Tang San and Xiao Wu only knew the approximate location of Shrek Academy, so the two of them spent a long time before finally finding the village where the academy was located.
"Brother, look, there's a small village over there." Xiao Wu pointed ahead at a settlement and spoke to Tang San at her side.
Following her finger, Tang San looked into the distance. About one li away, he saw a small village. With the sharp eyesight of his Purple Demon Eye technique, he could clearly distinguish that the village had around a hundred households.
It was even smaller than Holy Soul Village. Around it stood a simple wooden fence, seemingly built against wild beasts. At the village entrance, a number of people had gathered, though it wasn't clear what was going on.
Tang San smiled and said: "Let's go ask. Maybe the people here know exactly where Shrek Academy is. After all, a soul master academy should be quite well known."
Soon, the two of them arrived at the village entrance. There, a simple pavilion had been set up with some fruits to quench thirst and pastries to fill the stomach. The people gathered there were villagers, volunteering to help Shrek Academy welcome those coming to register.
Over the years, as Shrek Academy had grown wealthier, it had also given much support to the village, helping them repair homes and improve their lives.
And the villagers themselves were eager to greet the soul masters registering partly to help, partly to catch a glimpse of the genius soul masters.
When Tang San and Xiao Wu approached the pavilion, before they could even speak, a kindly woman came forward with a smile: "You two must be here to register for Shrek Academy, right? The journey must have been tiring. Have some refreshments first. There are quite a few people inside, and you'll probably have to queue."
The sudden warmth startled Tang San and Xiao Wu, as though they had stepped into a high-class restaurant.
Tang San, cautious as ever, didn't accept strangers' kindness so easily. He smiled back, ready to politely decline
But before he could speak, Xiao Wu's eyes suddenly lit up. On the table, she had spotted a pastry shaped like a carrot.
"Thank you, Auntie!" Xiao Wu exclaimed, darting forward and picking up the carrot-shaped pastry without hesitation.
Tang San frowned slightly. In such an unfamiliar place, accepting strangers' food so casuallyXiao Wu really was too careless.
But the woman and the other villagers only laughed warmly: "Girl, there's also fruit and juice. Please, enjoy yourselves."
Xiao Wu beamed and nodded. "Thank you, you're all so nice!"
Tang San, though more restrained, couldn't exactly refuse now that Xiao Wu was already eating. He smiled faintly and walked up to the table.
Casually, he asked: "Excuse me, how did you know we were here to register at Shrek Academy?"
The woman answered with a smile: "You're young, yet you carry yourselves with extraordinary bearing. Only soul masters could have such a presence. And since you look about the same age as those who come to register here, we guessed you must be here for the academy."
Tang San raised an eyebrow. "It seems… the villagers here have a very close relationship with Shrek Academy?"
With further questions, the villagers explained more. Tang San began to understand why his teacher had recommended this academy.
According to them, ever since Shrek Academy was founded, it had frequently helped the villagers especially in recent years, repairing homes and providing food. It was, in their eyes, truly a benevolent academy.
But the most important part: Shrek Academy had a reputation not only for kindness, but also for being the "Monster Academy."
Its admission requirements were notoriously strict, because it only trained geniuses the so-called "monsters."
Many students came to apply each year, but only a handful ever passed the entrance exams…
After a short rest, Tang San and Xiao Wu bade farewell to the friendly villagers and headed towards Shrek Academy.
Entering the village, they followed signs that led the way. When they arrived at the academy gates, they found a crowd gathered mostly youths around their own age, many accompanied by their parents.
Despite being in a village, the academy gates gave off an extraordinary air.
The gate itself was simple but dignified, carrying a scholarly aura.
Above the archway of carved hardwood hung a plaque with five large characters: "Shrek Academy."
Beside the words was a green monster-like head, somewhat cute despite its strange look. This was the emblem Flender had personally chosen for Shrek Academy.
At the entrance stood another simple pavilion. Behind a desk sat an elderly man, around sixty years old, and beside him a handsome young man with short red hair.
The old man was Li Yusong, and the red-haired youth was Ma Hongjun dragged here today to help out with enrollment.
At that moment, a boy stepped up to register. Li Yusong said lazily: "Registration fee, ten gold soul coins. Put it in that box."
The boy's father hurriedly paid.
"Show me your hand," Li Yusong continued.
The boy stretched out his hand. Li Yusong pinched it a couple of times, then shook his head: "Your age doesn't meet the requirement. You can leave."
The boy froze, looking helplessly to his father.
His father quickly tried to explain: "Teacher, my son just turned thirteen. Couldn't you make an exception?"
Li Yusong sighed, replying firmly: "The academy's rules are clear. We only accept students under thirteen. If you're older, or if your soul power and soul rings don't meet the standard, we don't admit you. Please leave."
The father hesitated, then asked: "What about the registration fee…?"
