Tang San and Xiao Wu only knew the general location of Shrek Academy, and it took them a long time to find the village where Shrek Academy was located.
"Brother, look, there's a small village over there," Xiao Wu pointed to a village ahead and said to Tang San beside her.
Tang San looked in the direction Xiao Wu was pointing and saw a small village about a li ahead. With his special technique, the Purple Demon Eye, he could clearly distinguish that there were about a hundred households in that village.
This village was even smaller than Holy Soul Village. It was surrounded by a wooden fence, seemingly for protection against wild beasts. At the village entrance, many people seemed to have gathered, not knowing what had happened.
Tang San smiled and said, "Let's go over and ask. Perhaps the people in this village will know where Shrek Academy is. After all, Spirit Master academies should be quite famous."
Soon, the two arrived at the village entrance. A simple pavilion had been set up at the entrance, with some thirst-quenching fruits and filling pastries placed inside. The people gathered here were all villagers who had volunteered to help Shrek Academy welcome the Spirit Masters who came to register.
Because Shrek Academy had become increasingly wealthy in recent years, they had also provided considerable help to the entire village, helping them renovate their houses.
Moreover, they wanted to welcome the registering Spirit Masters because they wanted to see the style of these talented Spirit Masters.
When Tang San and Xiao Wu arrived at the pavilion, before the two couldcould open their mouths to to ask, a simple-minded woman stepped forward and smiled, asking, "You two are here to register at Shrek Academy, right? The journey must have been tiring. Have something to eat first? There are quite a few people inside now, so you'll probably have to queue and wait to get in."
Faced with this sudden friendliness, Tang San and Xiao Wu were both slightly stunned, as if they had arrived at Spirit Jade Restaurant.
However, Tang San wouldn't casually accept kindness from strangers, but he didn't refuse directly either. Instead, he smiled as well, planning to explain...
But before Tang San could speak, Xiao Wu beside him suddenly saw a carrot-shaped pastry on the table inside the pavilion, and her eyes instantly lit up.
"Then thank you, auntie!" Xiao Wu replied, flashing directly to the table and picking up the carrot-shaped pastry.
Tang San looked at Xiao Wu's sudden action and frowned. In this unfamiliar place, facing a stranger's friendliness, Xiao Wu was too lacking in vigilance.
However, the woman and the others saw Xiao Wu's initiative and all chuckled, saying, "Young lady, there are fruits and juices over here. Take your time and enjoy."
Xiao Wu happily nodded her head. "Thank you all, you're so kind."
Tang San, however, wasn't as casual as Xiao Wu. But since Xiao Wu had already started eating, he could only smile and walk to the table.
Tang San casually asked, "Hello, how did you know we're here to register at Shrek Academy?"
The woman smiled and replied, "You two are young yet have extraordinary bearing. Only noble Spirit Masters could possess such temperament. And your ages look about the same as the children who come to register at our Shrek Academy, so we're quite sure."
Hearing this, Tang San raised an eyebrow. "It seems... these villagers have a very good relationship with this Shrek Academy?"
Then Tang San took the opportunity to ask some of his doubts. When he got the villagers' explanations, Tang San seemed to understand why his teacher had recommended him to come to this Shrek Academy.
According to what the villagers said, after Shrek Academy was established here, they often helped the villagers here. Especially in recent years, they helped renovate houses and gave them food. It could be said they were completely a benevolent academy.
And most importantly, not only did Shrek Academy have a good reputation among the villagers, but this academy was also called the Monster Academy.
Shrek Academy's admission requirements were extremely strict because they only cultivate geniuses, so-called "monsters."
Shrek Academy had many students applying each year, but those who were actually admitted were few and far between...
After a long while, Tang San and Xiao Wu had rested well, so they bid farewell to the enthusiastic villagers and headed toward Shrek Academy.
Entering the village, there were signs pointing the way all along. When they arrived at the entrance of Shrek Academy, they saw that quite a few people had gathered there, most of them teenagers about their age, with parents accompanying most of them.
And it seemed that Shrek Academy was quite impressive. Although it was established in a village, one could tell just from the school gate that this academy was no ordinary place.
Although the school gate couldn't be considered magnificent, it possessed a simple yet elegant scholarly air.
On the archway made of precious wood hung a plaque with five large characters carved on it - Shrek Academy.
In front of these five characters, there was also a green head that looked like the head of a humanoid monster, green and somewhat cute. This monster head was the school emblem that Flander had carefully chosen for his Shrek Academy - Shrek.
