The Rebirth of the Supreme King Dong'er

The freshman assessment would use a draw-based battle system. Each team would fight a total of ten matches, with victories counted toward their score. The top sixty-four teams would then proceed to another round of elimination matches. The final four winning teams would receive different rewards, with the championship team receiving the rarest reward.

As for the losers expelled from Shrek Academy, they could only return and enroll in another academy, or face some other outcome.

After explaining the rules of the freshman assessment, Mu Jin looked toward a rather small student in the corner of the classroom and called out, "Song Qinghan."

"Freshman class teachers may directly nominate one specially recruited student to pass the assessment. After observing you, I believe you are better suited to develop in the Soul Tool Department rather than the Martial Soul System. What do you think?"

"I'm willing, Teacher Mu Jin." The small student whose name had been called agreed immediately, excitement evident on his face.

The other students could not help thinking of Zhou Yi, whom they had only known for a short time. If Zhou Yi had been here, Song Qinghan would either have agreed or left. How could he possibly have been given the chance to state his own wishes?

Judging by Song Qinghan's excited expression, it seemed he had come specifically to enroll in the Soul Tool Department.

"Alright, everyone hand your papers in to me now, then form your groups according to the rules."

Meanwhile, in Freshman Class Five.

Zhou Yi, who had been "getting along amicably" with her students for two months, was positively glowing.

It was not because Fan Yu had been nourishing her, but because she had finally completely regained her confidence in Class Five.

The class monitor of Freshman Class Five, Dai Huabin, was the only student in Zhou Yi's entire teaching career who could resonate with her on a spiritual level and unconditionally support every decision she made.

If she had been a little younger, perhaps her lover now would not have been Fan Yu, but Dai Huabin.

Zhou Yi had long since thrown away her Human Skin Mask. She was now accustomed to facing Dai Huabin with her true appearance.

"Our class can form a total of fifteen teams, and my requirement for you is that all fifteen teams must advance!"

"If I see even one of your teams eliminated, not only will you pack up and leave, I'll also leave you with some deep, unforgettable memories."

The students had long been left panicked by Zhou Yi and Dai Huabin working together. Seeing Zhou Yi's incomparably grim gaze now, they all shuddered.

They did not doubt in the slightest that the unforgettable memories Zhou Yi spoke of would become their nightmares in the future.

After all, during this time, Zhou Yi had trained them like dogs, not to mention Dai Huabin's role in egging her on.

Now, they would not even be allowed peace after being eliminated from the assessment.

What kind of teacher would keep targeting and even abusing students after they had already been eliminated and expelled? Who the hell had sent them to her?!

Student Loans, Tang Sect Ties Run Shallow

Time passed bit by bit, and before long, the students of Class One had finished forming their groups.

After Mu Jin reviewed and questioned them one by one, the members of each team left together, until only Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, and Huo Yuhao remained.

By now, Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao had already fully absorbed the effects of their second and third Mysterious Water Pills. Wang Dong'er had also given her final remaining Mysterious Water Pill to Huo Yuhao.

After all, Huo Yuhao now had loyalty toward her and could be considered someone working for her. She could not expect a horse to run without feeding it grass.

Wang Dong'er had also obtained her third soul ring and become a Soul Elder.

However, she had not obtained her third soul ring with Shrek Academy's assistance. Instead, she had secretly returned to the Clear Sky Sect. Only after confirming that the Sky Azure Bull Python and the Titan Giant Ape had not discovered that she was not Tang Wutong did she obtain her third soul ring at the Clear Sky Sect.

The two soul beasts still believed Tang San's ritual had succeeded. They had no idea that Tang Wutong had already died when Tang San split her soul. Even if the ritual succeeded, she would no longer be the original Tang Wutong.

"Alright, you three are the last group." Mu Jin drew out three sheets of paper from several stacks and glanced at them. "Wang Dong'er, your cultivation direction is the Assault System, correct?"

Then came the second sheet. "Xiao Xiao, your cultivation direction... What do you mean by Control Support System?"

As though she had expected Mu Jin to ask this, Xiao Xiao answered loudly, "Teacher Mu Jin, my martial soul possesses both control effects and can be used as a support method."

