That night, Gu Qingnian and the others were chatting.
Rustling sounds rose faintly from the surrounding grass, and they instantly went on guard.
Whoosh! A pink blur shot out, followed closely by a dark shadow that lunged toward Gu Qingnian.
"Watch out!" Bei Bei and the others cried. Tang Ya instinctively moved to shield him with her body.
Gu Qingnian pulled her behind him and lashed out with a side kick. He activated Six Eyes in an instant, snatched up the knife they had just used to cut meat, and killed the attacker on the spot.
Bei Bei and the others froze, stunned by how formidable Gu Qingnian was. In the firelight, the dark shape was revealed to be a ten-year Frenzy Wolf.
At some point, a pink rabbit had also appeared in Gu Qingnian's arms. Everyone but him looked baffled.
"That's a Soft Bone Rabbit!!!" Tang Ya exclaimed. The other two froze at her words. A Soft Bone Rabbit?
"Shouldn't this kind of soul beast have become impossible to find long ago? They should have vanished without a trace after that person's time." Bei Bei was equally astonished.
"That person?" Huo Yuhao looked utterly lost. He was nowhere near as knowledgeable as Bei Bei and Tang Ya, so naturally, he had no idea.
Gu Qingnian gently stroked the Soft Bone Rabbit. This rabbit was none other than A Wu. Since he was about to enter the academy, it was time to bring her back, and this was the perfect excuse for her appearance.
He had therefore sent her to lure a soul beast over, pretending to be a fleeing soul beast under pursuit so he could smoothly take her in.
The other three did not suspect much, though they were a little worried about a wolf pack. Wolves were pack animals, after all, so they even moved to another spot.
Gu Qingnian also had the Soft Bone Rabbit act affectionate toward him and naturally adopted her. Tang Ya watched with envy written all over her face, while Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao were amazed.
The next day.
They reached a hillside, with a cluster of buildings standing in the distance.
Looking at those buildings, Tang Ya introduced them. "It doesn't belong to any country!
"At the same time, it enjoys the full recognition of all three great empires. Shrek Academy exists almost like an independent nation.
"It has shaped thousands of years of history on the Douluo Continent, through the historical upheavals of the Sun Moon Continent and the Douluo Continent! During the continental war that broke out after the Sun Moon Continent collided with ours, it gathered nearly sixty supreme experts at the Douluo level!
"It united the three great empires of the Douluo Continent and won the final victory!...
"This academy is the strongest institution of all, known as the 'Monster Academy'-Shrek Academy!"
"We finally made it in time!" Tang Ya sighed, and Bei Bei nodded.
Gu Qingnian gazed at the buildings before him, overcome with emotion and at a loss for words. Who would have thought he would one day come to this legendary academy himself... It truly was a miracle.
Looking at the two of them, Tang Ya planted her hands on her hips and told Huo Yuhao, "Look how excited you are! Don't celebrate too soon. New students have the highest elimination rate! Only after you pass the first assessment in three months can you truly stay.
"Bei Bei and I are already fourth-years, so our elimination rate isn't as high. In a few more years, we'll both have a chance to enter the Inner Court
"to study!" With that, she turned her gaze toward Gu Qingnian.
Huo Yuhao hurriedly nodded. "Yes! I'll give it everything I have!"
"Among the students who graduate from the Outer Court, only a tiny handful of the very best qualify to enter the Inner Court.
"Inner Court graduates are people the three great empires, and even the Sun Moon Empire, will invite with the finest treatment!
"In a sense, only students who enter the Inner Court can be called true students of Shrek Academy!" Bei Bei added, longing in his eyes.
Huo Yuhao lowered his head and asked quietly, "Senior Brother, is the assessment difficult?"
Tang Ya held up two fingers. "Two basic requirements: you must be under twelve, and your soul power must reach rank fifteen."
Huo Yuhao grew a little dejected at that. Tang Ya continued, "Shrek Academy's assessments are always actual combat! One teacher once said that any numbers are pale and powerless in the face of actual combat!"
After giving himself a pep talk, Huo Yuhao successfully rekindled his fighting spirit!
The group entered the academy. Naturally, the Tang Sect's admission slot went to Huo Yuhao, while Gu Qingnian headed toward the assessment area under the other three's worried gazes. Since Huo Yuhao needed the other two to help him register, Gu Qingnian could only go alone.
The moment he entered the academy, Gu Qingnian's appearance drew most people's attention. His extraordinarily handsome face had many female students turning to look.
When he reached the assessment area, he found it crowded with children around his age. Standing among them, Gu Qingnian was like a crane among chickens.
He was also holding an exceptionally adorable rabbit, and everyone's eyes turned toward him. It was a rather unusual combination, after all.
Yet it was surprisingly pleasing to the eye. Quite a few girls had even come up to talk to him along the way, and Gu Qingnian had responded to each with a smile. He had already gotten to know plenty of girls before enrolling.
He had to admit, everyone in an anime world was a beauty!
At last, surrounded by a group of beautiful girls, he arrived at the assessment station.
A young man sat there, examining the new students with a stern expression. Gu Qingnian stepped forward to register.
