Tang San: Are Those Soul Rings Right?

"Brother Lin Ye, are you sure we haven't taken a wrong turn?"

The next day, on a path half a kilometer outside Suotuo City, Ning Rongrong gave Lin Ye a puzzled look.

Lin Ye looked at the village a short distance ahead, smiled, and said, "We haven't. This is the right road."

"This..." Ning Rongrong felt rather bewildered.

Could Shrek Academy actually be in a village?

"Come on, don't just stand there. Every step we delay means more time in line." With that, Lin Ye took Ning Rongrong's hand and headed forward.

After walking a little farther, the two finally reached the village entrance.

"We're here. This is the place."

At Lin Ye's words, Ning Rongrong looked up, her expression turning blank.

Her gaze settled on a battered sign bearing a bright green monster's head. Beside it were the large words "Shrek Academy."

Lin Ye looked past the sign into the village. The registration line stretched on like a long dragon, with over a hundred applicants waiting.

"Brother Lin Ye, this academy really does look... rather distinctive." Ning Rongrong's mouth twitched as she spoke with some distaste.

Lin Ye nodded. Ning Rongrong wasn't wrong at all. Shrek Academy was indeed very distinctive.

Shrek Academy could truly be called a plain, unadorned institution. It boasted the most rustic buildings on the entire continent and the most authentic wilderness combat environment, while its mottled, ancient walls exuded the weight of countless years.

An institution like this was truly one of a kind on the Douluo Continent. No other academy could surpass it.

"Let's head in first."

Lin Ye glanced at the line. Sure enough, Tang San and Xiao Wu had arrived and were waiting in it. Behind them stood a girl in a black dress with a cool, aloof face.

Glancing at a certain part of her body that clearly stood out from the norm, Lin Ye thought, This must be Zhu Zhuqing, right?

"Brother Lin Ye~ Is she pretty?"

Lin Ye instinctively nodded, then realized something was wrong. He immediately turned to Ning Rongrong and said solemnly, "But she's too cold. She's nowhere near as youthful and charming as you, Rongrong."

"Hehe." At Lin Ye's praise, Ning Rongrong instantly beamed.

Seeing Ning Rongrong's reaction, Lin Ye couldn't help feeling speechless.

Ning Rongrong certainly was very "youthful." A certain part of her body could attest to that.

The two soon joined the line.

After they had waited for quite a while, it finally became the turn of the people ahead of Tang San and Xiao Wu.

"You don't meet the age requirement. You can leave." An old man at the registration desk looked at the boy and shook his head.

"Teacher, my son only just celebrated his thirteenth birthday. Couldn't you make an exception?" the boy's father asked with an ingratiating smile.

The old man replied impatiently, "Don't hold up the people behind you. These are the academy's rules. Leave."

"Then the registration fee..."

"Once you've registered, there are no refunds."

The old man's merciless reply infuriated the boy's father.

"This is outright fraud! This place is falling apart, and you still have the nerve to charge such a steep registration fee! Fuck you, give me my money back!"

The old man merely glanced at him. "Mubai, deal with this."

"Yes."

A figure appeared, blond-haired and with mismatched eyes. It was Dai Mubai.

"White Tiger Possession!"

Dai Mubai let out a low roar and possessed himself with the White Tiger. Three soul rings—yellow, yellow, and purple—circled his body, and his rank thirty-seven soul power pressed down on the man until he could barely breathe.

In the end, the boy's father could only beg for mercy and slink away with his wife and son.

Watching this, Lin Ye sneered inwardly.

Using tricks like this to make money for Shrek—Flender really was a "crafty" dean.

Unfortunately, not many people would willingly play the sucker.

Sure enough, after this incident, many of the people farther back in line left, leaving only a handful.

"Next." As though he hadn't noticed a thing, the old man beckoned to Tang San and Xiao Wu.

Dai Mubai's gaze swept over Tang San and Xiao Wu, and a flicker of recognition crossed his face. But when he saw Zhu Zhuqing behind them, he froze.

It's her?

Zhu Zhuqing didn't look at him. She simply stood there waiting, her expression cool and aloof.

The old man first squeezed Xiao Wu's hand and nodded to confirm that her age was suitable, then took Tang San's hand.

"Have you practiced some kind of soul skill with your hands?"

A chill flickered in Tang San's eyes at the old man's question. He nodded. "Yes."

The old man frowned. "Lift your leg."

Tang San raised his leg. The old man squeezed it a few times, then set it down and nodded. "Your bone age is suitable. Release your martial souls."

The two nodded and immediately released their martial souls.

Soft Bone Rabbit, rank twenty-nine, two yellow soul rings.

Blue Silver Grass, rank twenty-nine, two yellow soul rings.

Wait, Blue Silver Grass?

"It's actually Blue Silver Grass. Can Blue Silver Grass cultivate this quickly?"

Quickly?

Standing behind them, Lin Ye couldn't help scoffing inwardly at the old man's words.

Nineteen ranks in six years—is that really fast?

Tang San smiled and said, "Teacher, doesn't your academy only accept monsters? Do I count?"

"Hehe, you certainly are a Little Monster. All right, follow Mubai inside."

Dai Mubai stepped forward and welcomed the two into the academy, but he didn't lead them away immediately.

He also wanted to get a look at the girl behind Tang San.

Hell Spirit Cat, rank twenty-seven.

"Very good. You can go in too."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded lightly and entered the academy. Ignoring Dai Mubai's gaze, she went over to Xiao Wu's side.

Soon, it was Lin Ye and Ning Rongrong's turn. The moment the old man saw Ning Rongrong, he frowned.

"Do your families know you've come here?"

Ning Rongrong smiled sweetly and said, "As long as we meet the requirements, your academy has no reason to reject us, right?"

The old man gave Ning Rongrong a hesitant look, then turned his gaze to Lin Ye.

"He's someone you know, isn't he? May I see his martial soul?"

Ning Rongrong nodded. "Of course."

Everyone turned to look. Lin Ye stepped forward and slowly opened his palm, summoning a clean white sheet of paper.

At the sight of the white paper, surprise flashed in the eyes of the old man, Dai Mubai, and the others.

A white paper martial soul? Like Blue Silver Grass, wasn't that widely recognized as a trash martial soul?

Yet in the next instant, the aura of a Soul Elder washed over them, and three soul rings slowly appeared—one yellow and two purple.

A rank thirty-nine Soul Elder, with an eight-hundred-year first ring, a three-thousand-year second ring, and a seven-thousand-year third ring!

Were... were those soul rings right?

Everyone stared at Lin Ye, dumbstruck. Tang San in particular suffered a tremendous blow to his worldview from this soul ring configuration that defied theory.

Ning Rongrong took in their reactions, then said with more than a little pride, "Well? Can we go in now?"

"O-of course, no problem..." The old man was so shaken that he could barely speak smoothly.

"M-Mubai, take them... inside..."

At the old man's words, Dai Mubai instantly snapped out of his daze and walked over.

"Welcome to Shrek. Please follow me, both of you."

Ning Rongrong merely nodded lightly, then pulled Lin Ye inside.

Since all the applicants behind Lin Ye had run off, Dai Mubai led the group into the academy grounds.

As he walked, Dai Mubai introduced the academy to them, occasionally stealing glances at Zhu Zhuqing.

Before long, however, he noticed that Zhu Zhuqing, who had been ignoring him completely, was now walking at the back and secretly watching Lin Ye.