Dai Mubai, Tang San, Oscar, and the others arrived together at the wide field where the fourth test was held.
There was only one person in the middle of the field.
Zhao Wuji, with perfectly sculpted bronze muscles and a burly frame, slept in a chair.
Dai Mubai said, "Teacher Zhao, I've brought the new students."
Zhao Wuji opened his eyes and looked everyone over. He couldn't help grinning. "Not bad. This year..."
But before he could finish, he froze.
...Where had this dark-skinned kid come from?
Zhao Wuji's gaze moved back and forth over Tang San.
Dark and old-looking, with even worse taste in clothes than Zhao Wuji himself.
If Dai Mubai hadn't been there, Zhao Wuji would've suspected Tang San was a student's family member who'd wandered in by mistake.
Soul Masters matured early. At twelve or thirteen, they looked almost no different from ordinary adults. Tang San's unusual appearance, paired with his old-fashioned clothes,
made him look even more exaggeratedly old-fashioned—not just in age, but in his whole manner.
Ning Rongrong, Dai Mubai, Oscar, and the others also shifted their gazes between Tang San and Zhao Wuji.
This...
Setting aside their builds, the two of them actually looked a little alike?
What a coincidence...
Tang San could feel everyone's eyes on him.
All he could do was pretend nothing had happened, clenching his fists and enduring it.
Zhao Wuji stood up. His broad shoulders were like a wall, and his two-meter height forced everyone else to look up at him.
Just standing there, he gave off an immense pressure.
"You've come to the right place," he said.
"Normally, the strongest student at Shrek would fight you. With his strength, the four of you probably wouldn't win even if you attacked together. But no matter..."
He grinned.
"I'll be the examiner for the fourth test. If you can hold out against me for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, then even if only one of you is left standing, I'll count all of you as having passed."
At the mention of Xia Yan,
Dai Mubai's face twitched, and his expression immediately darkened.
As for Zhao Wuji deciding on a whim to serve as the final examiner, Dai Mubai didn't feel like saying anything about it.
Ning Rongrong was intrigued. She'd grown up in the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. What genius hadn't she seen? Their team now had two agility-attack types, one control type, and one support type—a well-rounded lineup.
Every one of them had top-tier talent, too.
They were all geniuses among their peers, the cream of the crop.
Now this Teacher Zhao was saying that the strongest student could take on all four of them and still win.
Of course she wasn't convinced.
Was he just saying that to scare them?
Ning Rongrong's exquisite, oval face still wore a smile. "Teacher, what level is that student you mentioned, and what's his Martial Soul? Is he really that strong?"
Zhao Wuji answered casually.
"He's the most talented person I've ever seen. I've never seen anyone more gifted—not among the Seven Great Sects, Spirit Hall, or the imperial family. I haven't even seen anyone who could compare to him."
"You'll meet him in a couple of days at most. His name is Xia Yan, and his Martial Soul is the Black Tower. He's the same age as you, yet he's a thirty-eighth-level Soul Elder..."
"Forget about you lot. He could even beat two Soul Ancestors at the Great Soul Arena."
Twelve years old, and level thirty-eight?!
Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing were shocked. Was that even real?!
How could anyone on the continent have such terrifying talent?!
They'd never heard of anyone like that!
Tang San and Xiao Wu's pupils both trembled.
Xia Yan?!
Xiao Wu's fingertips quivered, and her heart pounded uncontrollably. "Teacher... did you just say Xia Yan? What does he look like?"
Her sudden question drew everyone's attention.
Oscar sensed that something was off.
He narrowed his eyes at Xiao Wu, then noticed Tang San's dark, startled expression beside her...
The gossip in his heart roared to life.
Heh heh, something was definitely going on!
Zhao Wuji paused, then gestured to show Xia Yan's height. "He's pretty fair and thin. You'll see him for yourself in a couple of days. What, do you know him?"
Xiao Wu clutched her chest, trembling with excitement. Her lovely face flushed from her rapid breathing.
It really... was him!
Xia Yan was here, too!
"Th-then where is he now?"
She desperately wanted to know.
Zhao Wuji looked Xiao Wu up and down, seeming to understand. A knowing smile appeared on his face.
"I told you, he's been away on business these past few days. He'll be back tomorrow or the day after."
