Pass the Assessment Without Fighting? Damn, There's Something Fishy!

"You little brat, is that any way to speak to your teacher?!"

Yan Shaozhe's eyes widened at her words. His refined face was full of indignation as he retorted, "I'm doing this to stop others from saying anything!"

"Give it a rest. You're just stingy and unwilling to bend the rules for Little Changsheng."

Ma Xiaotao folded her arms and turned her head aside, speaking without the slightest fear.

Aside from the elders of Sea God Pavilion, Ma Xiaotao was probably the only one who dared to speak to Yan Shaozhe, the dean of Shrek Academy, like that.

"Xiaotao, tell me honestly. Other than that reason, do you have some other motive?"

Yan Shaozhe narrowed his eyes. Realizing it was not that simple, he asked probing questions.

"N-No."

Ma Xiaotao did not dare meet his gaze, and even her words became hesitant.

"How about this?"

A faint smile appeared on Yan Shaozhe's lips. Now interested, he asked, "As long as you tell me your true purpose, I'll issue an order letting Li Changsheng pass without taking the assessment. How does that sound?"

"Really? You'll keep your word?" Ma Xiaotao asked to make sure.

"Of course. A promise once made cannot be taken back," Yan Shaozhe nodded and assured her.

"It's... it's nothing much. I just want him to owe me a favor."

Ma Xiaotao lowered her head and answered in a very soft voice, "Teacher, you know how deep Jiang Nannan and Little Changsheng's feelings for each other are. If I don't think of some other way, wouldn't I have no chance at all?"

"So that's what it is!"

Yan Shaozhe suddenly understood. Then, as though recalling something, he asked in confusion, "Wait, if I remember correctly, didn't you not have this idea before? Why did you suddenly change your mind?"

"Teacher, are you stupid?"

Ma Xiaotao rolled her eyes. After giving Yan Shaozhe a look as though he were an idiot, she complained, "No matter what, I have to maintain my relationship with Little Changsheng. That way, whether it's suppressing the evil fire later on or possibly really going that far, wouldn't it all be beneficial?"

"Haha, I didn't expect you to have thought that far ahead."

Listening to his disciple's explanation, Yan Shaozhe laughed heartily. Then, under Ma Xiaotao's watchful gaze, he wrote an order on the spot.

"Go on, then. I'd like to see whether you can snatch that little guy away from Jiang Nannan, the number one beauty of the Outer Court!" Yan Shaozhe teased.

"Just wait and see!"

Ma Xiaotao replied confidently. Taking the order Yan Shaozhe had given her, she headed toward the site of the freshman assessment.

By the afternoon, Jiang Nannan had finally managed to get in.

She found Li Changsheng and had only just finished reminding him of the things he needed to watch out for when she spotted a red figure in the distance.

"Why is she here?"

Jiang Nannan narrowed her beautiful eyes. The smile on her face immediately froze.

"She? Who?"

Li Changsheng turned around and followed Jiang Nannan's gaze. When he saw that the newcomer was none other than Ma Xiaotao, whom he had met just last night, he was stunned as well.

Why was she here again?

"Sister Xiaotao, didn't we just finish up last night? Why are you here again today?"

The first thing Li Changsheng said after Ma Xiaotao arrived made Jiang Nannan's expression turn strange.

It was clearly a perfectly normal sentence, yet it sounded completely wrong to Jiang Nannan.

It was as though, after she had left last night, the two of them had done something shady and shameful.

"I came to bring you something good."

Ma Xiaotao smiled and said, "After all, you've helped me several times."

"Something good? What is it?"

Li Changsheng was not particularly interested in the "something good" Ma Xiaotao mentioned. Even Dragon God Douluo Mu En, with his Level 99 Soul Power, could only produce something as valuable as a soul bone.

Although high-quality soul bones were already treasures that could only be encountered by chance in the Soul Master World, they were still lacking somewhat in Li Changsheng's eyes. After all, this was not ten thousand years ago, and the powerful soul beasts that existed were not merely hundred-thousand-year-level beings like the Titan Giant Ape and Sky Azure Bull Python.

"Here, this."

Ma Xiaotao did not intend to avoid Jiang Nannan at all and directly handed over the order in her hand.

"What's this?"

After taking it, the two opened it with curious, puzzled looks.

When they saw what was written on it, both Li Changsheng and Jiang Nannan's eyes lit up.

Clearly, neither of them had ever imagined that the good thing Ma Xiaotao spoke of would be this.

"Th-This... isn't this a little inappropriate?"

A moment later, they exchanged looks, seeing shock and surprise in each other's eyes.

"What's inappropriate about it? Don't tell me you think you can't pass the freshman assessment?"

Ma Xiaotao chuckled and spoke without concern.

It was not that she had to favor Li Changsheng or help him cheat. Rather, if even Li Changsheng could not pass, then no freshman in this year's class would be able to.

Whether it was his Soul Power Level, martial soul quality, or soul ring configuration, Li Changsheng was the strongest among the freshmen.

"But if we do this, won't the others say something?" Jiang Nannan asked softly.

Although she knew very well how strong her little brother was and hoped he could pass without taking the assessment, was this not a bit too much?

After all, everyone else had taken the assessment. If he did not, some people would inevitably be dissatisfied.

"What are you afraid of? If they have the guts, let them go complain to my teacher, Dean Yan Shaozhe!"

Ma Xiaotao's face was full of disdain. To her, students with great strength and talent should have access to special treatment. Otherwise, why distinguish geniuses from ordinary people?

Geniuses were geniuses precisely because ordinary people and rules existed to contrast them. That was why everyone in the world wanted to become a genius, a powerhouse, or someone of wealth and status.

As the saying went, if geniuses could not use the back door, then what was the point of being geniuses?

"Sister Xiaotao is mighty and imposing. Then thank you, Sister Xiaotao!"

After flattering her, Li Changsheng handed the document bearing Yan Shaozhe's aura and order to Wang Yan, who was in charge of the assessment.

When Wang Yan saw Yan Shaozhe's order, his eyes widened instinctively. Thinking he had seen it wrong, he asked in great confusion, "Where did you get this? Did Dean Yan personally deliver it?"

"Not exactly."

Li Changsheng shook his head, then pointed at the woman in the red dress in the distance and answered, "It was delivered by Sister Xiaotao, Dean Yan's direct disciple."

"Alright, I understand!"

Wang Yan gave a bitter smile. Looking at the document in his hand, he muttered quietly after a long while, "Passing the assessment without even fighting? Damn, if there isn't something shady going on here, I'll twist off my own head and use it as a ball!"