Core Disciple Selection

Several days later, the bell rang, bringing the day's classes to an end.

Their homeroom teacher, Zhou Yi, gathered her lesson notes, swept her gaze across the class, and said gravely, "All core disciples, stay behind. You'll be coming with me to the Soul Fighting Zone shortly."

At her words, the core disciples in the classroom immediately perked up, anticipation shining in their eyes. They had waited a long time for this day. The selection for the Shrek Seven Devils' reserve team was finally about to begin!

This year's second-year students included far more core disciples than in previous years. Class One alone had nine: Dai Youheng, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Zhou Sichen, Cao Jinxuan, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, and Huang Chutian.

Adding Dai Huabin, Xie Huanyue, Zhu Lu, and Wu Feng from Class Two, along with the support-type Soul Master Ning Tian from Class Three, brought the total to thirteen. Such a number was exceedingly rare in the history of the Shrek Outer Court, even rivaling the combined total of core disciples in the third and fourth years.

Led by Zhou Yi, the thirteen second-year core disciples marched into the Soul Fighting Zone in an imposing procession.

After a brief wait, Dai Youheng spotted several familiar figures. Bei Bei, Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan arrived together. They were fifth-year core disciples and among those with the highest cultivation in the Outer Court, all having reached the level of Four-Ring Soul Ancestor.

At their age, four rings marked an enormous dividing line.

Someone from the Soul Tool Department had come as well: He Caitou. He was tall and sturdily built, with an honest-looking face. The original owner of Dai Youheng's body had rarely sucked up to him, mainly because He Caitou belonged to the Soul Tool Department, leaving them few opportunities to meet.

Soon, all twenty-seven core disciples taking part in the selection, ranging from second-years to fifth-years, stood neatly in a row.

Dai Youheng swept his gaze across the crowd and distinctly sensed two particularly strong sources of hostility. One came from the grim-faced Dai Huabin, and the other from Xu Sanshi, whose eyes held no goodwill.

Interesting! Dai Youheng immediately began calculating. Perhaps he could make good use of the conflict between those two and their hostility toward him.

Just then, Yan Shaozhe arrived as well, but he did not announce the start immediately. He seemed to be waiting for something.

Sure enough, a swaying figure slowly staggered toward them from the distance. He held an enormous wine gourd in one hand and a greasy chicken drumstick in the other. Reeking of alcohol, with tangled hair obscuring his face, he wobbled three times with every step, looking as though he might fall at any moment.

Xuan Zi? Dai Youheng thought. This was one of Shrek Academy's true giants, the Taotie Douluo, Xuan Zi.

Who else in Shrek Academy could look like this besides the man jokingly called the "Supreme Elder of the Holy Spirit Cult"?

His martial soul, the godly taotie bull, was a top-tier beast martial soul with boundless power. Its side effect, however, gave its host a taotie's gluttonous nature, leaving him perpetually hungry.

That was why Xuan Zi always had meat at his lips and wine at his side.

"Ah, Yan Shaozhe." Xuan Zi greeted him through a drunken haze.

"Elder Xuan." Yan Shaozhe immediately stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Everyone here?" Xuan Zi asked, taking a swig of wine.

"Yes, Elder Xuan. Everyone is present. There are twenty-five core disciples from the Martial Soul Department, ranging from second-years to fifth-years, one core disciple from the Soul Tool Department, and Huo Yuhao, who is a core disciple of both departments. Twenty-seven in total," Yan Shaozhe reported.

"Mm. Then let's go in." Xuan Zi gave a muffled acknowledgment and staggered into the Soul Fighting Zone ahead of them.

Many of the core disciples, especially those in the lower years, had never seen Xuan Zi before. They exchanged bewildered looks and whispered among themselves. Dai Huabin even muttered to Xie Huanyue beside him, "Who's this drunkard?"

Xuan Zi walked to the center of the Soul Fighting Zone, let out a boozy belch, and slurred, "Listen up, you little brats! Today's test is simple. It's a free-for-all! Within this Soul Fighting Zone, fight however you like, any way you please. There are no rules. Anyone who surrenders, gets knocked out of the arena, or has to be rescued is eliminated! The last seven still standing win! All right, teachers, clear out. Once I call the start, you can begin fighting!"

Such simple, brutal rules left many of the students stunned, exchanging blank looks.

Naturally, the teachers did not dare defy Xuan Zi and quickly withdrew from the center of the arena.

Just then, a faint rumble came from beneath the Soul Fighting Zone! Thick stone walls abruptly rose from the ground, instantly dividing the entire arena into a complex, constantly shifting maze!

"Brother Youheng!" Lan Susu cried out. She happened to be standing right beside a rising stone wall and tried to pull her younger sister, Lan Luoluo, toward Dai Youheng, but it was already too late. The moving walls instantly cut them off from him and randomly separated everyone else into different sections of the maze.

Not only was the maze complex and ever-changing, but its boundaries would also steadily contract over time, eventually forcing all survivors into the central area for a final showdown. Anyone hoping to gain an advantage before the final melee had to eliminate as many opponents as possible during the maze phase.

The first thought of many younger students was to find an older student and cling tightly to their thigh.

But Dai Youheng had no intention of looking for or protecting the Lan Sisters. On the contrary, he hoped they would be eliminated.

This tournament was destined to be anything but peaceful. In the original story, the reserve team would encounter an Evil Soul Master attack shortly after its formation. With Xuan Zi leading them, they would suffer disastrous casualties. Leaving the sisters at the academy to obtain their third soul rings in peace would be far safer than taking them along into danger.

He walked through the maze alone at an unhurried pace. Rather than rushing toward the center, he calmly observed and considered his options.

My goal isn't to win, but to get eliminated in a plausible way. Still, I can't make it too obvious... Ideally, I should stir up some chaos and give those two fellows who can't stand me a little trouble along the way.

As the saying went, think of something, and there it came.

He had barely rounded a corner when he ran straight into someone he did not want to meet just then: Dai Huabin.

The instant Dai Huabin saw Dai Youheng, fury and fighting spirit blazed in his eyes. "Dai Youheng, I finally found you!"

Dai Youheng was inwardly speechless, but he let just the right trace of "apprehension" appear on his face, then turned and ran without the slightest hesitation!

"Stop, you bastard! Don't think you can get away!" Dai Huabin roared, immediately driving his soul power and charging after him!

However, the maze's walls shifted again at just the right moment. A stone wall rose with a boom, cutting off Dai Huabin's pursuit and leaving him to slam his fist against it in fury.

What rotten luck, running into Dai Huabin first. After shaking off his pursuer, Dai Youheng slowed his pace. Still, it's not all bad. I've confirmed his approximate location. Now the one I need to find is-Xu Sanshi!

Ideally, Xu Sanshi and Dai Huabin would appear together. Only then could he carry out his plan perfectly.