"Look how impatient you are..."
He could clearly tell that the two of them had a special relationship.
Ning Rongrong, standing beside Xiao Wu, gave her a teasing look with her bright eyes. Xiao Wu was so excited she could hardly contain herself, while Tang San looked so bitter he was about to grind his teeth to dust.
A knowing smile curled at the corner of her lips.
Oh~ So that was how it was...
Even the cool and aloof Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help feeling curious.
Though she was only curious about Xia Yan's talent and strength.
Zhao Wuji waved a hand.
"Enough. Let's get down to business."
"My name is Zhao Wuji. I'm the Vice Dean of Shrek Academy, and the examiner for the final test, the fourth test."
"I'll give you an incense stick's time to get to know one another and discuss your strategy. Once it burns down, the test begins. You'll work together to withstand my attacks for the time it takes another incense stick to burn. As long as even one of you holds out until the end, I'll count all of you as having passed."
With that, Zhao Wuji lit an incense stick and flicked it casually. It landed upright in the ground.
Then he lay back in his chair and went on sleeping.
At this time last year, when he'd seen Xia Yan during the entrance test, his hands had already been itching for a fight. But after the test, Flender had taken Xia Yan straight to see the dorms, leaving him no chance to throw a punch. He still regretted it.
Now Xia Yan wasn't here, and Flender wasn't here either.
So Zhao Wuji was going to enjoy himself.
Dai Mubai gathered everyone together. Most of his good mood had vanished, and he said flatly, "Teacher Zhao is a seventy-sixth-level Power Attack System Soul Saint. His Martial Soul is the Vajra Bear, and he's incredibly strong. Be careful..."
"The Vajra Bear?!" Ning Rongrong cried out. "He... he's the Immovable Wisdom King Zhao Wuji, who vanished from the continent ten years ago?!"
Ning Rongrong's eyes widened as she looked at Zhao Wuji.
The already intimidating Zhao Wuji seemed to radiate even more terrifying pressure.
Xiao Wu asked, confused, "Is he famous?"
She'd never heard of any Immovable Wisdom King.
Ning Rongrong nodded gravely. "He's very strong, and very famous. Ten years ago, the Immovable Wisdom King Zhao Wuji fought his way out after being surrounded by sixteen Spirit Hall bishops. Spirit Hall was furious, but there was nothing they could do. Those bishops were all powerhouses above level sixty, and back then, he was level sixty too."
"Now he's reached level seventy-six. He can only be stronger!"
Hearing that, everyone felt the pressure mount.
But time waited for no one, so they could only discuss their strategy.
Tang San was a control type, so he naturally took the lead in analyzing the situation.
"We can't beat him. We can only stall for time."
"My Blue Silver Grass can control him, and it's poisonous, too. Zhu Zhuqing, Xiao Wu, work with me. We need to scrape out even the tiniest wound. Then I can use the poison to weaken him. Ning Rongrong, provide support, and remember to protect yourself..."
The incense stick burned down quickly.
Zhao Wuji stood up with a grin and stretched. His bones crackled and popped,
making everyone's hearts sink.
"Have you finished discussing?" he asked.
Tang San stole a glance at Xiao Wu. The casual look on her face had vanished, replaced by a serious, focused expression.
Tang San knew it wasn't because she was about to face a Soul Saint-level opponent. Before this, she hadn't cared whether she got into Shrek. If she didn't, she could just go somewhere else.
She was so serious,
only because Xia Yan was at Shrek too!
Damn you, Xia Yan! Why did you have to target me?!
Why did you have to go wherever I went?!
No. I had to seize this chance and show Xiao Wu what I could do! I had to make this fight spectacular!
I couldn't lose!
He looked at Zhao Wuji with determination.
"Teacher Zhao, can we use weapons?"
Zhao Wuji tilted his head with amusement.
What kind of question was that?
If word got out that a Soul Saint had to ban weapons while fighting a bunch of Soul Grandmasters, everyone would laugh at him. Where would that leave the reputation of the Immovable Wisdom King?
He grinned without a care.
"Use whatever you want. If you can hold out for the time it takes an incense stick to burn, then you've earned it."
At that,
Tang San couldn't help reaching for his Hidden Weapons, feeling a little more confident.
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