Who can't pretend to be something they're not?

The next morning, as dawn broke, the Shrek Academy's assessment area was already bustling.

Outside the assessment area stood a line of academy teachers, about thirty in total, with Zhou Yi among them. Below them stood over two hundred students. Lin Yuan, Wang Dong, and Huo Yu Hao had arrived early.

As time passed, the roll call officially began. Class One Freshman had the most participants, so the roll call took the longest. After fifteen minutes, Du Wilun, the director of the Outer Court's Martial Soul Department, finished the roll call. Next was the drawing of lots. The freshman assessment ceremony was kept simple, and Lin Yuan drew the lot on behalf of the team. The sixty-four participating teams in the elimination rounds were divided into thirty-two matches, and the competition immediately commenced.

The students had a full day to rest yesterday, and the assessment area had been remodeled. Only the partition positions needed to be adjusted to re-divide it into sixteen areas. The area of each section had been expanded several times, providing the participating students with more space to showcase their abilities.

The rules for the elimination rounds were simple and clear: one match each morning and afternoon. Eliminated teams would return to class directly, while winning teams would stay to continue competing. A total of three days would be used to determine the top three.

After the drawing of lots, the sixty-four-into-thirty-two matches immediately began, with thirty-two matches taking place simultaneously. This arrangement would minimize the assessment time, allowing the winning students ample rest to prepare for the afternoon's matches.

Lin Yuan and his companions were assigned to Zone Fifteen. The invigilating teacher had also changed; she was a kind-looking female teacher in her thirties. Only numbers were drawn during the lot drawing, so no one knew who their opponents would be. Upon arriving at the venue, they discovered that their first-round opponents were classmates from Class One Freshman, making this elimination match an internal battle.

Since Zhou Yi had designated Lin Yuan's trio as the seed team for Class One Freshman, their strength naturally far surpassed other teams. Although their opponents were not weak, facing Lin Yuan, the ceiling of freshman combat power, the match did not last long. After giving their opponents enough face, the trio ended the battle in less than five minutes, successfully advancing to the top thirty-two.

As the afternoon class bell rang, the Class One Freshman assessment elimination round for the thirty-two-into-sixteen matches officially kicked off in the assessment area. Compared to the morning, the number of participating students had been halved. After re-drawing lots, everyone immediately proceeded to their assigned areas to compete.

Since it was a competition on the same day, the venue remained unchanged, still using the segmented layout from the morning, but only the areas numbered sixteen and below were utilized. A high platform was erected on the north side of the assessment area, supported by six metal pillars. It stood twenty meters above the ground, allowing a panoramic view of the entire assessment area and the matches in each zone.

Lin Yuan's trio's assessment area was changed to Number Eight. When they arrived, another team that had drawn Zone Eight was already waiting. The opposing team consisted of three attractive girls.

"Both sides, enter and state your names," the invigilating teacher announced.

The six individuals walked into the spacious arena simultaneously, taking their positions on opposite sides. Lin Yuan's trio maintained their usual formation: Wang Dong in front, Lin Yuan in the center, and Huo Yu Hao behind.

"Class Nine Freshman, Wu Feng, Level 25 Assault Battle Soul Master," the red-haired girl stated arrogantly, her eyes filled with disdain for Lin Yuan's team.

The girl with light green hair cast a chiding glance at Wu Feng but did not change her reporting style, softly saying, "Class Nine Freshman, Nanmen Yun'er, Level 24 Agile Attack Battle Soul Master."

A calm voice came from behind the two: "Class Nine Freshman, Ning Tian, Level 31 Support System Artifact Soul Elder."

"Class One Freshman, Wang Dong, Level 24 Assault Battle Soul Master."

"Class One Freshman, Huo Yu Hao, Level 17 Control Battle Soul Master."

Lin Yuan looked at the three girls opposite him and shook his head helplessly. When it came to "putting on airs," who couldn't? He took a step forward, his purple eyes lifting slightly, his tone calm yet exuding an undeniable pressure: "Class One Freshman, Lin Yuan, Level 39 Control Assault Dual-System Battle Soul Elder."

As soon as he spoke, the entire Zone Eight assessment area fell into dead silence.

The arrogance on Wu Feng's face froze instantly. She stared at Lin Yuan in disbelief, her sharp voice filled with doubt, "Level 39? You're lying! A Soul Elder at eleven years old? That's impossible!" Nanmen Yun'er and Ning Tian also showed shock.

