushing a food cart out.

Looking at the sausages in the cart, Tang San asked Xiao Wu, "Xiao Wu, you didn't eat much for breakfast. Want a sausage?"

"Mm, they smell pretty good. Let's try one."

When Xiao Wu nodded, Tang San took her hand and started toward the cart.

"Wait! Don't eat those!"

Dai Mubai stopped them and strode forward. Under everyone's puzzled gazes, he grabbed the man by the neck.

"Oscar, you're out selling sausages again? Didn't I warn you not to sell them in the academy?"

Oscar pulled a miserable face. "Boss, I-I just saw all these people and wanted to make a little money. Want one yourself?"

"Drop dead!" Dai Mubai turned to Tang San and the others and introduced him. "This is Oscar, a student at our academy."

"Huh?" Xiao Wu exclaimed in surprise.

"This uncle is a student too?"

Uncle!

Oscar froze at the word.

"Ahem, don't let his looks fool you. Oscar is only fourteen. His martial soul just has a side effect that makes his hair grow thicker," Dai Mubai explained.

"Oh, I see."

Everyone understood.

"Oscar, make a sausage right here."

Oscar immediately looked embarrassed.

"B-Boss Dai, there's no need for that, is there...?"

"Hm?" Dai Mubai glared at him.

Left with no choice, Oscar did as he was told.

"I Have a Big Sausage!"

Everyone: "..."

At those words, everyone present fell silent.

Oh, come on, man. Just listen to what you're saying.

His sleazy appearance, paired with those suggestive words, made for a picture so "beautiful" that they could hardly bear to look.

Seeing everyone stare at him in disgust, Oscar wanted to cry but had no tears.

"I can't help it! This is the soul incantation we Food-type Soul Masters have to recite. But I guarantee there's absolutely nothing wrong with the quality of my sausages."

Tang San didn't know whether to laugh or cry at Oscar's explanation.

"My poor, delicious sausages, and nobody will eat them. Sigh." Oscar wore a mournful expression.

Dai Mubai glared at him. "You'd better watch yourself. Don't sell your sausages inside the academy."

"All right, Tang San. I'll take you to the fourth trial."

At that, everyone followed Dai Mubai onward.

Only when Lin Ye and Ning Rongrong passed him did Oscar notice what Ning Rongrong looked like.

"!!!"

One look—just one—and his heart began to race.

As Lin Ye walked past, however, a cold glint flashed through his eyes.

"Heh."

Sneaking looks wasn't a good habit...

"Teacher Zhao, I've brought some people for the assessment."

After walking a little farther, they arrived at a plaza. Dai Mubai stopped and looked toward a muscular, middle-aged man ahead.

The middle-aged man had been sleeping, but Dai Mubai's voice promptly woke him.

"Oh? Five this year?" The middle-aged man looked at Lin Ye and the others in surprise.

"Good, good. Looks like we've got quite a few little monsters this year. This is the final stage. Pass my assessment, and you'll become official members of Shrek."

"Now, I'll give you the time it takes a stick of incense to burn to get to know one another. After that, you'll have to work together to withstand my attacks for another stick of incense. Anyone who holds out until the end passes."

Hearing his rules, Dai Mubai said hesitantly, "Teacher Zhao, isn't that a bit much?"

Zhao Wuji glared at him. "What's wrong with it? With the dean away, I'm in charge. Xiao Bai, go explain the details to them."

With that, Zhao Wuji was about to light the incense when a voice suddenly interrupted him.

"Wait."

He looked toward the voice and saw Lin Ye.

"Any more questions?" Zhao Wuji asked impatiently.

"A stick of incense is too long."

Everyone: "!"

What was he saying?

Taking Ning Rongrong's hand, Lin Ye stepped forward and said calmly, "There's no need for introductions. That's a waste of time. How about Rongrong and I challenge you first?"

Everyone was startled by Lin Ye's words. Dai Mubai stepped forward to dissuade him. "Listen, Teacher Zhao is level seventy-six."

They drew sharp breaths...

A Soul Saint?

"Heh, kid, you've got quite a mouth on you."

Zhao Wuji looked at Lin Ye and asked, "Did you hear what he said? I'm a Soul Saint. Are you sure?"

Ignoring Dai Mubai's words, Lin Ye said with an unruffled expression, "You're only a Soul Saint. I'm confident I can last a stick of incense against you."

"Heh, confidence is a good thing, but you shouldn't let it blind you. Big talk can earn you a bitter lesson," Zhao Wuji warned.

Lin Ye gave a faint chuckle. "We won't know whether I'll taste that bitterness until we try, will we?"

Zhao Wuji fell silent for a moment, then burst out laughing. "Good, good! You've got guts. Then I, Zhao Wuji, the Immovable Wisdom King, will see how the two of you intend to pass my assessment."

With that, Zhao Wuji took out a stick of incense and planted it in the ground.

Lin Ye turned to Ning Rongrong. "Just support me with everything you've got. Don't worry."

Ning Rongrong nodded firmly.

Dai Mubai sighed and shook his head. Since he couldn't talk them out of it, he wouldn't bother trying again.

Arrogant and conceited—that was what they were. He didn't believe Lin Ye and Ning Rongrong could pass the assessment.

Tang San and Xiao Wu thought the same, not just Dai Mubai.

Although Lin Ye had a completely unreasonable soul ring configuration, soul rings alone couldn't bridge the gap in strength.

Unlike Tang San and the others, Zhu Zhuqing was curious.

Observant as she was, she had noticed that Lin Ye's expression had remained calm throughout.

"Heh, we're about to begin. Are you ready?" Zhao Wuji asked with a smile.

Lin Ye nodded, and Zhao Wuji lit the incense planted in the ground.

The two sides put some distance between them. Zhao Wuji immediately activated his soul power and invoked Martial Soul Possession with his great strength vajra bear.

Yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black, black—seven soul rings circled Zhao Wuji.

At the same time, Ning Rongrong and Lin Ye swiftly summoned their martial souls.

"Oh? The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda? Level thirty-one. Good, good."

Zhao Wuji then looked at Lin Ye, and his pupils trembled in shock.

"Your second ring is a thousand-year ring? A w-white paper martial soul?"

Zhao Wuji wondered whether his eyes were playing tricks on him, but even after a closer look, nothing changed.

"Level thirty-nine..." He drew a sharp breath.

No wonder this kid was so confident. With the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda supporting him and those abnormal soul rings, he truly had the strength to put up a fight.

But wasn't the white paper martial soul a trash martial soul? How had he cultivated so quickly and absorbed soul rings like those?

Could this be a mutated martial soul?

Zhao Wuji thought to himself that if this boy truly passed his assessment, he absolutely had to have Flender nurture him properly. After all, such a peerless genius was a rare find!

"Kid, you do have some talent. Let's begin. You make the first move!"

Lin Ye smiled calmly and looked at Ning Rongrong beside him.

"Rongrong, give me a buff. It's time for me to put on a show."