At the announcement, Wang Dong, who had been speaking quietly with Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao, immediately stepped forward and walked up to Du Weilun. After greeting him with, "Hello, Director," Wang Dong reached into the draw box and pulled out a folded slip of paper.
She unfolded it, revealing a large red number one on the white paper. That was her team's number. The team that drew the blue number one would be their opponent.
Du Weilun glanced at the number in Wang Dong's hand, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. Then he waved the other teams forward to draw their numbers.
A minute later, every team had drawn a number. Du Weilun put away the draw box and immediately announced the first match.
"The first match of the quarterfinals: Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao, and Xiao Xiao of Freshman Class One versus Mo Yuan, Bai Yi, and Nanmen Yun'er of Newborn Class Nine."
"You may now proceed to Assessment Area One for your match."
When Du Weilun announced the two teams, Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao, and Xiao Xiao all stared in astonishment.
None of them had expected to face Mo Yuan's team today.
Was this a joke? Their team didn't even have a Soul Elder. How were they supposed to fight Mo Yuan, who was already a Soul Ancestor?
"Maybe we should just forfeit. That's Mo Yuan we're up against. There's no way we can beat him," Xiao Xiao said dejectedly.
At her words, Wang Dong immediately flew into a rage. "Xiao Xiao, what do you mean by that? The match hasn't even started, and you're already giving up. That makes you a coward! So what if it's Mo Yuan?! Huo Yuhao and I have a way to deal with him!"
"Right, Huo Yuhao?"
"Right."
Huo Yuhao replied firmly. He watched Mo Yuan calmly walk onto the field from the other side, hatred and fury lurking deep in his eyes.
Just you wait, Mo Yuan. You'll pay for your arrogance... Huo Yuhao thought, recalling the power of the Golden Road, his Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Wang Dong.
In the Sea of Consciousness, Sky Dream Ice Silkworm also encouraged him. "Exactly! Does that brat think you're still the same person he could bully at will three months ago? Show him what you can do today!"
Hearing Huo Yuhao's confident response, Xiao Xiao froze. Was this really the Huo Yuhao she knew? Since when had he become so bold?
Unfortunately, Xiao Xiao thought that going up against Mo Yuan was just asking for a beating. But two of her three teammates refused to give up, so she had no choice but to grit her teeth and join them.
Up in the stands, Zhou Yi's expression darkened when she heard that Huo Yuhao and the others had drawn Mo Yuan's team.
She never would have expected that, right after she and Mu Jin had made their wager, Huo Yuhao and the others would end up facing Mo Yuan.
All she could do now was hope that Mo Yuan would honor what Mu Jin had said and hold back until they faced a team led by a Soul Elder.
As before, Mo Yuan stood at the back of his team, while Bai Yi and Nanmen Yun'er stood side by side at the front. Across from them, Wang Dong stood at the front of her team, Xiao Xiao in the middle, and Huo Yuhao at the back.
Looking at Wang Dong and the others, Bai Yi couldn't help but regard them with pity. He turned to Mo Yuan and asked in confusion, "Brother Moyuan, did one of the three have a grudge against you or something? Why did you suddenly decide to fight them yourself?"
Nanmen Yun'er chimed in, "Yeah, Class Monitor. Didn't you say you wouldn't fight until we faced a team led by a Soul Elder?"
Mo Yuan turned his gaze away from the three across the field. He had no intention of explaining, so he casually offered an excuse.
"Just assume I've been idle for too long and feel like getting some exercise. As for why this match... let's just say they're unlucky."
Once the six contestants had taken their positions in the middle of the field, the referee responsible for their safety immediately announced the start of the match.
"Both sides, prepare. Begin!"
As soon as the referee spoke, Wang Dong and the others released their Martial Souls.
A pair of dazzling blue-and-gold wings sprang open behind Wang Dong, and two Soul Rings, one yellow and one purple, rose from beneath her feet—a configuration that surpassed the limit.
Then a faint golden glow appeared in Huo Yuhao's eyes, and his Soul Ring lit up beneath him. Spiritual Probe Sharing took effect on Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao.
Two Soul Rings also rose beneath Xiao Xiao's feet. A mass of black light rapidly coalesced above her head, forming a three-legged, two-eared cauldron about one meter in diameter.
This was Xiao Xiao's primary Martial Soul, the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron.
But just as the three finished releasing their Martial Souls and focused their attention on Mo Yuan's team, they saw a scene that differed from what they had expected.
They had assumed Mo Yuan's team would fight as before, with only Bai Yi and Nanmen Yun'er releasing their Martial Souls while Mo Yuan stepped in only when they were in danger.
That was why Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao had been confident they could catch the three of them off guard with their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
But what were they seeing now?
Mo Yuan's team had completely reversed its formation. Bai Yi and Nanmen Yun'er, who had been at the front, were now at the back. Neither of them had released their Martial Souls, and neither seemed about to fight.
Instead, Mo Yuan, who had never taken the initiative before, stood at the front, quietly watching them.
Seeing this, Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao immediately sensed something was wrong. At the same time, Zhou Yi's expression darkened as she watched from the raised platform.
She turned to Mu Jin, who was smiling brightly beside her, and demanded, "Mu Jin, what do you mean by this?! Didn't you say Mo Yuan wouldn't fight until we faced a team led by a Soul Elder?"
Mu Jin laughed and gave Zhou Yi a look as if she were an idiot. "Zhou Yi, have you lost your mind? I said that. He didn't. How he chooses to arrange things is up to him.
"Maybe he only held back before to let his teammates fight. This time, he might have decided to fight on his own because he's bored and wants some exercise."
"Mu Jin, you!" Zhou Yi was furious. If Mo Yuan didn't fight, there might still have been a chance to win with their Martial Soul Fusion Skill. But now it was obvious that Mo Yuan intended to fight personally.
A Soul Ancestor against two Soul Grandmasters and one Soul Master—no matter how powerful their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was, it wouldn't make a difference!
"Getting upset won't help. The wager is already set. I'll be waiting for your resignation letter to the academy."
After saying this, Mu Jin felt refreshed. She ignored the furious Zhou Yi beside her and focused on the match below.
Assessment Area One.
Mo Yuan swept a cold gaze over Wang Dong and the others. A brilliant golden light flashed in his deep black eyes, and his radiant Golden Eyes shone for the first time on the stage of the New Student Assessment.
Four astonishing Soul Rings—yellow, purple, purple, and black—rose from beneath his feet, slowly revolving.
Although Mo Yuan's strength and Soul Ring Configuration had long been common knowledge throughout the academy, almost no one outside Freshman Class Nine had ever seen them.
Hearing about something and witnessing it firsthand were two different things. When the Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring, wreathed in a faint, eerie glow, rose on the field, every student except the teachers on the raised platform held their breath, their hearts pounding.
The instant the Golden Eyes lit up, Huo Yuhao, who had been using Spiritual Probe Sharing to cover the entire assessment area, felt as if an invisible hammer had struck him head-on.
Blood trickled from his nose and mouth. His eyes rolled back, and he toppled straight to the ground. If Mo Yuan hadn't refrained from deliberately targeting him, Huo Yuhao would likely have lost consciousness on the spot.
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