The exams continued.
Shen Yi led Jing Shaoyu, Gu Yue, and Xu Xiaoyan deeper into the teaching building. The earlier incident seemed to have no impact on their mood. Xu Xiaoyan was even smiling brightly as she asked Shen Yi about their scores.
"Teacher Shen, what were our scores for the fourth round?" she asked sweetly.
"Six points—everyone got six points!" Shen Yi replied, her tone filled with exasperation and a hint of disappointment. "You kids scared me half to death earlier!"
"Hehe, Teacher Shen, we didn't mean to! But that Elder Cai really deserved it for what she said about Brother Shaoyu!" Xu Xiaoyan said with a giggle, showing no remorse. On the contrary, she seemed to fully support Gu Yue's actions.
"You lot!" Shen Yi stopped in her tracks, pointing at the three of them as if preparing to reprimand them. However, words failed her. After a moment, she dropped her hand and sighed. "Forget it! What's done is done. But you should thank your lucky stars that the Holy Spirit Douluo intervened in time. Otherwise, you'd all be walking out of Shrek Academy right now."
"Come on, Teacher Shen, we're still here, aren't we?" Xu Xiaoyan said cheerfully. "And admit it, you think what we did was right!"
"Yes, yes, you little brats!" Shen Yi rolled her eyes in frustration. "You're just as troublesome as my senior brother!"
"Teacher Shen, did Teacher Wu ever do something like this?" Xu Xiaoyan asked, her curiosity piqued, her eyes lighting up.
"Of course! It's practically a badge of honor!" Shen Yi replied irritably. "Go ask your Teacher Wu yourself. Don't bother me with it; I've had enough!"
Hearing Shen Yi's tone, both exasperated and helpless, Jing Shaoyu and the others exchanged amused smiles. Teacher Shen was truly a responsible and caring instructor.
"Teacher Shen, since we upset Elder Cai, do you think she'll make things difficult for us in the future?" Xu Xiaoyan asked half-jokingly, though a hint of worry lingered in her tone.
Both Jing Shaoyu and Gu Yue perked up at this question, eager to hear Shen Yi's opinion.
"Now you're worried? Where was that caution earlier?" Shen Yi sneered. "Elder Cai is not just the dean of the outer court; she's also the homeroom teacher for this year's freshmen. But don't worry. As a Title Douluo, she won't stoop to picking on a group of kids. However, I'd advise you not to make any mistakes under her watch. If you do, and she finds out, you can bet she'll punish you."
"What?" Xu Xiaoyan's jaw dropped in shock upon hearing that Elder Cai would be their homeroom teacher. Even Gu Yue's usually indifferent eyes showed a flicker of concern.
"Relax. It'll be fine." Jing Shaoyu reached out to hold their hands reassuringly. "I trust Elder Cai's capacity for fairness. Besides, we don't plan on making any mistakes, do we?"
"Exactly! We're all good kids!" Xu Xiaoyan quickly nodded like a little hamster, her playful grin returning.
Shen Yi, watching their antics, could only shake her head in exasperation. Ah, yes, good kids who managed to antagonize the dean during their entrance exams—what shining examples they were!
"By the way, Teacher Shen, is the Holy Spirit Douluo really an Ultimate Douluo? She didn't look like it to me," Xu Xiaoyan said curiously, recalling Ya Li's gentle demeanor. "She looks younger than you!"
"Of course, the Holy Spirit Douluo is an Ultimate Douluo!" Shen Yi's expression instantly turned reverent. "It's precisely because she's an Ultimate Douluo that she's able to maintain her youthful appearance. In reality, she's over a hundred years old—seventy years older than me!"
So Ya Li was already an Ultimate Douluo, Jing Shaoyu mused.
"What? A hundred years old?!" Xu Xiaoyan exclaimed, clutching her face in astonishment. "Do you think I'll look that young when I'm a hundred?"
The idea of eternal youth was undoubtedly alluring, especially to girls.
"Believe in yourself, Xiaoyan," Jing Shaoyu encouraged with a smile. "If someone else can do it, then it's not impossible. As long as you set your mind to it, you'll achieve your goals!"
"Got it, Brother Shaoyu!" Xu Xiaoyan beamed, her spirits lifted by his words. Her face radiated confidence and determination.
Shen Yi, observing their interaction, had no idea what to think. After a moment, she turned to Jing Shaoyu and said, "Jing Shaoyu, as far as I know, the Holy Spirit Douluo rarely visits the outer court. Her presence at the exams this time is likely because of you."
"Me?" Jing Shaoyu already had his suspicions. Ya Li's appearance was likely related to Na'er, as evidenced by their earlier encounter at the Shrek Museum. Her final intervention during the exams probably stemmed from noticing his unique martial soul.
Feigning confusion, he asked, "Why do you say that, Teacher Shen?"
Both Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan also looked at Shen Yi, curious about her reasoning.
"Because the Holy Spirit Douluo is the continent's greatest healing-type soul master!" Shen Yi said proudly. "And you're an extraordinarily talented healing-type soul master yourself. I believe she's taken a liking to you—perhaps even considering taking you as her disciple."
If that were true, Shen Yi felt she would deserve much of the credit. After all, she had been the one to report Jing Shaoyu's extraordinary abilities to the Sea God Pavilion.
Of course, this was a complete misunderstanding. Ya Li's presence had nothing to do with Shen Yi's report and everything to do with Na'er. Jing Shaoyu's healing talent was merely an unexpected bonus.
"Really?" Xu Xiaoyan's eyes sparkled. "That's amazing, Brother Shaoyu! If the Holy Spirit Douluo takes you as her disciple, you'll definitely grow stronger, faster. You might even surpass Elder Cai in no time!"
