The Elimination Tournament Begins

Midnight.

"Whoosh—"

Chen Junting opened his eyes and exhaled the stale air from his abdomen.

At that moment, faint fluctuations of Soul Power radiated from his body. This was precisely the sign that he was about to break through from the peak of Level 35 to Level 36.

However, he was still one final step away from officially breaking through.

"The Gold of Life really is astonishingly effective."

Glancing at Dugu Xin, who was still meditating across from him, Chen Junting could not help murmuring.

In just three short months, it had actually raised his cultivation by nearly two levels!

One had to know that, for any Soul Elder, such a cultivation speed was impossible.

Even with the talent of Innate Full Soul Power, the same held true.

"Heh heh."

Just then, a soft chuckle arose in his mind.

"Elder Yi."

Hearing that aged laugh, he immediately sank his mind into concentration. Before long, the figure of Electrolux appeared before him.

"Little Junting, you haven't come to study Magic Patterns and your world's Soul Guidance Arrays with this old man for several days." Electrolux held his Scepter and gazed at Chen Junting.

"Elder Yi, wasn't I preparing for the assessment?" Although Chen Junting did not believe anyone could take the Freshman Assessment championship from him, he was not arrogant. He understood the principle that even a lion had to use all its strength to catch a rabbit. Thus, when facing an opponent with a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, he naturally had to prepare thoroughly in his strongest state.

"It is good that you have your own plans."

Electrolux nodded slightly, a hint of a smile appearing at the corners of his mouth. After all, one of his purposes in summoning Chen Junting was to remind him.

He had already come to regard Chen Junting as a promising junior, even a disciple, so he naturally did not want Chen Junting to slack off in his studies.

As for the second purpose...

"This old man came to remind you of something."

Electrolux pointed toward the Eye of Life hanging above the Sea of Spirit. "Actually, before you used the Gold of Life, your physical constitution, cultivation talent, and other aspects had already had their foundations stabilized by the Heaven and Earth Treasures. Therefore, the improvement the Gold of Life gave you was limited. The reason your cultivation speed has been so fast is that the residual life force left behind while the Gold of Life performed Marrow Cleansing on you has been taking effect. Once this residual life force dissipates, your cultivation speed will no longer be as astonishing as it has been during this period."

"I see!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Junting suddenly understood!

He had already felt that something was wrong earlier.

After all, he had nearly advanced two levels in three months...

Clearly, two years ago, his cultivation speed had not been anywhere near this outrageous.

Now, everything made sense.

"Since you understand, this old man will not disturb you. Hurry up and cultivate." After saying this, Electrolux did not linger any longer. He directly opened the emerald-green door and stepped inside.

Seeing this, Chen Junting also withdrew from the Sea of Spirit and returned his consciousness to his body.

"It is a little unfortunate."

Chen Junting sensed the condition of his body. Although he said "unfortunate," his eyes remained calm, as though it was not a big deal to him.

The ring on his hand flashed with light, and a walnut-sized pill appeared in his palm. It gave off a refreshing fragrance, its surface crystal clear and jade-green, with what seemed to be a halo of light circulating within it.

This was none other than the Soul Ascension Pill.

Since becoming a Soul Elder, he had not taken it yet.

Now, it would help him break through to Level 36.

He put the Soul Ascension Pill into his mouth and gently bit through it. An extremely rich, fresh fragrance immediately burst forth, while green liquid slowly flowed from the broken shell into his abdomen.

In an instant, the dormitory filled with the pure fragrance of nature, as if they were standing amid a sea of flowers.

Even Dugu Xin, who had been meditating and cultivating, was startled awake by the fragrance.

With just a light sniff...

"A Soul Ascension Pill?!"

Feeling his mind clear, he immediately identified the pill Chen Junting had taken. Sensing the fluctuations of Soul Power coming from Chen Junting, he thought to himself, Is he about to break through to Level 36?

A sense of urgency immediately rose in his heart.

Thus, under the Soul Ascension Pill's overflowing medicinal power, he did not dare slack off. He closed his eyes once more and entered a state of meditative cultivation.

Before long, a wave of Soul Power fluctuations came from inside the room...

The next morning, at the Assessment Area.

Since only the first sixty-four groups of freshman teams were participating in the Elimination Tournament, totaling fewer than two hundred people, the entire Assessment Area was much quieter than it had been three days earlier. Outside the Assessment Area, meanwhile, stood a row of Academy teachers, nearly thirty of them.

