Chapter 27: Elemental Ice Ling Luochen (Part 1)

-----------

This high quality machine translation is powered by: https:// geriatrictranslations.com/

Special Permission was given to upload the novel on WebNovel.

Geriatric Translations can be supported on patreon (https://www. patreon.com/geriatricvibes) where additional chapters can be enjoyed. 

You can also join the Geriatric Translations Community on Discord to connect with other readers: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua

-----------

"Free?"

Ling Bai was taken aback. In his memory, Huo Yuhao was so poor when he first entered the academy that he couldn't afford meals and had to sell grilled fish at the school gate to make a living.

"Senior Sister, do the Inner Academy and Outer Academy have different fees?"

"Yes," Han Ruoru replied with a smile, explaining, "Tuition, meal fees, and the rental fees for the Simulated Training Grounds—everything in the Outer Academy comes with a cost. The Outer Academy was established at the request of the Three Great Empires and is not truly part of Shrek Academy. The Inner Academy is the true Shrek Academy.

In the Inner Academy, all these fees are waived. Why? Once you understand the responsibilities of the Inner Academy, you'll see that this is a form of compensation."

Uncle Mo nodded in agreement, sighing, "You kids have it tough. Here, take two more buns! Look at you, so thin!"

Without waiting for a response, he added two more large buns to Ling Bai's plate.

"Thank you, Uncle Mo."

Ling Bai thanked him with a mix of amusement and gratitude. He had a vague idea of the responsibilities Han Ruoru mentioned, likely related to surveillance missions.

Shrek Academy is dedicated to maintaining the stability of the continent. They established the Shrek Surveillance Corps, with Evil Soul Masters being their primary targets. Many Inner Academy students and teachers have sacrificed their lives for this cause.

This is one of the reasons why the Inner Academy has so few students.

Ling Bai and Han Ruoru found a quiet spot to sit and enjoy their breakfast. Both had buns and congee, but Ling Bai had been forced to take four buns, while Han Ruoru only took two.

Ling Bai scooped up a spoonful of congee. The milky white, gelatinous liquid had distinct, plump grains that melted in the mouth, complementing the congee oil perfectly.

"Moonlight Rice?"

Ling Bai recognized the familiar taste.

Moonlight Rice is grown in the extreme north and harvested only once every three years. It is extremely rare, rich in nutrients, and has a fresh, sweet aroma.

The Nine Treasures Crystal Tower is known for its lavishness, and Ling Bai often ate Moonlight Rice there. He was surprised to find it at Shrek Academy as well.

Hearing this, Han Ruoru, sitting opposite him, teased, "The academy can't neglect its students, can it?"

"That's true."

Ling Bai took a bite of a bun. The pure meat bun had a thin skin and a large, juicy filling.

The rich meat aroma instantly filled his mouth. After a few gentle chews, the meat filling turned into a sweet liquid that slid into his stomach, warming his body from the inside out.

"How about it, Junior Brother, not worse than the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower, right?"

Han Ruoru, her hand supporting her cheek, watched the young man across from her chew with a slightly surprised expression, her eyes twinkling like ripples in a lake.

Ling Bai nodded slightly. Even he didn't expect the meat filling to be Earth Dragon Meat!

A hundred-year-old Earth Dragon Meat!

Soul Masters who eat Earth Dragon Meat can replenish their vital energy and strengthen their bodies. A hundred-year-old Earth Dragon Meat sells for fifty gold soul coins per pound in the outside world, and Shrek Academy uses it as bun filling.

With Moonlight Rice from the extreme north and a hundred-year-old Earth Dragon Meat, even someone with a refined palate like Ling Bai, who was spoiled by the Nine Treasures Crystal Tower, couldn't find a single fault with the Shrek Academy cafeteria.

While Ling Bai and Han Ruoru were enjoying their breakfast, an elderly figure entered the cafeteria. He wore a disheveled gray robe, covered in grease, and his unkempt hair looked like a bird's nest. A dirty wine gourd hung from his waist.

The old man stepped into the cafeteria and shouted, "Xiao Mo! The usual, a thousand chicken legs and a jug of wine!"

The wine gourd and storage soul conductor drew perfect arcs in the air, landing precisely on the cafeteria window counter.

Ling Bai instinctively glanced over, curious about which Inner Academy hero this could be.

A thousand chicken legs?

A food bucket would be an understatement; this man was a food vat!

Han Ruoru's gentle voice chimed in, "This is Elder Xuan, one of the Sea God Pavilion elders, second only to the Pavilion Master in the academy. Elder Xuan is very approachable and never puts on airs. He gives a lecture once a week, and among the Sea God Pavilion elders, only Elder Xuan teaches in the Inner Academy. The others rarely show their faces."

"Taotie Douluo..."

Ling Bai sized up Elder Xuan, who looked no different from any old man on the street. The gluttony of the Taotie Divine Bull forced this ninety-eighth-level封号斗罗 to eat constantly, leading to a regrettable oversight in his life.

"Junior Brother, let's go once you're done."

