A Battle Without Pressure

Ideals were beautiful, but reality was cruel. Before Xiao Xiao had a chance to show what she could do, Huo Yuhao, without even using hidden weapons, ground her into the dirt.

After all, while the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron was among the finest Tool Martial Souls, and Xiao Xiao had indeed put great effort into training her martial soul,

with the Eye of Truth, Huo Yuhao could easily read every thought Xiao Xiao had in battle. He evaded the Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron's attacks as though he could predict the future, then closed in with the Eye of Truth's assistance.

Huo Yuhao knocked Xiao Xiao to the ground with just a few punches and kicks, leaving her unable to rise again.

Even after Huo Yuhao threw her to the ground, Xiao Xiao still looked utterly bewildered, her face filled with—

Who am I? Where am I? What just happened?

"So, are you convinced now? Want to go again?" Huo Yuhao smiled at Xiao Xiao, who was lying on the ground, and extended a hand to pull her back up.

Xiao Xiao curled her lips, straightened her clothes, and said nothing. She was not stupid. Seeing how calm Huo Yuhao looked, it was obvious that he had not even used his full strength. She had no desire to embarrass herself again.

"Alright, dismissed on the spot. Go back and get some rest while you can, then prepare for this afternoon's assessment," Huo Yuhao said with a yawn.

Just like that, afternoon quickly arrived, and Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao made their way to Shrek Academy's assessment area.

"Oh, right. Our next opponents probably won't be all that strong. You two should hold back and drag things out as much as possible. If anything unexpected happens, I'll step in," Huo Yuhao instructed Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao.

After all, the matches were an excellent opportunity for Huo Yuhao to observe other people's Soul Skills. Naturally, he had to make the most of it and give his opponents more chances to show what they could do, so he could gather more Soul Skill data to analyze.

Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao both looked at Huo Yuhao in confusion.

"Other than when you first entered school and sparred with people at home, how many serious fights have you actually had? To put it bluntly, the Freshman Assessment is just a bunch of rookies pecking at each other. Building up more experience will help you grow stronger later," Huo Yuhao casually made up an excuse.

But becoming stronger was nowhere near as simple as Huo Yuhao made it sound. Actual combat experience was certainly one part of it, but what mattered more was deeply analyzing one's own abilities and the enemy's abilities, then weighing the strengths and weaknesses of both sides against each other.

That was the true method by which the weak could defeat the strong, or by which the strong could ensure they would not stumble because of carelessness.

Sufficient combat experience merely allowed Soul Masters to develop a certain degree of battle instinct, so they would not panic when faced with sudden situations. But if they were not good at learning from experience, they would not become particularly strong in the end.

Soon, after officially entering the assessment area, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao prepared to face their only warm-up match of the day.

A total of three hundred and six teams, nine hundred and eighteen students altogether, were taking part in this Freshman Assessment. In the end, only one hundred and fifty teams would remain.

"All freshmen, please take note. All freshmen, please take note. Please enter the assessment area immediately and prepare to take part in the Freshman Assessment."

Amid the broadcast announcement, most of the students entered the assessment area with varying emotions, facing their opponents with some nervousness.

Huo Yuhao's group had been assigned to Area Thirty-Three, where there were six teams in total.

A plain-looking male teacher in his forties smiled at everyone. "Now that all the students have arrived, I'll introduce myself first. I'm your assessment teacher, Wang Yan, and I'll also be your assessment teacher for the next two days."

Skipping the pleasantries, Wang Yan began arranging for the first group of students to enter the arena.

"First round, first match. Freshman Class One: Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao, Xiao Xiao. Freshman Class Three: Ouyang Junyi, Chen Junfeng, Zhao Haochen."

"You may enter the arena. Take your respective corners. You may only release your martial souls after I announce the start of the match. Enter now."

The chubby freshman from Class Three named Zhao Haochen immediately looked much worse upon hearing who their opponents were. He hurriedly introduced them to his two teammates.

"Damn, what a terrible start. Those two across from us are the monsters who beat the senior assessors so badly when they enrolled. We probably have no chance this time. Let's just try to put on a good showing."

"Get lost, don't jinx us. We'll only know who's stronger after we fight."

"Exactly! They may be strong, but we're not weak either. It's still uncertain who'll win!"

