Ring Tournament?

"Senior Xiaotao, I still need to prepare for the New Student Assessment. I don't have time to be your punching bag." Jiang Qingtong looked at Ma Xiaotao, understood what she was thinking, and felt even more helpless.

If she had an offensive Soul Tool on hand, she would have taken it out for Ma Xiaotao to use long ago.

Ma Xiaotao frowned at Jiang Qingtong's words. "You still need to prepare for that? With your abilities, wouldn't you pass the New Student Assessment just by casually fighting your way through it? I've looked over this year's new students. There are a few with decent talent, but none who seem comparable to you."

"That may be true, but you can't come looking for me to fight every day, can you? Even if you don't get tired, I do!" Jiang Qingtong looked at Ma Xiaotao and stressed again, "I'm not even thirteen yet. This is when I'm supposed to be growing. What if I exhaust myself?"

After Jiang Qingtong said that, Ma Xiaotao shook her head and told her, "I didn't come to fight you today. There's something I need you for. Come with me."

Hearing Ma Xiaotao's words, Jiang Qingtong froze for a moment. She looked at Jiang Nannan beside her, and Jiang Nannan patted her hand. "Go on, don't be scared. Senior won't hurt you."

Jiang Qingtong was not afraid. She simply could not imagine what Ma Xiaotao might want from her besides a fight. Though they technically had the same teacher, both Yan Shaozhe and she knew that, strictly speaking, she was not Yan Shaozhe's disciple.

Jiang Qingtong followed Ma Xiaotao to an office in the teaching building. Cai Meier, Zhou Yi, Wang Yan, and several others were already there. When they saw Ma Xiaotao bring Jiang Qingtong in, Zhou Yi rose to her feet. "Qingtong, come sit here."

Jiang Qingtong had no idea what was going on. Zhou Yi pressed her into a chair, and she asked doubtfully, "What is this? A tribunal?"

"What nonsense are you talking about, child?" Cai Meier shook her head helplessly. "There's something we need to discuss with you, so I had Xiaotao bring you here."

"Something? What is it?"

Jiang Qingtong looked at them in confusion.

Wang Yan stepped forward. "Student Jiang, I learned from Dean Yan that you possess several high-grade defensive Soul Tools. Don't misunderstand. The thing is, according to academy rules, Soul Tools are not permitted during the New Student Assessment..."

As Jiang Qingtong listened to Wang Yan, she nodded lightly and asked with a smile, "So the academy wants me to hand over the Soul Tools on me?"

"Of course not!" Cai Meier shook her head.

"I can guarantee that I won't use Soul Tools during the New Student Assessment, but I cannot allow them to leave my control." Jiang Qingtong smiled as she spoke to those before her.

Jiang Qingtong knew very well that the reason she could maintain her independence at Shrek Academy was precisely because she possessed so many Rank Nine Soul Tools. Once they left her control, there was no telling what might happen.

Although Past Moon had been given away, it had earned the Sun Moon Empire a Tang Sect claim. It was still a worthwhile deal.

Cai Meier understood Jiang Qingtong's concerns as well. She shook her head. "No, there's no need for that."

Jiang Qingtong looked at Cai Meier and asked curiously, "Dean Cai, then what do you mean?"

Ma Xiaotao spoke from the side. "Dean Cai means that you can bring your Rank Nine Soul Tools onto the stage. Whether you use them is up to you! However, the assessment format will need to be changed."

"Change the assessment format?" Jiang Qingtong frowned.

Cai Meier nodded and had Wang Yan and Zhou Yi explain the situation to Jiang Qingtong.

Zhou Yi stepped forward and said, "Teacher Wang Yan and I discussed it. Given your special circumstances, this year's New Student Assessment for the Martial Soul Department's Outer Court will no longer involve students being divided into teams to fight one another. Instead, it will be a Ring Tournament."

"A Ring Tournament?"

Jiang Qingtong looked at the two of them and understood what they meant. She nodded. "So I'll be the one defending the ring? That isn't much of a problem, but... will everyone be coming at me together?"

If everyone came at her at once, she really would not be able to handle them easily without using Soul Tools.

Wang Yan shook his head. "No. You may choose two classmates to form a team with you and defend the ring. The other new students will form teams to challenge you. The two classmates you choose will automatically pass the New Student Assessment. As for the other students, they will be scored based on their performance in battle."

Jiang Qingtong nodded slightly. "I understand! I agree."

Fighting a few was still fighting, and with her Rank Nine Soul Tools, she could not lose anyway.

Seeing Jiang Qingtong agree, Cai Meier also breathed a sigh of relief. She did not really approve of changing the rules for one person, but Jiang Qingtong's identity was too special. If they did not let her take part in the New Student Assessment, they feared she would think they were discriminating against her because she was from the Sun Moon Empire. But if they did let her participate, who could possibly fight against someone wearing so many Rank Nine Soul Tools?

This was already the best solution.

Cai Meier told Jiang Qingtong, "Zhuang Lao will personally be responsible for restoring your Soul Power and stamina, so you needn't worry about exhausting yourselves. As for your teammates, choose whoever you wish."

Jiang Qingtong shook her head. "I'm not picky. Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao will do."

"Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao?" Cai Meier turned to look at Zhou Yi and Wang Yan.

Zhou Yi said to Cai Meier, "Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao are in the same class as Qingtong. One has the Light Goddess Butterfly martial soul, while the other has the Three Lives Soul Calming Cauldron. When they filled out their development paths a few days ago, both of them chose the control system."

"Two control-system students..." Cai Meier considered it for a moment, then nodded. "Their coordination should be better as classmates. Then we'll arrange it that way."

Jiang Qingtong returned to the classroom with Zhou Yi and gathered the entire class together. She announced the special nature of this New Student Assessment and told Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao that they would be defending the ring together with Jiang Qingtong.

"Ah? Us?" Xiao Xiao froze, somewhat surprised.

"Was this the academy's decision?" Wang Dong asked.

Jiang Qingtong waved with a smile. "It was my decision. In our class, aside from me, you two have the best talent! So you'll be my teammates, and the three of us will tear through the new students!"

Wang Dong shook her head. "No! Why didn't you ask for my opinion?"

Xiao Xiao looked at Jiang Qingtong, then at Wang Dong. "I don't think I'm really suited for this either. What if we lose?"

Jiang Qingtong continued, "Don't worry. If you're my teammates, you'll automatically pass the New Student Assessment. When the time comes, we won't need to worry about anything. We just need to fight!"

Hearing that, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao asked in unison, "Really?"

Zhou Yi, standing to the side, nodded as well. "Of course it's true. Dean Cai has already approved it. An official notice will be issued to the Outer Court tomorrow. You only need to prepare."

Wang Dong immediately said, "Now that's more like it! Then let's fight! But Qingtong, don't drag me down!"