Crushing

"Let's go. I'll support you two this time. Let's see how you perform." Wu Xuan strode onto the Battle Soul Platform and spoke to Qian Gu Ming and Nanmen Yun'er.

The two immediately became excited. They had experienced Wu Xuan's boosts before, and that kind of speed was simply indescribable.

The three stepped onto the platform. Qian Gu Ming, the Power Attack System Soul Master, stood at the front. Nanmen Yun'er, the Agile Attack System Soul Master, took the flank, while Wu Xuan, filling the control position, held the rear.

As for the other three students, they naturally chose the southeast corner opposite them.

The three students consisted of one boy and two girls, each with highly distinct characteristics. Zi Hao, who walked at the front, was broad and powerfully built, his steps steady and forceful. One glance was enough to tell that he was a Power Attack System Soul Master.

Ling Ling was a slightly slender and petite girl.

Ma Qingshuang had the best looks and figure among the three. Her body was slender and her legs long. In Wu Xuan's judgment, she was very likely an Agile Attack System Battle Soul Master.

Seeing that both sides had taken their positions, Teacher Cheng nodded. "The assessment begins."

All six people on the platform released their martial souls at once.

As the dense crimson heat waves from the mutated Coiling Dragon Staff surged around Qian Gu Ming, two bright yellow soul rings rose beneath his feet.

A jade glow shimmered behind Nanmen Yun'er, condensing into a pair of emerald wings. The wings were not large, yet they gave her an astonishing burst of speed. Her body seemed light as a feather, as though gravity had no hold over her.

Two yellow soul rings of optimal configuration likewise appeared beside her.

Wu Xuan slightly raised his right hand, and a pale green breeze drifted forth, gathering around him. One yellow and two purple soul rings slowly rose beneath his feet.

"Two Thousand-Year Soul Rings?" Cheng Cheng, the assessment teacher, cried out in shock.

Two Soul Grandmasters and one Soul Elder with two Thousand-Year Soul Rings—their combined aura made Zi Hao and his teammates' breathing catch.

"One yellow, two purple?! A Soul Elder, plus two Soul Grandmasters! How are we supposed to fight this?" Zi Hao clenched his fists, his eyes filled with unwillingness.

After all, in New Student Class One, only Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao had reached Soul Grandmaster cultivation or above, let alone Soul Elder.

Thinking of this, Zi Hao could not help but feel resentment toward Zhou Yi. She had expelled five Soul Grandmasters just like that—how were they supposed to fight in the assessment matches now?

He was only level nineteen, while Ma Qingshuang and Ling Ling were both only level eighteen!

How could he win while dragging along two girls who held him back? They could not even put up a fight.

Zi Hao's martial soul was a wolf-type martial soul known as the Purple Lightning Wolf, a fairly excellent beast martial soul.

The petite Ling Ling was a Support System Soul Master with a lotus martial soul.

Ma Qingshuang's martial soul was a short sword imbued with the ice element, making her an Agile Attack System Soul Master.

Although the trio's composition was decent, Wu Xuan had no intention of giving them time to react.

"Second Soul Skill, Light Spirit Wind!"

The purple second soul ring around Wu Xuan instantly lit up. As a pale green breeze spread out and wrapped around Qian Gu Ming and Nanmen Yun'er, the speed of their charge abruptly soared.

The current Light Spirit Wind was already incomparable to what it had been with a Hundred-Year Soul Ring.

"First Soul Skill, Blazing Flame Boil!"

Qian Gu Ming shot forward, swinging his Blazing Red Flame Staff wreathed in flames toward Zi Hao's face. He was so fast that Zi Hao had no time to dodge.

"First Soul Skill, Lightning Glow!"

At the instant the staff was about to strike Zi Hao, he still managed to release his First Soul Skill.

Lightning flickered around his body as he crossed his arms in front of himself, intending to take Qian Gu Ming's strike head-on.

There was already a massive gap in cultivation between them, and Zi Hao had been forced to defend in haste. The result of such a direct collision was obvious.

"Bang—"

A searing pain shot through his arms. Zi Hao's face turned pale as he was sent flying backward. Before he could rise, Qian Gu Ming's staff, its flames withdrawn, was already pressed against his throat.

The outcome was decided.

