Shen Yi led Jing Shaoyu, Gu Yue, and Xu Xiaoyan out of the ninth test site with a look of joy and relief on her face.
"Jing Shaoyu, Elder Xun is the curator of the outer court library. You should visit it when you have time," Shen Yi said as they walked toward the final test location. "The outer court library is one of the largest and most comprehensive libraries on the continent, with an ocean of books covering nearly every known subject."
"Really," Jing Shaoyu said thoughtfully, smiling faintly. "Alright, I'll definitely visit when I get the chance."
"Good!" Shen Yi nodded and continued. "Your performance in the ninth test was outstanding. To be honest, it surpassed even my expectations. Elder Xun mentioned that the ninth test isn't about survival skills but about evaluating a candidate's moral compass. A powerful soul master without a sense of justice and fairness poses a great threat to the federation and the entire continent. Shrek Academy will never train such individuals."
Jing Shaoyu remained silent but attentive as Shen Yi continued.
"Your patience and calmness in finding the canyon were the first step, although it wasn't scored. Witnessing the battle between the two ten-thousand-year soul beasts demonstrated your ability to recognize strength—a crucial second step. Venturing into the canyon and boldly entering the cave tested your courage, marking the third step. These three steps were prerequisites but did not contribute to your score.
"The real test began when you encountered the juvenile Three-Eyed Golden Lion. How you handled the situation determined your evaluation. Your decision to leave without harming the lion cub showed not cowardice, but the benevolence of a true strong individual."
Shen Yi's praise left Xu Xiaoyan beaming with pride, softened Gu Yue's expression, and made Jing Shaoyu's lips twitch with a wry smile. It seemed that when someone was good enough, even their every decision could win approval.
Finally, Shen Yi added, "I hope you'll always remember the choices you made during this test. Soul beasts are also part of the Douluo Continent's ecosystem. Shrek Academy has never advocated the excessive slaughter of soul beasts. However, with the decline of the Star Dou Forest and the rise of soul tool technology, soul masters have gained a decisive advantage, amplifying their greed and pushing soul beasts toward extinction.
"The academy predicts that if soul beasts truly go extinct, soul masters will ultimately disappear as well. Remember, becoming a Shrek Academy student means you can never enter the Star Dou Forest to hunt the remaining soul beasts. Violators will be expelled and held accountable."
"Understood!" The trio responded solemnly.
Jing Shaoyu felt deeply moved. Shen Yi had inadvertently revealed the grim reality of the Douluo Continent: the imbalance between soul beasts and soul masters disrupted the natural energy cycle. If this issue wasn't addressed, the continent would devolve into a barren land devoid of spiritual energy.
Shen Yi smiled warmly. "Your performance in this test was exceptional. I'll tell you something—if you had failed this test, even if you scored perfectly in the previous eight, you'd still have been disqualified. This test is known as the 'veto test' because failure here negates all other achievements."
The trio exchanged astonished glances. A "veto test" indeed—it was both fair and unforgiving.
Shen Yi led them to the entrance of the final test site. Turning to them, she said, "After nine tests, Jing Shaoyu, you scored 82 points; Gu Yue, 82 points; Xu Xiaoyan, 80 points. These are the highest scores in the past three years. You've done amazingly well!"
The trio smiled at each other, unsurprised by the results. Aside from the fourth and sixth tests, where they earned passing scores due to unique circumstances, they had nearly perfect scores in the other seven tests.
"Alright, the final test awaits beyond this door." Shen Yi led them up a staircase to a small rooftop.
Three elders were already waiting. Among them were two familiar faces: Elder Li from the first test and Elder Cai from the fourth test. The third elder was a tall, white-haired man with a commanding presence.
As the trio approached, the three elders' gazes locked onto them, growing more profound with each step they took.
"The tenth test is called the Three Elders' Judgment," Shen Yi announced. "The academy's three elders will evaluate your overall performance and assign a final score to determine your total grade."
Jing Shaoyu frowned slightly, feeling uneasy. He hoped Elder Cai wouldn't create any unnecessary trouble this time.
The white-haired elder called out, "Jing Shaoyu, step forward."
Jing Shaoyu snapped out of his thoughts, took a step forward, and bowed respectfully.
"Seven perfect scores and two passing scores. Your performance was remarkable," the white-haired elder said. "You've demonstrated all the qualities we value: teamwork, courage, wisdom, calmness, kindness, and exceptional leadership. You deserve nothing less than a perfect score."
Hearing this, Jing Shaoyu smiled and replied, "Thank you for your recognition."
"It is well deserved!" The elder smiled kindly before calling, "Xu Xiaoyan."
Xu Xiaoyan stepped forward with a sweet smile and greeted, "Hello, Grandpa!"
Amused by her adorable demeanor, the elder chuckled and said, "Excellent talent and a unique constellation-based martial spirit with unparalleled potential. Your teamwork and determination were outstanding. For your resilience and cooperative spirit, I give you a score of nine."
"Thank you, Grandpa!" Xu Xiaoyan bowed cheerfully, her joy evident.
"Gu Yue." The elder's gaze shifted to her.
Gu Yue stepped forward, her expression calm and composed.
The elder didn't comment immediately, instead glancing at Elder Cai. Elder Cai hesitated, then sighed. "Gu Yue, while your talent and martial spirit are exceptional, your impulsive and prideful nature, along with your lack of foresight, are concerning. I give you a score of six."
Though Elder Cai's critique was harsh, the score wasn't particularly low, as this test's score served more as a bonus than a decisive factor. Gu Yue seemed indifferent to the remarks, her expression unchanged.
With all scores determined, the white-haired elder declared, "Jing Shaoyu, Xu Xiaoyan, Gu Yue—you have been admitted to Shrek Academy."
"Yay!" Xu Xiaoyan couldn't contain her excitement. She jumped up and hugged Jing Shaoyu, exclaiming, "We did it, Brother Shaoyu!"
Jing Shaoyu smiled warmly as he held her and said, "Yes, we did it."
Gu Yue's face softened into a faint smile as she took Jing Shaoyu's hand, sharing in the joy.
The three elders watched the trio with satisfaction, their gazes filled with approval. These children truly embodied the spirit of Shrek Academy—pure and devoted. Excellent, truly excellent.
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