"The Soul Suppressing Cauldron? I know you have your reasons, but the cultivation direction submitted to the academy can only be one path: either control or support. If your focus is scattered and unfocused, not only will it be inconvenient for the academy to teach you, but you also will not be able to master everything in your future cultivation. It would only waste your talent."

"Then I'll choose the Control System." Xiao Xiao did not reveal her second martial soul, the Nine Phoenixes Auspicious Flute, to Mu Jin.

"Alright." Mu Jin nodded and used her pen to cross out the two characters for support from the five words on Xiao Xiao's paper.

"The last one, Huo Yuhao." Mu Jin looked at Huo Yuhao.

Shrek Academy admitted different specially recruited students almost every year, but being specially recruited did not mean one would definitely be able to remain at the academy.

It was said that when Huo Yuhao first entered the academy, he had only possessed eleventh-rank Soul Power and did not even have a letter of recommendation. He had fallen far short of the academy's admission requirements.

"If I remember correctly, your martial soul should be called Spirit Eyes, a Body Martial Soul. Are you certain you want to choose the Control System as your cultivation direction?"

Huo Yuhao nodded. "Teacher Mu Jin, I'm certain."

"Alright. As long as you have made up your mind, I won't interfere with your decision." Mu Jin collected all three sheets of paper.

"Wang Dong'er, you are currently the strongest person in Class One and the only three-ringed Soul Elder. Since you chose to team up with Xiao Xiao and Huo Yuhao, you should pay attention to the three-ring teams from the other classes."

Class One was now Mu Jin's achievement. She could lose to anyone, but she absolutely could not lose to Zhou Yi, so she simply shared the information she knew.

"Freshman Class Nine's Ning Tian is a specially recruited student sent by the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. She possesses the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda martial soul. I'm sure you are not unfamiliar with it. Among the ancestors of Shrek Academy's First Generation Shrek Seven Devils, Ning Rongrong, the Nine Treasures Douluo ranked sixth, was an ancestor of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect."

"The Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda? But don't support-type Artifact Soul Masters usually cultivate more slowly than battle soul masters? She actually reached Soul Elder too?" Xiao Xiao asked.

"It is said that the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect wants to recreate the glory of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda from ten thousand years ago. They have been nurturing Ning Tian since she was young. Sending her to Shrek Academy this time may be an attempt to imitate the story of the Nine Treasures Douluo from ten thousand years ago," Mu Jin explained.

"There is also Xie Huanyue from Freshman Class Two. His martial soul is an exceedingly rare defensive Beast Martial Soul called the Rubber Elephant. I'm not worried about him, since Wang Dong'er's martial soul alone is enough to restrain him. But because these are team battles, Xiao Xiao and Huo Yuhao, you two need to pay close attention to his two teammates."

"Lastly, there is the class monitor of Freshman Class Five, Dai Huabin."

Upon hearing that name, Huo Yuhao abruptly raised his head, a soul-stirring blood-red glow flooding his eyes.

Because his talent and physical constitution had both been extremely poor, Huo Yuhao had devoted himself to cultivation after receiving Wang Dong'er's help and simply had no time to socialize.

Other than Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao, whom Huo Yuhao knew relatively well, he could at most put names to the others' faces. Naturally, he had no idea that Dai Huabin was in New Student Class Five.

The sudden news of Dai Huabin sent Huo Yuhao's emotions churning, and he nearly could not remain standing.

"What is it, Huo Yuhao?" Noticing his abnormal reaction, Mu Jin had no choice but to stop and ask.

"N-No, it's nothing. Teacher Mu Jin, maybe I ate something bad." Huo Yuhao lowered his head, doing his best to calm himself.

"Fine, I'll keep it brief." Mu Jin nodded. "Dai Huabin is the young master of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion in the Star Luo Empire, and he is also a specially recruited student."

"The White Tiger Duke's Mansion?" Xiao Xiao glanced at Huo Yuhao and finally understood why he had lost control just now.

After all, according to Huo Yuhao's own account, he had suffered hardship in the White Tiger Duke's Mansion since childhood. Even his mother had contracted an incurable illness. One of his most direct enemies there was that young master, Dai Huabin, who had kicked both mother and son so viciously that they had nearly died on the spot.

