The curtain fell

"All right, referee over there, time to announce the result!" Nezha called to the referee nearby.

"Ahem..."

Only then did the referee snap awake as though from a dream and hurriedly announce at the top of his voice:

"The match is over! The winners are Nezha's team from Freshman Class Nine!"

Even after the announcement, the arena remained silent. Everyone was still immersed in that breathtaking battle, the image of golden and crimson light colliding head-on replaying in their minds, refusing to fade.

With today's battle, Nezha had firmly established his reputation as the strongest freshman.

Ning Tian and Nanmen Yun'er came up from behind him.

"Class monitor, you were amazing!" Stars filled Nanmen Yun'er's eyes, her short ponytail bouncing. The frustration of being forced back by Xiao Xiao had long since flown beyond the ninth heaven, and now she was utterly swept up in the thrill of victory.

Ning Tian looked him up and down, her gaze lingering briefly on the slash across the front of his clothes. Concern filled her azure eyes. "Are you hurt?"

"Tian, that was nothing." Nezha rested the Fire-Tipped Spear on his shoulder and tipped up his head, his black hair gathered in buns, his usual lazy smile playing at his lips. "I'm invincible."

His tone was casual, but the lingering waves of heat around him had yet to disperse. His short crimson cloak fluttered in the wind, framing his sharply defined face and lending him an air of looking down upon the world.

Under the gaze of the entire audience, he slowly led Ning Tian and Nanmen Yun'er off the arena. The Wind Fire Wheels hovered three inches above the ground beneath his feet, crimson flames and azure winds weaving together as the spectators' eyes followed his every step.

"Let's go!"

On the other side, Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao supported each other as they struggled to climb to their feet.

Wang Dong's butterfly wings drooped, their light nearly extinguished. Huo Yuhao's face was as pale as paper, and he had yet to wipe away the blood at the corner of his mouth.

They exchanged a glance, each seeing the same unwillingness to accept defeat in the other's eyes.

Xiao Xiao followed silently behind them, her head lowered, equally dejected.

For the first time, she had felt so powerless in battle. Even her will to fight had been utterly shattered by her opponent's presence.

She would probably never forget the sight of Nezha charging at her with the Fire-Tipped Spear, purple flames dancing on its crimson tip, spear intent coiling around him like a dragon.

Stronger...

Huo Yuhao clenched his fists, his nails digging into his palms, resentment filling his heart. I have to become stronger. How can I ever take revenge as I am now?

"Yuhao, don't be impatient, and don't lose heart." The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's voice drifted through his Sea of Consciousness, offering somewhat languid comfort.

"When you reach rank twenty, I'll give you a heaven-sent opportunity. Once you have a second soul ring with the ultimate ice attribute, you'll be able to pit yourself against even Nezha!"

My second martial soul... Huo Yuhao murmured inwardly, a glimmer of light returning to his deep-blue eyes.

On the raised platform, a trace of eagerness appeared in Yan Shaozhe's eyes as he looked at Nezha. "As expected of ultimate fire. Together with that spear intent, he actually defeated a Martial Soul Fusion Skill head-on. Excellent, excellent."

His determination to keep Nezha at Shrek Academy grew stronger still.

Meanwhile, upon seeing the final result, Mu Jin nearly jumped with excitement.

When he had seen that Huo Yuhao's team actually had a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, he had broken into a cold sweat, squeezing the railing so hard that it had bent out of shape.

Fortunately, once Nezha shattered the Martial Soul Fusion Skill head-on and ended the match, Mu Jin couldn't help letting out a long breath of relief, followed by an overwhelming surge of excitement.

He felt refreshed from head to toe, his mind invigorated. Even his soul power seemed on the verge of breaking through to the next rank. Most importantly, he had finally vented years of pent-up resentment and gained a Soul Bone. Even if it was only a hundred-year Soul Bone, it was still an enormous fortune to Mu Jin.

In contrast to Mu Jin's delight, Zhou Yi's chest heaved with anger at the sight of her students being knocked out of the arena, her face livid. Unwilling to let the matter rest now that he had the upper hand, Mu Jin turned toward Zhou Yi beside him with a beaming smile.

"Teacher Zhou, it seems your students aren't much to speak of. Tsk, tsk." Mu Jin's voice wasn't loud, but every word was clear, and the nearby teachers heard him perfectly. "In that case, Teacher Zhou, I'll gladly accept your Soul Bone. Hahaha!"

With that, Mu Jin laughed in delight, his long, chestnut-colored waves swaying lightly over his shoulders as he leaned back.

At that moment, Xuan Zi swallowed the chicken leg meat in his mouth and spoke leisurely. "I declare Mu Jin the winner of this wager."

Hearing Xuan Zi announce the result, Mu Jin's smile widened, his long phoenix eyes curving into two crescents.

He turned his head with mocking sweetness and lifted his chin toward Zhou Yi. "I have every faith in Teacher Zhou's integrity. I'll be waiting eagerly, then. Hehehe!"

Her face livid, Zhou Yi brushed a hand over the Storage Soul Tool on her wrist and took out a small cloth bag.

Forcing down the pain of parting with it, she pressed her lips into a thin line and flung the bag at Mu Jin irritably. Then she turned and left the platform, her steps quick and heavy, never looking back.

Mu Jin reached out and caught the cloth bag securely. A faint pulse of soul power reached his palm. He glanced down at it, unable to suppress the curve of his lips any longer.

He tucked the bag into his sleeve and turned toward the figure leisurely leaving the arena, feeling utterly satisfied.

My wonderful class monitor, you really delivered!

As the victors, Nezha and his two teammates naturally went to rest and prepare for the afternoon's match.

The losers, of course, had to return to class, though Wang Dong and her teammates probably wouldn't have an easy time of it.

Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao had suffered no serious injuries. Not long after Nezha's team left, they headed together toward the exit of the Assessment Zone.

However, when the three emerged from the Assessment Zone, they found a grim-faced Zhou Yi waiting there.

As the teacher of Freshman Class One, Zhou Yi had suffered a tremendous humiliation this time.

She had made a wager with her old rival Mu Jin during the Round-Robin Tournament and lost a Soul Bone.

Her strongest seeded team had been eliminated in the Top 64, failing even to reach the top thirty-two.

Her chance at a senior teaching title was gone, her financial losses were severe, and she had become a laughingstock.

Each of these blows weighed on Zhou Yi's chest like a stone, pushing her to the brink of an outburst. Though she kept the fluctuations of her soul power extremely subdued, her gloomy presence seemed to chill even the air around her.

"You three, come with me." After saying this, Zhou Yi gave a cold snort, turned, and walked away.

All three felt a chill run down their backs. They exchanged glances before following Zhou Yi.

Zhou Yi's office was at the far end of the third floor of the Martial Soul Department's teaching building. When the door opened, it revealed an extremely simple interior: a desk, a few chairs, and a diagram of soul power circulation hanging on the wall.

She walked behind the desk and sat down, resting her clasped hands on its surface as her cold gaze swept over the three students standing in a row before her.

Zhou Yi subjected the three to a series of lectures and reprimands in her office before finally letting them go.

As though granted a pardon, Huo Yuhao and the others hurriedly turned and left.

The moment the door closed, Xiao Xiao's tears finally fell. Wang Dong patted her shoulder without saying a word.

Huo Yuhao walked at the front, the light from the window at the end of the corridor reflected in his deep-blue eyes, his fists clenched tight.

He would never forget the feeling of losing today for as long as he lived.