End of the first academic year! Upgrade exam?

Time flew by, seasons changed, and eight months passed in the blink of an eye. Lin Yuan, Wang Dong, Huo Yu Hao, Xiao Xiao, Dai Hua Bin, Zhu Lu, and the others found their first academic year at Shrek Academy drawing to a close.

Next came the holidays. Shrek Academy had a month-long break each year. This wasn't a time for students to relax and play; instead, they were expected to consolidate everything they'd learned over the previous eleven months and focus on intensive cultivation.

After the month-long holiday, the advancement exams would follow. Students who failed would be directly eliminated, making the holiday period the most strenuous and busiest time for most students.

This year, Lin Yuan had just turned twelve. Compared to when he first enrolled, he had grown taller and shed the last vestiges of childishness. His long hair, tied back with a silver-white ribbon, fell to his shoulders. His deep purple eyes now held a newfound composure. His soul power remained at level thirty-nine; not because he couldn't break through, but because he was waiting for the energy from a four-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation to synchronize his soul ring's advancement to its limit.

As he left the cafeteria, the sky had already darkened. In the late spring, a drizzling rain brought a chill, and the weather was far from pleasant.

However, Lin Yuan didn't feel the rain was a dampener. Perhaps it was because he was an elemental controller; the fine raindrops seemed to instinctively veer away as they approached him, not even wetting the hem of his clothes. He looked up at the dark sky, a flicker of anticipation in his purple eyes. In a few more days, he would be able to return to the Star Dou Great Forest.

"What are you dawdling for? The rain's getting heavier!" Wang Dong hurried over, holding an umbrella. Most of the umbrella was tilted towards Lin Yuan, leaving half of his own shoulder exposed to the rain.

Seeing this, Lin Yuan raised his hand and waved gently. A soft gust of wind element lifted the edge of the umbrella, steadily shielding the rain from falling on them.

"No need for an umbrella," he chuckled, walking forward with light steps. "This little bit of rain won't touch me."

Wang Dong blinked, looking at the suddenly calm rain curtain under the umbrella, then at Lin Yuan's still pristine silver hair. He couldn't help but mumble, "Weirdo."

Despite his words, he quickly caught up and put away his umbrella. With a free, mobile rain shield, who would bother holding an umbrella?

They walked side-by-side on the wet stone path, the sound of raindrops hitting the ground crisp and pleasant.

Wang Dong kicked a small puddle by the roadside and suddenly asked, "Are you going home after the holidays?"

Having spent considerable time together, Wang Dong already knew some of Lin Yuan's background. When he learned that Lin Yuan was an orphan who lived alone, a subtle softness entered his gaze when he looked at Lin Yuan.

Lin Yuan's steps faltered slightly. He looked at the outline of Sea God Lake, blurred by the rain in the distance, and said lightly, "You could say that. I'm going back to a place where I feel at ease." Everything about the Star Dou Great Forest had long since become his truest "home."

Wang Dong nodded and said, "Then I'm going home too. I'll try to come back early. You should be careful too."

Lin Yuan turned his head to look at him, his purple eyes reflecting a soft glow in the rain. "Don't worry, I'm safer than you think. You, on the other hand, stop throwing tantrums at home."

Wang Dong's ears turned hot. He turned his face away and kicked a small stone. "Who's throwing tantrums? I just... I just want to come back early to cultivate."

Though he spoke stubbornly, a hint of imperceptible disappointment welled up in his heart. Over the past year, he had grown accustomed to sharing a room with Lin Yuan, to their daily bickering and training sessions. The thought of being apart for a month left an inexplicable emptiness in his heart.

The next morning was their last day of the first year. Shrek Academy's Outer Court would officially go on holiday tomorrow. After breakfast, Lin Yuan and Wang Dong arrived at the classroom early.

Before long, Zhou Yi and Wang Yan entered the classroom together. As long as Zhou Yi was present, the atmosphere in Class One of the first year was always solemn, even with the holiday just around the corner. No one dared to provoke the "Abbess Miejue" at this time; if she suddenly lost her temper, no one could handle it.

Wang Yan walked to the podium, while Zhou Yi went to the back of the classroom and sat in an empty chair.

"Class, today is your last day of the first year. The academy has no teaching tasks scheduled. I'll say a few words, and then you can go back and pack your things."

As soon as he finished speaking, the entire class erupted in cheers. Even with Zhou Yi present, everyone couldn't suppress their excitement. The holiday was approaching, and everyone was eager to go home. Naturally, this excluded those who had no family to worry about.

Wang Yan smiled, waiting for the students' excitement to subside slightly, and then continued, "You have all worked hard this year. However, unlike other academies, Shrek Academy does not have final exams at the end of each academic year. I believe you all know the reason why. Whether you are qualified to be second-year students will be determined at the start of the next academic year. Now, I will outline some key points for the advancement assessment: The first point, which requires no skill whatsoever, is absolute strength, meaning your soul power. To advance from the first year to the second, all students must reach level twenty."

