Ning Tian's Extravagant Investment, The Duo Forms a Team for the Assessment!

Zhu Lu gripped Dai Huabin's hand, a thin layer of sweat forming on her palms.

"Huabin, did you feel pressured just now?"

Dai Huabin interlaced his fingers with hers, his grip steady and firm.

"Pressure, certainly, but not enough to make me fear them."

"I'm just thinking that we don't have much time left."

Wang Dong'er suddenly stopped in the middle of the path, her powder-blue short hair swaying in the night breeze.

She looked toward the direction of the teaching building and gritted her teeth.

"I've decided: starting tomorrow, I'm doubling my meditation time at night!"

"I don't want to be forced to hide behind you the next time we run into trash like that."

Wang Dong'er glared at Dai Huabin, as if trying to vent all the "humiliation" of being rescued just now.

Dai Huabin chuckled softly.

"Good spirit, but meditation alone won't be enough to catch up to those monsters."

"Go back and rest; there will be plenty of hardship to endure later."

Early the next morning, in the Class Nine classroom.

Mu Jin stood on the podium, lecturing on the theory of soul skill chaining.

Dai Huabin sat in the back row, twirling a charcoal pencil in his hand.

He was reviewing the original plot in his mind.

The Freshman Assessment would be here before long.

That was the first step for him to truly take root in Shrek Academy.

As soon as the bell rang, Ning Tian walked over with elegant steps.

Her attire today was as exquisite as ever; she wore the school uniform with the grace of a formal gown.

Wu Feng stood behind her like a guardian deity, still giving Dai Huabin a sour look.

"Class Monitor, may we speak in private?"

Ning Tian stopped by the desk, her slender fingers tapping on the surface.

Dai Huabin stood up and followed her to the corner of the classroom corridor.

Ning Tian pulled a silver ring from her robes and held it out to Dai Huabin.

The ring had an antique style, engraved with intricate cloud patterns.

"This is?"

Dai Huabin raised an eyebrow.

"A deposit."

Ning Tian was concise.

"Inside are Soul Gathering Pills unique to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, along with several pieces of aged Whale Rubber."

"There are also some herbs to assist with meridian expansion."

Dai Huabin took the ring and probed it with his soul power, feeling a slight stir in his heart.

Ning Tian's investment was not small.

The Whale Rubber was deep in color, clearly of significant age.

This stuff could strengthen one's physique and had miraculous effects for soul masters absorbing higher-year soul rings.

"You're so generous, it puts a lot of pressure on me."

Dai Huabin slid the ring onto his finger and gave it a spin.

Ning Tian smiled, leaning forward slightly.

"Since we are allies, I naturally hope you become stronger."

"After all, your performance in the Freshman Assessment will determine the profit or loss of this investment."

After saying this, Ning Tian turned and left with Wu Feng.

Dai Huabin watched her retreating figure, silently impressed.

Just as he tucked the ring away, a clear, beautiful voice came from behind him.

"Dai Huabin, come to my office for a moment."

Mu Jin, dressed in a beige long skirt, stood at the office door watching him.

The office was decorated quite warmly, and the scent of jasmine drifted through the air.

Mu Jin sat behind her desk and gestured for Dai Huabin to take a seat.

"Teacher Mu, did you need me for something?"

Mu Jin looked at the boy before her, who possessed a composure unlike any eleven-year-old, her eyes filled with gratification.

"Ning Tian came to see you earlier; it was to discuss the assessment, wasn't it?"

Dai Huabin nodded. "You could say that."

Hearing this, Mu Jin straightened her expression.

"Regarding the freshman assessment three months from now, the Academy has some thoughts."

"Given that the Martial Soul Fusion Skill between you and Zhu Lu is truly too astonishing, the Academy's intention is..."

She paused, observing Dai Huabin's reaction.

"To have the two of you form a two-person team to participate in the assessment."

Dai Huabin was taken aback; this deviated somewhat from the original plot.

