"Qingyu, six moves. Failed!"
"Shi Hao, six moves. Failed!"
"Niu Wenchuan, four moves. Failed!"
Every match that followed ended exactly as expected: a total wipeout.
Not a single young Soul Master present earned a passing assessment. Even Qingyu and Shi Hao, the two prodigies from the Worship Hall, stumbled just like everyone else.
Even the handful of support-type Soul Masters in the group failed to escape this initial assessment. Since support-type Soul Masters lacked strong combat abilities, their tests naturally weren't head-on clashes. Instead, they were tested on their reactions, speed, how quickly they could deploy support abilities, and their ability to survive. Even so, not one met the passing standard Azure Luan Douluo had set.
The entire assessment was simply too tragic to bear watching.
The biggest surprise came when the overall rankings were announced at the end. The person ranked behind Yang Chang'an, Jin Li'er, and the Worship Hall's two prodigies, Qingyu and Shi Hao, was neither the angel girl Le Zhengxuan nor any of the outstanding talents whose soul power had reached rank twelve. It was-Niu Wenchuan.
In his subsequent one-on-one match, Niu Wenchuan had pushed the advantages of a defense-type Soul Master to the limit. No matter how his opponent attacked, he held his ground, stubbornly taking three solid, heavy punches head-on.
Only at the end, when his opponent had no other choice and unleashed a powerful Soul Elder-level attack, did a single vicious punch blast through his defenses and end the match.
Four moves was hardly an outstanding result among the students. It could even be considered below average.
But he had taken every attack head-on!
He hadn't dodged or evaded; he had simply endured the damage. That terrifying defensive ability made even Qingyu and Shi Hao steal several more looks at him.
There was no getting around it. For Soul Masters on the Douluo Continent, the early stages were that brutally practical.
No matter how powerful an attack was, it was useless if it couldn't break through someone's defenses; no matter how fast someone was, it meant nothing if they couldn't withstand a single hit.
In the world of low-level Soul Masters, being thick-skinned and having strong defenses was an absolute advantage, whether anyone liked it or not.
Once all the assessments were over, Azure Luan Douluo stood high on the Trial Platform and swept an expressionless gaze over the dejected young Soul Masters below. His icy voice held not a trace of warmth.
"I am very dissatisfied with your performance in this initial assessment."
That single sentence left the entire grounds as silent as a flock of crows struck mute.
Azure Luan Douluo's cold gaze swept over everyone present. They instinctively lowered their heads, not daring to meet his eyes.
Qingyu and Shi Hao, in particular, buried their heads the deepest, their cheeks burning.
They were more than a year older than most of those present and had received the Worship Hall's finest training since childhood. Their resources, talent, and instruction were all the best, yet their final results were exactly the same as Yang Chang'an's: six moves, failed.
For two proud prodigies like them, that result left them too ashamed to show their faces.
Azure Luan Douluo didn't scold them further. He simply announced the arrangements to come. "From now on, every Battle Soul Master must undergo one practical combat training session here each day."
"As for the support-type Soul Masters, all of you will study basic techniques under the support-type instructors and familiarize yourselves with your martial soul abilities. After that, find the teammates you consider most suitable."
Actual combat had always been the best way for Soul Masters to grow. They also knew that their performance in this assessment had been terrible and that they truly needed rigorous training.
Just then, however, a timid voice rose from the crowd:
"Lord Enshrined... um... don't we support-type Soul Masters need practical combat training?"
The speaker was a support-type Soul Master from the Balak Kingdom, small and thin, and seemingly rather timid. With everyone's eyes now fixed on the student, nervous sweat gathered on their palms.
Everyone turned their heads in unison, eager to see what sort of oddball could ask such an outrageous question.
Under those looks that seemed to say they were staring at an idiot, the support-type Soul Master flushed bright red. The student opened their mouth to explain, but Azure Luan Douluo had already waved impatiently.
"If you want to train, of course you may." Azure Luan Douluo's tone was flat, yet carried a pressure that sent chills down their spines.
"Provided you believe that, after training to your limits, you can outrun a Soul Grandmaster."
With that, Azure Luan Douluo turned and left the Trial Grounds without another glance at the crowd, leaving behind only a brief command:
"Dismissed."
Once Azure Luan Douluo's figure had vanished completely from sight, the half-grown children, none of whom could keep anything bottled up, finally lost control.