At the school gate entrance, there was also a simple pavilion. In the pavilion was a table, behind which sat an old man of about sixty years old. Beside the old man stood a handsome young man with red hair.
The old man was Li Yusong, and the handsome young man with red hair was Ma Hongjun. Today was the academy's enrollment day, and he had been dragged here to help out.
At this moment, a teenager came to the table to register. Li Yusong said lazily, "The registration fee is ten gold soul coins, just put them in that box."
The teenager's father quickly took out ten gold soul coins and placed them in a nearby box.
Then Li Yusong said, "Extend one hand."
The teenager did as instructed and extended his hand to Li Yusong. The old man pinched it twice, then shook his head and said, "Your age doesn't meet the requirements. You can go."
The teenager was stunned for a moment, then looked back at his father. The thirteen-year-old boy seemed helpless at this moment, not knowing what to do.
The father quickly said with a flattering smile, "Teacher, my son just turned thirteen yesterday. Could you perhaps make an exception?"
Li Yusong looked up at the child's father, a hint of helplessness flashing across his face, and said, "You should know the academy's rules. We only accept children under thirteen here. Anyone over thirteen, or whose Spirit Power level and Spirit Ring requirements don't meet the standard, will not be accepted. You can go."
Upon hearing this, the teenager's father sighed and then said, "Then our registration fee..."
Li Yusong pointed to the box beside him: "Take it yourself."
Shrek was no short on money now, so the scene of scamming registration fees from the original story naturally wouldn't appear. After this unqualified child left, Li Yusong spoke again, but this time to everyone who was lining up to register.
Li Yusong said, "To register at our Shrek Academy, you should first understand the rules. If you don't understand them and come here, you're just wasting everyone's time. Do you know the meaning of 'Shrek' in Shrek Academy?"
Most of the applicants looked blank after hearing Li Yusong's words.
Li Yusong continued: "Shrek is a monster, an extremely strange existence even among Soul Beasts. The meaning of our Shrek Academy is Monster Academy. In other words, we only accept monsters here, not ordinary people. If you're over thirteen years old, or your Spirit Power hasn't reached level twenty-one or higher, don't waste your time here."
Tang San and Xiao Wu, who were at the end of the line, heard Li Yusong's words and instantly became even more interested in this so-called Shrek Academy. An academy that only accepts monsters? Didn't the word "monster" have another meaning - genius?
And all the people who were preparing to register couldn't help but murmur among themselves after hearing Li Yusong's words, and the noisy sounds instantly rose.
Most of them felt that Shrek Academy was all name and no reality. How could it have stricter requirements than advanced Spirit Masters when it was established in a village?
However, Li Yusong seemed to be used to it, as a boundlessly powerful aura suddenly erupted from his body, causing everyone present to involuntarily shudder.
A rich Spirit Power light suddenly burst forth from Li Yusong's body, a long staff with countless intricate patterns appearing in his right hand. Most terrifying of all, a total of six Spirit Rings rose from beneath his feet, the brilliant light instantly becoming the focus of the entire scene.
The colors of the six Spirit Rings were respectively one white, one yellow, three purple, and one black. That was one ten-year Spirit Ring, one hundred-year Spirit Ring, three thousand-year Spirit Rings, and one ten-thousand-year Spirit Ring.
This old man who looked like an ordinary farmer to everyone was actually a Spirit Emperor powerhouse of over level sixty.
Li Yusong's staff fell to the ground with a low muffled sound, causing almost everyone to stagger in their steps.
Li Yusong's voice slowly rang out: "Next."
The Spirit Ring's light converged, and all the Spirit Power pressure instantly disappeared. Li Yusong returned to his previous lazy appearance, as if the Spirit Emperor's aura he had released earlier wasn't his at all.
If some parents had been displeased with Li Yusong's words before, now everyone was as silent as cicadas in winter. Who would dare to offend a Spirit Emperor level powerhouse? And this Spirit Emperor was actually just someone in charge of registration?
Many things couldn't be thought about too deeply, because once you did, you would discover the terror within.
These students who came to register were all graduates from primary Spirit Master academies, and according to their experience, the teachers in charge of registration usually weren't very powerful, right?
Yet the teacher in charge of registration for this Shrek Academy was actually a Spirit Emperor? Just how terrifying was this Shrek Academy? No wonder their requirements were so strict.
And at the very back, Tang San and Xiao Wu were also stunned by Li Yusong's strength. The Tang San of today hadn't seen any true powerhouses yet; even the principal of Nuoding Academy was only a Spirit Sect.
