I Will Definitely Win

Three days later, the Shrek Academy Great Soul Arena officially kicked off the Freshman Assessment.

The Great Soul Arena, capable of holding tens of thousands of people, was packed to capacity. It was filled not only with academy teachers but also with seniors from the Inner Court.

The schedule for the preliminary rounds was extremely tight; over a hundred freshman teams had to be whittled down to the top sixteen in just three days.

The team consisting of Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao was named "Spirit Eye Team," and their first match was scheduled for the main arena.

The moment the three of them stepped onto the field, a wave of discussion erupted from the stands.

"Look! That's Huo Yuhao! The genius with the Ultimate Spirit attribute! I heard he's a personal disciple of Teacher Fan Yu, and his talent for soul tools is heaven-defying!"

"But isn't he only a level 25 Soul Grand Master? The team opposite them has two level 30 Soul Elder! Can they actually win?"

"Hard to say. The Ultimate Spirit attribute can never be measured by standard Soul Power Level. Have you forgotten? During the last practical class, he single-handedly controlled three Soul Elder!"

Across the field, three tall youths looked at Huo Yuhao and his teammates with undisguised disdain.

Their captain even made a provocative gesture toward the trio, his eyes filled with the certainty of victory.

Seeing this, Wang Dong frowned instantly and was about to step forward to confront them, but Huo Yuhao held him back.

"Don't be impulsive." Huo Yuhao shook his head at him, his Spirit Eye quietly activating as a pale blue halo swirled in his pupils.

"Leave it to me."

At the referee's signal, the match officially began!

The three opponents instantly released their martial souls and soul rings. Two level 30 Soul Elder and one level 29 Soul Grand Master, their optimal yellow-yellow-purple soul ring configurations glowing, charged fiercely toward the trio. The assault-type soul master led the charge, the control-type flanked them, and the support-type stayed in the rear, their coordination extremely tacit.

But the moment they moved, Huo Yuhao's voice clearly reached the ears of Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao: "Three meters to the left front, the opponent's assault-type soul master is using his first soul skill, Powerful Strike. On the right, the control-type soul master's second soul skill, Entangle, will arrive in three seconds! Xiao Xiao, suppress the left front; Wang Dong, flank the right, target the opponent's support-type soul master!"

With his spiritual power fully expanded, Spirit Detection Sharing instantly covered Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao.

Every movement of the three opponents, every circulation of their soul power, and even the trajectory of every soul skill release were clearly presented in their minds, without the slightest omission.

Xiao Xiao reacted instantly, releasing the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron. Three large black cauldrons crashed to the ground, and her first soul skill, Soul Suppression, was activated instantly, precisely hitting the assault-type soul master charging at the front, causing his movements to stall and his soul skill to be interrupted.

Meanwhile, the Radiant Goddess Butterfly wings on Wang Dong's back unfurled, the blue-purple halo dazzling and brilliant. Two yellow and purple soul rings lit up, and his second soul skill, Light of the Butterfly God, was activated instantly. Countless blue-purple light blades rained down like a storm toward the opponent's support-type soul master.

The opposing support-type soul master never expected his position to be exposed so thoroughly. Before he could even release a defensive soul skill, he was struck head-on by the Light of the Butterfly God and was instantly blasted out of the arena, directly eliminated.

In less than ten seconds, the outcome was decided.

The remaining two hadn't even reacted before they were controlled by Xiao Xiao's Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron. Wang Dong's soul skill followed immediately, shattering their defenses and leaving both of them incapacitated.

The referee's whistle blew, and he announced loudly: "Spirit Eye Team, victory!"

Thunderous applause erupted throughout the arena.

Ending a battle in ten seconds, with a lineup of three Soul Grand Master, to decisively defeat a team with two Soul Elder—it was an incredible feat!

Wang Dong retracted his martial soul and ran excitedly to Huo Yuhao's side, throwing an arm around his shoulder with a beaming smile: "Yuhao! You're too amazing! Your Spirit Detection is so accurate! I didn't even have to think about anything else; I just followed your instructions!"

Being held by him, Huo Yuhao's cheeks turned red instantly, and he scratched his head in embarrassment: "It's you and Xiao Xiao who are amazing; I only provided the detection."