"A two-person team? Everyone else's teams have three people."

Mu Jin nodded and continued.

"That is correct. It is very rare in the history of Shrek."

"But your Hell White Tiger even manifested a mutation like growing wings."

"If we were to add an auxiliary or control type, the assessment would completely lose all suspense."

"The Academy wants to see how far you can go while at a numerical disadvantage."

Dai Huabin leaned back in his chair and gave a slight nod.

"What if I take first place?"

Mu Jin's eyes curved into crescents as she smiled, a hint of pride appearing on her gentle face.

"If you can win the first-year championship as a two-person team, I will petition the Academy to grant you both a special reward."

"Besides, my, Mu Jin's, students must never lose to Zhou Yi's people."

Dai Huabin looked at Mu Jin's slightly stubborn expression and felt reassured.

It seemed the grudge between Mu Jin and Zhou Yi was even deeper than he had imagined.

"No problem. That first place is mine."

Dai Huabin stood up, his tone calm yet imbued with an unquestionable strength.

Returning to the classroom, Dai Huabin gathered everyone together.

Zhu Lu, Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, and Cui Yajie.

The four girls surrounded Dai Huabin's desk, instantly becoming the visual center of Class Nine.

"Some information regarding the freshman assessment has come down."

Dai Huabin got straight to the point.

"Zhu Lu and I are a team, a two-person group."

"What?"

Wang Dong'er was the first to cry out, her voice somewhat shrill.

"A two-person team?"

Xiao Xiao also gripped the corner of her clothes nervously.

"Class Monitor, are you planning to ditch us?"

Dai Huabin waved his hand.

"Don't be anxious, let me finish."

"Dong'er, you, Xiao Xiao, and Yajie will be a group of three."

He looked at Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao.

"Dong'er, you are a Power Attack type; Xiao Xiao, you are Control and Auxiliary; Yajie, you are Agility Attack and Control."

"Looking at the entire Outer Academy, your combination is top-tier."

Cui Yajie blinked, a flash of cunning crossing her fox-like eyes.

"Class Monitor, are you arranging a backup plan for us?"

Dai Huabin took two porcelain bottles and two pieces of Whale Rubber from his silver ring and pushed them to the center of the table.

"Take these and divide them among yourselves."

Wang Dong'er glanced at the Whale Rubber, which emitted a faint, fishy scent, and her face flushed as she waved her hands repeatedly.

"This is too valuable; I cannot accept it."

"Given by Ning Tian?"

Zhu Lu didn't stand on ceremony; she knew exactly what Dai Huabin was thinking.

Dai Huabin shoved the Whale Rubber directly into Wang Dong'er's hands.

"Take it."

"At Shrek, friends aren't just for fighting side by side; they're for sharing resources, too."

"Only when you grow stronger can you help me in the future."

"I don't want my friends to be eliminated in the first round of the assessment. That would be too embarrassing for me."

Wang Dong'er gripped the warm piece of Whale Rubber, her heart skipping a few beats for no apparent reason.

She lowered her head and muttered softly.

"What are you acting so smug for? It's just some resources, trying to buy people's hearts..."

Despite her words, she carefully tucked the item away into her storage Soul Tool.

However, Wang Dong'er didn't want the Whale Rubber; she had eaten so much of that stuff in the past that it had left her traumatized.

Xiao Xiao looked at Dai Huabin, her eyes sparkling.

"Class Monitor, you're so kind."

Dai Huabin looked at these three girls with their vastly different personalities, feeling the game he was playing becoming increasingly stable.

He knew well that, unlike other transmigrators, he didn't have some overpowered cheat; he needed allies now.

Dai Huabin wouldn't be foolish enough to just sit around waiting for Electrolux to wake up. He couldn't bring himself to pin all his hopes on someone else.

"Let's work hard together in the days to come."

"Right! Let's work hard together!"

Zhu Lu, Cui Yajie, Xiao Xiao, and Wang Dong'er all spoke in unison.