Du Weilun and the referees present had no choice but to respect Huo Yuhao's decision.
As Huo Yuhao stepped into the beast-fighting arena, a five-thousand-year Lone Wolf was released from the depths of a cavern beneath it.
Yet what happened next shocked everyone.
A fierce tiger wreathed in ice flames appeared behind Huo Yuhao. Two red Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings rose beneath his feet, and the aura of a king from the borderlands of the Far North erupted, its oppressive might spreading abruptly.
That was right. This was the hundred-thousand-year martial soul and the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring that he and Brother Sky Dream had painstakingly captured using a cicada husk.
However, his second soul ring was not actually a hundred-thousand-year one. It was produced through Simulation.
In an instant, the five-thousand-year Lone Wolf was so terrified it pissed and shat itself. It toppled onto its back, belly facing the sky, and whimpered for mercy.
At this comical sight, Du Weilun and the judging teachers froze.
The students were dumbstruck.
Xu Sanshi and the others stared wide-eyed, as though they had seen a ghost.
Two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings? How was that possible!
The same thought sprang into everyone's mind.
How could two Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings appear on a Soul Grandmaster?
Yet that was precisely what had happened.
Not only was Huo Yuhao's aura terrifyingly powerful, but the aura emanating from his soul rings genuinely came from hundred-thousand-year soul beasts. Some students who had taken part in soul hunting turned deathly pale with fright.
After a brief moment of shock, all the judges awarded him full marks.
Here was another peerless prodigy who could stand shoulder to shoulder with Jiang Chen!
Even setting aside the Hundred Thousand Year Soul Rings, Huo Yuhao's second martial soul was terrifyingly powerful, far surpassing the Evil-Eyed White Tiger martial soul inherited by the Dai Family.
If they were not mistaken, it should be an Ice Flame Tiger, a king of the borderlands of the Far North-a super soul beast worthy of sharing a table with the Vermilion Clear Ice Toad.
Soon, Huo Yuhao left the arena under everyone's stunned gazes. The weakness and helplessness in his eyes were long gone, replaced by an unwavering conviction.
Ten years spent honing a sword; today, he drew it to test its edge.
All Huo Yuhao wanted now was to tell his mother immediately that the timid boy he had once been had grown up.
At last, he had a foundation on which to establish himself at Shrek.
A super martial soul, a super soul ring, and the arrival of Brother Sky Dream and Elder Yi had freed him from his fear.
Now, Huo Yuhao looked at almost everyone through the eyes of the strong. When he glanced back at Dai Huabin, his gaze was filled with cold indifference.
This was his first step toward revenge.
Standing in the crowd, Dai Huabin nearly failed to catch his breath and collapsed.
No!
Why!
Why did this little bastard deserve a martial soul stronger than the Evil-Eyed White Tiger? Huo Yuhao was nothing but a servant's bastard. Why did he deserve a Hundred Thousand Year Soul Ring?
At that moment, Dai Huabin's jealousy reached its peak.
Jiang Chen's strength filled him with despair, but at least Jiang Chen was an outsider with no connection whatsoever to the Duke's Mansion.
Huo Yuhao, however, was different.
This worthless little bastard, whom he had bullied since childhood and whose innate soul power had not even reached rank two, had suddenly become a genius he had to look up to. Who could accept such a reversal?
Dai Huabin knew he could not.
Just then, Zhu Lu tried to soothe him. "Huabin, calm down."
"I can't calm down!" Dai Huabin gritted his teeth and continued, "I will definitely be better than that little bastard."
Zhu Lu sighed silently.
Meanwhile, Jiang Chen had also discovered just how terrifying the Child of Fortune was.
Without the Ice Empress martial soul, he had actually obtained another super martial soul, and its performance was this impressive.
It might not have an ultimate attribute, but it was still stronger than that joke of an Evil-Eyed White Tiger.
Within the Sea of Consciousness, the Ice Empress explained, "Tian Meng truly is the soul beast who understands our Far North best. The Ice Flame Tiger is indeed a rare super martial soul, and it can even counter you to a certain degree."
Counter me?
