Looking at the dilapidated village and the tattered signboard, Qian Renyue's mouth twitched slightly. She exchanged a glance with Ning Rongrong, as if both were silently asking: "Should we just run?"
"Brother, did the Master make a mistake? No matter how I look at it, this doesn't look like an academy. Could it be a scam?"
Tang San forced a smile: "We've come all this way. Let's take a look first."
"Xiao Wu, you mentioned the Master brought you here. Can you tell us more about that?" Qian Renyue asked, quickly noticing that Xiao Wu had mentioned the Master.
"He is my brother's teacher. We met him at Noding Academy, and everyone calls him Master."
"Yes, Master is my teacher. Although his soul power level isn't very high, he's really strong in theory. I respect him a lot."
"Oh? Really? Then I definitely want to meet him," Qian Renyue said gently, smiling. Internally, she thought it was unlucky—finally meeting someone, and he turned out to be the disciple of that hypocrite. It seemed Shrek Academy was closely connected to him. She was curious to see what kind of place this Shrek Academy really was.
"Tang San is right. We've come all this way; let's take a look first," Ning Rongrong said. Having been slightly regretful earlier, she calmed herself and decided to observe first. If it turned out to be bad, they could leave later. No teacher here could just hold them against their will.
At that moment, a boy ahead of Tang San and Xiao Wu had both parents accompanying him. His mother said: "Are you kidding? This is supposed to be a Soul Master Academy, even claiming that graduates can become Empire Viscounts?"
The father replied uncertainly: "This was said by someone from the Spirit Hall. It shouldn't be wrong… but this academy does look pretty shabby."
The boy said, "Dad, I don't want to study here. It's embarrassing. I'd rather go to Soto Intermediate Soul Master Academy. After all, I was considered a genius in the beginner academy."
His father frowned: "Since we're already here, let's wait a bit. Maybe this is a test. The real academy might not be here."
Qian Renyue overheard the mention of the Spirit Hall. As the Second Miss of the Spirit Hall, she couldn't believe that this academy claimed graduates could become Empire Viscounts. Even their own Spirit Hall Academy wasn't capable of that.
Qian Renyue stepped forward politely and asked: "Excuse me, sir. You just said that someone from the Spirit Hall claimed that graduates from this academy can become Empire Viscounts. Is that true? Did you hear it from a Spirit Hall elder or bishop?"
Seeing Qian Renyue's noble attire, clearly that of a wealthy family, the man immediately smiled obsequiously and replied: "Oh, miss, you're too polite. That's not what the Spirit Hall said. We common folk would never have the chance to meet a Spirit Hall elder or bishop. It's what this academy claimed. They said their outstanding graduates are now elders in the Spirit Hall."
"Thank you," Qian Renyue said with a smile, turning to the boy's father who was now visibly fuming. What kind of academy is this, openly using the Spirit Hall's name to scam people? I must write to grandfather and mother to report this. They're tarnishing the Spirit Hall's reputation.
The elder behind the desk, responsible for registrations, looked lazy. His clothes were plain and simple, making him look like an ordinary village elder—less lively even than the locals.
At that moment, a boy came to register. The elder lazily said: "Registration fee is ten gold spirit coins. Put it in that box over there."
The boy's father quickly placed ten gold spirit coins in a box made of several wooden planks.
"Extend one hand."
The boy did so. The elder pinched his hand twice, shook his head, and said: "You're too old. You can leave."
The boy froze and looked at his father, who quickly smiled and said: "Teacher, my son just turned thirteen. Could you make an exception?"
The elder said impatiently: "Don't hold up others. Don't you know the rules? We only accept children under thirteen. Anyone older, leave immediately."
The father asked: "What about our registration fee?"
The elder coldly said: "No refunds once submitted."
The boy's father's anger flared: "You're clearly scamming us! Return the fee or we won't leave. If we had known this so-called Shrek Academy was this shabby, we wouldn't have come!"
The elder glanced at him and said flatly: "Mu Bai, handle the person who wants a refund."
On the ground beside him, a figure suddenly sprang up. "Want a refund? Fine. Beat me, and I'll return it all." Dai Mubai wasted no words. He activated his soul power, releasing all three of his soul rings—a century, a hundred years, and a millennium. The surging soul power created an invisible pressure in the air, and the cold light in his eyes flickered toward the father and son.
Qian Renyue frowned. This academy's behavior was no different from robbers. Ten gold spirit coins could support a common family for a year. Most families with soul masters relied on Spirit Hall allowances. A mere registration fee, and they refused to return it? This was no different from robbing the Spirit Hall.
Oh, the Spirit Hall was too powerful to bully, so they hide in some village to prey on commoners. Qian Renyue's impression of Shrek Academy worsened. She regretted wasting time coming here.
Seeing Dai Mubai's three soul rings, including a millennium one, the boy's father's expression changed drastically. Muttering "we're unlucky," he dragged his son away.
Dai Mubai returned to his spot, scanning the remaining applicants with a cold glare. The pressure of three soul rings was not something ordinary people could withstand. He no longer looked like a spoiled noble, but like a bodyguard.
After this, the line of applicants immediately shrank by a third. No one wanted to waste their money, especially given the shabby appearance of Shrek Academy.
The elder, clearly impatient, stood behind the desk and said to those still waiting: "If you want to register at Shrek Academy, you should first understand the rules. Coming without knowing them is just wasting your registration fee. It's not too late to back out. Do you know what 'Shrek' in Shrek Academy means?"
Most applicants looked confused.
The elder said coldly: "Shrek is a kind of monster, an extremely rare existence even among soul beasts. Shrek Academy is a Monster Academy. We only accept monsters, not ordinary people. Anyone over thirteen, or whose soul power hasn't reached Level 21, need not waste their time here."
"Ning Jie, no wonder Shrek Academy, such a poor place, produced talents like Teacher Qin. The selection criteria are so strict. Even if you're wealthy and talented, most are cherished by their sect or academy. Who would come to a place like this?" Ning Rongrong said, regretting coming.
"Don't rush, Rongrong. If Shrek Academy dares to use the Spirit Hall's name to deceive people, I need to see it for myself," Qian Renyue said.
"Fine, I'll go with you."
Tang San, like the others, was disappointed in Shrek Academy. But hearing the elder's words, his interest was piqued. An academy that only accepts monsters? That word 'monster' implied geniuses, didn't it?
While he spoke, the elder suddenly released an overwhelming aura. Tang San and Xiao Wu trembled. A dense red light erupted from him, and a long staff with intricate markings appeared in his right hand. Most terrifying of all, six soul rings rose from beneath his feet, dazzling everyone.
The six soul rings were white, yellow, three purple, and black: a ten-year, a hundred-year, three thousand-year, and a ten-thousand-year soul ring. This elder, who looked like an ordinary villager, was actually a Soul Emperor-level super-strong with over Level 60.
When his staff hit the ground, a deep, muffled sound spread. Almost everyone staggered.
Qian Renyue didn't react much; in their Spirit Hall Academy, teachers of this level could teach beginner classes. Ning Rongrong's family even had two Grandmaster-level ancestors, so she wasn't impressed.
Others, however, bowed silently. Facing a Soul Emperor with a ten-thousand-year soul ring, they could only admit defeat and quietly leave with their children.
The original line of over a hundred shrank to just a dozen applicants.
The elder, indifferent to numbers, continued registrations. Those who remained clearly had confidence in passing his test. The next few applicants had soul power over Level 20 and two soul rings. After paying the ten gold coins, the elder told them they had passed the first stage of the entrance exam and could proceed to the second stage inside the academy. Parents were not allowed inside.
.....
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