Chapter 37: Stealing Concepts.
Soon, Dai Mubai led them to an open space. It was surrounded by wooden houses, and the area was about five hundred square meters, located right in the center of Shrek Academy. The candidates who had passed the preliminary test were ahead, and the distinct spirit power fluctuations caused the air to tremble irregularly.
Dai Mubai pointed to the candidates lining up and explained to the two girls, "As long as your spirit power exceeds level twenty-five, you can proceed directly to the fourth test, saving you time here. The person whose martial soul was Golden Veined Grass earlier went directly to the fourth test."
"Oh, I'm level twenty-six. Then I should also be able to go directly to the fourth test," Ning Rongrong said, nodding. She then turned to Zhu Zhuqing and asked, "Zhuqing, what about you? What level are you?"
Zhu Zhuqing replied indifferently, "I have level twenty-seven spirit power."
"In that case, I'll take both of you directly to the fourth test," Dai Mubai said, nodding after hearing their levels. He then turned and led them deeper into the academy.
As they walked, Dai Mubai, hoping to ease the atmosphere, continued to introduce the academy to the two girls. "Our academy's entrance exam has a total of four tests. You've already experienced the first one, which eliminates candidates whose spirit power is below level twenty-one or who are over thirteen years old. This test filters out the most people. The second test involves spirit power assessment and martial soul appraisal. Merely possessing strong spirit power isn't enough to prove one's future development potential. This test primarily evaluates the martial soul; only Soul Masters whose martial souls possess ample development potential and who have cultivated in the correct direction can enter the third test. Of course, if a martial soul is extremely unique and unusual, it can also be selected."
Hearing Dai Mubai's words, Zhu Zhuqing remained expressionless, but inwardly, a hint of anticipation for this academy began to grow. After all, for an academy to use such rigorous screening methods to recruit students, it must have some tricks up its sleeve, right? Perhaps it even possessed some exclusive secrets for cultivating students.
Dai Mubai continued, "The fourth test is a test of practical combat experience. Some students might have good martial souls and excellent control over them, but having lived in noble families since childhood, pampered and coddled, they have no understanding of the outside world, let alone combat. Such students are also not accepted by the academy. "
Listening to him, Ning Rongrong couldn't help but feel he was inexplicably talking about her. She retorted, "Are you recruiting students or picking wives?! This is too strict. No wonder the teacher at the entrance said you only accept monsters here. Only monsters could possibly pass these four tests. I'd like to ask, how many students does Shrek Academy currently have? How many students does it recruit each year?"
Hearing her soul-stirring question, Dai Mubai couldn't help but give a bitter smile. "Since its establishment twenty years ago, our Shrek Academy has admitted a total of forty-two students. On average, that's a little over two per year. Before this, the academy hadn't accepted any new students for two years. Currently, including myself, there are only three students studying here."
"Three?"
Ning Rongrong couldn't help but exclaim. Zhu Zhuqing also frowned slightly, clearly surprised by this number. An academy with only three students—was it still an academy? This place didn't seem reliable at all!
Dai Mubai said somewhat awkwardly, "On the entire Douluo Continent, we can be considered the only academy with more teachers than students. Even after admitting you, the number of students in our academy will definitely not exceed the number of teachers."
Ning Rongrong frowned and said, "In that case, how can the academy survive? Without a source of students, there should be no income, right?"
Dai Mubai replied, "Otherwise, why do you think our academy is in such a small village? It's because of a lack of funds. If my family hadn't sponsored some, the academy would probably have closed last year. If we can't recruit any more students this year, then the three of us currently studying will be Shrek Academy's final class."
"Then why doesn't the academy relax some of the entrance exam requirements? I see quite a few people signing up," Ning Rongrong said, puzzled.
At this, Dai Mubai immediately perked up. A look of respect appeared on his face as he said, "The Dean has said, 'Better to have nothing than to have mediocrity.' No matter what, even if Shrek Academy has to close its doors, we will never accept trash. We only accept monsters. Do you know what our academy's graduation requirements are? We are neither an intermediate soul master academy nor an advanced soul master academy because our requirements are different from theirs. We only accept students under thirteen years old, and they must be exceptionally talented!
"The academy's graduation condition is to exceed level forty, and specifically, to reach the Soul Ancestor stage before the age of twenty. Only then are you permitted to graduate."
"The academy has admitted a total of sixty-two students, but only fourteen have truly graduated. After these fourteen left the academy, every single one of them became a figure of worldwide renown. The most outstanding among them is now the youngest elder in Spirit Hall, with authority second only to the Pontiff!
"The rest who didn't graduate either failed to complete the cultivation to level forty before the age of twenty or died while hunting soul beasts. The Dean has said, 'If you haven't reached level forty-one, don't go out there and embarrass him!'" By the end of his speech, Dai Mubai's emotions had clearly been stirred,
Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong both stared speechlessly at the completely brainwashed Dai Mubai. Recalling his words, and then thinking back to Shrek's recruitment advertisement—which claimed one could become an Imperial Viscount upon graduation—they realized the truth. The academy hadn't lied. It had merely twisted the concept.
"You can't graduate before you're twenty if you're not level 41?!"
Ning Rongrong couldn't help but say sarcastically, "No wonder your academy dares to claim that one can become an Imperial Viscount upon graduation. Indeed, for a twenty-year-old level 41 Soul Ancestor, isn't getting a title of nobility simple?"
In this world, the status of Soul Masters was very high. High-level Soul Masters, in particular, were key targets for the empires' nobility. With the rank of a Soul Ancestor, combined with the potential displayed by these graduating students—reaching Soul Ancestor at just twenty years old—their futures were truly promising.
The empires, seeing the potential of these Soul Masters, would certainly be more than willing to bestow a title without a fiefdom to win over such geniuses.
Therefore, in conclusion, it was clear that Shrek Academy's operation was a complete con. They were taking credit for a reward their students were bound to achieve in the future anyway.
"You can't say that! If it weren't for the academy's cultivation, they wouldn't have achieved so much…" Hearing this, Dai Mubai, who had been completely brainwashed, immediately grew displeased.
Seeing Dai Mubai open his mouth to retort, Ning Rongrong interrupted him before he could finish. "Also, you said that one of the graduates you mentioned is already the youngest elder in Spirit Hall, with authority second only to the Pontiff?"
"Don't you know that all known elders in Spirit Hall are at least Titled Douluos?" By this point, the contempt in Ning Rongrong's eyes was practically overflowing.
(end of chapter)
Can you guys join my Discord? I'll soon be announcing my website there. I'll upload 10 chapters daily instead of 5, and on the opening day I'll upload 15–25 chapters depending on the novel. The Discord link is on my profile.