Chapter 41

Obviously, even though she had chosen to submit, Ma Xiaotao did not want anyone else to see this.

Xiao Xiao obediently turned around, though she secretly pricked up her ears.

"Why is there only plain water? Where are the flower petals? The milk?" Wang Dong'er asked.

Xiao Xiao silently committed these requests to memory.

"Are you some spoiled young lady? Why do you have so many demands?" Ma Xiaotao set down the basin, already on the verge of collapse.

"Sorry, but I really am." Wang Dong'er smiled.

In truth, a basin of plain water would have been enough for her. But since Ma Xiaotao was serving her, naturally she had to toy with her a little more.

Otherwise, wouldn't she have taken those hits for nothing?

"Ahem. It seems Senior Xiaotao still can't let go of the obsession in her heart. Tomorrow, I'll speak to Dean Yan..."

"There aren't any today. I'll prepare them tomorrow." Ma Xiaotao gritted her teeth.

Wasn't it just being a maid? Just wait and see!

That Naturally Evil Little Brat, I'll Do It Myself

"Then I'll reluctantly accept." Wang Dong'er said with a look of disdain.

"You little brat!" Ma Xiaotao's willow brows shot up. She was a dignified Inner Court Disciple, the disciple of Super Douluo Yan Shaozhe, a Soul Emperor-level powerhouse, yet she had fallen so low as to wash someone's feet—and then be looked down upon for it?

This Wang Dong'er... she really was a naturally evil little brat!

Still, looking at the pair of tender white feet right before her eyes, Ma Xiaotao snorted and reached out her hands anyway.

It was merely one hurdle on the path to becoming strong. As long as she crossed it, her future would be bright!

As her feet were held by Ma Xiaotao's warm hands, Wang Dong'er instinctively curled her toes.

Even back at the Clear Sky Sect, she had rarely experienced the feeling of being served like this.

Wang Dong'er looked down at Ma Xiaotao's expression, but she could not find any sense of humiliation there. She immediately found it rather boring.

"Senior Xiaotao is quite skilled at this. If you can't cultivate anymore in the future, perhaps you could open a foot bath shop to make a living."

"Pah, pah, pah! Who says I won't be able to cultivate?" Ma Xiaotao flung her hand away. "Don't think I'll owe you forever."

"Whatever. At the very least, Senior Xiaotao, you still have to be my maid for a year."

At the mention of that, Ma Xiaotao's expression froze.

She would have to keep doing things like today for an entire year, and perhaps there would be even more humiliating things to come.

Before this, she had never imagined she would ever end up like this.

She really is a naturally evil little brat. If I didn't owe her, I would have personally... Ma Xiaotao lowered her eyes as she cursed inwardly.

Although Ma Xiaotao had been added to the dormitory, Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao's lives were not affected much.

Since the two beds had been pushed together to leave Ma Xiaotao space to sleep on the floor, Xiao Xiao always slept closer to Wang Dong'er at night.

During the day, when they attended classes, Ma Xiaotao wandered around Sea God Lake outside. After losing the ability to cultivate, she had become completely idle, like an aimless loafer.

However, when she learned that the two of them were also going to the Soul Tool Department to study Soul Tools, Ma Xiaotao scoffed.

A soul master's glory lay in fighting with their own abilities. If victory was gained through Soul Tools, how could that still count as being a soul master?

With Zhou Yi absent and Ma Xiaotao unable to cultivate, Shrek Academy enjoyed a rare stretch of peace.

Wang Dong'er had already been class monitor for several months.

Dai Huabin had always wanted to seize the class monitor position, but he never found the chance.

Just like that, the first-year studies quickly drew to a close.

On the last day before the holiday, all the students were restless.

After all, they stayed at Shrek Academy all year round, unlike Wang Dong'er, who could still request a long leave and head out.

Inside Class One's classroom, Wang Yan stood before the podium and swept his gaze around the room.

"Once I finish saying a few things, you can go back and pack your belongings." Wang Yan cleared his throat. "I know all of you are eager to return home as soon as possible."

"However, I hope you understand that the holiday is not for you to rest."

"Other academies may hold final exams at the end of each school year, but Shrek Academy does not."