"Sure."

The two walked out of the cafeteria together, but Elder Xuan subtly glanced in their direction as they left, his cloudy eyes revealing a rare clarity.

"That Six-Winged Angel kid from last night..."

Nothing on Sea God Island escaped the notice of this Taotie Douluo. The battle between Ling Bai and Ma Xiaotao was no exception.

Like Yan Shaoshe, Elder Xuan was highly interested in Ling Bai.

"Elder Xuan, here are your chicken legs and wine."

Uncle Mo stepped out of the window and handed the wine gourd and the storage soul conductor filled with chicken legs back to Elder Xuan.

"Mm."

Elder Xuan took them and disappeared in a flash, leaving the cafeteria.

On Sea God Island, Han Ruoru continued showing Ling Bai around the Inner Academy. She pointed to a tall red building and said, "The Inner Academy teaching building. Every weekend, the soul conductor screen at the entrance displays the teachers and courses for the following week, but whether to attend is entirely up to the students, as long as they can pass the promotion exams."

"So much freedom," Ling Bai remarked.

The teaching style of the Inner Academy reminded him of his university in his previous life. Attending classes was optional as long as you didn't fail.

"The Simulated Training Grounds. Training there can significantly enhance your progress. Your Nine Treasures Crystal Tower must have something similar, right?"

"Yes, the head of our sect said it cost the sect a lot of money."

"Haha, the academy spent a fortune building it. The Simulated Training Grounds cover almost all attributes, and most soul powers can find suitable training areas. I remember a place with a strong aura of light, built using the power of the Golden Tree at the center of Sea God Island. I think it would be perfect for the Six-Winged Angel."

"Oh? I'll have to try it out sometime."

After passing the Simulated Training Grounds, they arrived at a white building.

The building was oval-shaped, surrounded by fences on all sides, with a dark, deep entrance.

"The Soul Duel Arena, one of the last important facilities in the Inner Academy."

Han Ruoru explained to Ling Bai, "Shrek Academy forbids private duels but encourages fighting. The Soul Duel Arena is where students can fight openly.

The Soul Duel Arena is divided into six ranks, represented by the colors white, yellow, purple, black, red, and gold. The Inner Academy stipulates that students must participate in at least three soul duels per week. Each win earns one point, and when the points reach a certain level, they automatically advance to the next rank. Only students with a black badge are eligible to take the graduation exam."

"What color is your badge, Senior Sister?"

"Red."

Han Ruoru showed him her soul duel badge, a red badge with a sharp trident in the center.

"Just red? Are there any students with a gold badge in the academy?"

Ling Bai thought Han Ruoru, as an elder, would have already earned a gold badge.

Han Ruoru replied, "The gold badge is unique and represents the strongest student in the Inner Academy."

Upon hearing this, Ling Bai instantly understood and asked, "Senior Sister?"

"Mm-hmm."

"Why don't you challenge her?"

"I have, but I've never won."

"Hmm..."

Setting aside the outcome, at least Senior Sister was honest.

Han Ruoru was a bit embarrassed; losing to the same person for so many years wasn't something to be proud of. She cleared her throat and suggested, "Want to go inside and take a look?"

"Sure."

Ling Bai's lips curled slightly. He caught a small expression on Senior Sister's face, finding it quite cute.

The two entered the entrance, and after a moment of darkness, the space opened up.

The Soul Duel Arena was about the same size as the Shrek Square, where ten ancestral statues were built in the Outer Academy. The center was a space for students to fight, surrounded by rows of seats for spectators.

A rough count showed about three to five hundred seats, which was sufficient for the Inner Academy.

"Brother Ling!"

"Sister Ruoru!"

As Ling Bai and Han Ruoru entered, two voices called out almost simultaneously.

"Qingtian?"

Ling Bai looked in the direction of the voices and saw Chu Qingtian, one of his few acquaintances in the Inner Academy, waving from a spectator seat. The woman who called out to Han Ruoru was sitting right next to Chu Qingtian.

Han Ruoru, recognizing the woman and Chu Qingtian, smiled, "Ming, you're a guide too?"

"Senior Sister came looking for me personally; how could I refuse? Walking around Sea God Island for a whole day was a real hassle!"

Hearing the woman's complaint, Ling Bai and Han Ruoru exchanged glances. The former's eyes twinkled with amusement, while the latter's were filled with concern.

They walked over to Chu Qingtian and the woman. On the way, Han Ruoru whispered, "Her name is Wu Ming. She's an old student like me and Yue Xuan. Ming is actually a good person, but she has a short temper and doesn't always think before she speaks. If she says anything out of line, don't take it to heart."

One of the two active volcanoes in the Inner Academy!

The Golden Crow Saintess, Wu Ming!

Ling Bai gave a thumbs-up. He had already ignited one volcano, Ma Xiaotao, and had no intention of igniting another unless he wanted to be expelled from the Inner Academy.

