After four days of traveling, Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong arrived at Soto City in the morning.
Upon entering the city, the first thing Ning Rongrong did was to inquire about the location of Shrek Academy.
There was only one day left before Shrek Academy's enrollment. If they didn't find the academy's location today, they wouldn't be able to register tomorrow.
"Rongrong, do you think it's possible that Shrek Academy is located outside the city?" Ning Tianchen asked with a smile.
Ning Rongrong shook her head. "That's impossible. From what I've heard, Shrek Academy is a promising school with very strong teaching staff. Such an academy wouldn't be set up outside the city."
There was no denying that Shrek Academy had powerful instructors: three Soul Saints and two Soul Emperors teaching three students — their teaching strength was overwhelming.
As for whether Shrek Academy was promising? Haha, they were practically on the verge of collapse.
"Their admission criteria are so strict, how many people can actually meet them? Rongrong, think carefully — among the sect disciples, how many reach soul power level 21 before the age of thirteen?"
Ning Rongrong thought it over.
Besides the Martial Soul Hall, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had the largest number of disciples. Every year, more than thirty inner and outer disciples entered the special training camp.
These thirty or so were key disciples specially trained by the sect. Occasionally, some disciples with special opportunities would get their talent boosted and be admitted to the training camp by exception.
But that was rare, maybe one or two each year.
Normally, these thirty or so disciples would almost all reach soul power level 21 before thirteen. Other sect disciples? At most a handful met this requirement.
By this calculation, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect — the top sect on the continent — only had about thirty disciples each year who met Shrek Academy's admission conditions.
Of course, level 21 was just the threshold. There were still three tests after that. Without being exempt from the last test, it was nearly impossible to pass the first two.
Ning Rongrong suddenly covered her mouth in shock. "Doesn't that mean Shrek Academy barely has any students at all?"
Ning Tianchen nodded, "Exactly. So those rumors you heard were probably exaggerated."
Ning Rongrong sighed.
Since they had come all this way, it wouldn't make sense to leave without even taking a look.
...
Finding Shrek Academy's location was not difficult.
Recently, many parents had brought their children to Soto City to enroll.
From one parent, Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong learned the academy's address.
The parent also said, "I think that place might not be the real Shrek Academy. Maybe the dilapidated appearance is just a test for us. Their real campus is probably somewhere else."
Ning Rongrong's eyes lit up, as if she had found an excuse to defend Shrek Academy.
After bidding farewell to the parent, she quickly said, "Tianchen, maybe behind Shrek Academy, there's a higher-level soul master academy. This Shrek Academy might only be a branch, mainly for training genius soul masters."
"Heh, hopefully," Ning Tianchen shrugged, not wanting to dwell on the matter.
He was very clear on what Shrek Academy really looked like.
Ning Rongrong was full of illusions about the academy; no matter how much he criticized it, she would find an excuse to defend it.
Only seeing it with her own eyes could shatter her illusions.
Before setting out, Ning Tianchen had done enough research, so he was familiar with Soto City.
Soto City was located on the Liji Plain and was the granary of the Barak Kingdom, and even the entire Tiandou Empire.
The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect had a huge commercial empire within the Tiandou Empire. Therefore, they had set up a sect office in Soto City to purchase grain.
Now, with the autumn harvest approaching, the sect's grain purchasing officers had already arrived in Soto City.
"So, to avoid being taken back, we'd better keep a low profile in Soto City for the next few months," Ning Tianchen said.
Ning Rongrong nodded casually but then suddenly grabbed Ning Tianchen's hand and pointed at a nearby hotel sign.
"Tianchen, this hotel looks pretty good. Why don't we stay here?"
Ning Tianchen looked up. The hotel's sign boldly read "Rose Hotel."
"Seriously? We're going to have trouble here, aren't we?" Ning Tianchen thought to himself.
He didn't know when Tang San and Dai Mubai's conflict had happened in this timeline.
If they happened to bump into Dai Mubai, it would be awkward.
However, since it was the enrollment season and Soto City had several intermediate soul master academies, many people were coming to register, and the city's hotels were fully booked.
Probably only these couple's hotels still had vacancies.
After some thought, the two entered the hotel together.
"Are you sure you want two rooms?" the clerk asked.
Although their relationship had gotten closer after the last incident, they were still young, and it wouldn't look good for them to stay together.
When the clerk received confirmation, she hesitated and said, "This is a couple's hotel; the rooms are quite large and big enough for both of you."
"Currently, we only have two rooms left. You know how things have been in the city lately — why not just book one room and leave the other for someone else?"
While the two were still considering, another couple came in and quickly paid for a room.
Well, that settled it — only one room was left. If they didn't make a decision soon, they might have to sleep on the streets tonight.
Without hesitation, Ning Tianchen immediately paid the fee and took the last remaining room.
"Dear guests, your room is called 'Sea of Pink Flowers.' It's the innermost room on the third floor and also one of our largest suites," the attendant respectfully handed them the key.
As the two were heading upstairs, a young man about 1.8 meters tall with broad shoulders and a handsome but resolute face slowly descended the stairs, his right hand holding the slender waist of a charming woman.
The young man had long golden hair, a pair of strangely colored eyes — double pupils with deep blue irises.
"Dai Mubai?" Ning Tianchen had a guess.
According to the novel's description, he shouldn't be entangled with the twins at this moment, right?
Suddenly, Ning Tianchen was stunned.
Could it be that this guy was with this woman in the morning, and by the afternoon, he'd be with the twin sisters?
Dai Shao of Soto City truly lived up to his reputation. His time management skills were perfected to an extreme.
They passed each other without Dai Mubai noticing Ning Tianchen and Ning Rongrong.
Arriving upstairs at the "Sea of Pink Flowers" room, Ning Tianchen inserted the key into the lock.
When the door opened, the interior decoration stunned both of them on the spot.
PS: Early on, intercepting Tang San's opportunity to join Shrek Academy; later, Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect establishes their own academy.