Soon, both sides took up their formations.

On Huo Yuhao's side, Wang Dong naturally took the lead, while Xiao Xiao stood between Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao.

Their opponents stood closer together around Ouyang Junyi, while Chen Junfeng guarded the chubby Zhao Haochen in front.

Once both sides had adjusted their positions, Wang Yan said, "Assessment begins."

Both sides released their martial souls immediately, but Huo Yuhao moved first. With a sweep of his hand across the Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night at his waist, three Flying Locust Stones shot toward the three opponents.

Wang Dong directly spread the wings of her Light Goddess Butterfly and charged rapidly toward the three of them.

Three black cauldrons floated before Xiao Xiao as she stood ready.

Just as Zhao Haochen was about to recite the chant for his Soul Skill, a Flying Locust Stone struck his throat.

Though the Flying Locust Stone was not particularly lethal, the blow still made the chubby boy swallow his words.

Ouyang Junyi and Chen Junfeng, who had been preparing to reach out and catch chicken legs, were also hit. Distracted by the thought of grabbing the chubby boy's chicken legs, both took Flying Locust Stones thrown by Huo Yuhao straight to the mouth.

Blood immediately flowed, and their mouths rapidly swelled.

Seeing that the chubby boy could not speak for the moment and feeling the pain in their own mouths, Ouyang Junyi and Chen Junfeng were instantly enraged. They could not wait for Zhao Haochen's Big Chicken Leg support and each used their Soul Skills as they charged toward Wang Dong.

Interesting. A specially recruited Tang Sect student? Wang Yan could not help paying closer attention to Huo Yuhao.

He's quite skilled with hidden weapons. But what is his martial soul? Judging by his Soul Rings, he's already used his Soul Skill. Is it a boosting-type Soul Skill?

At that moment, Ouyang Junyi and Chen Junfeng, the two Agility Assault Type Soul Masters, lunged at Wang Dong in fury. But anger could not make up for the difference in strength.

In terms of raw power, the gap between them and Wang Dong was simply too great.

Moreover, with Huo Yuhao's support from the rear, hidden weapons flew from every possible blind spot. To evade them or reduce their injuries, the two Agility Assault Type Soul Masters had no choice but to slow their advance.

That gave Wang Dong an opening. Her first Soul Skill, Wing Scythe, swept toward the two of them, while two more hidden weapons flew from Huo Yuhao's hands.

Facing Wang Dong's assault, Ouyang Junyi decisively activated his first Soul Skill. The sword-shaped spike on his right arm transformed into dozens of streaks of light that shot toward Wang Dong.

At the same time, Chen Junfeng coordinated from the side and unleashed his own first Soul Skill. His short sword released a blade of light as it slashed toward Wang Dong.

But two hidden weapons came from nowhere and struck their wrists. The pain distorted the Soul Skill attacks they had launched, causing them to brush past Wang Dong's body without inflicting any real damage.

Alright, they're both one-ring Soul Masters. There's nothing worth seeing here. Still, that hummingbird Soul Master's first Soul Skill isn't bad. The light in Huo Yuhao's eyes faded as he said directly to Wang Dong, "Alright, finish them."

Wang Dong did not hesitate. As her Wing Scythe came down, Xiao Xiao's Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldron followed up. Amid waves of vibrating Soul Power, the two Agility Assault Type Soul Masters collapsed weakly to the ground.

Seeing this, Wang Yan did not waste words and directly announced, "Class One's Wang Dong team has won one match."

Wang Yan could not help feeling somewhat impressed as he looked at Huo Yuhao's group. Hidden weapons truly deserved their reputation as the weapons once used by the Tang Sect, which had been renowned across the continent. In battles among low-level Soul Masters, they were indeed exceptionally ingenious and held a tremendous advantage.

It's just a pity that times have changed. The further one advances, the greater the gap between hidden weapons and Soul Tools will become. That is also why the Tang Sect declined. Still, this child seems to possess excellent insight. He repeatedly anticipates his enemies and strikes directly at their weak points.

I'll observe a little longer. This team should be Zhou Yi's trump card. And indeed, among Soul Masters and Soul Grand Masters, hidden weapons are still very useful. It's just that they are too difficult to use, so few people train in them specifically.

