Chapter 74: Registration
After a journey of roughly half a shichen, the group finally arrived at Shrek City from the outskirts of the Great Star Dou Forest. This city, named after the academy itself, was far more bustling than one might imagine—shops and stalls lined both sides of the streets, and pedestrians streamed past in an endless flow. But Furina and her companions didn't linger in the city. They made their way directly toward Shrek Academy.
After walking for about another quarter hour, the view before them suddenly opened wide. A grand, awe-inspiring academy gate—a true masterpiece of architecture—stood imposingly at the far end of the road. The gate tower rose high and majestic, its eaves sweeping upward in elegant, graceful curves, exuding the quiet dignity and solemnity unique to a millennia-old institution.
Above the gate, five great gilt characters—"Shrek Academy"—blazed with bold, sweeping strokes, gleaming brilliantly beneath the slanting rays of the afternoon sun. Every line, every brushstroke, seemed to carry the weight of countless legends and histories, silently proclaiming the glory and gravitas of this place.
It was currently the tail end of the admissions season. But what came as a mild surprise was that the crowd queuing at the entrance to register wasn't particularly large—only a few scattered groups. This stood in stark contrast to the shoulder-to-shoulder crowds they'd passed in the city proper. The vast plaza felt somewhat empty, with only the faint, mournful whisper of the wind passing beneath the ancient gate.
Furina's eyes—those eyes that always seemed to pierce straight through to the heart of matters—swept across the surroundings and finally settled on those sparse, scattered figures. A note of playful amusement crept into her voice as she let out a soft "Oh?" and remarked, "It seems... the young talents seeking knowledge at this foremost academy under heaven are far fewer than I'd imagined this year." Her voice wasn't loud, yet it reached every ear with perfect clarity.
Bei Bei, upon hearing this, shook his head gently and explained, "Lady Furina, you may not be aware, but the majority of qualified new students actually completed their registration procedures days ago—or even earlier—through various channels."
He paused, his gaze skimming across the unmistakably wealthy and noble attire of those still waiting in line. His tone was even, yet pointed. "Students who can obtain a personal letter of recommendation from a city lord are, for the most part, of prominent family backgrounds. They naturally have the connections and resources to arrange everything well in advance, sparing them the need to suffer through the last-minute queues like ordinary students."
"So that's how it is," Furina nodded thoughtfully, her slender fingers resting lightly against her chin. "In other words, those who can smoothly enter through these 'recommendation' channels are, more often than not, the pampered scions of noble houses."
Her tone shifted subtly—seemingly casual, yet like a fine needle, gently piercing through the placid surface of the water. "Those truly gifted but humbly born commoner students... they must find it rather difficult to obtain such a direct path to the hallowed halls, wouldn't you say? Could it be that Shrek Academy's selection of talent places family background above natural talent and character?"
These words were like a pebble cast into a tranquil lake, instantly sending ripples cascading through Bei Bei's heart.
As a highly regarded inner court disciple of Shrek Academy, he had grown up in relatively privileged circumstances and had never once pondered this question so directly and so deeply. But now, with Furina having laid it bare, familiar faces flashed rapidly through his mind—with the rare exception of a few special cases like Jiang Nannan, the classmates he associated with and sparred against daily did, indeed, seem to come almost entirely from distinguished backgrounds.
This sudden realization stirred a tangled, hard-to-articulate emotion in his heart—mingled with both sudden clarity and a faint, barely perceptible discomfort. He opened his mouth, yet for a moment found himself at a loss for how to respond to such a piercing, core-targeting question.
Tang Ya, standing at his side, also furrowed her delicate brow.
As the Sect Master of the steadily declining Tang Sect, she understood far more viscerally than Bei Bei the countless hardships commoner soul masters faced in obtaining resources and connections. Furina's words had undoubtedly struck a chord deep within her—resonating with her own struggles to revive her dying sect.
Still—thankfully, she had already joined Furina's Church of the Water God. She now had funding, better cultivation techniques. Revival was no longer a distant dream, but only a matter of time.
Sensing the subtle shift in the atmosphere, Bei Bei gave a light cough and smoothly redirected the conversation, turning his gaze toward Furina and Huo Yuhao. "These institutional and historical matters can hardly be resolved in a single debate. The hour is growing late. The most pressing thing is for the two of you to complete your registration. If you miss the deadline, you'll have lost the greater prize over a trifle."
"Very well." Furina easily saw through his intention, and a knowing smile graced her lips as she obligingly dropped the subject. She understood perfectly that, as a member of Shrek Academy, defending the academy's reputation was second nature to Bei Bei.
She turned and inclined her head gently toward Huo Yuhao. "Yuhao, let's go."
The two walked directly to the registration desk set up at one side of the plaza. It was a temporary pavilion—simple, yet not without an air of dignity. Beneath it sat a male teacher of about forty years, his face stern and serious. He was dressed in an impeccably neat instructor's uniform and was bent over the documents on the desk, organizing them. Just as Furina and Huo Yuhao approached, the very last registrant finished their procedures and, clutching their credentials, ran gleefully through the academy gates.
"Hello, teacher. We're new students here to register." Furina stepped forward, her voice crisp and pleasant. With unhurried ease, she produced from her soul tool the two city lord recommendation letters Lei Bao had meticulously prepared for them and placed them gracefully before the recruitment instructor.
The teacher lifted his eyes, his gaze carrying the cool, professional scrutiny of a long habit. He quickly swept over Furina's and Huo Yuhao's attire and bearing, then accepted the two sealed envelopes bearing the city lord's official stamp. He carefully verified the texture of the paper, the lines of the seal, and the unique soul power imprint upon them. Once he'd confirmed their authenticity, he spoke in a formal, businesslike tone, his voice even and uninflected: "Mm. The recommendation letters are in order. The registration fee—ten gold soul coins per person."
As if she had anticipated this all along, Furina's smile never wavered. She readily extended her hand and placed twenty gleaming, golden coins onto the table with a crisp, ringing clink. "Two of us. We'll trouble you, teacher."
The teacher nodded, picked up his pen and registration ledger, and asked in a routine manner, "Name. Martial soul. Age." His pen tip was already poised above the paper, ready to record.
"Furina." She gave her name, then tilted her head as if giving the matter serious thought. A note of innocent, almost impish mischief crept into her voice. "As for age... well, I can't say for certain. But I can guarantee—I'm no older than fifteen."
The teacher's writing hand paused imperceptibly. His brow furrowed. Shrek Academy's age restrictions for new students were extraordinarily strict—they had to be under thirteen. This was ironclad law. This girl's statement was utterly preposterous—even childish.
But his gaze flickered once more over those two genuine, indisputable city lord recommendation letters, and then took in the lively, radiant confidence and extraordinary poise of the young woman before him. The teacher forcibly suppressed his irritation and doubts. After so many years working at Shrek Academy, he had encountered far too many students of special status and eccentric behavior. He had long since cultivated the ability to remain unflustered in the face of the unexpected.