Should We Ask the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect for Help?

Seeing that Huo Yuhao's conflict with Dai Huabin was no small matter, Ning Tian did not, like Wu Feng, assume it was merely some trivial squabble between classmates.

From what Ning Tian had learned, Huo Yuhao had been practically harmless at school. Other than his conflict with Wang Dong, he had barely had any disputes with anyone else at the academy. He had never even interacted with Dai Huabin, so it could not have been a conflict that had arisen at the academy.

Moreover, Huo Yuhao had left the academy for two months to obtain his third soul ring. The conflict must have arisen outside the academy, which meant the grudge between Huo Yuhao and Dai Huabin was probably quite serious.

With that thought in mind, Ning Tian patted Wu Feng's arm and had her go out to see when Teacher Mu Jin would arrive. Once Wu Feng had walked away, she leaned close to Huo Yuhao's ear. "The conflict between you and Dai Huabin must be serious, right? Looking at you, you intend to teach him a lesson on the assessment stage?"

"The White Tiger Duke's Mansion has considerable power. Do you need our Nine Treasures Glazed Sect to help?"

The fingers clutching Huo Yuhao's teacup tightened slightly. The coolness of the cup seeped through his fingertips, making the emotion in his eyes clearer. He looked up at Ning Tian, a faint curve on his lips, yet his resolve was beyond question. "Thank you for the offer, but this is my own matter."

His voice was soft, but like a stone dropped into still water, it sent ripples through Ning Tian's heart. "I want to settle my own score with the White Tiger Duke's Mansion." Huo Yuhao paused, his gaze passing over the deepening dusk beyond the window. "The Nine Treasures Glazed Sect has deep ties with them. There's no need to damage that relationship because of me."

Ning Tian frowned and stepped half a pace closer, lowering her voice. "What do you mean by that? Do you think our Nine Treasures Glazed Sect fears the White Tiger Duke's Mansion? Or do you think helping you would only bring us trouble?"

"Neither." Huo Yuhao shook his head, gently rubbing the rim of his cup with his fingertips. "Ning Tian, teammates fight side by side. They are not meant to shoulder everything for one another. I have my own plans for Dai Huabin. You and Wu Feng only need to do what you should—that would be the best help for our team."

His gaze was frank, without the slightest evasion. Seeing the stubbornness in his eyes that did not belong to someone his age, Ning Tian suddenly understood. This was not a rejection. He simply did not want to drag those around him into his own grievances.

"But..." Ning Tian wanted to say more, but Huo Yuhao interrupted her.

"Don't worry." He smiled, a sharp glint flashing through his eyes. "I won't treat the team's victory and defeat as a joke. On the assessment stage, I'll let him know that some debts must be settled sooner or later."

The chill in his tone made Ning Tian's heart skip a beat, yet for some reason, she believed him. Looking at Huo Yuhao's calm profile, she suddenly felt that beneath this seemingly gentle boy lay an icy wilderness no one else could enter, where a flame only he understood burned fiercely.

"All right." Ning Tian finally relented, her tone carrying a hint of helplessness. "But remember, we're teammates. When it truly comes down to it, you are not allowed to carry everything alone."

Huo Yuhao raised his eyes to meet her earnest gaze and nodded. "All right."

Wu Feng's boisterous voice came from outside. She ran back and pushed open the door. "Young Mistress! Teacher Mu Jin said for us to go out to the square to hear the group assignments!"

Ning Tian rose and smoothed her skirt. "Got it." She glanced back at Huo Yuhao, her eyes offering silent support, then quickly followed Wu Feng outside.

Huo Yuhao watched their backs disappear through the doorway. The tea in his hand had long since gone cold. He lowered his head to look at his reflection in the bottom of the cup. It showed his own eyes, blue like the ice lakes of the Far North.

The White Tiger Duke's Mansion... Dai Huabin... Tch.

He gently exhaled. White mist formed tiny ice crystals over the mouth of the cup before silently dispersing.

Some grudges truly cannot wait that long. I'll collect a debt from you first.