"The basic admission requirements are that you must be under twelve and have soul power of at least rank fifteen. Those who meet them may enter."
Gu Qingnian extended his hand for his bone age to be measured, and it was confirmed that he met the requirement.
The young teacher froze and blurted out, "You're only ten?"
Gu Qingnian nodded, then released his soul ring. A Thousand-Year Soul Ring appeared instantly.
The surrounding students all froze, and the girls in particular burst into startled cries.
The young teacher hurriedly took out a soul power testing device and tested him. It clearly displayed rank eighteen.
"Your first soul ring is a thousand-year one!!! And you're only ten! What's your name? What's your martial soul?" The young teacher rose straight to his feet, utterly astonished.
"My name is Gu Qingnian. My martial soul is Six Eyes," Gu Qingnian said calmly. After his progress over this period, his soul power had reached rank eighteen. That pace was certainly fast.
"A rare body martial soul I've never even heard of! And your first soul ring is a thousand-year one!" The young teacher's face brimmed with excitement and curiosity, while all the nearby students turned to look.
"Can you tell me what your soul skill is!? How did you manage this?" The young teacher followed up with one excited question after another.
Gu Qingnian felt a headache coming on. Why does this teacher seem a little like a certain Teacher Wang from the original story? Wait, could it actually be him?
Gu Qingnian studied the young teacher carefully. That hairstyle, those glasses, and that thirst for knowledge... Could it really be him?!!!
If so, getting away would be difficult. Gu Qingnian clicked his tongue inwardly. Just as he was considering what to say, a familiar voice came from behind him.
"Qingnian, how did the assessment go?"
Gu Qingnian turned to look. It was Tang Ya, and he quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
As though noticing something, Tang Ya stepped forward. "Teacher Wang Yan, this is my friend, little Qingnian. Did he pass the assessment?"
Just as I thought! Gu Qingnian said inwardly.
The teacher addressed as Wang Yan came back to his senses and nodded. "He passed, he passed! This student Qingnian..."
"Teacher, why are you handling the assessment registration this time?" Tang Ya hurriedly changed the subject.
Wang Yan lowered his head. "Because..."
"Then I'll take him to check his class assignment first! Bye, Teacher Wang Yan!" Seizing her chance, Tang Ya pulled Gu Qingnian away, leaving a deeply regretful Wang Yan behind.
Long after the two had left, Wang Yan said in frustration, "Looks like I got too excited. No, I have to get to the bottom of this! I'm so curious!" He turned to leave, only to remember a moment later that he still had to oversee admissions. The surrounding students also looked deeply disappointed.
After a quick dash, the two successfully escaped. Gu Qingnian said to Tang Ya, "Thanks, Xiaoya."
"Call me Teacher Xiaoya!" Tang Ya bristled instantly, protesting in displeasure.
"Sure, sure, sure." Gu Qingnian's perfunctory response left Tang Ya feeling helpless, though for some reason, she also felt something strange.
They reunited with Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao, and the four came to the class assignment board. Seeing Bei Bei looking rather uneasy as he studied the list, the two asked curiously, "Bei Bei, what's wrong?"
Tang Ya stepped forward to look and fell silent, then could not help crying out, "Ah! Why is it that freakish old spinster!! Aah, why is she Xiaohao's homeroom teacher!!"
While Huo Yuhao was puzzling over this, another teacher came over and posted a new list. Tang Ya stepped up to read it and sank into profound disbelief.
"Why is little Qingnian in that freakish old spinster's class too!!!"
Huo Yuhao was utterly confused. Tang Ya took a deep breath and explained, "She's an insanely strict freak!
"Her demands on students are so harsh that they can only be described as atrocities
"against humanity! Only one in ten students in her class successfully advances to the next year!"
Bei Bei reassured them, "Teacher Zhou Yi may be strict, but
"she really is a good teacher. The proportion of her students who enter the Inner Court is among the highest in the entire academy.
"You just have to work hard enough!"
Huo Yuhao thought to himself, A teacher like that is perfect for me!
A faint sneer curled Gu Qingnian's lips. The highest advancement rate? A freak who commits atrocities against humanity... Let me see what you're made of!
In the days to come, everyone who knew Gu Qingnian well would recognize that expression: someone was definitely about to suffer!
The two parted ways with Bei Bei and Tang Ya and headed toward the dormitory building. Along the way, Huo Yuhao said to Gu Qingnian, "Um... Gu... Qingnian, let's work hard together from now on!"
Looking at the spirited Huo Yuhao, Gu Qingnian said, "Just call me Brother Qingnian. Yes, we'll have to work hard..."
"...? Brother... Qingnian? Aren't you younger than me!!!" Huo Yuhao's face was full of question marks at Gu Qingnian's words.
Gu Qingnian continued walking without a care, unable to suppress a smile. Teasing Huo Yuhao was rather entertaining...
The two arrived at the foot of the dormitory building under a crowd of watching eyes. Huo Yuhao felt a little embarrassed. Gu Qingnian simply drew too much attention.
That meant people were staring at him too, making the already shy boy even shyer.
After walking a little farther, they followed the directions they were given and reached the entrance to the dormitory building.