Generous rewards

The outcome of the match had long since been decided-although Wang Dong and Qi Xuan could no longer fight, Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao were still left standing and breathing.

The opposing Hell White Tiger had fallen apart the instant the beam struck it, leaving only Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu, both golden from head to toe and already unconscious.

Clap, clap, clap. Yan Shaozhe rose from his seat among the judges and applauded the spectacular final.

Following the dean's lead, everyone in the audience stood and gave them a thunderous ovation.

Du Weilun, the Outer Court's director of studies, personally stepped onto the stage and amplified his voice with soul power. "I hereby announce that the ultimate winner of this year's Freshmen Assessment Tournament is-Team Qi Xuan!"

Then a teacher rose from the judges' seats. Seven soul rings lit up around him, and with a sudden transformation, he became a towering tree.

Martial Soul Avatar, Life Ancient Tree!

This was a healing system Soul Saint, who personally treated the injured freshmen.

Bathed in the emerald radiance, injuries like Qi Xuan's damaged muscles and bones and Wang Dong's exhaustion from overexertion healed at astonishing speed.

Even Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu visibly improved.

Just then, a shower of tiny golden flecks drifted over from the direction of Sea God Lake, enveloping the arena.

Warm and gentle.

That was Qi Xuan's first impression. To his surprise, nourished by the golden light, not only did his physical injuries heal completely, but even the strength of his soul increased a little.

This was no power of the Life Ancient Tree. Even the tree's leaves grew a few shades brighter as it bathed in that radiance.

Yan Shaozhe looked up toward Sea God Island in surprise. He knew this aura all too well-it was unmistakably the power of the Golden Tree on Sea God Island.

How had it spread all the way here?

He turned and hurriedly exchanged a few words with Du Weilun, then vanished in a flash.

Du Weilun remained to announce the arrangements to follow: the freshmen would all be reassigned to classes the next morning and receive their rewards for the Freshmen Assessment Tournament.

"We're the champions!"

The four cheered and embraced, celebrating their hard-won victory.

Dai Huabin had already awakened and stood to one side, utterly crestfallen. He had never imagined that even after unleashing his trump card, the Hell White Tiger, he would still lose to them.

The anguish of defeat knotted in his heart. For the first time in his twelve years of life, he had tasted failure's bitter fruit.

The next day, beside Sea God Lake.

This year's five hundred-odd students were divided into three classes.

Class One consisted of power attack system and control system Soul Masters; Class Two consisted of defense system and agility attack system Soul Masters; Class Three comprised support system, healing system, and assorted other martial souls that were difficult to classify.

Finally, under everyone's eager gaze, they awaited the academy's presentation of the awards.

In previous years, Du Weilun had always handled this, but this time, Shrek Academy's dean, Yan Shaozhe, had actually come to present the awards himself.

With his hair and beard both white, Yan Shaozhe smiled at the excited freshmen below.

"Hello, everyone. I'm Yan Shaozhe."

"After your three months of study at Shrek Academy, I'm delighted to have seen you display your brilliance in the Freshman Tournament. I also hope you'll build on your efforts, continue improving your cultivation and broadening your horizons, and attain even greater achievements."

"Now, I announce the third-place finishers in the Freshman Tournament: Xie Huanyue, Cui Yajie, Cao Jinxuan, and Zhou Sichen. Their reward is four fine-grade vouchers for the Treasure Gathering Pavilion."

A chorus of sharp gasps rose.

The Treasure Gathering Pavilion was Shrek City's commercial hub, housing all manner of treasures: medicinal pills, rare metals, natural treasures, and even soul bones might appear there.

Four fine-grade vouchers meant that Xie Huanyue and the others could take four treasures rated [Fine] from the Treasure Gathering Pavilion.

Their delight was written all over their faces. Many things could not be bought even with money.

"The runners-up in the Freshman Tournament: Dai Huabin, Ning Tian, Zhu Lu, and Wu Feng. Their reward is four precious-grade vouchers for the Treasure Gathering Pavilion."

Not only the students, but even the teachers present felt their hearts stir.

Precious-grade treasures from the Treasure Gathering Pavilion could often fetch tens of thousands of Gold Soul Coins at outside auction houses.

"Finally, our champion team: Qi Xuan, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Huo Yuhao. Their reward is four supreme-grade vouchers for the Treasure Gathering Pavilion, along with one soul bone!"

When the words "soul bone" left Yan Shaozhe's mouth, many of the freshmen felt their scalps prickle.

Countless people never saw a single soul bone in their entire lives, yet one was being awarded to a group of Soul Masters only in their twenties and thirties in level.

Yan Shaozhe smiled faintly. "We look forward to every student developing their talents here at Shrek. There will be many more competitions like this in the future. Those behind must not lose heart, and those ahead must not let up. I hope all of you make great strides."

Du Weilun stepped forward. "You four, come with me to collect your soul bone."

In truth, he was also filled with shock. The Freshman Tournament's rewards had originally been nowhere near this lavish, but Yan Shaozhe had suddenly sought him out last night and greatly increased them. He had offered only one brief explanation.

The Sea God Pavilion.

At noon the previous day, after sensing the Golden Tree's aura, Yan Shaozhe had immediately flown to Sea God Island in a blazing hurry.

That was Shrek's very source. Nothing could be allowed to go wrong there.

He strode into the Sea God Pavilion to investigate, only to see an old man reclining there.

The old man's eyes were half closed. "Shaozhe, have you made further progress lately?"

Despite being Shrek Academy's dean and a Super Douluo, Yan Shaozhe stopped respectfully and bowed to the old man before him. "Mine is but the light of a firefly. I wouldn't dare compare myself with you, Teacher."

Had Huo Yuhao been there, he would certainly have recognized the elderly man Yan Shaozhe called Teacher as the very same old man who reclined by the dormitory entrance and whom he greeted every day.

He was the current Sea God Pavilion Master, the Level 99 Limit Douluo, Dragon God Douluo Mu En.

Mu En's voice remained calm. "I know why you've come. I was the one who spread the Golden Tree's energy over there."

Yan Shaozhe did not question Mu En's plans. He merely stood respectfully and asked, "But Teacher, the Golden Tree is the academy's core. Letting its energy disperse so readily..."

Mu En began to cough. "Shaozhe, your talent and innate aptitude are both excellent, but your perspective is still somewhat narrow. Come, sit down and let's talk."

Yan Shaozhe sat upright and attentive. "Please enlighten me, Teacher."

"Just as seeds sprouting, flowering, and bearing fruit are all part of nature's laws, this amount of energy is no more than shaking off a few leaves to the Golden Tree. Besides, it was given to our own students. Why begrudge it?"

Yan Shaozhe remained silent. He felt there was more beneath Mu En's words.

"Shaozhe, what is Shrek's school motto?"

"We accept only monsters, not ordinary people," Yan Shaozhe replied without the slightest hesitation.

This ideal had come from Shrek's founding dean, Four-Eyed Cat Owl Flender, and had been passed down within Shrek Academy for a full ten thousand years.

Mu En lifted his gaze toward the window. "Shaozhe, you've been dean for so long..."

"Have there ever been times when you felt those words were wrong?"