Lin Yuan's fingers twitched slightly as the Authority of Wind abruptly activated, sending the air currents around him surging violently. He raised his right hand, curled his fingers into a loose grip, and made a gesture toward Zhao Haochen—his thumb and index finger extended in the shape of an eight, while the other three fingers bent inward.
"Jana~" His low voice fell, and the air before his fingertips instantly compressed and condensed into a visible pale cyan vortex. The vortex spun at high speed with a piercing hiss, slightly warping the surrounding light with its turbulent currents. In the next instant, a cyan pillar of air as thick as a bowl blasted out from the vortex, shooting straight at Zhao Haochen like an arrow loosed from a bow.
Zhao Haochen's expression changed dramatically as he hurriedly activated his Soul Power to defend himself. But he was a Support System Soul Master to begin with, and his defenses were weak. The hastily formed Soul Power barrier was as flimsy as paper before the air cannon.
With a deafening bang, the air pillar slammed into his chest, sending him flying before he crashed heavily onto the ground. Zhao Haochen spat out a mouthful of blood, his Soul Power instantly thrown into chaos as the glow of his first Soul Ring dimmed.
"The outcome has been decided." Lin Yuan withdrew his hand, and the elemental orbs circling his body slowly dispersed. His tone remained calm and flat.
Wang Dong folded her wings and landed steadily on the ground, the flowing light over her blue-purple wings gradually fading. Huo Yu Hao also withdrew his Spiritual Detection, and the golden gleam in his eyes vanished. The three stood in the arena with steady breaths, as though they had merely finished a simple warm-up.
The heavily injured Zhao Haochen struggled to get up, only to discover that his Soul Power was in complete disarray. He could not even maintain his Martial Soul and could only collapse unwillingly onto the ground. Ouyang Junyi and Chen Junfeng were pale-faced, their eyes filled with horror as they looked at Lin Yuan's group. They had not even touched the corners of their opponents' clothes before suffering a crushing defeat.
At the edge of the arena, Wang Yan watched with his eyes shining. Several other three-person teams were also observing from the sidelines. After seeing this match, everyone's expressions became grave, and the entire thirty-third zone fell silent.
They were simply too powerful. But they were all freshmen—how could the gap be this enormous? Some could not help clenching their fists, their hearts full of unwillingness. Others quietly stepped back half a pace, secretly praying they would not face this trio too soon.
Even Wang Yan put away his earlier gentle smile, his gaze fixed tightly on Lin Yuan as his brows lifted slightly. He could tell that Lin Yuan had not used his full strength at all. Those circulating elemental orbs concealed unfathomable power.
"Class One's Lin Yuan team wins one match." After making the announcement, Wang Yan recorded it in the files in his hand.
On the other side, Ouyang Junyi and the other two had already climbed back to their feet. Though they were not seriously injured, their faces were full of humiliation and anger. They had lost in less than a minute and did not want to remain for even another second, so they hurried away.
As match after match proceeded, the first round of the freshman assessment soon came to an end.
Today's assessment was mainly intended to let the freshmen adapt to this combat-based format. Tomorrow's schedule would become far more intense, with two rounds in the morning and two in the afternoon, for a total of four rounds. On the third day, the assessment would be even harsher, with every team required to complete five rounds. The entire freshman assessment lasted only three days. It was not only training their practical combat ability, but also testing their endurance in prolonged battles.
Under such a packed schedule, the other freshman teams were not fools either. To secure better results, those teams simply chose to go easy on Lin Yuan's group. As a result, unlike the other exhausted teams, Lin Yuan and the other two easily won all four matches on the second day, ultimately reaching five victories in five matches.
As the assessment teacher for the thirty-third zone, Wang Yan was somewhat frustrated. After five matches, Lin Yuan's team had used exactly the same combat pattern every time: Wang Dong handled the main offense, Lin Yuan assisted and controlled the field, while Huo Yu Hao coasted through the entire battle, after which the fight ended swiftly. Wang Yan believed he had figured out Lin Yuan and Wang Dong's methods, yet he had never managed to see through Huo Yu Hao's abilities. How could a theory-oriented teacher like him not feel frustrated?
"That was awesome! It was like chopping melons and vegetables—we completely crushed them!" Wang Dong said excitedly on the way back to the dormitory. She had thoroughly enjoyed herself today.