Hearing Xu Xiaoyan's bold claim, Shen Yi's mouth twitched. Did they really think so little of Elder Cai, a Title Douluo?
Gu Yue, meanwhile, looked intently at Jing Shaoyu, her cold gaze seeming to ask whether he would accept Ya Li's offer if it came.
Jing Shaoyu maintained his gentle smile, giving Gu Yue's hand a reassuring squeeze, signaling her not to worry.
They soon arrived at the room for the fifth exam. Inside were several complex platforms, which Jing Shaoyu immediately recognized.
"Wow, manufacturing platforms!" Xu Xiaoyan exclaimed.
"That's correct," Shen Yi confirmed. "Not just manufacturing platforms—there are also design platforms, maintenance platforms, and forging platforms. This exam focuses on auxiliary skills—or rather, secondary professions."
"Secondary professions?" the three repeated in unison.
"Yes," Shen Yi explained. "To take this exam, your secondary profession must be at least level one. Otherwise, you'll score zero."
"That strict?" Xu Xiaoyan said, surprised.
"It's necessary," Shen Yi said seriously. "Your secondary profession will be crucial for your graduation and your time at the academy. Even if you become a Title Douluo before graduation, you won't pass without sufficient secondary profession skills."
Her words were an exaggeration, but they effectively conveyed the importance Shrek placed on secondary professions.
Satisfied with their serious expressions, Shen Yi nodded. "Come on, let me introduce you to the examiners for this round."
The fifth round examiners were three young teachers close to Shen Yi's age. Upon seeing her, they greeted her warmly.
"Teacher Shen, you're here!"
"Bringing my senior brother's students to their exam," Shen Yi replied with a smile.
At her words, the examiners' expressions turned curious and excited as they scrutinized the trio.
"Senior Wu's students, huh? That means he's back at the academy?" one of them asked.
"Possibly," Shen Yi replied. "He's considering it, but it depends on whether the elders agree."
The examiners shared knowing smiles.
"Alright, let's get to business," the eldest examiner said, turning to Jing Shaoyu and the others. "Please present your profession badges and demonstrate your skills."
Xu Xiaoyan stepped forward first, smiling brightly. "I'm a Level Four Craftsman. Here's my badge."
After examining her badge, the examiners nodded in approval. "Level Three and above need no further testing. You may proceed to the next round."
"Really? That's great!" Xu Xiaoyan cheered.
Jing Shaoyu and Gu Yue were equally surprised but didn't dwell on it. They quickly presented their badges.
"Level Four Designer," Gu Yue said simply.
"Level Five Mechanic," Jing Shaoyu added, showing his badge.
"Level Five?!"
The examiners were stunned, their admiration growing. One of them, a female teacher, exclaimed, "Join the Mechanics Association as soon as you enter the academy. We need geniuses like you!"
"I will," Jing Shaoyu replied with a smile.
After returning their badges, the examiners told Shen Yi, "All set. You can take them to the next exam."
On the way to the sixth round, Shen Yi couldn't help but marvel. "You three are unbelievable—two Level Four professionals and one Level Five! Are you even human? How do you manage to excel in both soul power and secondary professions?"
"Hehe, it's all thanks to talent!" Xu Xiaoyan said with a playful laugh.
"Right… talent," Shen Yi muttered, shaking her head.
"Aside from talent, I really can't think of any other reason," Shen Yi admitted, nodding in agreement. She then added, "Let me give you a little insight: high-level secondary profession practitioners are extremely popular in Shrek Academy."
"How popular are we talking?" Xu Xiaoyan asked curiously.
"You'll have to find that out for yourselves," Shen Yi said mysteriously before continuing, "For now, your scores for the fifth round are all full marks. That means you've completed half of the ten tests. Here are your current scores: Jing Shaoyu, 46 points; Gu Yue, 46 points; Xu Xiaoyan, 44 points.
"Excellent results—keep it up!"
Jing Shaoyu, Gu Yue, and Xu Xiaoyan exchanged pleased smiles, clearly satisfied with their performance.
The sixth test was next, and it turned out to be downright bizarre—it involved eating! Contestants were required to consume at least 15 steamed buns in one sitting to pass. During the test, they were forbidden from using soul power to aid digestion, and they couldn't pause for more than a minute between each bun. For every additional five buns eaten, they would gain an extra point, with full marks achievable for eating 50 buns.
According to Shen Yi, this test was meant to assess the contestants' willpower.
Assessing willpower through food?
Jing Shaoyu found this explanation questionable at best. He strongly suspected that this test had been tailored to highlight the abilities of a certain Golden Dragon King's physical prowess.
Despite their reservations, the three had no choice but to tackle the challenge head-on.
After passing the sixth test, they took a short break before heading to the seventh test.
The seventh test was straightforward: a stamina trial. Contestants were required to complete a 10-kilometer run, 1,000 squats, and 1,000 pull-ups. Time wasn't a factor for passing; as long as the tasks were completed, contestants would earn 6 points. Completing the tasks within an hour would grant full marks, while every additional 10 minutes would deduct a point.
For soul masters like Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue, who relied on their spiritual and elemental abilities rather than physical strength, such a test was undoubtedly challenging. Completing it within an hour seemed nearly impossible on their own.
But with Jing Shaoyu's support, the impossible became achievable.
The seventh test allowed the use of martial souls and soul skills. With Jing Shaoyu's top-tier healing and support abilities, both Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue managed to finish all three tasks within the allotted time, earning perfect scores. As for Jing Shaoyu, his result was unsurprisingly another perfect score.
By the end of the seventh test, all three had surpassed the 60-point pass
ing mark.
And so, Jing Shaoyu, Gu Yue, and Xu Xiaoyan progressed steadily, their outstanding performances ensuring their places among Shrek Academy's elite.