Huang Yan: Why would I refuse someone who comes to my door? Ning Rongrong: You're that Phoenix Soul Master!

Meng Chen nodded slightly, his gaze sweeping across the crowd as he pointed to a lean youth.

"Li Feng, come out. Spar with this new junior sister."

The youth who was called leaped onto the Soul Fighting Arena, eyeing Zhu Zhuqing with curiosity.

"Vice Dean, what is this junior sister's cultivation level? How much of my strength should I use?"

"Her name is Zhu Zhuqing, twelve years old, a level 27 Agility Attack System Soul Grand Master," Meng Chen said indifferently.

"Use your full strength. The rules remain the same: as long as she can last a stick of incense against you, she passes."

Upon hearing the words "twelve years old, level 27," the surrounding senior students gasped, their expressions toward Zhu Zhuqing changing instantly.

Li Feng immediately cast aside his contempt, cupping his hands with a solemn expression.

"Li Feng, fifteen years old, level 29 Agility Attack System Battle Soul Master. Martial Soul: Gale Falcon. Junior sister, no offense intended!"

Below the stage, seeing this, Ning Rongrong immediately summoned her radiant Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda and shouted loudly:

"Zhuqing, I'll buff you! With my speed and strength enhancements, winning against him will be no problem at all!"

"Miss Ning, wait a moment."

Meng Chen raised a hand to stop Ning Rongrong, smiling. "The core disciple assessment must be conducted individually. We are naturally aware of the power of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, but we need to see her personal limit in combat. As for your assessment, it will be arranged separately later."

Ning Rongrong pouted, but knowing the rules, she could only retract her Martial Soul and shout words of encouragement:

"Then good luck, Zhuqing! Show him what you're made of!"

Zhu Zhuqing did not look back, simply walking slowly onto the Soul Fighting Arena.

Her gaze was icy as she stared at Li Feng ahead, her internal soul power erupting instantly as two bright yellow century-level soul rings rose up.

"Zhu Zhuqing, twelve years old, level 27 Agility Attack System Battle Soul Master. Martial Soul: Hell Spirit Cat. Please advise."

Meng Chen walked to the side of the arena, casually lit a stick of incense, and placed it in the burner.

"Prepare—"

Meng Chen swung his arm down sharply.

"Begin!"

As the words fell, both figures on the stage moved almost simultaneously.

Illusory wings appeared behind Li Feng, and his first soul ring lit up.

He transformed into a cyan whirlwind, charging straight toward Zhu Zhuqing's face.

"First Soul Skill: Wind Blade Array!"

Several sharp wind blades sealed off Zhu Zhuqing's path of retreat.

Zhu Zhuqing's expression remained cold; instead of retreating, she advanced.

"First Soul Skill: Hell Stab!"

Zhu Zhuqing's body instantly turned into a black afterimage, moving at an incredible angle.

She sliced straight through the gaps in the wind blades, her sharp cat claws closing in on Li Feng's throat.

"Such fast speed!"

Li Feng was shocked, hurriedly flapping his wings to soar higher, narrowly dodging the strike.

Watching this scene from below, Meng Chen couldn't help but nod slightly, whispering to himself:

"Such sharp combat intuition; this girl is practically a born assassin. It seems the Sect Master is about to find another treasure."

On the Soul Fighting Arena, two figures crossed paths at high speed.

Zhu Zhuqing's offensive grew increasingly fierce as her second soul ring suddenly lit up.

"Second Soul Skill: Hell Hundred Claws!"

A sky full of black claw shadows instantly enveloped Li Feng, forcing him to retreat repeatedly, leaving him with only the ability to parry and no room to counterattack.

Just then, a clear voice tinged with a hint of laziness and surprise suddenly drifted down from the spectator gallery on the second floor of the Soul Fighting Arena.

"Alright, stop there. Li Feng, you have already lost."

The crowd turned to look in the direction of the voice.

They saw a youth in white leaning casually against the railing, a faint and peculiar medicinal fragrance lingering about him, clearly indicating he had just emerged from the alchemy room.

The moment Meng Chen saw this person, his expression turned solemn, and he bowed respectfully: "Sect Master! Have you finished your alchemy?"

As these words fell, the entire arena erupted in an uproar.

Ning Rongrong widened her beautiful eyes, pointing at the youth upstairs in disbelief: "Sect... Sect Master?! So young?!"

Zhu Zhuqing, standing on the stage, also ceased her movements, breathing slightly as her cold, clear gaze remained fixed on the youth in white.

