"Young ones, greetings. I am Yan Shao Zhe, the 261st dean of Shrek Academy," the white-haired elder said with a smile. "I know you are very curious as to why I have appeared here. Under normal circumstances, even at the final stage of the Freshman Assessment, having a vice dean present would be enough to show the academy's regard for you. But I have to say, the performance of your class of freshmen has greatly pleased me. You are also the most gifted class in nearly a century. I am very interested in you, so I came personally and will watch all of your matches today. I hope you can show me some surprises. All right, let the drawing begin."
Naturally, the dean did not need to handle the drawing himself. Du Wilun hurriedly took over the task, but Yan Shao Zhe offered to hold the drawing box for the freshmen personally. That action immediately set the blood of every freshman except Lin Yuan boiling.
"Class One Freshman, Lin Yuan's team, come forward to draw."
Lin Yuan walked forward slowly, his purple eyes calmly sweeping over the drawing box in Yan Shao Zhe's hand. His fingertips moved slightly, and he drew out a slip.
"Class One Freshman, Lin Yuan's team, slot number two." Du Wilun stepped forward, took the slip, and announced loudly.
Number two meant they would compete in the second arena during the semifinals. There were only four numbers in the box: two number ones and two number twos.
Yan Shao Zhe's gaze fell on Lin Yuan, carrying a trace of scrutiny. The silver-haired, purple-eyed boy before him had an otherworldly air. His aura seemed gentle on the surface, yet concealed within it was a pressure that even made Yan Shao Zhe faintly uneasy. He had long heard that the boy had reached rank thirty-nine at eleven years old, and yesterday he had accidentally witnessed his feat of defeating a powerful opponent in nine seconds. Only now, observing him up close, did he realize that the boy was far more extraordinary than the rumors claimed.
"Interesting." Yan Shao Zhe's lips curved into a faint smile as he signaled for the next group to draw.
"Class Five Freshman, Dai Hua Bin's team, draw."
A tall youth strode out. Huo Yu Hao had always possessed an excellent memory, yet when he saw the youth's back, he realized he had not seen him during the previous round's drawing. Clearly, because Dean Yan Shao Zhe had arrived, Class Five Freshman had specifically changed the person drawing lots.
The youth stepped onto the platform. After bowing to Yan Shao Zhe and Du Wilun, he drew out a slip and handed it to Du Wilun, then turned around. He had a handsome yet cold face, with long golden hair parted down the middle and draped over both sides. Looking closer, one could see that his deep blue eyes actually had double pupils, and he was also somewhat taller than others his age.
The moment Huo Yu Hao clearly saw his face, his entire body shook violently. His eyes filled with disbelief, and his body even began trembling uncontrollably as he grabbed Lin Yuan's arm beside him.
Seeing this, Lin Yuan turned his head and saw that Huo Yu Hao's face had gone deathly pale, his eyes revealing an undisguisable hatred.
Though more than three years had passed, and though he himself had grown considerably, Huo Yu Hao would never forget those cold, indifferent eyes and that icy voice.
It was him! He was one of the culprits who killed Mother. Huo Yu Hao's eyes gradually reddened as he clearly saw those distinctive double pupils. They were the symbol of the Duke's Mansion's direct bloodline. The person before him was the Duchess's youngest son, his half-brother by the same father, Dai Hua Bin—the one who had caused his mother's death.
Dai Hua Bin's expression remained stern. Even before Dean Yan Shao Zhe, he did not lower his proud head. Clearly, he had long since forgotten Huo Yu Hao. Even when he had brought disaster upon Huo Yu Hao and his mother, he had never once given this half-brother a proper look.
"Dai Hua Bin's team, slot number one." Only after Du Wilun finished announcing it did Dai Hua Bin return to his team.
Only after Dai Hua Bin disappeared from sight did Huo Yu Hao's emotions settle somewhat. At that moment, he even needed Lin Yuan's support just to stand steadily.
The drawing continued, and no one noticed Huo Yu Hao's abnormal state. Only after the entire drawing ended did Huo Yu Hao straighten himself again, though Lin Yuan and Wang Dong could still feel his body trembling faintly.
"Yu Hao, can you still compete? If not, sit this one out for now," Lin Yuan asked.
Huo Yu Hao took a deep breath and tried to calm himself, nodding lightly. "Brother Lin Yuan, I can do it. What slot did Dai Hua Bin draw just now?"
"He drew number one. If both we and they defeat our opponents, we'll meet in the finals," Lin Yuan said thoughtfully.
"Let's go. Time for the match."
In the semifinals, Lin Yuan's group faced three Soul Grandmasters from Class Ten Freshman. All three possessed strange Martial Souls. The three Class Ten freshmen were all male and looked spirited and heroic.
"Class Ten Freshman, Zhou Si Chen, Assault Battle Soul Master."
"Class Ten Freshman, Long Xiang Yue, Agile Attack Battle Soul Master."
"Class Ten Freshman, Cao Jin Xuan, Control Battle Soul Master."
"Class One Freshman, Lin Yuan, Control and Assault Battle Soul Elder."
"Class One Freshman, Wang Dong, Assault Battle Soul Master."
"Class One Freshman, Huo Yu Hao, Control Battle Soul Master."
Because Lin Yuan's prior performance had been so stunning, the proctor—also the semifinal referee this time—had been replaced by an elderly man in his sixties. Simply standing there, he exuded an immensely powerful presence. Clearly, the academy had specifically sent a formidable teacher to prevent any mishaps during the match.
"Begin." At the proctor's command, the semifinals officially began. At the same time, fierce competition also erupted in the number one area, where Dai Hua Bin's team was fighting.
