Rest assured, I'm not the vindictive type

"Although this assessment will determine whether you can remain at Shrek Academy to continue your studies, I must remind everyone that this is an assessment. You must absolutely not maim or cripple your opponents."

"While the results are certainly important, you are fellow students after all. Friendship comes first."

"If anyone dares to strike with lethal intent, then even if you win, I will report it to the academy and request your expulsion!"

Hearing the teacher's words, Cao Jinxuan and the other two felt much more at ease.

Ling Feng was even less concerned.

He had never planned to go for the kill in the first place.

But.

To be honest, Ling Feng was not a vindictive person.

Three months ago, Cao Jinxuan had used him to brag at the bulletin board and told everyone that his martial soul was that special body martial soul. Ling Feng had long since forgotten all about it.

"Since no one has any objections, let us begin."

As he spoke, the referee took out and opened a folder. After glancing at it, he looked up and said, "First round, first match: Class Nine freshmen—Ling Feng, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng."

"Your opponents are Class Ten freshmen—Long Xiangyue, Cao Jinxuan, and Zhou Sichen."

"Both sides, enter the field. You may only release your martial souls after I announce the start of the match!"

Ling Feng and Ning Tian exchanged a glance before turning their eyes toward Cao Jinxuan's group. At that moment, the three of them happened to be looking back as well.

Cao Jinxuan frantically signaled at Ling Feng with his eyes, but Ling Feng acted as though he had not seen him.

Cao Jinxuan:?

After both sides entered the field, the referee saw that everyone was ready and immediately announced, "Assessment begins!"

"Old Cao, do you remember me saying that there'd be plenty of time in the future?"

Ling Feng released his three soul rings—one yellow and two purple.

Seeing the three soul rings on Ling Feng, which defied all common sense, and hearing his words, Long Xiangyue and Zhou Sichen exchanged a glance and nodded in mutual understanding.

"Brother Feng! Don't! That's not what you said before the match!"

Cao Jinxuan gave a bitter smile.

"Don't worry, I'm not the vindictive type."

Ling Feng smiled at Cao Jinxuan, then sprang forward and charged straight at the three of them.

Wu Feng and Ning Tian did not move, quietly watching the show unfold.

This was also what Ling Feng had instructed them before the match.

"It's over, he's serious! Let's surrender!"

Cao Jinxuan looked as though he was about to cry. He turned to Long Xiangyue, only to find the guy's gaze incomparably resolute.

"Old Cao!"

Long Xiangyue shouted.

"Have you forgotten why you came to Shrek Academy in the first place?"

"If we want to become stronger, we must constantly challenge the strong!"

"Only then can we grow!"

Long Xiangyue's words stunned Cao Jinxuan. Then he stepped forward and felt Long Xiangyue's forehead.

"No fever. Why are you suddenly talking nonsense?"

Zhou Sichen, standing beside them, also patted Cao Jinxuan on the shoulder.

"Old Cao!"

"Failure isn't scary. What's scary is not daring to face failure!"

Cao Jinxuan looked at the two unfamiliar people before him, as if the ones who had spent every day with him for the past three months were not these two at all.

"That depends on the situation!"

"Ling Feng is obviously coming for me!"

Long Xiangyue and Zhou Sichen released their martial souls at the same time, their eyes filled with determination.

"If every time you encounter someone strong, all you do is surrender, without even the courage to see the gap between you..."

"Then I advise you to drop out!"

"When enemies meet on a narrow road, the brave win!"

"I'm not afraid of failure. I'm only afraid that I won't have the courage to start over!"

Cao Jinxuan fell silent.

That was right!

Even if he had provoked Ling Feng, this was still an assessment!

The referee had made it very clear just now: killing blows were forbidden.

So what did he have to worry about?

At worst, Ling Feng would just beat him up!

Facing an outer academy expert like Ling Feng was also an opportunity for him to recognize the gap between them!

With that thought, Cao Jinxuan cast aside his concerns and turned to summon his martial soul, the Time Flies Clock.

"Come on, Brother Feng! Let me see what you're capable of!"

"You may be strong, but there are three of us!"

"Three against one—the advantage is ours!"

Ling Feng was just about to reach Cao Jinxuan when he heard that and burst out laughing.

"Three against one? Where are the three?"

"My two best brothers are right beside me..."

Cao Jinxuan glanced behind him.

Only to discover that there was no one there at all!

He searched the arena with his eyes and finally noticed that Long Xiangyue and Zhou Sichen had already gone over to the referee, apparently discussing something.

Then Cao Jinxuan saw Long Xiangyue and Zhou Sichen happily jump down from the competition stage.

At the same time, the referee raised a hand and announced the result.

"Long Xiangyue and Zhou Sichen of New Student Class Ten concede!"

"What?!"

Cao Jinxuan's voice cracked.

He watched helplessly as the two men who had just passionately declared that they would fight to the end suddenly leaped off the stage. Before he could even curse them out, Ling Feng had already arrived in front of him!

"I concede—"

Cao Jinxuan had barely begun to surrender when he saw something suddenly emerge from Ling Feng's eyes.

Immediately afterward, a sharp pain stabbed through Cao Jinxuan's brain, followed by a heavy fog settling over his consciousness.

A short ice club had already condensed in Ling Feng's hand, and he swung it down at Cao Jinxuan's head!

Cao Jinxuan could clearly feel waves of pain throughout his body. He desperately wanted to surrender, but he simply could not open his mouth!

The battle onstage was so brutal that even Ning Tian and Wu Feng could not bear to watch any longer. They jumped off the arena and waited nearby.

Long Xiangyue and Zhou Sichen, meanwhile, wore grave expressions.

"Brother, you know perfectly well that Ling Feng came for you."

"So there was no reason for us to get dragged into this mess."

"After all, better a dead friend than a dead me!"

Five minutes later, the referee declared Ling Feng's team victorious.

Long Xiangyue and Zhou Sichen jumped back onto the stage and helped the already pig-faced Cao Jinxuan down.

Cao Jinxuan pointed at the two of them and cursed, "Animals! You animals!"

The first match of the round-robin tournament had ended in victory in such a dramatic fashion.

Though the match had been absurdly dramatic, everyone looked at Ling Feng with deep wariness.

Before this, Ling Feng's name had been nothing more than a rumor to them.

Now that they had seen him in person, they found him terrifying!

Leaving everything else aside, his three-ring cultivation and two thousand-year soul rings alone were not something an ordinary person could handle.

After the match, Ning Tian and Wu Feng chose to watch the other groups compete, while Ling Feng returned alone to continue cultivating.

"He's far too arrogant! He thinks no one else matters—sooner or later, he'll pay for it!"

Wu Feng stomped her foot angrily.

What angered her more was that she had tried so hard to invite Ling Feng to stay, only for him to refuse.

"To be arrogant, you need the strength to back it up, and Ling Feng happens to have it."

"Perhaps, to him, these opponents simply aren't worth studying."

Ning Tian sighed softly, defending Ling Feng.

The first day of the freshman assessment soon came to an end.

Today's assessment had mainly been meant to help the freshmen adapt to this combat-based examination format.

The next day's schedule would be far more intense, with two rounds in the morning and two in the afternoon, for a total of four rounds.

This tested not only the students' practical combat ability, but also their endurance in prolonged battles.

Of course, this was nothing much to Ling Feng.

Across five matches in two days, Ling Feng's team won every one with ease!