Jiang Chen was puzzled. He did not understand why the Ice Flame Tiger could counter the Ice Phoenix when the two were clearly on different levels.
The Ice Empress continued, "The Ice Flame Tiger possesses a degree of ice immunity. That is also why this kind of soul beast can survive in the Far North. Since they are nearly extinct, I never paid them much attention."
Jiang Chen's expression grew considerably more serious.
After hearing the Ice Empress's explanation, he understood why Huo Yuhao was so fearless.
So his martial soul had ice immunity.
Still... he possessed not only ultimate ice, but ultimate fire as well, so he was not particularly worried about being countered by Huo Yuhao.
The ones most anxious right now had to be the Dai Family, didn't they?
A mutated Ice Flame Tiger martial soul, driven out of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, had shocked Shrek twelve years later. Wouldn't Dai Hao slap his thigh hard enough to break it?
Before long, the assessment resumed.
The shock Huo Yuhao had brought everyone was firmly etched into their memories, but the upgrade assessment still had to continue.
They could not let Huo Yuhao hold up important business.
As the students entered the arena one after another, the judging teachers gradually regained their composure.
The students all chose soul beasts between one and two thousand years old. This was the normal standard for Shrek students.
If a few more students like Huo Yuhao appeared, the judges' hearts might not be able to take it.
Halfway through the assessment, Jiang Chen entered the arena.
With a solemn expression, Du Weilun asked, "Jiang Chen, what age of soul beast would you like to choose?"
Jiang Chen turned and asked, "Do you have any Titan Giant Apes? Give me a five-thousand-year one."
The corner of Du Weilun's mouth twitched. He shook his head. "No."
Jiang Chen sighed. "A five-thousand-year Sky Azure Bull Python will do, too."
Du Weilun said again, "No."
Jiang Chen asked, "Do you have any five-thousand-year Death Demon Spiders, Soul Devouring Spider Emperors, Diamond Mammoths, Ironclad Rhinoceroses, Great Strength Divine Apes, Medusas, Snake Empresses, Great Strength Vajra Bears, Holy Angel Beasts, Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bears, Demon-Eyed Trees, Emerald Swans, Three-Headed Scarlet Demon Mastiffs, or Sea Princesses?"
Du Weilun's face twitched violently.
Was this brat Jiang Chen here to pick a fight? Every soul beast he had named was a super soul beast. Shrek couldn't capture them even if it wanted to. Those creatures were truly difficult to tame.
If they captured those soul beasts and Di Tian found out, he would go berserk.
Nevertheless, Du Weilun did not get angry. He patiently explained, "All the creatures you mentioned are super soul beasts, and kings among soul beasts at that. Even if you want to challenge them, I can't obtain them for you."
"I know how strong you are. Lower your sights a little and choose something else."
The unspoken meaning was simple: I'm giving you a way to back down, brat. Don't go looking for trouble.
If you really push me too far, I'll go to the Star Dou Great Forest right now and catch a Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear for you, so you can experience how terrifying a super soul beast is.
The students watching nearby also felt Jiang Chen was going a little too far. How could he put the director in such a difficult position?
Everyone knew you were strong, but nobody expected you to be this strong. You actually dared to challenge super soul beasts.
What sane person would dare capture any of those soul beasts? Even if they caught one, they could never tame it.
Why not just invite Beast God Di Tian here for you?
Jiang Chen sighed silently.
Shrek was truly poor. It didn't have this, and it didn't have that. All he wanted was an evenly matched opponent. Why was it so difficult?
Jiang Chen compromised and said calmly, "Then give me an evil soul beast-a Man Faced Demon Spider."
Du Weilun immediately slapped the table and shouted, "Good! Release the five-thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider."
Huh?
Jiang Chen froze for a second, unable to believe Shrek Academy actually had a soul beast like the Man Faced Demon Spider.
Hadn't Tang San wiped them out ten thousand years ago?
Du Weilun chuckled and straightened up. "Our Shrek Academy loves searching for these endangered soul beasts. We happened to catch a few Man Faced Demon Spiders to raise. You're in luck, brat."
"Someone, release the Man Faced Demon Spider!"
Before you continue