And this child seems a little familiar. Oh, right. I seem to have seen him in the library constantly over the past few months. He enjoys reading while keeping up with his cultivation? Not bad, not bad.

After their assessment, Huo Yuhao's group did not leave immediately. They watched the other two matches before Huo Yuhao said to Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao,

"I've gathered enough intelligence. The next battles won't be interesting, so let's finish them quickly."

Wang Dong stared at Huo Yuhao, who had gone back on his word, and for a moment did not even know how to scold him. "Y-You, you, you! Didn't you just tell us to build up combat experience?"

"My mistake, my mistake. Matches at this level are completely unnecessary. I'm going back to sleep first." Huo Yuhao fled as though escaping for his life, while Wang Dong chased after him.

Mm, I've seen enough. I should go back and try breaking down and combining the newly recorded Soul Skills. Huo Yuhao ran as he thought. As for going back on his word? That was called adapting to circumstances!

There were four matches the next day, against the other four teams in their area. But under the suppression of Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, two Soul Grand Masters, along with Huo Yuhao's tricky coordination, they easily claimed victory in all four battles.

As Wang Yan watched from below, the look in his eyes grew increasingly fervent. Interesting, so interesting. Could this martial soul be a Body Martial Soul?

When Huo Yuhao activated his Spirit Eyes, only his eyes changed. As the assessment teacher who had watched five matches, Wang Yan was naturally not blind. Such an obvious change was impossible to miss.

Body Martial Souls do not display much advantage at lower Soul Power Levels, but Huo Yuhao actually combines his martial soul with hidden weapons. This way, he can ensure sufficient combat power at least until Soul Power Level Thirty. Not bad, not bad. He has ideas.

After all, most Soul Masters trusted only their own bodies and Soul Skills. Relying on hidden weapons or Soul Tools was generally looked down upon by Soul Masters.

However, Wang Yan's cultivation talent was not high, and he specialized in theory. What he wanted most was to become a theoretical "master" like Yu Xiaogang from ten thousand years ago.

Now, seeing Huo Yuhao use hidden weapons, he felt for a moment as though he were Yu Xiaogang ten thousand years ago encountering Tang San.

It's just too bad. A Body Martial Soul, and one that seems outstanding in every aspect. The academy will likely place great importance on him, so I probably will not get the chance to guide him comprehensively.

Still, a Body Martial Soul... I've never seen one before. It would be wonderful if I had the opportunity to study it.

Just like that, Huo Yuhao caught Wang Yan's attention while fully aware of it. After all, with Wang Yan's burning gaze, Huo Yuhao did not even need to activate the Eye of Truth to know what he was thinking.

Whatever. Becoming a Core Disciple means gaining access to more resources anyway.

Besides, I can't get away while under Ancestor Tang's watchful eye. I can only secure every resource I can for now, then wait for Ancestor Tang to lower his guard or for Electrolux to awaken.

Soon, the third day's matches began. This time, Huo Yuhao's group faced the sisters Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo, whose martial souls were hair, along with Huang Chutian, a strong assault-type Soul Grandmaster.

Hair martial souls... Those also count as a type of Body Martial Soul. Could I use them as a reference to alter my own body?

After all, I can observe the composition of martial souls. And since Body Martial Souls differ from ordinary Beast Martial Souls and Tool Martial Souls, perhaps I could artificially create one after the fact by altering the structure of my Bloodline Power and Soul Power, making them compatible and completing my own martial soul.

Could I turn my martial soul into a true "Body" Martial Soul? As he considered this, Huo Yuhao could not help becoming more interested.

Wang Yan announced, "Alright, all members of both teams have arrived. Since Wang Dong's team achieved the best results in this assessment area during the first five rounds, they will serve as this area's seeded team."

"According to the match order, they will also compete first. Area Thirty-Three, sixth round, first match: Freshman Class One's Wang Dong team versus Freshman Class Seven's Huang Chutian team. Prepare to begin!"

After both sides exchanged names, they took up their positions. Huo Yuhao's side remained unchanged, just as before.

On the other side, Huang Chutian stood at the very front, with Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo behind him.

Once both sides were in position, Wang Yan announced, "Match begins!"

As both sides underwent Martial Soul Possession, battle was ready to erupt at any moment. Unlike before, Huo Yuhao did not throw hidden weapons from the start, instead watching quietly for changes.