Four Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas?

Leaving tactics aside, on the third day of the competition, Jiang Hai's group was indeed transferred to another arena and randomly matched against five entirely new teams.

Originally, their five wins in five matches would have qualified Jiang Hai's team to hold the arena as the seeded team in the Forty-Ninth District. But the district's overall performance had been too poor, so they had to challenge teams in other arenas instead.

And today, they had to complete all five challenges!

The Ninth District was the arena Jiang Hai and the others had drawn. Ma Xiaotao really had hit the nail on the head: its reigning team was one of the three freshman teams led by a Soul Elder, a genuine seeded team.

"Luckily, only their Support System Soul Master is a Soul Elder. We'd really be unlucky if we ran into a Power Attack System or Control System Soul Elder!" Sun Yunhai said.

The gap between a Soul Elder and a Soul Grandmaster was enormous. Beyond the difference in soul power levels, the greater divide lay in the thousand-year soul ring. Any Shrek Academy freshman who reached Level 30 or higher before the first-year Freshman Assessment was bound to have a thousand-year third soul ring.

Chen Yong, however, said dismissively, "So what if she's a Soul Elder? What's there to be afraid of? If Boss makes his move, even three Soul Elders wouldn't be enough for him!"

Chen Yong had witnessed Jiang Hai's terrifying strength firsthand. And after three months, he had no idea how much more terrifying his boss had become!

Jiang Hai shook his head. "I don't want you relying on me to win the round-robin matches. The Freshman Assessment isn't much of a challenge for me, but it's a chance for you two to temper yourselves. So I still won't be going all out."

Then Jiang Hai smiled. "And don't feel pressured. There's an advantage to facing new opponents: hardly anyone knows our tactics. The freshman schedule is packed, and our Forty-Ninth District is notoriously weak, so basically no one pays attention to us. That means we can keep using all our old tactics! So what if she's a Soul Elder? They're still just flowers raised in a greenhouse!"

That was true. Remembering their tactics, Sun Yunhai and Chen Yong looked much less tense.

"Let's go. Looks like our luck is pretty good-we're challenging the seeded team right off the bat. Yunhai, give it your best. Today is your stage!" Only when the referee urged them on did Jiang Hai pat Sun Yunhai's shoulder and lead his team onto the Soul Fighting Arena.

After glancing at both teams, the referee announced, "Freshman Assessment, Ninth District, first match of the sixth round. Freshman Class Nine's Ning Tian Team versus Freshman Class One's Jiang Hai Team. Both sides, get ready!"

All six members of the two teams stepped onto the arena together.

Their opponents were three girls, all very pretty. Though young, they had already begun to develop, and even in their freshman uniforms, they showed the beginnings of slender, graceful figures.

At the front stood a girl with large, water-blue eyes and short blond hair, looking neat and brisk.

Behind her, the girl on the left had short hair as red as fire and equally rare red eyes, delicate features, and skin like jade.

The moment Chen Yong saw her, he could hardly tear his eyes away. Sensing his gaze, the red-haired girl's eyes filled with disgust and disdain.

Jiang Hai patted Chen Yong's shoulder and asked curiously in a low voice, "Yong, taken a fancy to her?"

"I... no..." Chen Yong lowered his head shyly and murmured.

To the red-haired girl's right stood a delicate, fragile-looking girl who stirred pity at a glance. Her features were just as exquisite, and her long, pale-green hair spilled down her back.

"Both sides, introduce yourselves!" the referee said evenly.

This step was optional. Usually, a referee would only ask for introductions if he felt the teams were evenly matched and both showed considerable potential.

"H-hello. My name is Chen Yong, Freshman Class One, Level 22 Pow... Support System Battle Soul Master!" Chen Yong immediately blurted out his name and strength in a fluster, nearly reciting his ID number as well.

Jiang Hai shook his head helplessly and chuckled softly to Sun Yunhai beside him. "We're done for. The match hasn't even started, and one of us has already defected. Yunhai, don't copy him. If you defect too, we're beyond saving!"

Sun Yunhai gave an awkward smile. "Boss, that girl with the long pale-green hair is so pretty!"

"We're doomed. You lot forget your friends the moment you see a pretty face!" Jiang Hai shook his head, then said solemnly, "Jiang Hai, Freshman Class One, Level 20 Support System Battle Soul Master!"

Sun Yunhai followed, "Sun Yunhai, Freshman Class One, Level 23 Support System Battle Soul Master!"

After the three finished, surprise appeared in their opponents' eyes. Three Battle Soul Masters at Level 20 or higher-no, one of them had reached Level 20 but had yet to obtain his second soul ring. Though slightly weaker than their own team, this was still a top-tier lineup. Had they really lost a match before?

What the girls did not know was that Jiang Hai's trio had never lost. They had merely been reassigned because their district's fighting strength was "too poor."

