Finals

That afternoon, accompanied by Du Weilun and greeted respectfully by the gathered Teachers, Yan Shaozhe arrived at his exclusive seat in the stands.

This was a broad, protruding area. The Assessment Area was quiet. Shrek Academy's assessment system took each student's privacy regarding their abilities into consideration as much as possible, so after the top thirty-two ranking matches, other students were never allowed to watch openly.

Of course, the absence of student spectators did not mean there were few people. Nearly every Outer Court Teacher without classes had gathered in the Assessment Area to watch.

Do not underestimate this New Student Assessment, held every year just three months after the start of school. Almost every Shrek Academy Inner Court student had first made a name for themselves during the New Student Assessment before receiving the academy's full support and training.

The reason Dean Yan Shaozhe had come personally was that this year's freshmen were exceptionally strong. Generally speaking, even Shrek Academy students needed until around their third year to reach Three-Ring. At the same time, Three-Ring cultivation was also a necessary requirement for advancing from the third year to the fourth.

Yet four Three-Ring students had already appeared among this year's freshmen. With such strength, they would almost certainly enter the Inner Court in the future. Yan Shaozhe also wanted to see who would ultimately claim the championship among this year's newcomers.

But the main reason was Wu Xuan, a genius with two Thousand-Year Soul Rings. It was no exaggeration to say that Wu Xuan was already fully qualified to become an Inner Court disciple.

Both sides had arrived at the arena early, making preparations while observing their opponents in the distance.

At this moment, the referee Teacher had already entered the spacious Assessment Area. All the partitions had been removed at noon, revealing the enormous arena.

The referee beckoned to both teams at the same time, signaling for them to enter.

Wu Xuan's group of three strode in proudly. Wu Xuan remained at the front, with Qian Gu Ming and Nanmen Yun'er behind him on either side.

On the other side, Dai Huabin led the two girls into the arena as well.

The referee called both sides before him and said gravely, "The rules for the finals you are about to compete in have changed somewhat. Listen carefully. You may move freely within the arena. To allow you to display your full strength, you may attack your opponents with everything you have during the match. There is no need to hold back; I will control the extent of the battle. Anyone I rescue from the arena will be considered eliminated. Do you understand?"

"Understood," both sides answered in unison.

"State your names."

"Dai Huabin." Dai Huabin's voice was icy, as though an invisible killing intent erupted from him.

"Zhu Lu," said the black-haired girl.

"Cui Yajie," said the girl with long pink hair.

"Wu Xuan!"

"Qian Gu Ming."

"Nanmen Yun'er."

The referee extended his arms to either side. "Go to the edges of the arena. You may attack only after I announce the start."

Both sides slowly retreated. A fierce glint flashed in Dai Huabin's eyes, while Wu Xuan remained calm from beginning to end. Yet in terms of presence, he completely suppressed Dai Huabin.

Soon, both sides had reached the arena's edges. The complete Assessment Area was enormous, and in each other's eyes, their opponents had become tiny figures.

The referee raised his right hand, then brought it down sharply. His shout of "Begin!" rang clearly in the ears of every competing student.

Both sides moved in exactly the same way. The moment the start was announced, they charged toward each other simultaneously.

"Second Soul Skill, Light Spirit Wind!"

The purple Second Soul Ring around Wu Xuan instantly shone brightly. As wisps of gentle wind wrapped around them, the three of them suddenly surged forward in speed.

Wu Xuan headed straight for Dai Huabin, while Qian Gu Ming and Nanmen Yun'er each sought out their own opponents.

Nanmen Yun'er faced Zhu Lu, who was also an Agility Attack System Battle Soul Master, while Qian Gu Ming confronted Cui Yajie.

On the other side, Dai Huabin's group continued charging forward in formation. Dai Huabin rushed at the front and shouted as he ran, "White Tiger, possess me!"

An intense pale-white radiance suddenly erupted from him. While sprinting, Dai Huabin spread both arms wide, and a black-and-white phantom of a White Tiger instantly appeared behind him.

His hands were also enveloped in milky-white Soul Power, forming tiger claws. Every sharp claw was like a blade, gleaming with a cold and sinister light. His surging Soul Power poured forth with the pressure of crashing waves.

The two girls beside Dai Huabin also underwent different transformations. The colors of Zhu Lu's mismatched eyes grew deeper. Her ears rose into sharp points, her delicate body became more slender and powerful, and blades sprang from every finger. She was not as fierce as Dai Huabin, but she possessed an ethereal lightness. Although her speed had not yet surpassed Dai Huabin's, a string of afterimages appeared around her as her figure flickered.

The transformation of the other pink-haired girl was even stranger. After releasing her martial soul, her pink hair grew longer and formed large waves, cascading downward like a pink waterfall. Her clear, lustrous eyes gleamed, and her ears became pointed—sharper even than Zhu Lu's. Most peculiar of all, two large, semi-solid phantom tails appeared behind her.

In that brief span of time, both sides had already rushed within fifty meters of each other.

The first clash came between Wu Xuan and Dai Huabin, who stood at the forefronts of their respective teams.

A trace of confusion appeared in Dai Huabin's eyes. He had watched Wu Xuan's team's matches several times before. Judging from those earlier matches, he could not understand why Wu Xuan, a Control System Soul Master, would rush forward to fight him at close range.

In the flash of a thought, his attack had already been unleashed instinctively.

"Second Soul Skill, White Tiger Blazing Light Wave!"

Dai Huabin let out a roar, and intense white light instantly gathered around his head. Then, a ball of white light shot from his mouth toward Wu Xuan.

"Third Soul Skill, Jadeite Wind!"

"Condense!"

Facing Dai Huabin's attack, Wu Xuan remained calm. Jade-colored wind gathered around him. With a sweep of his left arm, a spear appeared in his hand, gleaming with a jadeite luster, its spear blade occupying nearly half the weapon's length.

The spear spun as it thrust forward. To everyone's astonishment, Dai Huabin's White Tiger Blazing Light Wave was forcibly shredded apart by the spear.

Both sides had been charging at full speed. After that instant of exchange, Wu Xuan had already steadied himself first. Dai Huabin's pupils contracted, and he clenched his teeth. Though his footing was unstable, he forcibly twisted his body sideways.

"First Soul Skill, White Tiger Body Protection Barrier!"

His First Soul Ring lit up. A white barrier enveloped his entire body as his pair of savage claws slammed toward Wu Xuan.

Even Wu Xuan could not help but praise such battle instincts.

Praise aside, Wu Xuan showed no mercy when he struck.

With a sweeping strike of his spear, Dai Huabin's attacking claws were knocked aside by a full body length.

Wu Xuan spun, bringing the spear blade around. At that moment, his entire body seemed to merge with the spear. The weapon shot forward, and its gleaming point struck Dai Huabin squarely in the chest.

"Crack!"

A crisp shattering sound rang out as the layer of white light forming a barrier around Dai Huabin broke apart. His First Soul Skill had been forcibly blown apart by a single thrust from Wu Xuan.

After withstanding Dai Huabin's successive full-power attacks, Wu Xuan could clearly sense that the spear condensed from wind elements had reached its limit.

With a backward sweep, he sent Dai Huabin flying. Then Wu Xuan lightly shook both hands, and the jadeite-colored spear in his grasp dissolved into a breeze.

Wu Xuan looked at the somewhat disheveled Dai Huabin and smiled faintly. "Use whatever else you have. If you keep hiding it, you will not get another chance."