Compared to yesterday, there were even more people today. The person presiding from the raised platform was no longer Du Weilun, the Dean of Instruction from the Outer Court's Martial Soul Department, but an elderly man dressed in white.
Du Weilun's respectful stance alone made it clear that this elderly man was no ordinary figure.
"Greetings, everyone. I am Yan Shaozhe, the 261st headmaster of Shrek Academy."
The moment he spoke, the students instinctively straightened up. This was the headmaster of Shrek Academy, a man qualified to stand on equal footing with the rulers of nations!
He was also a Titled Douluo-level powerhouse, and they had met him before even entering the Inner Sect.
What an immense honor!
Huo Yuhao also worked hard to calm himself, forcing himself to focus.
Yan Shaozhe smiled as he swept his gaze over the crowd below. "Very good. You all performed exceptionally well in the previous matches. At the same time, you are the most gifted class Shrek Academy has seen in nearly a hundred years."
"I hope your upcoming performances will bring us even more surprises. Now, let us draw lots."
The identity badges on each captain's chest could be used directly for the drawing. They only needed to press them once.
The four of them pressed the buttons on their soul-tool badges at the same time, and the mechanisms inside began spinning at high speed.
Ding.
The results appeared on the large screen simultaneously.
Du Weilun began announcing the results in a loud voice. "Dai Huabin's team and Huo Yuxi's team have drawn position one. Huo Yuhao's team and Zhou Sichen's team have drawn position two."
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and steadied his emotions, looking at Huo Yuxi with some concern.
Thinking of how she and their mother had once been barely clinging to life, he clenched his fists in fury. He would personally avenge this grievance.
"Our luck isn't bad. We didn't draw either of the two Soul Elder teams, but that Dai Huabin looks tall and powerfully built. He's also a three-ring Soul Elder. Can Xixi and the others handle him?"
Huo Yuxi was indeed very strong, but ever since the competition began, her team's luck could hardly be called good. Out of all those new student teams, there were only a few Soul Elders, yet they had drawn most of them through sheer bad luck.
"It'll be fine. I believe in her." He had to remain rational now. He could not blindly throw everything aside to seek revenge. Leaving aside the gap in their strength, he could not give up everything he had now—his dreams included—for the sake of such scum.
Huo Yuxi arrived at the first area. Looking at Dai Huabin, who was elegantly accepting the attention of the crowd across from her, hatred flooded her chest.
If—if it had not been for that incident, Mother would not have been so badly injured, nor would she have left them so soon.
"Xixi, are you all right?" Lu Wanwan had noticed something was wrong with her earlier, though she had no idea what had stirred such intense emotional turmoil in her.
"I'm fine." Huo Yuxi's smile was forced.
Lu Wanwan wanted to say something more, but Luo Ling secretly shook her head at her. Turning to Huo Yuxi, she said, "Don't force yourself. If you're unwell, I'll be the main attacker this round. You and Wanwan can support me."
"I'm all right. I just thought of something unpleasant earlier. I've recovered now."
"Both sides, announce your names."
"New Student Class One, control-type Soul Elder, Huo Yuxi."
"New Student Class One, control-type War Soul Grandmaster, Luo Ling."
"New Student Class One, support-type War Soul Grandmaster, Lu Wanwan."
Once Huo Yuxi's team had finished, it was Dai Huabin's turn. A cold, murderous aura surrounded him, carrying the distinct air of a soldier.
Among the White Tiger Duke's children, Dai Huabin was one of the more gifted ones. Naturally, the resources he had received since childhood had favored him. His education might not have been the very best, but it was still excellent.
The White Tiger Duke was the commander-in-chief of the Star Luo Empire's three armies. As his son, Dai Huabin not only had to learn how to cultivate his martial soul, but also study warfare—how to lead troops into battle, how to defeat an enemy in a single strike on the battlefield...
Within the White Tiger Duke's family, the capable inherited the position. This had shaped Dai Huabin into a decisive and ruthless person.
"New Student Class Five, assault-type Soul Elder, Dai Huabin."
After he finished, the black-haired girl beside him immediately said, "New Student Class Five, agility-type War Soul Grandmaster, Zhu Lu."
"New Student Class Five, control-type War Soul Grandmaster, Cui Yajie." The pink-haired girl spoke at an unhurried pace.
After the introductions came their formations. Huo Yuxi stood at the front, Luo Ling guarded the rear left, and Lu Wanwan provided support from the back.
Dai Huabin's team took their positions as well.
Seeing that both sides were ready, the proctor announced in a deep voice, "The match begins."
Both sides unleashed their martial souls, and the dazzling light of their soul rings flared. Huo Yuxi immediately launched an attack. "First Soul Skill, Gui Yan Blade."
Unlike Huo Yuxi's urgency, Dai Huabin's eyes were full of caution. Before the match began, he had already thoroughly investigated the information on the other three teams.
Huo Yuxi's team in particular. He had even sought out the teams that had fought them, all to learn about their fighting style and minor habits.
It had to be said that Dai Huabin was well suited to becoming an officer.
Just as the blade was about to strike him, a layer of white light enveloped his body. He narrowed his eyes slightly, twisted aside to evade it, then charged rapidly at Huo Yuxi.
As he sprinted, the muscles on his body rapidly swelled. His golden hair turned black and white, and a faint pattern resembling the character for "king" slowly emerged on his forehead.
A Soul Elder facing a Soul Elder created immensely powerful Soul Power fluctuations. Such a battle made every teacher present unable to help wondering who would emerge superior.
With Lu Wanwan's support, coupled with the natural restraint control-type soul masters held over assault-type soul masters, everyone still leaned toward Huo Yuxi winning.
But Dai Huabin's investigation had not been for nothing. The black-haired girl, Zhu Lu, flashed her eyes, and a pair of cat ears grew from her head. Her nails also became incomparably sharp.
With a flicker of her body, she vanished directly from where she stood. Even Lu Wanwan's first soul skill did not slow her down in the slightest.
She did not touch even a single petal among the lotuses covering the ground.
Lu Wanwan was secretly astonished. It was not as though they had never encountered agility-type soul masters before, but this far exceeded her expectations.
While studying the information, the first thing she had noticed was this girl with the same martial soul as the Netherworld Douluo. She had not expected her speed to truly reach such an extent.
She had not even caught a glimpse of her opponent's shadow.
At that moment, Lu Wanwan suddenly sensed that something was wrong behind her. She hurriedly turned and circulated her Soul Power to block.
Bang.
Luo Ling quickly supported her from behind, controlling a water vortex with one hand as she attacked Zhu Lu and Cui Yajie.
"Second soul skill, White Tiger Light Wave."
Dai Huabin's aura abruptly surged. Huo Yuxi sidestepped his fist and ran outward to widen the distance.
An assault-type Battle Soul Master would never easily allow a control-type soul master to open up distance. A trace of sinister intent flashed through Dai Huabin's eyes as he continued chasing after her.
"You really don't want to let me leave? Then I'll play with you."
Huo Yuxi stopped mid-charge. "Second soul skill, Wrath of the Stranglehold."
The air beside their ears began to vibrate in waves, as though they had entered a special force field. Every aspect of their bodies was weakening, especially their Soul Power and spiritual power, which were being rapidly drained away.
Cui Yajie, who possessed the same spiritual attribute, felt it most deeply. Luo Ling seized the opportunity to counterattack.
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