Nanmen Yun'er and Ma Qingshuang's clash had been decided even earlier.

Nanmen Yun'er's martial soul was the Jade Green Bird. As an Agile Attack System Battle Soul Master, speed was her greatest advantage. With Wu Xuan's one-hundred-percent speed boost, her strength had increased by far more than double.

Before Nanmen Yun'er, Ma Qingshuang's so-called speed became a complete joke. She was thoroughly suppressed, and before she could use a soul skill, the emerald blade in Nanmen Yun'er's right hand was already resting against her throat.

Ling Ling stared in disbelief at her teammates, who had been eliminated in the blink of an eye, and froze where she stood.

After watching this match, the remaining four teams outside the arena all wore solemn expressions. The entire thirty-second area fell silent.

This had been a complete crushing victory, with no tricks involved whatsoever.

"Class Nine, Wu Xuan's team wins one match," Teacher Cheng announced, recording it in the documents in her hand.

Upon hearing the female teacher announce the result, the teams preparing for assessment in the nearby areas all turned to look over.

It had not even seemed like ten seconds had passed from the start of the match to its conclusion. And it was already over?

Zi Hao and his two teammates walked down from the Battle Soul Platform with dejected expressions. Being defeated in such an overwhelming manner by peers their own age was simply too crushing a blow.

Meanwhile, the teacher at Battle Soul Platform Thirty-Three had witnessed the entire match.

Based on what he knew of Qian Gu Ming, Qian Gu Ming could not possibly possess such terrifying speed and charging ability. With that thought, Wang Yan's gaze could not help but fall on Wu Xuan.

"A Thousand-Year second ring... Just what kind of soul skill was that, to create such a massive gap in strength between the two sides?"

Wang Yan was one of Shrek Academy's leading figures in theoretical research. His theoretical foundation was solid, and his teaching ability was excellent. Though he was only in his forties, he was already one of the foremost senior teachers in the Outer Court.

At Shrek Academy, a teacher's rank was even more difficult to advance than a student's, and the distinctions were strict.

For Wang Yan to become a senior teacher, he was qualified to teach Inner Court students. This showed just how formidable he was in theory.

"Forget it. I'll observe them more closely later." Wang Yan shook his head and began officiating the match. "First round, first assessment. New Student Class One: Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, versus New Student Class Three: Ouyang Junyi, Chen Junfeng, Zhao Haochen. Enter the arena."

Hearing familiar names, Wu Xuan, who was leaving the area, subconsciously looked toward Assessment Area Thirty-Three.

The first to step onto the platform were Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, whom he was somewhat acquainted with. There was also a delicate-looking little girl. She was not especially beautiful, but she was very pleasant to look at.

Wu Xuan's team had finished their assessments for the day. Today's assessments were mainly intended to help the new students adapt to this format. Tomorrow's schedule would become far more intensive.

There would be two rounds of assessments in the morning and two in the afternoon, for a total of four rounds. The third day would be even more terrifying, with each team having to undergo five rounds of assessment. The entire New Student Assessment lasted only three days.

This tested not only the students' practical combat ability, but also their endurance in prolonged battles.

"Let's go. We're heading back."

Qian Gu Ming, who had just been about to sit down and watch the matches, froze. "Huh? Brother Xuan, aren't you going to watch the others compete?"

"No. Most of them only have one soul ring. With our strength, do you think there's any need? We might as well stroll around the snack street and get some proper rest to prepare for tomorrow's assessments." Wu Xuan smiled.

"Hehe, true! Before the ranking matches, I doubt many opponents will pose any threat to us. Hehehe!" Qian Gu Ming chuckled foolishly.

"Xiao Ming, your laugh is seriously sleazy! Being on the same team as you really lowers the overall image of the class monitor and me." Nanmen Yun'er shoved Qian Gu Ming away as he moved closer to Wu Xuan, then criticized him.

"Brother Xuan! Look at her?" Qian Gu Ming was so angry that his hair practically stood on end.

"Yun'er is right. Don't come near me. I'm afraid your stupidity will affect my image, hahaha!" With that, Wu Xuan dashed away.

"Ah—Wu Xuan! You guy who forgets his friends when he sees a pretty girl, don't run!"

Watching the two chase and bicker, Nanmen Yun'er smiled faintly before quickly hurrying after them.