The richly dressed young man was still trying to argue when, in the next instant, Dai Mubai suddenly jumped down from a large tree nearby.
Dai Mubai had changed into a clean white outfit. His long golden hair had been neatly combed and tied back with a hair ribbon.
The scratches on his face were no longer noticeable after being treated, with only a small piece of gauze covering his temple.
His expression had returned to its usual arrogance and coldness. His pair of evil eyes swept over the boys and girls waiting in line, filled with scrutiny and impatience.
Dai Mubai stood slightly behind the old man, acting as the person responsible for maintaining order, as though the humiliation he had suffered at the Rose Hotel yesterday had never happened.
Only Lin Xia and Zhu Zhuqing could keenly detect the fleeting gloom and viciousness hidden deep within his eyes.
Without the slightest hesitation, Dai Mubai directly released his Martial Soul and Soul Rings, frightening the richly dressed young man into silence.
"He recovered pretty quickly."
Zhu Zhuqing gave a cold assessment, a trace of disgust in her voice.
"After all, he has the foundation of a Soul Elder."
Lin Xia calmly explained before saying,
"Zhuqing, do you want to go over there and have some fun? We can take a look at how Shrek Academy selects its students and, while we're at it, see the look on Dai Mubai's face."
The instant Zhu Zhuqing heard Lin Xia's suggestion, her cold cat-like eyes seemed to ignite with sparks, bursting with an unprecedented brilliance.
The girlish nature she had suppressed for so many years had finally broken free after escaping the shackles of her engagement. Like a spring sprout breaking through the earth, she was filled with an eager curiosity toward everything unknown.
Zhu Zhuqing nodded vigorously, her voice carrying a lightness and excitement that she herself had not even noticed.
"I want to!"
Seeing how excited Zhu Zhuqing was, the smile in Lin Xia's eyes grew even warmer, as though he, too, had been infected by her pure anticipation.
Lin Xia reached out and naturally took Zhu Zhuqing's slightly cool hand.
"Then let's go see how this group of so-called 'monsters' selects others like themselves."
The two of them and their Pokémon did not deliberately conceal their presence. They simply walked out from beneath the shade of the trees and openly joined the path leading toward Shrek Academy's registration point.
Quite a few of the boys and girls waiting in line, along with their parents, noticed the striking pair.
Zhu Zhuqing in particular immediately attracted numerous gazes with her exceptionally beautiful features and cold, aloof temperament.
Lin Xia appeared much more restrained. He merely occasionally swept his deep gaze across the crowd, carrying a calmness and composure that seemed to see through everything.
The two naturally took their places at the end of the line.
Lin Xia casually glanced toward the front. Not far ahead, a girl standing by herself caught his attention.
The girl appeared to be around eleven or twelve years old. She had a well-proportioned figure and neat, short hair that reached her ears, while her fair skin was as delicate as finely crafted porcelain.
She wore a simple yet elegant light-pink dress. The material was clearly of excellent quality, and its well-tailored design gave her the refined air of someone who had been carefully pampered since childhood.
The girl tilted her head slightly as she examined the lazy old man handling registration and the tattered banner beside him. Her delicate brows were lightly furrowed, and her pink lips were slightly pursed. Her expression contained a trace of boredom and impatience, along with a hint of disdain, as though the shabby surroundings had somehow inconvenienced her.
That expression and temperament were practically the signature of the little princess of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, Ning Rongrong.
A knowing smile appeared at the corner of Lin Xia's lips.
"Sure enough, it's her."
He had no particular dislike for this little witch. In his opinion, the love-struck behavior she displayed later in the original story was more like the result of being influenced by Tang San and the others.
After all, even someone as outstanding as Qin Ming, an instructor at the Heaven Dou Imperial Academy, had been completely swept up in the so-called "Shrek spirit." How could one expect a sheltered young girl to remain unaffected?
As long as certain people were avoided, her true nature was actually quite interesting.
