"Kid, your name is Jun Yi, right? Those words of yours were right up my alley. You've all passed the assessment."
Zhao Wuji laughed heartily, withdrew his Martial Soul and Soul Rings, and spoke to Jun Yi and the others.
"Thank you, Teacher Zhao."
Jun Yi bowed to him and then withdrew the ROOM space. Just then, Tang San suddenly stepped forward and said to Zhao Wuji, "Teacher Zhao, wait. You haven't tested me yet."
Zhao Wuji frowned slightly. "Do you really want to take the test alone?"
Tang San nodded. "Yes. I hope to have a serious fight with you. Let's start everything over. Please light another incense stick. If I last for the time it takes one incense stick to burn, please allow both Xiao Wu and me to enter Shrek Academy."
"Jun Yi already helped you pass the assessment just now. There's no need to fight again," Zhao Wuji refused with a wave of his hand.
"No, Teacher Zhao. They're them, and we're us. Please light another incense stick."
Seeing how determined Tang San was, Zhao Wuji immediately grew interested. He carefully looked this unremarkable youth up and down, thinking, Could he be an exceptionally gifted monster like Jun Yi?
With that thought in mind, Zhao Wuji took an incense stick from his waist, lit it, and casually tossed it into the ground.
"Teacher Zhao, please take this seriously."
Tang San's hands had gradually turned white, gleaming like jade. Faint currents of air seemed to flow between his ten fingers. His head was slightly lowered, preventing his opponent from seeing his eyes, which had turned completely purple.
"All right, then. Let me get a good look at what you can do."
With that, Zhao Wuji directly summoned his Martial Soul and Soul Rings, then activated Martial Soul Possession and quietly watched Tang San.
Hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss, hiss...
With slight twists of the ten fingers of Tang San's hands, ten streaks of cold light burst forth and shot toward Zhao Wuji.
With Jun Yi's example as a warning, Zhao Wuji took Tang San seriously. His Soul Rings lit up as he unleashed Immovable Bright King Body. Ten explosive cracks rang out almost simultaneously, and all ten streaks of cold light rebounded amid the powerful golden light, failing to harm Zhao Wuji at all.
At this sight, Tang San's brows furrowed tightly. With a low shout, he flicked all ten fingers in succession. Piercing whistles tore through the air as hidden weapons assailed Zhao Wuji like a raging gale and torrential rain.
Zhao Wuji's second Soul Ring and third Soul Ring lit up as he simultaneously unleashed Great Strength Vajra Palm and Gravity Enhancement. The originally swift hidden weapons slowed under the effects of gravity. Zhao Wuji swung his golden palms, smashing every hidden weapon he touched to pieces.
Then Zhao Wuji came straight up beside Tang San and hurled his right fist forward. His target was Tang San's chest. The Soul Power contained in this strike was roughly at the Soul Ancestor level, enough to leave Tang San unable to resist.
Buzz!
Just as Zhao Wuji's iron fist was about to touch Tang San, Tang San's feet suddenly moved. His entire body seemed to turn into a phantom as he evaded Zhao Wuji's fist and circled behind him.
Dozens more hidden weapons attacked Zhao Wuji from behind. These hidden weapons had greater penetrating power than the previous ones, and their might had increased considerably as well.
But they had no effect whatsoever on Zhao Wuji, who had unleashed Immovable Bright King Body. All the hidden weapons bounced away upon touching him.
Then Zhao Wuji's fourth Soul Ring lit up. Tang San felt a powerful presence lock onto him. It was Zhao Wuji's fourth Soul Skill, Position Tracking.
In his eyes, Zhao Wuji's speed instantly increased. In the blink of an eye, Zhao Wuji was already in front of him, striking at Tang San with a massive golden palm.
Knowing there was no way to dodge this strike, Tang San used Mysterious Jade Hand and Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon, preparing to withstand it head-on.
Boom-
With a deafening crash, Tang San was blasted away. Blood seeped from the corner of his mouth. Severely injured, he landed on the ground and fell unconscious.
"Huh? How could Tang San fail to withstand even one move from Zhao Wuji?" the onlookers exclaimed in surprise.
Not only that, even Zhao Wuji was astonished. How could this kid fail to withstand even a Soul King-level palm strike?
Zhao Wuji stood where he was, staring at Tang San lying unconscious on the ground, his brows tightly knitted.
"Dai Mubai, go get Oscar to treat him."
"Yes, Teacher." Dai Mubai ran toward the western side of the academy.
Watching the scene from the side, Jun Yi complained, "Teacher Zhao, you hit way too hard. You knocked him out cold."
Hearing this, Zhao Wuji scratched his head helplessly and explained, "The force and Soul Power intensity of that strike were the same as what I used against you. I didn't expect him to be unable to withstand it."
Zhao Wuji had assumed that since Tang San dared to challenge him alone, he must possess strength comparable to Jun Yi's, so the Soul Power he had used just now had all been at the Soul King level.
After all, Tang San had asked him to take it seriously, and he really had. During their fight, Zhao Wuji had thought Tang San had some killing move up his sleeve. He simply hadn't expected that, aside from his strange footwork and the little trinkets he threw, Tang San was just a weak chicken who couldn't even withstand a single Soul King-level strike.
"Come on, Teacher Zhao. Comparing Tang San to me-isn't that just bullying him?" Jun Yi replied.
Zhao Wuji nodded awkwardly. "It really was my mistake. I thought he was a monster among monsters like you. I didn't expect that, compared to you, he was just an ordinary Soul Master."
"Of course. Nobody looks outstanding compared to me."
Just as Jun Yi was about to continue showing off, a voice rang out.
"Book attendant, come here."
"Coming!"
At Ning Rongrong's call, Jun Yi instantly appeared beside her, following behind her as though ready for orders at any moment. Then Ning Rongrong picked Xiao Wu up from the ground and left with Zhu Zhuqing and Jun Yi.
Before long, Oscar arrived. He was a little surprised to see Tang San unconscious on the ground. "Teacher Zhao, was this your doing again?"
"Enough talk. Take him for treatment first."
Seeing that Oscar had arrived, Zhao Wuji left the mess in his hands, then turned and departed.
Meanwhile, Jun Yi was outside the girls' dormitory, waiting for Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing to settle Xiao Wu in. As he waited, he asked the system:
"System, system, I have a question."
"Speak."
"Why do I feel like Tang San has gotten so much weaker?"
Jun Yi was very curious. He remembered Tang San's fight with Zhao Wuji in the original story. Although Zhao Wuji had knocked Tang San unconscious there as well, Tang San had also left Zhao Wuji in a thoroughly sorry state and even landed a blow on him with the Clear Sky Hammer in the end.
But now, seeing Tang San knocked unconscious by a single slap from Zhao Wuji left Jun Yi with a bewilderment he found hard to understand. He didn't even know what to do.
The system said, "That is because the host's appearance changed parts of the plotline."
(End of chapter)