And in this Shrek Academy, a Spirit Emperor level powerhouse who would be considered an honored guest anywhere was actually just a teacher in charge of registration?
Suddenly, Tang San felt that his teacher seemed quite far-sighted, instantly elevating him to a level he couldn't have reached otherwise.
At this moment, the disdain and contempt in the eyes of other parents and registering students instantly vanished. A teacher in charge of registration had strength of over level sixty, so just how powerful was the teaching faculty of Shrek Academy?
However, soon most parents showed expressions of regret, silently taking their children and leaving. The queue that had once numbered over a hundred was now down to just a dozen or so registrants in the blink of an eye.
Reaching level twenty Spirit power at twelve years old, just as the old man had said, was probably a level only monsters could achieve.
Those who remained were clearly confident in passing Li Yusong's test. The next few registering youths all had Spirit power over level twenty, possessing two Spirit Rings.
After paying a registration fee of ten gold coins, Li Yusong told them they had passed the first part of the entrance examination and could enter the academy for the second part, but parents couldn't enter with the examinees.
At the back of the queue, while watching the registrants in front, Xiao Wu's mood had become excited. She whispered in Tang San's ear: "This academy seems quite interesting, especially that teacher's saying that they only accept monsters, not ordinary people. That's so cool."
Tang San smiled and said: "You won't doubt your teacher's advice anymore now. This Shrek Academy is anything but ordinary."
Since they had already moved forward, they could naturally see Ma Hongjun standing beside Li Yusong up close. Ma Hongjun was the one responsible for guiding the preliminarily qualified students into the academy.
And when Xiao Wu clearly saw Ma Hongjun's face, she subconsciously said: "So handsome, and his build is even better than yours, brother!"
Hearing this, Tang San couldn't help but frown. He didn't know why, but whenever Xiao Wu praised another boy, he would inexplicably feel annoyed.
And Tang San, with better eyesight than Xiao Wu, had naturally already seen Ma Hongjun. What he saw differently from Xiao Wu, besides his handsomeness, was that this handsome red-haired young man beside the Spirit Emperor teacher, whether in temperament, spirit, or the calm and composed manner he displayed, was different from all the peers he had ever encountered.
Even Tang San had a feeling that this handsome young red-haired man was by no means simple, and that his strength might even surpass his own.
And this was a feeling Tang San had never experienced before. Although his Spirit Blue was called a waste Spirit, his innate Spirit Power was level ten, and his cultivation speed was the highest among all his peers.
At just twelve years old, he had already reached level twenty-nine, a level that would absolutely allow him to pass the entrance exam for a high-level Spirit Master Academy, so his talent can be seen.
But from a young man of about the same age, he felt for the first time that he was not as skilled as the other person.
Meanwhile, Ma Hongjun had already brought several students who had passed the first test into the academy and didn't notice Tang San and Xiao Wu's gaze at all.
Just as Tang San was sizing up Ma Hongjun, suddenly, a light "huh" sound pulled Tang San's gaze back.
He saw Li Yusong's face showing an expression of surprise and uncertainty. At this moment, a young girl stood before him, having just withdrawn her outstretched hand.
This young girl was not accompanied by her parents, she was alone.
Her simple white glazed silk dress gave people a very clean feeling. Her smooth, delicate long hair fell, and her height was about half a head shorter than Xiao Wu beside Tang San. The girl's face was exquisite, her skin was delicate and fair, looking very beautiful, like a princess who had walked out of a storybook.
"Excuse me, can I pass the preliminary test?" The girl's voice was soft and pleasant to hear, with less heroism, but it sounded soft and made people feel a kind of limp feeling.
The surprise on Li Yusong's face gradually subsided, and he frowned: "Did your family know you were coming here?"
The girl didn't directly answer his question, but just smiled and said: "It is said that there is teaching without distinction. As long as I meet the academy's requirements, you have no reason not to accept me, right?"
Li Yusong hesitated for a moment before waving to Ma Hongjun who had just returned and said: "Hongjun, take her in."
After seeing the girl's appearance, Ma Hongjun couldn't help but brighten his eyes, because this was the only girl he had ever seen whose looks and temperament were not inferior to his sister-in-law Dugu Yan and his younger sister Zhu Zhuqing.
But the current Ma Hongjun was not the little lecher from the original story. He just glanced at the girl and said to her: "Follow me."
(End of this chapter)