Freshman Assessment, Huo Yuhao Takes on Three

Watching the figure slowly rise as the lightning around him gradually faded.

The previously noisy Soul Fighting Zone fell silent for a moment, before erupting into even more heated discussion.

"That lightning... what incredible speed!"

"So he's Huo Yuhao, the one rumored to be the 'strongest one-ring'? That entrance was certainly flashy."

The referee overseeing the assessment coughed awkwardly twice, breaking the somewhat strange atmosphere.

"Cough, cough... Since student Huo Yuhao arrived in time, the assessment will now officially begin!"

Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao hurried onto the arena and stood at Huo Yuhao's side.

"Huo Yuhao, you really weren't late!"

Wang Dong looked delighted. Seeing her teammate arrive at the crucial moment finally lifted the huge weight from her heart.

Xiao Xiao also breathed a sigh of relief. Her martial soul flickered in her hand. "That's great. I'll support you two from here. My flute can slow them down..."

However, Huo Yuhao's next words left them dumbfounded once more.

He did not even turn back to look at his teammates. He merely stared coldly at the opponents ahead, his tone indifferent.

"No need."

"Trash at this level... I alone am enough."

"You!" Xiao Xiao choked with anger.

On the other side, the three students who had entered the arena turned red with fury upon hearing that.

"Arrogant!"

The student with the Sword-Pecking Hummingbird martial soul laughed furiously. "We're all freshmen. Do you really think you can take on the three of us alone?"

"Brothers, let him learn the price of arrogance!"

Seeing the hostility between both sides, the referee stopped wasting words and waved a hand.

"Battle begins!"

As those words fell, the three opponents instantly activated Martial Soul Possession.

Aside from the Sword-Pecking Hummingbird, the other two possessed a Soft Sword martial soul and a chicken leg food-type martial soul.

The food-type soul master quickly chanted an incantation and tossed out two enhancement Chicken Legs.

The two assault-type soul masters swallowed the Chicken Legs. Soul Power surged through them as they rushed Huo Yuhao from the left and right.

Faced with the pincer attack, Huo Yuhao stood motionless, as though he had been frightened senseless.

"Oh no!"

Xiao Xiao cried out and instinctively tried to rush forward to help, only to be stopped by a hand.

Wang Dong looked at Huo Yuhao's arrogant back, gritted her teeth, and shook her head.

"Don't go."

"If he doesn't experience defeat, that arrogant bastard will never know what humility means! It's good for him to suffer a little!"

Just as the two opponents were about to reach Huo Yuhao, their sharp sword and beak about to pierce him.

Huo Yuhao finally moved.

But he neither dodged nor summoned his martial soul.

His hands formed a cross-shaped seal with lightning speed.

Shadow Clone Technique!

Bang! Bang!

Two clouds of white smoke exploded at his sides.

Two solid clones identical to Huo Yuhao charged out at once. Rather than retreating, they rushed headlong into the two assault-type soul masters.

"Clones?"

Was that his first soul skill?

A trace of disdain flashed through the Sword-Pecking Hummingbird soul master's eyes. "You underestimate us too much! They're just clones made by a one-ring soul master. They'll shatter in one blow. How strong could they possibly be?"

He neither dodged nor retreated, directly swinging his wings toward the incoming clone.

However.

The instant he collided with that "clone," the disdain on his face turned to terror.

Rather than bursting like a bubble, the clone struck him with an overwhelming force, sending him flying backward.

What was even more terrifying was this.

Huo Yuhao's real body stood behind them, a cruel curve appearing on his lips.

"Explode."

Crackle, crackle—!

The two clones already close to their opponents suddenly swelled violently, transforming into blinding lightning.

Lightning Style: Shadow Clone Great Explosion!

Boom—!!

Two violent thunderous explosions erupted across the arena.

Terrifying lightning energy instantly engulfed the two assault-type soul masters.

They did not even have time to scream before the massive shockwave and high-voltage current blasted them off the platform. Their bodies were charred black as they crashed to the ground, foam spilling from their mouths as they lost consciousness.

The smoke and dust dispersed.

Huo Yuhao was still standing where he had been, both hands in his pockets. He had not moved even half a step.

"Dealing with you..."

He slowly raised his head, his scarlet Sharingan fixing on the only remaining food-type soul master in the arena.

"Doesn't even require me to act personally."

The support-type soul master, still holding a chicken leg, stared at his two teammates who had been instantly defeated, then at Huo Yuhao, who looked like a demon god. His legs went weak, and the chicken leg in his hand fell to the ground with a slap.

"You know what to do, right?" Huo Yuhao asked blandly.

