A month later.
On the open grounds of Shrek Academy, Chen Xiaoming slowly dragged a reclining chair into place, his expression a mixture of excitement and subtle anticipation. Whether there was a trace of something else in his gaze remained unknown.
After a month of tranquility at Shrek Academy, the long-awaited enrollment period had finally arrived.
Training Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun, and Oscar had grown dull. Chen Xiaoming was far more eager for the arrival of Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing.
With a casual motion, he set the chair down in the center of the clearing, reclining comfortably as he gazed at the blue sky and white clouds. The habit formed during his time as a tree had now become something of a personal quirk.
"I wonder what Xiao Wu and the others will look like?"
His anticipation was mild—purely out of curiosity, of course. Chen Xiaoming was undoubtedly an upright and reliable person.
As the saying goes, admiration for beauty is a universal sentiment.
He was simply curious to see if Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing were as stunning as described in the novels.
Not far away, Flender and Zhao Wuji stood by a nearby building, openly observing Chen Xiaoming without making any attempt to conceal themselves.
Flender's eyes glinted thoughtfully. He couldn't understand why an ordinary Shrek enrollment day would excite the other party so much.
Despite spending a month together, Flender still hadn't figured out Chen Xiaoming's true purpose. However, he had discovered that the man wasn't particularly difficult to get along with.
"Could his goal be this enrollment?"
Considering that Chen Xiaoming had volunteered to serve as the examiner for the fourth assessment, Flender couldn't help but speculate further.
Otherwise, why would he drag Zhao Wuji along just to stand idly by?
Time passed slowly, but Chen Xiaoming remained unbothered. After spending years as a tree, a little patience was hardly an issue.
In the distance, Dai Mubai approached, accompanied by four figures—one boy and three girls.
A glimmer of light flashed in Chen Xiaoming's eyes. He sat up from his reclining chair, focusing intently on the newcomers.
The boy wore simple attire, appearing around twelve or thirteen years old, with a height of approximately 1.7 meters. He was dressed in light blue training clothes, with a belt inlaid with twenty-four jade stones around his waist. His shoulder-length black hair framed his face.
One glance was enough for Chen Xiaoming to identify him, but his interest quickly shifted to the girls beside him.
The first girl had silky black hair braided into a neat scorpion tail that hung past her calves. She wore a pink outfit that hugged her developing figure, accentuating her slender waist.
Her crescent-shaped eyebrows, large watery eyes, and round, rosy face made the word "adorable" flash through Chen Xiaoming's mind.
"Tsk tsk, no wonder Tang San was smitten."
Such beauty at a young age made Chen Xiaoming suspect that Tang San had recognized her potential early on and claimed her as his sister as a precaution.
If not for the lack of internet in Tang San's previous world, Chen Xiaoming might have suspected him of playing a loli-raising game.
Coughing lightly to dispel the inappropriate thoughts, he shifted his gaze to the other two girls.
One wore a white dress, with short hair neatly cropped to her ears. She stood half a head shorter than Xiao Wu, exuding an ethereal grace with her delicate features and snow-white skin.
The other had long black hair draped over her shoulders, her cold expression devoid of any vitality. She stood about the same height as Ning Rongrong.
"Cough, cough... Damn it, my mind wandered again."
Chen Xiaoming cleared his throat, silently vowing to strengthen his mental discipline.
Nevertheless, a smile crept onto his lips. Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing were indeed as breathtaking as the novels described.
"Teacher Chen, I've brought them."
Dai Mubai, who had escorted the group, glanced at the prepared Chen Xiaoming and solemnly shook his head at Tang San and the others.
Along the way, Dai Mubai had explained the fourth assessment. Although he hadn't known Chen Xiaoming long, the special training he'd endured had left him well aware of the man's terrifying strength.
With a silent glance at Tang San and the others, Dai Mubai could only step aside.
Chen Xiaoming rose from his chair, sweeping his gaze over the group with a faintly mischievous smile.
"Good. I trust Mubai has explained the assessment to you on the way here. You now have one incense stick's time to get acquainted and discuss your strategy. As for the test itself..."
He paused, gathering soul power in his right hand before slamming it into the ground.
With a muffled boom, the earth around him sank into a circular depression, just large enough to accommodate one person.
"The test is simple: within one incense stick's time, if you can force me out of this circle, you pass."
Pointing to the ring at his feet, Chen Xiaoming's smile deepened as his gaze lingered on Ning Rongrong and Xiao Wu.
"Go ahead and smile while you can. You'll be crying soon enough."
With that thought, he lay back on his chair, produced an incense stick, and ignited it with a flick of his fingers before planting it firmly in the ground.
Striking such a pose... truly satisfying.
While Chen Xiaoming lounged, the distant Dai Mubai gravely explained the test to Tang San and the others. However, the outcome would depend entirely on their own abilities.
Watching Chen Xiaoming rest with his eyes closed while the others strategized, Dai Mubai couldn't help but shake his head.
"I hope... he'll show mercy."
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