"All right, let's not waste the afternoon. We'll discuss our Martial Souls first. With the strength of our team, we definitely won't be eliminated, but of course, the higher our score, the better," Xu Yanli said with a smile.
When they reached the courtyard, Xu Yanli and the others sat in the garden pavilion, where they could take in the charming sight of the small bridge and flowing stream.
"I'm only level nineteen. My first Soul Skill is Wind-Thunder Kill. It basically boosts my control over wind and thunder, then lets me use them to attack." Tang Ling scratched his head and spoke with an honest grin.
Xiao Xiao touched her braid and said with a smile, "My primary Martial Soul is the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron. My first Soul Skill is Cauldron Shock, which slows groups of opponents and boosts defense. My second Soul Skill is Cauldron Might, which is mainly defensive."
"I have quite a few Soul Skills. My Martial Soul is a healing type that commands the Sun Moon Star. It can also attack, defend, and control, so it's versatile..." Xu Yanli didn't bother to persuade them. He simply gave a brief introduction.
After they finished talking, they ate for a while, and the sky gradually darkened.
Xu Yanli then led everyone away. They still had to return to the dormitory and get in some proper cultivation.
The next afternoon, the three of them strolled over to the examination area at Shrek Academy.
It had to be said, each examination area was quite small. Perhaps most of them simply didn't need much space.
Xu Yanli twirled a fan in his hand as he sauntered over. As he arrived, he happened to brush shoulders with a golden-haired boy.
Xu Yanli followed him with his eyes for a while before slowly looking away. If he wasn't mistaken, that boy had been Huo Yuhao's greatest enemy, Dai Huabin.
He had no personal grudge against Dai Huabin, but he was more than happy to put the people of the Duke of White Tiger Mansion in their place.
"All new students, please listen up. All new students, please listen up. Enter the examination area immediately and prepare for the freshman assessment. You have ten minutes left to enter. Anyone who arrives late will be considered to have forfeited." The announcement rang out across the outer courtyard, loud enough to carry throughout the entire academy.
Xu Yanli's hand paused mid-twirl. Wasn't that announcement oddly familiar? For some reason, it reminded him of the high school entrance exam.
But this was much easier than that. After all, it was just a competition. And competitions were fun.
Soon, a teacher in his forties arrived at their area. It was obviously Wang Yan.
He was actually a good teacher. It was a shame he had only taught them for two days. If Xu Yanli remembered correctly, his Martial Soul was the Coiling Dragon Staff.
With the Coiling Dragon Staff as his Martial Soul, how could he be only level fifty-something at forty? Unless he'd never been taken seriously from the start, or someone had deliberately suppressed his rank.
No, if Xu Yanli remembered correctly, the Coiling Dragon Staff was one of the Spirit Hall's worshipper Martial Souls.
A faint glimmer passed through Xu Yanli's eyes. He smiled softly. Got it.
"Don't pay too much attention to my teaching style. I've always treated my students like friends. So from now until the end of the exam, you're all my little friends. I don't want to see anyone get hurt. This assessment will determine whether you can continue studying at Shrek Academy, but I must remind you that you absolutely cannot cripple your opponents. Otherwise, I'll have no choice but to ask you to leave and report you to the academy." Wang Yan smiled as he addressed them.
"The first match of the first round: Freshman Class One, Xu Yanli, Xiao Xiao, and Tang Ling, against Freshman Class Three, Ouyang Junyi, Chen Junfeng, and Zhao Haochen..."
Once all six had taken their places,
as soon as Wang Yan finished speaking, Ouyang Junyi and his two teammates charged forward with a bloodcurdling yell, as if they'd been injected with adrenaline.
Xu Yanli's hand paused. For some reason, they reminded him of the utterly useless teammates he'd had in games in his previous life.
At least the teams hadn't been assigned at random. With his luck, they'd have been doomed otherwise—or he would've had to carry the whole match himself.
The Sword-Beak Hummingbird flapped its wings and shot ahead. A soft sword flashed from its sheath, gleaming coldly, while the food-type Soul Master in the back already had his Soul Skill ready to buff his teammates.
The three charged at them like arrows loosed from a bow.
Xu Yanli stood perfectly still, his expression calm. He didn't look worried in the slightest.
Xu Yanli didn't even release his Martial Soul.
When the other team was almost upon them, Soul Power burst from his body, and he unleashed his second Soul Skill: Apocalypse: Holy Wing Guard.
Six translucent Sun Moon Holy Wings unfurled behind him. A layer of pale gold mixed with silver-white light instantly shielded Xiao Xiao and Tang Ling.
It was basically a moving fortress. A shield covered the two inside the barrier, looking soft but actually tough as nails. Physical attacks bounced right off, and Soul Power attacks did the same.
Most absurd of all, control-type Soul Skills were useless inside the barrier. The opponents could forget about binding or controlling anyone. Meanwhile, their own team could slowly recover their health and Soul Power within it, growing stronger the longer they fought.
Xu Yanli knew that even if someone really managed to break through this defense, the resulting shockwave would still knock everyone nearby unconscious.
But he was certain that nobody in this assessment could break through his defenses.
Seeing this, Xiao Xiao had no reason to hesitate. Two Soul Rings lit up beneath her feet, and the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron slammed forward, making the ground tremble three times.
Her first Soul Skill, Cauldron Shock, swept across the field. Its suppressive force was like a mountain crashing down.
Ouyang Junyi and the other two were charging at full speed when their bodies suddenly seized up. Their eyes went blank, their Soul Power seemed blocked, and they froze in place. Their heads rang; they felt dizzy and sluggish, unable to move at all.
In that instant, Tang Ling struck.
The Hundred-Year Soul Ring beneath his feet blazed brightly. He gripped the Wind-Thunder Staff, and the roar of wind and thunder erupted as he unleashed his first Soul Skill, Wind-Thunder Kill.
The staff swept through with howling gusts and crackling lightning, striking all three helpless opponents squarely.
Three muffled smacks rang out. The three flew off the stage like flies swatted away, hitting the ground and lying there for ages without getting back up.
Xu Yanli watched the scene before him, bored. There hadn't been the slightest challenge. Fighting Xu Sanshi had been much more satisfying.
Though fighting in Douluo Continent was like playing a game, crushing the competition wasn't much of an achievement. Still, watching the other team get smacked away gave him a strange sense of pleasure.
Xu Yanli shuddered. Had he turned into a pervert after all...
It had to be a problem with the Xu family genes. Wasn't everyone in his family like that?
Isn't that right, Xu Tianran?
"Team Xu Yanli of Class One wins."
Before you continue