Year-End Trials and an "Accidental" Victory

Days flew by amid cultivation, studies, work, and Xiao Xiaoxiao's little schemes. Winter arrived in Nuoding City, turning the air dry and cold. The trees around the academy were left with nothing but bare branches.

As year's end approached, the atmosphere at the academy quietly grew tense. The annual year-end assessment was about to begin. It concerned not only grade evaluations, but also the allocation of future resources. For Work-Study Students especially, outstanding performance could even earn extra rewards or reduce their workload for the coming year.

The assessment was divided into two parts: a written theory exam and practical combat exercises.

The written exam was not much of a problem for Xiao Xiaoxiao. With an adult's comprehension and scattered memories from her "foreknowledge," she answered fairly smoothly. Tang San was even less of a surprise. Xiao Wu, meanwhile, scratched at her head in frustration and barely passed only with the silent "help" of Xiao Xiaoxiao and Tang San.

The main event was the practical combat exercise. All students were divided into groups according to their Soul Power Level and fought in round-robin matches.

Tang San, an eleventh-level Soul Master and the "famous" owner of the useless Blue Silver Grass martial soul, drew plenty of curious and even disdainful looks. However, after he used that strange footwork, Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, along with his elusive Blue Silver Grass that carried a paralyzing effect, to easily tie several higher-level opponents into dumplings, no one dared underestimate the quiet Work-Study Student anymore. He had not even used the Hidden Weapons he had secretly been polishing.

Although Xiao Wu did not have a soul ring, her Soft Skill was practically a cheat in the group below level ten. She skipped and bounced her way through the matches, laughing as she threw every opponent out of the ring and earned herself the prestigious title of Sister Xiao Wu.

Xiao Xiaoxiao was assigned to the group ranging from level eleven to fifteen, where the pressure was greatest. Her Phantom Moon Fox martial soul had excellent support effects, but her frontal combat ability was rather weak.

She had struggled greatly in the first few matches. Her opponents were either Assault System fighters who charged and attacked fiercely, giving her no chance to use her soul skill, or Agility Attack System fighters who moved so fast that her Mental Interference had difficulty hitting accurately.

She lost two matches and won one. Even that victory came from unleashing her interference at full strength from the very start, leaving her opponent so disoriented that he fell off the arena on his own. Her Soul Power had nearly been exhausted.

Her next opponent was one of Xiao Chenyu's lackeys, a level-twelve Assault System Battle Soul Master with a Mastiff martial soul. He was highly aggressive, and the way he looked at Xiao Xiaoxiao was filled with ill-intentioned mockery.

"Little Work-Study Student, it's not too late to surrender now. Otherwise, my Mastiff might bite you until you cry later!" he shouted arrogantly.

Below the stage, Xiao Chenyu stood with his arms crossed, looking eager to watch a show. Xiao Wu stamped her feet in anger and loudly cheered for Xiao Xiaoxiao. Tang San stood at the front of the crowd, his gaze calmly fixed on the stage, his emotions unreadable.

Xiao Xiaoxiao took a deep breath and clenched her fists. I can't lose, especially not to someone like him!

The match began!

The Mastiff Soul Master roared and lunged straight at her, moving quickly!

Xiao Xiaoxiao immediately used the footwork she had learned from Tang San over the past few days, narrowly evading him as she summoned the Phantom Moon Fox.

"First Soul Skill, Mental Interference!"

The ripple swept past. The Mastiff Soul Master's charge faltered, and his eyes went unfocused for a moment. But he immediately shook his head and recovered, grinning viciously. "Not bad, but it's too weak!" He pounced again!

Xiao Xiaoxiao could only keep dodging, barely escaping danger after danger. Her interference could not fully take effect, while her Soul Power was draining rapidly. At this rate, defeat was certain!

Xiao Wu was frantic below the stage. "Xiaoxiao! Interfere with his eyes! That's it! Kick him down there! Ah! Watch out!"

Tang San's brows drew together slightly, his gaze closely following Xiao Xiaoxiao's movements.

After narrowly dodging another swipe of claws, Xiao Xiaoxiao staggered, seeming to have run out of strength. A vicious gleam flashed through the Mastiff Soul Master's eyes. Thinking his chance had come, he threw himself forward like a savage dog pouncing on prey, charging at the seemingly unbalanced Xiao Xiaoxiao with all his strength!

At that very instant!

A sly glint flashed through the eyes of the seemingly panicked Xiao Xiaoxiao! This was the chance she had been waiting for! He had committed fully to his charge, his old force spent while his new force had yet to arise—the worst possible moment for him to change direction!

She had not lost her balance at all. Her feet suddenly shifted, and her body twisted half a foot aside in an incredibly awkward yet effective motion. At the same time, almost brushing past his side, she poured in every last bit of her remaining Soul Power!

"Mental Interference! Maximum output!"

Moonlight blazed from the Phantom Moon Fox's eyes! An invisible Shockwave blasted into the completely defenseless mind of the Mastiff Soul Master at point-blank range!

