Chapter 53: Shrek registration

Originally, Zhu Si didn't want to get involved in such trivial matters. However, since the other party was the son of the city lord and his younger brother, he felt obligated to intervene. After all, if he wanted to develop his future prospects in Soto City, he would need the city lord's influence. If that weren't the case, what use would a 40th-level Soul Sect like him have?

In Zhu Si's eyes, the kids in front of him were merely Spirit gadmasters far beneath his level and completely vulnerable.

"Should I step in now?" Qin Feng's voice suddenly broke the tense silence.

Everyone turned their gaze toward him.

Boom!

In an instant, a black light flashed, and a terrifying force smashed directly into Zhu Si's face. His body flew tens of meters, crashing into a distant landscape sculpture, which shattered upon impact. Zhu Si lay motionless on the ground, looking as lifeless as a dead dog, seemingly knocked unconscious.

"Ten thousand years... a ten-thousand-year soul ring?!" Stam, the city lord's son, was utterly dumbfounded by the sight before him.

The person who had just incapacitated Zhu Si was around his age, yet somehow possessed a ten-thousand-year soul ring? Stam couldn't believe what he was seeing. But was this all just a trick? Did they plan this together?

"Move! Or do you want to end up like him?!" Qin Feng shouted coldly.

Qin Feng didn't care about dealing with small fries like this, but now he just wanted to get back to his hotel and rest. Tomorrow was an important day—he would accompany Tang San and Xiao Wu to their entrance exam at Shrek Academy, and later that night, he had a sparring match with Teacher Zhao Wuji. Of course, Qin Feng was also excited about what he might receive from the system the third time around.

His first reward had been that strange insect, while his second had been a valuable treasure. Now, he could only look forward to what the third reward would be. He couldn't help but appreciate how good the system was. Though it was often cold and silent, and the tasks were rare, it always gave him great rewards.

After Qin Feng's harsh warning, Stam and his lackeys scurried away like frightened rats. They had thought they were picking an easy target, but instead, they had stumbled upon a real danger.

"Pfft, and they ran away? What a bunch of cowards," Xiao Wu said, shaking her head in disappointment at how quickly they fled.

With the confrontation over, they made their way to the Rose Hotel. The hotel was undergoing emergency repairs, and many craftsmen were busy working both inside and outside. However, this didn't interfere with their stay, as there were other routes leading to the accommodation area.

The next morning.

"Brother Feng, are you in there?" A voice called out from outside Qin Feng's door.

After a moment, Qin Feng opened the door. Since they were heading to Shrek Academy today, everyone had woken up early.

Shrek Academy was located in a small, remote village, about two hours away from the city center. Naturally, they traveled by carriage.

Upon arriving around noon, they stepped out of the carriage and were greeted with a sight that left them speechless.

"Is this Shrek Academy? Why does it feel so... desolate?" Xiao Wu asked, looking around in confusion.

Even Tang San seemed shocked by what they saw. The place looked more like an old village house hidden in the mountains than an actual academy. Shrek Academy, in its current state, was far from impressive.

Despite the rundown appearance of Shrek Academy, there was a long, almost invisible line of people waiting to register, creating a lively atmosphere.

"Mom, are you sure this place is a mid-level Soul Master's Academy where I can become a Viscount after graduating?" A young boy in the line asked his mother innocently.

"This is what the Wuhun Palace said, so it should be true," the woman replied after some thought. She trusted the information from the Wuhun Palace, which was why they had traveled such a long distance to reach this remote village. The Wuhun Palace wouldn't lie, would they?

"But this place looks so shabby. Is it really a Soul Master Academy?" the boy asked again, his face showing clear disgust. Compared to other Soul Master Academies, Shrek Academy looked like it was from another world.

"Wow, Dad! This school is terrible! I'm a genius, and I deserve better than this garbage place," another boy complained loudly nearby.

Qin Feng and his companions had been waiting in line all morning and overheard many similar conversations. They realized that most of the people here had been convinced by the Wuhun Palace's promises that students could become Viscounts upon graduation, which was why they brought their children to this remote village.

"Isn't this starting to feel like the master might be tricking us?" Xiao Wu muttered, growing doubtful after hearing all the complaints for over an hour. She was beginning to question whether this school was really a legitimate mid-level academy.

"Maybe this isn't a real test. Maybe the real school is somewhere else?" Tang San suggested. He trusted that his teacher had a reason for sending him here and wouldn't do anything to harm him.

Soon enough, it was their turn to register. They noticed an old man sitting at the registration office, with a simple wooden box in front of him. Each prospective student placed one gold coin into the box before being asked to cast their martial spirit. If deemed suitable, the old man would nod and let them pass. If not, they were dismissed immediately.

"Next," the old man called softly after a disappointed woman left with her child.

A middle-aged man approached with his son and placed the registration fee in the box. But before they could begin, the old man raised his head and waved them away.

"Your son is too old for the test. He can't take it," the old man said flatly.

"Teacher, my son just turned the right age this year. Can't we make an exception?" the man asked with a forced smile.

"Over-age means over-age. Those are the rules of Shrek Academy," the old man replied firmly.

"What rules? This is clearly a scam to cheat us out of the registration fee! Give me my money back!" the middle-aged man shouted, his fists clenched in anger.

"Oh? You want the registration fee back?" the old man smirked, glancing at a large tree in the distance. "If you can defeat me, I'll refund the registration fee on the spot."

At that moment, a yellow-haired man leaped down from the tree. As he landed, three soul rings appeared around him—one of them a thousand-year soul ring.

"A thousand-year soul ring!" the angry man gasped in shock, his rage instantly replaced with fear.

The crowd that had been making noise earlier fell silent, not daring to say another word.