Ning Tian's brows furrowed. As a Support System Soul Elder, her perception of soul power fluctuations far surpassed that of ordinary people. When she concentrated her senses, she only felt an unfathomable calm from Lin Yuan. His soul power was like a vast ocean, and she couldn't probe its true boundaries.

There were only two possibilities in this situation: either Lin Yuan was lying, or his soul power far surpassed hers, and he could already conceal his aura at will.

The invigilating teacher also paused for a moment before clearing her throat lightly, "The assessment begins!"

As soon as the words fell, Wu Feng let out a sharp cry and sprang up. A heavy surge of heat erupted from her body, faintly accompanied by a dragon's roar.

Wu Feng's figure suddenly became slender. In mid-air, she appeared like a sixteen or seventeen-year-old girl who had just matured. Her school uniform tore open, revealing a pre-prepared elastic leather suit underneath, which was tight-fitting to her waist, exposing a pair of smooth thighs.

Her skin shimmered with a faint red luster. Fine dragon scales began to cover her left cheek, extending down her neck, shoulders, and all the way to her entire left arm and hand. The powerful aura of a top-tier Martial Soul erupted, and two yellow soul rings instantly rose from beneath her feet.

"I'll teach you a lesson!" Before Lin Yuan finished speaking, the Nine-Colored Flowing Light around him surged violently. The pressure of the Dragon God Bloodline swept across the entire area like a tsunami. This was not a deliberate release of ferocity but a supreme majesty originating from the depths of his soul, like a giant dragon from the heavens looking down on ants, invisible yet suffocating.

Wu Feng's body suddenly paused in mid-air. The dragon scales on her skin trembled uncontrollably, and her internal soul power became instantly chaotic. Her proud Red Dragon Martial Soul, under this pressure, was like a young beast encountering its natural predator. She couldn't even smoothly activate her Soul Skill. Her originally fierce diving momentum instantly collapsed, and she could only awkwardly adjust her body in the air, barely stabilizing her descent.

"Dragon... Dragon Might?" Wu Feng's face turned pale. She stared at Lin Yuan in disbelief, "How can you have dragon bloodline? And such pure Dragon Might!"

Just then, Nanmen Yun'er from Ning Tian's team moved. When she activated her Martial Soul, her body seemed to float as if weightless, moving with incredible speed. In almost a flash, she crossed dozens of meters and rushed towards Lin Yuan.

Upon closer inspection, one could see a pair of emerald green wings had appeared on Nanmen Yun'er's back, and her hands had turned the color of jade carvings. She struck directly at Lin Yuan's face.

Simultaneously, Ning Tian, from a distance, extended her right hand and shouted, "Seven Treasures Manifest, Jade!" She spun gracefully in place, and dazzling seven-colored light was released from her body. A seven-colored pagoda, about a foot tall, materialized in her palm, with two yellow and one purple soul ring orbiting the seven layers of the pagoda in an orderly fashion.

"Seven Treasures Have Names, First is Speed!"

As the words fell, the first soul ring lit up, and two brilliant beams of light shot out from the pagoda, landing on Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er respectively. The next second, the speed of the two girls increased dramatically, leaving trails of afterimages in the air.

"Uninteresting. As long as you are Beast Spirits, you cannot escape my suppression," Lin Yuan said, raising his hand and gently tapping the ground. The ground of the assessment area suddenly trembled, and five stone spikes, half a meter thick, erupted from the ground centered around him. They shot towards Nanmen Yun'er like sharp blades, the whistling wind as they broke through the earth sealing off all her escape routes.

Nanmen Yun'er's pupils contracted. The emerald green wings on her back flapped rapidly, attempting to ascend and evade the stone spikes. But Lin Yuan's fingertip moved again, and the space authority flowed subtly. The space around her twisted slightly, and her movements were delayed by half a beat. This brief pause was enough for the stone spikes to approach her.

"Pfft—" The stone spikes grazed her waist. Although they didn't pierce her flesh, they tore a slit in her clothes, and the sharp force sent her blood churning. Nanmen Yun'er grunted and was forced to fly backward, landing in a disheveled state.

"Seven Treasures Have Names, Third is Strength!" Seeing her companion falter, Ning Tian's third thousand-year soul ring lit up instantly. Two yellow halos once again enveloped Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er.