"As for why, I believe you all understand by now. Shrek Academy's evaluations are not held at the end of each school year, but at the beginning of the next term."

"You have all gone through the freshman assessment. At Shrek Academy, the most important assessments are the freshman assessment and the advancement assessment at the start of every school year."

"The standards for these two assessments determine whether you can remain at Shrek Academy and continue your studies."

"So, if anyone relaxes after returning home and fails the advancement assessment, then no matter how much you regret it afterward, the academy will not give you another chance."

"Next, I'll explain the key points of the advancement assessment. First, our academy respects strength above all else. Before advancing into the second year, every one of you must reach Soul Power Level 20 or above—that is, you must possess two soul rings. If anyone still does not have that when school begins, then there is no need for you to come back."

There seemed to be many two-ringed soul masters during the freshman assessment, but when averaged out, there really were not many. Most students still only had one soul ring.

Those who already had two rings or were about to gain their second ring all breathed sighs of relief, while only a small number wore worried expressions.

"However, possessing the cultivation of a Soul Grandmaster does not mean you will stand out in the advancement assessment."

"The specific content of the advancement assessment will not be revealed to the students in advance. Even teachers like us will not know beforehand."

Though he said that, Wang Yan still told everyone about the assessment experiences from previous years.

When they heard that past assessments had involved challenging a century-level soul beast alone, some students fell into thought while others looked awful.

Class One was a mixed class of Assault System and Control System students. The Assault System students were one thing, but some Control System students simply did not have enough combat ability.

Could an assessment like this really be considered fair?

But they had no way to question Shrek Academy.

Questioning Zhou Yi was one thing. Zhou Yi was merely a teacher. But questioning all of Shrek Academy was practically asking for death.

"Additionally, there is one more matter." Wang Yan said seriously. "The advancement assessment is not merely an assessment for each of you individually. It is also related to our entire class. You students need to advance, and our class also needs to advance."

The moment Wang Yan said this, many students became confused.

What did he mean by the class needing to advance as well?

The next moment, Wang Yan began explaining. "So-called class advancement means selecting three to seven students from our class to participate in a special assessment."

"If these students can perfectly complete the assessment task, then everyone in our class who passes the assessment can enter the second year and continue studying."

"But if anyone fails to perfectly complete the assessment task, then I'm sorry. Even if every one of you passes the advancement assessment, those with the lowest assessment results will still be eliminated proportionally."

As soon as Wang Yan said this, the students immediately began discussing among themselves.

This rule was clearly deliberate.

If any of those selected failed to perfectly meet the assessment conditions, they would certainly be resented and hated by those who were eliminated.

As for resenting and hating Shrek Academy, the same question remained: who would dare?

Watching the chaos within the class, Wang Yan did not stop it.

In his mind, every decision Shrek Academy made had its reasons.

Take this rule, for example. It seemed unconventional and useless, but in reality, it tested the students' individual strength while also increasing the class's cohesion. In other words, it strengthened their faith in Shrek Academy.

Entering the Extreme North Again

"In short, I've already explained all the points to note regarding the advancement assessment. I have no way to supervise you during this month-long holiday, but the advancement assessment will naturally reveal everyone's true colors."

After saying this, Wang Yan once again swept his gaze across the now-quiet Class One. "Class dismissed!"

The main reason he had come to teach Class One was because of Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, and Huo Yuhao.

His intuition told him that these three were not as simple as they appeared on the surface.

Yet after observing them for so long, he still had not discovered anything particularly special about them.

Wang Dong'er had barely displayed her martial soul since the freshman assessment. Xiao Xiao merely had an ordinary mutated martial soul. As for Huo Yuhao, although he possessed the Body Martial Soul Wang Yan most wanted to study, he had not displayed anything special either.

Especially whenever he thought of that first soul ring with only a ten-year lifespan, Wang Yan could not help but sigh in regret.

He did not know whether he would still see Huo Yuhao after the second year began. If Huo Yuhao could surprise people, perhaps the higher-ups might make up for his official core disciple slot.

Of course, that possibility was very small.

Still, it was not easy to find a promising seed with a Body Martial Soul. Wang Yan truly did not want to give up so easily.

