The morning sun over the village of Gele was filtered through a thick layer of dust, kicked up by the hundreds of aspiring students lined up at the most dilapidated gate Li Wei had ever seen.
Shrek Academy didn't look like a school; it looked like a collection of farmhouses that had given up on farming. But Li Wei knew better. In this world, the most unassuming places usually held the sharpest blades.
"Ten gold coins? For this?" Xiao Wu whispered, looking at the cracked wooden sign that boasted the head of a green monster. "Wei-ge, you could buy this whole village with what's in your pocket. Why are we standing in line?"
Li Wei, towering over the crowd at 6'7", adjusted the collar of his high-grade silk duster. His silver hair caught the light, making him look like a misplaced celestial being in a peasant's backyard. "Because, Xiao Wu, money buys comfort, but it doesn't buy the kind of 'monster' training these guys offer. Besides," he glanced at Xiao Ling, who was looking at the gate with quiet intensity, "I want to see if their 'Spirit Sage' vice-principal can actually catch me."
The First Test: The Age Bone
The line moved slowly until it was their turn. An old man sat behind a rickety desk, looking like he'd rather be napping. This was Li Yusong, a 63rd-level Spirit Emperor.
"Next," he grunted.
Tang San stepped up, showed his bone age, and released his Blue Silver Grass. The old man's eyes widened at the "Full Innate Spirit Power." Then came Xiao Wu and Xiao Ling, both passing with ease.
Then, Li Wei stepped forward. His shadow literally covered the entire desk.
"Bone age," the old man muttered, reaching out to grab Li Wei's wrist. As soon as his fingers touched Li Wei's skin, he jumped back as if he'd been electrocuted.
"What in the... your body temperature is nearly 105 degrees, and your pulse..." The old man squinted. "It sounds like a hummingbird."
"High metabolism," Li Wei said with a 20% Hemsworth grin. "Comes with the territory of being the fastest guy you'll ever meet."
Li Wei released his aura. He didn't bring out the Godspeed suit yet—just the raw, vibrating pressure of his 29% Fusion. The air around him began to hum, and the pebbles on the ground started to bounce. Two rings rose: Deep Yellow and Dark Purple.
The old man stared at the Purple ring—the second ring, and it was already at the Thousand-Year level. "Twenty-nine... and that ring configuration is impossible. Go through. Fourth stage. Immediately."
The Final Trial: Zhao Wuji
The group bypassed the second and third stages, arriving at an open clearing where a short, squat man with a barrel chest sat on a chair. This was the "Motionless Bright King," Zhao Wuji, a 76th-level Spirit Sage.
Beside him stood Dai Mubai, who gave Li Wei a respectful nod, which didn't go unnoticed by the two new girls standing nearby: a cold, elegant girl with black hair (Zhu Zhuqing) and a refined, pampered-looking girl (Ning Rongrong).
"Mubai said we had some 'monsters' this year," Zhao Wuji said, his voice like grinding stones. He stood up, and the ground seemed to tremble under his weight. "I'm going to give you one incense stick's worth of time. If at least one of you is standing at the end, you pass. And since we have five of you..."
His gaze landed on Li Wei. Zhao Wuji's eyes narrowed. "You're the one who shoved Mubai into a pillar? You're a big lad. Let's see if you're all height or if there's some weight behind that speed."
"Wait," Li Wei stepped forward, cracking his neck. The sound was like a whip-crack. "Grandmaster Zhao, right? How about a side bet? If we last the incense stick, you let us in. But if I can actually land a clean hit on you... you owe me a favor."
The other students gasped. A Level 29 challenging a Level 76 Spirit Sage?
Zhao Wuji laughed, a deep, booming sound. "A favor? Kid, if you can touch me while my 'Gravity Control' is active, I'll give you whatever you want. Now, light the incense!"
The Battle Begins
"San, control the field! Rongrong, buffs! Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, Ling—flank him!" Li Wei barked out orders. His 15-year-old soul was used to team-based strategies from his old world.
Tang San's Blue Silver Grass erupted from the ground, weaving a web of thorns. Ning Rongrong summoned her Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. "Seven Treasures Turn the Space! One: Strength! Two: Speed!"
