Intercepting Class One's Ace, Huo Yuhao Forfeits Assessment for Soul Guidance Department

That morning, in the Freshman Class 9 classroom.

Mu Jin wore a light gray dress as she stood at the podium. She wasn't teaching today; instead, she held a list and began to read.

"The following students, after three months of comprehensive evaluation, are advised by the academy to transfer to the Soul Guidance Department for further study."

Most of the students on the list were children with Soul Power Levels in the teens and average Martial Soul talent.

Those whose names were called either lowered their heads or had reddened eyes, but no one raised an objection.

Such were the rules of Shrek Academy.

Those without sufficient potential would be diverted to the Soul Guidance Department.

While not technically an expulsion, for children who had enrolled with dreams of "becoming a powerful Soul Master," this was no less than a heavy blow.

Mu Jin finished reading the list, set the paper down, and her voice softened significantly.

"Although we have only studied together in Class 9 for a short three months, I remember every single one of you. Whether you stay in the Martial Soul Department or go to the Soul Guidance Department, you are all students of Shrek."

Mu Jin paused.

"The Freshman Assessment is the day after tomorrow. I hope those of you remaining will not fall behind."

The classroom was silent for a few seconds, followed by sparse, scattered applause.

Dai Huabin sat in the back row, not clapping.

He noticed that Mu Jin's expression was much more serious than usual.

Having spent three months together, he had figured out the temperament of this gentle homeroom teacher; the calmer and more gentle Mu Jin appeared, the more she cared deep down.

Such a teacher was truly comforting.

After the bell rang, most of the students dispersed.

Mu Jin stood at the classroom door and beckoned to the back row: "Huabin, Lulu, Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, Yajie, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, Yun'er, you eight stay behind."

The eight of them walked one after another to the front of the podium.

Mu Jin closed the classroom door and pulled a stack of documents from her drawer, spreading them out on the desk.

"The grouping list for the Freshman Assessment is out," Mu Jin said, getting straight to the point.

"Your three teams are the strongest trump cards of Class 9, and today I will share all the intelligence I have been able to gather with you."

Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu stood leaning against each other.

Wang Dong'er stood with her arms crossed between Xiao Xiao and Cui Yajie.

Ning Tian stood on the other side with Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er.

Mu Jin flipped to the first page of the documents.

"In this Freshman Assessment, every class has teams worth noting. But there are only two you truly need to focus on."

She held up one finger.

"First, the Xie Huanyue team from Class Two."

"Xie Huanyue?" Xiao Xiao tilted her head.

Ning Tian took over:

"Xie Huanyue, his Martial Soul is the Pipi Elephant, a Level 31 Soul Elder. Aside from Huabin and myself, he is the only freshman in Class Two at the Soul Elder level."

Mu Jin nodded:

"That's right. Xie Huanyue's Pipi Elephant is a defense-type Martial Soul, extremely powerful and very troublesome."

Dai Huabin nodded; he naturally knew the information regarding this Xie Huanyue.

But now, with the Martial Soul Fusion Skill between him and Zhu Lu, they would be invincible in the Freshman Assessment!

"Second," Mu Jin flipped to the next page, "the Huang Chutian team from Class Seven."

"Huang Chutian's individual strength isn't particularly outstanding; he is only a two-ring Soul Grand Master. But there are two people in his team: Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu. These twin sisters possess a Martial Soul Fusion Skill."

As soon as these words were spoken, the expressions of everyone present changed.

A Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

In the entire Class 9, the only ones capable of performing this technique were Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu.

Wang Dong'er subconsciously glanced at Dai Huabin.

Dai Huabin's expression didn't change, but he had already begun to analyze the situation in his mind.

The twins Lan Luoluo and Lan Susu had appeared in the original story, and the power of their Martial Soul Fusion Skill was not to be underestimated.

However, their individual Soul Power Levels were not high, the upper limit of their fusion skill was restricted, and the strength of their Martial Souls was not considered strong among body-type Martial Souls.

What actually concerned Dai Huabin was someone Mu Jin hadn't mentioned.

"Teacher Mu Jin," Dai Huabin spoke up.

"Hmm?"

"What about Class One? Does Class One not have any teams worth noting?"

His question was, in truth, a bit of a probe.

In the original story, Class One was composed of the trio of Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong'er, and Xiao Xiao; Wang Dong'er alone was enough to crush the majority of the freshmen. But now, both Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao had been pulled into Class Nine by him.

What was left of Class One?

When Mu Jin heard this question, a very subtle smile appeared on her face.

That smile contained thirty percent schadenfreude and seventy percent genuine delight.

"Class One, you say..."

Mu Jin set down the documents, braced her hands on the podium, and spoke with unconcealable satisfaction.

"Thanks to Dong'er and Xiao Xiao joining our Class Nine, that woman Zhou Yi has no one left to use."

Wang Dong'er laughed. "Teacher Mu Jin, when you put it that way, I feel a lot of pressure."

Xiao Xiao covered her mouth and giggled from the side.

Mu Jin waved her hand and continued, "And it's not just the issue of you two transferring. With that devilish training method of Zhou Yi's, after three months, several people in Class One have dropped out."

Wu Feng interjected, "Dropped out? People actually drop out of Shrek Academy?"

"They were scared off by Zhou Yi's training," Nanmen Yun'er added, a rare comment from her.

Mu Jin did not deny it, though her expression softened slightly.

"Zhou Yi is indeed a bit too harsh. I heard she even recommended one of her students to transfer to the Soul Guidance Department later on."

When Mu Jin mentioned the Soul Guidance Department, there was a hint of irritation in her tone.

Dai Huabin knew that this irritation was because of Fan Yu.

