Green Steel Sword Ray

Ma Xiaotao had not truly insisted on giving Jiang Hai a beating. After school, they cultivated as usual, with Ma Xiaotao inside the Golden Coffin and Jiang Hai sitting before it, cultivating inside the Bronze Coffin.

Both had already reached their current limits, but their soul power would still increase even without soul rings, so neither neglected their cultivation.

No matter how flippant Jiang Hai usually seemed, deep down, he craved strength more than anyone.

He had not truly minded Ma Xiaotao thrashing him, either. During their fights, he could feel his combat experience and skills improving.

After a night of cultivation, Jiang Hai and Ma Xiaotao arrived outside the assessment grounds on time. Most people had already entered and were waiting inside.

Following a day of renovations, the assessment grounds had been divided into thirty-two sections, each considerably larger than those used for the round-robin matches.

"Go on. You'd better not lose, or you'll have me to answer to!" Ma Xiaotao waved her fist.

"Boss!"

Upon seeing Jiang Hai, Chen Yong excitedly waved his fist. Sun Yunhai stood beside him.

Only when Jiang Hai approached did Chen Yong ask with a strange expression, "Boss, Senior Xiaotao actually didn't beat you up yesterday?"

Jiang Hai shot the two gloating fellows an irritated glare and said mildly, "Disappointed I didn't get beaten up? Chen Yong, Yunhai, come with me after the match. Congratulations, you've won yourselves some pre-exam cramming, so I've decided to reward you with a round of combat practice!"

Sun Yunhai's face fell. "Boss, Chen Yong was the one gloating. I didn't say anything!"

Although they had never experienced Jiang Hai's pre-exam cramming, his expression told them it definitely would not be pleasant. And they understood the combat practice part all too well. How could they not know what a monster Jiang Hai was?

Chen Yong said fiercely, "Yunhai, you traitor! Looks like I need to give you some pre-exam cramming, too!"

Sun Yunhai protested innocently, "Why am I always the one getting hurt?"

"Hahaha!" Liu Gang and Wang Cheng, who stood nearby, both laughed. There really was always something that could subdue something else. Although Sun Yunhai had become quite strong after developing illusions through his martial soul, he would certainly lose in a real fight against Chen Yong, a power attack system Soul Master.

Liu Gang and Wang Cheng had also made it into the knockout rounds. Their teammate was Zhao Zhi, a two-ring control system Soul Grandmaster. Their record of nine wins and one loss was excellent, making them Class One's strongest team after Jiang Hai's and Huo Yuhao's.

As they chatted and laughed, Du Weilun, the Director of Education overseeing this assessment, began taking attendance.

Class One's roll call soon passed, and Sun Yunhai could not help asking, "Boss, don't you know Huo Yuhao? Do you know what he and Wang Dong have been doing these past two days? They're not the sort to be late, but they were late yesterday, and they're late again today!"

Sun Yunhai had a gentle temperament. Seeing that Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had still not arrived, on top of their tardiness yesterday, he could not help worrying.

In fact, it was precisely this aspect of Sun Yunhai's character that had earned Jiang Hai's and Chen Yong's approval.

Jiang Hai said, "No idea. Something probably held them up. There are plenty of people in the knockout rounds, so they might arrive before roll call ends. Don't worry!"

Of course Jiang Hai knew what Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had been doing. It was nothing other than their martial soul fusion skill. Having mastered the martial soul fusion skill, Radiance Amid Withering: Golden Road, the pair now truly had the qualifications to contend for the Freshman Assessment championship!

Only when roll call was nearly over did Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong finally arrive. After giving them a small punishment as a warning against greater mistakes, Du Weilun did not come down too harshly on them, merely ordering them to sweep all the academy's grounds that day. After all, their previous performances had been impressive. Someone else might not have received the same treatment.

The little farce soon ended. Jiang Hai gave Huo Yuhao and the others a brief glance, then paid them little further attention.

Once roll call ended, the procedure was simple: a representative from each team drew lots, after which the sixty-four teams would battle in pairs to determine the top thirty-two.

The knockout rounds would consist of one match each morning and one each afternoon. Winning teams would continue, while eliminated teams would return to class. The top three would be decided over three days.

When the drawing ended, Jiang Hai had drawn number one, meaning they would compete in Arena One. Unfortunately, Liu Gang's team had also drawn Arena One. In other words, Jiang Hai's first match would be an internal battle among their friends.

"Boss, looks like our knockout journey ends here. Please go easy on us!" Liu Gang pleaded, looking utterly innocent.

Others might not know how strong Jiang Hai's team was, but how could they not? Although both he and Wang Cheng had broken through to two rings, the five of them often cultivated together and had sparred privately more than once. Even setting Jiang Hai aside, Sun Yunhai and Chen Yong were far stronger than they were.

"Haha, little Gangzi, don't worry. I'll be sure to put you through your paces." Chen Yong flexed his fists with a grin.

Jiang Hai waved a hand and smiled. "Enough clowning around. Get up there. Liu Gang, Wang Cheng, let me see how much you've improved these past few days. I won't go all out, but I won't coast along like before, either!"

