It took a couple of days, but eventually, Shrek Academy's recruitment day arrived. However, the atmosphere was unusually tense, the usual excitement replaced with hushed whispers and wary glances.
Rumors spread like wildfire. Dai Mubai and Ma Hongjun had vanished. Some claimed they had offended someone they shouldn't have, while others speculated they had simply disappeared without a trace, most likely dead. The consensus? Shrek Academy had only one student left.
Of course, this wasn't just an organic rumor—it was a carefully planted story by Serenity. Along with whispers of their disappearance, she had ensured that word spread about Shrek Academy being little more than a scam. The outrageous recruitment requirements only made it more suspect:
10 gold coins just to apply.
Must be 12 or younger.
Minimum spirit rank 25.
Optimal spirit ring configuration required.
With such high standards, any student who qualified here could easily be accepted at a prestigious academy elsewhere. So why waste time in a run-down school with barely any students left?
Ryan and his group stood amongst the candidates, taking in the academy's pitiful state.
"This is supposed to be an academy?" Yue muttered, her crimson eyes scanning the cracked buildings, the uneven training field, and the sheer lack of proper facilities. "I've seen abandoned villages in better condition."
Serenity, standing at Ryan's side, snorted. "At this point, it's more of a charity than a school."
Xiao Wu, always blunt, crossed her arms and scoffed. "What are they even charging 10 gold coins for? There's nothing here!"
Ryan played along, smirking. "It's honestly a waste of time trying to cultivate in a place like this. The environment is so lacking that progress would be painfully slow."
Zhu Zhuqing, standing quietly beside them, glanced around before adding, "The training grounds are inadequate. If they think this is enough for geniuses, they're delusional."
Serenity hummed, her voice deliberately loud enough for nearby students to hear. "We're better off training in our own place. At least there, we have the right environment. Our medicine alone speeds up cultivation tenfold."
Xiao Wu nodded, flicking her long braid behind her shoulder. "Yeah, wasting time here when there are better resources elsewhere is just stupid."
Their words weren't just idle complaints. They were bait.
And, as expected, someone took notice.
Standing a few paces away, Ning Rongrong—dressed in the luxurious robes of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect—subtly perked up. Though she feigned indifference, her eyes flickered with curiosity.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect was renowned for its immense resources, yet even they didn't have medicine capable of accelerating cultivation tenfold.
If these people were telling the truth… just where did they come from?
And more importantly—how did they have access to such resources?
As the recruitment continued, Ryan and his group turned away from the unimpressive scene, their interest in Shrek Academy already fading. With nothing but broken-down buildings and exaggerated recruitment fees, it wasn't even worth considering.
Without another word, they casually walked off, their pace unhurried, but their dismissive remarks had already done their job.
Ning Rongrong hesitated.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had unparalleled wealth, but even they didn't have cultivation resources that could increase progress tenfold. If what these people said was true… then who were they?
Curiosity burned in her mind, and before she even realized it, her feet were already moving.
She followed after them, maintaining a polite and composed expression. "Excuse me!"
Ryan and his group paused, glancing at the elegantly dressed girl now standing before them.
"Yes?" Ryan asked, his voice neutral.
Ning Rongrong offered a polite smile. "I couldn't help but overhear your conversation earlier… You all seem incredibly strong for your age. If you don't mind me asking, how old are you, and what are your spirit ranks?"
Ryan exchanged brief glances with his companions before shrugging. "I don't see why not. I'm Ryan, age twelve, spirit rank 63."
Silence.
Ning Rongrong froze—her mind struggling to process what she had just heard.
Sixty-three?! At twelve?!
That was already Spirit Emperor level! Even in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect, no one had ever reached that level so young!
Before she could even react, the others continued.
Serenity smirked. "Serenity, age twelve, rank 54."
Fifty-four. A Spirit King at twelve.
Yue followed, her voice calm. "Yue, twelve, rank 52."
Xiao Wu grinned. "Xiao Wu, twelve, rank 52 as well."
Zhu Zhuqing finished last, her tone quiet but steady. "Zhu Zhuqing, twelve, rank 31."
For a moment, Ning Rongrong simply stared, her mouth slightly open in shock.
Every single one of them was a monstrous genius!
Ryan was already a Spirit Emperor, and even the 'weakest' of them, Zhu Zhuqing, was already surpassing many so-called prodigies her age.
"This…" Ning Rongrong took a deep breath, trying to maintain her composure. "That's unbelievable. Even in my sect, no one has ever reached those levels so young."
Serenity chuckled. "Well, we don't waste time. We have the best training environment and the best resources. It's only natural our progress would be faster."
Xiao Wu nodded. "That's what we were saying earlier—training here would be a waste."
Ning Rongrong swallowed. "...Those resources you mentioned. You said they can increase cultivation speed tenfold?"
Ryan smirked and reached into his sleeve, pulling out a small glass vial containing several white, shimmering pearls.
"This is a Condensed Qi Pearl," he explained, holding it up. "It's pure, highly compressed spirit energy in liquid or pill form. Just one of these can boost cultivation speed dramatically—ten times or more, depending on your talent."
Ning Rongrong's breath caught.
Something like that actually existed?!
If this was true, then… how far could she go with such a treasure?