A flash of intense surprise also crossed the eyes of the girl with long pale-green hair. Three Support System Soul Masters-could a team like that even work? But she quickly regained her composure. "Ning Tian, Freshman Class Nine, Level 31 Support System Tool Soul Elder!"

A Support System Tool Soul Elder?

Apart from Jiang Hai, both Chen Yong and Sun Yunhai froze. Cultivation was harder for Support System Soul Masters, so reaching Level 30 before the age of twelve indicated even greater talent.

Then the girl with large, water-blue eyes spoke. "Nanmen Yun'er, Freshman Class Nine, Level 24 Agility Attack System Battle Soul Master!"

"Wu Feng, Freshman Class Nine, Level 25 Power Attack System Battle Soul Master!" Her tone carried a hint of arrogance.

Not one of the three had less soul power than Jiang Hai's team. Of course, Jiang Hai simply had not absorbed his second soul ring yet. With Ma Xiaotao's assistance, his accumulated soul power might not have been any lower than Nanmen Yun'er's.

It had to be said that after hearing all three were Support System Soul Masters, with lower soul power than their own, Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er visibly relaxed. Their gazes turned lofty, tinged with contempt.

"Boss, I've decided. I'm not holding back. I hate the way they're looking at us!" Sun Yunhai whispered. His family was of modest means, and he had endured plenty of looks like that as a child. Chen Yong nodded too; he disliked those looks just as much.

Jiang Hai smiled and was about to say something when the referee suddenly announced, "Begin!"

As the referee's words fell, Jiang Hai's trio moved in perfect unison. Four voices rang out together across the arena: "Seven Treasures Turn, Reveal the Glazed Light!"

Then an awkward scene unfolded.

There were four voices because, besides Jiang Hai's trio, Ning Tian had also summoned a seven-colored pagoda over a foot tall into her hand. Brilliant seven-colored light blossomed...

Compared with Ning Tian's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, the ones in Jiang Hai's trio's hands were undoubtedly far shabbier. But the next instant, Sun Yunhai activated his soul skill with an expressionless face, and their three pagodas became far more lifelike, likewise shimmering with seven-colored light, dazzling and radiant.

As long as I'm not embarrassed, everyone else will be.

"What?" When the four Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas appeared, Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er, who had already completed their Martial Soul Possession, stopped dead in shock.

"The Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect's Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda? Impossible!" Not only the girls, but even the referee and their homeroom teacher, Mu Jin, were dumbstruck.

Aside from the differing numbers of soul rings around their bodies, the four Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas were now identical.

Their seven-colored radiance drew countless gazes. Of the six participants in one match, four belonged to the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect?

Only Ma Xiaotao, standing at the edge of the crowd, curled her lip. That shameless little brat was fooling people again.

Yet Ma Xiaotao felt a little envious. What a powerful ability. If she had a teammate like that, how much fun would matches be!

Wu Feng looked questioningly at Ning Tian. Were all three opponents disciples of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect?

Ning Tian could not make sense of it either. The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas Sun Yunhai had simulated with his Seven-Colored Cloud Illusion had initially shown flaws, but the transformation had been too fast. Now the pagodas in their hands could pass for the genuine article-even Ning Tian could not tell the difference.

The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was the hereditary martial soul of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Only someone of its direct bloodline could possess it. She had never seen these people in the sect. Could they be some elder's illegitimate children, left outside the sect? But three illegitimate children of the same age? That was far too outrageous!

The referee glanced behind Ning Tian's trio and instantly realized what was happening. The corners of his mouth lifted, but he offered no warning!

Mu Jin noticed something too. Anxiety flashed in his eyes, and he opened his mouth to speak, but Zhou Yi suddenly appeared beside him and said coldly, "Are you planning to cheat for your own students?"

"You!" Anger flashed in Mu Jin's eyes when he saw Zhou Yi, but a sudden change swept across the arena.

Bewildered, Ning Tian was still reeling inwardly when she suddenly felt a tremendous force strike her backside. Her entire body flew into the air. Nanmen Yun'er and Wu Feng received the same treatment.

But Wu Feng and Nanmen Yun'er reacted quickly, immediately using their martial souls to steady themselves and land safely on the arena!

"Who was that?" all three demanded in unison, their eyes filled with shame and fury.

Someone had actually sneaked up and kicked their backsides in full view of everyone. The lingering pain made their anger blaze, their faces scarlet-half from embarrassment, half from rage.

At the sight, quite a few spectators gritted their teeth. They had experienced exactly the same thing. "Those three butt-kicking demons!"

Wu Feng, Nanmen Yun'er, and Ning Tian turned around. Once they focused, they finally spotted the telltale signs.

Jiang Hai's trio materialized, while the three figures still standing in their original positions, holding Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagodas, proved to be mere illusions.

Jiang Hai wore an innocent expression. Those two hadn't even finished their opponents with a sneak attack. Were they holding back?

Great. Two raging she-tyrannosaurs-who would dare provoke them now?