Assessment Ends, Core Disciples Announced

After the finals ended, the clamor in the Grand Martial Arena did not fade.

On the contrary, when Du Weilun stepped onto the high platform, the entire venue grew even quieter. Everyone knew what was about to be announced.

After each freshman assessment, the academy selected a group of outstanding students as core disciples, granting them more cultivation resources, access to higher-level courses, and the qualifications to participate in important academy missions.

For first-year freshmen, becoming a core disciple meant they had taken their first step onto the path of becoming strong.

Du Weilun stood on the platform and cleared his throat. His booming voice, amplified by soul power, echoed throughout the arena. "Silence."

The entire venue fell quiet, and every gaze focused on the platform.

"The freshman assessment has now concluded successfully. Many students demonstrated outstanding performances in this assessment. After deliberation, the academy has decided to grant core disciple status to the following ten students."

He unfurled the scroll in his hand and read out the first name. "Huo Yuhao."

A round of applause broke out across the venue. Standing among the crowd, Huo Yuhao remained calm, as though he had expected this outcome all along.

Only Wang Dong, standing beside him, noticed that the tips of his ears had reddened slightly.

"Wang Dong."

Wang Dong raised an eyebrow, a smug smile curling at the corner of her lips as she unceremoniously accepted the attention directed her way.

"Xiao Xiao."

Xiao Xiao froze for a moment, then smiled softly, her expression gentle and reserved.

"Ning Tian."

Ning Tian nodded slightly, poised and dignified, as though she had merely received an expected gift.

"Wu Feng."

Wu Feng clicked her tongue. Though she appeared indifferent on the surface, the slight upward curve of her lips betrayed her mood.

"Cui Yajie."

Cui Yajie let out a soft breath, the stone hanging over her heart finally falling away. She turned to Ning Tian and Wu Feng, and the three girls exchanged smiles.

Du Weilun paused before continuing, "Dai Huabin."

Among the crowd, Dai Huabin stood expressionlessly. He neither applauded nor spoke.

His hands were tucked into his school uniform pockets, his gaze fixed on the ground ahead of him, as though lost in thought.

But those who knew him well could see that his jaw was clenched tightly.

"Zhu Lu."

Zhu Lu stood behind Dai Huabin. Upon hearing her name, she merely nodded faintly, her expression barely changing.

"Lan Susi, Lan Luoluo."

A faint stir ran through the crowd. Two identical-looking girls stepped out and bowed slightly toward the high platform.

Both had long, light-blue hair that shimmered softly in the sunlight, falling to their waists and nearly trailing along the ground.

That was no ordinary hair.

Many present knew that Lan Susi and Lan Luoluo's martial souls were their hair.

As a type of body martial soul, their hair could extend freely, harden, and weave itself into all sorts of forms. It could be used for offense, control, and defense.

In this assessment, the sisters had earned the unanimous recognition of the judges through their exceptional coordination and exquisite control over their body martial souls.

However, they were not students of Class One, but Class Two.

This result greatly excited the teachers and students of Class Two. At least one core disciple had come from Class Two, so Class One had not taken them all.

Du Weilun rolled up the scroll, raising his voice slightly. "The ten students named above shall officially become core disciples of Shrek Academy from this day onward. Please report to the Core Disciple Administration Office before the hour of the dragon tomorrow to receive your identity tokens and corresponding resources."

Enthusiastic applause erupted across the venue once more.

Of the ten core disciple slots, eight had come from Class One, one from Class Two, and one from Class Three. The students from the other classes could only feel both envious and helpless. Class One's strength was right there for all to see; they had no choice but to accept it.

After the crowd dispersed, the core disciples were immediately surrounded by their friends and family.

Several girls from Class Two crowded around Wang Dong, asking her all sorts of questions, while Xiao Xiao stood to the side, smiling as she received her classmates' congratulations.

Ning Tian and Wu Feng were discussing collecting their resources tomorrow, while Cui Yajie stood beside them and occasionally chimed in.

The sisters Lan Susi and Lan Luoluo stood quietly at the edge of the crowd. They did not join in the commotion, but faint smiles still rested on their faces.

Their homeroom teacher came over and patted the sisters on the shoulders, offering them a few words of encouragement.

The sisters nodded, but their gazes drifted in unison toward Class One. The strength that boy named Huo Yuhao had displayed in the finals had left a deep impression on them.

Huo Yuhao stepped away from the crowd and walked alone beneath a plane tree at the edge of the arena. Leaning against the trunk, he looked up at the white clouds drifting slowly across the sky.

His feelings were somewhat complicated.

Becoming a core disciple was something he had anticipated long ago. Yet when the moment truly arrived, he could not help thinking of his mother.

If she could see this moment with her own eyes, she would probably be very happy.

"Why are you hiding here all by yourself?"

Wang Dong's voice came from behind him. With her hands clasped behind her back, she walked lightly to his side and tilted her head at him. "You're a core disciple now. Aren't you happy?"

"Happy." Huo Yuhao withdrew his gaze, a faint smile appearing at the corner of his lips. "I just remembered a few things."

Wang Dong did not press him further. Though she was usually carefree and boisterous, she was not bad at reading the room.

She pulled a piece of candy from her pocket, unwrapped it, and popped it into her mouth. Speaking vaguely around it, she said, "Let's go. Xiao Xiao said she wanted to wander around Shrek City to celebrate. Ning Tian and the others are going too. You're the only one missing."

Seeing her trying to talk with candy in her mouth, Huo Yuhao could not help but laugh. "Let's go."

The two walked out of the training ground side by side. The setting sun stretched their shadows long across the bluestone path, where they overlapped, separated, and overlapped again.

In the distance, Huo Chen stood by the second-floor window of the teaching building, watching the backs of those boys and girls as they left the school gates together. A faint smile appeared on his lips.

At some point, the Ice Empress appeared behind him. Following his gaze out the window, she snorted. "A bunch of little brats. They're this happy just because they became core disciples?"

"Weren't you happy for several days when you broke through to a hundred thousand years?" Huo Chen said without turning around.

"How could that be the same?!" The Ice Empress's voice suddenly rose. "That was a hundred thousand years! A hundred thousand years!"

"Oh, then it really was different." Huo Chen picked up a cup of tea from the windowsill and leisurely took a sip. "You were happy for at least half a month, weren't you?"

The Ice Empress was so angry that she could not speak. With a sweep of her sleeve, she turned and left.

Holding his teacup, Huo Chen watched the figures outside grow more distant, the smile in his eyes deepening further.