On the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest, the dense vegetation thinned out here, revealing an open meadow.
Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe arrived here, one after the other, bringing Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen with them.
Zhang Lexuan's gaze passed over Yan Shaozhe and landed on the young girl behind him.
That girl had long hair that looked as if it were congealed from ice crystals, transitioning from a deep blue at the roots to a silvery white at the tips. Her hair was light and fluffy, her skin was fair, and while her features were exquisite, they radiated a cold, aloof atmosphere.
When Zhang Lexuan saw this person, the identity of the girl before her quickly appeared in her mind: Ling Luochen, one of this generation's Shrek Seven Devils.
"Elder Xuan."
Ling Luochen nodded slightly, her voice as clear and cold as her temperament.
Seeing the two arrive, the wrinkles on Xuan Zi's face smoothed out, and he chuckled twice.
"Good, it's good that you've both come."
Yan Shaozhe stepped forward, his gaze sweeping over Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen, his expression appearing slightly grave.
"This trip is dangerous. That Counterfeit Shrek Academy possesses such heaven-defying technology; they are by no means ordinary. You two must remember to prioritize your own safety. This time, Lexuan will become a teacher at that Counterfeit Shrek Academy, while Luo Chen will become a student. You two must look out for each other."
Zhang Lexuan nodded gently, though her gaze fell unconsciously upon Ling Luochen.
As both a senior sister and the elder of this trip, protecting this junior sister's safety naturally became her inescapable responsibility. Thinking of this, Zhang Lexuan's gaze softened a little.
Although she was not very close with Ling Luochen, as fellow Shrek disciples heading into danger together, they were comrades who would share life and death.
"Elder Xuan." Zhang Lexuan composed her thoughts and looked up at the slovenly old man. "Where exactly is that Counterfeit Shrek Academy located?"
Upon hearing this, Xuan Zi pointed toward the sky.
"It is right there, several thousand meters up in the high sky."
Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen were both stunned.
Several thousand meters... high in the sky?
The two subconsciously looked up, but all that met their eyes were the azure sky and a few wisps of white clouds. Where was there any sign of an academy?
"This..." A rare look of astonishment appeared on Ling Luochen's cold face. "Elder Xuan, are you saying that academy... is built in the sky?"
"Exactly." Xuan Zi nodded. "So, next, this old man and Dean Yan will send you both up into the high sky, but we can only send you so far. After that, you will have to rely on yourselves to approach that academy."
"The people in that academy have already memorized this old man's aura. If I were to get close, I fear it would alert the enemy."
Yan Shaozhe also nodded slightly."My aura has likely been noted by them as well. The two of you are still unknown to them; it is most appropriate for you to infiltrate."
As he spoke, Xuan Zi took a flight Spirit Tool from his bosom.
He handed it to Ling Luochen.
"Ling Luochen, take this."
Ling Luochen took it and looked down at it closely, a strange look flashing in her eyes. She knew that she needed this item. After all, in the Douluo Continent, only Spirit Masters with seven rings or more could perform short-distance flight, and only experts at the Titled Douluo level could fly long distances. Now, this Spirit Tool only required four rings to use, which was just right for Ling Luochen.
"Alright, there is no time to lose," Yan Shaozhe said. "Elder Xuan and I will send you up."
Yan Shaozhe and Xuan Zi released their Spirit Power to lift Zhang Lexuan and Ling Luochen into the air. When they could see the floating island, but were still at a certain distance from it, Yan Shaozhe signaled that it was up to the two of them from then on.
Fortunately, Yan Shaozhe spoke up. Just a moment ago, Xuan Zi had relaxed his mind and almost intended to withdraw his Spirit Power completely. If they had fallen from this height... he would have become the culprit.
Soon, Zhang Lexuan released her Spirit Power to approach the floating island, and Ling Luochen used the Spirit Tool to get closer. After approaching, the two saw it even more clearly: this was an island full of a sense of technology.
Zhang Lexuan's breath hitched slightly. Shrek Academy, the holy land of the Spirit Master's world, with ten thousand years of heritage and deep foundations, but even Shrek had never possessed the ability to build an academy several thousand meters up in the high sky.
