"Xiaoya, can we talk?" Beibei watched Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong walk towards the men's dormitory. He then grabbed Tang Ya's hand, his gaze filled with worry.
Tang Ya lowered her head, her eyes filled with bitterness. Turning around, she looked at Beibei and smiled, "Let's go somewhere quiet to talk."
Shrek's outer courtyard might not have much else to offer, but it did have a lot of gardens.
The two of them sat on a garden bench frequented by students, their shadows cast deep on the ground by the dim light of a soul guide.
"Xiaoya, why did you say the Tang Sect isn't accepting any more members?" Beibei felt a tinge of worry.
Tang Ya slowly leaned against Bei Bei's shoulder. Perhaps with the person she loved beside her, her mood softened a bit. She gazed forward with a deep gaze. "Bei Bei, do you think I still have a future?"
"Of course I do," Bei Bei said, his voice rising a bit. "We..."
"I don't have a future anymore," Tang Ya interrupted before Bei Bei could finish.
Bei Bei was stunned, staring at Tang Ya.
Tang Ya lowered her head, seemingly afraid to look at Bei Bei. She muttered, "It's been three months since I obtained my third spirit ring, and my spirit power level has barely increased by one level. My cultivation is slowing down, and I can't keep up with you or the others."
"Just like my ancestors before me, the initial level increase was smooth, but once I broke through to the Soul Venerable realm, all the drawbacks began to appear. My spirit is still just Blue Silver Grass, not Blue Silver King or Blue Silver Emperor."
"Bei Bei, I'm so tired. The burden of the Tang Sect's revival weighs on me."
Tang Ya covered her face and fell silent, her shoulders occasionally shaking.
A trace of heartache flashed in Beibei's eyes, and she reached out and hugged Tang Ya in her arms. A
faint cry spread, and Beibei lowered her head and kissed Tang Ya on the forehead, comforting her, "I will always be with you, forever and ever."
Tang Ya suddenly broke away from Beibei's arms, her beautiful eyes showing traces of tears. She shook her head and said solemnly, "No, you have your future, I can't delay you... I have decided that I will drop out of school after this semester."
"What?" Beibei was shocked. "Xiaoya, you can't do anything stupid."
Tang Ya pretended to be calm and smiled, "Don't worry, although I am careless, I am not a fool. Anyway, my cultivation will be just as slow if I stay in the academy. It's better to drop out. Maybe I can have more time to cultivate."
Beibei wanted to say something, but Tang Ya directly blocked his mouth with her mouth.
When their lips parted, Tang Ya's lips curled into a smile. "You know my personality. Once I've made a decision, I won't change it. I plan to live in Shrek City for the time being. I've found a place to rent. It's on Ping'an Street, just outside the back gate of the academy. The rent there isn't expensive, and I can afford it."
"Okay, it's getting late. Let's go home."
Tang Ya stood up and extended her hand to Bei Bei, smiling charmingly.
Bei Bei looked at her, reluctantly reaching out.
Tang Ya grabbed her and, taking Bei Bei with her, walked towards the dormitory area
.
Huo Yuhao sat in a chair, looking at Wang Dong, who sat cross-legged on the bed, his pillow in his arms.
"You look like you're really interested in joining the Tang Sect. It's already declining, so why bother?"
Wang Dong glanced at him, bewildered. "I don't know. I just remember a voice telling me stories about the Tang Sect. That voice painted a beautiful picture of it. Maybe it's from this memory that I've been yearning for the Tang Sect since I was very young."
"A voice?" Huo Yuhao raised a brow. "An elder in your family?"
Wang Dong shook his head. "I don't know who it was. It's like this voice just popped in out of nowhere. I asked my eldest and second fathers, and they didn't know either. They just said I might have a connection with the Tang Sect and that I could contact them someday. That's why I'm so excited today."
Huo Yuhao gave Wang Dong a deep look.
No wonder in the original novel, Wang Dong wanted to join the Tang Sect the moment he heard about it. He was so impatient. He didn't expect it to be this way.
Wang Dong was not like Tang Wutong. All of Wang Dong's memories were fabricated, forced upon him. The images of the Divine Realm were restored only after Tang Wutong's appearance.
