Chapter 54: I'm exempt

"Humph! What a scam this Shrek Academy is! I'm so unlucky!" the middle-aged man grumbled as he stormed away with his son, clearly frustrated. As a Soul Venerable, he had no choice but to accept defeat and leave in anger.

Although his outburst drew some attention, most people simply regarded it as a joke. It wasn't their problem, so they didn't really care.

"Look its that guy?" Xiao Wu muttered, her attention not on the man but on someone else—Dai Mubai. She noticed him watching them from a distance. Dai Mubai spotted them too but seemed to avoid making eye contact with Qin Feng, perhaps feeling uneasy.

"Next!" the old man at the registration desk called, bringing everyone's focus back to the test.

A middle-aged woman in a gray skirt stepped forward with her son. "Teacher, can my son join Shrek Academy?" she asked, placing a gold coin in the wooden box and prompting her son to reveal his martial spirit.

The old man took a quick glance and shook his head slightly. "No. Next."

His voice was calm, but the decision stung the woman.

"Why not? My son isn't over-aged, and he's got a century-old soul ring!" she protested, clearly upset. It seemed to her that all the power rested in the old man's casual decisions, and losing her gold coin so easily didn't sit well with her.

"Because your son is... an ordinary person," the old man said flatly, dismissing her.

"Ordinary?! My son has a century-old soul ring! How many of his peers can claim that? The teachers at Soto Intermediate Soul Master Academy are practically begging to have him!" she said proudly, her eyes gleaming.

For her, her son's talent was a point of pride. If it weren't for the promise from the Wuhun Palace about earning a Viscount title upon graduation, she would never have left Soto Intermediate Academy for this shabby place.

"Even if your son has a century-old soul ring, his soul power is still average," the old man said. Then, without warning, he stood up, and a powerful surge of energy filled the area.

Six soul rings appeared around him.

"A Soul Emperor?!" gasps filled the crowd as they witnessed this.

No one had expected that the old man, who seemed like a simple gatekeeper, was actually a Soul Emperor. The realization stunned the onlookers. Shrek Academy, it seemed, was hiding incredible talent. A Soul Emperor at this level was rare, and many Senior Soul Master Academies would be desperate to have such a strong figure on their staff.

The crowd's skepticism quickly faded. If a Soul Emperor was involved, Shrek Academy was clearly a place of excellence, no matter how run-down it appeared. For those lucky enough to study here, the opportunity was truly an honor.

However, just as people's hopes began to rise, the old man's words poured cold water on everyone.

"If you come to Shrek to sign up, you must understand what the name 'Shrek' stands for. Shrek means 'monster.' This is a school for monsters. We don't accept ordinary people. We only want monsters, do you understand?"

The old man's staff hit the ground with a thud, and a powerful wave of energy made it clear that his words were not to be taken lightly.

Hearing this, most people glanced at their children and left with a sigh, realizing that if they weren't exceptional, it was a waste of time and money.

"I didn't expect this old man to be so interesting," Xiao Wu said with a grin. "Especially that line about only accepting monsters. I think it's really cool!"

Tang San, too, found himself impressed. "See? The teacher wouldn't mislead us. I think we're in good hands."

Soon, the three of them reached the front of the line. Xiao Wu, having put her gold coins in the box, approached the old man.

"Well, bone age is correct," the old man said with a hint of satisfaction. He then moved on to Tang San, who also passed the bone age test without issue.

When it came to Qin Feng's turn, Tang San was puzzled. "Brother Feng, what's up with the delay? Aren't we all supposed to go through the process together?"

"This boy, are you with them? If so, you should measure your bone age too," the old man said, expecting Qin Feng to follow the standard procedure.

"Am I? I believe I'm exempt from admission," Qin Feng replied, his expression nonchalant.

Tang San, Xiao Wu, and even Dai Mubai in the distance were taken aback. Exempt from admission? This was unexpected and intriguing. They all looked toward the old man, hoping for clarification.

"You shouldn't be fooled by outsiders with fake certificates. At Shrek College, we've never had a test-free admission policy. You must pass the exam to be admitted," the old man said with a sneer, looking at Qin Feng with a hint of pity. Since its establishment, Shrek College had always required all students to undergo strict tests.

"Brother Feng, don't joke around. Come over and let the teacher test your bone age too," Tang San urged, trying to ease the awkwardness. He was confused about why Qin Feng would make such an odd statement when he usually had a sharp mind.

"Is it true or false if you don't test?" Qin Feng said nonchalantly as he pulled out the exemption notice that Flander had given him the previous day.

Li yusong, the old man at the registration desk, was momentarily stunned as he saw the notice. His initial skepticism faltered, and he looked at the notice with a mixture of surprise and confusion.

Dai Mubai, who had been observing, approached to get a closer look. While he was aware of Qin Feng's impressive abilities and the possibility that he could bypass the normal admission process, Dai Mubai had never seen an actual exemption notice. Shrek College had always been known for its strict admissions, and this was the first time Dai Mubai had encountered a situation like this.

Tang San and Xiao Wu, curious and a bit puzzled, also examined the notice with keen interest.

"Brother Feng, how did you get this exemption notice from Shrek College?" Xiao Wu asked, her tone a mix of curiosity and disbelief.

Tang San shared her surprise. "Yeah, how did you manage to get an exemption? We've always been told that everyone has to pass the test to get in."

Qin Feng shrugged casually. "Let's just say I have some connections. This notice is legitimate. I was given it by Flander himself."

Li yusong, still processing the situation, took another look at the notice, his demeanor softening. "If this is truly from Flander, then it must be valid. We don't typically have such notices, but if it's an official exemption, I suppose there's nothing more to be said."

The old man's tone was now more respectful, acknowledging the importance of the document in Qin Feng's possession.

With that, the focus shifted back to the registration process, and Qin Feng, along with Tang San and Xiao Wu, moved forward without further issue.