"Fatty, wake up! The boss is here, and he brought a pretty girl!"
Oscar shook Ma Hongjun awake. With no applicants for hours, the two of them had been bored out of their minds.
"A pretty girl? Where?"
Ma Hongjun snapped to attention, his eyes immediately landing on Xu Yunhan and Ning Rongrong walking side by side. He wiped his drool. "Damn, she really is pretty! Not as stacked as Zhuqing, but still gorgeous!"
Oscar had already rushed forward, his face plastered with a grin. "Heh, boss, you're here. Is this the girl who passed the first test?"
At the moment, Oscar wasn't sporting his usual scruffy beard, making him look quite handsome—though Ning Rongrong didn't seem impressed.
Xu Yunhan nodded. "This is Ning Rongrong. I'm taking her for the next test."
Then, to Ning Rongrong, he added, "This is Oscar. Food-system spirit, innate full soul power."
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened. "Innate full soul power… in a food-system spirit?"
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan's spirit was a top-tier support-type, yet they hadn't seen an innate full soul power in generations.
For a food-system spirit—also a support type—to have innate full soul power was almost unheard of.
Oscar slicked back his hair smugly. "That's right. I'm the one and only food-system spirit with innate full soul power. One day, I'll surpass even the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda and become the greatest support-type soul master on the Douluo Continent!"
Girl, you should be worshipping me right now!
Ning Rongrong's face turned cold. "Arrogant! How dare you claim to surpass the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Clan!"
Xu Yunhan watched silently, not intervening.
"Oscar, you shameless bastard!"
Ma Hongjun suddenly barged in, dramatically smoothing his red hair as he struck a pose in front of Ning Rongrong.
"Allow me to introduce myself properly. I am Ma Hongjun, age eleven, spirit Fire Phoenix, 29th rank soul power—destined to become a Titled Douluo!"
Eleven years old, 29th rank!
That was the detail Ning Rongrong focused on. She eyed the sleazy-looking fatty and thought, Annoying as he looks, his talent might actually rival mine.
She refused to believe she was inferior—her lower soul power was simply due to lack of training, not innate ability.
"You lot, quit dawdling and get over here!"
Teacher Shao Xin's voice cut through the chatter.
After testing, Ning Rongrong's soul power was confirmed at 26th rank.
"Yunhan, take her to the third test."
Shao Xin didn't trust Oscar and Ma Hongjun with the task, but the two shamelessly tagged along anyway.
"Wait."
Zhu Zhuqing's voice suddenly rang out from behind.
She wasn't alone—two figures followed her.
Tang San and Xiao Wu.
"Whoa, two more! And another beauty!"
Ma Hongjun's eyes gleamed as he stared at Xiao Wu. Oscar wasn't far behind.
But Xu Yunhan's gaze locked onto Tang San.
A sharp instinct told him—this was the man he'd been waiting for.
His eyes darkened with a flicker of killing intent.
Tang San seemed to sense it, glancing over, but Xu Yunhan had already schooled his expression.
According to historical records from ten thousand years later, Tang San had a Titled Douluo father—Tang Hao—who might very well be lurking nearby, monitoring the situation with his spiritual power.
Xu Yunhan wanted Tang San dead, but not at the cost of his own life.
Now wasn't the time.
There would be plenty of opportunities later.
Zhu Zhuqing, unaware of the enmity between Xu Yunhan and Tang San, led the newcomers forward. "This is Tang San and Xiao Wu. After their test, they can go to the third checkpoint with Ning Rongrong."
So it really is Tang San. And Xiao Wu.
That damned pair.
Xu Yunhan kept his tone neutral. "Alright, let's get them tested first."
Ning Rongrong studied Tang San and Xiao Wu with curiosity. Two more geniuses? What kind of luck does Shrek Academy have?!
Shao Xin, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun shared the sentiment. After years of drought, they'd hit the jackpot—three geniuses in one go!
"Xiao Wu, 29th rank soul power!"
"Tang San, 29th rank soul power!"
"Congratulations, you've passed the second test."
Shao Xin beamed. These were the future pillars of Shrek Academy!
Ma Hongjun grinned. "Tang San, Xiao Wu, nice to meet you! I'm Ma Hongjun—"
Another theatrical self-introduction followed.
Then Oscar took his turn, even throwing in a plug for Xu Yunhan. *"And this is our boss, Xu Yunhan. Spirit: Three-Eyed White Tiger. Thirteen years old, innate full soul power—and already a 42nd-ranked Soul Ancestor! Impressive, right?"*
Innate full soul power. Thirteen years old. 42nd rank.
Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong were floored.
"Is that for real?"
Xiao Wu couldn't believe it. In her mind, Tang San's talent was unmatched.
But even if given another year, Tang San wouldn't reach Soul Ancestor.
"There's always someone better," Tang San murmured, chastising himself for his earlier pride.
Still, he remained confident—after all, he had twin spirits and formidable hidden weapons.
"Are you even human?"
Ning Rongrong gaped. "How can anyone reach Soul Ancestor at thirteen?!"
Ma Hongjun snickered. "Shrek Academy only recruits monsters. And the boss? He's the monster among monsters."
Xu Yunhan remained composed, deliberately introducing Zhu Zhuqing next. "Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong—this is Zhu Zhuqing. Spirit: Nether Ghost Cat. Twelve years old, 28th rank."
Zhu Zhuqing had only just broken through to the 28th rank days ago.
"You four…"
Ning Rongrong was at a loss for words.
Tang San smiled. "Shrek Academy truly hides dragons and crouches tigers. It seems we came to the right place."
Xiao Wu grinned. "Xiao San and I aren't slouches either. We're both twelve, and Xiao San here also has innate full soul power!"
Another innate full soul power?!
Ning Rongrong felt numb. Before coming to Shrek Academy, she'd never met a single innate full soul power holder. Now, she'd encountered three in one day!
Ma Hongjun: "Holy crap!"
Oscar: "Seriously?"
Suddenly, innate full soul power didn't seem so rare anymore.
"Hah! Excellent, excellent!"
Teacher Shao Xin was overjoyed. These prodigies would be Shrek Academy's future—and when they shook the continent, his name would be remembered alongside theirs.
"Yunhan, take them to the third test. I'm sure Teacher Zhao will be thrilled."
In Shao Xin's eyes, Ning Rongrong, Tang San, and Xiao Wu were already Shrek Academy students. If Zhao Wuji dared mess with them, he'd have to answer to the combined wrath of the faculty.
The group headed to the third checkpoint together.
There, Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai were deep in cultivation, having long given up on recruiting anyone this year.
Then, out of nowhere—three geniuses arrived at once.
"Three?!"
Zhao Wuji's eyes nearly bulged out of his skull. This was beyond a pleasant surprise.
Oscar added, "Teacher Zhao, Tang San here also has innate full soul power."
"Another one?!"
Zhao Wuji was stunned—and somewhat desensitized. At this point, innate full soul power holders were becoming a common sight at Shrek Academy.
Meanwhile, Dai Mubai was already scheming. How can I win over these three to counter Xu Yunhan's influence?
===
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 30 on my patreon, go check it out.
Give me all your power stones