The clearest example was when Tang Wutong first met Huo Yuhao, she clearly didn't recognize him at all. If Tang Wutong had Wang Dong'er's memories from the beginning, would she not have recognized Huo Yuhao?
Doesn't this mean that every trace of Wang Dong'er and Huo Yuhao had been erased long ago?
The body remained the same, but the soul was no longer.
Wang Dong'er might have been dead from that moment on.
"Oh, forget it. I have to report early tomorrow. I'm going to bed first."
Wang Dong scratched his pale blue hair and collapsed onto the bed, his legs tucked under the covers.
Huo Yuhao couldn't help but laugh. It seemed that no one could escape the habit of sleeping with their legs tucked under.
He turned his head to glance at the moon outside the window.
Tang Wutong had better not appear in this life.
The next morning,
the students were divided.
The senior students happily went to class.
For the freshmen, last night would be the most difficult day of their entire freshman year, as all of them would go to the classroom to receive notices from their homeroom teachers. The decision
to stay or leave depended on this moment.
As usual, Wang Dong ate the breakfast Huo Yuhao had bought him in advance in his dorm room, while Huo Yuhao chatted with Moon En at the entrance to the dormitory building.
Perhaps because of their relationship as his disciple, Moon En had nicknamed Huo Yuhao "Little Mouse."
Huo Yuhao blushed; it seemed no matter who had the character "Hao" in their name, they couldn't escape being called "Mouse."
After Wang Dong came downstairs, Huo Yuhao briefly exchanged a few words with Moon En before leaving.
When Huo Yuhao entered Class 1, he was struck by how quiet it was for the first time. Everyone was seated in their seats.
Normally, when the teacher wasn't there, they'd all be chatting amongst themselves. While not loud, the chatter was still
there. "I'm not used to you guys not chatting together today,"
Huo Yuhao jokingly remarked.
"Squad leader, today is the day to decide our fate. Don't be so frivolous."
"That's right. Our group has a record of five wins and five losses. We're not sure if we can make it through."
The squad leader spoke, and the students immediately became excited, each speaking up.
"Remain calm. Believe me, we won't be short of people in our class," Huo Yuhao encouraged everyone. "As long as we don't lose ten games in a row, there won't be any big problems."
Class One hadn't lost ten games in a row.
The worst was four wins and six losses.
Huo Yuhao's encouragement calmed everyone's restlessness for a moment. Until Wang Yan arrived, everyone, with only a few exceptions, held their breath and concentrated.
At the podium, Wang Yan's expression was impassive.
This made many people nervous. It was over! The homeroom teacher wasn't smiling. Something big was about to happen.
Wang Yan glanced at the group and said, "The three-day freshman assessment concluded successfully yesterday. The assessment data for all freshman teams has also been compiled."
Many people gulped at this. The final moment had arrived.
Wang Yan didn't directly announce the class assessment results, but changed the subject.
"By the way, I've already told the cafeteria that everyone in our class is going to dinner tonight. Don't forget."
Dinner?
Everyone?
Everyone was stunned by Wang Yan's words, but some quickly grasped the situation.
The homeroom teacher had promised everyone to stay, and he'd treat them to dinner.
In other words,
Suddenly, the students' breathing quickened again, but this time it wasn't nervousness but excitement.
