Shrek Seven Devils Shock the Present Age

The freshman assessment for the Outer Court officially began today, while Cao Longyan was personally brought into the Shrek Inner Court by Yan Shaozhe.

On the Inner Court's Martial Arts Arena, the seven members—Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Ling Luochen, Yao Haoxuan, Gongyang Mo, Xixi, and Chen Zifeng—had long been waiting there.

They were none other than this generation's Shrek Seven Devils.

Yan Shaozhe stood beside Cao Longyan and introduced him to Ma Xiaotao and the others.

"Ahem, everyone, come over here for a moment. Let me introduce you to someone. This is Cao Longyan. Although he is a freshman in the Outer Court, he has already been designated as a core disciple of the Martial Soul Department in advance. He has been granted an exceptional quota as an Inner Court disciple and is also one of the next generation of Shrek Seven Devils."

"During the freshman assessment period, he will be conducting sparring training alongside you, Xiaotao."

Yan Shaozhe's words echoed in the minds of the seven, and they all wore expressions of shock.

"Ye... yes, Teacher/Dean Yan."

No, they understood every word Dean Yan said, but when strung together into that sentence, they somehow couldn't make sense of it.

Following this, he introduced the seven people before him to Cao Longyan.

Although Cao Longyan didn't know every detail about Ma Xiaotao and the others, he knew them well enough.

Yan Shaozhe's introduction was, for him, entirely redundant.

However, Cao Longyan still feigned a serious demeanor as he listened to the end, mostly because he feared a butterfly effect might occur, altering things he didn't know about.

When Yan Shaozhe finally introduced Ma Xiaotao, he suddenly sent a private voice transmission to Cao Longyan.

"Longyan, two years ago, you saved the out-of-control Xiaotao by the Sea God Lake in the Outer Court and purified her martial soul. I am truly grateful to you... but for these past two years, Xiaotao has been searching for the figure who saved her; it has almost become a mental demon... As her teacher, it pains me to watch. Could you tell her the truth?"

Upon hearing this, Cao Longyan shook his head directly, refusing with a flat tone.

"No need, it's unnecessary... Besides, Dean Yan, given my current state, even if I told her, she wouldn't believe it, would she..."

"Oh... oh, that's true. It was my oversight. You are still as thoughtful as ever, Longyan."

Yan Shaozhe was stunned, and then the gaze he cast upon Cao Longyan was filled with admiration and approval.

He assumed that Cao Longyan did not want to use this favor to bind his most cherished disciple.

In this life, he had made too many mistakes...

If Cao Longyan had truly used this favor to manipulate Ma Xiaotao, he would have fought tooth and nail to defend her, even if it cost him his old life.

But Cao Longyan's choice put his mind completely at ease and made him approve of this youth even more.

Cao Longyan sensed Yan Shaozhe's gaze and felt slightly strange in his heart.

He couldn't be bothered to explain; let him think whatever he wanted.

As for Yan Shaozhe, although his personal life was a mess and he had the stain of letting an Evil Soul Master go due to love, his dedication to Shrek and his disciples was beyond reproach.

Ma Xiaotao and the others surrounded Cao Longyan, filled with curiosity as they looked at the cold, blue-haired youth who was several years younger than them yet had been brought here personally by Yan Shaozhe.

But no one felt that he had the ability to participate in sparring training with them.

They simply didn't want to say anything out of respect for Yan Shaozhe.

In the end, the grouping for the sparring training was no different from their usual setup.

As the team leader, Ma Xiaotao naturally had to shoulder her responsibilities. She was the first to bring Cao Longyan into her team, instructing him to remember to hide behind her if he encountered danger, as she would protect him.

Cao Longyan gave a slightly awkward smile. He was truly being completely underestimated, but it was also reasonable. He didn't take it to heart, because it wouldn't be long before he did something to shock them.

As for the other two members of the team, they were Yao Haoxuan and Gongyang Mo.

The other team was led by the vice-captain, Dai Yueheng, with Chen Zifeng, Xixi, and Ling Luochen as members.

Their soul power levels were roughly the same as in the original story.

Only Ma Xiaotao had reached the peak of the sixty-ninth level Soul Emperor, just one step away from the seventieth level.

Everyone summoned their martial souls one after another, preparing to spar as they usually did.

They didn't take Cao Longyan seriously at all.

However, just as everyone revealed their martial souls and soul rings, preparing to begin, an unexpected situation occurred.

