Du Wilun, the Outer Court Martial Soul Department's dean of instruction, walked over to Zhou Yi, who looked somewhat dazed, and said, "Congratulations on teaching two excellent students. Submit their names. I believe they qualify to become Outer Court Core Disciples."
Only then did Zhou Yi come back to her senses. She hurriedly asked, "Director Du, what about Huo Yu Hao?"
Du Wilun paused slightly and shook his head. "One ring—far too weak. He should be a rare spiritual-attribute soul master. Have you considered how many spiritual-attribute soul beasts there are?" With that, he turned and left the platform.
As the Martial Soul Department's dean of instruction, Du Wilun was not only powerful but also exceptionally discerning. Naturally, he could see the role Huo Yu Hao had played in the match. But as dean of instruction, he bore great responsibility and would never confirm someone as a Core Disciple based on command ability alone.
Du Wilun's words made Zhou Yi shudder. Yes, she had always overlooked this crucial problem. Though Huo Yu Hao's first Soul Ring skill was powerful, he was ultimately a spiritual-attribute soul master. Spiritual-attribute soul beasts were already scarce, and powerful ones were rarer still. As a result, Huo Yu Hao's chances of becoming a powerful soul master in the future were naturally greatly reduced.
"It's fine. If the Martial Soul Department doesn't want him, our Soul Tool Department will." Fan Yu patted her shoulder. "Powerful spiritual soul beasts are hard to find, but ordinary ones can still be found. As long as his Soul Power meets the standard, even if he only has the skill from his first Soul Ring, he can still become an outstanding Soul Tool Department student. I'm determined to take this Core Disciple."
Sea God Island, by the lakeside.
"Elder Xuan, what do you think?" Wang Yan asked quietly.
Elder Xuan had finished several chicken legs. The food beside him had been replaced with chicken wings. He took a swig of wine and said, "Those two little ones are good. As for that little one with the Body Martial Soul you mentioned, he falls a bit short. He should have a skill similar to Spiritual Detection, but unfortunately, his first Soul Ring is only at the ten-year level. That's an irreparable flaw."
Wang Yan said, "But Elder Xuan, he has a Body Martial Soul!"
Elder Xuan shook his head. "You should know what matters most for a Body Martial Soul. Potential, and Martial Soul battle mutations. Today's match made it very clear. Under that kind of pressure, his Martial Soul showed no sign of mutation whatsoever. That means he hasn't grasped the essence of a Body Martial Soul. He's relatively old, his Soul Power is insufficient, and his first Soul Ring is only ten years. Even if he has decent potential, he isn't what I want. Enough, my mind is made up. The other two little ones can be kept as alternatives. As for Huo Yu Hao, forget it." As he spoke, he stood, a chicken wing in one hand and a massive wine gourd in the other, then staggered away.
Watching Elder Xuan's retreating figure, Wang Yan could not help but sigh. Of course, he understood Huo Yu Hao's problems, but he always felt that there was something extraordinary about the young man.
Lin Yuan and Wang Dong were indeed exceptional, especially Lin Yuan. At eleven years old, he already possessed thirty-ninth-rank Soul Power. His command of multi-elemental powers and space was exquisitely precise, long surpassing Shrek Academy's understanding of what a genius could be. His effortless bearing in the arena, the composure and strength he displayed in every movement, even made Elder Xuan inwardly marvel. This child was no ordinary talent; his future achievements would likely be beyond measure. Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul was likewise pure and formidable. She wielded her soul skills skillfully and coordinated seamlessly with Lin Yuan. One attacked while the other controlled, and their potential was equally limitless.
Was my judgment really wrong? No, I can't give up. No matter what, I'll do everything I can to nurture Huo Yu Hao. Once he achieves something, it won't be too late to approach Elder Xuan again.
The Freshman Assessment knockout stage was nearing its end. After the morning's matches, the top eight teams had emerged, and they were undoubtedly the finest teams. Surprisingly, both teams led by Soul Elder students had been eliminated. More importantly, they had both been eliminated by the same team.
Only eight teams remained in the knockout stage. When Lin Yuan, Wang Dong, and Huo Yu Hao arrived at the competition grounds that afternoon, they immediately drew the intense attention of the other seven teams. Clearly, no one wanted to face the team that had overturned two top contenders in the quarterfinals.
"Lin Yuan's team, come forward and draw lots," Du Wilun said.
Lin Yuan walked forward unhurriedly and drew a lot from the container in Du Wilun's hand.