"It seems some students have already guessed it." Suddenly, Wang Yan, standing expressionless at the podium, let a gleam of relief cross his lips. "Freshman Class One, comprising 27 groups and 81 participating students, has all passed this freshman assessment and officially become first-year students." "
Congratulations!" Suddenly, gasps echoed, and most of the students' eyes widened. "Wuhu." "Beautiful." The next moment, Class One erupted in excitement, with relentless cheers. Those who weren't entirely sure jumped up, hugging each other and jumping. A few girls burst into tears. Those who were already confident exchanged smiles and fist-bumps, like Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao. Wang Yan's eyes were gentle, and he didn't interrupt the children's celebration. He looked at Huo Yuhao and nodded gently. In fact, he had watched quite a few matches over the past three days. Many times, a class of students were at a disadvantage, yet they overcame the competition with their unyielding spirit. Spirit power can be cultivated, but a strong spirit is more difficult to cultivate. Fortunately, they had someone to help them lay the foundation early in their soul master careers. For Wang Yan, no matter what the future held for these students, he wouldn't be disappointed. This was his instinct. After a few minutes, once the students' excitement had subsided, Wang Yan gestured for quiet. A momentary silence fell over the classroom. Wang Yan smiled, "Although everyone has successfully stayed, I have a word of caution. Starting in your second year, you'll have various assessments every year. I hope you won't forget the joy of today's victory and pass it on until graduation." "Hard work doesn't always lead to reward, but without hard work, there's no reward." Everyone nodded silently. No one likes failure. Hard work brings strength; everyone can see it. Wang Yan said, "The round-robin tournament is over, and now it's time for the elimination rounds of the top 64. Our class has a total of 18 teams that have made it to the elimination rounds, meaning we hold nearly one-third of the spots." "This is a record in freshman assessments that may not be broken for many years. This is an honor for each of you." Everyone smiled at each other. Wang Yan tapped the table and said solemnly, "After the elimination rounds, we will be divided into classes. I don't know if I will continue teaching first grade. Here, I want to say a few words to you." "Pride is the prelude to failure, and humility is the finale to success. No matter what the future holds, don't be complacent. Failure is often the main theme of life, which is why success is so unforgettable. I hope you all remember to take every step firmly on the ground to avoid stumbling." " Understood," the students said solemnly, their smiles fading. Wang Yan then began to discuss the real business of the elimination rounds. The elimination rounds will begin tomorrow morning. The sixty-four teams will draw lots at Shrek Square. As a team with ten consecutive wins, Huo Yuhao and his three companions have a special privilege: they won't face teams with ten consecutive wins in the first two rounds. This effectively prevents teams with ten consecutive wins from meeting each other, leading to early elimination. As for the teams that didn't make it to the elimination rounds, Wang Yan simply gave them a day off, allowing them to serve as spectators and cheer on the students in his class. After the bell rang and the students left to discuss how the elimination rounds would proceed, Wang Yan stopped Huo Yuhao and the other two. "Teacher Wang, do you have anything to add?" Wang Dong asked respectfully. Wang Yan spoke gently, glancing at the three. "I have some news to share with you. The champion of this freshman assessment has been confirmed to be a spirit bone, but I'm not sure which spirit bone it will be or what its attributes are." "Spirit bone!" Xiao Xiao's beautiful eyes widened in surprise. Wang Dong was also slightly surprised, but he remained composed. Huo Yuhao glanced at Wang Yan for a second longer. Wang Yan was Xuan Zi's disciple, so it was normal for him to know the inside information.
"Although the rewards are plentiful, obtaining them isn't easy," Wang Yan said gravely. "Among your freshmen class, there are three teams boasting Soul Master-level figures. To give you an early understanding, I've divided their information into detailed sections. Take them home and have a look."
As he spoke, Wang Yan produced nine pieces of paper and handed them to the three of them.
Huo Yuhao glanced at them and was momentarily stunned. The papers listed information about Dai Huabin's team, Ning Tian's team, and the Xie Huanyue team, who possessed the Pipi Elephant spirit.
It even listed their soul skill characteristics and weaknesses.
"Teacher Wang," Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's eyes flickered. This was quite a surprise.
Wang Yan smiled faintly. "Teacher, you haven't been playing around lately. I can say without hesitation that the homeroom teachers of these three Soul Master teams have likely also discovered this information. But while they were fighting each other, they didn't anticipate your presence. By the time you know your opponents, they won't know you, giving you a head start."
"Alright, that's all I need to explain. Let's go."
Wang Yan still had to go to the teaching office. He planned to discuss with Du Weilun about continuing to teach Class 1, Grade 1.
In reality, Wang Yan wasn't sure if his class's strongest team could win the championship, but he knew that Dai Huabin's team was no ordinary team.
The White Tiger and the Nether Spirit Cat combined to form the Nether White Tiger. Ten thousand years ago, this spirit fusion technique was legendary and revered throughout the continent.
"This Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu are no ordinary people." In a quiet pavilion somewhere in Shrek Academy, Xiao Xiao sighed as she surveyed the data card.
