Shrek Academy
Lin Chen said nothing, only gently taking her hand.
The girl's hand was soft and warm, her fingertips trembling slightly. He could clearly feel the relationship between them quietly changing. It was no longer simply that of brother and sister, of one protecting the other; it now held a few more traces of a youthful feeling that defied description.
He knew how Xiao Wu felt, and he knew his own heart as well. Ever since he had crossed into this world and first laid eyes on that pink figure standing among the trees, she had become the most important person to him in this world. She had simply been too young before, and he had thought only of protecting her as she grew up. Now that she was blossoming into a young woman, it was time for those deeply buried feelings to slowly rise to the surface.
"Sleep," Lin Chen said softly. "We still have to cultivate tomorrow. In a few days, I'll take you to a temple fair in Heaven Dou City."
"Okay!" Xiao Wu answered happily. She nestled closer into his arms and closed her eyes.
The moonlight was gentle, their breathing long and even. The room fell quiet, with only the sounds of their heartbeats softly overlapping.
In the little courtyard by the lake, the moonlight was just right.
After six years together, they had long since become indispensable parts of each other's lives. And the feelings belonging to the boy and girl were quietly growing beneath the moonlight.
The years in Heaven Dou City stretched on, and their story continued.
In a secluded village in the southern outskirts of Suotuo City, in the Balak Kingdom, far from the bustle and clamor within the city, a crude courtyard stood beside a deserted official road, utterly at odds with the grandeur of the city.
Tang San stood alone before an old wooden gate, a plain bundle on his back. The gate was covered in cracks, its paint peeling, and a trace of surprise showed between his brows.
A faded wooden plaque hung above the gate, bearing the five large, crooked, and hastily carved Chinese characters for Shrek Academy. The strokes were rough and shallow, with no discernible order.
A low, mottled adobe wall surrounded the courtyard, weeds growing thick along its top. The gate stood open, with no guards on duty, no ceremonial display, and not even a patch of level ground.
At a glance, this dilapidated courtyard could not even compare to an ordinary village school, much less the grand halls, long bluestone steps, and strict organization of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
If his teacher had not repeatedly impressed upon him beforehand that this was the most unusual Soul Master Academy on the continent, one that admitted only the world's freaks and monsters, he would never have believed that a place for training top Soul Masters was hidden here.
An old wooden table had been placed haphazardly in the open space inside the gate, and a blond young man lounged behind it. He had blue eyes and wild, fluffy blond hair, and his tall, lean figure was set off by a simple, close-fitting outfit. He was Dai Mubai, a student at Shrek.
He yawned in utter boredom, his expression lazy as he casually glanced at the newcomer from the official road. His voice was languid and carefree. "Kid, Shrek has rules for admission. Give me your age, Soul Power level, and Martial Soul. If you're over thirteen or your Soul Power is below level twenty, turn around and go back the way you came. No need to waste your effort."
Tang San put aside his stray thoughts and stepped half a pace forward, his expression calm and his voice steady. "Tang San, twelve years old, a level twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster. Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass."
Before his voice had faded, a faint blue glow curled around his fingertips, and gentle plant Soul Power spread outward. Two well-defined yellow Hundred-Year Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet and circled him.
Dai Mubai's yawn abruptly caught in his throat. His lazy expression vanished in an instant, and he sat bolt upright, his eyes filling with profound seriousness and surprise.
A twelve-year-old level twenty-nine Soul Grandmaster-such talent was hard to match among his peers. More astonishing still, his Martial Soul was actually Blue Silver Grass, a Trash Martial Soul that the world regarded as utterly useless. It truly overturned what he knew.
"Your aptitude qualifies. Go on in. The second round of testing is on the training ground inside." Dai Mubai gestured into the courtyard, his gaze toward Tang San noticeably more respectful.
Tang San nodded slightly and said no more, stepping through Shrek's gate.
The courtyard was cramped, its yellow earth uneven and pocked with hollows. Several old, cracked wooden training dummies had been left haphazardly in a corner, making the place look utterly simple and crude.
A makeshift stall stood to one side of the courtyard. A tall young man with a face full of whiskers was calling out loudly, holding a plump, pink sausage in his hand. He looked comical and absurd.
"Oscar's signature sausages! Restore Soul Power and replenish your strength! All natural, no additives! New students passing by, come have a taste!" The food-type Soul Master Oscar's cries rang out loud and clear, drawing particular attention.
Tang San looked straight ahead and shifted his gaze away without betraying his thoughts, inwardly marveling at just how different Shrek Academy was.
Just then, three sets of light footsteps sounded in succession outside the courtyard. Three boys and girls arrived one after another, adding a splash of brightness to the dilapidated little courtyard.
The girl in the lead was no more than twelve or thirteen, with a graceful figure and skin fairer than snow. Her simple, elegant long dress with white patterns was tailored to fit, its hem adorned with delicate glazed patterns that shimmered faintly as she walked. Nobility came naturally to her.
Her features were delicate and pretty, her nose straight and pert, her lips finely shaped. But her almond eyes tilted slightly upward, carrying an innate air of privilege and pride. She was Ning Rongrong, a daughter of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's direct line.
The moment she entered the gate, her gaze swept quickly over the dilapidated surroundings. Her delicate brows knitted tightly, undisguised distaste and impatience written across her face. She pursed her cherry lips, inwardly complaining that this so-called top academy was so crude, lacking even the slightest order of a sect academy.
Pampered from childhood and accustomed to magnificent palaces, she had never seen such a crude place to cultivate.
Close behind her came a girl in black, slender and upright, her movements as light as a swallow's. Her neat, close-fitting black outfit traced the taut, flowing lines of her figure.
Her ink-black hair was tied high, loose strands resting beside her ears. Her face was cold and breathtakingly beautiful, her long, narrow eyes sharp. Like a black cat poised to strike, she was cool and fierce. A chilly, aloof presence surrounded her, untouched by the mundane world. She was Zhu Zhuqing.
Her expression was indifferent, her eyes cool. She paid no attention to the crude surroundings, showing neither pleasure nor resentment as she walked silently to the end of the testing line and stopped. She stood ramrod straight, her Soul Power quietly lying dormant, a naturally chilly air warning strangers to keep away.
At the very back came a sturdily built boy, also twelve years old. He was taller and more solidly built than boys his age, with a healthy wheat-colored complexion, sharply defined features, and a steady, keen gaze. He wore a dark, close-fitting outfit that gave him a neat, capable appearance. He was Tuo Mushuo, who had come to apply.
Yellow light rose beneath his feet, and two bright yellow Hundred-Year Soul Rings circled him in orderly formation. His presence was steady and substantial.
A level twenty-eight Soul Grandmaster at twelve, he possessed the exceedingly rare Vajra Serpent Martial Soul, which combined offense and defense, specializing in defense and highly poisonous attacks. Steady and reserved by nature, he disliked drawing attention. He stood quietly at the back of the line, watching the activity in the courtyard with a composed expression.