"I see. Then have them hold out their hands," the old man said lazily to Jun Yi.
Meanwhile, Ning Rongrong stepped forward, took ten Gold Soul Coins from her Storage Soul Tool, and dropped them into the wooden box. Then she said, "Grandpa, don't listen to him. This study attendant of mine is signing up too. Just examine him."
Jun Yi froze at Ning Rongrong's words. It seemed she really wanted to keep him at Shrek. That wouldn't do.
Jun Yi offered the excuse he had prepared long ago. "Rongrong, didn't Uncle Ning tell you I've already joined the Heaven Dou Royal Academy? I'll be enrolling when I get back."
Ning Rongrong nodded. "Dad already told me."
"Then why did you sign me up?" Jun Yi asked curiously.
Ning Rongrong explained, "Dad also told me you're only enrolled in name, and it doesn't matter whether you go or not, so I wanted you to stay here with me."
Hearing this, Jun Yi was instantly dumbfounded. So Uncle Ning sold me out? Well, well. It looks like Ning Fengzhi wants me to keep Rongrong company all the time. But hasn't he landed me in a pit?
The old man immediately looked amused. He straightened up and teased, "Kid, looks like this study attendant isn't going anywhere. Hold out your arm. Let me check your bone age."
With no other choice, Jun Yi held out his left arm. After pressing it a few times, the old man smiled. "Kid, you've been training well. Your muscles are quite developed. Your bone age is suitable. You pass."
The other two girls also held out their arms for the old man to examine. Naturally, both passed.
"Release your Martial Souls and Soul Rings," the old man continued.
Zhu Zhuqing went first. As she released her Martial Soul, a little black-and-purple cat with mismatched eyes appeared beside her, and two yellow Soul Rings emerged.
Next came Ning Rongrong. She cupped her hands together before her chest, and the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda appeared in her palms. Then three Soul Rings appeared in succession: yellow, yellow, and purple.
The old man's eyes lit up at the colors of her Soul Rings. "A Soul Elder! And your Martial Soul is the inherited Martial Soul of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda," he said in surprise.
"Does your family know you've come here?"
"Of course they do," Ning Rongrong replied.
"You both pass."
Joy appeared on the old man's face. It seemed no one across the entire continent had ever become a Soul Elder at twelve. He hadn't expected the young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect to accomplish it today.
"Why aren't you releasing your Martial Soul and Soul Rings?"
"I'm afraid I'll scare you," Jun Yi replied.
"What's there to be scared of? Is your Martial Soul a devil?" the old man said mildly.
"Then watch closely."
Jun Yi didn't release his ROOM space. Instead, he summoned his Soul Rings directly. A dazzling purple glow appeared around him. His first Soul Ring was purple. Jun Yi took a step forward, and his second Soul Ring appeared, also purple. He stepped forward again, and a deep-purple Soul Ring, most of it covered in black, appeared. His third Soul Ring was purple as well.
"H-how is this possible? How can all your Soul Rings be purple?"
The old man was utterly stunned.
He knew very well that even the most gifted Soul Master's first Soul Ring could not be purple. A Soul Master's constitution simply couldn't withstand the pressure of a purple Soul Ring. Their body would surely burst, killing them.
What did a purple Soul Ring signify? A Thousand-Year Soul Ring. Most Soul Masters were only children when they obtained their first Soul Ring, and their bodies were nowhere near robust enough to withstand that pressure.
Jun Yi's second and third Soul Rings had also been bestowed by the system. Their ages could increase as his strength improved.
As for Jun Yi's first yellow ring, as his constitution grew stronger, it had already transformed from yellow to purple, and its age had reached around two thousand years.
"I told you it would scare you, but you wouldn't believe me."
Jun Yi shrugged helplessly, then folded his arms across his chest and withdrew his Soul Rings and Soul Power.
"Rongrong, why does Brother Jun have three purple Soul Rings? How did he do it?"
Zhu Zhuqing looked at the utterly calm Ning Rongrong beside her and asked quietly.
Ning Rongrong shook her head. "I don't really know the details either. But my dad once said that Jun Yi's Martial Soul and Soul Rings are very special. His Soul Rings' ages change as his strength improves."
"Soul Rings like that actually exist? That's unbelievable." Ning Rongrong's words greatly astonished Zhu Zhuqing. She had never heard of or seen a Soul Master whose first three Soul Rings were all purple.
For a moment, Zhu Zhuqing's resolve also firmed. If Jun Yi can become this strong, then I can too, as long as I train with him!
"Teacher, do I pass?" Jun Yi asked the old man.
The old man still looked just as astonished. "Child, w-what's your name?"
"Jun Yi."
The old man continued asking, "Jun Yi, how old are those three Soul Rings of yours?"
"Teacher, that concerns my personal privacy. It wouldn't be convenient to tell you, would it?" Jun Yi declined.
"Ah, I was being presumptuous. Congratulations on passing the first test. As for you and Miss Ning, you may go straight to the fourth test," the old man told the two with a smile.
"Why can we go straight to the fourth test? What about Zhu Zhuqing?" Ning Rongrong asked.
"What is this young lady's Soul Power Level? Has it exceeded twenty-five?"
"My Soul Power Level is twenty-seven," Zhu Zhuqing replied.
"Then all three of you can go to the fourth test. Our academy has a rule: any twelve-year-old Soul Master above level twenty-five can skip the second and third tests," the old man explained to them.
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing nodded. The old man continued, "Mubai has taken the other students to the second testing area. Go in on your own. After entering the academy, head east all the way. You'll find a large clearing. That's where the fourth test is held."
"All right, Teacher. We'll head in, then. We'll leave you to your work."
Jun Yi waved goodbye to the old man, then entered Shrek Academy with Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing.
Watching the three leave, the old man murmured, "The young lady of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and the second young lady of the Netherworld Zhu Family. Two girls of such lofty standing have actually come to our Shrek Academy. Who knows whether this is a blessing or a calamity? As for that young man named Jun Yi, just how did he manage to make his first three rings all purple?"
(End of chapter)