"Having a two-ring cultivation doesn't necessarily mean you'll pass the advancement exam. Even Teacher Wang and I don't know the specific content of the advancement exam yet. Furthermore, the advancement assessment isn't just about each of you individually; it also concerns our class. Class One also needs to undergo an advancement. This class advancement assessment will require you to complete an additional task."

The students could understand what Wang Yan said earlier, but the "class advancement" he mentioned at the end left them somewhat confused: What did "class advancement" mean?

Seeing their bewilderment, Wang Yan calmly explained, "Every class is a whole. If the whole cannot advance, what's the point of individual students advancing? Class advancement, in a sense, is an assessment of Teacher Zhou and me. During the class advancement assessment, three to seven students will be selected from our class to participate in a special assessment. The result of our class's advancement will be determined by the completion of this assessment..."

With Wang Yan's explanation, everyone finally understood, but they were also dumbfounded. The students who had expected to relax and rest after the holidays were all gaping in astonishment. Especially those with higher cultivation levels; they had thought passing next year's assessment would be a breeze, but they never expected a class assessment.

Of course, this did not include Lin Yuan. With his strength far exceeding his peers, he already viewed the advancement assessment as a sure thing. He leaned lazily against the window, his silver-white hair fluttering in the morning breeze, his purple eyes half-closed. He appeared nonchalant, but in reality, he absorbed every word Wang Yan spoke. To him, the so-called class assessment was merely an insignificant competition. What truly mattered to him were the upcoming holidays and the four-hundred-thousand-year heavenly tribulation that would help him break through his bottleneck.

"That's all I have to say. Class dismissed. Go back and pack your things," Wang Yan said, waving his hand and announcing the end of class.

The students of Class One of the first year were stunned, their initial excitement completely gone. Although the vast majority of them possessed hundred-year soul rings, how many of them had obtained their hundred-year soul rings by hunting Soul Beasts themselves? Not to mention the class assessment.

"Lin Yuan, Wang Dong, Huo Yu Hao, you three stay behind," Zhou Yi's cold voice rang out.

The three of them stopped. After the other students left, Wang Yan and Zhou Yi called them to the front of the podium.

"What do you think about the class assessment Teacher Wang mentioned?" Zhou Yi asked.

"We'll watch it standing up," Lin Yuan raised an eyebrow, his tone as relaxed as if discussing something trivial. "Three to seven people? No matter who is chosen, as long as I'm here, the assessment will be passed."

Wang Dong immediately nodded in agreement, his pinkish-blue eyes full of certainty. "Exactly. With Lin Yuan here, no assessment is a problem."

Huo Yu Hao also nodded and added softly, "My Spiritual Detection can scout for risks in advance. Combined with Lin Yuan and Wang Dong's attacks, we should be able to handle most situations. Of course, we also have Xiao Xiao to consider; she has Twin Martial Souls."

Wang Yan nodded and said, "The four of you will definitely participate then. We don't know the specific assessment content yet. However, you need to put in extra effort over the next month. Yu Hao, your two-ring breakthrough should be fine, right?"

Huo Yu Hao immediately shook his head. "I have no problem."

Zhou Yi said, "Your studies will be even more intense next academic year. I won't say much more. You guys go and come back early. I hope you can all return ahead of schedule, the sooner the better. Teacher Wang and I will probably know the assessment content about ten days before the semester starts. If you return early, you'll have time to prepare."

"Yes," the three of them replied in unison.

"You may go," Zhou Yi said.

"Teacher Zhou, Teacher Wang, goodbye," the three said together, then turned and left the classroom.

The night passed without incident.

The next morning, Lin Yuan and Wang Dong walked along the path by Sea God Lake. With storage soul tools, they didn't need to carry any luggage. They walked slowly, neither of them speaking.

Mist swirled over Sea God Lake, and the humid air, stirred by the breeze, brushed against them, dampening their school uniforms. Though the path by the lake was long, it eventually came to an end. As the sun slowly rose, the mist gradually dissipated.

"I'm leaving. Come back early. Watch me go," Wang Dong said to Lin Yuan, then ran towards the academy's exit as if fleeing. He didn't look back, but tears finally spilled from his eyes. He murmured to himself, Lin Yuan, you big idiot.

Lin Yuan watched Wang Dong's increasingly slender figure disappear, a slight smile curving his lips. He then turned to face the sign of Shrek Academy.

"Just you wait, in a month, everything will be different..."

With that, Lin Yuan walked forward, the surrounding scenery gradually shifting from bustling streets to quiet outskirts. Distant mountains rose and fell, dotted with lush green trees. He couldn't help but quicken his pace, heading in the direction of the Star Dou Great Forest, his figure gradually disappearing at the end of the road.