Gu An showed no concern at this and explained.
"Don't worry about Mu En."
"He's already half-crippled."
"He's no match for Sister Yaozhu."
He raised his eyes and looked at Ning Qingyun and Wu Yunshan.
"Unless the Golden Ancient Tree intervenes personally, Shrek Academy has no chance of keeping us here."
Ning Qingyun and Wu Yunshan fell silent at the same time.
They had no idea where Gu An had gotten this information.
Dragon God Douluo Mu En was half-crippled.
The Golden Ancient Tree.
These were core secrets of Shrek Academy, things even their Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect had no way of learning.
But Gu An knew, and he spoke with absolute certainty.
They decided not to stop him.
After all, no one would joke around with their own life, right?
Gu An was this confident for a reason. He wasn't going there to get himself killed.
Even with the Sea God's Light bolstering him, Leng Yaozhu could hold off a half-crippled Mu En.
As for the other Titled Douluos at Shrek Academy, they wouldn't make much difference.
A demigod at the Limit Douluo level wasn't someone even a Level 98 Super Douluo could defeat.
Besides, Leng Yaozhu's Soul Spirit was also as powerful as a Titled Douluo.
The Sky Phoenix Douluo and a Titled Douluo-level Soul Spirit.
That was more than enough.
Wu Feng finally understood, too.
She raised a hand, beaming, like a schoolchild eager to answer a question in class.
"I want to go, too."
Ning Tian had wanted to say the same thing, but Wu Feng had beaten her to it.
But before either of them could get excited, Ning Qingyun and Wu Yunshan shut them down at the same time.
"You two stay right here and behave."
"Focus on your cultivation. Break through to the next ring and get yourselves Soul Spirits. That's what matters."
Ning Qingyun's tone left no room for argument.
"Besides, all you'd do if you went is cause trouble."
Wu Feng's face fell, and Ning Tian sighed.
There was nothing they could do, so they settled down.
Now that they knew they wouldn't have to return to Shrek Academy, they threw themselves into cultivation so they could get their Soul Spirits as soon as possible.
Ning Qingyun and Wu Yunshan also left to take care of other sect and academy business.
After they returned,
only Gu An, Mother Gu, and Leng Yaozhu remained in the courtyard.
Mother Gu walked up to Gu An and crouched down, gripping his shoulders with both hands.
Her worry was written all over her face, her brows knit tightly together.
"Xiao An, you only have one ring. Are you really going?"
"There's no need to rush into revenge like this."
Before Gu An could answer, Leng Yaozhu spoke from nearby.
"Don't worry."
"With me here, no one can hurt Xiao An."
Leng Yaozhu came to stand beside Mother Gu, her voice firm.
"And I know other powerful people, too. I'll make sure Xiao An stays safe."
Hearing Leng Yaozhu say that, Mother Gu's tense shoulders finally relaxed a little.
She let out a long breath.
"All right."
Mother Gu hesitated for a moment, her lips moving as if she wanted to say something.
She wanted to go with them, too, but the words died on her tongue.
She was afraid she'd only hold them back.
A Soul Master who hadn't even reached Soul Sage rank couldn't be of any help in a situation like that.
So in the end, she said nothing.
Gu An saw what his mother was thinking, but didn't point it out.
He really hadn't planned on taking Mother Gu.
It was dangerous, and there was no need.
"In a few days, we'll head to Shrek City."
Gu An raised his head, the corners of his mouth lifting slightly, his eyes shining.
"We'll see what Shrek Academy's freshman assessment is really like."
"We'll make a name for Spirit Transmission Academy."
Leng Yaozhu and Mother Gu exchanged a glance, then both broke into smiles.
They chimed in with a playful cheer.
"Sure~~~ We'll do as Xiao An says."
"We'll make Spirit Transmission Academy famous."
A few days passed in the blink of an eye.
Gu An, the hands-off proprietor, left all of Spirit Transmission Academy's affairs to Ning Qingyun and Wu Yunshan to manage. He and Leng Yaozhu set off from Seven Treasures City.
Leng Yaozhu carried Gu An in her arms, and the phantom of the Sky Phoenix flashed behind her.
The two became a streak of fiery red light and sped toward Shrek City.
Meanwhile,
at Shrek Academy,
the freshman assessment had officially begun.
The assessment arena in the Soul Fighting Zone was packed with people.
One after another, fierce matches were underway on the Soul Fighting Platforms.
On the Soul Fighting Platform in Zone 33, it was Huo Yuhao's team's turn.
Standing before Huo Yuhao and his teammates were a sturdy young man and two girls.
The girls looked almost identical, clearly twin sisters.
Both had long blue hair and gentle auras.
The sturdy young man spoke first, his voice booming.
"My name is Huang Chutian."
"They're Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo."
"Please go easy on us."
Huo Yuhao and the others released their Martial Souls at the same time.
A white Soul Ring rose beneath Huo Yuhao's feet, and a faint glimmer flashed in his eyes as he summoned his Spirit Eye Martial Soul.
Wang Dong spread the wings of her Light Goddess Butterfly behind her. A yellow and a purple Soul Ring rose from beneath her feet.
Xiao Xiao brought both hands together in front of her, and the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron appeared, accompanied by two yellow Soul Rings.
Huo Yuhao was the first to introduce himself.
"Huo Yuhao."
Wang Dong followed, her usual air of pride in her voice.
"Wang Dong."
Xiao Xiao spoke last, her voice clear and bright.
"Xiao Xiao."
"Please go easy on us."
The referee stood at the edge of the Soul Fighting Platform, raised her right hand, and swept it sharply downward.
"The assessment begins!"
Huang Chutian roared. The muscles in his body bulged as he charged straight at Huo Yuhao.
"First Soul Skill! Vajra Fist!"
Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo attacked at the same time. "First Soul Skill! Hair Net!"
Wang Dong snorted. Her Light Goddess Butterfly wings beat, and she shot into the air.
Xiao Xiao shoved the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron forward, blocking Huang Chutian.
Huo Yuhao stayed where he was, a flash of light passing through his Spirit Eye.
Spiritual Detection Sharing instantly linked him with Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao.
Their teamwork wasn't quite seamless yet, but they already had a measure of coordination.
The fight lasted about the time it takes an incense stick to burn.
In the end, Huo Yuhao's team won.
One match after another.
When they secured their tenth victory, the referee announced loudly,
"Zone Thirty-Three champions: Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao!"
Below the Soul Fighting Platform, Zhou Yi's usually stern face broke into a rare smile.
On the other side of the stands, Mu Jin stood with her teeth clenched and both hands balled into fists.
"Hmph."
"Just look at that woman putting on a show."
Her gaze landed on Zhou Yi's flower-bright smile, and a tightness settled in her chest.
Then she sighed to herself.
"Why haven't those two girls, Ning Tian and Wu Feng, come back yet?"
"What on earth is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect up to?"
If they didn't return soon, the freshman assessment would be over. Even if they came back then, they wouldn't be able to participate.
"No, I have to ask the sect what's going on."
Just as Mu Jin was thinking this, a figure suddenly appeared before her.
The newcomer was tall and slender, with a lean face and an air of refined authority.
Mu Jin froze for a moment, then hurriedly bowed.
"Dean Yan."
"What brings you here?"
Yan Shaozhe's expression had darkened slightly, his brow furrowed.
He looked at Mu Jin and said,
"The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has sent word about Ning Tian and Wu Feng from your class."
Mu Jin's heart skipped a beat. With so much attention being given to the matter, the news couldn't be good.
Yan Shaozhe had no interest in her expression and continued.
"They dropped out."