The soul power fluctuations of the two girls surged dramatically, their strength and speed increasing further. Wu Feng stabilized her body, forcefully breaking through the Dragon Might suppression. Her first soul ring lit up, and a ball of blazing fire condensed in her palm, smashing towards Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan looked at the incoming fireball with a hint of amusement in his purple eyes. He didn't dodge; instead, he raised his hand and gently clenched it, his five fingers precisely grasping the fireball. The fireball burned fiercely in his palm, its intense heat sufficient to melt refined iron, yet it couldn't even scorch his skin.

"You're still too young to play with fire," Lin Yuan chuckled, and the Dragon God Power subtly circulated. A flash of Nine-Colored Flowing Light appeared in his palm. The fireball, originally the size of a fist, expanded at a visible rate, quickly becoming the size of a millstone. Its flame color also changed from crimson to a brilliant golden-red, its power increasing severalfold.

"Here you go." He flicked his wrist, and the amplified fireball shot back like a cannonball, its speed more than three times faster than when it came. It whistled through the air, heading straight for Wu Feng's face.

Wu Feng's pupils contracted, and her face instantly turned pale. She could clearly feel the terrifying energy contained within the fireball, several times greater than when she released it. The consequences of being hit would be unimaginable. She hastily turned sideways, attempting to avoid a fatal blow, but the fireball seemed to have eyes, subtly changing direction in mid-air, still locked onto her.

"Boom!"

The fireball exploded, and the scorching shockwave swept out, blowing Wu Feng away. She fell heavily to the ground, her leather suit burned with several holes by the flames, and blood trickled from the corner of her mouth.

"Wu Feng!" Nanmen Yun'er cried out in alarm. Disregarding her own injuries, she flapped her emerald green wings again and lunged forward. Her jade-like claws flashed with a cold light, aiming directly for Lin Yuan's throat with lightning speed.

Lin Yuan's eyes narrowed slightly. He tapped his foot lightly, and his body vanished from the spot like a phantom. Nanmen Yun'er's claws missed, grasping only an afterimage. She was startled and was about to turn when a gentle yet irresistible force pressed down on the back of her neck.

"Good speed, but too many openings," Lin Yuan's voice sounded from behind her. Before he finished speaking, he applied a slight pressure with his palm, and a surge of space power flowed from his fingertips, instantly sealing the circulation of soul power within Nanmen Yun'er's body.

Nanmen Yun'er's body went limp, her Martial Soul's light dissipated, and her emerald green wings and jade-like claws vanished. She collapsed into Lin Yuan's arms, completely losing her ability to resist.

"Support-type Soul Masters are lambs to the slaughter without teammates. You don't have a chance, so just surrender," Lin Yuan said coldly, gently placing Nanmen Yun'er aside. His figure flickered, and he instantly appeared before Ning Tian.

Ning Tian bit her lower lip, looking at Wu Feng collapsed on the ground and Nanmen Yun'er restrained. She knew the defeat was inevitable. Taking a deep breath, she retracted her Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda and said with a voice full of unwillingness yet acceptance, "We surrender."

"Lin Yuan's team wins!" the proctor announced loudly, his eyes filled with admiration. In this battle, Lin Yuan had crushed his opponents single-handedly, appearing completely at ease throughout. His thirty-ninth-level Soul Elder strength was fully displayed.

Lin Yuan released his grip and retreated to Wang Dong and Huo Yu Hao's side. Wang Dong pouted, her tone tinged with jealousy, "You stole all the spotlight again. Yu Hao and I barely even got to fight."

Huo Yu Hao smiled and shook his head, "Lin Yuan is too strong. The opponents didn't even have a chance to get close to us."

Ning Tian walked over to Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er, helping them up. Wu Feng gazed at Lin Yuan's retreating back, her eyes complex with unwillingness, shock, and a hint of imperceptible awe. "A thirty-ninth-level Soul Elder at eleven years old... What kind of monster are you?"

Lin Yuan turned back, a faint smile flashing in his purple eyes. "Why else do you think they call me Abyss God?"

Wu Feng was momentarily stunned by his retort. She opened her mouth but couldn't argue. She had to admit that Lin Yuan's strength deserved that slightly teasing moniker.

Ning Tian supported her companions, gave Lin Yuan a deep look, and turned to leave with them. Their retreating figures were filled with dejection, yet also exuded an unyielding resilience.

The three walked out of the assessment area and, upon reaching the entrance, saw Zhou Yi standing not far away. Her expression was as cold as ever, but her eyes held a hint of approval. "Not bad, you didn't disgrace me. But don't get arrogant; your future opponents will only be stronger."

"Understood, Teacher Zhou," Lin Yuan replied. Wang Dong and Huo Yu Hao also quickly nodded.