"I... I..."

The student tremblingly raised both hands and cried out to the referee in a tearful voice.

"I surrender!"

The entire venue fell silent.

Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao stood behind him, completely stunned.

They had guessed that Huo Yuhao was strong, but they had never imagined he could win so easily, so... unreasonably.

He had ended the battle simply by detonating two clones?

It was also the referee's first time seeing such a bizarre fighting method. Wiping cold sweat from his forehead, he loudly announced.

"The victor has been decided! Team Huo Yuhao wins!"

The following day.

Team Huo Yuhao fought another four matches.

The process was dull and tedious.

Their opponents were still those unremarkable one-ring and two-ring "trash." Huo Yuhao could not even be bothered to use his real body. Using only Shadow Clones and taijutsu, he easily crushed every opponent.

Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao were basically spectators throughout, their only task being to cheer and receive their opponents' envious, jealous, and resentful stares after each match.

It was not until the third day's match that they finally encountered somewhat interesting opponents.

"State your names!"

"Freshman Class One: Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao."

The three people on the other side announced themselves as well.

"Freshman Class Seven: Huang Chutian. Great Strength Divine Ape martial soul. Level 23 assault-type Soul Grandmaster."

"Lan Susu. Hair martial soul. Level 22 control-type Soul Grandmaster."

"Lan Luoluo. Hair martial soul. Level 22 control-type Soul Grandmaster."

A pair of twin sisters, along with a burly assault-type soul master.

The moment the match began, the twin sisters—Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo—gave everyone a surprise.

Rather than fighting separately, they suddenly embraced each other.

Buzz!

A massive wave of Soul Power far surpassing anything before instantly burst forth. Deep blue halos erupted from both of them at once, completely concealing their figures.

At the same time, the long hair behind their heads moved without wind and grew wildly, instantly turning crystal-clear blue as it spread outward like ocean waves.

Martial Soul Fusion Skill—Heavenly Net!

The hair filling the sky intertwined into an enormous net, sealing not only the ground but even every possible avenue of escape through the air.

Wang Dong's expression changed. She immediately stepped forward and spoke solemnly to Huo Yuhao.

"Huo Yuhao, be careful! These opponents are different from the others. That's a Martial Soul Fusion Skill! Its power is enough to rival that of a Soul Elder or even a Soul Ancestor!"

"Stop trying to show off. Let's attack together!"

Huo Yuhao watched the blue net of hair sweeping toward him from all directions, and a glimmer of interest flashed in his eyes.

"Heh, a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

He chuckled. Not only did he not retreat, he instead took a step forward.

"In that case, I'll be a little more serious too."

After saying that, under everyone's astonished gazes, his hands rapidly formed seals.

Ox—Dog—Dragon—Rat—Boar—Rooster.

Water Release: Water Colliding Wave!

Rumble!

A gigantic waterspout appeared out of nowhere, spiraling around his body.

The next second, the waterspout exploded and transformed into towering waves that instantly flooded the entire arena!

Struck by the massive waves, the blue net of hair filling the sky immediately became incredibly heavy, its attack halted.

Huang Chutian, the assault-type soul master struck head-on by the waves, did not even have a chance to resist. He was swept away in a daze and washed out of the arena like a ball.

"H-How is this possible?!"

The Lan Sisters screamed in terror amid the waves.

They could only desperately control their hair net and drive it into the ground to anchor themselves, barely avoiding being washed away.

"How can he create a water-element attack on such a scale in a place without water?! Is his Soul Power endless?!"

The waves gradually receded, leaving only the twin sisters struggling to hold on atop the arena.

Huo Yuhao stood atop a pool of water, looking down at the battered sisters.

"Oh? Still putting up a futile struggle?"

Huo Yuhao formed seals once more.

Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!

Whoosh—!!!

Huo Yuhao thrust both hands forward.

A violent hurricane visible to the naked eye burst forth from his mouth.

The powerful airflow was like a sickle, instantly severing the Lan Sisters' wet hair rooted into the ground.

"Ah!"

Having lost their anchor points, the Lan Sisters cried out in alarm. The gale swept them into the air, and like two fallen leaves, they were blown off the arena without suspense.

Thud.

The two crashed outside the arena. Their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was forcibly dispelled, and they fell unconscious.

On the arena, Huo Yuhao lowered his hands. Looking at the empty field, he curled his lips disdainfully.

"A Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

"Nothing special."

Behind him, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao had completely turned to stone.

The referee swallowed hard. Looking at the youth standing amid the wreckage, he announced in a trembling voice.

"The... the victor has been decided!"

"Team Huo Yuhao wins!"