New Student Assessment Champion

"Elder Xuan, is there really no room for discussion?" Qian Duoduo asked Elder Xuan in an almost pleading tone.

Elder Xuan shook his head, his tone firm. "Huo Yuhao must take the Soul Master route. His Martial Soul, the Time Eye, can control the flow of time, and in future wars, that will be enough to turn the tide of battle. You know the Sun Moon Empire has been restless in recent years. Huo Yuhao's existence is one of the academy's trump cards for facing the continental crisis in the future. The development of Soul Tools is certainly important, but the learning period is far too long. Rather than have him devote himself entirely to Soul Tools, he might as well focus on the Soul Master path."

Elder Xuan's status in the academy was second only to Mu En's. What he said went, and Qian Duoduo did not dare provoke him. At that moment, his gaze at Huo Yuhao was filled with regret.

Just then, Du Weilun leaned close to Elder Xuan's ear and whispered something. No one knew what he said, but Elder Xuan put away his carefree expression and instead fixed Huo Yuhao with gleaming eyes, as if he were looking at a priceless treasure.

The referee for Arena One was a Seven-Ring Soul Saint. The four teams in the semifinals, and the twelve students who would become the academy's future hope, were naturally worth protecting. The academy would not be stingy about safety, even in something as small as the New Student Assessment.

Huo Yuhao, Xiao Xiao, and Song Hanqing.

Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and Cui Yajie.

The six semifinalists had assembled. Seeing this, the referee spread his arms and said, "The assessment is about to begin. Both sides, retreat to the edges of the arena. You may officially launch your attacks only after I announce the start of the match."

The Huo Yuhao Trio turned and walked toward the edge of the arena. As they moved, Huo Yuhao said, "Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu possess a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. I'll deal with them. The girl with the pink hair, Cui Yajie, will be restrained by Xiao Xiao. Song Hanqing, remember to provide support."

"Class monitor! How can we do that?" Xiao Xiao pursed her lips. The power produced by a Martial Soul Fusion Skill was definitely greater than one plus one. Although Huo Yuhao possessed a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, he still could not clash with them head-on.

"Listen to me. I'm the team captain." Huo Yuhao's gaze darkened. Xiao Xiao had wanted to say more, but the words died in her throat.

On the other side, Dai Huabin leaned close to Zhu Lu's ear and said softly, "Huo Yuhao's Time Freeze is indeed terrifying. We absolutely cannot give him the chance to use it. Once we release our Martial Souls, you and I will immediately use the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Hell White Tiger. I'll crush Huo Yuhao with overwhelming strength and show him who the true powerhouse is."

Zhu Lu nodded. Dai Huabin then turned his gaze to Cui Yajie and said, "Zhu Lu and I will focus all our strength on Huo Yuhao. Cui Yajie, you'll deal with Xiao Xiao and Song Hanqing."

Cui Yajie nodded. "Don't worry. As long as you hold Huo Yuhao back and stop him from using Time Freeze, I'll have enough time to eliminate those two."

Soon, both sides reached the edges of the arena. When the Huo Yuhao Team and the Dai Huabin Team turned around, their gazes changed completely.

Huo Yuhao's expression was solemn, and his eyes shone brightly. A faint layer of cold air could vaguely be seen flowing from his pores, while icy light flickered in his eyes.

Ever since Dai Huabin had been driven out by Huo Yuhao, that humiliation had gradually transformed into a nightmare. Sometimes, he woke from his nightmares in a cold sweat. Even now, that disgrace was forever etched into his flesh and blood.

"Huo Yuhao, today's battle is the battle in which I, Dai Huabin, change my fate! You, Huo Yuhao, will eventually be trampled beneath my feet by me, Dai Huabin!"

Hearing Dai Huabin's oath-like declaration, Huo Yuhao replied blandly, "Say the cruelest words, then take the cruelest beating."

The referee exchanged glances with the others before abruptly dropping both hands. "The assessment begins!"

A deep tiger roar echoed from Dai Huabin's mouth. Two yellow and one purple Soul Rings appeared beneath his feet, his muscles swelled, and his golden hair was dyed black and white.

Zhu Lu's figure was slender, and her eyes became even deeper. Ten sharp claws extended from her slender fingers, while her ears stood up to sharp points.

When the referee announced the start of the assessment, their hands had remained clasped together the entire time. To Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's surprise, Huo Yuhao did not use Time Freeze as he usually did. He had not even revealed his Soul Rings.

Across from them, Xiao Xiao stood ready for battle. The Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron had locked onto Cui Yajie's position, prepared at any moment for a sudden attack from the Nine-Tailed Fox Soul Master.

As usual, Song Hanqing stuffed two eggs into the hands of Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao, then took a step back to the edge of the arena.

At that moment, Dai Huabin's tiger roar grew thunderous. His muscles swelled even more grotesquely, and black-and-white energy erupted from his body.

Zhu Lu's entire body was covered in black light. She threw herself into Dai Huabin's arms, and she seemed to become completely transparent.

The moment the Martial Soul Fusion Skill, Hell White Tiger, was formed, Elder Xuan turned his gaze toward Huo Yuhao.

Red light flickered beneath Huo Yuhao's feet. Under the effect of Simulation, two blood-red Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings gradually appeared. A massive scorpion with a completely jade-green body materialized behind him. Cold air surged around Huo Yuhao, and the terrifying chill covered the entire arena's surface in a thick layer of ice.

Mu Jin gripped the railing with both hands, utterly shocked by Huo Yuhao's performance on the arena. "That Huo Yuhao has Twin Martial Souls? That's... a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring! And there are two!"