"Yuhao, didn't you say you had a special gift for Dai Huabin? What was it?" Wang Dong agreed with Xiao Xiao, but then remembered something and looked up to ask.
"Perhaps, perhaps it's a beautiful hat," Huo Yuhao said vaguely.
"A hat?" Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao exchanged a glance, somewhat bewildered.
"If nothing unexpected happens, we'll definitely run into them. You'll know then. I've been waiting for this day for a long time." Huo Yuhao gazed at the tranquil Sea God Lake, a faint smile on his face.
"I hate the Riddler the most in my life." Wang Dong pursed his lips, his rosy red lips slightly pursed. Perhaps because of the movement, he looked less handsome than a man and more delicate than a woman.
Huo Yuhao's face was filled with astonishment. It was over. The dragon-slayer had finally become a dragon. He
, who hated the Riddler, had become one himself.
What a sin.
Suddenly, Xiao Xiao abruptly stood up from the bench, her beautiful eyes fixed on Wang Dong.
Wang Dong was stunned at first. Perhaps it was because Xiao Xiao was too close, his face flushed slightly, and he was at a loss. "What's wrong with you?"
Xiao Xiao frowned, shook her head, and sighed, "Your expression is even more girlish than mine. If you were a girl, I guarantee you'd be a stunning beauty." "
What nonsense!" Wang Dong's heart pounded, and he hurriedly backed away.
Xiao Xiao showed a hint of suspicion.
Elsewhere, Huo Yuhao smiled obscurely.
That evening, the entire class enjoyed a delicious meal. It was said that Wang Yan had spent thousands of gold soul coins on the ingredients, a considerable expense.
However, as Xuan Zi's disciple, he probably didn't care.
The next morning,
all sixty-four teams gathered at Shrek Square.
In addition to the students, nearly thirty teachers were also present. These teachers served as referees, most of whom were Soul Emperors.
Interestingly, Zhou Yi was also present, but unlike the other homeroom teachers, who looked relaxed, Zhou Yi's expression was grim.
Of the sixty students in Class 7, only thirty made it through the round-robin tournament.
This meant half the students had failed the assessment and were forced to leave.
That wasn't the only problem. Of the remaining thirty, only four groups advanced to the elimination rounds, and the most talented of them all was Tai Long, the one she had expelled from Class 1.
After his expulsion, Tai Long was assigned to Class 7 by Du Weilun, hoping for a peaceful future. Then, that afternoon, he encountered Zhou Yi, who had been transferred to become the homeroom teacher.
Tai Long asked, "Who in the family understands?"
Tai Long was the man in the original novel who was expelled for not running enough laps and then arguing with Zhou Yi. He
was quite capable, reaching level 22.
Arriving at Shrek Square, Huo Yuhao once again encountered Dai Huabin and Ning Tian.
He and Ning Tian chatted for a while. The nobility Ning Tian possessed in the eyes of others was not present in Huo Yuhao's eyes. He still remembered the way Ning Tian puffed out his mouth like a hamster while eating. He
was quite adorable.
However, when he met Dai Huabin, in contrast to Dai Huabin's cold demeanor, Huo Yuhao gave Zhu Lu a few glances.
Huo Yuhao's focused eyes were not even concealed.
Zhu Lu felt a little embarrassed.
When they returned to their respective teams, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but sigh.
This girl from the Zhu family really has a problem with genes.
Like Zhu Zhuqing, she is only twelve years old, and her figure is perfect. It's just that Zhu Lu's appearance is not a top beauty, and she is a little worse than her ancestor.
But Huo Yuhao's look at Zhu Lu also made Dai Huabin furious.
He felt a little heavy in his head, as if there was something extra in his invisible body, and that feeling was quite uncomfortable.
But he misunderstood, Huo Yuhao really didn't have any feelings for Zhu Lu.
Huo Yuhao said that he was a determined pure love god of war and would never do things like Boss Cao.
"Today will be the draw for the elimination rounds. During the elimination rounds, one match will decide the winner: one in the morning and one in the afternoon. Today, the top sixteen will be decided, tomorrow the semifinals will be decided, and the day after tomorrow, the semifinals and finals will be held. I wish you all a successful start. The teams that place in the top ten will receive various rewards. The draw will begin now."
