Two vs. Four

Xu Xiaoyan patted Xie Xie on the shoulder and said, "Just keep daydreaming about your young lady from a wealthy family!"

"Hey! It's not like I'm thinking about that!"

Seeing Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue walk away, Xie Xie hurriedly followed after them.

Shen Yi stayed with the three of them until Wu Changkong returned.

"What did the teacher say?"

Shen Yi looked at Wu Changkong, appearing even more nervous than he was. When Wu Changkong had been called inside earlier, she had wanted to follow, but since Yun Qianyue had asked her to lead the way, she couldn't very well refuse.

Wu Changkong sighed and said to Shen Yi, "The teacher wants you to go back."

"Ah?" Shen Yi blinked, then asked, "What about you?"

"The teacher said everything will be discussed after their assessment is over." Wu Changkong looked toward Gu Yue and the others.

Upon hearing this, Shen Yi immediately grabbed the hands of Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan, saying excitedly, "Everything depends on you now! You must pass the assessment! Let me tell you, when the assessment happens in a few days, there will be..."

"Shen Yi!"

Wu Changkong suddenly shouted, cutting Shen Yi off. He shook his head at her: "Don't say any more."

Shen Yi was momentarily stunned. She looked at Wu Changkong, sighed, and stood up, saying, "Alright, I understand! Senior brother, I'll wait for you at the academy. You will definitely come back; I believe your disciples have the ability!"

Gu Yue and the others watched the atmosphere, falling silent without saying anything further.

However, they soon learned what Shen Yi had wanted to tell them.

In a grand, holy hall resembling a cathedral, sunlight streamed through the stained-glass windows. Standing before Tang Wulin and his group of four were Cai Yue'er, Zhuo Shi, Ya Li, and a group of other high-ranking officials from Shrek Academy.

Beyond them, The Twins also stood there, watching the four.

Ya Li said softly to Tang Wulin and the others, "Given your late arrival, your assessment project has been changed to a live combat test, with Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue serving as your examiners."

"Xie Xie, is that who you've always called the disciple of the Sky-Piercing Douluo?" Tang Wulin's gaze fell upon Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue.

Xie Xie nodded, his expression one of shock: "I didn't expect our assessment to be a direct confrontation with the two of them! But Captain, haven't you noticed? They look so much alike! It feels like they were carved from the same mold..."

"Is now really the time for that?"

Xu Xiaoyan glared at Xie Xie and said, "If we fail, we'll have to leave Shrek City and go back to Eastsea City!"

"Don't worry, we will win!"

Tang Wulin remained calm. Having undergone deep meditation, his strength had reached a new level. Even though his cultivation was still at the twenty-ninth level of soul power, not even a three-ringed Soul Elder would necessarily be his match!

Wu Changkong said to the four, "Do not lower your guard. Being able to become disciples of the Sky-Piercing Douluo, they naturally have their own extraordinary qualities!"

"Since we have come this far, there is absolutely no possibility of us backing down!" Gu Yue shook her head. In her gaze toward Yun Qianyue, beyond the fighting spirit, there was a deeper level of inquiry.

"Good! Just follow your usual combat rhythm, and be sure to be careful." Wu Changkong nodded, stepped back a few paces, and stood beside Shen Yi.

Tang Wulin looked at Ya Li and the others, then raised his hand to ask, "May I ask, seniors, how will we be fighting? One-on-one, or two-on-two?"

"Two-on-four!"

Yun Qianzhao stepped forward, his gaze landing on Tang Wulin: "Defeat us, and you will earn your qualification for admission to Shrek Academy!"

"Outnumbered? Are you sure?"

Upon hearing this, Xie Xie was somewhat surprised. He said, "We won't be holding back, you know!"

Yun Qianyue smiled lightly and gestured with her hand: "Then we shall wait and see!"

"She's so beautiful..."

Xie Xie stared at Yun Qianyue's smile, momentarily dazed.

Xu Xiaoyan poked him in the waist: "Are you still here for the assessment or not!"

"Sorry!" Xie Xie scratched his head in embarrassment and stood straight, composing himself.

Both sides walked to the center of the hall and stopped about twenty meters apart. Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue assumed their respective stances. Golden and silver streams of light flashed in their hands. The moment the Sun God Spear and Moon God Spear appeared, an incredibly terrifying aura instantly enveloped the four!

"Hiss—what kind of weapons are these? How terrifying!"

The moment the two divine spears appeared, Xie Xie felt his own martial soul trembling!

As a blacksmith, Tang Wulin saw at a glance the extraordinary nature of these two divine spears. Although he couldn't discern the specific forging grade, it was at least no lower than Soul-Forged!

Behind The Twins, the sun and moon rose.

The vast Golden Sun cast down heavenly light, even more dazzling than the light filtering through the stained-glass windows! Meanwhile, the space on the other side was occupied by the Silver Moon. As the moonlight flowed, an endless, chilling cold spread, causing even the floor and walls to be coated in frost.

Behind each of them, three soul rings rotated around their martial souls, each one shimmering with a noble purple light!

Purple, thousand-year soul rings!

Over these years, the two had not merely cultivated soul power. Through experimentation, they had managed to raise the level of their soul spirits without using the Spirit Ascension Platform, thereby causing the quality of their soul rings to evolve!

The power they drew from the true sun and moon was of a higher grade than the heaven and earth energy of the Douluo Continent!

However, this was a secret known only to them.

The vast celestial martial souls combined with the rotating soul rings made The Twins look like deities representing the stars!

Shen Yi whispered to Wu Changkong, "I heard that Qianzhao and Qianyue's soul power cultivation has already reached the thirty-ninth level. Will your students be alright?"

Wu Changkong's expression was grave. The Twins were even younger than Tang Wulin, were they not? To be three-ring Soul Elders at such a young age? And at level thirty-nine, they were not far from becoming four-ring Soul Ancestors!

He took a deep breath and said in a low voice, "I believe in them."

Xie Xie gripped his Light and Dark Twin Dragon Daggers, his expression incredibly solemn as he whispered, "Captain, their Martial Soul suppression is immense. I'm afraid—"

Although he possessed Twin Martial Souls, in terms of attributes, his Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger simply could not compare to the Martial Souls of The Twins! After The Twins revealed their aura, he had already sensed his own disadvantage.

"Don't worry, I'm here!"

Tang Wulin stepped forward, shielding Xie Xie from the oppressive aura radiating from The Twins. His entire body shimmered with a golden luster, and as his Bloodline Power surged, two golden Blood Essence Soul Rings were released!

Under the influence of the Golden Dragon King's Bloodline Power, Xie Xie's Martial Souls finally broke free from the attribute suppression of The Twins.

Seeing the golden Blood Essence Soul Rings, the few spectators were somewhat astonished.

Golden soul rings?

Gu Yue gripped her staff as three soul rings rose from beneath her feet. Various colors danced around her, each representing a different element! Any elemental power existing in this world could be used by her.

Beside her, Xu Xiaoyan gripped her Star Wheel Ice Staff, looking serious and focused.

No one announced the start, but Tang Wulin launched the first attack. His hands were shrouded in golden radiance, his palms transforming into dragon claws covered in golden scales as he charged toward Yun Qianzhao and Yun Qianyue!