"What's the situation with that student?" Dai Huabin pressed.

"Level fifteen, Martial Soul is an eye. I didn't remember the specific name."

Mu Jin thought for a moment before continuing.

"Zhou Yi said this student's physical constitution was too poor to be suitable for the Martial Soul Department's path, but their spiritual power was exceptionally strong, so recommending them to the Soul Guidance Department might offer room for development."

Level fifteen.

Eye Martial Soul.

Exceptionally strong spiritual power.

Dai Huabin was certain it was Huo Yuhao.

Without the Mystic Water Pill to cleanse the marrow and strengthen the body, and without the Soul Ascension Pill to boost soul power, that guy had actually managed to train from level eleven to level fifteen in three months.

It seemed the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was still exerting its influence.

Dai Huabin silently assessed the situation: in the short term, Huo Yuhao posed no threat.

"Class monitor, what are you thinking about?"

Xiao Xiao's voice pulled Dai Huabin back to reality.

"It's nothing." Dai Huabin withdrew his thoughts and looked at Mu Jin. "So, Teacher Mu Jin, can we basically ignore Class One for this assessment?"

Mu Jin nodded, the smile returning to her face.

"Basically, yes. Zhou Yi is having a truly miserable year. I ran into her at the faculty cafeteria yesterday, and her expression was like she'd eaten ten pounds of bitter melon."

Having said that, Mu Jin couldn't help but let out a laugh herself.

She quickly coughed twice to restore the professional demeanor expected of a homeroom teacher.

"Alright, that's all the intelligence. You three groups go back and rest well; the Freshman Assessment is the day after tomorrow."

Mu Jin swept her gaze over the eight students in front of her.

Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu stood side by side—one with golden hair and evil eyes, the other with black hair and a cold, sharp aura; just standing there, they exuded an invisible pressure.

Wang Dong'er, Xiao Xiao, and Cui Yajie each had their own distinct strengths.

Wang Dong'er, with her long powder-blue hair, was filled with an unyielding pride; Xiao Xiao's small frame hid the astonishing potential of Twin Martial Souls; and beneath Cui Yajie's smiling peach-blossom eyes lay an increasingly keen spiritual power.

Ning Tian possessed a composed bearing, Wu Feng was brimming with battle intent, and while Nanmen Yun'er spoke little, her execution was incredibly strong.

Three months ago, these children were just a group of newly enrolled freshmen.

Three months later, Mu Jin felt that what she held in her hands might be the strongest hand of cards among this year's freshmen.

"Keep the championship in Class Nine."

Mu Jin's tone was very flat, as if she were stating a fact.

Dai Huabin raised an eyebrow, the corners of his mouth twitching. "Don't worry, Teacher."

Zhu Lu gave a soft hum of agreement from the side.

Wang Dong'er put her hands on her hips and huffed. "As for that Xie Huanyue, I will let her know what a Radiant Goddess Butterfly truly is."

Cui Yajie smiled and patted Wang Dong'er on the shoulder. "Dong'er, your opponents are the Lan Twins; leave Xie Huanyue to me."

"Why? First come, first served!"

"Because I am one grade higher than you."

"You!"

Xiao Xiao hurriedly grabbed Wang Dong'er, who was about to blow her top.

Wu Feng watched the commotion, rolled her eyes, and muttered, "The people in Class Nine are noisier than the last..."

Nanmen Yun'er nodded silently in agreement.

Ning Tian smiled and turned to look at Dai Huabin. "See you the day after tomorrow, Class Monitor."

"See you the day after tomorrow."

After everyone dispersed, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu walked back to the dormitory together.

The campus was quiet in the evening, and the setting sun stretched their shadows long.

Zhu Lu followed half a step behind Dai Huabin and suddenly spoke up, "Huabin, you were thinking about that Huo Yuhao just now."

It was not a question.

Dai Huabin's footsteps faltered, and he turned his head to look at her.

Zhu Lu's expression was calm, but she gripped her sleeves slightly as she spoke.

"Every time you hear news about him, your breathing rhythm changes."

Dai Huabin did not deny it.

Zhu Lu spent every day and night with him and knew every subtle reaction of his body like the back of her hand. It was too difficult to hide anything from her.

"That person hates me." Dai Huabin did not beat around the bush.

Zhu Lu nodded. "I know. I felt it back at the grilled fish stall."

"But he is only level fifteen now; he poses no threat." Dai Huabin shoved his hands into his pockets and continued walking forward.

Zhu Lu matched his pace, and after a few seconds of silence, she said softly.

"Whether he is level fifteen or level fifty, I will always stand in front of you."

Dai Huabin looked back at her.

Zhu Lu felt a bit uncomfortable under his gaze and turned her head away, the tips of her ears already turning red.

"Let's go, back to eat." Dai Huabin reached out and ruffled her hair.

Zhu Lu did not dodge; instead, she lowered her head slightly to make it easier for him.

The two figures slowly disappeared around the corner of the dormitory building.

At this very moment, in the experimental building of the Soul Guidance Department at Shrek Academy, a youth wearing a gray tunic was squatting in front of a pile of parts, using the dim light to disassemble the core of a basic Soul Tool over and over again.

His fingers were steady.

So steady that it was completely mismatched with his level fifteen soul power.

The youth looked up toward the direction of Shrek Square outside the window. The banners for the Freshman Assessment had already been hung, the massive red characters standing out prominently under the setting sun.

This person was none other than Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao withdrew his gaze and lowered his head to continue disassembling the core.

He would not be participating in the Freshman Assessment.

But as long as he could stay at Shrek Academy and grow stronger, he would not stop.