Gu Ming: I Choose the Four-Thousand-Year Man Faced Demon Spider

After that name was called, a student stepped out of Freshman Class Five's ranks, saluted Mu Jin with cupped hands, and walked to the exit of the Beast Arena Gate.

Tang Ba said to the training instructor, "Sir, I'm a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster. I choose a five-hundred-year soul beast."

The training instructor nodded slightly.

Immediately afterward, the iron gate in the distance opened, and a terrifying beast roar rang out.

Tang Ba's face instantly tensed.

For them, even the elders in their families rarely had opportunities to fight soul beasts, and this was their own first time.

Soon, a hundred-year Flame Lion King charged out with a roar, pouncing at Tang Ba almost in the blink of an eye.

Soul rings rose beneath Tang Ba's feet as he charged forward with a spear in hand.

In just a few minutes, Tang Ba exchanged dozens of blows with the Flame Lion King, each gaining and losing ground in turn.

In the end, however, Tang Ba still lost.

These children had little experience fighting soul beasts. Doing this well on their first attempt was already quite impressive.

Mu Jin was satisfied as long as they had not wet themselves in fright.

Before long, the training instructor called out one student's name after another. Four gates opened, and their training began.

Watching this unfold, Gu Ming shook his head slightly.

Most of these Shrek freshmen were children of nobles. Their combat experience was hardly worth mentioning, and some performances were downright painful to watch.

They had soul power and soul skills, yet no idea how to put them to use.

Gu Ming then patted Tianjing Beast's head and asked, "Tianjing Beast, was my assessment right?"

Tianjing Beast extended a paw. "Got any meat?"

Gu Ming took out a piece of beast meat. Tianjing Beast wolfed it down and replied, "Master's judgment is supreme."

Gu Ming smiled in satisfaction.

This Divine Weapon beast is really smart.

At that moment, on the spectator stand on the other side, Director of Studies Du Weilun was also watching Freshman Class Five's practical combat training, silently evaluating them.

This year's freshmen were worse than the previous intake. Aside from a few troublemakers, the rest were mediocre.

Du Weilun paid closer attention to Gu Ming's performance because Dean Yan Shaozhe had asked him to keep an eye on the boy.

This child's martial soul was very unusual. Not only was it an intelligent martial soul capable of human speech, but it could also transform.

Nothing so strange had ever appeared throughout the long river of history.

Gu Ming called it a Divine Weapon, but to Du Weilun, that was simply a child's naivety. It was merely a martial soul that could transform, not some Divine Weapon.

After several rounds of training ended.

Mu Jin called out another set of names. "Dai Huabin, Gu Ming, Zhu Lu, Cui Yajie, it's your turn. Choose the soul beasts you'll fight."

Dai Huabin said solemnly, "Sir, I choose a Thousand-Year Soul Beast."

Mu Jin's expression grew extremely grave at those words. He asked seriously, "Dai Huabin, are you sure you want to challenge a Thousand-Year Soul Beast? The slightest carelessness against a beast like that could leave you injured, but the academy respects your choices."

Dai Huabin lifted his chin and said confidently, "Don't worry, sir. I won't disgrace you."

Mu Jin could only agree. He then turned to Zhu Lu and Cui Yajie and asked which soul beasts they wanted to fight.

Zhu Lu said, "I choose a nine-hundred-year one."

Cui Yajie followed with, "Sir, I choose a four-hundred-year one."

"And you?"

Mu Jin's gaze shifted to Gu Ming, hoping the Class Monitor of Class Five under her charge would give her a pleasant surprise.

Gu Ming said confidently, "Sir, I choose a four-thousand-year soul beast, one with a powerful bloodline. That's the only way to draw out the potential within me."

This time, a grave expression appeared on Mu Jin's face.

Dai Huabin choosing a Thousand-Year Soul Beast did not surprise her. That was only fitting for a duke's son. But Gu Ming challenging a four-thousand-year soul beast with a powerful bloodline was truly no laughing matter.

If something went wrong, he could even be seriously injured.

Yet Mu Jin could not simply refuse Gu Ming, either, because this child really was outstanding. At the very least, he had earned Mu Jin's recognition.

So Mu Jin asked again, "Are you sure?"

"Absolutely!"

Gu Ming answered without hesitation, his gaze resolute, and stroked Tianjing Beast's head.

"Very well!"

Mu Jin turned to the training instructor beside her. "Sorry for the trouble, but please ask Elder Gong for approval. One of my students wants to challenge a four-thousand-year soul beast. I remember the Beast Arena has a Man Faced Demon Spider in captivity. Let's use that one."

"P-please wait a moment."

The training instructor hurried into the Beast Arena, astonishment written all over his face.

A freshman challenging a four-thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider was truly a rare sight.

At the very least, students who had successfully completed such a challenge were scarce over the past several hundred years.

Even Du Weilun, watching from the stands, narrowed his eyes and murmured to himself, "A four-thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider... It's been a long time since anyone dared to challenge one. Can this child really give me a surprise?"

No one answered that question. Perhaps only Gu Ming himself could.

Down in the arena, every student in Freshman Class Five's ranks was stunned.

Dai Huabin turned toward Gu Ming and exclaimed, "Are you crazy? What if you die? I mean you dying, not the soul beast!"

Zhu Lu chimed in, "I know you want to prove yourself, but that's a Man Faced Demon Spider. Even Ancestor Tang San nearly died at one's hands back then."

Cui Yajie, whose martial soul was the Little Fox Martial Soul, urged him, "Why don't you choose something else? We're all classmates. We don't want anything to happen to you. Otherwise, who's going to stand up to Zhou Yi?"

A smile appeared on Gu Ming's face at their words. "Do you really want to see me lose that badly? I'm confident I can handle it. Isn't that right, Tianjing Beast? There's always hope."

At the thought of its master giving it meat, Tianjing Beast said confidently, "Right! With enough hope, we can succeed."

At the same time, Tianjing Beast also sent its master a mental message.

With enough power of hope, Tianjing Beast could transform into the Hope Tianjing Sword and attain its golden form. Then it would possess limitless power of hope.

After receiving this answer, Gu Ming's gaze grew even more resolute.

Before long, the training instructor brought out an old man dressed entirely in beast-hide clothing, with the scent of wild beasts clinging to him.

That was something only years of dealing with soul beasts could produce.

The newcomer was none other than Beast King Gong Changlong.

Gong Changlong swept his gaze over Freshman Class Five's students and asked, "Who wants to challenge the four-thousand-year Man Faced Demon Spider? Step forward and let this old man have a look."

"Senior, it's me."

Gu Ming stepped forward and spoke.

Gong Changlong first looked Gu Ming over, then exclaimed in surprise, "What a solid foundation. Your soul power is exceptionally robust, too. You're a promising seedling. Go ahead and take the challenge, then."

With that, he leaped up and sat beside Du Weilun to watch.

The training instructor then asked, "Are you all ready?"

"Ready!"

Gu Ming and the other three stood at their respective gates and answered in unison.

"Roar!"

The sound of charging footsteps came from the pitch-black passageways, accompanied by the aura of powerful soul beasts.

Dai Huabin faced a thousand-year Red Tiger, a fire-attribute soul beast with formidable combat strength that had defeated many outer court students.

Facing this Red Tiger, Dai Huabin immediately completed Martial Soul Possession and clenched his fists.

This time, he would prove himself.

Even if Gu Ming overshadowed him, Dai Huabin would prove that the White Tiger Duke's son was no coward.

Fuck!!