Combat Assessment

The two had not been walking toward the teaching building for long when a man in white approached from the sports field and stopped them.

"Which class are you two in?"

Wu Changkong walked up to them. The girl's gaze, however, seemed to have been caught by something else. She watched Tang Wulin pulling Xie Xie along as they ran, seemingly very interested in the two boys wearing iron vests.

Hu Fangyuan, meanwhile, studied Wu Changkong.

Powerful.

Even merely sensing the aura the handsome man in white gave off unintentionally, he could feel the power within it. Eastsea City truly lived up to its reputation as a big city. Someone this powerful was actually just a teacher in the Intermediate Division.

"I came to enroll. But they said registration had already closed." Unaware of what her companion was imagining, Gu Yue raised her head and spoke to Wu Changkong.

Wu Changkong frowned. "You aren't a student at Eastsea Academy?"

"Not yet," the girl said, "but I hope I can study here. May I, teacher?"

Another teacher might have simply driven her away, but how could Wu Changkong be like any other teacher?

"This is a Soul Master Academy. If you want to study here, you must prove your ability," Wu Changkong said coldly.

"I can take a test." The girl smiled.

"What's your name?" Wu Changkong asked.

"My name is Gu Yue," the girl said.

Wu Changkong then turned to Hu Fangyuan, but the excited look Hu Fangyuan directed at him left him somewhat at a loss. Was I... really this approachable?

"Ahem. What about you? Are you another student who hasn't registered?" Wu Changkong asked.

Hu Fangyuan nodded. "That's right, but I heard I could enroll as long as I found Director Long and proved I had innate full Soul Power. Does the academy not allow that?"

"Uh..." Wu Changkong had not expected to fail to intimidate the boy before him. After pondering for a moment, he continued, "Would you like to join my class?"

"May I?"

As far as Hu Fangyuan knew, this teacher was even stronger than his own damned father. The class he taught surely had to be the highest-priority class in the year! Surely plenty of resources would be directed its way?!

"Of course, as long as you have the strength."

Wu Changkong was very satisfied with the look in Hu Fangyuan's eyes. Indeed, his title as the academy's dreamboat back then had not been an empty reputation. Even after all these years, he was still so popular.

For a moment, Wu Changkong suppressed the slight upward twitch of his lips, nearly failing to keep a straight face.

"All right. I'll give you two a chance."

With that, he turned toward Tang Wulin and Xie Xie, who were running. "Xie Xie, Tang Wulin, take off your iron vests and come here."

The two running laps around the sports field froze at his words.

Xie Xie stopped and took off his iron vest.

Tang Wulin also took off his iron vest, then ran toward Wu Changkong. Watching Tang Wulin run toward Wu Changkong carrying the iron vest, Xie Xie finally could not help marveling, This guy's stamina... really isn't human!

Panting heavily, Xie Xie caught up to Tang Wulin and reached Wu Changkong in the middle of the sports field. "Teacher Wu."

Wu Changkong looked at Xie Xie, who was panting like an ox, then at Tang Wulin, who looked as though nothing had happened, and frowned. "Your stamina is too poor."

Xie Xie protested, "We Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Masters only need instantaneous explosive power and agility. We don't need that much stamina."

"Shallow," Wu Changkong said disdainfully. "All right, I'll give you a chance today. Beat her, and you won't have to run for the rest of the morning."

Only then did Xie Xie notice the girl beside Wu Changkong. He looked her up and down a few times, took a deep breath, and adjusted his Soul Power. "No problem."

"I'll give you twenty minutes to rest," Wu Changkong said. "You'll begin in twenty minutes."

Without wasting words, Xie Xie immediately sat cross-legged on the ground and began meditating to rest. The running earlier had consumed quite a bit of both his stamina and Soul Power. Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Masters were indeed at a disadvantage in this respect.

Hu Fangyuan raised his hand. "What about me, teacher? Who will I face in my assessment?"

Wu Changkong opened his mouth, only then realizing that Hu Fangyuan was a two-ring Soul Master. In a one-on-one fight, even Tang Wulin's innate divine strength would not make him a match for Hu Fangyuan. After some thought, Wu Changkong said, "How about this? Xie Xie, team up with Tang Wulin. You two will team up as well for a two-on-two combat match. How does that sound?"

Gu Yue and Hu Fangyuan exchanged a glance, both indicating that they did not mind.