Xiao Xiao also ran over with a smile, her eyes full of excitement: "Yuhao, don't be modest! Without your Spirit Detection, we could never have won so easily! With you here, we can definitely make it to the finals!"

The three looked at each other and smiled, their eyes filled with joy.

In the stands, Gu Yuan and his two companions sat in the front row. Watching the three embracing on the field, Jin Ruiqiu swung her legs and giggled: "Yuhao is so cool! He won just like that!"

"This is only the beginning." Gu Yuan smiled faintly, his gaze resting on Huo Yuhao on the field with a hint of approval.

"His control over his spiritual power is becoming more and more proficient."

Over the next three days, the Spirit Eye Team marched forward triumphantly, unstoppable.

Huo Yuhao's spiritual power became the nightmare of all his opponents. No matter how exquisite their tactics or how tacit their coordination, they were like transparent glass before his all-encompassing Spirit Detection. All their trump cards and every movement were seen clearly.

Coupled with the fierce assault of Wang Dong's Radiant Goddess Butterfly and the precise control of Xiao Xiao's twin martial souls, the trio's coordination became increasingly seamless and practiced. They ended almost every match within a minute, entering the top sixteen with a perfect record.

Huo Yuhao's name echoed throughout Shrek Academy over those three days. Everyone knew that among the freshmen, there was a genius with the Ultimate Spirit attribute who, as a dark horse, had swept through the competition with his team to reach the top sixteen.

In these repeated battles side-by-side, Wang Dong's feelings for Huo Yuhao began to change.

He became increasingly reliant on Huo Yuhao's instructions, grew accustomed to fighting within his Spirit Detection, and loved watching those strikingly bright eyes when he was focused on commanding.

Every time they won a match, he would subconsciously hug Huo Yuhao, unable to help but share his joy. In the dead of night, when he thought of the way Huo Yuhao smiled, his heartbeat would accelerate uncontrollably.

He hadn't even realized that the way he looked at Huo Yuhao was already filled with a level of care he hadn't yet acknowledged.

On the night the round of sixteen concluded, Shrek Academy announced the draw results for the quarterfinals.

The moment Huo Yuhao saw the results, the smile on his face froze instantly.

The Spirit Eye Team's opponent for the quarterfinals was the White Tiger Team.

And the captain of the White Tiger Team was named Dai Huabin.

These three words were like a poisoned blade, stabbing fiercely into Huo Yuhao's heart, causing the blood in his body to rush to his head, only to turn cold to the bone in an instant.

Dai Huabin, the legitimate son of the White Tiger Duke, Dai Hao, and his half-brother.

The person who, since childhood, had led the young masters and misses of the Duke Mansion to bully him time and time again, trampling him into the mud and calling him a bastard and a piece of trash.

The person who had watched as his mother was harassed and humiliated by the Duchess, clapping and cheering from the sidelines, even joining in the malice.

The person he had hated for ten whole years.

Huo Yuhao stood before the bulletin board, his body trembling uncontrollably. His hands were clenched into tight fists, nails digging deep into his palms until blood seeped out, yet he remained completely oblivious.

The calm in his eyes was utterly shattered; a monstrous hatred surged within his chest like a volcano, threatening to breach the dam of his reason.

Ten years.

He had fled the Duke Mansion, training with his life on the line, desperate to grow stronger, all so that one day he could stand upright before Dai Huabin and demand justice for himself and his deceased mother, settling this decade-long blood feud.

He had thought this day was still far off. He never expected to encounter Dai Huabin so soon, right here on the field of the Freshman Assessment.

"Yuhao? What's wrong?"

Wang Dong was the first to notice that something was amiss with Huo Yuhao.

Seeing Huo Yuhao trembling all over with a deathly pale complexion, her heart tightened. She rushed forward to steady him, her voice filled with worry: "Yuhao? Are you alright? Your hands are bleeding!"

Xiao Xiao also hurried over, her eyes full of concern as she looked at Huo Yuhao's distraught appearance.

Only when Wang Dong supported him did Huo Yuhao slowly regain his senses. He lifted his head, the hatred in his eyes still lingering, and the crimson rims of his eyes caused a strange ache in Wang Dong's heart.

