New Student Trial Begins!

Five days later, Heaven Dou Royal Forest.

Heaven Dou Royal Forest was a Soul Beast forest jointly maintained by the Heaven Dou Royal Family and Heaven Dou Royal Academy. It was located in the academy's rear mountain.

Normally, it was mainly used by royal descendants and academy students to obtain Soul Beasts.

But today, it served as the venue for the New Student Trial.

At this moment, a group of students dressed in blue-and-white, high-collared uniforms had gathered at the edge of the forest. They were this year's new students of Heaven Dou Royal Academy.

Dugu Yang was naturally among them.

Beside them stood a maiden wearing a veil that revealed only a pair of large eyes. She was none other than Dugu Yan's friend and teammate, the Nine Heart Begonia Soul Master, Ye Lingling.

Besides the students, several dozen academy teachers were also present. They were there not only to maintain order, but also to protect the students during the New Student Trial.

This New Student Trial required the new students to form teams and cross the Mixed Zone of Heaven Dou Royal Forest. Reaching the designated endpoint counted as passing.

Since it was a trial, danger was inevitable along the way.

And that danger naturally came from the Soul Beasts of Heaven Dou Royal Forest.

Most Soul Beasts in the Mixed Zone of Heaven Dou Royal Forest were Ten Year or Hundred Year Level Soul Beasts, but Thousand Year Soul Beasts could also appear.

For new students whose cultivation was mostly around that of a One Ring Soul Master, a Thousand Year Soul Beast was nothing short of a catastrophe.

Naturally, they needed the academy teachers' protection.

All the students participating in the New Student Trial and the academy teachers responsible for protecting them had already arrived. The reason it had not begun was that an important figure had yet to appear.

Just then, an elderly man with an ordinary face and bright eyes descended from the sky.

Clearly, the important figure everyone had been waiting for had arrived.

"Hello, students. This old man is Zhi Lin, a Committee Member of Heaven Dou Royal Academy."

The moment the elderly man appeared, he introduced himself. His voice was not loud, yet it reached the ears of every new student.

This technique of condensing sound into a line was not something an ordinary Soul Master could achieve.

Upon hearing the elderly man's name, most of the new students present revealed looks of surprise and admiration.

Zhi Lin was one of the three great Committee Members of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, as well as a Soul Fighting Douluo.

In this era, when Titled Douluo were as elusive as divine dragons, a Soul Fighting Douluo was already an immensely important figure.

"The New Student Trial is meant to test the results of your first month of study after enrollment. However, after looking over the contents of this trial, this old man found it too bland. Therefore, in order to further stimulate your potential, I have decided to add another rule."

Before the new students could digest Zhi Lin's words, he waved his hand, and countless specks of starlight fell into the hands of every team.

Looking down, they discovered that they were special Crystal Cards.

"There are a total of 103 teams participating in this New Student Trial. Every team will receive one Crystal Card. Before reaching the endpoint, the number of Crystal Cards in your possession must reach ten for you to pass the trial."

A wave of uproar erupted among the new students upon hearing Zhi Lin's words.

Requiring ten Crystal Cards to pass was undoubtedly telling the new students to seize other people's Crystal Cards, greatly increasing the confrontational nature of the New Student Trial.

Some were delighted by Zhi Lin's decision, while others were troubled.

Those who were delighted were naturally the ones confident in their own strength, while those who were troubled were naturally the weaker ones.

The New Student Trial did not merely test the students' learning results; it naturally came with rewards as well. The members of the top three teams would become the academy's core disciples and receive preferential resources.

Aside from the very few wealthy second-generation students who did not care, all the other students wanted to become core disciples.

Although the previous New Student Trials had also been dangerous, with good luck, even weaker teams still had a chance to enter the top three.

But now, with the mandatory Crystal Card requirement added, weaker teams had no possibility of entering the top three.

"Now this is interesting. Otherwise, how boring would it be to just run through the forest?"

Dugu Yan said excitedly. Dangerous glints flashed through her beautiful eyes from time to time, like a venomous snake that had fixed its gaze on prey.

After all, she was Dugu Bo's granddaughter. Although Dugu Yan always acted like a well-behaved girl in front of Dugu Bo and Dugu Yang, she actually possessed a combative heart as well.

Ye Lingling remained as cold and aloof as ever. Whether the rules changed or not made no difference to him.

Dugu Yang was the same, but his sharp senses quickly detected a scorching gaze behind him.

Turning around, Dugu Yang saw Yu Tianheng standing not far away, staring intensely at him with fighting spirit blazing in his eyes.

Clearly, Zhi Lin's rule suited Yu Tianheng perfectly. He had already wanted to fight Dugu Yang, and now he would be even less likely to let this chance slip away.

Two youths with similar features and extremely burly, powerful builds stood beside him.

Although Dugu Yang did not know them, he knew their names. They were the brothers Shi Mo and Shi Mo.

With Yu Tianheng, who possessed the Number One Beast Martial Soul, teamed with these two brothers who possessed top-tier defensive Martial Souls, their strength could absolutely rank second among all the teams.

Why not first? Naturally, because of Dugu Yang.

Facing Yu Tianheng's challenge, Dugu Yang smiled faintly in response.

Since he had promised him, he naturally would not go back on his word. He would definitely give Yu Tianheng an opportunity to challenge him during the New Student Trial.

However, he would also leave Yu Tianheng with a shadow he would find difficult to forget for the rest of his life.

"All right, students. Time is precious, so this old man will not say more. The New Student Trial officially begins. All student teams participating in the trial, enter the Royal Forest in batches!"

Zhi Lin shouted loudly. The academy teachers behind him immediately began organizing the student teams to enter the forest.

For the sake of fairness, no new student teams were allowed to fight at the start. They could fight freely only after reaching a point ten kilometers away.

Very soon, Dugu Yang's team of three entered Heaven Dou Royal Forest.

"Ayang, what should we do? Set traps along the way, or just rob people directly?"

Not long after entering the forest, Dugu Yan turned and asked him, her tone full of excitement.

Dugu Yang shook his head and said:

"No need. We'll head straight for the endpoint."

As he spoke, Dugu Yang took out a map of Heaven Dou Royal Forest. It clearly marked the boundaries of the Mixed Zone, the route, and the endpoint. Every new student team had one. Otherwise, if they got lost in Heaven Dou Royal Forest and entered the Core Zone, it would be extremely dangerous even with academy teachers protecting them.

"Head straight for the endpoint? Then what about our Crystal Cards?"

Dugu Yan asked in confusion.

Hearing this, Dugu Yang's lips curled slightly as he said:

"So we need to reach the endpoint quickly. Once the teams behind us arrive, can't we just take their Crystal Cards?"