As Huo Yuhao activated Spiritual Sharing Detection, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu unleashed their Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Outside the Assessment Area, there was a spot from which the arena could be seen in the distance.
Dai Yueheng was watching the match from there as well. He had enlisted his former homeroom teacher's help to secure the spot, though he could only make out the broad outlines of what was happening.
That was enough for Dai Yueheng, however. He was only here to see whether Huo Yuhao's abilities made him worth taking on as an ally.
After all, Dai Huabin's advantage was considerable. He was the only member of this generation of the Dai Family who possessed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. Unless someone demolished that advantage, it was only a matter of time before he carried more weight in Dai Hao's heart than Dai Yueheng did.
What Dai Yueheng pursued would not clash with Huo Yuhao's goals, but it would certainly clash with Dai Huabin's. At their core, the two brothers occupied the same niche.
Hopefully, Huo Yuhao won't look too pathetic handling this. He's a Soul Ancestor, whatever else you might say. A Martial Soul Fusion Skill from a Soul Elder and a Soul Grandmaster shouldn't take him out in an instant, right?
Dai Yueheng watched while muttering inwardly to himself, only to witness something that left him utterly dumbfounded.
Without any assistance whatsoever, Huo Yuhao had actually withstood the Hell White Tiger's attack using nothing but the enhancement from his first Soul Skill.
From Dai Yueheng's perspective, the sight was almost comical. Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's Hell White Tiger was far larger than an ordinary freshman.
A single tiger paw was roughly the size of Huo Yuhao's head.
With such a disparity in size, the sight of Huo Yuhao holding off Dai Huabin's Hell White Tiger had an absurd, almost ridiculous quality.
It was not just Dai Yueheng in the distance who was stunned. Xiao Xiao was dumbfounded as well. The sight packed such a visual punch that her mind, which had precious little actual combat experience to begin with, simply froze.
"Hit him, Xiao Xiao! Hit him!"
Although Huo Yuhao was handling things with ease and could firmly suppress the Hell White Tiger, he still wanted to give Xiao Xiao some practice and, while he was at it, let her share a little of the spotlight so he would not stand out like a crane among chickens. Thus, he called out to remind her.
Only then did Xiao Xiao snap awake as though from a dream. She hurriedly raised her hands, and three Soul-Calming Cauldrons began revolving around her.
Although Huo Yuhao's visually stunning display had briefly left Xiao Xiao frozen, she reacted immediately after his reminder. Rather than rushing to attack, her three Soul-Calming Cauldrons kept a firm watch on the opponent's movements through the vision provided by Spiritual Detection.
As a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the Hell White Tiger would normally have little trouble fighting opponents of the same age. But with the enhancement from his first Soul Skill, Huo Yuhao's attributes were already approaching those of an ordinary low-level Soul King.
With that gap in cultivation, things were no longer so smooth for the Hell White Tiger.
As Xiao Xiao watched the Hell White Tiger's movements, she was also adjusting to the changes in her vision brought about by Spiritual Detection.
The moment Huo Yuhao swung the Hell White Tiger into the air, the Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron flew out in unison under Xiao Xiao's control, smashing straight into its waist.
The Hell White Tiger's eyes visibly bulged. That blow had clearly hit it hard.
Huo Yuhao seized the opportunity to activate the fourth skill within his fourth Soul Skill, and razor-sharp claw light extended from his right hand.
The claws projected by his spiritual power pierced the Hell White Tiger's chest like a hot knife through butter.
Like a lake struck by a thrown stone, the Hell White Tiger rippled violently in an instant, and Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu fell to the ground.
With their Martial Soul Fusion Skill broken, both Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu looked terrible. A splash of blood stained Dai Huabin's chest as he stared at Huo Yuhao, his face as pale as gold paper.
Xiao Xiao naturally withdrew her Three-Life Soul-Suppressing Cauldron. There was no need to steal Huo Yuhao's thunder now. Her gaze turned toward Wang Dong, who had already forced Cui Yajie into a corner and was merely waiting to deliver the final blow.
"Still not admitting defeat?"
Huo Yuhao glanced at the fight between Wang Dong and Cui Yajie, then turned back to Dai Huabin and asked.
Dai Huabin gritted his teeth and said,
"Stop looking down on me!"
As he spoke, the tiger's form emerged over his body again, and he lunged at Huo Yuhao on unsteady feet.
A wisp of Qiongqi flame coiled around Huo Yuhao's hand as he caught Dai Huabin by the abdomen. Pain immediately flashed through Dai Huabin's eyes, and he looked up at Huo Yuhao.
Although Huo Yuhao's feelings for Huo Yun'er were not particularly deep, and he often looked down on the way she disregarded herself for love, she was still his birth mother.
Time to collect some interest, he thought. Then he jerked his arm and hurled Dai Huabin away.
"Huabin!"
Zhu Lu let out a desperate cry and hurriedly lunged toward the airborne Dai Huabin. Then, seeing Huo Yuhao approach, she abruptly launched a flying kick at him.
Huo Yuhao caught Zhu Lu's ankle in one hand. Qiongqi fire climbed from her ankle to her Dantian, and she immediately felt her entire body go limp, shuddering involuntarily.
Without the slightest courtesy, Huo Yuhao violently flung her away.
The referee was already in position and caught Zhu Lu securely, sparing her a second injury from hitting the ground.
Huo Yuhao did not pursue her. He merely glanced at the referee before silently taking a step back.
"I hereby declare that the Knockout Tournament of this Freshman Assessment has officially concluded. Our champions have been decided: Team Huo Yuhao!"
At that moment, the grade director, Du Weilun, stepped down from the raised platform and made the announcement in a loud voice.
On another raised platform, Dai Yueheng, who had taken in everything, smiled in satisfaction before heading down.
There would also be an award ceremony for the Knockout Tournament portion of the Freshman Assessment, but that was tomorrow's business. Tonight should have been a victory banquet. However, Huo Yuhao had received an invitation from Dai Yueheng to meet outside for a talk, so he found an excuse to decline the banquet.
When Huo Yuhao opened the door to the teahouse's private room, Dai Yueheng was already seated inside. As Huo Yuhao pushed the door open, Dai Yueheng turned toward the entrance.
"Sorry for interrupting your victory banquet."
Dai Yueheng smiled with refined composure. Huo Yuhao merely shrugged and sat down opposite him, legs planted wide. Waving a hand, he said,
"Cut the fucking crap. If you have something to say, say it. The fact that I came means I don't care whether tonight's celebration got interrupted."
Dai Yueheng did not get angry. He simply smiled, poured himself a cup of tea, and took a sip before saying to Huo Yuhao,
"Congratulations on taking first place among the freshmen. You defeated our family's Hell White Tiger head-on. What a chance to hold your head high. What a chance indeed."
Huo Yuhao lifted his eyelids slightly and said to Dai Yueheng,
"You're from Shrek's Inner Court, so why are you spouting so much nonsense? If you have something to say, say it..."
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