"I'm fine." Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth, his voice raspy and unrecognizable.

"Dai Huabin is my enemy."

He bit down hard on the word "enemy," burying ten years of grievances and hatred within it, a tone that sent a jolt through both Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao.

Just then, an arrogant and overbearing voice drifted from behind them.

"Yo, look who it is. Isn't this my trash, Huo Yuhao?"

Huo Yuhao's body stiffened, and he spun around abruptly.

Not far away, three youths in athletic gear stood there. The leader was tall with handsome features, carrying an air of undisguised arrogance.

A pair of tiger-like eyes stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao, filled with mockery and disdain.

He was accompanied by two other youths from prestigious backgrounds, both renowned geniuses among the freshmen. They followed Dai Huabin, casting scornful glances at Huo Yuhao as if looking at an ant.

Dai Huabin walked slowly up to Huo Yuhao, looking down at him from a position of superiority, a malicious smile curling his lips: "I really didn't expect that a mongrel who crawled out of the Duke Mansion would actually manage to get into Shrek Academy."

His voice wasn't loud, but it was clear enough for all the surrounding freshmen to hear. Instantly, countless curious and probing gazes fell upon Huo Yuhao.

Wang Dong was instantly enraged. She stepped forward, shielding Huo Yuhao, and glared at Dai Huabin: "Watch your mouth! Who do you think you are? How dare you talk to him like that?"

"And who are you?" Dai Huabin raised an eyebrow, sweeping a disdainful look over Wang Dong.

"What business is it of yours if I discipline someone from my Duke Mansion? If you know what's good for you, get lost, or I'll deal with you too."

"You!" Wang Dong was about to release her martial soul, but Huo Yuhao held her back.

Huo Yuhao slowly stepped out from behind Wang Dong. He had calmed his surging emotions, burying the hatred deep within his heart until only a cold, icy calm remained.

He looked at Dai Huabin and said, word by word: "Dai Huabin, let's settle this on the field. During the quarterfinals, I will show you who the real trash is."

"You?" Dai Huabin laughed out loud, as if he had heard the greatest joke, his eyes filled with contempt.

"A level 25 Soul Grand Master dares to spout such nonsense before me? Huo Yuhao, I will make you understand on the field that there is a world of difference between you and me. I will make you realize once again that in front of me, you will always be that piece of trash crawling on the ground."

With that, he turned and walked away with his two companions, laughing, leaving behind a trail of mockery.

Watching his retreating back, Huo Yuhao's clenched fists turned white at the knuckles.

"Yuhao..." Wang Dong looked at him, her heart aching even more, wanting to say something but not knowing how to begin.

"I'm fine." Huo Yuhao took a deep breath and lifted his head, looking at Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao. The coldness in his eyes transformed into a glimmer of determination.

"The quarterfinals—I must win. I want to defeat him fair and square, in front of everyone."

Wang Dong looked at the light in his eyes and nodded heavily, saying with absolute firmness: "Right! We'll be with you! The three of us will definitely be able to beat him!"

"Yes! We can definitely win!" Xiao Xiao immediately echoed, her eyes filled with resolve.

The three looked at each other, the fire of certain victory burning in their eyes.

Not far away, Gu Yuan and his two companions stood quietly, taking in everything that had just happened.

Jin Ruiqiu furrowed her small brow, pouting indignantly: "That Dai Huabin is so mean! How could he bully Yuhao like that? My Lord, can I go teach him a lesson?"

"No." Gu Yuan shook his head, his gaze fixed on Huo Yuhao's straight back, his tone calm.

"This is a hurdle he must cross, a grievance he must resolve with his own hands. Only by defeating Dai Huabin himself can the thorn in his heart truly be removed."

Gu Yuena nodded slightly, a faint chill flashing through her cold, clear eyes: "Dai Huabin is a level 32 Soul Elder, and he has two level 31 Soul Elders by his side; his strength is indeed not weak. But for Yuhao, this may well be the best trial."

Gu Yuan smiled faintly, his gaze shifting toward the Great Soul Arena, a profound look flashing in his eyes.