Dai Mubai led Lin Yang and the other two into Shrek Academy.
Xiao Wu had originally thought that, since this was an academy, perhaps only the exterior was run-down. After seeing the inside, she gave up all hope.
Beyond the gates stood a sprawling collection of wooden buildings, with not a single structure made of anything else in sight. It truly was the same inside and out.
Dai Mubai brought them to a clearing in the center of the academy and pointed at the applicants lined up ahead.
"You'll take the second test here. The teacher will tell you what to do."
With that, he rushed off like a whirlwind.
"Is that guy some kind of lecher? He saw that girl and suddenly couldn't move his feet?"
Xiao Wu folded her arms, her face practically spelling out, I'm not happy.
"Hey, Xiao Wu, don't say that. Everyone has an eye for beauty."
Tang San tried to soothe her, but his words had the opposite effect.
"What do you mean? Are you saying I'm not pretty enough?"
The moment she heard Tang San's words, Xiao Wu bristled.
"Uh, that's not what I meant. You're pretty too, haha."
Tang San hurried to explain, frantically signaling Lin Yang with his eyes.
Lin Yang sighed, placed a hand on Xiao Wu's head, and gently ruffled her hair.
"What if she's his sweetheart?"
Feeling the warmth on her head, Xiao Wu's angry expression froze, and her face instantly flushed bright red.
"Don't touch my head. You're messing up my hair!"
She slapped Lin Yang's hand away and turned around to quietly straighten her hair, dropping the subject.
Seeing the problem resolved, Tang San breathed a sigh of relief and gave Lin Yang a thumbs-up.
At that gesture, the corner of Lin Yang's mouth twitched. For some reason, he really wanted to laugh.
"Sausages! Sausages for sale! Oscar-brand sausages, cheap and generously sized! Just five copper coins each!"
Just then, a soft, languid voice drifted over.
Nearby, a short-haired man in gray with a full beard was hawking his wares from a cart, his peach blossom eyes constantly lingering on the female applicants.
When his gaze swept their way, Lin Yang activated his Sharingan and glared back. The man shuddered and hastily looked away.
"Xiao Wu, you didn't eat much this morning, did you? Want a sausage?"
Tang San made the suggestion.
"They smell pretty good. Let's try them."
Her complexion back to normal, Xiao Wu nodded.
Tang San nodded and walked toward the cart.
"Care for a sausage? Oscar-brand sausages, honest prices for young and old alike, with flavor you can count on."
"Sir, could I trouble you for three?" Tang San smiled.
The smile on Oscar's face vanished instantly.
"Y-you called me what?"
"Sir. Is there a problem?"
"Of course there is... ahem, I'm only fourteen."
Oscar had been about to raise his voice when he noticed the red-eyed man approaching, and his tone immediately softened.
"Uh... you're only fourteen?" Tang San was a little dumbfounded.
"That's right. My name's Oscar, a first-year student at Shrek Academy. I just have a little extra facial hair."
Tang San was speechless. That's a little?
"Make them fresh."
Lin Yang said nothing else, delivering only those few words in an even tone, but Oscar's expression changed instantly.
"Well... there's no need, right? These were just made too. They're still fresh."
"Make them fresh."
A red gleam flashed in Lin Yang's eyes. Oscar jumped, then awkwardly held out his hand and opened his mouth. That soft, languid voice rang out again.
"I've got... a Big Sausage!"
Yellow light flashed, and a fragrant sausage appeared in his hand.
Tang San no longer knew what to say. After staring blankly for several seconds, he waved a hand at Oscar.
"Well, b-brother, I don't want the sausages anymore."
Seeing this, Oscar could only shrug and smile helplessly.
Just then, Dai Mubai approached with Zhu Zhuqing. Oscar forced a smile when he saw him.
"Boss Dai, want a sausage?"
"Drop dead. You're an embarrassment to the academy. I'm pretty sure I've warned you more than once not to sell sausages here. Are you trying to make everyone throw up?"
Oscar shrank back. Zhu Zhuqing gave him a cold look, then glanced at Lin Yang before heading toward the line.
"My poor, delicious sausages, and nobody wants to eat them. Sigh."
They returned to the line. Xiao Wu looked at their empty hands in confusion.
"Where are the sausages?"
After a few seconds of silence, Tang San and Dai Mubai laughed at the same time.
"Childish," Zhu Zhuqing muttered.
Xiao Wu looked even more puzzled and turned to Lin Yang.
"They taste awful. Eating them gives you diarrhea, especially if you're a girl."
Lin Yang delivered that explosive statement in a perfectly calm voice.
Tang San and Dai Mubai exchanged a glance at his words, then burst out laughing.
"So awful they give you diarrhea?"
Xiao Wu was still puzzled and had no idea what those two were laughing about, but she didn't ask any more questions.
Dai Mubai composed himself, gave Tang San and Lin Yang an appreciative look, and patted Tang San on the shoulder.
"Come on. I'll take you through the tests. No need to wait in line."
"Isn't that a bit unfair?"
"Don't worry. This isn't favoritism. You've earned this treatment."
As he spoke, he led them toward the front.
Dai Mubai approached the old man overseeing the test and whispered a few words in his ear.
The old man looked toward Lin Yang and the others, then nodded.
"All right. Take them straight to the fourth round. If they pass, they're admitted."
Dai Mubai nodded and was about to lead them farther inside, but the other applicants refused to accept it.
"Why do they get to skip straight to the fourth round while we have to pass every round one by one?"
The old man gave the speaker an indifferent glance.
"If your soul power is above rank twenty-five, you can skip the tests too."
The applicants voiced their disbelief. Dai Mubai snorted, picked up a white crystal from the table, and handed it to Tang San.
"Just because you can't do it doesn't mean nobody else can. Show them."
Tang San said nothing and simply poured his Mysterious Heaven Skill's internal energy into it. A moment later, brilliant light filled every corner of the crystal.
Rank twenty-nine! The entire crowd fell silent. Tang San handed the crystal to Xiao Wu.
Soon, an equally dazzling white light shone from the crystal, and the other applicants' gazes changed.
"Teacher, I think I qualify for an exemption too."
A clear voice rang out. It was Ning Rongrong.
She walked up to Xiao Wu with a sweet smile, and Xiao Wu instinctively handed her the crystal.
A moment later, bright white light appeared, indicating roughly rank twenty-six.
Just as Ning Rongrong was about to speak, Zhu Zhuqing took the crystal. White light shone again, indicating roughly rank twenty-seven.
After one shock after another, the other applicants barely reacted anymore.
Zhu Zhuqing held the crystal out to Lin Yang. He looked into her eyes and found no emotion there.
He took the crystal and poured in his soul power. An intensely blinding white light erupted the next instant.
Everyone had been watching intently. A moment later, cries of pain rang out as they all clutched their eyes.
Lin Yang had closed his eyes just before the light erupted, but even now, his vision was a sheet of white. He could only imagine how the others felt.
The old man forcibly channeled soul power into his eyes and looked at the crystal.
Though the light was blinding, it hadn't filled the entire crystal. A tiny sliver remained, and he hurried to announce the result.
"Rank twenty-eight. Stop now."
Before you continue