Chapter 30

The ground of the assessment arena was torn open, leaving a trench.

Wang Dong's first Soul Skill struck it, but had no effect at all.

At the edge of the arena, Cui Yajie, the third member of Dai Huabin's team, spotted an opening.

She darted toward Huo Yutong's flank.

Huo Yutong's Spiritual Detection had already caught her movement, but before she could speak, Ye Tianming stepped in front of her.

"Play around all you want."

"But you dare try a sneak attack?"

Ye Tianming gave a cold snort.

"Third Soul Skill: Azure Dragon Thunderclap Claw!"

With a single blow, Cui Yajie was blasted off the arena and knocked unconscious.

The entire crowd fell silent.

Then Ye Tianming spoke quietly to Huo Yutong.

"Yutong, your turn. Don't hold back this time."

At his words, Huo Yutong immediately took Wang Dong's wrist.

"Golden Road!!!"

Golden light exploded outward.

A dazzling pillar of gold, trailing golden dust across the sky, shot straight from the two of them toward the Hell White Tiger.

Where the golden light passed, it plowed a thirty-meter trench half a meter deep through the ground. The bricks and stones on either side gleamed in its radiance.

Mental Interference slowed the Hell White Tiger for a split second. That split second was enough. It could no longer dodge.

"BOOM!!!!"

Just then, a figure descended from the sky and landed between the two attacks.

It was Du Weilun, director of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department teaching office.

He raised a palm to meet the Golden Road. The golden pillar slammed into his hand, driving him back half a step as his robes shredded inch by inch.

Then the Hell White Tiger's claws arrived.

They raked viciously across his back, leaving three gashes deep enough to expose bone.

"Director Du!!!"

The crowd cried out. As the smoke cleared, everyone saw the wounds on Du Weilun's back, and their faces changed.

"The Hell White Tiger wounded Director Du... Dai Huabin's team won!!!"

"No, both Martial Soul Fusion Skills hit him. It should depend on which one was more—"

The crowd erupted into argument, and a victorious smile appeared on Dai Huabin's face.

Beside him, Zhu Lu secretly let out a breath of relief.

The next moment, Du Weilun's voice rang out above the assessment arena.

He did not speak loudly, but everyone heard him clearly.

"I declare!"

"The final champions of the Freshman Assessment elimination tournament are..."

"Ye Tianming's team!!"

The crowd went still, then broke into an uproar.

On the arena, Dai Huabin's eyes instantly turned red.

"On what grounds!!!!"

"My Hell White Tiger was the one that wounded Director Du!"

"Why do they win?"

Du Weilun slowly turned to face Dai Huabin, his gaze frighteningly calm.

"You think your Hell White Tiger was what injured me?"

He pointed to the claw marks on his back.

"With the defenses of an Eight-Ring Soul Douluo, a three-ring Soul Elder like you and a two-ring Soul Grandmaster like Zhu Lu couldn't harm a hair on my body, even if your fused Hell White Tiger struck me head-on."

"These wounds only happened because the Golden Road hit me head-on and weakened the Soul Power protecting my body to its limit. Your Hell White Tiger merely followed up."

"The Hell White Tiger is powerful. No one denies that."

"But you were hit by Huo Yutong's mental attack. In that state, you could never have dodged a direct hit from the Golden Road."

"And if it had hit you head-on, you would have lost without question. You might even have been seriously injured."

"So Ye Tianming's team deserves the championship!"

The assessment arena fell quiet for a moment, then erupted in cheers that rose like mountains and roared like the sea.

"We're the champions!"

Wang Dong was the first to leap up. She grabbed Huo Yutong and Ye Tianming, and the three of them shouted and laughed in the arena.

At some point, Zhou Yi had rushed down from the raised platform. The usually stern teacher was as excited as a child as she swept all three into her arms.

"Well done! Well done!"

Huo Yutong could barely breathe in the embrace, but her eyes reddened.

Through the crowd, she saw Dai Huabin's ashen face and Zhu Lu's lowered head.

Suddenly, it felt as though the weight pressing on her chest had finally lifted.

Dai Huabin stood where he was, staring at the three celebrating in the arena. His nails dug into his palms.

Last time, he had lost to Ye Tianming, who had Innate Full Soul Power and a top-tier Beast Martial Soul. He had accepted that.

But this time, he had lost to a bastard he had never respected...

Next time... I will not lose!

Dai Huabin stood there and swore each word to himself.

The next morning, the freshman assembly was held in Shrek Square.

Du Weilun, director of the Martial Soul Department teaching office, stood at the center of the platform with a file in hand. Smiling, he made his announcement.

"The Freshman Assessment has concluded. I will now formally announce the top three teams."

"Third place: Huang Chutian's team."

"Second place: Dai Huabin's team."

The applause was scattered. Not one of Dai Huabin's three teammates showed any joy. Dai Huabin, in particular, kept his fists clenched and his head lowered, his thoughts unreadable.

"First place: Ye Tianming's team!!!!!"

Applause thundered. As Huo Yutong, Wang Dong, and Ye Tianming walked toward the platform, the cheers of the first-year students nearly lifted the square off its foundations.

Standing on the platform, Huo Yutong swept her gaze over the crowd and met Dai Huabin's eyes, which were full of resentment.

He was staring straight at her. Before, she would have instinctively shrunk behind Tianming.

This time, Huo Yutong straightened her back and met his gaze without retreating a single step.

On the platform, Du Weilun continued.

"In light of the outstanding freshmen who emerged during this year's competition, the academy has specially approved several students to become Core Disciples of the Outer Court."

"The list is as follows: Ye Tianming, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, Zhou Sichen, Cao Jinxuan, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, Ning Tian, and Wu Feng."

"Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao..."

Huo Yutong repeated the names softly, but a terrible premonition suddenly rose in her heart.

Sure enough, after reading the names, Du Weilun closed the folder.

"That concludes the announcement."

Huo Yutong froze. It felt as though someone had seized her heart.

There were three members on the championship team. Tianming and Wang Dong had both become Core Disciples.

Even Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu, who had placed second, were on the list. But Huo Yutong was not.

Below the platform, people had already begun whispering.

The color slowly drained from Huo Yutong's face. She pressed her lips together, her nails digging into her palms.

"Among the freshmen who took part in the assessment, some showed excellent performance despite shortcomings in talent and ability."

"The academy has therefore decided to grant them the privileges of Core Disciples until the end of this academic year."

"The list is as follows: Huo Yutong, Cui Yajie, Huang Chutian, Long Xiangyue, and Nanmen Yun'er."

Core Disciple privileges...

Huo Yutong lowered her head and repeated those words to herself.

One ring. She looked down at the yellow Soul Ring beneath her feet, and suddenly found it painful to look at.