Huo Yuhao clenched his fists and continued listening as Mu Jin spoke about Dai Huabin.

Of all people, he did not want to lose to this one—not even if it meant borrowing Wang Dong'er's strength.

"...All right. The teams you need to watch out for most are those led by these three people. As for the others, I believe you can handle them with your strength."

"However, don't become careless just because you're strong. I have high hopes for you. It would be best if you could defeat that Dai Huabin from Class Five and give Zhou Yi a hard slap in the face for me."

Knowing that Wang Dong'er did not get along with Zhou Yi, Mu Jin did not mince her words. "Also, the reward for this year's championship is extremely generous."

"All right, go back and prepare. Registration begins tomorrow morning, and the freshman assessment starts in the afternoon. Make sure you're in peak condition."

They had only just left the classroom and had not gone far when Tang Ya and Bei Bei suddenly emerged from the woods.

"Little Yuhao, why haven't I seen you selling fish for so long?" Tang Ya was the first to speak, looking somewhat impatient.

Huo Yuhao scratched his head awkwardly. "Sorry, Teacher Xiaoya. I've been working hard on cultivation lately. The slow bird has to start flying early, after all."

"Huh? But if you don't sell fish, how do you have money to eat?" Tang Ya asked doubtfully.

"Teacher Xiaoya needn't worry. I applied to classmate Wang Dong'er for a student loan, and it's already enough for my needs."

"A student... loan???"

"Is Senior Tang Ya interested in learning more?" Wang Dong'er interjected.

"Whether it's ordinary Gold Soul Coins, expensive Soul Ascension Pills, Mysterious Water Pills, or even soul bones, I can provide them all. As long as you ask now, I can take them out immediately."

Over the past nearly three months, Wang Dong'er had completed quite a few tasks. Though she had not received any heaven-defying rewards, she had obtained a considerable amount of resources that were now basically useless to her.

"Then, Junior Dong'er, what is the price?" Tang Ya seemed a little tempted and hurriedly asked.

Although she had inherited the Tang Sect's legacy, the Tang Sect had already declined. Its most valuable possession was the incomplete copy of the Mysterious Heaven Treasure Record left behind by Ancestor Tang San, and that clearly could not be used as collateral. As for the rest, there was only a small amount of cold, hard Gold Soul Coins—not even many soul bones.

Although Bei Bei and Xu Shishi were good brothers, he could not simply talk Xu Shishi into giving her a Mysterious Water Pill.

If she had a Mysterious Water Pill, perhaps the innate weakness of Blue Silver Grass could be improved.

"It's simple. Swear upon your martial soul that you will return the resources I lend you at double the amount within the specified period." Wang Dong'er smiled sweetly, yet everyone somehow felt as if a streetlamp were shining down on them.

Swearing upon one's martial soul was the most common method of making an oath in the world of soul masters.

A martial soul was the foundation of a soul master. Basically, no one treated an oath sworn upon their martial soul as a joke.

Of course, if someone was like that Tang San Buddha, it was only natural that such restraints would not work. In that case, physical means could only be used to ensure the oath was fulfilled.

"But what if someone takes out a loan and runs away? Wouldn't you lose out?" Tang Ya asked.

"I naturally have ways to find them. No matter their background or strength, stealing from me will not be so easy. Besides, not just anyone is qualified to borrow from me. Senior, I only took the risk of telling you about this because you are the Tang Sect's sect master and Huo Yuhao's teacher."

Tang Ya could not help nodding.

Indeed, as the saying went, wealth should not be flaunted. If Wang Dong'er truly went around advertising this everywhere, she would probably soon be branded a fat sheep waiting to be slaughtered.

That meant she was actually among Wang Dong'er's earliest potential customers?

Mysterious Water Pills, Soul Ascension Pills...

Thinking about those items, Tang Ya felt like she was about to drool.

"Give me one Mysterious Water Pill and one Soul Ascension Pill... No, just one Mysterious Water Pill will do."

While Tang Ya and Wang Dong'er chatted enthusiastically, Bei Bei was beginning to doubt his life.

Despite knowing Xu Shishi for so long, he had only managed to pry a single Mysterious Water Pill from him. He had won it through a bet when they first met because he knew the other's identity. Even after they had become familiar with each other, he had not managed to get another one. Yet Wang Dong'er could take them out so casually?

