Seeing the absurdly long line of applicants stretching like a snake across the courtyard, Tang Yin couldn't help but mutter inwardly, "This Flender guy may not be a powerful Soul Saint, but he sure plays people like a fiddle. A money-grabbing fiddle."
He crossed his arms and tapped a finger against his chin, mentally calculating.
"If you're only accepting twelve-year-olds with soul power above level 25, that means they need at least level 7 innate soul power. With that kind of talent, even without top-tier resources, cultivation is practically effortless. Heck, the two empires and even the Spirit Hall would scramble to raise them as core students."
Tang Yin let out a long sigh. "Honestly, if it weren't for certain reasons, I wouldn't even bother with this place. Tianshui Academy would've been perfect—too bad they only take girls." His expression darkened suddenly, lips curling into a wicked grin. "But someone's got to keep Dai Mubai and his goons in check. I owe them some 'friendly payback.' You hear me, Dai? I'm coming for you."
Just as his internal monologue reached its theatrical peak, a voice poked through his bubble of villainous plotting.
"Hmm? Tang Yin, what are you grinning about so creepily?" Xiao Wu had popped her head into his personal space, squinting at him with suspicion.
Busted.
Tang Yin coughed awkwardly, desperately wiping the grin off his face. He mentally kicked himself. "I really need to master the art of acting. If you want to fool the enemy, you have to fool yourself first."
He vowed from that moment on: Expression control would be added to his daily training regime.
As he scanned the crowd, a particular figure caught his eye—a petite girl dressed in a light blue robe, her silver hair flowing like moonlight. Her demeanor was soft, gentle, exuding noble elegance. But Tang Yin squinted slightly.
"What a good act… That's Ning Rongrong, alright. That 'delicate princess' look might fool others, but not me."
For a brief moment, he hesitated.
"Should I include her in the harem plans? Hmm... Xiao Wu's still here, so I'd better not push my luck. But once she… departs… I'll be breaking hearts across the continent."
His gaze wandered again, searching the trees this time. He remembered something important.
"Wait. Zhu Zhuqing isn't among the line at this point in the story… she—"
And then he spotted it: a slim, black-clad figure perched in the trees, her feline tail swaying lazily beneath the leaves. His eyes widened at the ahem generous curves wrapped tightly in leather.
"Hiss..." he sucked in a sharp breath through his teeth. "She's eleven?! What kind of monster puberty is this?"
Tang Yin's gaze hardened as he watched Zhu Zhuqing's expression darken below. He could almost hear her inner rage.
"She must've seen that womanizer Dai Mubai already. Just like in the original timeline."
He rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "I need a foolproof plan. Both Oscar and Dai must fall... if I want to win over the two 'ice queens' of this arc."
After what felt like an eternity in line, Tang Yin and Xiao Wu finally reached the front. There was a small wooden table under a tree, and behind it sat a lazy-looking old man chewing a blade of grass. Beside him rested a soul power-measuring orb.
The man yawned. "Registration fee's ten gold coins. Each."
Xiao Wu leaned in and whispered, "Ten gold?! Are they robbing us? That's an entire year of soul master allowance!"
Tang Yin chuckled, handing over the coins. "We've come this far. Let's see what kind of monster nest this really is."
The old man stood and lazily scratched his beard. "Name?"
"Tang Yin."
"Age?"
"Twelve."
The examiner squinted at him, then looked down at Tang Yin's tall, muscular frame and raised an eyebrow. He stepped closer, gripping Tang Yin's wrist.
"Huh… strong bones, dense muscle fibers. Do you train a special technique for your hands?"
Tang Yin gave a small nod but offered no explanation.
Crouching down, the man inspected his calves and joints like a horse breeder. After a full minute, he stood, slightly surprised. "Bone age confirmed. Twelve."
He handed Tang Yin the measuring crystal—a flawless orb the size of a melon.
"Inject your soul power into the orb," he instructed.
Tang Yin placed his hand on it, closing his eyes.
Threads of pale-blue energy flowed into the orb. At first, it glowed faintly. Then brighter. The color deepened to silver-blue, and the orb began to pulse steadily, radiating soul energy like a heartbeat.
The examiner's eyes widened.
"Thirty? At twelve?"
He leaned forward, inspecting the orb again as if it might be broken. Then he looked at Tang Yin with quiet awe.
"Bone age verified. Soul power... level thirty. You're already at the bottleneck for Spirit Grandmaster."
He stared at him for a moment longer, before finally speaking, his voice softer.
"Welcome to Shrek Academy, boy."
Just then, the examiner called out, "Dai Mubai!"
From the training field emerged a tall, burly young man in a white suit with long golden hair and a confident, arrogant air.
"Yes, Mr. Li Yusong?" he replied casually.
Li Yusong gestured toward Tang Yin. "He's exempted from the first to third tests. Take him to the fourth level exam."
Dai Mubai blinked, clearly surprised. His gaze lingered on Tang Yin a moment before drifting to Xiao Wu, his expression shifting to something more… unpleasant.
His mouth curled into a smirk, and there it was—that infamous, lecherous glint in his eye.
Tang Yin watched this coldly "You're first on my list, golden boy. I will make you wear a green hat."