"Pfft-"
Someone burst out laughing first, and then the entire grounds erupted in roaring laughter.
They laughed so hard they rocked back and forth. Even the normally composed Yang Chang'an couldn't help shaking his head, a hint of helplessness on his face.
Support-type Soul Masters were meant to provide assistance, offer support, and stay alive. Even if they eventually reached the Titled Douluo level and gained the ability to fly briefly, if they encountered a Battle Soul Master head-on, all they could do was run for their lives.
Who knew what that support-type Soul Master from the Balak Kingdom had been thinking to ask a question like that?
After laughing and joking for a while, everyone headed toward the dormitories in twos and threes.
But just as Yang Chang'an and Niu Wenchuan were walking side by side, ready to return to their dormitory and rest, four figures suddenly approached from the side and blocked their path.
They were the four from the Worship Hall-Qingyu, Shi Hao, Jin Li'er, and the angel girl, Le Zhengxuan.
Yang Chang'an and Niu Wenchuan instinctively stopped and turned to face them.
With a gentle smile on his face, Yang Chang'an asked naturally, "Can we help you with something?"
Qingyu stood at the front, dressed in a neat teal-and-gold outfit. Tall and straight-backed, with handsome features, he looked at Yang Chang'an and smiled sincerely.
"Of course. We've long heard about a prodigy who even had Fifth Grandpa singing his praises, so we came specifically to meet you today. Now that we've seen you, you really are impressive."
"Fifth Grandpa?"
Yang Chang'an froze for a moment as a figure flashed through his mind. The next instant, as though something had suddenly occurred to him, he blurted out:
"Fifth Uncle?"
Le Zhengxuan's expression barely changed at his words, but Jin Li'er, Qingyu, and Shi Hao's faces instantly darkened.
They called him Grandpa, while Yang Chang'an called him Uncle. That put him an entire generation above them, and all three felt as though he had taken a huge advantage of them without even trying. They couldn't have felt more awkward.
Still, his good family upbringing allowed Qingyu to maintain his smile as he nodded lightly.
"It seems your family never told you. That Fifth Uncle you speak of is the Fifth Enshrined of our Worship Hall, whose title is 'Light Feather'!"
Just as I thought!
The doubts Yang Chang'an had harbored all this time instantly vanished like smoke and clouds. His last lingering question about Fifth Uncle disappeared completely.
Seeing understanding dawn on Yang Chang'an's face, Qingyu continued with a smile, "It seems you'd already guessed. You're even stronger than we imagined. I hope we'll have a chance to spar in the days ahead."
With that, Qingyu gave Niu Wenchuan a slight nod, then turned and headed toward the dormitories.
Shi Hao followed behind him, giving a cold snort. Without saying anything else, he left as well.
Before leaving, however, Shi Hao deliberately glanced at Niu Wenchuan. "Your defense is pretty good. We can have a proper spar sometime."
Only after the four from the Worship Hall had gone far into the distance did Yang Chang'an turn to Niu Wenchuan, who was still staring blankly, and pat him on the shoulder.
"Snap out of it. Let's go."
"Oh, right!" Niu Wenchuan abruptly came back to his senses and hurried after Yang Chang'an, unable to resist muttering as they walked:
"Chang'an, those prodigies from the Worship Hall are completely different from what I imagined!"
Yang Chang'an raised an eyebrow and asked curiously, "Oh? How so?"
"I thought they'd all be really arrogant and domineering, looking down on everyone. But just now, they seemed pretty normal. They didn't put on any airs about being prodigies, either."
"You've read too many novels! Where would you find that many arrogant, domineering prodigies? People who are truly capable actually understand better how to respect others."
The two slowly made their way toward the dormitories, talking and laughing.
Meanwhile, after leaving the Trial Grounds, Azure Luan Douluo returned directly to the majestic Angel God Mountain and soon reached a quiet platform at its summit.
Three figures with terrifying auras occupied the platform.
One of them was the very man Yang Chang'an called Fifth Uncle and Qingyu called Fifth Grandpa-Light Feather Douluo.
He sat on a rock, his bearing cool and aloof, idly toying with an exquisite bow, his gaze languid.
Beside Light Feather Douluo stood the Seventh Enshrined, Demon Subduing Douluo, and a burly man.