Both Hu Fangyuan and Gu Yue held an indescribable pride in their hearts.

Though they would not casually show it, that sense of superiority toward their peers existed.

Twenty minutes passed quickly.

Xie Xie sprang to his feet and stretched, full of vigor once more.

Wu Changkong nodded. "Thirty meters apart. Get ready."

Xie Xie and Tang Wulin retreated, covering nearly the same distance with each step, but Xie Xie walked backward, his gaze fixed on Gu Yue throughout.

He had sensed a threat the moment he first saw this girl.

Now he was fully focused, facing this opponent in his best condition.

Xie Xie and Tang Wulin had fought several times. Tang Wulin was not the only one who had benefited greatly; Xie Xie had too. At least now he understood what it meant for a lion to use its full strength even when hunting a rabbit.

The instant Wu Changkong announced the start of the battle, Xie Xie charged toward Gu Yue. He released his Martial Soul almost instantly and threw himself at his opponent at full speed, as though flying.

His explosive power was indeed astonishing. His body shot forward like a nimble hunting leopard.

The thirty-meter gap rapidly shrank.

There was nothing wrong with Xie Xie's choice of target. His mistake was... Gu Yue was no ordinary Soul Master!

Just as Xie Xie was about to reach Gu Yue, the yellow Soul Ring beneath the girl's feet quietly lit up. First Soul Skill, Elemental Tide!

In an instant, the elements in the surrounding world seemed to answer a summons, surging madly toward Gu Yue.

The howl of wind, the scorching heat of fire, the weight of earth, the gentle moisture of water, the brilliance of light, and the distortion of space-the auras of six elements intertwined and spiraled around her, forming a dazzling elemental vortex.

She had no weapon. She merely raised her right hand slowly, spreading her fingers slightly.

Rip!

A Wind Cannon condensed out of thin air and shot straight at Xie Xie's face with a piercing whistle. Xie Xie's pupils contracted slightly, and he hurriedly tilted his head to dodge. Countless tiny Wind Blades skimmed past his ear, slicing off several strands of black hair.

But this was only the beginning.

Gu Yue lightly waved her left hand, and several Ice Spikes thrust out of the ground, sealing off every place Xie Xie could land.

Xie Xie forcibly twisted in midair and tapped an Ice Spike with his right foot, trying to propel himself forward again. Just then, however, a scorching fireball hurtled straight at him. He could only cross his arms in front of himself and take the blow head-on.

Boom!

The fireball exploded, and the blast drove Xie Xie back several steps. Before he could steady himself, the ground beneath his feet suddenly rose, and several Earth Spikes burst out, aimed straight at the soles of his feet.

Scared nearly out of his soul, Xie Xie leaped upward, but there was nothing to push off against in midair. Gu Yue's Wind Blades were already waiting there.

Wind Blades, Ice Spikes, fireballs, and Earth Spikes-the four elements linked together seamlessly, leaving Xie Xie no room to dodge.

Gritting his teeth, Xie Xie spun the Light Dragon Dagger rapidly before him. Golden blades of light formed a circular shield that blocked the Wind Blades. Yet the tremendous impact still sent him flying backward several meters. He landed heavily and slid several more meters before steadying himself.

"So strong!"

Xie Xie was startled, and some of the arrogance faded from his face. He had not expected the girl's elemental control to be so precise. With rank-fifteen Soul Power, she exerted pressure far beyond that of others at her rank.

The moment after she drove Xie Xie back, however, Tang Wulin had already arrived behind him. Following up on Xie Xie's offensive, he seized the chance to throw a heavy, powerful punch at Gu Yue.

"Hey, hey, hey, haven't you forgotten I'm your opponent too?"

Hu Fangyuan was somewhat speechless. Why were they both targeting that young girl? Did he not count as a person?

Though he complained aloud, Hu Fangyuan still took his first battle in the public eye at Eastsea Academy seriously. The Heaven Refining Furnace flew out, smashing sideways toward Tang Wulin.

Faced with the enormous furnace that had suddenly appeared, Tang Wulin had no choice but to redirect his punch toward the Heaven Refining Furnace.

Bang!

The next moment, a Wind Blade sent Tang Wulin flying, but at the same time, he had also punched the Heaven Refining Furnace back.

"That much strength?"

Hu Fangyuan was somewhat surprised. At the same time, however, Gu Yue's ability to seize an opening also caught his attention.

This teammate of his seemed pretty good!