Douluo Continent: Invincible Physical Body, I Became a God with a Mortal Form

Zhu Zhuqing looked up at Wang Shuo with a shocked expression.

Wang Shuo met her lifeless eyes and said, word by word, "You're just leaving like this? Are you really willing to accept this?"

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes flickered, but she remained indifferent: "I can cultivate anywhere, I don't want to be here."

"No, this is the perfect place for you."

Wang Shuo shook his head. "You forgot that Shrek Academy only accepts monsters. The monsters who can enter are all true geniuses, the kind of people who will stand at the top of the Soul Master world in the future. If you want to become stronger and truly break free from your fate, that's the place that's most suitable for you."

Zhu Zhuqing fell silent. Dai Mubai had made her completely disillusioned with this city, and now she just wanted to escape as far away as possible.

But the words "become stronger" were like a needle, piercing deep into the deepest desire in her heart.

She fled the Zhu family and worked hard to cultivate, just so that one day she could stop being manipulated by others and tear apart those suffocating marriage contracts and prejudices with her own hands.

Seeing her wavering, Wang Shuo continued, "Didn't you want to forget Dai Mubai? Shrek Academy is where you start over. There, you'll meet people a hundred times stronger and more reliable than him, and you'll become a powerhouse he can only look up to. When you look back at today's scene then, you'll only find it laughable."

Wang Shuo actually harbored a selfish motive; his reason for persuading Zhu Zhuqing to join Shrek Academy was simply that he wanted to see with his own eyes how far Tang San had grown.

He wanted to slap Yu Xiaogang in the face and get back all the humiliation and ridicule he had suffered back then.

Zhu Zhuqing slowly clenched her hands at her sides as she began to think and make a decision.

After a long while, she took a deep breath, and a faint but determined light finally rekindled in her lifeless eyes.

"Okay! I'm going to Shrek."

Wang Shuo's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down.

"Let's find a guesthouse to rest for the night, and then we'll go register first thing tomorrow morning."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded, only then realizing that Wang Shuo had been holding her hand the whole time, and a blush appeared on her face.

Wang Shuo then realized what was happening, immediately let go of her hand, and coughed twice to ease the awkwardness.

Then, the two turned and walked toward the sparsely lit but quiet street.

The next day, just as dawn was breaking, the two got ready and left the inn.

After asking around, the two headed towards the village where Shrek Academy was located.

Zhu Zhuqing spoke very little along the way, her steps were steady and her gaze was firm, and there was no longer any of the confusion and escapism of yesterday.

Wang Shuo observed this and nodded inwardly. He knew that this seemingly delicate girl possessed a resilience far greater than most people could imagine.

After about half an hour's journey, things gradually became lively ahead. An inconspicuous village was nestled in the woods, and a long queue had already formed at the village entrance, all of them young soul masters who had come to apply for Shrek Academy.

There was a lot of discussion on both sides of the line, mostly because the academy was known for "only accepting monsters," but some people hesitated, seemingly having doubts about the simple registration location.

Wang Shuo and Zhu Zhuqing stood at the end of the line and looked ahead. They saw a worn-out wooden table at the registration area, and behind the table sat a sturdy-looking old man, Li Yusong, Shrek's teacher.

Beside the wooden table stood a tall, golden figure, with a hint of arrogance and swagger in his brows—none other than Dai Mubai.

Just then, a heated argument suddenly broke out at the front of the group.

"What kind of logic is this? Ten gold soul coins for registration, and you won't refund a single penny if I fail the test? This is blatant extortion!"

A middle-aged man, clutching an empty money bag, angrily questioned Li Yusong with a flushed face.

The boy beside him had his head down, clearly having failed the test; the faces of both father and son were filled with resentment and anger.

Li Yusong didn't even lift his eyelids, his tone indifferent: "Shrek's rules have always been like this: sign up if you want, leave if you don't. Nobody's forcing you."

"You're ripping me off! Refund your registration fee now or I'll report you to the Soul Master Association!" The middle-aged man was furious and stepped forward to grab Li Yusong.

"Mu Bai, tell them the rules of Shrek Academy," Li Yusong said impatiently, frowning.

Dai Mubai, his face fierce, stepped forward. His soul power surged slightly, and a Soul Venerable-level pressure suddenly emanated from him. He coldly spoke:

"If you want your registration fee back, beat me up and I'll refund it!"

The Soul Master's aura made the middle-aged man's face turn pale and his legs go weak. He didn't dare to ask for a reward and ran away with his son, not daring to leave a single harsh word.

This scene caught Zhu Zhuqing's eye, and her cool brows furrowed instantly, her eyes almost overflowing with disgust.

She was already utterly disappointed in Dai Mubai, and now seeing him bully the weak and act arrogantly because of his strength, her first impression of Shrek Academy was also extremely bad.

She tilted her head slightly, looking at Wang Shuo beside her, her voice carrying a hint of cold doubt:

"This is the Shrek Academy you're talking about, the one that can make people stronger and free them from their fate? Bullying the weak and acting unreasonably, what's the difference between you and those corrupt family scoundrels who rely on their power?"

Wang Shuo was speechless as he looked at the scene before him.

He knew Shrek Academy was always unconventional and had eccentric rules, but he hadn't expected them to start with such an overbearing attitude. For a moment, he couldn't find a reason to defend himself, and could only say in a deep voice:

"Shrek did something wrong, that's undeniable, but rest assured they are definitely a good school."

As soon as the two finished their conversation, more than half of the line in front of them left instantly because of what had just happened.

Many families of Soul Masters were already distressed about the registration fee, and seeing the academy's unreasonable behavior, they all left with their children, causing the originally long queue to thin out considerably.

Among the few remaining people, the young boy and girl at the front were particularly eye-catching.

The boy had an ordinary face but a calm demeanor, while the girl was charming, lively, and adorable. It was none other than Tang San and Xiao Wu.

The two easily passed Li Yusong's preliminary test, paid the registration fee, and walked into the academy's wooden gate one after the other.

Wang Shuo tugged at Zhu Zhuqing's sleeve, gesturing for her to come forward.

Zhu Zhuqing composed herself, suppressed her aversion, and walked to the wooden table.

Dai Mubai was still savoring the thrill of intimidating others when he caught a glimpse of that familiar, aloof figure out of the corner of his eye. He froze and abruptly turned his head to look.

When he saw Zhu Zhuqing's face clearly, his eyes instantly flashed with unbelievable excitement, and a smile involuntarily spread across his lips.

He strode forward, his voice filled with long-lost joy: "Zhuqing! What brings you here? Did you come to see me?"

Zhu Zhuqing didn't even bother to glance at him, her gaze fixed directly on Li Yusong. She took out ten gold soul coins from her soul tool, gently placed them on the table, and said in an icy voice:

"Sign up."

Zhu Zhuqing completely ignored Dai Mubai, treating him as nothing more than an insignificant speck of air.

Dai Mubai's smile froze instantly, feeling awkward and embarrassed. His outstretched hand stopped in mid-air, unsure whether to drop it or retract it.