Li Wei felt the buffs hit him. Usually, external buffs didn't mesh well with the Speed Force, but Ning Rongrong's spirit was top-tier. His fusion felt like it ticked up to 31% momentarily.
"My turn," Li Wei whispered.
[Speed Force Execution: 29%]
Yellow-orange lightning exploded from Li Wei's feet, tattering his expensive duster. He didn't just run; he became a jagged line of electricity.
Zhao Wuji grunted, releasing his Spirit. "Gravity Control!"
Suddenly, the air in the clearing became ten times heavier. Tang San and the girls slumped, their movements becoming sluggish. But Li Wei?
Li Wei used his Mass Strength. He didn't fight the gravity; he vibrated his molecules to match the frequency of the pressure. He moved through the heavy air like a needle through silk.
"What?!" Zhao Wuji's eyes widened. "How are you moving in my domain?"
Li Wei appeared in front of Zhao Wuji's face, then disappeared. Then behind him. Then to the left.
"Too slow, Big Guy!"
Li Wei wasn't just running circles; he was building up a Static Charge. Every pass he made around Zhao Wuji added more friction to the air. The temperature in the clearing began to rise.
"Vajra Body!" Zhao Wuji roared, his skin turning a dull gold as he swung a massive fist at the blur.
Li Wei saw the fist coming. In his perception, it was moving like a snail through molasses. He stepped to the side, his silver hair flowing behind him, and delivered a Mass-Punch to Zhao Wuji's ribs.
CRACK-BOOM.
The sound of the impact was like a cannon blast. Zhao Wuji, a Spirit Sage, actually staggered two steps back. The golden light of his Vajra Body flickered.
"He hit him..." Dai Mubai whispered, his jaw dropping. "He actually landed a blow on Teacher Zhao."
The Final Seconds
Zhao Wuji was no longer laughing. He was impressed, and a little annoyed. "Alright, brat. No more games. Seventh Spirit Ability: Spirit Avatar!"
The air exploded as Zhao Wuji transformed into a massive, golden bear. The pressure was immense. Li Wei felt his skin begin to sting—his body was reaching the limit of what 29% fusion could handle.
"Wei-ge, get back!" Tang San shouted, throwing a flurry of hidden weapons to distract the bear.
"Not yet!" Li Wei's eyes turned completely white, streaks of yellow lightning leaking from his sockets.
He didn't have much Cosmic Energy left in his "battery" after the trip to Soto, but he pulled every last drop. He focused it into his legs.
Vibrational Intangibility: 0.5 Seconds.
As Zhao Wuji lunged with a paw that could crush a boulder, Li Wei didn't dodge. He ran through the paw. His body turned into a ghostly, translucent image for a fraction of a second, passing through Zhao Wuji's physical form like a phantom.
He emerged on the other side, grabbed the incense stick—which was nearly burnt out—and snuffed it with his fingers.
The clearing fell silent.
Li Wei stood there, his chest heaving, his 6'7" frame smoking slightly from the friction. The Godspeed suit flickered and vanished.
"Time's up," Li Wei panted, looking up at the giant golden bear. "I believe I landed that hit. And the incense is out."
Zhao Wuji shrank back down to his human form, looking at the bruise forming on his ribs with a look of pure disbelief. He looked at the five teenagers—all of them exhausted, but all of them standing.
"Monsters," Zhao Wuji muttered, a slow grin spreading across his face. "Actual, literal monsters. Especially you, Silver-hair. Welcome to Shrek. You're going to be a massive headache, aren't you?"
Li Wei wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at Xiao Ling, who was staring at him with a mix of awe and something that looked suspiciously like pride.
"A headache?" Li Wei laughed, his Hemsworth charm returning as his pulse slowed down. "Teacher, I'm not just a headache. I'm a full-blown migraine. Now, where's the cafeteria? I've burnt about ten thousand calories in the last ten minutes and I'm starving."
Current Status:
• Chapter Count: 6/100
• Location: Shrek Academy Grounds.
• Fusion: 29% (Fatigued)
• New Abilities Demonstrated: Mass Strength, 0.5s Intangibility.
• Current Wealth: Still obscene.