Quarterfinals

The moment their opponents entered the arena, they immediately formed the exact same formation as the team from yesterday.

A Power Attack Type Spirit Master and a Defense Type Spirit Master stood at the very front, while the support member remained in the rear to provide backup. Their roles were clearly defined; it was obvious they had practiced this team battle style beforehand.

The only difference was that one of the front-line Power Attack Type Spirit Masters was quite strong. Two yellow Spirit Rings lit up beneath him, and his Martial Soul was the Blazing Lion, known for its formidable offense.

What surprised Yue Ling most was that the opposing support student's Martial Soul was actually the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Fortunately, this Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Master only had two rings and was merely a Soul Grandmaster.

Yue Ling quietly breathed a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, the opponent's support cultivation was not high. If two Soul Elders on the other side had received the powerful boosts of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the gap in Soul Power between both sides would have narrowed drastically. This battle would have been ten times harder.

Wang Yan stood at the edge of the arena and announced in a deep voice, "The match begins!"

The moment his words fell, one of the opposing Power Attack Type Spirit Masters accelerated instantly, with the Defense Type Spirit Master close behind. They charged straight at Yue Ling, who stood at the front.

Their tactic was simple, yet vicious.

They planned to take down Yue Ling first—the one standing closest to the front and seemingly the strongest—disrupt their formation, then defeat the remaining two one by one.

It was a good plan, but they had severely underestimated Yue Ling's physical strength and defensive ability.

Yue Ling's expression did not change. He immediately activated his first soul skill, relying on the offensive and defensive boosts of Heavenly Chrysanthemum Body Protection to firmly hold off the two Power Attack Type Spirit Masters. In close combat, he did not fall behind in the slightest.

"Gongyang Mo!"

Hearing the command, Gongyang Mo immediately activated his dual boosts, steadily granting strength and speed to Yue Ling and Ma Xiaotao.

With the boosts, Ma Xiaotao unleashed her full firepower. Her first and second soul skills followed one after another, her flame assaults fierce and dense enough to leave their opponents struggling for breath.

Even with the support of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the opposing two-ring Power Attack Type Spirit Master simply could not withstand their explosive output.

"Ah! I can't hold on any longer..."

After all, the opponent was only a two-ring support Spirit Master, and his boosts were limited. Gongyang Mo, meanwhile, was a genuine three-ring top-tier support Spirit Master. The Rainbow Dragon's enhancement effects were not inferior to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda at all.

With one side rising while the other weakened, that two-ring Power Attack Type Spirit Master did not last long before being forcibly blasted out of the arena and eliminated.

"Damn it, how is their firepower this overwhelming..." The Defense Type Spirit Master stared at Yue Ling's team in disbelief.

After dealing with the front-line opponent, Yue Ling immediately shifted his attack. His second soul skill, Falling Blossom Storm, erupted at full force. Layer upon layer of sharp Flower Blades sealed off the entire arena and pressed forward step by step, quickly forcing the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda Spirit Master in the rear out of the ring.

Only the Defense Type Spirit Master remained on the field.

Filled with unwillingness, he had no intention of admitting defeat. He activated his soul skills with all his strength, gritting his teeth as he held on, still seeking a chance to turn things around.

Yue Ling kept his eyes on the entire battlefield, giving the opponent no opening whatsoever.

With Gongyang Mo's continuous boosts, Ma Xiaotao repeatedly unleashed Phoenix Fireline. Waves of flame blanketed the arena, suppressing their opponent without mercy.

Before long, the last opponent could no longer endure the relentless barrage of flames. He was swept out of the arena by the fire and likewise suffered defeat.

The entire battle was clean and decisive. The three of them crushed their opponents from start to finish, swiftly claiming victory and advancing into the top eight.

Every teacher watching from the sidelines showed surprise at the sight, turning their attention toward them.

Yan Shaozhe watched the arena from the elevated platform, satisfaction in his eyes and emotion filling his heart.

The Ma Xiaotao he worried about most had finally found reliable teammates, companions she could entrust herself to.

Now, he could finally rest easy.

After the match, Ma Xiaotao deliberately looked up at the platform, wanting to give Yan Shaozhe a cool look.

But he had long since disappeared from the platform, leaving Ma Xiaotao somewhat disappointed.

Fortunately, Yue Ling and Gongyang Mo comforted her from the side, and she quickly recovered her spirits.

At this point, the freshman assessment elimination rounds had entered their final stage.

After a morning of competition, all eight top teams of this freshman assessment had emerged. The eight teams that had made it this far were all among the finest of the new students.

That afternoon, Yue Ling and Gongyang Mo arrived at the competition grounds on time.

The moment they appeared, they immediately drew the focused attention of the other seven top-eight teams.

