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Lin Dongyao scratched his head sheepishly at Dai Mubai's teasing. "It's not like that. She just… feels strangely familiar to me."
Dai Mubai nudged him with an elbow, grinning. "Sure, sure. I totally get it."
Ignoring him, Lin Dongyao straightened his collar and approached the two newcomers—a boy and a girl.
"Hello, I'm Lin Dongyao. I'll take you inside for the next enrollment test," he said warmly.
The boy, though around his age, carried an air of quiet maturity. His calm eyes held a flicker of curiosity as they scanned Shrek Academy. The girl, on the other hand, bounced with restless energy, her bright gaze darting everywhere as she hovered close to the boy's side.
"Hi, Senior Lin! I'm Xiao Wu—like the dance!" The lively girl—Xiao Wu—immediately bounded forward, leaving her companion behind.
"I'm Tang San," the boy replied with a polite nod. "We'd appreciate your guidance."
"No need for formalities. Just call me Dongyao." With that, Lin Dongyao turned to lead them toward the academy gates.
This Tang San… His demeanor, that composed gaze—he carries himself like someone twice his age. And with talent like his, his background must be extraordinary.
Despite Tang San's plain clothes, everything about him felt off—in a way that didn't match a twelve-year-old.
Xiao Wu skipped alongside Lin Dongyao, her voice bright with curiosity. "Hey, you said there's another test? Didn't our spirit power already prove we're qualified?"
"Haha, of course you are. This is just procedure," Lin Dongyao explained. "The first test checked your age. The second, inside, will measure your exact spirit power. The third is a combat assessment—against that golden-haired guy, Dai Mubai."
"Golden-haired—pfft!" Xiao Wu burst into giggles. "Oh, so he's Dai Mubai! The jerk who tried stealing our room at the hotel yesterday!" She huffed, fists on her hips. "Lucky for him, I'm way better at fighting!"
"Xiao Wu," Tang San sighed. "He's a level-35 Spirit Elder. Neither of us could've beaten him alone. He let it go in the end."
"So what? We'd just team up! Age is no excuse for being a bully!"
Lin Dongyao watched their banter with amusement. "Are you two siblings?"
"Yep! San-ge's the brother I chose when I was seven!" Xiao Wu declared, clinging to Tang San's arm.
"Chose?"
"It's a coincidence, really," Tang San said, smiling fondly at her. "We discovered we shared the same martial soul—that's how we became family."
"Ah, what a rare bond." Lin Dongyao nodded, though he noted the oddity: Two people with identical martial souls? That's… unheard of.
"Senior Lin," Xiao Wu pressed, "if Dai Mubai's level 35, you must be a Spirit Elder too, right?"
"Me? No. I'm a healing-type support soul master. Thirteen years old, only level 27."
Tang San's eyebrows rose. "A support soul master reaching level 27 by thirteen is remarkable. Your talent must be exceptional."
"Yeah! This 'monster academy' lives up to its name!" Xiao Wu chirped. "First Dai Mubai, now you—San-ge, Master was right about this place!"
Lin Dongyao chuckled weakly. "Actually… my martial soul is just Blue Silver Grass."
"WHAT?!" Xiao Wu's eyes bulged. "No way! Blue Silver Grass can't reach level 27 that young!"
"My teacher studied over 600 Blue Silver Grass soul masters," Tang San said slowly. "Only a dozen had any spirit power—none above level 1. For you to achieve this… It defies theory."
"I… don't know why either. My innate spirit power was level 8 at birth." Lin Dongyao rubbed his nose, suddenly self-conscious.
"No, no! We're not doubting you!" Tang San reassured him. "My teacher might have insights, though."
"Having fun without me?" Dai Mubai's voice cut in as he approached with two girls in tow.
One girl had mischievous, darting eyes; the other stood rigidly, arms crossed in icy aloofness.
"Two more passed the first test?" Lin Dongyao greeted them with a smile.
"Might as well group up, then." Dai Mubai shrugged, falling into step beside Lin Dongyao as they led the newcomers toward the next examiner.
But before the second test could begin, a booming voice interrupted:
"Come one, come all! Oscar's Super Sausages—plump, juicy, and oh-so-delicious!"
A scruffy, beard-shadowed Oscar wheeled a food cart toward them, looking every bit a middle-aged street vendor.
"Ooh! That uncle's sausages smell amazing!" Xiao Wu's nose twitched. "San-ge, let's try one!"
"Sure. One sausage, please."
Note: So far this story is published up to chapter 290 on my patreon, go check it out and remember that if we reach the goal of 45 power stones I will publish the next chapter.