Du Wilun studied Lin Yuan at close range and could not help feeling momentarily distracted. The youth stood tall and straight as a pine. Beneath his long hair, bound by a silver-white ribbon, his violet eyes were clear yet unfathomably deep. When their gazes met, Du Wilun clearly caught a faint trace of disdain. It was not contempt for him, but indifference toward this knockout stage and the so-called favored opponents. It was as though this battle for the top eight was nothing more than an insignificant game to him, and the formidable foes dreaded by everyone else were not worth mentioning in his eyes.
This disdain was not the arrogance of youth, but the composure born of absolute strength. Du Wilun had lived most of his life and seen countless geniuses, yet he had never seen such deeply rooted confidence in the eyes of an eleven-year-old. He could even vaguely sense, deep within those eyes, a trace of majesty that stood above all living beings, making even him, the Martial Soul Department's dean of instruction, instinctively restrain his presence.
"Number Three." Du Wilun took the lot Lin Yuan had drawn and announced it loudly. Among the teams that had already drawn, one team's expressions immediately changed slightly. They were Lin Yuan's opponents.
The two sides faced each other in the assessment area and exchanged names. Their opponents were from Freshman Class Nine. All three were Soul Grandmasters above rank twenty. Though they were also a strong team, they still fell short of the teams Lin Yuan's group had defeated before.
"Two Agile Assault Systems and one Assault System. How do we handle this match?" Huo Yu Hao asked quietly.
"We'll send them down in ten seconds," Lin Yuan said calmly.
After a brief exchange, the match officially began. Both sides released their Martial Souls at the same time. The two Agile Assault System soul masters on the opposing side moved like lightning, charging from the left and right, while the Assault System soul master followed close behind, gathering Soul Power for a frontal breakthrough.
Lin Yuan's gaze sharpened slightly as silver-white patterns instantly spread across his body. He drove the Space Authority to its limit. He did not move an inch, merely raised a finger and tapped twice. Two Space Rifts suddenly opened before the two Agile Assault System soul masters. Black mist churned within the rifts and instantly wrapped around their ankles.
"Argh!" The two cried out in alarm. Their momentum came to an abrupt halt as Space Power tugged at them, leaving them staggering unsteadily.
At the same time, Wang Dong flapped her wings. Her blue-purple wings, streaked with golden patterns, swept forward like an arrow loosed from a bow to meet the Assault System soul master. The Winged Scythe flashed with cold light as it cleaved directly toward the shield formed by the opponent's Martial Soul.
Bang! The shield cracked apart, and the Assault System soul master was sent stumbling backward.
Golden light flickered in Huo Yu Hao's eyes as he silently activated Spiritual Interference. The three opponents felt their minds spin, and the circulation of their Soul Power instantly became sluggish.
Lin Yuan seized the opportunity and clenched his raised hand. The Space Rifts trapping the Agile Assault System soul masters suddenly contracted. With two thuds, the pair were forcibly dragged to the ground, and the light of their Martial Souls immediately dimmed. The Assault System soul master had only just steadied himself when Lin Yuan appeared behind him like a ghost, pressing a palm onto his shoulder. Space Power surged through his arm and instantly sealed the opponent's Soul Power circulation.
"You've lost," Lin Yuan said calmly.
From the beginning of the match to the moment all three lost the ability to resist, only nine seconds had passed. The entire arena fell silent. The proctor froze for a moment before recovering and loudly announced, "Lin Yuan's team wins and advances to the semifinals!"
"Are they even human?" someone at the edge of the arena could not help crying out, their voice full of disbelief. The other teams waiting to compete turned pale as well. The last remnants of their lucky hopes were utterly crushed by Lin Yuan's team's strength. Ending a battle in nine seconds was no longer a simple stomp—it was a dimensional crush.
After the match ended, Lin Yuan's group left the arena and returned to their dormitory. With that victory, they had officially entered the top four of the freshman knockout stage. In other words, as long as they won one more match, they were guaranteed a reward. If they won two more, they would become freshman champions.
Early the next morning, the three left their dormitory together and headed for the assessment area. Today would determine the freshman champion of this knockout stage. More people had come to watch than yesterday, though they were all teachers; the students still had to attend class as usual.
The twelve freshmen who had entered the top four stood together. This time, the person handling the drawing was no longer Du Wilun, the Outer Court Martial Soul Department's dean of instruction, but an elderly man dressed in white. At the sight of him, Wang Dong was startled. She had vaguely seen him before, when she and Lin Yuan first encountered Ma Xiao Tao in her frenzied state.
Back then, among the teachers who had rushed over from Sea God Island, this elderly man had been the one in charge. Now that the Freshman Assessment knockout stage had reached its final phase, his appearance clearly demonstrated his lofty status within the academy. Even Director Du Wilun, a highly authoritative figure in the Outer Court, now merely stood respectfully at his side.
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