The square was already filled with Class Nine students. They stood in groups of two and three, murmuring among themselves, and even the air carried an atmosphere of nervous excitement. Teacher Mu Jin stood at the center of the square, her dark green fitted attire accentuating her upright figure. When her gaze swept over them, the clamor instantly fell silent.

"You should all know the grouping rules for the Freshman Assessment." Mu Jin's clear voice, amplified by soul power, reached every ear distinctly. "Groups of three, single-elimination format, with the final top three decided at the end. I will now announce the group list."

"Group One: Huo Yuhao, Ning Tian, Wu Feng."

The moment Teacher Mu Jin's words fell, a small stir swept through the square.

"Wow, Class Monitor Ning Tian is a Soul Elder, and Wu Feng is no ordinary expert either. Huo Yuhao supposedly just returned after taking leave to obtain his third soul ring. They're so strong!"

"This must be the team Teacher Mu Jin picked to compete for the championship."

Huo Yuhao stood amid the crowd, unconsciously rubbing his cuff with his fingertips. A faint gleam from his Spirit Eye flashed quietly in his gaze as he looked at Ning Tian and Wu Feng beside him. The phantom of Ning Tian's Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda swayed gently at her fingertips, its seven-colored halo brighter than usual. She turned to Huo Yuhao, her voice calm but joyful. "It seems the three of us were destined to fight side by side." Wu Feng could barely restrain herself. She clenched her fists until her knuckles whitened, and the soft fur on the tips of her ears stood slightly upright. "Wonderful! Now we can let that Dai Huabin see that Class Nine isn't so easy to bully!"

"Group Two..."

"Group Three..."

Teacher Mu Jin continued steadily, and Class Nine's groupings gradually became clear. Nearly every team had a three-type lineup: control-type Soul Masters to entangle opponents, assault-type Soul Masters to break formations, and support-type Soul Masters to enhance their teammates. Where there were no support-type Soul Masters, defense-type Soul Masters took their place. It was a typical Shrek Academy team composition, though each had its own emphasis—some focused on speed, some excelled at endurance, while others relied on explosive power.

The chatter in the square grew livelier. Some students approached Group One and teased them with smiles. "Class Monitor, your team is our class's seeded team. You have to win some honor for Class Nine!" Wu Feng immediately puffed out her chest. "Of course! Once we win the championship, everyone will know which class is truly number one among the freshmen!"

Ning Tian shook her head lightly, her gaze passing over the other teams. "Don't be careless. No one who can enter Shrek Academy is weak. It's single elimination, so we cannot let down our guard in any match."

A pretty girl with a hint of allure in her brows draped an arm over Ning Tian's shoulder. "We know, Class Monitor. We'll be careful. Just watch us show off Class Nine's style!" Huo Yuhao remembered her. Her name was Cui Yajie, and her martial soul was the Nine-Tailed Fox. She should originally have been assigned to Ning Tian's group.

"Teacher Mu Jin said I fit better with Su Qing's team." She blinked, the blush at the corners of her eyes like peach blossom powder. "Whisperwind Grass for battlefield control, my Nine-Tailed Fox to beguile the enemy, plus Li Mo's Mountain-Breaking Axe for powerful offense. Heh, heh, just thinking about it gets me fired up."

"You've only just formed your teams. Shouldn't you get to know your teammates first? Huo Yuhao, I remember you just returned after obtaining your soul ring, right? Have you learned about each other's abilities?"

Ning Tian pinched Cui Yajie's cheek. "Instead of getting along with your teammates and training, you came here to bother us. Don't tell me you're trying to gather information so you can target us?"

"Hehe." Cui Yajie did not answer. Tilting her head, she jogged away, leaving only one sentence hanging in the air. "I'm leaving first. You can discuss things yourselves."

The moment Cui Yajie vanished into the crowd, Wu Feng could not help snorting. "That vixen ran off so quickly. She definitely has no good intentions."

Ning Tian withdrew her gaze. The phantom of the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda at her fingertips turned gently, seven-colored light flowing across her palm. "Ignore her. We really should talk properly about each other's abilities—Yuhao, you just returned. What are your soul skills?"