The Rebirth of the Supreme King Dong'er

"Huo Yuhao, can you tell me what your martial soul is?"

"My martial soul is called Spirit Eyes. It's a spiritual-attribute martial soul." Huo Yuhao did not hide it. Anyone could find out about something like this with a little asking around, so there was no need to conceal it.

"Spirit Eyes? So, eyes? Your martial soul is a Body Martial Soul?"

"That's right." Huo Yuhao nodded.

Visibly, Wang Yan actually became somewhat nervous and hurriedly asked Huo Yuhao, "Then are you from the Body Sect?"

"The Body Sect? No." Huo Yuhao shook his head sharply. "I'm following the boss lady now. Oh, I'm also a disciple of the Tang Sect."

"The boss lady? The Tang Sect?" Wang Yan looked at Wang Dong'er. "Are you from the Tang Sect too?"

"Not exactly." Wang Dong'er shook her head. "Teacher Wang, don't you know? The Tang Sect has long declined to the point where only its sect master and two disciples remain."

"It's fine. The Tang Sect and Shrek Academy are as close as family." Wang Yan said regretfully, "It's just a shame that Huo Yuhao came to the academy too late. If you'd arrived earlier, I definitely would have gotten you a soul ring at the absolute limit of its age."

As close as family? Wang Dong'er's expression turned strange.

Wang Yan had better be glad Tang Ya was not here. If she heard that, her descent into darkness would probably worsen.

"But Teacher Wang, even if Huo Yuhao had come to the academy earlier, he still wouldn't have been able to enroll, right?" Xiao Xiao stepped in to pour cold water on the matter.

"Besides, his physical condition may look pretty good now, but do you know what he was like when he first arrived?"

"This..." Wang Yan shook his head. How was he supposed to know that?

"Let me put it this way. You know Zhou Yi, right? When he first arrived, Zhou Yi's training could have killed him."

"Trained... trained to death?" Wang Yan gaped, utterly unable to imagine such a situation.

Naturally, he knew Zhou Yi's formidable reputation, but at most, she expelled students or imposed some punishments outside the rules herself.

But no matter what, she would not directly kill students inside the academy!

With Xiao Xiao putting it that way, Wang Yan immediately understood just how poor Huo Yuhao's physique had been.

"Then how did he become like this? As far as I know, although the academy rewards precious pills like Soul Ascension Pills and Mysterious Water Pills, they aren't handed out casually..."

"Oh, that? It was compensation from the academy. As for why they compensated us, I can't say." Xiao Xiao finally poured out all the mischief in her belly.

The academy owed us, but I won't tell you why.

That immediately left Wang Yan itching with curiosity.

Shrek Academy was his faith. How could the academy possibly owe new students something, even using words like compensation?

But Xiao Xiao was clearly not going to tell him the specific details of what had happened.

Wang Yan could only bury the question in his heart and wave to them. "I've asked everything I needed to ask. You may leave now."

After they left, Wang Yan muttered to himself as he departed the grounds.

"Body Martial Soul, Body Martial Soul... and that strange feeling from Wang Dong'er's martial soul. My instincts can't be wrong. No, I need to visit Xuan Zi."

Sea God Lake, by the shore of the island at its center.

An old man with disheveled hair, dressed like a beggar, sat by the lake. His bare feet were plunged directly into the water, staining a patch of the clear lake black.

Wang Yan stood before the old man at that moment, incomparably respectful.

"Elder Xuan, during this freshman assessment, there are several freshmen who may be worth paying special attention to in the future."

The beggar-clad old man called Elder Xuan picked up the purplish-red wine gourd beside him and took several huge gulps. In his other hand, he held a roast chicken. He took a drink of wine, then a bite of chicken, looking utterly delighted.

Hearing Wang Yan's words, he still took several fierce bites before wiping the grease from the corner of his mouth with his filthy sleeve. Then he said, "Go on. What kind of brats are they?"

"It's like this. In District Thirty-Three, which I was responsible for assessing, several freshmen performed exceptionally well."

"First is a freshman named Wang Dong'er."

"Wang Dong'er? That name sounds familiar... Where have I heard it before?" Xuan Zi furrowed his brow. "Was it Yan Shaozhe? I forget what that kid said. Never mind, continue."

Although he found it somewhat strange, Wang Yan continued, "Wang Dong'er's martial soul is the Light Goddess Butterfly. She is only eleven years old this year, yet she is already a three-ring Soul Elder."

"Furthermore, her second soul ring is a thousand-year soul ring."

"Mm, that's not bad." Xuan Zi nodded. "Ask her how she managed to make her second soul ring a thousand-year one, and see whether it can be promoted throughout the academy."

"Elder Xuan, this..." Wang Yan gave a bitter smile. "That's someone else's privacy, after all."

