Could It Be the Thunder God Sword?

Song Que patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder, then glanced back toward Shrek Academy and sighed softly.

"That's enough. I've seen what Shrek is like. It's time for me to leave."

"Huh?" Huo Yuhao froze, then hurriedly asked, "Song Que, you're leaving Shrek?"

Song Que nodded.

"Yes. If Mu En were still healthy, perhaps I'd still have a chance here."

"But with Shrek in Yan Shaozhe's and Xuan Zi's hands from now on, no matter how hard I work, I'll have little chance to get ahead."

"And judging by Shrek's attitude toward the White Tiger Duke, Dai Huabin, and Dai Yueheng, I'll have almost no chance to avenge my aunt."

"I want to look elsewhere. Maybe there's another way."

Huo Yuhao's gaze sharpened. "You're right, Song Que."

"I'll go with you."

Song Que looked at him. "Yuhao, you don't have to."

"I may not like Shrek much, but I have to admit it's a good place to train. It has plenty of resources and powerful people everywhere. Staying here for a few more years would do you good."

"Your Soul Power is still low. You could use Shrek's resources to grow stronger quickly."

Huo Yuhao shook his head firmly.

"No, Song Que. I don't want too many ties to Shrek. The longer I stay, the more I'll owe them—especially with Shrek the way it is now."

Song Que glanced at him, nodded, and gave a soft chuckle. He said no more.

Before long, it was the following afternoon.

Ring, ring, ring!

The dismissal bell sounded, and twenty-six core disciples from the second through fifth years made their way to the academy's Soul Fighting Area.

Dai Huabin swept his gaze over the crowd. It finally settled on Wang Dong, and the corners of his mouth lifted.

"That brat Huo Yuhao didn't come? Lucky him. Otherwise, I'd have taught him a lesson today."

"I can't believe he survived that. He's got some luck."

Zhu Lu followed his gaze and snorted. "Hmph. Huo Yuhao only acts so arrogant because he has a spiritual-type Martial Soul."

"If that last wager had been a one-on-one match, he wouldn't have stood a chance against us."

Dai Huabin nodded, his expression turning cold.

Then his gaze shifted again, this time to Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan.

"If my brother's information is right, today's the reserve-team selection, isn't it?"

"Apart from those three fifth-years, none of them worry me."

Zhu Lu looked over, her feelings mixed.

Dai Huabin's strength was beyond question. She believed he would probably advance no matter what form today's matches took.

But if the selection was one-on-one and she couldn't partner with Dai Huabin, she would be in danger.

She agreed. "I hear those three seniors are all Soul Ancestors above level forty. They won't be easy to deal with."

"That senior from the Soul Engineering Department seems to be a Soul Ancestor too."

"But the rest shouldn't be a match for you."

Dai Huabin smiled proudly, brimming with confidence.

"We lost to Wang Dong and the others last time, but in a real one-on-one fight, none of them would even catch my eye."

He glanced at Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao again, his face full of disdain.

"Those small fry aren't worth mentioning. If there's another tournament, I'll break their legs myself."

Wang Dong looked over without thinking. She caught Dai Huabin's hostile stare and frowned.

"That bastard. The school didn't even punish him. What were they thinking?"

Hearing her, Xiao Xiao looked puzzled and asked quietly, "Wang Dong, what's wrong?"

"Oh, and why isn't Huo Yuhao here?"

Wang Dong shook her head, disappointment showing on her face.

"He wasn't made a core disciple last time, and he's been left out again. The school is so unfair."

Xiao Xiao agreed. "Exactly. He's strong too, but they keep overlooking him."

Elsewhere, Bei Bei and Xu Sanshi exchanged a glance and shook their heads helplessly.

"Song Que..." Xu Sanshi looked at Bei Bei and lowered his voice. "He really wasn't selected?"

"What a shame..."

Bei Bei's expression was troubled. He sighed. "I asked around too. Apparently, he wasn't chosen because his Martial Soul doesn't have enough potential."

"But if we're talking about actual strength, he's clearly the strongest..."

With Innate Full Soul Power and an ordinary long-bladed Martial Soul, Song Que's Soul Power had pulled far ahead of his peers at Shrek. His combat strength was astonishing too. It was easy to imagine how hard he had worked to get there.

Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and the others their age had seen it all. Though they never said so aloud, they admired him deeply.

They all felt regret and confusion over Song Que's exclusion.

"Whether it's the Soul Master Tournament or the selection for the Shrek Seven Devils' reserve team, strength should matter most."

"Why judge someone by this so-called potential instead of their strength? I don't get it."

Xu Sanshi muttered and pursed his lips.

For once, Bei Bei didn't argue with him. He nodded silently.

Just then, an old man with disheveled hair, a wine gourd in his left hand, and a chicken leg in his right staggered up before the students.

He turned his bleary eyes toward Wang Yan.

"Little Wang, is everyone here?"

Wang Yan hurried forward and bowed respectfully.

"Xuan Zi, everyone's here. Twenty-five core disciples from the Martial Soul Department's second through fifth years, and one from the Soul Engineering Department."

Xuan Zi nodded and grunted.

"Good. Let's begin."

Under the eyes of the students and their accompanying teachers, Xuan Zi walked straight to the center of the Soul Fighting Area before stopping.

"Today's selection is simple. One-on-one or two-on-two—it's up to you. Choose your own partners."

"You'll advance based on how each of you performs in battle."

"All right. Begin."

With a whoosh, Xuan Zi vanished from where he stood.

The students in the arena looked at one another.

Then, with their accompanying teachers organizing them, the matches began.

In Shrek Academy's dormitory area, Song Que had already packed and was waiting in his room for Huo Yuhao. He gazed at the long blade in his hand, lost in thought.

I finally managed to cross over, but I got no special advantage, was born into an ordinary family, and inherited only an ordinary Martial Soul. This is rough.

Song Que sighed and gently ran his right hand over his long-bladed Martial Soul.

The blade looked utterly ordinary. Its body was about a finger wide, with no markings at all. Above the hilt was a hollow circular opening. It looked a little like Iron Sword's Thunder God Sword from Dragon Ball, a cartoon he had watched on Blue Star in his previous life.

I wonder if Douluo Continent has a Wind God Pearl, a Thunder God Pearl, or a Dragon God Jade?

Maybe if I set one in the opening, my blade would evolve.

At the thought, Song Que chuckled to himself for a moment, then shook his head.

That's wishful thinking.

Heavens, apart from good looks and outstanding talent, you really gave me nothing...