However, Zhong Shenxiu merely turned his head slightly, his pale golden vertical pupils calmly glancing at him.
Just one glance.
Xie Xie suddenly felt a chill run down his spine, as if he were being watched by some apex predator, and subconsciously moved his buttocks closer to Tang Wulin.
"I didn't say that Teacher Wu could defeat the real Projection right now,"
Zhong Shenxiu withdrew his gaze, his tone remaining calm, "What I'm saying is, if Teacher Wu and that guy in the Projection were from the same era, the same age, and at the same level, Teacher Wu would be stronger than her. These are two different things."
Xie Xie opened his mouth, wanting to refute, but after thinking about it carefully, he felt that something seemed off.
Tang Wulin sat beside him, his large eyes reflecting Zhong Shenxiu's calm profile, and a strange, indescribable emotion welled up inside him.
Both were facing Projection, but he hadn't even encountered the first level of the advanced stage, while Zhong Shenxiu not only cleared the stage but also complained that his opponent was too weak.
and--
Tang Wulin secretly glanced at Wu Zhangkong.
Although Wu Zhangkong Iceberg Face remained expressionless, a small red patch was clearly visible on the tip of his ear.
Tang Wulin sighed silently in his heart.
The difference is just too big.
Gu Yue sat next to Zhong Shenxiu, her long black hair cascading over her shoulders. Her cool face showed no emotion, but her black eyes flickered slightly.
She was secretly plotting something.
She already knew about Zhong Shenxiu's abilities, but today's words made her reassess the young man's value.
Moreover, at this age, he can already clear the Hall of Heroes and still complains that the Projection is too weak.
Gu Yue's eyelashes drooped slightly, concealing the fleeting glint of light in her eyes.
This person must be taken down.
Wu Zhangkong finally spoke, his voice regaining its usual coldness, his lips tightly pressed together to prevent a smile from appearing, thus his speech was slightly faster than usual. "Ahem, Shenxiu, you can't say that. The strength of the seniors is beyond doubt. Although the Projection you encountered only possessed 70% of its strength, its combat experience and awareness were genuine. Your victory proves that your strength is indeed far beyond that of your peers."
He paused here, as if organizing his thoughts.
"However," Wu Zhangkong's gaze swept over the four of them, "The reason I sent you to the Hall of Heroes today is not to determine who is better, but to make you see your place clearly."
His tone turned serious. " Wulin, how do you feel about your performance?"
Tang Wulin stiffened slightly and lowered his head. "Not... not ideal."
"What's not ideal?"
"It's just..." Tang Wulin gritted his teeth, "I feel like I'm too weak. I barely passed the two intermediate levels by taking a beating, and that Projection Martial Soul was... the kind I've never seen before."
"That's Twin Martial Souls," Wu Zhangkong said calmly, "And it was quite rare even back then. The fact that you lasted until the end of the intermediate assessment is already quite impressive."
"What's more, there's someone who hasn't even encountered a high-level challenge yet."
" Teacher Wu!" Xie Xie protested from the side, "What do you mean 'almost'! I almost did too! Almost!"
He spoke with exaggerated tone, but a hint of resentment still flashed in his eyes.
Wu Zhangkong glanced at him. " Xie Xie, your problem is that you're too impatient. The coordination between the Light Dragon Dagger and the Shadow Dragon Dagger isn't refined enough, and there are obvious flaws when switching between them. Precisely because of this, a skilled Soul Master can seize your flaws in an instant and strike successfully."
Xie Xie opened his mouth, wanting to explain, but after thinking about it, he closed it again.
Wu Zhangkong was right; he was indeed too hasty.
" Gu Yue," Wu Zhangkong looked at Gu Yue, "You've passed four trials, that's already quite good. What do you think of the Projection in the last trial?"
Gu Yue remained silent for a moment before slowly speaking, "Very strong. It seems like my every move is being seen clearly. If I'm not mistaken, the person I've encountered is Huo Yuhao, the Founder of the Spirit Pagoda Spirit Ice Douluo, Achieved Godhood ten thousand years ago."
Her voice was calm, as if stating a fact unrelated to herself, but there was an inexplicable light flickering in her dark eyes.
That's -- excitement?
Wu Zhangkong nodded without saying anything more, his gaze finally settling on Zhong Shenxiu.
Zhong Shenxiu met Wu Zhangkong's gaze, his light golden vertical pupils narrowed slightly, but he remained silent.
Wu Zhangkong waited two seconds, and seeing that he didn't intend to speak, he withdrew his gaze and continued, "There are two reasons why I brought you here. First, because your Absorption Distance Limit on the Spirit Ascension Platform are nearing their limit. At most, you'll be unable to continue training there after a few more times. Therefore, you need another place to train and practice. The Hall of Heroes provides more realistic combat experience because the injuries are directly to your physical bodies. Of course, if your injuries reach a certain level, you will be automatically teleported out, unlike on the Spirit Ascension Platform where the destruction of your body can cause a mental shock. Relatively speaking, you can think of the Hall of Heroes as a higher-level Spirit Ascension Platform."
"Secondly, the significance of this assessment lies not in the Final Exam. You already completed your Final Exam at the Riot Period Spirit Ascension Platform, and I have already given you your scores. Passing this assessment means you can join us. If you decide to join, you can accumulate Merit to use for training in the Hall of Heroes in the future."
organize?
The four of them looked at Wu Zhangkong with curiosity, waiting for what he would say next.
Wu Zhangkong observed all of this and nodded inwardly.
He was mainly focused on Zhong Shenxiu. Seeing that he had successfully piqued Zhong Shenxiu's interest—although it was impossible to tell from his face— Wu Zhangkong Changkong Xie Xie a look.
The meaning in his eyes was clear: he needed to respond.
Xie Xie understood immediately, cleared his throat, and started the conversation. " Teacher Wu, what does this organization do?"
The question was asked just right, neither overly eager nor indifferent.
Wu Zhangkong nodded to himself.
Xie Xie's path has broadened.
He sat up straight, his long, slender fingers interlaced on his knees, and his tone became serious. "Have you ever heard of the Tang Sect?"
Tang Sect?
Upon hearing those two words, Tang Wulin and the other two were all jolted.
Tang Sect? Tang Sect!
How could I not have heard of it!
In this world, there are probably very few people who don't know about the Tang Sect. The legend of the Tang Sect dates back to ancient times, all the way to the prehistoric era, and continues to this day. It can be said that several of the most significant historical events in the Douluo Continent are related to the Tang Sect.
Tang Wulin's eyes lit up, but the light wasn't the dejected look he had when he mentioned the Projection; it was an almost instinctive longing.
Xie Xie's reaction was even more exaggerated; he jumped up from the sofa. " Tang Sect?! Teacher Wu, you're from the Tang Sect?!"
Wu Zhangkong did not answer, but simply looked at him calmly.
Xie Xie then realized he had lost his composure and sat back down awkwardly, but his dark green eyes still couldn't hide his excitement.
Gu Yue's reaction was much calmer. She simply nodded slightly to indicate that she understood, her cool face revealing no particular expression.