The line was indeed moving very quickly.
The old man's seemingly casual examination of bone age and perception of Soul Power acted like an invisible sieve, ruthlessly filtering out the vast majority of the boys and girls who had arrived with dreams and expectations.
The endless questions, complaints, pleas, and the occasional low growl from Dai Mubai as he released his Soul Power pressure to intimidate the applicants formed the unique background noise of the registration area.
Soon, it was Tang San and Xiao Wu's turn.
When Tang San and Xiao Wu arrived at the shabby wooden table, Dai Mubai, who had been standing nearby maintaining order with a gloomy expression, immediately reacted.
The unforgettable humiliation and weakness he had experienced at the Rose Hotel yesterday swept through his mind like a dark shadow. However, when he saw Tang San's young and composed face, Dai Mubai forcibly suppressed his turbulent emotions.
He even deliberately stepped forward two paces, raising his voice slightly and adopting an unmistakably familiar and friendly tone.
"Oh! Tang San, Xiao Wu! You two actually came! I knew it! With your talent, it would have been a shame if you didn't come to Shrek!"
Dai Mubai's voice was loud, as though he deliberately wanted everyone present to hear that he was closely acquainted with these two exceptionally talented newcomers.
The people waiting in line immediately turned their curious and envious gazes toward them.
For a Level 37 Soul Elder to greet these two so enthusiastically, they clearly weren't ordinary!
How could Tang San fail to understand what was going on?
He immediately caught the hidden meaning behind Dai Mubai's words. Dai Mubai was using him to recover some of the dignity he had lost yesterday while simultaneously demonstrating to the academy that he had played a role in discovering these talented newcomers.
This was exactly the situation Tang San wanted!
A suitably flattered and sincere smile immediately appeared on Tang San's face, and his tone gave Dai Mubai all the respect he could have wanted.
"Brother Dai! Your guidance yesterday left a deep impression on the two of us. Since you spoke so highly of Shrek Academy as a place where 'monsters' gather, how could we not come and see it for ourselves? That's why we came over first thing this morning."
Tang San's words were practically flawless.
Every single word hit precisely where Dai Mubai needed it most at that moment!
The smile on Dai Mubai's face instantly became brilliant, even carrying a hint of proud satisfaction.
The dignity Lin Xia had crushed yesterday seemed to have been restored in fragments by Tang San's respectful and tactful words.
His desire to regard Tang San as a potential chess piece grew even stronger.
This kid was not only strangely powerful, but he was also remarkably good at handling people and situations! He knew how to behave! He knew exactly what to say!
Under everyone's watchful gazes, Dai Mubai's spirits soared. Being praised by Tang San left him feeling thoroughly pleased.
Dai Mubai suddenly reached out and, with the hearty manner of an old friend, gave Tang San a heavy slap on the shoulder.
"Slap!"
The sound rang out clearly.
Dai Mubai had used so much force that Tang San's body even swayed slightly.
Xiao Wu instinctively frowned and gave Dai Mubai a somewhat displeased glance.
Tang San's expression, however, did not change. He continued wearing that warm and sincere smile.
Dai Mubai kept his hand on Tang San's shoulder as he looked around at the applicants and their parents, as though making an announcement to everyone present. He laughed loudly.
"Good! Good brother! I like what I'm hearing! With your judgment and this trust in me, from now on, I, Dai Mubai, will have your back here at Shrek! If you run into any trouble, just come to me!"
Dai Mubai's voice was filled with deliberately ostentatious confidence.
The testing ahead continued without interruption despite this brief exchange.
Li Yusong's cloudy gaze lingered on Dai Mubai and Tang San for a moment. He seemed somewhat displeased with Dai Mubai's behavior, but he said nothing. He merely raised his eyelids slightly and extended his hand toward Tang San and Xiao Wu.
"Ten Gold Soul Coins per person for the registration fee. Extend your hand so I can check your bone age."
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