Four years later.
Shrek Academy.
The training grounds.
Crowds surged and bustled.
"Line up properly, line up! Everyone, keep order! One at a time, head over to Teacher Li first to check your bone age!" Dai Mubai barked out commands, maintaining discipline at the scene. Today was none other than Shrek Academy's enrollment day.
After four years of development, Shrek Academy was no longer the dilapidated little place it had once been. The old bamboo fences had long been replaced by sturdy stone walls. The Academy's gate now stood as a newly built stone archway, atop which gleamed five bold characters—"Shrek Academy"—personally written by Flender himself.
Of course, if one were to carefully compare, Shrek Academy was still far from matching those advanced spirit master academies. But dormitories, cafeterias, classrooms, and even specialized training equipment—all of it had been newly constructed, and everything essential was now available. And all of this, without question, was thanks to Qian Jue and Dai Mubai.
Time flowed swiftly. In these four years, Qian Jue had reached thirteen years of age, his soul power climbing to level 37. Dai Mubai was even more impressive—already level 39, brushing against the threshold of Spirit Ancestor. It wouldn't be long before he broke through and became a Spirit Ancestor, setting a record as the youngest in Shrek's history to reach that level.
Of course, how long that record would stand was uncertain. Just like the previous record for reaching Spirit Elder—Dai Mubai had only held it for less than a year before it was broken by Qian Jue. Now, the academy's record for advancing to Spirit Elder at the age of eleven was created by Qian Jue himself. This was a record that probably no one would be able to surpass in the future.
As for the others—Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Oscar—they too had all recently broken through rank 30. Oscar, the fastest among them, had already reached it a month earlier. Grandmaster had already planned: after enrollment finished, he would lead the students once more into the Star Dou Forest to hunt for spirit rings. And if they managed to recruit new students this year, it would be the perfect opportunity to integrate them into Shrek's team.
"Unqualified. You may leave. Next."
Having checked the bone age of the child before him and finding he had already exceeded fourteen, Li Yusong spoke calmly.
"Why! Teacher, my son was among the top ranks at his elementary academy! His first spirit ring is even a hundred years old! How could he not qualify?" The child's parent cried out in disbelief.
"Oh? Then how much soul power does your son have? Has he surpassed rank 25? Has he touched the threshold of Spirit Elder yet?"
"What? Spirit Elder? Oh—yes, yes! He's touched it! My son's soul power is already rank 19. Once he gets his second spirit ring, he'll be a Grandmaster!"
Li Yusong rolled his eyes.
"I said Spirit Elder, not Grandmaster. That's why I said your son is unqualified."
"What! Spirit Elder? You're recruiting students with Spirit Elder-level requirements? Are you admitting teachers or students? If one already had the strength of a Spirit Elder, why would they need to attend an academy at all? What kind of place is this—you're too harsh, your standards are absurd!"
Huff.
Faced with the parent's outrage, Li Yusong exhaled lightly.
"Mubai."
"On it!"
Dai Mubai, who had been maintaining order nearby, immediately responded. With a wave, he released his martial spirit.
Four years had passed, and Dai Mubai's figure had grown even more imposing. With his spirit possessed state amplifying his presence, just standing there radiated an overwhelming aura. The furious parent instantly faltered, retreating several steps in fear.
Li Yusong pointed toward the rings circling Dai Mubai's feet: two yellow, one purple.
"See this? Over fourteen years old—this is our Academy's standard. Your son, at fourteen, has not even reached Spirit Grandmaster, so I said he's unqualified. Any objections? By the way, Mubai, didn't we already post the admission requirements? Why are these parents still bringing ordinary children here?"
"Mm… maybe they thought our requirements were just exaggeration. After all, how many thirteen-and-under geniuses with soul power over rank 25 can there really be?" Dai Mubai replied helplessly.
Li Yusong, however, was unfazed.
"Plenty. Isn't that exactly what our Academy is filled with? Forget it—I'll just announce it again. Otherwise testing every single child is too troublesome. Frankly, Flender never should have canceled the non-refundable enrollment fee rule. That way, there wouldn't be so many crowding in."
Rising from his seat, Li Yusong turned toward the long line of applicants. He released his martial spirit—a dragon-patterned staff appeared swiftly in his grasp.