The moment the match began, Zhou Si Chen and the other two went all out, unleashing their abilities. Long Xiang Yue, the Agile Attack Battle Soul Master, did not rashly charge forward. Instead, he swiftly flashed behind Zhou Si Chen, the Assault Battle Soul Master. Cao Jin Xuan of the Control System made the same move, and the three formed a straight line.
Their Martial Souls appeared at the same moment.
White light surged in Zhou Si Chen's hand, and the next second, a book appeared. The two Century Soul Rings around him lit up simultaneously. The book opened, firing out two rays of light in succession that transformed into a bear covered in flashing yellow light and a fierce tiger wreathed in flames.
The bear and tiger swiftly positioned themselves in front of the trio, roaring at Lin Yuan's group. Meanwhile, Cao Jin Xuan, standing behind Zhou Si Chen, had already become blank-eyed. A distorted halo radiated around him, and an exquisite clock silently rose above his head.
The clock was shaped like an arched city gate, rounded at the top and square at the bottom. Its white body stood about half a meter high, with a circular dial inside and a pendulum engraved with golden patterns swaying gently below. After the clock appeared, Cao Jin Xuan's two Century Soul Rings seemed to regard it as part of his body. As they rose and fell rhythmically, they enveloped the clock as well.
The three launched their attacks simultaneously, and Long Xiang Yue was naturally no exception. He kept some distance from Cao Jin Xuan in front of him, yet still remained on that straight line. As an Agile Attack Battle Soul Master, his Martial Soul was also a Tool Martial Soul. When he released it, an enormous boomerang appeared in his hand. Either side alone was over a foot long, making it appear somewhat unwieldy in the hands of Long Xiang Yue, who was not yet twelve.
After gripping the boomerang, Long Xiang Yue paused briefly. He first twisted halfway backward, then spun sharply around and hurled the boomerang out. The instant it left his hand, both of his Soul Rings lit up at once.
At that moment, Lin Yuan slowly raised his eyes. His purple pupils abruptly turned vertical, golden dragon patterns flowing in their depths as a supreme pressure originating from the Dragon God Bloodline swept across the entire arena like a tsunami. The yellow bear and flaming tiger formed from Soul Power shook violently beneath that invisible pressure, letting out terrified growls. The light on their bodies rapidly dimmed, their bones crackling as they shattered inch by inch like porcelain, dissolving into specks of Soul Power that scattered through the air.
"Do you know why they call me the ceiling of freshman combat power? Because I can do everything you can do, and I can do what you can't. As for time..."
A sphere of silver-gray light appeared before Lin Yuan. Countless tiny specks of starlight seemed to slowly perish and be reborn across its surface. It was the manifested form of Time Authority.
"...to me, it is nothing more than a toy I can manipulate at will."
As his words fell, the silver-gray sphere suddenly expanded. The light in the assessment area instantly became viscous, and the movements of Zhou Si Chen's trio visibly slowed. Even the boomerang Long Xiang Yue had thrown froze in midair, its slicing whistle drawn out into a long, droning hum. The pendulum of the clock above Cao Jin Xuan's head stopped completely, fine cracks spreading over the clock's surface as his control soul skill neared collapse before it could fully activate.
"Little Dong'er, end this quickly." Lin Yuan's tone was calm, as though he were merely giving the most ordinary instruction.
Wang Dong had long been ready. The golden patterns on the wings of her Light Goddess Butterfly suddenly flared, and her figure remained unaffected within the frozen time and space as she shot toward Zhou Si Chen like a blue-violet bolt of lightning. The Winged Scythe condensed into a dazzling edge, precisely slashing toward the book Martial Soul in his hands at the instant his face revealed terror amid the disorder of time and space.
"Crack—" The Soul Power-formed pages shattered in response. Zhou Si Chen groaned, the backlash from his broken Martial Soul making his blood and energy churn as he staggered backward.
Huo Yu Hao's Spiritual Detection erupted in tandem. Pale golden spiritual power spread like a fine net, clearly relaying the trio's chaotic Soul Power circulation and stiff muscular reactions to Lin Yuan and Wang Dong. Though Dai Hua Bin's appearance had left his emotions turbulent, it did not affect his control of the battlefield. His Spiritual Interference struck Cao Jin Xuan precisely, completely shattering the soul skill that had already been on the verge of collapse.
Long Xiang Yue's boomerang finally broke free of time and space's restraints, but just as it was about to reach Lin Yuan, it was swallowed by a Space Rift that suddenly opened. The next second, the rift closed behind him, and the boomerang flew back with a piercing whistle, grazing his shoulder before embedding itself in the ground and sending fragments of stone flying.
"Surrender." Lin Yuan raised his hand, and the silver-gray sphere contracted back into his palm. The light and flow of time in the assessment area returned to normal. Zhou Si Chen and the other two were pale-faced, their Martial Souls dim and their Soul Power so chaotic that they could not even maintain basic defenses. They had clearly lost the ability to fight.
A trace of astonishment flashed through the proctor's eyes before he loudly announced, "Lin Yuan's team wins and advances to the finals!"
At the edge of the field, Yan Shao Zhe's teacup paused slightly in his hand, a sharp glint flashing through his clouded eyes. At last, he understood why Lin Yuan could so easily suppress Soul Masters of his age. He turned to look at the assessment area on the other side. Dai Hua Bin's team had also finished their battle and was walking cold-faced toward the rest area. They had clearly advanced without difficulty as well.
"What an interesting final." Yan Shao Zhe's lips curved into a faint smile, his gaze shifting back and forth between Lin Yuan and Dai Hua Bin.
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