Hadn't it been said that very few Mysterious Water Pills were produced each year?

Still, he had to stop Wang Dong'er.

He had finally won Tang Ya's heart. If he gave her a treasure like a Mysterious Water Pill as a gift, Tang Ya would surely have eyes only for him.

Unfortunately, he could not reveal his identity in front of Tang Ya, and Xu Shishi was stingy as well. Otherwise, getting a Mysterious Water Pill would be no difficult matter—he could simply ask his great ancestor, Mu En, for one. After all, he was the only descendant of Great Master Yu Xiaogang's lineage from ten thousand years ago.

"Xiaoya, why ask Junior Wang Dong'er for something? Just wait for me. Once I pass the graduation assessment of the outer academy, I'll bring you one."

"But Bei Bei, the earlier you take a Mysterious Water Pill, the better its effects are." Tang Ya pouted. "I'm already a Soul Elder. If I don't take one soon, I'll miss the best period for taking it."

"This..." Bei Bei was left speechless. He could hardly say that he did not want her to take it.

"It's fine, it's fine. Once I become strong and revitalize the Tang Sect, I'll naturally be able to pay it back." Tang Ya waved her hand. "Oh, right, Junior Dong'er, how long is your repayment period?"

"For anyone else, I can give at most five years. But since it's Senior Tang Ya, I can give you twenty years out of respect for you."

"Twenty years?!" Startled by the length of time, Tang Ya clicked her tongue. "You really think highly of me, Junior. Don't worry—if I can't pay you back by then, I'll just package up the entire Tang Sect and hand it over to you!"

"Xiao Ya, you... sigh." Bei Bei looked utterly helpless.

When he had first followed his great-grandfather Mu En's instructions and approached Tang Ya, she had still been depressed over the Tang Sect's decline and her parents' deaths.

It was only later, in order to hide that grief, that she began acting so incredibly scatterbrained.

The first time she met Huo Yuhao, after he said his parents had died, she had even blurted out, "That's really great."

And now she had taken it even further, actually talking about packaging up the Tang Sect and giving it to someone else.

The Tang Sect and Shrek Academy shared an unbreakable bond, closer than blood. No matter how scatterbrained Tang Ya was, at most she could package it up for Shrek Academy—not hand it over to an outsider like Wang Dong'er!

Wait, why had an outsider like Wang Dong'er become so familiar with Tang Ya?

Bei Bei looked at Wang Dong'er and increasingly felt that she was trying to steal someone away. But he was probably overthinking it. After all, their genders were wrong, and Wang Dong'er didn't even have the equipment for it. If she really was poaching someone, then she could only be poaching from Shrek Academy.

How could that possibly happen? Hahaha.

Seemingly realizing that she had been too frivolous, Tang Ya stuck out her tongue. "Sorry, Junior. I was too happy just now, and I said things without thinking. Just pretend you didn't hear it, okay?"

"It's fine. If Senior Tang Ya has any questions or anything you can't manage, you can come to me for help anytime." As she spoke, Wang Dong'er pretended to retrieve something from her storage Soul Tool. With a flip of her palm, a Mysterious Water Pill and an emerald-green Soul Ascension Pill appeared in her hand.

"Wow! It really is a Mysterious Water Pill! And... is this a Soul Ascension Pill?" Tang Ya and Bei Bei were both somewhat shocked. Then Tang Ya happily accepted the Mysterious Water Pill and said gratefully to Wang Dong'er, "Thank you so much, Dong'er. Without you, I'm afraid I'd have a hard time even passing the fifth-year advancement assessment. With this Mysterious Water Pill, I'm much more confident. But I don't need the Soul Ascension Pill."

"It's fine, it's fine. Senior Tang Ya, consider this Soul Ascension Pill a gift from me. If you run into any trouble, come find me. As long as it's something I can do, my help is unlimited." Wang Dong'er flashed a brilliant smile.

After all, her favors accrued compound interest.

Mission: Favors Accrue Compound Interest

Mission Description: Capitalists must be hung from streetlamps! Distribute resource loan gift packages to three people in total (2/3)

"Then... I'll accept them!" Tang Ya carefully put away the two pills, unable to suppress the smile on her face.