"To obtain truly high-quality thousand-year soul rings—or even something greater—you must venture into the wild habitats of soul beasts."
"Although your current strength is decent, going alone would be far too dangerous."
"My plan is this: once we arrive at Shrek Academy, I'll have a friend take you there."
"This is the safest option."
The three of them naturally had no objections.
...
At noon on graduation day.
At the city gate of Notting City.
Grandmaster Matthew and Deacon Su Yuntao—two grown men—were crying like children.
"Xiao Chuan! Wuuu..."
Matthew clutched Lin Chuan's hand tightly.
Tears streamed down his wrinkled face, and all the dignity he usually carried as a branch manager had completely vanished.
"Now that you're leaving… it feels like a piece of my heart has been torn out! It feels so empty!"
Matthew wiped his tears, his hands trembling as he pulled out a purple-gold card from his chest and stuffed it into Lin Chuan's hands before he could refuse.
"Take it! Quickly, take it!"
"This is a Gold Soul Coin card. It contains all my life savings… and the money Yuntao got from selling his old house back home!"
Beside him, Su Yuntao's eyes were red, his voice choked with emotion.
"That's right, Xiao Chuan! Take it!"
"The outside world is nothing like our Notting City—everything costs more."
"You're still growing. Don't mistreat yourselves when it comes to food and clothing!"
He patted Lin Chuan heavily on the shoulder, as if pouring all his expectations into that single gesture.
"When you reach the big city, if any blind fool dares to bully you, show them your soul rings! Scare those arrogant bastards senseless!"
"Don't forget—no matter how far you go, our Notting City Spirit Hall will always be your home!"
"If you ever get tired… come back."
Lin Chuan looked at the two men, their emotions laid bare.
Holding the Soul Coin card that still carried their warmth, something deep in his heart was stirred.
At the beginning, this had indeed been an investment driven by profit.
But over the past six years—every holiday gift, every extra meal secretly arranged…
That care had long since surpassed mere investment. It had become something real.
Lin Chuan took a deep breath, carefully putting away the card. His expression grew more serious than ever before.
He gripped their hands firmly and said in a low voice:
"Grandpa Matthew, Big Brother Su Yuntao… don't worry."
"I, Lin Chuan, will remember every bit of your kindness."
A sharp glint flashed across his eyes.
"When I make a name for myself, I will definitely come back to support you."
"And when that day comes… I'll make that Salas fellow serve you tea and water!"
"Good! Good! Good!"
Matthew trembled with excitement, repeating the word three times in a row.
"With those words from you… even if I die now, it would all be worth it! Truly worth it!"
---
As for their destination—
Matthew naturally strongly recommended the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy or the advanced academies of the Spirit Hall.
After all, the resources there were unmatched—places where Lin Chuan could soar even higher.
With the talent of Lin Chuan and Tang San, once word spread—
The Heaven Dou Imperial Academy would practically roll out the red carpet to recruit them.
Matthew had pushed for these options repeatedly. The resources and backing behind them were simply too immense.
But Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang offered a completely different perspective.
"Xiao San, Lin Chuan."
The Grandmaster stood with his hands behind his back, gazing toward the southern sky.
"The Imperial Academy is indeed magnificent. Its simulated cultivation environment ranks among the best on the continent."
"But it is also too comfortable."
"The atmosphere is steeped in nobility—filled with intrigue and vanity."
"That kind of environment is like a greenhouse. It cannot produce towering trees that can withstand storms."
He turned around, his gaze burning as it landed on the two of them.
"I suggest you go to Soto City, in the Balak Kingdom."
"To the south of that city lies a small village. There, you will find an academy called Shrek."
"I mentioned it to you before."
"Shrek?" Tang San recalled it vaguely—it had come up during the discussion of his third soul ring.
So the teacher had connections there…
A trace of fervor appeared in the Grandmaster's eyes.
"Shrek refers to a strange and powerful kind of monster."
"That academy only accepts monsters—not ordinary people."
He stepped forward and placed a hand on Tang San's shoulder.
"Xiao San, your talent is exceptional. But you need pressure."
"Only their unconventional teaching methods—and classmates even stranger than yourself—can fully draw out your potential and turn you into a true monster."
"Moreover, the dean there is a close friend of mine."
"He is a Soul Saint. With him helping you hunt high-quality thousand-year soul beasts, it will be effortless."
After saying this, the Grandmaster turned to Lin Chuan—who was currently yawning.
His serious expression instantly collapsed into something far more complicated.
"As for Lin Chuan… he is already a monster among monsters."
"Perhaps he'll even pick up a ten-thousand-year soul ring in the Star Dou Forest by accident."
He said this half-jokingly.
Lin Chuan: ...That might not necessarily be a joke.
---
Tang San did not immediately agree.
Instead, he turned his head and looked firmly at Lin Chuan.
"I'll follow Big Brother."
"Wherever Big Brother goes, I go."
Beside him, Xiao Wu casually played with her scorpion braid and nodded.
"I don't mind either. As long as I'm with San-ge, anywhere is fine."
"Anyway, that Imperial Academy sounds boring. Too many rules."
All eyes turned to Lin Chuan.
Lin Chuan rubbed his chin, pretending to think.
His gaze swept over Tang San and Xiao Wu before settling on Tang San.
"Then the three of us will go to Shrek Academy together."
He smiled, giving Tang San a meaningful look.
"After all, you've already taken Xiao Wu as your sister. We're family now—so we should stick together."
Tang San's face instantly turned red to the roots of his ears, completely flustered.
But beneath the embarrassment, a warm surge filled his chest.
Looking at Lin Chuan, his thoughts began racing:
"Big Brother… he must be disregarding Shrek's poor conditions for my sake."
"With his talent, he could easily go to the Spirit Hall or the Imperial Academy and become the center of attention, enjoying the best resources."
"Big Brother is sacrificing himself for me!"
Tang San's eyes grew slightly moist.
But he held it back.
This wasn't the first time Big Brother had sacrificed for him.
He silently vowed to treat him even better in the future.
---
As for Lin Chuan?
Freedom and the absence of rules were all he cared about.
"Imperial Academy? Is that even a place for humans? Dealing with nobles every day would exhaust me."
"Shrek is perfect. Just a broken village—no one cares. I can sleep as long as I want."
"And if I need Immortal Herbs… I'll just go find Dugu Bo."
With that, Lin Chuan waved his hand decisively.
"Let's go to Shrek!"
---
For every 100 power stones , there will be a bonus chapter.