Boom!
Slamming the staff into the ground, he released his soul power. The aura of a Spirit Emperor erupted outward, unrestrained. The crowd, which had been whispering among themselves, fell silent at once.
"You parents bringing your children here—did none of you even bother to read our enrollment notice? Do you know what 'Shrek' means? It means 'monster'! And our Shrek Academy is an academy that accepts only monsters! If your child is over thirteen and their soul power has not exceeded rank 25, then stop wasting everyone's time! Next!"
With that, Li Yusong sat back down, waving his hand to dismiss the stunned child and parent before him.
After his display, murmurs spread quickly through the crowd. It wasn't that they hadn't seen the requirements before—they simply hadn't believed them. But now that the teacher himself had stated them, they could no longer deny it. Their children truly couldn't get in.
And besides—if even an admissions teacher was a Spirit Emperor, then this academy truly held strength. Many now believed the enrollment pamphlet's claim: that Shrek graduates could become barons of the Empire upon graduation.
With sighs of disappointment, the once-packed line thinned rapidly. More than half departed, leaving barely a dozen or so still standing.
"That's more like it." Li Yusong nodded, satisfied. "I said it already—four years without a proper candidate, what use is there in crowds like this? Stretch out your hand."
He gestured to the girl before him to extend her hand, beginning to test her bone age.
But after only a couple of touches, Li Yusong's expression shifted to surprise. His eyes lifted, stunned as he studied the girl across the table.
"How is it, Teacher? May I pass?" the girl asked sweetly, her soft voice pleasing to the ear.
"You qualify, yes… but does your family know you're here?" Li Yusong frowned, clearly aware of some issue with her background.
"They don't. But isn't it said that education should be without class distinction? And I perfectly meet your Academy's requirements. Under thirteen, soul power above rank 25. You seem to have no reason to refuse me, do you?"
"…True enough." Li Yusong nodded reluctantly. "Very well, you pass. Wait over there. Mubai will take you to the next test later. Whatever trouble comes after, that won't be my problem."
"Okay." The girl agreed obediently and stepped to Dai Mubai's side. Mubai turned his head to glance at her, his gaze openly admiring.
Yes—only admiration. With Qian Jue, Tang San, and Xiao Wu joining early, Dai Mubai had seen hope in his family struggles ahead of time. Because of this, in recent years, he hadn't spent his days chasing women or stirring up trouble, but had devoted nearly all his efforts to cultivating his strength. Proof lay in the fact that his soul power was now two levels higher than in the original timeline.
"Didn't I already say—if you're over thirteen, don't bother coming? Your son is already fifteen!"
Just as Dai Mubai was quietly admiring the girl's cuteness, Li Yusong's voice rose in irritation once more.
"Yes, yes, he's fifteen, I know. But Teacher, not only has my son's soul power already surpassed rank 25, both of his spirit rings are hundred-year rings! Can't you make an exception for that?"
The boy currently being tested had indeed already turned fifteen. His parent, however, insisted on keeping him in line because his soul power met the minimum, and both of his rings were of hundred-year age.
Looking at the humbled, pleading parent before him, Li Yusong pressed down his temper. After all, parents only wanted the best for their children.
"This isn't about my leniency. Perhaps your son is indeed talented. But he is still a step away from being a true monster. Forcing him to integrate into our Academy would only harm him. Look at our students. Take Dai Mubai, for example—he's also fifteen, but his soul power has already reached rank 39. Do you really think your son, so far behind, could possibly keep up? I advise you to consider another academy. If what you say is true, he should have no trouble being accepted elsewhere."
Hearing Li Yusong's patient reasoning, the parent turned to his son. Only now did he notice that the boy had lost the confidence he once held in his elementary academy, instead staring fearfully at the imposing Dai Mubai.
At last, the parent seemed to understand.
"Sigh… thank you for your counsel, Teacher. I've been too stubborn. Come on, son. After waiting this long, you must be hungry. Let's go eat first. Then we'll check out that Canghui Academy (Blue Sunshine Academy) —sounds like a fine place, and it should suit you better."
Offering Li Yusong a grateful bow, the parent took his son and departed from Shrek Academy. Their fading conversation drifted back faintly on the wind.
…