Just below the tattered plaque, at the center of the village entrance, stood an ancient-looking wooden table that looked like it had seen better centuries. Behind it sat an old man who appeared to be in his sixties. He looked completely ordinary; if you didn't know any better, you'd think he was just a gatekeeper.
Even so, a line of more than a hundred people snaked out from the table, all waiting to register for the entrance exam.
"This..." Huo Feng pursed his lips. If he remembered correctly, this ordinary-looking old man was actually a Spirit Emperor with a rank of over sixty.
"Are you sure this is Shrek Academy?" Xiao Wu, standing behind Huo Feng, frowned at the ridiculously simple setup. "This is worse than Notting."
She wasn't wrong. Notting Junior Spirit Master Academy was three or four times larger than this place, which was nothing more than a common village.
Huo Feng curled his lips. He knew Shrek's conditions were poor, but he hadn't expected them to be this bad. To be honest, Holy Soul Village was probably bigger. But no matter how bad the conditions were, he couldn't leave. No risk, no reward. If he didn't get into Shrek Academy, how could he sacrifice the remaining four of the Shrek Seven Devils? How could he complete his main mission?
Thinking this, he glanced at Xiao Wu and comforted her. "We're already here. Let's at least check it out."
"It doesn't matter to me. I'll follow you," she said with a casual shrug. By now, her trust in him was almost unconditional.
Similar conversations were happening all throughout the line.
"Is this really the academy that claims its graduates can become Imperial Viscounts?" "You've got to be kidding me! This place is a dump." "I bet it's just false advertising. Anyone who falls for this is an idiot. I'm leaving to find a real academy." "Son, let's go. The Soto Intermediate Spirit Master Academy is a much better option." "Exactly! And they have the nerve to charge ten gold soul coins for a registration fee at a place this shabby. How shameless!"
The line moved slowly, and the academy's extremely unreliable appearance was starting to take its toll. Several people in the middle of the queue thought it over and decided to leave.
Not far ahead of them stood a tall, burly man. His size made him stand out in the crowd and had been blocking Huo Feng's view since they arrived. Just then, the man bent down, whispered something to his son, and the two of them left the line without a second glance.
After the man left, Huo Feng's line of sight suddenly cleared up. He glanced casually toward the front of the line, and his eyes widened in surprise as he spotted a familiar figure.
"Well, well," he muttered to himself. "Isn't that Tang San?"
Not only was Tang San in the line, but he was also very close to the front. That's strange. He had just seen Tang San on the street two days ago, and he had been limping badly. How did he get here so early today? Huo Feng didn't believe for a second that his injuries could have healed in just two days.
Just then, the line began to move forward. Huo Feng kept his eyes fixed on Tang San. When Tang San stepped forward with his left leg, it was normal. But when he stepped with his right, he immediately winced and limped.
"Huh?" Huo Feng was even more confused. He's still limping? That made sense, but how did he manage to get so far ahead of them with an injured leg?
Huo Feng had no way of knowing that Tang San, terrified of missing the entrance exam, had woken up at four in the morning and had been slowly making his way here ever since.
Seeing only four people left in front of him, a smile finally appeared on Tang San's face. The sooner he could pass the exam, the sooner he could rest and let his leg recover.
Soon, the four people in front of him finished their tests. As Tang San had expected, none of them passed. He couldn't help but feel a little impressed. The academy his teacher had recommended was truly extraordinary. Although it looked simple, its entrance exam was clearly very strict. The four people who had failed were quite strong, yet they hadn't been accepted. It was obvious that this wasn't a place just anyone could enter.
"Next! Registration fee is ten gold soul coins. Put it in the box," the old man behind the table called out proudly.
Hearing this, Tang San hurried forward and painfully took out ten gold soul coins from his bag. He counted them carefully twice before reluctantly dropping them into the wooden box. He comforted himself by thinking that ten gold soul coins were nothing compared to the knowledge he would gain at Shrek Academy.
"Extend your hand," the old man said indifferently.
Tang San quickly held out his hand. The old man gently pinched his palm twice, a simple method used to test bone age.
"Age is fine. Release your martial soul and spirit rings," the old man said, his expression unchanged.
Tang San nodded and activated the spirit power in his body. An ordinary-looking Blue Silver Grass sprouted from the palm of his right hand. At the same time, two spirit rings—one white and one yellow—rose from under his feet and circled his body. Empowered by the rings, the grass transformed into a thick, dark green vine.
"Hm? Your martial soul is just Blue Silver Grass?" The old man frowned slightly, looking at Tang San with a hint of helplessness.
The latter smiled slightly, thinking to himself, You've probably never seen a Blue Silver Grass that could be cultivated this far.
"Teacher, doesn't Shrek Academy only accept monsters? With my unique martial soul, I should be considered one, right? I..."
"Sorry, your qualifications do not meet our admission standards."
Tang San, who had been speaking with confidence, was cut off mid-sentence.
"What?"
He froze on the spot, motionless, as if he had been turned to stone. The old man's words were like a bucket of ice-cold water poured over his head. The corners of his mouth twitched as he stiffly turned to look at the old man. He couldn't understand why Shrek Academy would choose such an old man to conduct its entrance exam. He looked even less energetic than Old Jack.
"Leave quickly. Don't hold up the line," the old man said, waving his hand impatiently.
Tang San immediately forced a stiff smile, bowed respectfully, and said, "Teacher, could you have made a mistake in your judgment? I..."
"Your martial soul is a typical useless martial soul. And while you may have cultivated to level 20, your first spirit ring is just an ordinary white ten-year one," the old man interrupted again. "Furthermore, your body is too weak. You wouldn't be able to handle this academy's training."
"You can go now," the old man said, dismissing him once more.
"Then please refund my registration fee!" At this moment, Tang San's face was ashen. He stared at the wooden box beside the table, his teeth clenched. Ten gold soul coins. It had taken him three years of hard work in the blacksmith shop to earn that much. Was he just supposed to give it away for nothing?
"Hmph!" The old man snorted. His voice rose, sharp and final. "Once you register, there are no refunds!"
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