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At his current stage, Yang Xiong had no interest in Tang San, Dai Mubai, or even Xiao Wu. Rather than paying attention to them, he preferred to focus on his own cultivation.
Early the next morning, Yang Xiong and Ning Rongrong set out for Shrek Academy as directed.
However, the further they walked, the more Ning Rongrong's expression soured.
After leaving Suotuo City, they followed the main road south. The farther they went, the fewer people and houses they encountered. Eventually, all that remained were vast fields. There was no sign of an advanced soul master academy—only a small village came into view.
After some confirmation, they indeed found a table placed at the entrance of the village. Above the wooden archway hung a dilapidated plaque with the words "Shrek Academy" written on it.
Ning Rongrong seemed angry. "Father said this Shrek Academy was good. Look at this shabby environment—it doesn't look like an advanced soul master academy at all. He even claimed the faculty was strong and far superior to ordinary advanced academies. Could Father have been deceived?"
Though Yang Xiong already knew about Shrek Academy's poverty and dilapidation, he hadn't expected it to be this bad. His face mirrored Ning Rongrong's disappointment.
"Rongrong, why don't we go to the Tiandou Imperial Academy instead? The environment there is excellent, and they even have simulated environments. It would be much more suitable for your cultivation."
Ning Rongrong was clearly unwilling. "I made a bet with Father. He said I wouldn't be able to endure the hardships of studying here. I must prove him wrong. No matter how bad this Shrek Academy is, I'll take a look. Otherwise, Father will underestimate me."
"Besides, the Tiandou Imperial Academy is too close to our Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. It's neither fun nor free. I might as well cultivate within the sect."
Yang Xiong was left speechless by Ning Rongrong's stubbornness. She looked like a child who had fallen for a scam.
At this moment, a group of people was queuing up at the entrance of Shrek Academy. They appeared to be students preparing to register. At the front table sat a man in his sixties, likely a soul master or one of the academy's recruitment staff.
The line was surprisingly long—over a hundred people had been deceived into coming. Most of them were soul masters, and quite a few were Soul Grandmasters above level twenty.
Many in the crowd were discussing the academy's poor conditions, voicing various opinions.
One young boy, visibly disappointed, complained to his father, "Father, I don't want to study here. The environment is terrible. I'd rather go to the intermediate soul master academy in Suotuo City. After all, I'm already a level twenty-one genius."
His parents consoled him, "Since we're here, let's take a look first. We've heard that Shrek Academy has a strong faculty, and graduates can become barons in the empire. Perhaps this environment is just a test for you."
…
Seeing the endless chatter, Yang Xiong couldn't help but rub his temples. 'Are most of these hundred-plus people actually shills? This Shrek Academy is starting to feel like one of those diploma mills from my previous life—loud advertisements boasting about their faculty and future prospects, yet lacking even basic infrastructure. Heck, they might not even own the building. Once they collect the tuition, the school could vanish.'
Especially frustrating was the lazy attitude of the old man handling registrations. He exuded arrogance and disdain for the students, yet this very attitude only spurred more people to join the queue.
Just then, after confirming one boy's registration, the old man casually declared, "You're over twelve years old. You don't meet the admission requirements. The registration fee is non-refundable."
Before the boy and his parents could protest, a young man appeared—Dai Mubai, whom they had seen the day before.
"If you want your registration fee back, you can try defeating me," Dai Mubai said.
He unleashed his fierce White Tiger martial soul and displayed two yellow rings and one purple ring. The crowd gasped in shock—this young man was already a Soul Elder! Everyone praised the exceptional quality of Shrek Academy's students, knowing that many advanced soul master academies only required level thirty for graduation.
Yang Xiong: …
Then the old man released an overwhelmingly powerful aura. In his hand appeared a staff covered in intricate patterns, and beneath his feet emerged six soul rings—one white, one yellow, three purple, and one black.
The crowd was once again astonished. 'A Soul Emperor! To think such a mighty figure is a teacher at Shrek Academy. No wonder the academy boasts strong faculty. Attending Shrek Academy must truly be the best choice.'
Yang Xiong: …
However, after the old man announced the academy's admission standards and displayed his Soul Emperor-level strength, more than half the queue immediately dispersed. Still, several dozen people remained, evidently meeting the criteria.
Shrek Academy's admission requirements were strict: students had to be under twelve years old and possess a soul power level above twenty, along with two soul rings. Such standards were not low—they rivaled those of the top-tier advanced soul master academies.
Yang Xiong couldn't help but sigh. 'Suotuo City truly lives up to its reputation as a notable city in the Kingdom of Balak. The overall quality of the students here is decent, and there are quite a few twelve-year-olds with soul power levels above twenty. Unfortunately, most of them aren't from prestigious sects, so their path as soul masters will be much tougher than they imagine.'
What made matters worse was that Shrek Academy was a major trap. Not only did it have four rounds of assessments, but the final practical combat test was especially brutal. None of the students below level twenty-five passed. After all, how many twelve-year-olds have real combat experience?
Ning Rongrong sneered, "So what if he's a Soul Emperor? His soul ring configuration is terrible."
Soon, it was Tang San and Xiao Wu's turn. With their soul power levels, they quickly passed the first round of the admission requirements and moved directly to the final combat assessment.
Yang Xiong seemed to recall something and scanned the crowd. Sure enough, he spotted a cold, aloof girl with a curvaceous figure—clearly Zhu Zhuqing from the original storyline.
Zhu Zhuqing was indeed stunningly beautiful. Her figure was even more exaggerated than Yang Xiong had imagined, and her snow-white skin made her look far older than twelve.
Suddenly, Yang Xiong felt a sharp pain in his waist. Ning Rongrong glared at him with disdain. "Little Bear, I thought you only cared about cultivation. I didn't expect you to be such a lecher, ogling girls just because they're pretty."
Yang Xiong was utterly speechless. "Rongrong, you've got it all wrong. I'm just a normal person, okay?"
Ning Rongrong only tightened her grip. "You don't seem normal to me. I'm beautiful and dazzling at school, so why don't I see you looking at me like that?"
Yang Xiong quickly freed himself from Ning Rongrong's grasp, inwardly lamenting, 'The gap between people really is huge—both in terms of physique and personality.'
Outwardly, however, he maintained a serious tone. "Rongrong, it's precisely because you're so dazzling at school that I keep my distance. Let's focus on registering now and not waste time on trivial matters."
Ning Rongrong eyed Yang Xiong suspiciously but soon shifted her attention to the old man at the front.
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