End of Freshman Assessment, Tang San's Mixed Emotions

"Parasite!"

Tang San did not pause, the light of his second spirit ring flashing.

Just moments ago, while pulling Zhu Zhuqing to safety, several Blue Silver Grass seeds—invisible to the naked eye—had silently adhered to the gaps in Xiao Qing's Rock Armor and the hem of his clothes.

Now, stimulated by spirit power, these seeds grew wildly in an instant. Fine, tough strands of Blue Silver Grass erupted from every corner of Xiao Qing's body, rapidly coiling around his arms, waist, and legs.

Though no single strand possessed great strength, they excelled in their suddenness and sheer quantity. For a moment, they restricted Xiao Qing's movements, causing his swinging arm to falter.

Tang San felt a slight sense of relief. It was fortunate that his first spirit ring originated from a Datura Snake, granting his Blue Silver Grass extraordinary toughness and toxicity.

Although the poison seemed to have little effect on Xiao Qing's physique, the resilience was enough to provide a brief tether.

His mind raced. Xiao Qing's defense and speed were extremely troublesome, and his strength was astonishing; brute force would be ineffective.

If he could control Xiao Qing, perhaps there would be a sliver of a chance.

"Xiao Wu!" Tang San looked at Xiao Wu, who had just landed, his speech rapid. "His defense is too strong, and his strength is immense; we can't fight him head-on. Find an opening and use Charm! As long as we can control him for an instant, Zhuqing can attack his weak points, or I can try to use a stronger control spirit skill to restrict him. That is our only chance of winning!"

Xiao Wu nodded, understanding Tang San's intent.

The opponent's defense was like a tortoise shell; it had to be dismantled from within or forced to reveal a flaw.

"I'll create the opening, you watch for the timing!"

Tang San let out a low shout, his spirit power surging. He poured a massive amount of energy into the Blue Silver Grass in his hands, pushing its toughness to the limit to bind Xiao Qing tightly.

Simultaneously, new Blue Silver Grass continued to sprout from the ground, joining the entanglement and temporarily pinning Xiao Qing within a small area.

Zhu Zhuqing prowled on the side, her cat claws glinting with cold light, searching for the gaps Xiao Qing revealed while struggling.

Xiao Qing lowered his head, looking at the rapidly multiplying Blue Silver Grass on his body, then raised his eyes to look at Tang San, who was sweating not far away, and Zhu Zhuqing, who was lurking on the flank.

A subtle, imperceptible smile appeared at the corner of his mouth.

Xiao Qing exerted a slight force with his arms, putting on a show of attempting to break free.

"Now!"

A sharp light flashed in Tang San's eyes. Sensing the moment Xiao Qing's attention seemed drawn to the vines on his body, he manipulated a strand of Blue Silver Grass to violently swing Xiao Wu toward Xiao Qing's front!

At the same time, he surged forward a few steps to close the distance, allowing him to better control the Blue Silver Grass and apply pressure, creating the optimal environment for Xiao Wu's strike.

Xiao Wu used the momentum to charge forward, her figure graceful as she instantly approached Xiao Qing.

Her large eyes suddenly turned a deep pink, soft, alluring light rippling outward as her gaze locked directly onto Xiao Qing's eyes.

"Second Spirit Skill, Charm!"

The pink light descended, carrying intense mental attraction and hallucinatory power.

Xiao Qing seemed to have no way to avoid it, his gaze meeting Xiao Wu's pink eyes.

In an instant, Xiao Qing's movements stalled. His struggling arms dropped, and his eyes grew momentarily vacant and hollow, as if he had truly been captured by the power of the charm and immersed in an illusion.

Did it work?!

Xiao Wu felt a surge of joy. Just as she was about to speak, Zhu Zhuqing at her side had already darted out like a leopard, her cat claws aimed directly at the "dazed" Xiao Qing.

However, just as Zhu Zhuqing's claws were about to touch Xiao Qing's skin, a sudden change occurred.

"Xiao Wu, watch out!"

Tang San's exclamation rang out abruptly. Through the Blue Silver Grass, he sensed that the spirit power within the "Xiao Qing" wrapped in layers was suddenly retracting in a bizarre manner, only to explode outward with a roar!

A violent wind-attribute energy erupted from within "Xiao Qing"!

"BOOM!!!"

A muffled sound—not earth-shattering, yet it shook all four people present.