Her brows furrowed slightly; she felt as though she had seen him somewhere before.

Huang Yan leaped down, landing lightly on the Soul Fighting Arena.

His gaze swept over Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong, the corners of his mouth curling into a playful smile: "Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda, Hell Spirit Cat. Zhu Zhuqing, Ning Rongrong. Truly rare guests."

Ning Rongrong was stunned, asking instinctively: "You know us?"

Huang Yan did not answer directly, instead raising an eyebrow with a hint of curiosity in his tone: "If I recall correctly, you two should be at Shrek Academy right now. What is this? Abandoning a perfectly good Shrek to come to my newly established Divine Radiant Academy?"

Zhu Zhuqing retracted her Martial Soul, looking straight into Huang Yan's eyes, her voice cold and firm: "Shrek is nothing more than a place that harbors filth and deceives itself. Dai Mubai is a useless man, and that place cannot give me what I want."

"Oh?"

A flash of surprise crossed Huang Yan's eyes, followed by a soft chuckle. "It seems you have seen the true colors of those people. However, what makes you so sure that my Divine Radiant Academy can provide what you desire?"

Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, not backing down in the slightest: "The notice says that as long as one becomes a core disciple, secret medicines will be bestowed, allowing one's cultivation to advance by leaps and bounds. I need power, absolute power! As long as you can give it to me, I, Zhu Zhuqing, am willing to serve the Divine Radiant Sect!"

Ning Rongrong also hurried onto the stage, grabbing Zhu Zhuqing's hand and tilting her chin at Huang Yan: "And me! Although this young lady is not lacking in resources, if you really are that impressive, I'll join too! Hey, young Sect Master, does Zhuqing's performance just now count as passing the assessment?"

Huang Yan couldn't help but laugh. "Interesting, truly interesting. Since you have delivered yourselves to my doorstep, there is naturally no reason for the Divine Radiant Sect to turn you away."

Huang Yan turned to look at Meng Chen and instructed: "Vice Dean Meng, no need for further testing. From today on, these two are core disciples of my Divine Radiant Sect."

Meng Chen respectfully accepted the order: "Yes, Sect Master!"

Huang Yan nodded slightly and turned to walk toward the depths of the inner courtyard: "The two of you, follow me."

Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong exchanged a glance and quickened their pace to follow.

Along the way, Ning Rongrong's gaze remained fixed on Huang Yan's back, her large eyes filled with uncertainty and suspicion.

She frowned one moment and muttered the next, seemingly struggling to recall something.

Finally, as they walked through a long corridor, Ning Rongrong suddenly stopped in her tracks, pointed at Huang Yan's back, and exclaimed:

"Ah!

I remember now!

It's you!"

Huang Yan stopped and turned around, looking at her with a faint, enigmatic smile:

"Remembered what?"

Ning Rongrong hurried over to stand before him, looking him up and down, her tone filled with disbelief:

"Back at that restaurant in Suotuo City, it was you, wasn't it?

The mysterious Spirit Master with the Phoenix spirit who gave Oscar, Dai Mubai, and Zhao Wuji such a sound beating!"

Hearing this, a flash of realization crossed Zhu Zhuqing's eyes.

No wonder she had felt this young man in white looked so familiar when she was beneath the Soul Fighting Arena; it really was him.

The terrifying strength and the ultimate flames he had displayed at the restaurant that day remained fresh in her memory even now.

Ning Rongrong took a deep breath, looking at Huang Yan as if he were a monster:

"My god... I never expected you to be the Sect Master of this Divine Radiant Sect!

I thought you were just some young master from a hidden family out for some experience!"

"What?

Do I not look like a Sect Master?"

Huang Yan chuckled, his expression indifferent.

"That day, I was just casually brushing aside a few fools who didn't know the height of the sky or the depth of the earth.

Now that you recognize me, what's the matter? Are you afraid I'll teach you a lesson too, and regretting joining the Divine Radiant Sect?"

"Who's regretting it!"

Ning Rongrong huffed with feigned arrogance, then rolled her eyes, suddenly looking quite excited.

"If even those self-righteous guys from Shrek suffered such a huge loss at your hands, it just goes to show that this young lady's judgment was spot on!

Following you is definitely going to have a much better future than staying in that dump of a village!"

Zhu Zhuqing also stepped forward, her cold gaze fixed directly on Huang Yan:

"I don't care who you are, nor do I care about your grudges with Shrek.

I only care about when you will give me what you promised in your notice."