With talent like this, even Snake Granny wanted to poach him

"Who are you? Why are you stopping us?"

Zhao Wuji frowned, grabbed the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent, and unleashed his Soul Saint pressure.

The newcomers were two women, one old and one young. The older one looked to be in her sixties or seventies, with a head of white hair. Despite her advanced age, she was remarkably vigorous. Her face bore many wrinkles, but her complexion was as rosy as a baby's.

Beside the old woman stood a beautiful girl with ear-length hair who looked sixteen or seventeen. Her neat, close-fitting combat outfit hugged her shapely figure. She gripped a snake-headed cane, her large, dark brown eyes fixed firmly on the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent in Zhao Wuji's hand.

Sensing Zhao Wuji's Soul Saint pressure, the old woman paused in surprise, then softened her expression. "Greetings, esteemed Soul Saint. Could you please give this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent to my granddaughter?"

Zhao Wuji tightened his grip on the large serpent's body and looked at the old woman. "Why?"

"Because we were the first to discover this serpent and begin hunting it. Otherwise, why would we have tracked it all the way here?" the old woman said.

Hearing that someone wanted to take his soul ring, Oscar could hardly hold his tongue. He challenged her outright.

"How can you prove you found it first?"

The old woman looked at him and smiled faintly. "Don't be hasty, young man."

"Take a look here." As she spoke, she pointed at the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's belly.

Everyone looked over and saw two clear wounds on its belly.

"These two wounds were inflicted by my cane earlier. There are some on its wings, too."

The old woman turned over the Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent's wings.

"We nearly had it, but this creature was extremely cunning. It slipped away when we let our guard down for a moment. Once we realized it was gone, we immediately set off in pursuit."

"My granddaughter's martial soul is the Serpent Cane. She's just reached rank thirty and badly needs this soul ring."

After hearing the old woman's explanation, Zhao Wuji gave a cold laugh.

"Senior, may I ask your name?"

The old woman replied, "I am Chao Tianxiang. My fellow members of the Soul Master World once honored me with the title of Snake Granny."

Snake Granny?

Hearing her introduce herself, Zhao Wuji was somewhat startled. "Are you Senior Snake Granny of the Peerless Dragon Snake?"

Chao Tianxiang smiled calmly. "Indeed I am. May I have the honor of knowing your name, esteemed Soul Saint?"

"I am Zhao Wuji," he said evenly.

A flicker of recognition crossed Chao Tianxiang's eyes.

"I was wondering who you might be. So you're the Immovable Wisdom King whose name once resounded throughout the world."

"You flatter me," Zhao Wuji replied. "I teach at an academy now. I've brought my students here to hunt for soul rings."

Chao Tianxiang had no desire to continue exchanging pleasantries and went straight to the point. "Brother Zhao, this Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent truly is important to my granddaughter. Could you return it to us?"

Zhao Wuji laughed coldly. "Sister Chao, I'm afraid that won't be easy."

Seeing them apparently preparing to deny the claim, the girl snapped angrily, "We wounded it first! Give it back!"

Chao Tianxiang frowned and stared at Zhao Wuji. "Brother Zhao, are you refusing?"

"Soul beasts have no owners. Whoever catches one gets to keep it. Besides, it's also very suitable for my student."

Chao Tianxiang glanced in surprise at the group behind Zhao Wuji. "You have a student at rank thirty, too?"

Zhao Wuji nodded, then turned to Tang San and the others. "Everyone from Shrek, release your martial souls!"

Whoosh!

Dai Mubai, Tang San, Oscar, Ma Hongjun, and Xiao Wu released their martial souls one after another, rings of yellow and purple light appearing around them.

Chao Tianxiang was rather surprised by the sight. She was just about to speak when she noticed three people standing idly ten meters behind the others, leaning close and whispering among themselves.

"They're students of our academy as well."

Zhao Wuji's expression darkened. He could overlook what that little brat Lin Ye had done at the tavern, but now, at such an important moment, he was still ignoring orders and standing there "flirting." He clearly had no regard for Zhao Wuji at all.

"Lin Ye, Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong, stop dawdling and get over here."

If Lin Ye released his martial soul, his soul ring configuration would surely make this old woman's jaw drop.

Lin Ye had been chatting animatedly with the two girls. Hearing someone call them, he looked up at Zhao Wuji. "Teacher Zhao, were you calling us?"

At that, veins bulged on Zhao Wuji's forehead. He was so furious he nearly flew into a rage.