Normally, when Outer Court disciples saw them like this, "wow" sounds would rise one after another, but Cao Longyan showed not a hint of surprise as he looked at their martial souls and soul rings. Instead, he calmly extended his left hand, preparing to release his own martial soul.

He actually intended to fight them?!

Clouds of ice mist scattered from Cao Longyan as the center, and that extreme, unyielding icy aura erupted suddenly!

Ice Dragon King martial soul, release!

A massive, ice-blue dragon phantom emerged behind Cao Longyan.

The dragon's might was vast, instantly enveloping the entire arena!

Everyone who possessed a beast martial soul, including Dai Yueheng's Evil Eye White Tiger, Yao Haoxuan's Lightning Leopard, Gongyang Mo's Rainbow Dragon, and even Ma Xiaotao's purified Holy Fire Phoenix, couldn't help but tremble under this dragon's might, nearly kneeling in submission!

As for Ling Luochen, her expression changed drastically.

Her ice martial soul was completely suppressed in the face of Cao Longyan's Ultimate Ice, unable to release even a sliver of cold air!

Moreover, this aura...

She felt it was incredibly familiar.

It was just like the terrifying, ultimate aura of ice she had felt on the outskirts of the Extreme North half a year ago!

Everyone looked at Cao Longyan in shock.

But this was far from over...

Beneath Cao Longyan's feet, soul rings lit up one after another.

Black... black... black... red!

Three black and one red, four soul rings, rotated slowly.

Ten thousand years... ten thousand years... ten thousand years... one hundred thousand years!

The entire arena fell into instant silence.

Not far away, Yan Shaozhe couldn't help but stifle a laugh as he watched this scene. It was the first time he had seen the seven of them with such expressions, especially Ma Xiaotao; she looked cute in a way that was different from when she acted spoiled toward him.

Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Ling Luochen, and the others were all dumbfounded, rubbing their eyes vigorously, doubting if they were seeing things.

A twelve-year-old four-ring Soul Ancestor?

A soul ring configuration of three black and one red?

And that one-hundred-thousand-year soul ring?

How could this be possible!

Watching their shocked expressions, Cao Longyan looked innocent and spoke in a calm tone.

"Seniors, why are you all looking at me like that? Can the sparring match begin now?"

Only then did everyone snap out of their daze. They shook their heads, accepted reality, calmed their emotions, and began to take Cao Longyan seriously.

The match began in an instant.

And it ended in an instant.

Ma Xiaotao's team won a complete victory over Dai Yueheng's team.

Cao Longyan's ultimate ice completely locked down Ling Luochen, leaving her unable to play any role at all.

He withdrew his Dragon Might from his teammates but kept it applied to his opponents, suppressing them.

Dai Yueheng's White Tiger had its strength greatly diminished under the pressure of the Dragon Might.

Coupled with Gongyang Mo's support, Ma Xiaotao's Holy Fire Phoenix completely suppressed Dai Yueheng.

And Cao Longyan's four soul skills, combined with his self-created soul skills, caught Dai Yueheng's team of four off guard, leaving them with no power to fight back.

The battle ended.

The Martial Arts Arena was silent.

The way Ma Xiaotao, Dai Yueheng, Ling Luochen, and the others looked at Cao Longyan had completely changed.

From initial contempt to shock, and now to awe and recognition.

"This guy... is just too monstrous."

Ling Luochen couldn't help but mutter.

She had been suppressed by Cao Longyan the entire time to the point where she couldn't do anything; she had the most right to speak on this matter.

"Even if he participated in this year's Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, he could win the championship with a crushing performance."

Dai Yueheng looked at Cao Longyan, his eyes filled with approval.

Perhaps he could be of help to the Star Luo Empire...

Ma Xiaotao, meanwhile, stared fixedly at Cao Longyan's back, the sense of familiarity in her heart growing stronger and stronger.

However, once she remembered that Cao Longyan's martial soul was ice-attributed, she sighed to herself.

Yan Shaozhe watched this scene, the corners of his mouth curling up slightly.

It seemed he was right to bring Longyan here for sparring training with Xiaotao and the others. They had all been too smooth-sailing; they truly needed to be taken down a peg. Otherwise, this confidence would turn into arrogance, which could lead them to underestimate their enemies during inspection missions and result in irreparable consequences.

However, he didn't want to be the villain, so naturally, he had to find Cao Longyan...