Everyone knew perfectly well that a team made entirely of Soul Elders was simply too powerful.

For the quarterfinal draw, no one wanted to face them. They could only silently pray to avoid them.

"Yue Ling's team, come forward and draw."

Hearing Du Weilun's voice, Yue Ling stepped forward and drew a numbered lot from the container.

"Lot Number One!" Du Weilun raised the lot and announced it publicly.

Within the crowd, the team that had drawn the same Number One lot instantly darkened, able only to helplessly accept their fate.

Both sides stepped into their designated battle areas, facing one another as they announced their names and Martial Souls in turn.

This opposing team came from Freshman Class Six. All three were Soul Grandmasters above level twenty. Their overall strength was not weak, and they counted as one of the stronger teams among the top eight.

Their opening tactics remained the same.

Yue Ling stood at the front, bearing the pressure while leading the attack. Ma Xiaotao coordinated from the center, while Gongyang Mo held the rear and handled support boosts throughout the match.

Their opponents consisted of one Power Attack Type Spirit Master, one Agility Attack Type Spirit Master, and a Control Type Spirit Master.

When the opponents summoned their Martial Souls, Yue Ling discovered that their Control Type Spirit Master actually possessed a plant-type Martial Soul.

That gave them an overwhelming advantage.

As fellow plant Martial Souls, his Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum was a top-tier superior Martial Soul, naturally possessing absolute suppression.

"Why? Why does your Martial Soul have superior-rank suppression?" The Control Type Spirit Master's face was filled with disbelief.

Yue Ling gave a soft laugh. "That is the difference between Martial Souls."

Under the pressure of Yue Ling's aura, the opposing Control Type Spirit Master could not even unleash a proper soul skill. He was suppressed throughout the entire match.

There was no suspense in the battle.

Before long, the three opponents were swept from the arena one after another by Ma Xiaotao's flames, and Yue Ling's team smoothly advanced into the top four.

After the match ended, Yue Ling and Gongyang Mo returned to their dormitory first to cultivate and recover.

Ma Xiaotao, meanwhile, was taken away alone by Yan Shaozhe. No one knew what it was about.

The two of them did not relax in the slightest and immediately sat down to meditate and regulate their breathing.

The battle for a spot in the finals among the top four would only be more difficult. They had to make thorough preparations in advance.

The next morning, sunlight streamed through the dormitory window and fell upon the chrysanthemums placed on the windowsill.

Yue Ling and Gongyang Mo opened their eyes almost at the same time.

"Haah, I'll go wash up first."

"Sure."

Gongyang Mo got out of bed first, washed up, folded his blanket, and pushed open the window.

The morning breeze brushed through his hair, while an unshakable trace of irritation lingered in his eyes.

His mental state had not been very good lately. Fortunately, as long as he focused with all his strength, he would not make any mistakes during a match. Otherwise, he would be letting down both his teammates' expectations and Dean Yan's kindness.

Shaking his head, he silently muttered to himself.

Father, Mother, I'm doing very well now.

At Shrek, I have friends, teammates who fight alongside me, and teachers who may be sloppy but sincerely care about us.

I'll cultivate diligently and grow stronger step by step.

One day, I'll destroy every Evil Soul Master faction, avenge you, and avenge all of Hundred Flowers Village!

More than ten minutes later, Gongyang Mo finished washing up and tidied his bed.

Yue Ling also cleared his mind with the morning breeze before getting up to wash.

"Hurry up, hurry up, I'm a little hungry!"

"What's the rush? Almost..."

After getting ready, the two headed to the cafeteria together for breakfast.

Today would be a hard battle, so they had to remain in their best condition.

They also brought breakfast for Ma Xiaotao. If she was late and did not show up, they would eat it themselves.

Once the sky had fully brightened, the two finished eating and headed to the assessment arena together.

Today, the final spots in the championship match would be decided, and perhaps even the champion of this freshman assessment would emerge.

Having reached the top four, they could not afford even the slightest mistake in any match. They had to be steady and cautious.

There were more spectators at the arena today than before.

However, nearly all of those present were academy teachers. Lower-year students still had to attend their usual classes and could not come watch.

Before the match.

"Ma Xiaotao, have you eaten?"

"I have. What is it?"

Yue Ling looked at her slightly rounded belly, only continuing after confirming that she truly had eaten. "Nothing. I was worried you hadn't eaten, so I brought you some breakfast..."

Ma Xiaotao was somewhat surprised when she heard that. Just as she was about to reach out, Yue Ling teased her.

"Since you've already eaten, you don't get any."

"Hmph. Like I care."

Only after learning that she had already eaten did Yue Ling finally put his mind completely at ease and begin waiting for the next match.