On the competition grounds, the referee turned his gaze toward Cui Yajie instead of immediately declaring Nezha's team the winners. After all, one member of Dai Huabin's team was still on the field.
Cui Yajie stood at the edge of the field, her long pink hair stirring gently in the breeze. Her enchanting eyes swept over the spot where the Hell White Tiger had completely dissipated, then over Dai Huabin lying on the ground and the unconscious Zhu Lu, before finally settling on Nezha.
Her red lips parted, and her clear, melodious voice carried a hint of languid amusement.
"Referee, I concede."
Clean and decisive, without the slightest hesitation.
The referee nodded, drew a deep breath, and announced in a ringing voice, "The champions of the Freshman Assessment knockout tournament are the team from Freshman Class Nine: Nezha, Ning Tian, and Nanmen Yun'er!"
"Yes!"
Ning Tian and Nanmen Yun'er jumped almost simultaneously. Nanmen Yun'er threw her arms around Ning Tian's arm, her short ponytail flying high as she shrieked, "We won, we won, we won!"
Ning Tian swayed under her shaking, yet she could not suppress her smile. Her azure eyes curved into two crescents, and she tilted her head toward the fiery red figure on the field, her gaze as soft as thawing spring waters.
They had won. They were the champions.
Nezha withdrew his martial soul and Soul Tools as well. The Fire-Tipped Spear turned into a streak of crimson light and sank into his palm, while the Wind Fire Wheels slowly dissipated, the scarlet flames and azure wind beneath his feet settling into stillness.
He returned to his usual languid demeanor, slipping both hands into his pockets and walking toward the edge of the field with his black-haired bun tilted slightly to one side.
In this final, he had practically played every trump card currently at his disposal. Apart from Three Heads and Six Arms, he had used everything he had, finally crushing the Hell White Tiger.
Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's Martial Soul Fusion Skill was indeed formidable. An ordinary Soul Elder probably would not have lasted three exchanges. Unfortunately, they had run into him.
The watching students erupted into thunderous applause. They wholeheartedly accepted the Freshman Assessment champions. From the Round-Robin Tournament to the knockout tournament, Nezha's team had steamrolled its way through without a single defeat.
That image of his spear piercing the Martial Soul Fusion Skill in the final against the Hell White Tiger would give them enough to boast about in their dormitories for an entire year.
In a secluded corner of the stands, Dai Huabin had already turned away in silence. His head hung low and his footsteps were heavy, dust and shredded grass still clinging to his white school uniform.
Zhu Lu jogged after him, biting her lip. She wanted to say something, but in the end, she simply walked quietly beside him without looking back.
No one noticed the redness around Dai Huabin's eyes. Ever since childhood, he had been the brightest among his peers-the White Tiger Duke's legitimate son, blessed with extraordinary talent, cherished and protected wherever he went. Yet today, he had lost utterly.
The Hell White Tiger had been crushed head-on, without even the slightest chance of turning the tables. For the first time, he tasted what it meant to be dragged down from a lofty height.
Meanwhile, Mu Jin was beside himself with excitement in the spectator stands.
He stood at the railing, gripping it tightly with both hands. His long, chestnut waves trembled against his shoulders, and his narrow, phoenix-shaped eyes brimmed with irrepressible joy.
He still had not recovered from the sight of Nezha's spear piercing the Hell White Tiger. From the Round-Robin Tournament through the knockout tournament, his heart had been suspended in midair. Now, at last, it had settled firmly back into place.
The other teachers in the stands gathered around him, cupping their hands in congratulations.
"Congratulations, Teacher Mu Jin! Your student Nezha has won the Freshman Assessment championship. It looks like you'll soon qualify for the Senior Teacher rank!"
"Oh, not at all. It's all thanks to the students' excellence." Mu Jin grinned from ear to ear. His words were modest, but he simply could not keep the corners of his mouth down.
