Chapter 148: 165. Shrek's Makeshift Team
To establish an academy, the first requirement is a strong teaching staff. On Douluo Continent, powerful spirit masters mainly come from Brahmin and Kshatriya families and sects. Flandre, as a Vaishya who turned his fate around after awakening by the Spirit Hall, naturally couldn't attract support from Brahmin and Kshatriya. Even Yu Xiaogang, a Brahmin despised for his mutated martial soul, looked down on Flandre, who was Vaishya-born; other Brahmins and Kshatriyas were even less likely to support him.
Thus, Flandre could only find like-minded people among the Vaishya to form his team.
Fortunately, Flandre had luck. After tens of thousands of years, the Spirit Hall had awakened the largest Vaishya spirit master class in the continent. Most Vaishya rising from mud-legs admired the Spirit Hall, seeing it as a sacred place and joining it.
However, there were always exceptions—Vaishya spirit masters who, after awakening by the Spirit Hall, with exceptional talent, resented the greedy and selfish Spirit Hall. They refused to be bound by its dogma and craved freedom.
For example, Zhao Wuji, awakened with the Powerful Diamond Bear martial soul, thought highly of himself after awakening by the Spirit Hall. Young and hot-tempered, he often caused trouble and had clashed with Spirit Hall members, injuring them. This bred enmity between him and the Spirit Hall. Despite that, the Spirit Hall valued his strength and tried to recruit him. But Zhao Wuji's stubbornness led him to refuse, provoking a Spirit Hall assassination attempt.
During that hunt, Soul Emperor Zhao Wuji successfully repelled an ambush by sixteen bishops ranking over 60, escaping the encirclement. The battle made him famous but deeply angered the Spirit Hall.
He became friends with Flandre and a close companion.
They then met Li Yusong, Lu Binqi, and others, completing the ragtag construction of Shrek's team.
Due to lack of funds, their academy had to be established in a village.
"Ten gold spirit coins as tuition, and students must have spirit power level 20 by age 12. Wow, such harsh conditions," Li Yusong said.
"Harsh?" Flandre sneered, "No senior spirit master academy on Douluo Continent is open to commoner spirit masters. Our Shrek Academy admits them. Doesn't that justify the cost?"
"Cough cough," Li Yusong coughed twice. "Dean Flandre, I mean, the requirement of spirit power 20 by age 12—isn't that too tough?"
"We're poor, so we must invest wisely. To grow, Shrek must have standards. We cultivate monsters, not trash." Flandre went on, "If we admit everyone, real talents won't come. Instead, we create an academy nurturing only monsters, building an atmosphere appealing to monstrous students."
Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, and others were convinced.
Indeed, it was a clever marketing strategy. Considering how shabby Shrek Academy was, only Flandre, these teachers, and the "monster" marketing could truly attract talent. (Of course, any qualified senior spirit master academy can develop talent, and without Tang San's miraculous rise, Shrek's behavior would be mere showmanship.)
The next day, in the countryside near Soto City, Shrek Academy officially opened.
The news spread like wildfire; many Vaishya came with their children.
Though Shrek was shabby, the teaching staff was top-notch—Zhao Wuji, Flandre, and others were Soul Kings or Soul Emperors. Also, senior spirit master academies on Douluo Continent mostly recruited only Brahmin and Kshatriya internally. Vaishya finishing junior and intermediate academies had no further place to study.
The Shrek Academy admitted based on talent, not background, so naturally many came to try.
They easily overlooked Flandre's strict admission criteria, hopeful as people tend to be.
In front of the Shrek Academy, the enrollment queue stretched long and neat.
Flandre sat at the admissions desk, flanked by Zhao Wuji and Li Yusong, like bodyguards.
A Vaishya parent brought a child forward. Flandre pointed to a money box: "First, pay ten gold spirit coins."
"Yes, yes," the parent dropped ten coins inside—it was the family's savings of three years, but worth it if their child could be nurtured.
"Unleash your martial soul and extend your hand," Flandre said after hearing the money.
The boy obediently awakened his martial soul: Wind Wolf, surrounded by two spirit rings, level 21. Flandre gripped the boy's hand, "Bone age 13."
"My child is talented, see? Both rings are hundred-year rings, hunted by a professional spirit hunting team," the parent smiled proudly.
Flandre smiled silently and pointed to the left: "Stand here for now. We will announce results later. Next!"
The next Vaishya parent stepped forward cautiously with their 12-year-old, level 18. The first spirit ring was ten years old. Flandre made them pay and stand with the others.
The queue shrank as more stood left and right. Occasionally, a 12-year-old level 20+ genius appeared, whom Flandre placed on the right.
This created division; those on the left became uneasy. One parent asked, "Are we qualified or not? Tell us."
Zhao Wuji glared fiercely: "Quiet! Don't disturb the dean or you'll regret it. Wait for the results."
After enduring scorching sun, all finally lined up at dusk.
Flandre stood, stretched, and pointed at the sparsely filled right side: "You have passed the first round."
Then he pointed at the left: "Sorry, you're eliminated."
(END CHAPTER)
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