It worked! Yan Qing was thrilled beyond measure. His spiritual realm had increased by one. Could it mean...?
His vision gradually blurred, then cleared, finally settling into a drifting, unsteady perspective.
Yan Qing felt as though even his steps had become weightless, as if his head had floated up of its own accord and was pulling his torso upward.
This was what happened when spiritual power far exceeded physical fitness. He was almost turning into a big-headed doll.
Yan Qing's spiritual power had originally been in the Spirit Sea Realm. After the system increased it by one, it had reached the terrifying Spirit Abyss Realm. Even many Super Douluos only had spiritual power at this level.
Yan Qing tried releasing his Martial Soul again. Sure enough, his fourth Soul Ring had turned pitch-black.
His spiritual power had greatly raised the upper limit on his Soul Rings' ages.
After taking a moment to adjust, he used Simulation to turn his Soul Rings purple again. Surely he could get into Shrek now.
That night, the members of Class Zero boarded a Soul Guidance Train bound for Shrek City under Wu Changkong's lead.
Eastsea City gradually receded behind them, and a new chapter was about to begin.
As expected, Tang Wulin unlocked another seal at a critical moment, becoming as immobile as a wooden figure.
As a result, all seven of them were late because they waited for Tang Wulin. Wu Changkong went to plead with Red Dragon Douluo Zhuo Shi, securing seven budget-version spots.
Why budget versions? Because even if they passed, they would have to be working students.
The first assessment was indeed Di Tian's portrait.
The black dragon spread long wings that blotted out the sun. Thick scales covered its entire body, and its golden, slit-pupiled eyes radiated a soul-shaking pressure.
Red and blue light swirled in the depths of Yan Qing's eyes. The portrait had next to no effect on him.
With his current spiritual power, looking at this painting was no different from appreciating a work of art. He could even step closer to study the details.
Mm, handsome. Very handsome.
Tang Wulin beside him did well too, resisting the pressure with his own bloodline. He even managed to turn back and glare at the portrait.
Gu Yue showed not the slightest ripple of disturbance. Perhaps it felt like being watched by an underling.
Wang Jinxi performed considerably worse, trembling slightly all over. Only after sensing Tang Wulin's presence did he feel much better.
Zhang Yangzi's reaction could only be called disastrous. He shook like a sieve and was one step away from kneeling before Di Tian. Yan Qing had to pull him up.
Barring any surprises, neither he nor Wang Jinxi would pass the assessments.
As expected, Yan Qing scored full marks in this round. His performance was so astonishing that he even squeezed Tang Wulin's perfect score down to nine.
Yan Qing secretly broke into a nervous sweat too. He remembered that Tang Wulin had only just scraped through in the end. It would be bad if he caused the Golden Dragon King to drop out.
The second examination involved facing a Soul Beast challenge in the Soul Fighting Arena.
Under Yan Qing's direction, the seven of them took turns unleashing a round of Soul Skills, working together to kill the thousand-year Soul Beast.
Everyone exceeded the requirements and earned ten points.
In truth, if Yan Qing had acted alone, a single spiritual Soul Skill would have been enough to reduce this Earth Demon Rhinoceros to a drooling wreck.
But then all six of his teammates would have failed.
The third assessment was another one Yan Qing found rather absurd.
Before him stood a row of Louis XVI-making machines.
Scythe gates stood side by side in a straight line.
"You must finish within thirty seconds. Keep in mind that thirty seconds earns the base score. Every three seconds over deducts one point, and every three seconds under adds one point."
Shen Yi, who was in charge of the assessment, explained. (Wu Changkong's junior martial sister.)
Their approach to this round was just as inhuman. Adhering to the principle of using cheats whenever he had them, Yan Qing had Tang Wulin hold up the scythe. The terrifying strength of his Golden Dragon Claw nearly chipped its blade.
Then the heavier ones grabbed the lighter ones, and they all ambled beneath the scythe gates as though sightseeing, leaving Shen Yi utterly speechless.
Unexpectedly, the fourth assessment was not a specialty test. Yan Qing almost thought his memory had gone haywire.
They went straight into the professional assessment. If he remembered correctly, in the original story, Tang Wulin had offended the specialty examiner here and been given a zero outright on his professional assessment.
Could the earlier butterfly effect really be automatically making up some points for Tang Wulin?
He cleared this assessment smoothly too. As a fifth-rank blacksmith, Yan Qing could casually forge a first-grade Thousand Refinement piece.
He raked in ten points-his fourth ten as well. He had a chance to aim for admission with a perfect score across the board.
The fifth assessment finally brought Yan Qing back to his comfort zone: the specialty assessment!
The most classic stage. This was where Tang Wulin and Gu Yue had lost so many points that they had nearly been forced out.
A silver-haired old woman holding a cane sat in the main seat. Clearly, she was the chief examiner for this assessment.
With his all-seeing knowledge, Yan Qing also knew that this was Silver Moon Douluo-Cai Yue'er.
Yan Qing had a fairly good impression of her. Although she was a little stubborn, at least she had fought to the death without retreating during Shrek's great calamity.
She was who knew how many times better than a certain Fireworks Douluo.
When Shrek was struck by the Godslayer Soul Missile, Fireworks Douluo had spoken with such sanctimonious grandeur, only to run away himself and leave Yun Ming to be blown to death on the spot.
Before the final battle, he had even set himself off like a firework.
The seven discussed it briefly, and Yan Qing decided to go first to see whether he could leave a good impression.
Seeing Yan Qing step forward, Cai Yue'er slowly set her cane aside and spoke impassively.
"Show me your strongest ability."
Light flickered in Yan Qing's eyes as he released four purple Soul Rings.
Cai Yue'er nodded slightly.
"Not bad, but four-ring cultivation is nothing outstanding in Shrek's assessments."
Yan Qing had no intention of holding anything back. His fourth Soul Ring lit up at once. The Passionate Sword's fourth Soul Skill: Heart Prison.
Heart Prison: a cage constructed from spiritual power that could briefly seize the mind.
The Ruthless Sword's fourth Soul Skill: Sever Thought.
It severed some of the opponent's spiritual power control effects.
He had to admit that practically every Soul Skill of the Passionate Sword and the Ruthless Sword came as a matching pair. Put the two together, and their underhandedness knew no bounds.
Both great Soul Skills acted simultaneously upon Silver Moon Douluo in the center.
Cai Yue'er raised her hand. A faint strand of spiritual power spread out, forming a simple defensive barrier.
Yan Qing's Soul Skills rapidly dissolved the moment they touched the barrier.
But that was not the extent of Yan Qing's methods. His first Soul Skills, "Past" and "Future," activated together.
The Soul Skills that had already dissolved manifested anew and, with Future's assistance, forced their way through the barrier.
"Interesting."
Cai Yue'er actually reached out to grab Yan Qing's Soul Skills. On closer inspection, a moon disc was slowly flowing across her palm.
The instant the Soul Power fluctuations were annihilated, her brow furrowed deeply.
"Eyes as your Body Martial Soul, and extraordinarily terrifying spiritual power. Little fellow, you truly have surprised me."
"But I also have a question for you."
Cai Yue'er slowly rose to her feet. With a wave of one hand, an illusory screen of light appeared, separating her and Yan Qing from the others.
"In my youth, I too had a dear friend from the Body Sect. When a Body Martial Soul releases a Soul Skill, there is no delay. Your Martial Soul absolutely cannot be your eyes."
"What's more, spiritual power in the Spirit Abyss Realm! You've come all the way to my Shrek City to pose as a student!"
She slammed her cane against the ground, her voice like crashing thunder.
"Tell me, who exactly are you?"