Faced with Yu Xiaogang's earnest and heavy-handed reprimand,
while Flender stood there awkwardly,
Ning Rongrong was left utterly speechless, her thoughts brimming with silent criticism.
'The pot calling the kettle black.'
'You criticize Dean Flender for collecting non-refundable registration fees, yet you've been freeloading meals at Nuoding Academy without paying a single coin.'
'And you probably haven't even taught a proper class there, have you?'
'Otherwise, Wang Sheng and the other work-study students wouldn't think of you as some useless Grandmaster who just eats for free.'
As the comparison video laid bare the less flattering aspects of Shrek Academy, Ning Rongrong felt a wave of embarrassment wash over her. For the first time, she seriously considered withdrawing from the academy.
Otherwise, she feared that in the future, others might point fingers at her.
Even imagining such a scene was mortifying.
She was, after all, the dignified little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. How could she tolerate such humiliation?
[After the father and son who demanded a refund were driven away,]
[the line instantly shrank by nearly a third. After all, no one was willing to waste money for nothing.]
[Soon after, another young boy, accompanied by his parents, stepped forward to register. After his bone age was tested, it was confirmed that he was exactly twelve years old, meeting the requirement.]
[However, the old man in charge of registration then asked the boy to summon his Martial Spirit and display his spirit rings. His spirit was a type of vine, and his first ring was a hundred-year spirit ring.]
[Even so, the old man declared that the boy did not meet the admission criteria.]
[This left the entire family stunned.]
[The boy's mother couldn't help but protest, "Why? My son was a top student at his junior academy. Didn't you see that his Martial Spirit already has a hundred-year spirit ring?"]
[The old man replied indifferently, "A hundred-year spirit ring is indeed decent, but he is merely an ordinary person."]
[The boy's father frowned, clearly unable to understand what the old man meant.]
[Growing impatient, the old man stood up and addressed the crowd loudly, "If you wish to register at Shrek Academy, you should first understand our rules. Otherwise, you're just throwing away your registration fee!"]
["Do you know what 'Shrek' means? Shrek is a monster. Even among Spirit Beasts, it is an exceptionally peculiar existence."]
["And the meaning of our Shrek Academy is simple. We are an academy for monsters. We do not accept ordinary people!"]
["To qualify for registration, you must reach at least level twenty-one in spirit power before the age of thirteen!"]
Reaching the level of a Spirit Grandmaster before the age of thirteen.
The moment this requirement was revealed in the comparison video, countless Spirit Masters across both the Black World and the White World were stunned, struggling to believe what they had just heard.
The standard was simply too high.
White World, Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
"Teacher Qin Ming, are the admission requirements for Shrek Academy in our White World the same?" Yu Feng asked, his voice filled with disbelief.
"Of course," Qin Ming replied, his tone brimming with pride.
"Our Shrek Academy has always upheld the principle of quality over quantity. We only accept monsters."
"That is precisely why Shrek Academy has produced so many outstanding graduates, myself included."
Heaven Water Academy.
"The admission requirements of Shrek Academy in the Black World are incredibly high. It really does seem extraordinary," Shui Yue'er exclaimed, her eyes wide with admiration.
"No wonder they were able to attract a genius like Dai Mubai from the Star Luo Imperial Family."
However, Shui Bing'er frowned slightly.
Unlike Shui Yue'er, who tended to focus more on appearances than deeper reasoning, Shui Bing'er possessed both intelligence and composure. Her sharp mind and strong character were the very reasons she could lead the Heaven Water Team and earn the respect of all its members despite not being the eldest.
Yes, Shrek Academy's requirements were undeniably impressive.
An "academy for monsters" sounded grand and inspiring.
But the question remained.
Did Shrek Academy actually possess the teaching resources and capabilities worthy of such geniuses?
If not, how was it any different from an institution that aimed high but lacked the substance to support its ambitions?
[After finishing his explanation, the old man released a powerful aura, summoned his Dragon Pattern Staff Martial Spirit, and displayed his six spirit rings: one white, two yellow, three purple, and one black.]
[Upon realizing that the old man was a Spirit Emperor, the crowd fell into stunned silence.]
[At first, Xiao Wu had not thought much of Shrek Academy. However, after hearing the explanation, her interest was piqued, and excitement sparkled in her eyes.]
["This academy actually seems quite interesting. Especially what that teacher said. Only accepting monsters, not ordinary people. It sounds so cool!"]
[Tang San smiled faintly and replied, "Xiao Wu, you shouldn't doubt Grandmaster's judgment anymore. This Shrek Academy is definitely extraordinary."]
[As the line moved forward, a young girl finally passed the registration. Her Martial Spirit was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, and she came from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School.]
[Soon, it was Tang San and Xiao Wu's turn.]
[Both were twelve years old, had already reached the Spirit Grandmaster realm, and possessed optimal spirit ring configurations. Naturally, they passed with ease.]
[After them, another girl succeeded as well. She wore tight black leather attire, her jet-black hair styled into cat-ear buns. Her face was delicate and refined, while her figure combined slender elegance with striking curves.]
[Under Dai Mubai's guidance, the group then proceeded toward the inner grounds of Shrek Academy to undergo the remaining tests.]
[Only by passing every stage would they officially be admitted.]
White World, Dugu Residence.
Utilizing the visual concealment of the Blue Silver Domain, Tang Chuan flew swiftly through the air toward Heaven Dou Imperial City. As he descended toward the Dugu Residence,
he heard Dugu Bo's voice even before landing in the courtyard, filled with clear dissatisfaction.
"The requirements for Shrek Academy are ridiculously high!"
"Reaching the Spirit Grandmaster level before thirteen isn't even the only condition. There are several additional requirements on top of that."
"Yet, when you look at their facilities, the place is practically a rundown academy. It's not even as good as some junior academies in small cities."
"Even if they have a few Spirit Emperors and Spirit Saints, so what? Being strong doesn't mean they know how to teach!"
"And naming it after Shrek… sure, it's a rare Spirit Beast, but its strength is laughably weak. Otherwise, it wouldn't have gone extinct."
Hearing Dugu Bo's blunt complaints, Tang Chuan couldn't help but chuckle.
He truly lived up to his reputation as the first person in the original timeline to expose Yu Xiaogang's shortcomings to Tang San.
His criticism was sharp, precise, and impossible to refute.
Shrek Academy didn't just require students to reach Spirit Grandmaster before thirteen. It also demanded optimal spirit ring configurations, a proper cultivation path, and strong real combat ability.
Even more dangerously, students were required to risk their lives to hunt their fourth spirit ring independently in order to graduate.
With such conditions, the mortality rate among graduates was far from negligible.
In Tang Chuan's view, Shrek Academy was nothing more than an institution that set impossibly high standards while lacking the infrastructure and teaching capability to support them. It relied on reputation and deception to attract students, making it less of an academy and more of a perilous gamble for those who enrolled.
"Grandpa Dugu!"
After arriving at the residence, Tang Chuan dispelled the invisibility of the Blue Silver Domain and stepped into view. He then expressed his request, hoping that Dugu Bo could help him acquire a batch of hair crystals and slab crystals.
Dugu Bo immediately let out a hearty laugh and patted his chest in assurance, readily agreeing.
Not to mention the immense gratitude he already owed Tang Chuan for helping evolve his family's Martial Spirit and resolving the long-standing Biling poison,
even based solely on Tang Chuan's unparalleled talent and his potential to ascend to godhood in the future, this small favor was something Dugu Bo was more than willing to fulfill.