The students left the classroom in groups of two and three, and before long, the entire room was empty.

Huo Yuhao walked down the road alone, conversing in his heart with Sky Dream Ice Silkworm in his Sea of Consciousness.

"Brother Sky Dream, I've reached Level 20 now. You should take me to obtain my second martial soul, right?"

"Of course. How could I forget something like that?" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm said. "But do you remember that Secret Method Soul Soul Bone?"

"Brother Sky Dream, do you mean the one Big Sis has?"

"That's right, that soul bone. If possible, it would be best if you could ask her for it. That way, I can have an easier time helping you fuse with your second martial soul."

Huo Yuhao sighed helplessly. "Brother Sky Dream, that's Big Sis's soul bone. How could I possibly ask her for it? Besides, Big Sis has already given me plenty of resources. Otherwise, how could I have reached Level 20 so quickly?"

"And during the freshman assessment, if it had only been me, I probably wouldn't have passed either."

"Ahem, what are you saying?" Sky Dream Ice Silkworm interrupted him. "That girl's role was certainly important, but you can't belittle yourself either. More importantly, you can't deny my contributions! In your eyes, am I just some useless big worm?"

"How could that be?" Huo Yuhao smiled. "Of course I'm also very grateful to you, Brother Sky Dream."

"By the way, Big Sis knows you exist, Brother Sky Dream. Should we tell her about our situation?"

"That's true." Sky Dream Ice Silkworm did not refute Huo Yuhao's words. "That girl is rather strange too, but the second martial soul I prepared for you really isn't convenient for outsiders to see. If it's only you, I can still protect you. But if there's one more person, I can't manage it."

Besides, he had not even fully trusted Huo Yuhao yet.

But Sky Dream Ice Silkworm did not say that aloud.

Only afterward had he decided to give Huo Yuhao a test.

Meanwhile, Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao walked together. Thinking of Xiao Xiao's family, Wang Dong'er could not help asking about her plans for the holiday.

At the mention of her family, Xiao Xiao's expression darkened, but she quickly recovered.

She was different now. Not only was her talent stronger, she also had Wang Dong'er, a best friend with whom she got along exceptionally well.

But if she wanted to break free from her family's restraints, she still needed to become stronger.

Wang Dong'er did not invite Xiao Xiao to leave with her.

She did not plan to return to the Clear Sky Sect during this month-long holiday. Instead, she planned to head directly to the Extreme North to search for traces of the Snow Empress.

Therefore, Xiao Xiao was not suited to leave with her.

Wang Dong'er possessed Extreme Ice and had the Ice Empress Soul Spirit, allowing her to brave the environment of the Extreme North. Xiao Xiao could not.

"See you when school starts." Xiao Xiao bid Wang Dong'er farewell and turned toward the academy's exit.

Wang Dong'er did not linger at Shrek Academy either. After packing her things briefly, she left Shrek Academy as well.

As for Ma Xiaotao, after serving as a maid for several months, her spirit had not been worn down. Wang Dong'er could not help viewing her in a new light.

As unbearable as it was, Ma Xiaotao's obsession with becoming stronger was rather pathological. Aside from not directly falling into depravity like that fatty Ma Hongjun, she was capable of anything.

This time, Wang Dong'er simply sent Ma Xiaotao back as well.

However, thinking of the Extreme North's environment and Ma Xiaotao's evil fire, Wang Dong'er grew curious. Had Yan Shaozhe never considered using the Extreme North's environment to suppress Ma Xiaotao's evil fire?

Or was Yan Shaozhe simply unwilling to let Ma Xiaotao endure bitter cultivation in the Extreme North?

No matter what, she could not guess Yan Shaozhe's thoughts, nor did she have any obligation to help Ma Xiaotao and Yan Shaozhe.

Huo Yuhao, following Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's suggestion, also set off for the Extreme North alongside Wang Dong'er.

However, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm would never have imagined that the "Ice Empress delivery" he had reserved in advance would no longer answer his call.

Extreme North.

Wang Dong'er roughly knew that Huo Yuhao would also come here, but she had set off earlier, so she would not run into him.

Returning here once more brought an entirely different feeling.