Zhou Yi shielded her face. The terrifying chill covered her clothes in frost. At that moment, she stared at the two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings beneath Huo Yuhao's feet in shock. "Didn't Yuhao tell me that his Second Spirit possesses the Extreme Ice Attribute? What are those two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings?"

At that moment, many teachers were just as puzzled as Zhou Yi. The only exceptions were Xuan Zi and Du Weilun. Earlier, Huo Yuhao had told Du Weilun about the wondrous effect of the second Soul Ring of his Time Eye.

What if Huo Yuhao simulated the aura of a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast, and Xuan Zi spat out his old wine and interrupted the match halfway through?

Huo Yuhao's precaution had been the right move. At that moment, all the teachers watching the match were dumbfounded. Even the Wang Dong group and Yang Zhan group, who were undergoing their assessment in the neighboring arena, suddenly felt the temperature plummet.

"Roar—roar—"

A massive tiger eight meters long and over two meters tall appeared on the arena. It was none other than the Martial Soul Fusion Skill of Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu—the Hell White Tiger.

The Hell White Tiger's enormous body looked somewhat transparent. Its huge head was held high in an arrogant posture, and it truly possessed the air of looking down upon the world.

But the instant the Hell White Tiger saw the two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings beneath Huo Yuhao's feet and sensed the terrifying, peerless aura of a Ferocious Beast, something strange happened.

Huo Yuhao saw the Hell White Tiger's powerful limbs begin to tremble. Its enormous body slowly crouched toward the ground. How could it still have any air of looking down upon the world? It had practically become an obedient little kitten waiting to be petted.

The second Soul Skill of Huo Yuhao's Time Eye, Simulation, imitated the aura of a Soul Beast that had surpassed one hundred thousand years. The moment the Ferocious Beast's aura emerged, all the academy's powerhouses were alarmed.

But Elder Xuan waved his hand. "That isn't a Ferocious Beast. It's merely an interesting Soul Skill Huo Yuhao used to simulate the aura of one."

When the many old academy elders who had rushed over heard Elder Xuan's explanation, they were all Titled Douluo-level powerhouses. One or two of them had even reached the level of Super Douluo. Yet they could clearly sense that Huo Yuhao was a Ferocious Beast who had taken human form.

No one contradicted Elder Xuan. Instead, they stood in midair and watched.

The Hell White Tiger's enormous body trembled violently, its entire form shaking like a sieve. Its eyes were filled with terror. The Martial Soul Fusion Skill Hell White Tiger, formed by a Soul Elder and a Great Soul Master, could be called invincible among new students.

But standing before it was an Ice Jade Scorpion whose age exceeded one hundred thousand years. Then, the enormous scorpion moved. Its two pairs of huge pincers swung as its six legs, brilliant as Ice Crystals, charged toward the Hell White Tiger at astonishing speed.

The Hell White Tiger suddenly leaped five meters into the air. Without even looking back, it fled toward the edge of the arena. The instant it leaped off the arena, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu could no longer maintain the Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

Dai Huabin's expression was terrified. The instant his butt hit the ground, he could not stop himself from crawling backward with his hands in place of his legs. The arrogance he had displayed moments ago was completely gone.

Zhu Lu's beautiful eyes widened, and she fainted immediately afterward.

The enormous scorpion slowly faded away, revealing Huo Yuhao's true form.

"You!" Dai Huabin realized that he had lost control of himself. On top of that, he had been excessively frightened by the aura of the Ferocious Beast Huo Yuhao had released, leaving him somewhat deranged. He shouted wildly, "Huo Yuhao isn't human! He's a Soul Beast! A Soul Beast!"

The entire arena fell silent.

The situation had already exceeded the referee's authority. He looked helplessly at Huo Yuhao. Presiding over a match with you always brought unexpected surprises and accidents. Could you spare a thought for the referee?

Xuan Zi flashed forward and pressed one large hand onto Huo Yuhao's shoulder. An astonishing wave of Soul Power instantly swept through every bone in Huo Yuhao's body.

The Four Giants of the Sea of Spirit immediately fell silent.

Xuan Zi opened his eyes. At the same time as he let out a sigh of relief, he looked at Huo Yuhao with satisfaction.

"Huo Yuhao is human. He isn't a Ferocious Beast in humanoid form."

Only then did the elders who had rushed over relax.

Dai Huabin's face was filled with unwillingness. If Huo Yuhao was human, then the Ferocious Beast's aura and the two Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Rings just now had both been his doing?

Xuan Zi said, "The second Soul Skill of Huo Yuhao's Time Eye, Simulation, can change the color of his Soul Rings and imitate an aura like the Ferocious Beast's aura just now. That was why it caused such panic."

"I announce that the Huo Yuhao Team has advanced to the finals."

Xiao Xiao and Song Hanqing had not even reacted. After the brief span of time from the appearance of the Ferocious Beast to the disappearance of the Ferocious Beast Huo Yuhao had transformed into, they suddenly heard Elder Xuan announce that the Huo Yuhao Team had advanced to the final round. To this day, they were still completely baffled about what had happened.

Huo Yuhao walked to the edge of the arena with a smile and looked down at Dai Huabin. "Didn't you just say you were going to trample me beneath your feet? Why are you looking up at me now?"

"Huo Yuhao!" Dai Huabin roared, his eyes bloodshot.

"The Second Young Master of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion actually tumbled off the edge of the arena in a panic. You've certainly brought glory to the Duke's Mansion." Huo Yuhao chuckled, turned around, and left the arena.

"Huo Yuhao!" Dai Huabin was so enraged that blood spurted from his mouth.