Freshman Assessment

"Xiao Xiao, you've broken through to two rings?"

That evening at dinner, Huo Yuhao spoke in shock, though on second thought, it was about time.

Xiao Xiao's talent was far better than his.

"Mm, that's right. I'm already at two rings."

As Xiao Xiao spoke, two yellow Soul Rings rose from her body.

She showed them off in front of Huo Yuhao.

She couldn't help it—Huo Yuhao was the only one she could show off to. Jiang Bai and Wang Dong both had one yellow and one purple ring, while Huo Yuhao only had a single ring.

It was just a pity that Yuhao's first ring was too low in age, only ten years.

"Yuhao, you need to cultivate properly too and break through level twenty soon."

"I will."

Huo Yuhao answered firmly. Breaking through level twenty was only a matter of time for him; all he needed to do was shorten that time as much as possible.

"Mm."

After dinner, the four of them headed back to the dormitory building together.

"You two go ahead. I need to talk to Brother Jiang about something private."

When they reached the dormitory building, Huo Yuhao spoke to Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao.

"Alright, then I'll head up first."

Xiao Xiao waved and hurried upstairs. She needed to cultivate diligently!

"Alright. Come back early once you're done."

Wang Dong said, though she glanced at Jiang Bai once more as she left.

Once both of them had gone, Jiang Bai looked at Huo Yuhao.

"What is it?"

"It's that Unity of Body and Mind you mentioned, Brother Jiang. I always feel like something's missing."

Huo Yuhao asked. Although he had grasped Unity of Body and Mind, he still felt that something was lacking.

"Tell me about it. I'll listen."

Huo Yuhao then explained his own "Unity of Body and Mind," and Jiang Bai quickly understood what he lacked.

"What do you think the mind in Unity of Body and Mind is?"

"Ah? Um..."

Huo Yuhao was truly stumped by the question. He had never considered it before.

"Spiritual power?"

Huo Yuhao tried to answer.

"If a person's spiritual power is strong enough, would they be able to achieve Unity of Body and Mind easily?"

Rather than answering Huo Yuhao's question, Jiang Bai asked one in return.

"Probably not."

Hearing Jiang Bai's question, Huo Yuhao furrowed his brow. Unity of Body and Mind didn't require much spiritual power. If powerful spiritual power alone could achieve it, he would have done so long ago.

"With your experience, you probably won't be able to figure it out. I'll just give you the answer."

Huo Yuhao had too little experience. Even Tian Meng's experience was far too limited.

After all, what could a creature that only knew how to eat and sleep understand about cultivation?

"The mind in Unity of Body and Mind is will."

"Will?"

Hearing Jiang Bai's answer, Huo Yuhao understood even less.

"Will is the foundation of bearing. It's normal that you don't understand. You'll understand once you grow up."

"If I had to compare it to something, it would be a single sword splitting the heavens, a single blade severing rivers, a single roar shaking the mountains and forests."

Hearing those exaggerated comparisons, Huo Yuhao recalled the gray bead in his mind.

He remembered hearing a sentence when he fused with it.

"With sun and moon in hand, plucking stars from the sky, none in this world can compare to me."

What kind of spirit was that?

"It's normal that you don't understand. There are only a handful of Soul Masters across the entire continent who can comprehend will. If you manage to comprehend it now, then you'd truly be a genius among geniuses."

If one understood will, it was equivalent to possessing the embryonic form of one's own domain. After all, how many people in The Unrivaled Tang Clan possessed domains?

The two returned to the dormitory, and Huo Yuhao politely greeted the old man.

Of course, Jiang Bai was polite as well.

"Sir, still enjoying the sun?"

"Mm."

The old man watched Jiang Bai's retreating figure as he returned to the dormitory, then asked, "What do you think of will?"

"Something indispensable for becoming a true powerhouse."

That was Jiang Bai's answer.

"Mm..."

The old man said nothing more, merely rocking in his wooden chair.

One week, two weeks, three weeks, one month, two months.

The Freshman Assessment was imminent. If they failed it, they would have to withdraw from Shrek.

Of course, that had nothing to do with Jiang Bai. He had already latched onto a powerful backer.

That evening, while Huo Yuhao was selling grilled fish, Jiang Bai also saw Ma Xiaotao.

Just like in the original story, Ma Xiaotao ate a grilled fish, sensed Huo Yuhao's Soul Power, and left.

After buying grilled fish, the four of them sat together and chatted.

"So the three of you are a team?"

Jiang Bai said with a look of "surprise."

"That's right! When the time comes, Yuhao and I are going to beat you up!"

Xiao Xiao waved her fist at Jiang Bai. Although she was already level twenty-four, Jiang Bai had also reached level twenty-five. She definitely couldn't beat him alone, but with Yuhao and Wang Dong supporting her, it wasn't impossible.

When the time came, she would teach Jiang Bai a lesson. Who told him to have a thousand-year Soul Ring? It was enough to make Xiao Xiao jealous.

"Good luck."

Jiang Bai could only wish them luck.

After chatting for a while, the three planned to discuss tactics, and Jiang Bai, the "outsider," was naturally left behind.

"Good thing I've got powerful teammates."

Jiang Bai's teammates were Ning Tian and a red-haired girl.

That meant Jiang Bai didn't need to worry about the Freshman Assessment at all.

After all, if the academy wanted to eliminate Jiang Bai, it would have to eliminate Ning Tian too, and that was simply impossible.

Who was Ning Tian? The young mistress of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect. If Ning Tian were eliminated, wouldn't the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect lose face?

Therefore, Jiang Bai guessed that these matches would be easy. The preliminary round-robin point matches might be relatively simple, but once they reached the later group elimination stage, they would have to rely on real ability.

After leaving the three-person "little group," Jiang Bai went to keep his appointment as well. The matches would begin tomorrow, and Ning Tian had arranged a team meeting.

"Oh, you finally made it?"

Inside a room, Wu Feng looked impatiently at Jiang Bai, who had just arrived.

Jiang Bai didn't care about her attitude. She couldn't beat him anyway.

"Student Jiang Bai, let's discuss tomorrow's tactics."

Ning Tian took out a notebook containing the tactics she had prepared for tomorrow's matches.

"Mm."

Crack—

Seeing Jiang Bai ignore her, Wu Feng gritted her teeth. Yet she couldn't lash out in front of Ning Tian.

Damn Jiang Bai!

Jiang Bai placed Xue Ying to the side and let it play on its own, then discussed tactics with Ning Tian.

"Jiang Bai, can you introduce your Soul Skills?"

Ning Tian said. To arrange tactics, they needed to understand everyone's abilities.

"Mm."

One yellow and one purple Soul Ring appeared, immediately making Wu Feng, who had been gritting her teeth beside them, hold her breath, not daring to even breathe loudly.

Even Ning Tian blinked in disbelief.

"My first Soul Skill is Frost Descent. It can obscure the opponent's vision and perception."

After he said that, Ning Tian and Wu Feng felt a thin mist suddenly appear before them. Though it wasn't dense, neither of them could see the outside world at all.

However, as long as they concentrated Soul Power in their eyes, they could easily see through it.

"What about the second Soul Skill?"

Ning Tian recorded Jiang Bai's Soul Skill, then continued asking.

"My second Soul Skill is Frostbite. It can slow the circulation of the opponent's Soul Power."

Purple light flashed, and Ning Tian felt the Soul Power within her body circulate extremely slowly.

"Two very powerful Soul Skills."

After recording them, Ning Tian said.

With those two Soul Skills and her support, she felt that they could take first place in this Freshman Assessment.