"Take it back yourself," Li Yusong said, pointing at the box.
Nowadays Shrek wasn't short of money, so the original "cheating applicants out of fees" situation no longer happened.
After the boy and his father left, Li Yusong addressed the whole queue:
"Those applying here should understand the rules first. If you come without knowing them, you're just wasting everyone's time. Do you even know what the name 'Shrek' means?"
Most applicants looked blank.
Li Yusong continued: "Shrek is a kind of monster, even among soul beasts it's bizarre. Shrek Academy's meaning is the 'Monster Academy.' In other words, we only accept monsters, not ordinary people. If you're over thirteen, or if your soul power is under level twenty-one, don't waste your time."
At the back of the line, Tang San and Xiao Wu grew more intrigued. An academy that only admitted "monsters"? And wasn't "monster" just another word for "genius"?
But the crowd grew noisy. Many parents muttered that Shrek's requirements were ridiculous how could a village academy demand standards higher than an advanced soul master academy?
Li Yusong, unfazed, suddenly released an overwhelming aura. The pressure made everyone shiver.
Soul power surged around him, and in his hand appeared a staff covered in intricate patterns. From his feet, six dazzling soul rings rose: one white, one yellow, three purple, and one black.
A ten-year ring, a hundred-year ring, three thousand-year rings, and a ten-thousand-year ring.
This seemingly ordinary old farmer was, in fact, a Soul Emperor above the sixtieth rank.
His staff struck the ground with a deep thud, making everyone stagger.
Then his voice rang out calmly: "Next."
The soul rings faded, his aura vanished, and he returned to his lazy posture, as though nothing had happened.
The parents who had been grumbling fell silent in terror. Who would dare provoke a Soul Emperor? And if even the one handling registration was this strong… just how terrifying was Shrek Academy's teaching staff?
These students had all graduated from elementary academies, where registration teachers were usually the weakest staff. But here, even the registrar was a Soul Emperor. It was unthinkable.
Tang San and Xiao Wu, too, were awestruck. Tang San had never seen such strength beforeeven the principal of Notting Academy was only a Soul Elder.
And yet here, a Soul Emperor was just handling admissions.
For the first time, Tang San realized how farsighted his teacher truly was sending him into a world he could never have reached otherwise.
Soon, many parents sighed and left with their children. The line of over a hundred quickly dwindled to just over a dozen.
After all, as the old man said, reaching level twenty soul power before twelve years old was something only "monsters" could achieve.
Those who remained were clearly confident. One after another, youths showed that they had already reached level twenty with two soul rings.
After paying ten gold coins, they passed the first test and were told they could enter the academy for the second round. Parents, however, could not accompany them inside.
At the back of the line, Xiao Wu whispered excitedly to Tang San: "This academy looks so interesting! That line, 'we only accept monsters, not ordinary people' so cool!"
Tang San smiled: "Now you understand why Teacher told us to come here. Shrek Academy is definitely not ordinary."
By now they were near the front, and could see more clearly the red-haired Ma Hongjun, who was responsible for escorting successful applicants inside.
When Xiao Wu got a good look at him, she blurted out: "He's so handsome! And his build is even better than yours, brother!"
Tang San frowned slightly. For some reason, hearing Xiao Wu praise another boy left him uncomfortably annoyed.
With his keen eyesight, he too had studied Ma Hongjun. But unlike Xiao Wu, Tang San noticed more than good looks he sensed an aura, a calm confidence that set him apart from any other youth he had ever met.
Tang San even felt that this young man's strength might surpass his own.
It was the first time Tang San, who despite his "trash" Blue Silver Grass martial spirit had innate full soul power and had reached level 29 by age twelve, felt that someone his own age might outclass him.
But Ma Hongjun, busy escorting students, hadn't even noticed Tang San and Xiao Wu's stares.
Just then, a soft exclamation drew Tang San's attention back to the desk.
Li Yusong's face showed surprise as a young girl withdrew her hand.
She had come alone, with no parents beside her.
Dressed in a simple white flowing dress, with silky long hair and delicate features, she looked as clean and elegant as a princess from a story. She was shorter than Xiao Wu, but very beautiful fair-skinned and refined.
"Excuse me, have I passed the first test?" her soft, gentle voice asked.
Li Yusong's surprise slowly faded, replaced by a frown: "Does your family know you came here?"
The girl only smiled: "They say education should be open to all. If I meet your requirements, you have no reason not to accept me, do you?"
After a moment's hesitation, Li Yusong waved toward Ma Hongjun, who had just returned: "Hongjun, take her inside."
Ma Hongjun's eyes lit up at the sight of her she was the only girl he'd ever seen whose beauty and grace could rival his sister-in-law Dugu Yan or his younger sister Zhu Zhuqing.
But unlike the lecherous version of him in the original story, this Ma Hongjun only gave her a quick glance before saying calmly: "Follow me."
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