The Blue Silver Grass that had trapped Xiao Qing shattered inch by inch under the tearing force of this internal explosion.

It exploded into a sky full of deep blue grass fragments, which drifted down in a flurry.

Yet, amidst the flying debris, where was Xiao Qing's figure?

The "Xiao Qing" who had been charmed and bound was nothing more than a decoy!

Tang San's Purple Demon Eye operated to its limit, his gaze scanning rapidly.

The next moment, the hair on his body stood on end, and a chill shot from his spine to the top of his head. He spun around violently, looking toward the rear-side of his original position.

There, Xiao Qing stood quietly, his body spotless, even the glow of his Rock Armor having faded.

It was as if he had been there the entire time, yet no one had noticed.

His gaze was fixed calmly on Tang San, who had just turned around due to the exclamation and now stood with his back to him.

"Your tactics are not bad, but unfortunately..."

Xiao Qing's voice sounded flatly behind Tang San's ear, so close.

Tang San didn't even have time to make any evasive or defensive move before he felt a great force strike his back.

Xiao Qing's right foot kicked the side of Tang San's waist, seemingly casual but controlled with extreme precision—not enough to damage bone or tendon, but enough to destroy his balance.

He kicked Tang San, sending him flying like a kite with a broken string, out of the designated assessment area and onto the mud ground a dozen meters away.

Although Tang San looked disheveled, he had not sustained any serious injuries.

"The commander is out."

Xiao Qing retracted his foot and looked calmly at the remaining people.

"Third Brother!"

Xiao Wu exclaimed.

Zhu Zhuqing's attack had missed, and she realized what had happened the moment she saw Tang San being "cleared" from the field; her heart sank.

Ning Rongrong's amplification effects were still active, but the tactical core, Tang San, was already gone.

"Next, it's your turn."

Xiao Qing's gaze shifted to Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, and with a slight shift of his shoulders, he charged toward them in an instant.

Having lost Tang San's central coordination and the control support of his Blue Silver Grass, Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing struggled against such a powerful opponent. Although they managed to hold their own for over a dozen seconds by relying on their speed and the buffs from the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, executing several exquisite coordinated attacks, they were quickly exposed by Xiao Qing's near-precognitive responses.

Xiao Qing either used his Rock Armor to tank their attacks or closed the distance to disrupt their rhythm with concise, effective grappling or palm strikes.

Within just a few breaths, Xiao Wu was struck on the side of the neck by Xiao Qing's hand blade; although he controlled his strength well, it still left half of her body numb, causing her to stumble and fall to the ground.

Zhu Zhuqing was forced to dodge with everything she had, but just as she landed, Xiao Qing closed in on her side.

Xiao Qing tapped lightly near her shoulder well point, causing her arm to go limp instantly and stripping her of the ability to continue the assault.

In the blink of an eye, only Ning Rongrong remained on the field, standing at the very back with a pale face, her hands tightly gripping the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda.

She attempted to continue buffing her companions, but without protection, she was defenseless before Xiao Qing.

Xiao Qing did not continue his attack on Ning Rongrong; he merely raised his eyes to look at the stick of incense.

The incense had only burned about halfway down.

His gaze swept over Tang San, who had just climbed up from the sidelines with a grim expression, then over the incapacitated Xiao Wu and Zhu Zhuqing, before finally settling on Ning Rongrong.

"The assessment is over."

Xiao Qing's voice rang out clearly across the field, and Xiao Feng, standing beside him, retracted its fierce aura and returned to a quiet, seated position.

"You have lost."

The entire battle had been crisp and decisive, lasting no more than half a stick of incense from start to finish.

What Xiao Qing had displayed was not just his unconventional spirit ring configuration and three thousand-year spirit beasts, but also absolute control over the rhythm of the battle and a masterful command of his various abilities.

Dai Mubai, Oscar, and Ma Hongjun watched from the sidelines; although they had anticipated the result, their eyes were still filled with amazement at how effortlessly Xiao Qing had resolved the fight.

Zhao Wuji stood with his arms crossed, his expression unreadable, though he nodded slightly, seemingly satisfied with Xiao Qing's performance.

Tang San stood up from the ground, brushed the dust off his clothes, and looked at Xiao Qing, who was calmly recalling Xiao Feng. The initial shock in his eyes transformed into an incredibly complex emotion.

It contained reflection on his own failure, envy of Xiao Qing's immense strength, and anticipation for his future life at the academy.