Lin Yuan shot Wang Dong a helpless glance, though he had to admit that such overwhelming victories really did save them a great deal of trouble.
Huo Yu Hao smiled faintly. "Come on. I'll treat you to grilled fish. I ordered some extra yesterday."
The three had just left the assessment area when they ran into two people head-on: Ma Xiao Tao, an Inner Court disciple dressed in red, and Xu San Shi, whom she had taken away a few days ago.
Unlike his usual high-spirited self, Xu San Shi now looked gray and drained, as if all his energy had been sucked away. He was utterly listless, his clothes rumpled, and his entire appearance was one of extreme dejection. Ma Xiao Tao remained as beautiful as ever, but there was an unnatural flush on her pretty face, while the faint pink in her eyes had deepened somewhat.
"Did she suck all the yang energy out of you?" Lin Yuan teased with a half-smile.
Xu San Shi rolled his eyes weakly. He did not even have the energy to retort and merely waved his hand. After being tormented for several days in excruciating pain, he had finally endured it, but his mental strength, physical strength, and Soul Power had all been severely depleted. All he wanted now was to return to his dormitory and sleep himself into oblivion.
"You found them, Sister Xiaotao. Can I leave now?" Xu San Shi asked bitterly.
Ma Xiao Tao nodded. "Fine. Go."
As soon as the words left her mouth, Xu San Shi gave Lin Yuan and Wang Dong a look that said, "You two are on your own," then turned and left.
"You two, come with me. Junior, you can head back first," Ma Xiao Tao said blandly.
Huo Yu Hao was just about to speak when Lin Yuan shook his head, signaling him to leave first and assuring him that the two of them would be fine. Huo Yu Hao nodded and turned away. Lin Yuan and Wang Dong followed Ma Xiao Tao toward the Lakeside Path. After walking along it for a while, they happened to reach the lakeshore where they had been attacked before.
Ma Xiao Tao did not stop until she reached Sea God Lake. With her back to them, she said, "I know you must have recognized me. That's right. I was the student who ran out of the Inner Court that day and nearly hurt you. I had my reasons, and I apologize to you here first."
"That matter is already over. The academy compensated us as well." Lin Yuan waved his hand.
At those words, Ma Xiao Tao abruptly turned around. The color of her pink eyes deepened sharply, and an indescribable pressure instantly descended upon Lin Yuan and Wang Dong.
"But as far as I'm concerned, this matter is not over. Someone clearly stopped me that day, which was why you weren't hurt. That person is critically important to me. Tell me everything you know, or tell me—which one of you did he protect? I have to find him."
She had come looking for Lin Yuan and Wang Dong because, after returning that day, she suddenly remembered why the two students had seemed familiar. She had seen their files in the Inner Court. Over the previous three months, she had made considerable progress in her cultivation by taking advantage of the opportunity created when her Evil Fire had been completely devoured. But in the end, the Evil Fire reignited, and she could only seek out Xu San Shi again. Yet she discovered that although Xu San Shi's Mysterious Nether Turtle Martial Soul was a top-tier Beast Martial Soul, it possessed a water attribute rather than an ice attribute, and was becoming less and less helpful to her. Unable to suppress the Evil Fire, she had to stop cultivating. Moreover, the Evil Fire could erupt at any time and cause her to lose her mind.
After thinking it over, she decided to seek out Lin Yuan and Wang Dong. If she could find the person who had stopped her back then, her problem might be solved with ease.
Lin Yuan looked at the urgency and obsession in Ma Xiao Tao's eyes. His purple eyes remained calm and unruffled as he said indifferently, "We were both scared unconscious that day, so we didn't see clearly who saved us. The academy also told us to forget about the matter. I imagine they don't want it discussed too much."
Wang Dong hurriedly nodded along from the side, her pink-blue eyes full of "sincerity." "That's right. It happened too suddenly. I only remember a wave of heat rushing at us, then I knew nothing after that." She secretly glanced at Lin Yuan. Seeing how natural his expression was, she could not help admiring him. He could lie so calmly without even batting an eye.
Ma Xiao Tao frowned tightly, clearly unconvinced. She stepped forward twice, Soul Power faintly rippling around her. Her gaze beneath the red veil was as sharp as a blade as it repeatedly examined the two of them. "You're lying to me. Though I lost control that day, I vaguely remember someone directly touching my Evil Fire and devouring it. Someone capable of that is no ordinary Soul Master. You were involved. It's impossible for you to have no clues at all."