He had asked once before coming here. Wang Dong'er's answer had clearly been an excuse; she did not want to tell him. How could he have the nerve to ask her again?

Moreover, Shrek Academy seemed to have already wronged her once. Though he did not know the details, the fact that it had offered compensation like Soul Ascension Pills and Mysterious Water Pills clearly meant the academy was in the wrong.

"Once they enter Shrek Academy, they belong to Shrek." Xuan Zi planted his wine gourd against the ground.

"If you truly can't get an answer, then forget it. Shrek Academy does not lack geniuses. Sooner or later, someone will be able to accomplish what she did."

"Besides, Wang Yan, you're currently focusing on theoretical research. I believe you'll definitely be able to figure it out."

"Elder Xuan, Elder Xuan, let's set this matter aside for now." Wang Yan gave an awkward laugh and brought up Xiao Xiao instead.

"There is also a two-ring Soul Grandmaster named Xiao Xiao. Her mutated martial soul is the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron. She seems to follow a half-support, half-control path. Based on my observations, I believe her martial soul's characteristics are very apparent and seem to share certain similarities with yours, Elder Xuan."

"What similarities could a Weapon Martial Soul possibly have with me?" Xuan Zi shot Wang Yan a sidelong glance. "Wang Yan, the more you research, the further backward you get."

"Elder Xuan, when the Great Master proposed the theory of Martial Soul mimicry ten thousand years ago, wasn't he also misunderstood by the world? Yet in the end, it was proven through his disciple, wasn't it?"

Watching Xuan Zi gulp down wine and tear into meat, looking as though his mind had drifted far away, Wang Yan felt somewhat helpless.

"I think this new student, Xiao Xiao, is very suited to being taught by you. Perhaps during the process of teaching her, even you may gain something and perhaps even touch upon the barrier beyond Rank 99."

"Wang Yan, everything about you is good except that you love exaggerating too much." Xuan Zi leisurely took a huge gulp of wine and said, "No need to say such things. Move on to the next one."

"Alright. The next one is named Huo Yuhao, a one-ring Soul Master. Although his first soul ring is only ten years old, his Martial Soul is a rare Body Martial Soul called Spirit Eyes, corresponding to the eyes."

"Furthermore, he isn't from the Body Sect. Although he has already joined the Tang Sect, that does not matter much to Shrek Academy."

"The Tang Sect... Wait, did you say his first soul ring is only ten years old?" Xuan Zi shot Wang Yan a sidelong glance.

"Trash like that is worth bringing up separately?"

"But..." Wang Yan said unwillingly, "Elder Xuan, Huo Yuhao is on Wang Dong'er's team. To dismiss him purely because of his ten-year first soul ring would be far too hasty."

"Someone as strong as Wang Dong'er must have had a reason to bring Huo Yuhao into her team. He must possess something worth valuing." Wang Yan did not mention the Tang Sect. The Tang Sect had declined; it was possible for them to recruit anyone, so it was not suitable as an example.

"Perhaps that little girl is simply arrogant and thinks she can still win beautifully even with deadweight?" Xuan Zi neither agreed nor disagreed. "Still, since his Martial Soul is his eyes, he has some value. Perhaps his Body Martial Soul has not been fully awakened yet. I'll take a look when the ranking matches begin."

As long as he was willing to pay attention, that was enough. Wang Yan did not ask for more. As long as Elder Xuan was willing to pay attention to the students he had mentioned, there would be a chance to make Elder Xuan change his mind.

Within Shrek Academy, Wang Yan was indeed one of the few teachers who paid even a little serious attention to the students.

Though that attitude only extended to the handful of students he had identified through his theories.

"Elder Xuan, besides Huo Yuhao, whom I just mentioned, there are also two little girls whose Martial Souls are their hair. Does a hair Martial Soul count as a Body Martial Soul?"

"It barely counts." Xuan Zi downed another huge mouthful of wine and waved his hand. "Looking at that kind of Martial Soul even once is a waste."

"But those two little girls can also use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill." Wang Yan said reluctantly, "If they can be considered related to Body Martial Souls, then combined with their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, their potential can be said to have a promising future..."

"Heh, what promising future? Wang Yan, I think you don't understand at all. You're supposed to be the academy's foremost theorist—how can your understanding be so shallow?"

"Let me teach you, then." Xuan Zi shook his head, looking thoroughly disappointed.

"Body Martial Souls, Body Martial Souls—the most important thing lies in the word 'body.' The more vital the body part that serves as the Martial Soul is to oneself, the greater its potential."

"Which is more important, eyes or hair? That's why I said that brat with the ten-year soul ring has some value, while those two hair Martial Souls are a waste of even a glance."

