Elsewhere, when Jun Yi brought Zhu Zhuqing to the entrance of the Rose Hotel, Ning Rongrong was standing at the door, bored out of her mind, craning her neck in anticipation.
"Jun Yi, Zhu Zhuqing, you're back!"
Joy appeared on Ning Rongrong's face when she saw the two return. She had been a little worried about Zhu Zhuqing's safety, but seeing them return unharmed, she breathed a sigh of relief.
"Sorry, Rongrong. It was all my fault." Zhu Zhuqing gave Ning Rongrong an apologetic smile.
"No, no. Although I don't know what happened, it looks like my little study attendant has already sorted it out for you, so don't dwell on those sad things."
Ning Rongrong waved her hand magnanimously, then walked over to Zhu Zhuqing and took her hand. With some regret, she said, "Let's not talk about that anymore. I just asked the front desk, and they said there aren't any rooms left. Looks like we'll have to find somewhere else to stay."
"Then let's go look now and see whether any other hotels still have rooms available," Zhu Zhuqing suggested.
"That's our only option. Let's go."
The three left the Rose Hotel together and headed toward the nearby inns. They were lucky: there happened to be one last inn with vacancies, and it was not far from Shrek Academy.
When they reached the entrance of the inn, they happened to see someone checking out, so the three immediately chose to check in. Luckily, the inn had exactly two rooms available. Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing shared one, while Jun Yi had one to himself. The three settled in, waiting for Shrek Academy's official admissions to begin the next day.
Early the next morning, after eating, the three headed south toward Shrek Academy. Along the way, Jun Yi heard Ning Rongrong talking about helping Zhu Zhuqing vent her anger by teaching Dai Mubai a lesson and so on, which made him quite curious.
"Jun Yi, once we get to Shrek Academy, if you get the chance to fight that lecherous tiger, give him a good beating for me."
Ning Rongrong looked filled with righteous indignation as she spoke angrily to Jun Yi.
Jun Yi put on an inscrutable expression, then grinned. "Looks like Miss Zhu Zhuqing has already told you about her situation. Don't worry. When necessary, I'll make my move."
Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing hurriedly waved her hands and said to Jun Yi, "Big Brother Jun Yi, Rongrong is only saying that. There's no need to trouble you over my affairs."
"It's fine, little sister Zhu Zhuqing. Jun Yi is very strong. He's more than capable of teaching a lecherous tiger a lesson. Right, little study attendant?"
"The young miss is absolutely right. Forget a tiger-even a dragon would have to coil up before me."
Jun Yi straightened his back and patted his chest as he spoke smugly.
Ning Rongrong pursed her lips and huffed. "If you were really that amazing, Grandpa Sword wouldn't have beaten you until you squealed like a pig."
"Hey, Ning Rongrong, you're undermining me, huh?"
"Yes, I am! What are you going to do about it?"
Watching the pair of bickering frenemies, Zhu Zhuqing smiled without interrupting, quietly savoring the harmonious atmosphere.
When the three reached Shrek Academy, people were already lined up everywhere. An old man stood beside the crowd, about to say something.
Ning Rongrong recognized the old man. "Jun Yi, isn't that the old grandpa who told us yesterday to come register today?"
"He looks like he's an admissions teacher at Shrek Academy," Zhu Zhuqing added.
Before Jun Yi could answer, the old man's voice suddenly rang out over the surroundings.
"If you've come to register at our Shrek Academy, you should first understand the rules. Coming here without understanding them is merely giving away your registration fee for nothing. There's still time to change your minds. Do you know what 'Shrek' means in the name Shrek Academy?"
"A Shrek is a kind of monster, an extremely peculiar existence even among Soul Beasts. The meaning of our Shrek Academy is Monster Academy. In other words, we only accept monsters here, not ordinary people. Anyone over thirteen, or whose Soul Power has not reached rank twenty-one or above, need not waste time here."
As he spoke, an incomparably powerful presence suddenly burst from the old man. Intense red light abruptly radiated from his body, and a long staff covered in countless fine patterns appeared in his right hand. White, yellow, purple, purple, black, black-a total of six Soul Rings rose from beneath his feet.
The staff in the old man's hand struck the ground. A low, muffled thud spread outward, making almost everyone stumble.
"If you understand, continue registering."
The light of the Soul Rings faded, and all his Soul Power vanished in an instant. The old man sat back down on his chair and quietly waited for applicants.
"I never expected this old grandpa to be a Soul Emperor. You really can't judge a person by their appearance," Ning Rongrong said.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded in agreement. "Indeed. Before this, I thought he was an ordinary villager."
"So, when you're out in the world, you mustn't judge people by their looks."
Jun Yi assumed the air of an elder, as though lecturing the two.
After the old man's speech, almost all of the hundred or so applicants who had originally been there left. Only a dozen or so remained.
When Zhu Zhuqing saw Dai Mubai standing beside the old man, her expression turned icy.
"Next."
At the old man's call, Tang San and Xiao Wu stepped forward together.
"We're registering together." Tang San firmly deposited twenty Gold Soul Coins into the wooden box, then held out his hand along with Xiao Wu.
The old man first squeezed Xiao Wu's hand, then nodded. "Your age is suitable." When his hand moved to Tang San's, his expression immediately turned strange. He looked up at Tang San and asked, "Have you practiced some kind of Soul Skill on your hands?"
Tang San nodded. "Yes."
"Hold out your lower leg," the old man said.
Tang San raised his lower leg as instructed and rested it on the desk. The old man squeezed it a few times through his trousers. "Your muscles are well developed. Your bone age is suitable. All right, release your Martial Souls."
Tang San and Xiao Wu released their Blue Silver Grass and Soft Bone Rabbit Martial Souls. Then their Soul Rings appeared, each of them possessing two Hundred-Year Soul Rings.
"Blue Silver Grass, of all things. Can Blue Silver Grass be cultivated this quickly too?"
Hearing this, Tang San smiled faintly. "Teacher, don't you only accept monsters here? Would I count as a monster?"
"You certainly are a Little Monster. Mubai, take them inside."
"Yes."
Dai Mubai came forward and smiled at Tang San. With Dai Mubai leading the way, Tang San and Xiao Wu followed him into Shrek Academy.
"It's your turn. Go register," Jun Yi told the two girls.
"Mm-hmm." Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing nodded.
"They're together."
Jun Yi waved his hand, tossing twenty Gold Soul Coins into the wooden box.
"Oh, you're here. The registration fee is ten Gold Soul Coins per person. There are three of you, so you need to pay thirty." The old man recognized Jun Yi and the two girls and explained this to him.
"I'm not registering. These two are enrolling. I'm just a little study attendant, responsible for running errands," Jun Yi said, pointing at Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong.
"A study attendant? That's rather novel." The old man smiled faintly, his interest immediately piqued.
"Mm-hmm. Once the two of them enroll, my task as a study attendant will be complete, and I can go back."
(End of chapter)