Lin Yuan shrugged, his tone frank. "Senior, we're telling the truth. If we truly knew any clues, why would we hide them? This concerns your safety, Senior. We have no reason to keep it to ourselves." He paused, then shifted his tone slightly. "Besides, someone capable of devouring Evil Fire must possess profound cultivation. If that person wanted to appear, he would naturally come find you himself. If he didn't want to, then even if we knew something, we probably wouldn't dare reveal it carelessly, lest we bring trouble upon ourselves."
His words were perfectly reasonable. They both highlighted why they might not dare speak and implied the possibility that they knew nothing, leaving Ma Xiao Tao unable to refute him for a moment. She stared intently into Lin Yuan's purple eyes, trying to find any trace of deceit, but those eyes were clear and tranquil, like a bottomless lake, without the slightest flaw.
Wang Dong added at the right moment, "That's right, Senior. The academy specifically told us to forget this matter. There must be a reason. We're just ordinary freshmen—how would we dare disobey the academy?" She deliberately showed a trace of timidity, making herself seem even more genuine.
Ma Xiao Tao fell silent for a moment. The ripples of Soul Power around her gradually subsided, and the sharpness in her eyes faded somewhat. She knew the two had a point. With that mysterious person's strength, if he did not want to reveal himself, no one could force him to do so. She took a deep breath, suppressing her impatience as her tone softened. "I was too abrupt. It's just that this concerns the foundation of my cultivation, so I was truly anxious."
Seeing this, Lin Yuan went along with it. "We understand your difficulties, Senior. If we ever have the chance to encounter that expert, we will certainly inform you immediately."
Ma Xiao Tao nodded and did not press the matter further, though her gaze lingered on Lin Yuan for another moment. For some reason, whenever she approached this boy, the Evil Fire within her would inexplicably calm down a little. The effect was not obvious, but it was real. She suppressed her doubts and said, "Sorry for disturbing you. You may return now." With that, she turned and left.
Once Ma Xiao Tao's figure disappeared down the wooded path, Wang Dong immediately moved close to Lin Yuan. Her pink-blue eyes were full of mischief as she poked his arm. "Not bad, Class Monitor Lin. You didn't even need a script to lie—no blushing, no skipped heartbeat. You sounded so calm just now that I almost believed you."
Lin Yuan raised a brow and flicked her forehead. "What? Jealous?"
"Who's jealous!" Wang Dong rubbed her forehead and took half a step back, though the tips of her ears quietly reddened. "I just think you're really good at putting on an act. You were obviously the one who did it, yet you made it sound completely real." She paused, moved a little closer, and lowered her voice. "But seriously, why won't you admit it? Senior Ma Xiao Tao is so desperate. It wouldn't hurt to help her, would it?"
Lin Yuan turned and walked toward the dormitory. Sunlight filtered through the leaves, scattering fine glimmers over his silver-white hair ribbon. "Help her? How? Tell her I can devour her Evil Fire and have her come looking for me every day to put it out?" There was a hint of teasing in his voice. "I have no interest in being a walking fire extinguisher. Besides, if the root of the Evil Fire in her body isn't removed, devouring more of it will only treat the symptoms, not the cause. It might even make her dependent on this method."
Wang Dong hurried after him, frowning as she argued, "But you clearly have the ability to suppress it. When she came close to you just now, I could even feel the fiery aura around her weaken a little."
Lin Yuan explained calmly, "Suppressing it isn't the same as solving it. Her problem lies in her Martial Soul itself. Unless the origin of her Martial Soul is completely purified, the Evil Fire will only accumulate more and more. If I help her now, and her Evil Fire erupts even more violently in the future, who will be responsible?"
Wang Dong was left speechless. After holding it in for a long while, she finally said, "Even so, you shouldn't have lied to her. You made it sound so real that I almost thought you had actually forgotten."
Lin Yuan stopped and turned to look at her, amusement in his purple eyes. "What? Do you feel sorry for her?"
"Who feels sorry for her!" Wang Dong abruptly turned her face away, the tips of her ears turning even redder. "I just think you're too sly!"
"Sly?" Lin Yuan chuckled and ruffled her hair. "That's called judging the situation. Some things do no one any good if they're spoken aloud. There's no need for me to get dragged into it."
Before you continue