This... this was simply a creation of another civilization.
On Ling Luochen's cold face, an undisguisable shock also appeared. Her eyes reflected this floating island, unable to look away for a long time.
"Let's go." Zhang Lexuan took a deep breath, suppressing the raging waves in her heart.
"Let's go down and take a look."
The two descended slowly. As they passed through that layer of transparent light screen, they only felt a slight warmth around their bodies. The biting gale wind instantly disappeared, replaced by an atmosphere as warm as spring.
Beneath their feet was a solid metal floor. Stepping on it felt strange, both hard and with a slight elasticity.
It was quiet all around; there were no patrolling guards, nor was there the noise of a crowd, only the soft sound of a breeze blowing past.
Zhang Lexuan looked around, a trace of confusion flashing between her brows.
Such an academy, and no guards?
She and Ling Luochen exchanged a glance, both seeing the same question in each other's eyes. But both remembered their respective missions: to join this academy and become undercover agents. Before that, they absolutely could not do anything out of the ordinary.
"Let's find someone to ask," Zhang Lexuan said softly.
Ling Luochen nodded. The two walked forward along a wide corridor, their gazes sweeping over the buildings full of a sense of technology around them. It was too big here; wanting to find someone to ask for directions was actually not an easy task.
Just at this moment—two figures appeared without warning not far in front of them. One white, one green.
The white-clothed woman stood on the left, her temperament cold and noble. Her long, silvery-white hair hung to her waist, and her face was as exquisite as if carved from ice and jade. Her entire being exuded an awe-inspiring, inviolable majesty.
The green-clothed woman was slightly petite, her long green hair draped down, and her eyes were currently sizing them up.
Ling Luochen was delighted and was about to step forward to speak, but when she sensed the aura emanating from those two, her footsteps came to a sudden halt, and her pupils contracted sharply.
The two's auras were not intentionally hidden and were quite formidable. As an ice-attribute Spirit Master whose Spirit Rings basically originated from the Extreme North Land, Ling Luochen was naturally quite familiar with this aura. The ice-attribute aura emanating from the two was extremely pure and powerful!
They definitely possessed the attribute of Ultimate Ice! And... the pressure the two gave her was far stronger than the aura Yan Shaozhe had just released, and also... this white-clothed woman was clearly even more formidable!
At this moment, Ling Luochen recalled the records in the Extreme North Land regarding the Snow Empress, and those records were exactly the same as the description of the white-clothed woman before her!
Ling Luochen felt a chill rise up her spine.
No... impossible, the Snow Empress is in the Extreme North Land; how could she appear here?
This is the outskirts of the Star Dou Great Forest...Ling Luochen subconsciously extended her perception toward the green-clothed woman—that was the aura of an Ice Jade Scorpion. When she hunted for her Spirit Rings, she had dealt with this kind of Spirit Beast and was all too familiar with this aura.
But the Ice Jade Scorpion aura on the green-clothed woman before her was far purer and more terrifying than any Ice Jade Scorpion she had ever seen.
If that white-clothed woman was the Snow Empress... then could this green-clothed woman be... the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion—Ice Empress?!
Ling Luochen gasped, her cold face now full of shock.
Just at this moment, the Ice Empress's gaze also fell upon Ling Luochen, who was sizing her up.
"You two humans, you came from the outside, right?"
Hearing the word "humans," Ling Luochen confirmed her guess once again. The two before her were definitely Spirit Beasts! And... they were all Fierce Beasts!
Could this Counterfeit Shrek Academy be a Spirit Beast Academy?!
Xuan Zi and Yan Shaozhe didn't tell them they were being sent to the territory of Spirit Beasts!
Even if humans wanted to go undercover, they couldn't disguise themselves as Spirit Beasts, right?
...
Dean's Office.
[Ding!]
[Detected that key character Ling Luochen's recognition of "Shrek Academy is a Monster Academy" has increased!]
[Congratulations to the Host for obtaining the reward: Universe Creation Pill * 7]
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A/N:
5 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
2 Reviews = 1 Extra Chapter
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.