At that moment, Chen Junting and the others were standing with Class Nine's team, chatting with Ning Tian and Wu Feng. Their discussion was invariably about which students they planned to recruit into Shrek Academy.

As time passed, Dugu Xin continuously scanned the surroundings, frowning slightly. Almost everyone who was supposed to participate in the Elimination Tournament had arrived, yet he could not see Huo Yuhao or Wang Dong. He moved to Chen Junting's side and said,

"Junting, Yuhao and Wang Dong haven't arrived yet."

Just then, Mu Jin hurried over.

Clearly, she had noticed this as well.

"Chen Junting, have you seen Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong?"

Chen Junting exchanged a glance with Ning Tian and shook his head.

Mu Jin's expression immediately darkened.

Before she could say anything else, Du Weilun's voice rang out.

Helplessly, Mu Jin could only return to her place first.

Seeing this, Ning Tian and Wu Feng could not help asking worriedly,

"What exactly is going on with those two?"

"Don't worry."

Chen Junting was not concerned. Although his memories were already quite hazy, he vaguely remembered that Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao's lateness today seemed to be related to a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

He glanced at Du Weilun, who had already called out Class Two, and comforted them, "What could happen to them inside the Academy? They were probably delayed by something. If they show a proper attitude and apologize to Director Du, this matter will most likely pass."

"Ugh!"

Hearing Chen Junting say this, Ning Tian could not help sighing. She did not say anything else, merely hoping that the two would hurry and arrive.

It was not until Du Weilun called out Class Six that hurried footsteps came from the street corner. Amid the roll call echoing throughout the Assessment Area, those footsteps sounded exceptionally abrupt. Almost everyone instinctively looked over, only to see two people running over in a panic.

Moreover,

the two were disheveled, with traces of dirt and dew clinging to them. They looked as miserable as could be.

This sight made not only Du Weilun's expression darken, but Mu Jin's and Ning Tian's expressions also turn unpleasant. How embarrassing!

At the same time, "Reporting!"

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong ran to the space between the teachers and students and shouted loudly. However, their constantly trembling eyelids revealed the turmoil in their hearts. Wang Dong in particular wished he could find a crack in the ground and crawl into it.

Du Weilun lowered the name list and asked,

"Which class are you two from? What happened?"

Under his scrutinizing gaze, Wang Dong was too embarrassed to answer, so Huo Yuhao spoke for him. "Reporting, Teacher Du. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong from Freshman Class Nine were late because we cultivated too long."

Du Weilun's expression sank. He cast an inconspicuous glance toward Mu Jin before saying, "You can even be late for the assessment? Do you have no sense of time? As punishment, after today's matches, you two will wipe every corridor floor in the freshman Teaching Building. Return to your ranks."

"Yes!"

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong replied weakly.

They then ran toward Chen Junting and the others.

As for Chen Junting, he looked to the side as though he had expected this. He saw that Zhou Yi had somehow arrived beside Mu Jin. Although he could not hear what they were saying, Mu Jin's expression had become exceptionally ugly, and she looked completely unable to refute Zhou Yi.

Seeing Mu Jin glare furiously at Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, Chen Junting could not help shaking his head.

Those two were done for.

When they returned to the formation, Wu Feng could not hold back any longer and asked in a lowered voice, "Did you two grown men sleep outside together and oversleep? How could you be late for the Elimination Tournament?"

As she spoke, she gave them an ambiguous look.

Those words instantly made Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong blush.

Seeing this, Wu Feng wore a corrupted-girl smile, as if she had discovered something extraordinary.

She had just been about to press further when Wang Dong, embarrassed and angry, snapped back, "We went to prepare a surprise for you during the matches. Just wait until you get beaten senseless."

Upon hearing this, Wu Feng immediately looked disdainful.

"Tch! You two?!"

On the other side, Huo Yuhao lowered his head and apologized.

"Sorry, Sister Xiaotian, Brother Junting. I..."

"All right, Yuhao."

Ning Tian waved her hand. The displeasure on her face had seemingly vanished. "Since Director Du has already punished you, you have paid the price. There is no need to say anything more."

Chen Junting, standing beside her, smoothly took over. However, his tone was much sterner. "Still, I hope you remember this. Do not let something similar happen a second time."

"Yes, Sister Xiaotian, Brother Junting."