"Awooo!" The Mastiff Soul Master let out a pained howl. His pounce became completely distorted, and he swayed drunkenly with his eyes rolling white, turning twice in place before collapsing headfirst onto the ground with a bang. He had actually been knocked unconscious for the moment!

The entire arena fell silent for a moment.

The referee teacher froze briefly before stepping forward to inspect him and announcing, "Xiao Xiaoxiao wins!"

"Yay! Xiaoxiao won!" Xiao Wu was the first to leap up and cheer.

The Work-Study Students also burst into enthusiastic applause.

Xiao Xiaoxiao stood on the stage, her little face pale as she panted heavily. Her Soul Power was nearly depleted, and her legs had gone weak, but her eyes shone with excitement and the light of victory. Instinctively, she looked toward Tang San below the stage.

Tang San was looking at her as well. In his calm eyes, there seemed to be the faintest trace of approval. Then he gave a slight nod.

That single nod made Xiao Xiaoxiao feel that all her effort and risk had been worth it! It was sweeter than eating ten pounds of honey!

She walked down from the stage in a daze, and Xiao Wu immediately rushed over to hug her. "Xiaoxiao, you were amazing! That last move was so cool!"

Even Wang Sheng scratched his head and laughed. "Not bad, Xiaoxiao. Couldn't tell before, but when it matters, you're pretty underhanded... uh, pretty clever!"

Xiao Xiaoxiao smiled bashfully, but her gaze could not help drifting toward Tang San.

Tang San walked over and handed her a small waterskin. "Have some water."

"Thank you." Xiao Xiaoxiao accepted the waterskin, her heart racing again.

In the matches that followed, Tang San achieved a complete victory without suspense. He even defeated a level-thirteen opponent, shocking the entire arena. Xiao Wu also dominated her own group.

In the final year-end assessment rankings, Tang San placed first overall. Although Xiao Xiaoxiao's practical combat results were average, her theory score was good. Combined with the consideration given to her status as a Work-Study Student, she ranked in the middle and received several Silver Soul Coins and a new set of stationery from the academy.

Most importantly, the outstanding performance of the three of them—especially Tang San's Innate Full Soul Power and his strange, powerful Blue Silver Grass—caught the attention of the academy's higher-ups. The work burden for Work-Study Students in the coming year was reduced somewhat as appropriate.

With the assessment over, the holiday had arrived.

The students gradually left the academy and returned home. Seventh Dormitory suddenly became empty and desolate.

Xiao Wu's home was deep in the Star Dou Great Forest, or so she said, so she naturally stayed at the academy. Tang San had originally planned to return to Holy Spirit Village, but Tang Hao was away from home all year, and he would have been alone there anyway. Xiao Xiaoxiao had nowhere to go at all.

In the end, all three decided to stay at the academy for the New Year.

The first snow fell over Nuoding City. Pristine white snow covered the campus, and with the usual bustle gone, it felt several degrees more tranquil.

There were not many students who had stayed behind, and the cafeteria meals became much simpler. Yet with the three of them together, they instead felt especially at ease.

Xiao Wu dragged them out into the snow for snowball fights and snowman building, playing to her heart's content. Xiao Xiaoxiao made a tiny snow fox and secretly placed it beside the ugly snowman Tang San had built.

Tang San looked at the delicate little snow fox, then at Xiao Xiaoxiao beside it, whose eyes had curved into crescents as she smiled. Silently, he fixed up his snowman until it looked a little better.

On New Year's Eve, the cafeteria prepared food that was slightly better than usual, along with simple dumplings.

The three sat around a table. Xiao Xiaoxiao secretly placed the only "lucky dumpling" she had received, the one containing a copper coin, into Tang San's bowl.

Tang San was eating a dumpling when he bit into something. His movement paused, and he glanced at Xiao Xiaoxiao.

Xiao Xiaoxiao immediately lowered her head, pretending to focus on eating, though her ears were perked high.

Tang San silently set the cleaned copper coin aside. He said nothing, but picked up another dumpling from his bowl, one plump with meat filling, and placed it in Xiao Xiaoxiao's bowl.

Xiao Wu blinked as she watched their silent exchange. Then she suddenly dumped all the dumplings from her bowl into Tang San's. "Little Sanzi! Help your little wife test whether there are any more lucky dumplings! If you find one, split it with me!"

Xiao Xiaoxiao's face instantly turned crimson, and she nearly buried her face in her bowl.

Tang San said, "...Eat."

Outside the window, snowflakes drifted quietly down, while the occasional sound of firecrackers came from the distant city.

The lights in the cafeteria were warm. Three children with nowhere to call home sat together on that cold winter night, eating a simple New Year's Eve dinner, yet it felt as though they possessed the whole world.

Xiao Xiaoxiao looked at Tang San, quietly eating beside her, and Xiao Wu, chattering away, her heart filled with a peaceful sense of happiness.

This year, she had crossed into this world, met him, found friends, and become a Soul Master.

Though the road of Intercepting was still long, at this moment, she was so close to him.

The new year would definitely be better.

She believed it.