"Little Brother Chen, you arrived just in time for the academy's admissions. You can become a new student at Shrek Academy along with them!"
Ling Luochеn led Xue Chen to an imposing gate, pointed at the long line outside it, and explained:
"These are all prospective students here to take our Shrek Academy entrance assessment."
Xue Chen looked into the distance and saw a dense sea of people outside the gate, well over a thousand of them.
"I remember hearing that you have to be under twelve and have at least rank fifteen Soul Power to join Shrek Academy."
After hesitating for a moment, Xue Chen couldn't help asking Ling Luochеn:
"And it seems you need two recommendation letters from city lords or something... why are there still so many people?"
Xue Chen just met the age requirement, and his Soul Power had reached the rank twenty bottleneck. Only those two recommendation letters from city lords would be difficult for him to obtain, no matter what he tried.
That was also why he wanted to ride on Ling Luochеn's status as an inner courtyard disciple to enter Shrek Academy.
"You certainly know quite a bit."
Ling Luochеn glanced at Xue Chen before explaining:
"Actually, Soul Power and age are the only two hard requirements. Recommendation letters from city lords of major cities in the Far North are easy enough to get."
After a pause, Ling Luochеn leaned closer to Xue Chen and whispered:
"I heard quite a few city lords in the three great empires openly put a price on their recommendation letters. It's even become a business!"
Xue Chen was dumbstruck, yet he also found it perfectly reasonable.
When Shrek Academy first established this rule, it had effectively ceded some benefits to the three great empires and the nobility.
Although it was extremely unfriendly to commoner Soul Masters, objectively speaking, it did raise the barrier to entry somewhat.
Only, in the end, it had gradually reduced Shrek Academy to a breeding ground for the children of nobles and sects.
"With the quality of your Martial Soul and your talent, recommendation letters from city lords are completely unnecessary."
Seeing that Xue Chen remained silent, Ling Luochеn merely assumed he was worried about being unable to enter Shrek Academy. She couldn't help taking his hand and saying gently:
"Don't worry. You'll definitely receive the best training at Shrek Academy!"
"Mm."
Xue Chen nodded without saying anything else.
If not for his golden finger, he wouldn't have bothered joining Shrek Academy!
Skirting the queue, Ling Luochеn simply took Xue Chen by the hand and strode brazenly to the registration desk at Shrek Academy's entrance.
The people in line didn't dare say anything. They only looked at the Shrek Academy uniform Ling Luochеn wore with slightly envious gazes.
"Fellow student, anyone who hasn't registered cannot enter Shrek Academy!"
Just as Ling Luochеn was about to take Xue Chen inside Shrek Academy, several Shrek Academy students maintaining order nearby hurried over to block her path.
Ling Luochеn could be described as doting toward Xue Chen, but she had no such patience for anyone else. She immediately frowned.
"I'm a student of Shrek Academy!"
"I know!"
The student in charge nodded, but pointed at Xue Chen.
"Judging by this child's age, he should be one of this year's prospective students. We have to confirm that he meets the requirements before he can enter Shrek Academy."
Ling Luochеn's expression instantly turned cold. Almost simultaneously, an intense chill rapidly spread outward from her.
In just a few breaths, a thin layer of ice actually formed on the ground nearby.
The students maintaining order were forced two steps back by Ling Luochеn's chill. The leader's expression shifted, but he still steeled himself and stood in her way.
"Fellow student, we're only following the rules."
"New students must register and have their Soul Power tested before they can enter the academy... if you bring someone straight inside, we'll have a hard time explaining ourselves."
Without summoning her Martial Soul or using a Soul Skill, she could change the surrounding temperature.
The student in charge knew he had run into someone formidable.
"This is my younger brother. His circumstances are a little unusual... I'm taking him to see the academy's teachers!"
Seeing that his words were reasonable, Ling Luochеn finally allowed the chill around her to slowly dissipate.
The students responsible for maintaining order were mostly outer courtyard students at Shrek Academy. They had barely met any inner courtyard disciples at all.
Let alone someone like Ling Luochеn, who always kept to herself even in the inner courtyard.
Had it been Bei Bei instead, these people would have cleared a path long ago.
"Well..."
Clear hesitation appeared on the lead student's face. He didn't know whether to let them through.
"Isn't that Luochen?"
Just as the student was caught in a dilemma, a voice suddenly came from nearby.
Ling Luochеn trembled slightly upon hearing the voice, then immediately looked in its direction.
A beautiful young woman was walking toward them.
The young woman looked to be in her thirties. Although her looks were striking, she possessed an imposing presence that instead made people instinctively overlook her appearance.
"Dean Lin'er!"
Upon seeing the newcomer, Ling Luochеn immediately bowed respectfully.
"Hello, Dean Xian!"
The other students maintaining order at the entrance also hurriedly bowed to the newcomer.
"No need for formalities. Go back to your duties."
The woman waved at everyone, glanced at Ling Luochеn, and finally rested her gaze on Xue Chen.
"This child certainly is cute."
A flash of amazement crossed the woman's eyes, and she couldn't resist reaching out to pinch Xue Chen's cheek.
"I heard you went to the Far North. How did you end up bringing back a little fellow like this?"
As the two spoke, the system's emotionless voice sounded in Xue Chen's ears again.
[Congratulations to the host for successfully recording and activating the S-rank goddess: Xian Lin'er!] [Congratulations to the host for obtaining the activation reward: Soul Tool Mastery!] [Soul Tool Mastery: The host possesses extraordinary comprehension and intuition regarding Soul Tool construction, principles, and manufacturing techniques. When learning to make Soul Tools, comprehension speed increases a hundredfold. The host can easily see through the internal structures of Soul Tools, and perception of soul guidance arrays reaches the pinnacle.]
Xue Chen's eyelid twitched.
The young woman before him was Xian Lin'er?
And a goddess the system had rated S-rank at that?
Come to think of it, didn't Xian Lin'er look like Obama in the animation?
She was nothing like this graceful young woman before him!
And Soul Guidance Mastery was far better than the Cooking Mastery reward Ling Luochеn had given him.
It was even better than the Saint Craftsman-level forging talent he had received from activating the Ice Empress's codex entry!
After all, the Peerless Tang Sect era was still the age of Soul Tools!
"Dean Lin'er..."
Ling Luochеn's expression was somewhat complicated. She seemed to be weighing how to answer Xian Lin'er's question.
"Dean Lin'er, his name is Xue Chen. He's a child I met on the outskirts of the Far North... he saved my life at the time, and his Martial Soul is very unusual."
"That's why I brought him back. I wanted the academy to help take a look."