"Come over here."

Lin Ye exchanged a glance with the two girls, then walked over with them.

As Lin Ye approached, both Chao Tianxiang and the girl behind her looked at him.

When the girl got a clear look at Lin Ye's face, however, she suddenly blushed.

So handsome...

"Heh, these three students of yours certainly are interesting," Chao Tianxiang said to Zhao Wuji, her words laden with meaning.

How could Zhao Wuji miss the mockery in her words? Wasn't she taking a sly jab at his inability to control his students and their lack of unity?

But he could hardly lose his temper outright.

"To be frank, Sister Zhao, this young man is a specially admitted student of our Shrek Academy. At just twelve years old, he's already a rank thirty-nine Soul Elder," Zhao Wuji said, pointing at Lin Ye.

Rank thirty-nine!

Chao Tianxiang and the girl behind her, Meng Yiran, both sucked in a breath.

Rank thirty-nine at twelve years old—among his peers on the Douluo Continent, such a person was as rare as phoenix feathers and qilin horns.

No wonder he showed Zhao Wuji so little deference. He was a peerless prodigy.

"Greetings, Senior. I am Lin Ye." Lin Ye gave Chao Tianxiang a slight bow.

Seeing how courteous Lin Ye was now, despite his devil-may-care attitude just moments earlier, Chao Tianxiang was inwardly amused.

This Lin Ye is quite tactful. It seems he wasn't truly looking down on others because of his talent earlier; he simply serves a different dish depending on the guest.

At that thought, Chao Tianxiang felt a little more disdain for Zhao Wuji.

"Lin Ye, release your martial soul and let Sister Zhao take a good look," Zhao Wuji ordered.

Lin Ye nodded without refusing. He stepped forward and released his White Paper martial soul along with his soul rings.

At the sight of Lin Ye's soul ring configuration, Snake Granny Chao Tianxiang and Meng Yiran both stared blankly.

A White Paper martial soul? An eight-hundred-year first ring? A three-thousand-year second ring?? A seven-thousand-year third ring???

What kind of heavenly configuration is this? It's enough to shake the world! Is this really a useless martial soul like White Paper?

There must be more to this.

An old woman who had weathered many storms, Chao Tianxiang quickly recovered from her shock and asked with a smile, "How did you manage to absorb soul rings of such high ages?"

Lin Ye quickly withdrew his martial soul, bowed slightly, and lowered his head. "Senior, I merely got lucky."

Well, well, well. Lucky, he says. How very "humble." What an interesting boy.

After looking Lin Ye over, Chao Tianxiang asked, "Brother Zhao, which one is the genius you mentioned who has just reached rank thirty?"

Zhao Wuji pushed Oscar forward. "This is him. He's just reached rank thirty."

Chao Tianxiang nodded in understanding, but then her eyes shifted and she said with a smile, "Brother Zhao, it seems neither of us can bear to give up this thousand-year Phoenix-tail Crested Serpent."

"What do you propose?" Zhao Wuji asked, frowning again.

"How about this? Let's follow the rules of the Soul Master World and let these two children decide who gets the soul ring."

Zhao Wuji waved a hand and said helplessly, "I'm sorry, Sister Chao, but I'm afraid we can't do as you wish."

Chao Tianxiang's expression changed, and she said with a touch of anger, "Zhao Wuji, I've already made considerable concessions. What more do you want? Are you bullying us because my husband isn't here? Hmph!"

"No, of course not." Zhao Wuji immediately put on an apologetic smile.

"This student of mine isn't a Battle Soul Master. He's only a food-type support Soul Master. How could he compete with your granddaughter?"

"Food-type?" Chao Tianxiang glanced at Oscar in surprise.

She had never expected this little Shrek Academy to harbor so many hidden dragons and crouching tigers. First came Lin Ye, a peerless prodigy who shattered all the rules, and now there was a food-type Soul Master as well.

Once these two entered the Soul Master World, every major power would surely fight madly to recruit them.

Compared with Oscar, however, Chao Tianxiang clearly favored the prodigious Lin Ye.

She was now considering how to recruit him.

Having encountered such an extraordinary talent today, she could not let him slip away. If she could draw Lin Ye into their Meng Family, the day their family joined the ranks of the great clans would be close at hand.

Yet just as Chao Tianxiang was about to offer words intended to win over Lin Ye and Oscar, another voice suddenly cut in.

"Teacher Zhao..."