After being lectured by Xuan Zi, Wang Yan finally came to a realization and bowed in thanks. "Thank you for your guidance, Elder Xuan."

"Mm, go. Don't disturb me while I eat meat and drink wine..." Xuan Zi waved him off, only to begin snoring the next moment.

Eating meat and drinking wine... Ever since that incident, Elder Xuan had become increasingly unhinged.

It seemed he needed to find a way to have Xiao Xiao become Elder Xuan's disciple and restore Elder Xuan's confidence through teaching a student.

Back when Elder Xuan had studied at Shrek Academy in his youth, he had been Shrek Academy's number one genius. Though it seemed that he had also been the only one left from that generation.

Wang Yan shook his head and turned to leave.

Freshman Class One.

Mu Jin entered the classroom and began announcing the results of the freshman assessment.

The freshman assessment actually consisted of two stages. The first determined who stayed and who left, while the second determined rankings through matches.

Only teams that were allowed to remain could participate in the subsequent ranking matches.

There were over ninety students in Class One, forming thirty-one teams. In the end, only a little over twenty teams would be able to remain at Shrek Academy.

Those who remained let out sighs of relief, while those who failed to stay mourned alone. Some students who had formed teams even began blaming one another.

Such were the many faces of life, but none of it had anything to do with Wang Dong'er. All she cared about now was what compensation Yan Shaozhe had promised her.

"Alright, quiet down." Mu Jin patted the podium.

"Here, I want to give special praise to one team: Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, and Huo Yuhao."

Given that Xuan Zi was Mu En's senior disciple, and Elder Song ranked third when counting sixty years downward among the Sea God Pavilion's ages, it was more or less accurate to say he was the only one left from that generation.

Rule-Type Martial Soul, Fleeting Time Clock

"Throughout the entire freshman assessment, only six teams achieved an undefeated record. Wang Dong'er's team was one of them."

As she said this, Mu Jin could not help but smile.

There were only four three-ring Soul Elders among the freshman classes, and one of them was in her class.

Unfortunately, if Ning Tian from the original Class Nine could replace Huo Yuhao, this team would be even more invincible.

On the surface, Huo Yuhao, who had entered through special admission, truly did not seem talented in any way. Of course, the most bizarre part was that white, ten-year first soul ring.

In that regard, Huo Yuhao certainly had a great advantage when it came to playing the pig to eat the tiger.

"Next, those students who failed the freshman assessment may pack up and prepare to leave Shrek Academy." At this point, Mu Jin let out a faint sigh.

That was simply how Shrek Academy worked: survival of the fittest.

Only those talented and strong enough could remain at the academy and continue studying.

Of course, there were also students who had been maliciously expelled because of that idiot Zhou Yi, such as her younger brother.

But the new and old grudges between her and Zhou Yi went far beyond that.

Watching the students who had failed the assessment either cry or silently pack their belongings and leave, Mu Jin paused briefly before continuing, "Alright. To those students who passed the assessment, first of all, congratulations on successfully remaining at Shrek Academy."

"But this does not mean that you will be able to remain at Shrek Academy indefinitely. Every year's advancement assessment sees quite a few students unable to continue studying at the academy because they fail to pass."

"So, no matter what results allowed you to stay, do not become complacent. It is entirely possible that the next advancement assessment will sweep you right out the door!"

"Now, I will announce the rules for the upcoming ranking tournament for the top sixty-four. Teams without enough points to enter the top sixty-four may return to cultivate on their own."

Though it was called a ranking tournament, it actually used elimination rules. The losers returned to cultivate, while the winners remained and continued competing, until the final top three teams were decided and the first-year classes could be assigned.

There would be two matches each day, one in the morning and one in the afternoon.

The original freshman assessment grounds had now been divided again, becoming thirty-two larger areas.

After lots were drawn to determine the matchups, the sixty-four teams with the highest scores in the freshman assessment would compete across these thirty-two areas to determine the top thirty-two.

Then, before the next round, the thirty-two areas would be repartitioned into sixteen larger areas, and so on.

This was also why the assessment grounds had not been strictly divided into fixed sections, using only partitions instead. It made rearranging the areas much more convenient.

At the assessment grounds, besides the homeroom teachers from each class, quite a few other teachers had also come to watch.

The last to arrive was a dark-faced, burly man in his fifties. His expression was icy as he continually swept his gaze across the entire venue, as though someone owed him Gold Soul Coins.

The moment he arrived, most of Shrek's teachers nodded in greeting and took the initiative to greet him.

"Director Du."

"Mm." Du Weilun gave a lukewarm nod in response.

As the director of instruction for the Martial Soul System of Shrek Academy's outer court, Du Weilun could be said to stand above everyone in the outer court except the dean.

Even the rank evaluations and titles of the outer court's teachers were handled by Du Weilun.