As they got closer, Ling Bai saw Wu Ming's face. While she didn't match the beauty of Ning Tian, Ma Xiaotao, Han Ruoru, Zhang Yue Xuan, and Tang Ya...

Hmm, there were quite a few people she didn't match?

Wu Ming was still a beautiful woman!

"Hello, Senior Sister Wu. I'm Ling Bai, a new student in the Inner Academy."

"Hello, Junior Brother Ling."

Wu Ming smiled, then saw the dazed Chu Qingtian beside her and immediately flew into a rage. Her smile vanished, and she scolded, "Chu Qingtian! What are you staring at? Greet Senior Sister Han properly!"

"Oh, oh!"

Chu Qingtian snapped to attention, his muscles tensing as he shouted, "Hello, Senior Sister Han!"

Seeing Chu Qingtian so well-trained by Wu Ming, Ling Bai raised an eyebrow, grateful that his guide was the gentle and considerate Han Ruoru.

He was a soft-hearted person and would likely clash with someone as fiery-tempered as Wu Ming. Igniting two volcanoes in one day would be quite a spectacle in the entire Shrek Academy!

"Ming, Junior Brother Chu is still a new student. Be gentle with him," Han Ruoru advised softly.

Wu Ming pouted, "Sister Ruoru, if I learned to be gentle, would those guys still call me that nickname?"

"You..."

Han Ruoru was speechless, shaking her head with a bitter smile.

Wu Ming's words were harsh, but her point was valid. Han Ruoru, with her gentle demeanor, was known as the Golden Fairy. Wu Ming, with her fiery and dominant personality, was known as the Active Volcano.

As everyone knows, names can be wrong, but nicknames never are!

Meanwhile, Chu Qingtian looked at Ling Bai with teary eyes, silently pleading, Brother Ling, save me!

Ling Bai looked up at the sky at a forty-five-degree angle, pretending not to see.

Brother, Wu Ming is at least a high-ranking Soul Emperor. I can't help you!

"Are Hua Yao and Gu Fan fighting on the stage?"

Han Ruoru let out a light exclamation, her gaze fixed on a pair of men and women fighting intensely in the center of the Soul Duel Arena. Both were six-ringed Soul Emperors, their soul rings flashing, and their soul skills illuminating the entire arena.

"Yes, they've been fighting for a while. They seem to have improved a lot after a few months without sparring."

Zhang Yue Xuan, Han Ruoru, Wu Ming, Hua Yao, and Gu Fan were all around the same age and were part of the same batch of Shrek Seven Monsters. They were both friends and rivals. Wu Ming rubbed her wrist, clearly eager to join in.

"Senior Sister, can I participate in the soul duels?" Ling Bai asked suddenly.

Senior Sister?

Calling her so affectionately?

Wu Ming looked at the two suspiciously.

Han Ruoru remained calm, "Sure. The Inner Academy's Soul Duel Arena doesn't consider cultivation levels but soul duel badges. New students are given white badges and will be matched with opponents who have white and yellow badges, mainly Soul Masters and Soul Emperors."

Ling Bai thought for a moment and said, "Okay, I want to give it a try."

He had chosen the more competitive Inner Academy over the comfortable Outer Academy to face challenges!

"Alright, I'll take Junior Brother to the registration office first, Ming."

"Sure, Sister Ruoru."

After they left, Wu Ming turned to Chu Qingtian, demanding, "What about you?"

Chu Qingtian's eyes darted around, "Senior Sister, I'll pass for now."

"Slap!"

"Ah!"

Wu Ming smacked Chu Qingtian's head, causing a dull thud, and he yelped in pain.

"Look at him, why are you so cowardly!"

Ling Bai was participating in the soul duel, but Chu Qingtian wasn't, and Wu Ming felt he was disgracing her.

Chu Qingtian, holding his head, said pitifully, "Senior Sister, if I register with Brother Ling, we'll be matched against each other, right?"

"So what if you fight?"

Wu Ming didn't care.

"Brother Ling entered the Inner Academy from the outside and beat me in the entrance exam. There's a huge gap between us. Fighting again would be meaningless, and losing badly would embarrass you, Senior Sister!"

Chu Qingtian wasn't stupid. He saw through Wu Ming's thoughts and hit the nail on the head. Seeing Wu Ming's expression soften, he continued, "Don't worry, Senior Sister. I'll go after Brother Ling finishes, and I promise not to let you down!"

"Talking so much, and you're still a coward!"

Wu Ming huffed but didn't say anything more, tacitly accepting Chu Qingtian's words.

Sigh, I have it so hard...

Chu Qingtian sighed deeply, silently praying for the day to pass quickly.

Living with a time bomb is like living each day as a year!

At the registration office, a staff member handed Ling Bai a brand new white soul duel badge. Looking at the information on the soul conductor screen, he said, "Student Ling Bai, your soul duel has been successfully matched. You will be the next after Hua Yao and Gu Fan. Please head to the entry area and wait.

Your opponent has a yellow soul duel badge, Ling Luochen."

"Ling Luochen? That's...

quite a coincidence."

(End of Chapter)