"I never expected four people to make it to the final stage this year."
Zhao Wuji stood up straight, his gaze sweeping over Tang San, Xiao Wu, Ning Rongrong, and Zhu Zhuqing.
Dai Mubai and Le Bai stood behind Zhao Wuji like two door guardians.
"I assume Mu Bai already told you what this stage involves on the way here."
Zhao Wuji glanced at Dai Mubai. "I'll explain it briefly again."
"For a Soul Master, actual combat ability will always matter more than anything else. Our Academy may only accept Monsters, but our requirements for actual combat are no different from those of ordinary academies."
Zhao Wuji stressed the words "actual combat." "So this final stage will test your combat ability."
"Teacher!"
Ning Rongrong raised her hand. "I'm a Support System Soul Master. I can't fight on my own."
"Wrong!"
Zhao Wuji rejected that decisively. "Common sense does not apply to Monsters. Mu Bai just told me that your Martial Soul is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, so let me make one thing clear: at Shrek, even Support System Soul Masters have combat ability—Le Bai!"
Le Bai stepped forward. A loaf of bread appeared in his right hand, while two flawless white Soul Rings emerged around him. "My name is Le Bai. Le as in music, Bai as in white. My Martial Soul is bread. I'm a level twenty-two Support System Tool Soul Master."
When the four standing opposite him saw Le Bai's Martial Soul and Soul Rings, they all unconsciously revealed disdainful expressions that said, "That's it?"
Seeing those expressions, Dai Mubai could not help nodding repeatedly in anticipation. Sure enough, everyone feels this way the first time they see Le Bai's Martial Soul and Soul Rings!
"Just as you can see and hear, Le Bai is a level twenty-two Support System Tool Soul Master."
Zhao Wuji raised his voice slightly and pointed at Le Bai. "He will be your opponent for the next assessment. Defeat him, or last one incense stick's worth of time against him, and you pass."
"Teacher!"
Tang San raised his hand and asked, "Will Le Bai use any weapons or tools during the fight?"
Zhao Wuji did not answer. He gestured for Le Bai to step forward, then lay back down in his chair.
"No. During battle, I won't use anything other than my Martial Soul and Soul Power. But you don't have that restriction."
Le Bai took a step forward. "I know that because of my Martial Soul and Soul Rings, you don't take me seriously at all. But that's fine. Not only am I not angry, I'll even give each of you an extra chance during the assessment. So let me remind you one last time: don't underestimate me."
"Thanks for the reminder!"
Tang San smiled. "Then I'll go first—"
"Xiao San!"
Xiao Wu suddenly stopped Tang San and grabbed his hand. "Let me take the first match!"
Tang San did not insist. He nodded and stepped aside.
Xiao Wu began warming up as she asked, "Le Bai, if I knock you out, what will happen to everyone else's assessment afterward?"
"Don't worry."
Le Bai pointed at Dai Mubai. "If you defeat me, or if I have trouble handling the later assessments, then Boss Dai will fight the people after you. If you have what it takes to defeat Boss Dai too, then Teacher Zhao will handle the rest."
"Now I'm relieved!"
Xiao Wu finished loosening up. "I'm ready. We can start anytime!"
"Not so fast. I haven't lit the incense yet."
As Le Bai spoke, he took an incense stick from a bundle lying on the ground beside Zhao Wuji, lit it, extinguished the flame, and stuck it into a tree.
Then he moved a little farther away from Zhao Wuji and faced Xiao Wu. "All right, begin."
"Come to think of it, I haven't properly introduced myself yet."
Xiao Wu suddenly blinked cutely, a faint pink sheen spreading through her eyes. "I'm Xiao Wu. My Martial Soul is the Soft Bone Rabbit. I'm a level twenty-nine Power Attack System Battle Soul Master."
Le Bai remained where he was, showing no reaction.
Xiao Wu suffered no backlash from her failed Charm, so she naturally assumed that it had worked. "Pfft, you talked such a big game, but I took you down in one move!"
Martial Soul Possession. She dashed to Le Bai's side and lifted her leg to kick at his hip. "Goodbye!"
Watching from the side, Tang San smiled to himself. This Le Bai only knows how to warn us not to underestimate him, yet he underestimated Xiao Wu himself. I hope Xiao Wu doesn't kick too hard. Offending an academy senior wouldn't be good.
Suddenly!
Le Bai took half a step back, neatly evading Xiao Wu's kick at his hip. Then he stepped forward to the side with astonishing speed and threw a heavy, powerful punch at Xiao Wu's face.
The fist instantly filled Xiao Wu's vision. Her body had stiffened for an instant after missing her kick, making it impossible for her to adjust her stance in time. She had no way to respond!
The smile vanished from Tang San's face at once. His eyes nearly split with rage as he shouted anxiously, "Xiao Wu!!!"
Whoosh—!
Le Bai's fist did not strike Xiao Wu's face after all. At the last moment, it stopped short, and the wind from the punch tossed her beautiful hair into disarray.
The index finger on his fist flicked out, lightly tapped Xiao Wu on the forehead, then withdrew.
"First time."
Le Bai lowered his hand and said calmly, "I told you not to underestimate me."
Xiao Wu was still completely stunned.
"Xiao Wu, are you all right?!"
Tang San had already rushed over to support Xiao Wu. Seeing Le Bai stop midway, he was no longer overly agitated. "Are you hurt anywhere? Does anything hurt?!"
"I-I'm fine..."
Xiao Wu stammered. Her scattered thoughts, frightened apart by Le Bai's punch, gradually returned to normal. She asked Le Bai, "You were clearly hit by my Charm. Why are you completely fine?"
"I only look fine."
Le Bai rubbed his forehead. "My head hurts a lot."
"What was that punch just now?"
Supporting Xiao Wu, Tang San asked Le Bai, "For an instant, I felt that your Soul Power Intensity had clearly surpassed level thirty and was almost at the level of forty!"
"Are my Soul Rings not enough to prove my actual Soul Power Level?"
Le Bai looked at Tang San. "Or are you certain that there is no method or means in this world to temporarily increase Soul Power Intensity?"
"No... Sorry! I misspoke!"
Tang San immediately realized that he had said something wrong. "Thank you for holding back!"
"There's nothing to thank me for. Who's next?"
Le Bai asked, "Or Xiao Wu, do you want to fight me again right away?"
Xiao Wu shook her head. She was still a little dazed and needed to rest.
Ning Rongrong shook her head as well. She did not think she could last against Le Bai at all. Besides, she was extremely interested in how he, as a Support System Soul Master, possessed such formidable combat ability, and wanted to observe as much as possible.
Zhu Zhuqing's attention was entirely on Dai Mubai. If possible, she would rather spar with Dai Mubai than Le Bai, so she shook her head too.
"I'll give it a try."
Tang San stepped in front of Xiao Wu and let her return to the spectators' area to rest. "Since there are two chances, I'd also like to fight you and see."
"There's still plenty of incense left."
Le Bai glanced at the incense stuck in the tree. "I won't light a new one."
"You really are confident."
Tang San withdrew his gaze from Xiao Wu as she returned to the spectators' area, then turned to Le Bai. "I won't be careless. Tang San, Martial Soul Blue Silver Grass, level twenty-nine Control System Tool Soul Master. Please enlighten me!"
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