Soon, Jiang Chen returned to the familiar Dormitory 109 and met up with his roommates.
After a holiday apart, everyone had changed considerably. Jiang Chen's breakthrough to four rings, in particular, shocked the entire dormitory.
Meanwhile, Huo Yuhao had returned as well.
He had succeeded!
With Brother Sky Dream's help, he had successfully obtained his second martial soul, the "Ice Flame Tiger."
Like the Vermilion Clear Ice Toad, this kind of soul beast was a king surviving in the cracks of the Far North. It lacked the ultimate ice attribute, but possessed ultimate ice immunity, making it the perfect choice for Huo Yuhao.
Originally, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm had envisioned an Ice Jade Scorpion. He had thought that even if they could not obtain the Ice Empress, they should at least obtain one of her clansmen.
In the end, however, Tian Meng had followed Huo Yuhao's wishes and chosen a tiger-type martial soul so he could prove himself.
With a tiger-type martial soul, Huo Yuhao could establish himself as the duke's son, giving him a rightful claim to seek revenge in the future.
At that moment, Huo Yuhao stood outside the dormitory door, gazing at Jiang Chen's back as he muttered, "This time, I'll definitely shock you. And Dai Huabin, I'll grind you beneath my feet and show you what I'm capable of!"
"Brother Sky Dream, can I do it?"
Inside the Sea of Consciousness, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm immediately began flattering him. "Our Yuhao is the best! My road to godhood is just around the corner. Now that you have ice immunity, you won't necessarily be at a disadvantage even against Jiang Chen."
"Of course, don't go looking for a beating right now. Just let that clown Dai Huabin go get thrashed. What you need is time to grow. Once you're fully developed, Jiang Chen naturally won't be your match."
"Remember, you have twin martial souls, while Jiang Chen only has one. It's obvious who'll go further in the future. You're the true chosen one, the Child of Fortune!"
Electrolux agreed. "The big bug is right. You remind me of myself."
After that round of praise, Huo Yuhao grew even more full of himself.
Talent decided everything, not effort!
He would definitely catch up to Jiang Chen, then take revenge on the White Tiger Duke's Mansion and make that man repent before his mother.
That goal could never change!
Early that morning, Shrek Academy regained its usual bustle. The students returning from their holidays plunged back into their demanding studies, preparing for the upcoming upgrade assessment.
Jiang Chen rose bright and early and headed to the classroom, where he happened to encounter the returning Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and the others.
Oh, and that petty bastard Dai Huabin.
Ever since the Freshman Assessment ended, they had been assigned to the same class. They were bound to run into one another, whether they looked up or down.
He and Huo Yuhao were merely competitors. Meeting Dai Huabin, however, meant coming face-to-face with an enemy.
At that moment.
Dai Huabin sat in his seat with his teeth clenched, his desire to kill that little bastard Huo Yuhao and Jiang Chen reaching its peak.
At most, he hated Huo Yuhao. Toward Jiang Chen, however, he truly harbored murderous intent.
During the Freshman Assessment, Jiang Chen had broken two of his ribs, leaving him bedridden in the infirmary for half a month and trampling the dignity of a duke's son.
That humiliation alone was enough to warrant murderous intent.
If his elder brother had not forbidden him from using the family's power, Jiang Chen would never have been sitting there unharmed.
Just then, Jiang Chen turned around and stared straight at Dai Huabin. "A whole holiday apart, and your strength hasn't improved, but your eyes are even more venomous. Did I steal your wife?"
"What, planning to use the Duke's Mansion's power to get rid of me?"
Dai Huabin snorted and replied coolly, "That's all in your imagination. I'm not that sort of person. I disdain using my family's power. I'll compete with you and defeat you."
Jiang Chen chuckled and replied calmly, "Been having too many daydreams and remembered you're a descendant of the God of War again? Let me tell you something. The martial soul I inherited is the Ice Phoenix, from Shui Bing'er-the very woman who beat your family's God of War and the Sea God so badly ten thousand years ago that they questioned their lives."
"If you truly had an ultimate attribute, I'd think you had some ability. But if you can't see the situation clearly, you'll only bring humiliation upon yourself."
Dai Huabin said nothing.
He held grudges, and he repaid even the slightest offense.
He wrote this humiliation down in his little mental ledger. One day, he would make Jiang Chen repay it a hundredfold, a thousandfold, ten thousandfold.
Before long, Wang Yan and another gold-medal teacher from the Outer Court entered the classroom.
As soon as he entered, Wang Yan put down his lesson plan and clasped his hands behind his back. "After a term apart, all of you have improved considerably. That's something I'm glad to see, because I don't want to see any student fail the upgrade assessment."
"Let me briefly explain the upgrade assessment. This time, it will take place in the Beast Fighting Zone. The academy has captured soul beasts of various ages and brought them there specifically for senior students to train and gain practical combat experience."
"This afternoon, you'll choose soul beasts in the Beast Fighting Zone for your assessments. Teachers from the Martial Soul Department will score your performances. A score of sixty or above will allow you to pass the upgrade assessment."
"Also, don't choose a soul beast whose strength doesn't match your own, and don't choose one that's too weak."
"One final point: losing a fight doesn't mean you'll be eliminated. The academy primarily judges your performance. Losing doesn't mean you've failed completely. Does everyone understand?"
As soon as he finished speaking, the students nodded in unison.
Hearing that they would fight soul beasts face-to-face filled them with both anticipation and fear.
At last, they could face soul beasts in battle and improve their combat skills.
Jiang Chen's eyes flickered with interest.
It seemed he had very little experience fighting soul beasts. Most of his battles had been against soul masters.
Mainly, his cultivation had been far too smooth sailing. Even in the Star Dou Great Forest, he had never fought a soul beast. The most dangerous situation he had encountered was the accident that occurred while Xuan Zi was leading their group.
But he had run away that time.
Standing at the lectern, Wang Yan listened to the students' responses and nodded in satisfaction.
Then he picked up his lesson plan and began explaining new theoretical knowledge.
"Soul beasts can mate with humans."
"A guide to raising members of the Dragon Race."
"Postpartum care for sows."
"How Clear Sky Douluo fell in love with the Blue Silver Emperor."
These were all new topics he had compiled from the Shrek Library and planned to teach the students.
When the bell rang at the end of class, Wang Yan still felt he had more to say.
But even the most fascinating theoretical knowledge would have to wait until tomorrow.
Jiang Chen slumped over his desk, his mind filled with all sorts of bizarre things.
What kind of freakish theories was Wang Yan teaching? These people at Shrek really never put their brains to proper use.
With a perfectly good Coiling Dragon Staff martial soul, he ought to be cultivating.
"Jiang Chen!"
Just then, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu walked over.
Jiang Chen gave them no welcoming look and said flatly, "Want to make another bet with me?"
Dai Huabin froze. How did you know?
Before he had even spoken, Jiang Chen already knew why he had come. It was utterly baffling.
Still, having his intentions exposed did not anger Dai Huabin.
This time, he would settle the score, reclaim every bit of glory that belonged to him, and trample Jiang Chen beneath his feet.
So what if Jiang Chen had broken through to four rings?
Jiang Chen's score would never exceed his.
That was the confidence of a duke's son, bolstered by the God of War bloodline.
Before you continue