Xu Yunhan, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun were chatting with Lu Qibin. No one had come for the test yet, and they no longer held much hope—this year probably wouldn't bring any new students meeting the requirements.
"Someone's here!" Ma Hongjun's eyes turned toward the academy gate, spotting Dai Mubai walking in.
Oscar looked over upon hearing the news. "Hey, finally starting! This test should be passable, but the next one with Teacher Zhao Wuji is a different story."
Xu Yunhan glanced over too. He hadn't met Dai Mubai before and naturally didn't recognize him. Even though the Shrek Academy a thousand years later had statues of the famous Seven Devils, much had changed.
Dai Mubai sized up the four of them, including Lu Qibin. "Is the test held here?"
Lu Qibin nodded. "Put your hand on the Soul Power Testing Crystal Orb and release your soul power."
Dai Mubai was very familiar with this kind of testing tool.
"Level 27 soul power!"
Lu Qibin, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun were all surprised.
It exceeded their expectations—they had thought someone at level twenty-two or twenty-three would be impressive, but to surpass that by so much was unexpected.
Neither Oscar nor Ma Hongjun had reached level 27 by age twelve, yet here stood someone who had. This meant his talent was comparable to theirs, which was definitely shocking.
"What's your name?" Xu Yunhan asked, now harboring some guesses.
Dai Mubai glanced at Xu Yunhan, who was about his height, and finally said, "Dai Mubai."
Just as expected!
Xu Yunhan understood immediately.
Oscar questioned, "Dai Mubai? Are you really not older than twelve?"
Ma Hongjun suspected, "Could you be a relative of Teacher Li Yusong?"
Slap! Lu Qibin smacked Ma Hongjun lightly and scolded, "How dare you doubt your teacher? That's not right!"
Dai Mubai realized these three young men were all students of Shrek Academy and would be spending a lot of time together. He relaxed and said, "I'm not quite thirteen yet, but I'll be in a little over a month. Luckily, I caught this year's Shrek Academy enrollment."
"Almost thirteen, huh?" Oscar felt a bit better. He figured by the time he reached Dai Mubai's age, he'd likely surpass his soul power level.
Ma Hongjun was confident too. "Not bad—slightly behind us. But don't celebrate yet. There's still one more test. Only if you pass that can you become a student at Shrek Academy!"
One more test? The requirements for Shrek Academy were truly harsh! Dai Mubai thought to himself but remained confident.
"Dai Mubai, you passed this test," Lu Qibin said, then turned to Xu Yunhan. "Yunhan, take Dai Mubai to Teacher Zhao."
Xu Yunhan nodded and said to Dai Mubai, "Let's go. I'll take you to the final test."
"I want to see too!"
"Me too!"
Oscar and Ma Hongjun followed along to watch the excitement.
On the way, Dai Mubai asked, "What's the last test?"
Oscar chuckled, "It's a practical combat test. Passing it won't be easy."
Ma Hongjun teased, "Teacher Zhao Wuji is a soul saint above level seventy. If you're scared, it's better to give up now."
Shrek Academy actually had soul saints!
At least two of them.
Dai Mubai had heard before that the academy's principal, Flandre, was a soul saint, but he hadn't expected there was also Teacher Zhao Wuji. He wondered what levels the two teachers they tested earlier had reached.
It was well known that although there were many advanced soul master academies in Douluo Continent, very few had soul saints among their ranks.
Moreover, Shrek Academy was a privately run advanced soul master academy without government funding, making it all the more impressive.
Dai Mubai felt confident he had made the right choice coming to Shrek Academy.
As for facing soul saint Zhao Wuji's test, he wasn't too worried.
Oscar asked Dai Mubai, "By the way, what's your martial soul? If it's a support type, it might be easier to pass."
"My martial soul is the Evil-Eyed White Tiger, an offensive type," Dai Mubai replied.
"An offensive type, and a tiger? What a coincidence," Oscar said, glancing at Xu Yunhan. "Our leader's martial soul is the Three-Eyed White Tiger, also offensive, but you definitely aren't stronger than him."
Three-Eyed White Tiger?
Dai Mubai hadn't heard of it, probably a mutated martial soul. He certainly didn't accept the idea that he was weaker than the other.
Seeing Dai Mubai's disbelief, Ma Hongjun smiled and said, "Our leader just turned eleven and already has level 28 soul power. He even has innate full soul power. You still don't believe me?"
Dai Mubai froze, staring incredulously at the always calm and taciturn Xu Yunhan.
A prodigy! Only eleven years old, with innate full soul power and soul power level 28—higher than him!
He was shocked beyond belief.
Xu Yunhan looked at Dai Mubai calmly and said, "It's nothing. There's always someone better out there. This world never lacks geniuses. There are definitely people more talented than me."
Damn!
Dai Mubai was speechless, thinking hardly anyone could surpass Xu Yunhan.
Oscar said, "Dai Mubai, our leader is on another level. You can't compare, and neither can I.
Listen well—I'm a rare food-type martial soul with innate full soul power that appears only once in a thousand years! One day, I'm destined to surpass the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect and become the strongest support soul master on Douluo Continent!"
Another innate full soul power user, and a rare food-type at that!
Dai Mubai was amazed once more.
He glanced at Ma Hongjun and thought to himself: Could it be that all three of these guys have innate full soul power?
Perhaps sensing the meaning behind Dai Mubai's gaze, Ma Hongjun grew a little uneasy but stubbornly said, "Ahem! I'm not born with full soul power, but I'm close. Besides, my martial soul is the one-in-a-million Fire Phoenix—it's way stronger than your Evil-Eyed White Tiger!"
To avoid embarrassment, Ma Hongjun didn't actually unleash his "fire chicken" martial soul.
Oscar, however, couldn't help but mock, "Heh, Ma Hongjun, with that 'grass chicken' martial soul of yours, spare us the embarrassment."
"It's a Fire Phoenix!" Ma Hongjun snapped angrily.
So he wasn't born with full soul power! Dai Mubai inexplicably breathed a sigh of relief.
Even so, having these three prodigies at Shrek Academy was enough to leave Dai Mubai stunned.
"You two, shut up. We're here," Xu Yunhan snapped, stopping Oscar and Ma Hongjun's bickering.
Zhao Wuji was leisurely sipping tea in the courtyard. Noticing Dai Mubai, his face lit up with delight. "Finally, we have one! Come over here. Tell me your name, and show me your martial soul and soul rings."
Oscar introduced Dai Mubai, "Dai Mubai, this is Teacher Zhao Wuji. Just do as he says."
Xu Yunhan approached Zhao Wuji and said, "Teacher, his name is Dai Mubai. His martial soul is the Evil-Eyed White Tiger, and his soul power is level 27."
"Oh! Evil-Eyed White Tiger… surname Dai, could it be…" Zhao Wuji seemed to realize something about Dai Mubai's background but didn't say more.
Dai Mubai had already summoned his martial soul—the Evil-Eyed White Tiger—an imposing spirit. Two yellow soul rings floated above him after the spirit manifested.
"Evil-Eyed White Tiger, quite an impressive martial soul," Zhao Wuji said, further convinced of Dai Mubai's true identity.