Du Weilun, the Head of School, stood on a slightly higher step, gazing at the students below, and gave the order.
Soon, the draw began with Class One.
Huo Yuhao, the class monitor, was the first to draw lots. He chose Assessment Area 10, but his opponent was unknown.
Then, the remaining seventeen teams from Class One drew lots one after another.
This scene stunned the other classes.
These... are all from Class One?
Wang Yan, standing among the teachers, his smile never faltering.
Zhou Yi, on the other hand, looked even more grim, her human-skin mask slightly crooked.
After the draw, the teams immediately headed to the designated assessment area to wait.
What Huo Yuhao and his companions didn't expect was that their first opponent would be Tai Long from Class 7.
Crucially, the referee for this match was Zhou Yi.
Ultimately, Zhou Yi witnessed firsthand the sight of her class's strongest team being easily defeated by Huo Yuhao and his team.
It was a truly heartbreaking scene.
It's unclear whether Tai Long was punished to run laps afterward, but that didn't matter anymore.
Huo Yuhao successfully advanced to the round of 32. During the afternoon draw, they faced their own class's team.
The two sides engaged in a brief exchange of blows, but after giving their classmates enough face, Wang Dong decisively defeated them with a single punch.
Thus, Huo Yuhao and his team successfully advanced to the round of 16.
The second day of competition soon arrived.
Sixteen teams remained in the spacious Shrek Plaza.
Only two teams from Class 1 made it to the top 16, with the rest eliminated.
With no weak players among the sixteen teams, the competition was sure to be even more intense at this stage.
What?
How are the students from Class 7 doing?
Oh, they were all eliminated.
Class 7 was one of only three classes to have its entire team eliminated.
This time, Ning Tian and Huo Yuhao didn't chat, merely nodding in agreement. No one knew if they would ever meet.
As for Dai Huabin, he had Zhu Lu walk to the far right, himself in the middle, and the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit Master, Cui Yajie, on the far left.
To prevent Huo Yuhao from looking at Zhu Lu, Dai Huabin made some adjustments.
But his actions were in vain. Huo Yuhao didn't look at anyone this time, completely waiting for the assessment drawing to begin.
Huo Yuhao once again went to draw lots and landed in Area 1.
Afterward, the three of them made their way to the assessment area without delay.
Area 1 was closest to Shrek Square.
Shortly after they entered, their opponents arrived.
Two of them resembled twins, but their faces differed from those of the Lan Susu sisters. Their distinctive features were their long arms and thin builds, as if they were malnourished.
The other one, however, stunned Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Huo Yuhao.
The man was incredibly portly, 1.7 meters tall, with an estimated waist circumference of around 1.7 meters. His head was round, a true mountain of flesh.
Following the team were two referees.
The scene was devoid of spectators, and extremely quiet.
As Huo Yuhao and his team sized up their opponents, their opponents also sized them up.
Xie Huanyue was somewhat familiar with Huo Yuhao's reputation as a urinary inducing specialist, but he was relieved that Huo Yuhao hadn't unleashed a terrifying 100,000-year spirit ability during the competition.
The two referees, both male, stood on either side of the stage, their expressions serious.
The referee on the left wasted no time and announced in a deep voice, "Both sides, please state your names."
"Freshman Class 1, Huo Yuhao."
"Freshman Class 1, Wang Dong."
"Freshman Class 1, Xiao Xiao."
The referee's gaze shifted.
"Freshman Class 2, Luo Tianba."
"Freshman Class 2, Luo Tianlong."
"Freshman Class 2, Xie Huanyue."
When the name Xie Huanyue appeared,
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao raised their eyebrows.
Here comes Xie Huanyue, one of this year's new Soul Master students.
This high-level game is not easy to win.
Huo Yuhao stood behind the two of them and whispered, "Wang Dong, follow the plan we agreed on before. Let your hammer get some meat."
Wang Dong nodded secretly, "No problem."
"Names announced." The referee raised his hand and then dropped it suddenly. "The match begins."
It's better to write the battle plot in one go. It's really not my fault for interrupting.
...
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