Seeing the undisguised envy and jealousy in the eyes of the teachers around him filled him with satisfaction. Especially Zhou Yi's livid face in the corner-even though she had already turned away, her rigid shoulders and white-knuckled fists radiated frustration from afar. Mu Jin was positively delighted.
Ah, having students who are too outstanding is a worry of its own.
Time flew by, and the next morning arrived.
All the freshmen who had passed the assessment assembled in Shrek Square, forming neat ranks as they waited for their upcoming class assignments and Freshman Assessment rewards.
Morning light spilled across the square, illuminating the bronze statue of the First-Generation Shrek Seven Devils and the young, expectant faces below.
Holding a folder, Du Weilun surveyed the young students with a smile.
He had changed into a brand-new white robe that day. The academy emblem on his cuff gleamed faintly in the sunlight, and he looked full of vigor.
"As I'm sure you all know, the Freshman Assessment knockout tournament has concluded, and the final top three teams have been determined."
He opened the folder, his clear voice carrying across the entire square.
"Third place in the Freshman Assessment-the Wu Feng team from Freshman Class Nine. Team members: Wu Feng, Liu Ruyan, and Shi Huang. Step forward!"
Applause rang out.
Wu Feng stepped out of the ranks, her fiery red ponytail swinging high. A measure of pride shone in her crimson eyes, and her stride was brisk and confident. Liu Ruyan and Shi Huang followed to either side, and the three approached Du Weilun shoulder to shoulder before coming to a halt.
As Wu Feng passed Nezha's row, she even turned her head and lifted her chin at him, her expression plainly saying, See? I made it onto the stage too.
"Second place-Dai Huabin's team. Team members: Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and Cui Yajie. Step forward."
Applause rang out again, a little more enthusiastic than before.
Dai Huabin stepped out of the ranks with steady footsteps, though his expression looked rather grim.
His fists were lightly clenched, his gaze fixed straight ahead as he deliberately avoided looking in Nezha's direction. Zhu Lu followed quietly at his side, while Cui Yajie brought up the rear, her long pink hair hanging loose. She paid no attention to the applause around her and even yawned.
Once the three had taken their places, Du Weilun paused briefly before raising his voice to announce the next team.
"The champions of the Freshman Assessment are Nezha's team from Class Nine: Nezha, Ning Tian, and Nanmen Yun'er!"
The instant his words fell, the entire formation of freshmen erupted into cheers. The roar surged in from every side of the square like a tide. Shrieks, cheers, and applause mingled together, almost powerful enough to shatter the clouds overhead.
Among the Outer Court freshmen, Nezha was the undisputed number one. Talent, strength, looks-there was simply no flaw to be found.
His Fire-Tipped Spear had swept through the freshmen without an equal, and his handsome face made it impossible to look away. His black-haired bun shone with an inky luster in the morning light, and a lazy smile lingered at the corner of his lips. As he stepped out of the ranks, the female students on either side nearly went wild.
"Class president!"
"Nezha! Nezha! Nezha!"
Countless girls' shrieks nearly drowned out the applause. Some of the bolder ones shouted, "Nezha, I like you!" outright, drawing laughter from those around them.
The male students were not quite so frenzied, but the admiration and awe in their eyes were genuine. The sight of yesterday's spear thrust piercing the Hell White Tiger would stay with them for a lifetime.
Nezha walked at the front, with Ning Tian and Nanmen Yun'er following at either side.
Ning Tian's long platinum-blond hair fell over her shoulders. Her azure eyes were calm and composed, and a faint smile graced her lips.
Nanmen Yun'er's little face was flushed with excitement, her short ponytail bouncing back and forth. With both hands clasped before her, she matched Nezha's steps as she went onto the stage, every stride feeling like a dream.
The three reached the stage, and Du Weilun smiled at Nezha. He knew perfectly well how much the academy's senior figures valued this prodigy.
From Xuan Zi to Yan Shaozhe, and even those old monsters in the Sea God Pavilion who rarely showed themselves, whose eyes did not light up at the mention of Nezha?
Before you continue