"Ah, you're fighting too, Boss? Can we surrender?" Liu Gang looked as though he had nothing left to live for, but he was only joking. They parted from Jiang Hai's trio and entered Arena One from the other side.

"Begin!" Seeing that both sides knew each other, the supervising teacher nodded and announced the start without further ado.

The instant the match began, many gazes converged on Arena One. Only a handful of teams had finished the round-robin stage undefeated, and Jiang Hai's was the only team to have beaten a seeded team. Moreover, the team they had defeated included a three-ring Soul Elder.

Whatever methods they had used, that alone was enough to attract considerable attention!

Had all sixty-four teams not been competing simultaneously, even more people would have been watching them.

Du Weilun also cast occasional glances their way. He knew that Jiang Hai seemed to have caught the attention of the Inner Court's teachers, while Chen Yong and Sun Yunhai had performed exceptionally well during the round-robin stage. Sun Yunhai's Cloud Illusion Technique, in particular, had even stirred his appreciation for talent.

Although power attack system and control system Soul Masters were the most mainstream and powerful branches among Soul Masters, those from other branches could become even more frightening once they grew strong. Sun Yunhai had already demonstrated that potential.

He had also looked into Sun Yunhai's records in private: a special-type Soul Master with level-nine innate soul power. Such aptitude was even rarer than ordinary innate full soul power.

While they spoke, the match in the arena had already begun.

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Familiar faces met with blazing eyes. Chen Yong took the lead, already activating Martial Soul Possession. His already towering, burly frame grew even more muscular, and he lunged forward like a great grizzly bear.

Lion, tiger, leopard, and bear martial souls ranked among the strongest beast martial souls. Moreover, the aptitude Chen Yong's martial soul displayed was unlike that of an ordinary bear martial soul.

"Roar!"

With a low roar, Chen Yong charged. As he rushed forward, two identical phantoms appeared beside him, and all three attacked Liu Gang, Wang Cheng, and Zhao Zhi simultaneously.

Seven-Colored Cloud Illusion!

Sun Yunhai remained still, but his first soul ring shone brightly. This was a true support system Soul Master: even standing at the very back, he could provide his teammates with powerful assistance.

The Seven-Colored Cloud Illusion passed falsehood off as truth. Looking at the burly figure rushing before him, Zhao Zhi's eyes flickered with panic. This was his first time facing Sun Yunhai's Seven-Colored Cloud Illusion, and it had frightened him. With a power attack system opponent closing on him, a control system Soul Master, he did not hesitate. As he hurried backward, a colored ribbon flew from his hand. His first soul ring lit up, and the ribbon swiftly wound toward the figure before him.

The instant the ribbon bound the figure, Zhao Zhi realized something was wrong!

Puff!

Sure enough, the cloud illusion dissipated, turning into a mass of white cloud that enveloped Zhao Zhi.

On the other side, Liu Gang and Wang Cheng did not hesitate either. A sword and a spear thrust toward the figures before them at the same time.

Wang Cheng's Bronze Spear martial soul stabbed through empty air. Another cloud illusion dispersed, turning into a white cloud that obscured his vision.

Since Wang Cheng had faced a cloud illusion, Liu Gang naturally had to be facing the real body. Yet as he swept his sword through the air, Chen Yong's body scattered as well!

"This... impossible!" His sword missed, and a sense of foreboding rose in his heart. The air whistled as something tore through it, stirring the cloud illusions. Liu Gang's first and second soul rings lit up in succession. A green sword ray appeared along the Green Steel Sword, and streams of Sword Qi stabbed outward in every direction.

First soul skill, Green Steel Sword Ray!

Second soul skill, Sword Qi: Eight Directions!

He unleashed his two soul skills in succession. Chen Yong knew how troublesome Liu Gang's two skills were, and his first soul ring flashed as well. A series of metallic clinks rang out as the Sword Qi struck his body, leaving cuts of moderate depth. Given Chen Yong's constitution, however, such wounds were not fatal.

Watching Chen Yong grow even more muscular, Liu Gang naturally knew that the power of Sword Qi: Eight Directions alone would not be enough to defeat him. He was well aware that Chen Yong possessed a defensive soul skill.

An opening!

A gleam flashed in Liu Gang's eyes. The purpose of Sword Qi: Eight Directions had merely been to break Sun Yunhai's Seven-Colored Cloud Illusion and confirm Chen Yong's position.

Liu Gang moved quickly, his sword light and nimble. Although the Green Steel Sword could not enhance his speed, the results of his countless practice thrusts under Jiang Hai's guidance were now on display. His sword was unimaginably fast and equally practiced. With a single thrust, it reached Chen Yong almost instantly. The sword ray flickering along the Green Steel Sword also gave it the potential to threaten Chen Yong's life.

At the sight of that thrust, even Du Weilun, who had been watching the entire exchange, could not help brightening. Anyone who had made it this far was extraordinary indeed. The brilliance of that thrust left even him marveling.