Ma Xiaotao Arrives

Only after the referee announced the victory did more and more gazes settle on Lu Cheng.

"Isn't he a Soul Engineer? I remember he's a Level 3 Soul Engineer. He's actually a freshman? From the Dou Ling Empire?"

"I thought he belonged to the Soul Tool Department too. He's actually a freshman? Are all the freshmen this year such freaks?"

"Even an outer court demon king like him has come to compete for first place in the freshman assessment. This is getting interesting. If I were the dean, I'd just designate him a core disciple..."

The Shrek students buzzed with discussion.

At its core, Shrek Academy was an academy for nobles, with no shortage of royal princes and princesses. As such, the standard of looks was astonishingly high, with handsome men and beautiful women everywhere. Among them, quite a few noble young ladies and royal princesses studied Lu Cheng with shining eyes.

Their gazes burned like the White Bone Spirit eyeing Tang Sanzang's flesh.

So what if Jiang Nannan, the outer court's number one beauty, was there?

Who would get to devour him was still up in the air.

"Oh, my dear dean... are you still not going to make a move?" Standing at the very front of the assessment area, Du Weilun shook his head, his face full of regret.

"Wait a little longer, and the Soul Tool Department will probably come sniffing around."

On the first day of the freshman assessment, there was only one match all day, to let the students familiarize themselves with the arena.

Starting on the second day, the pace picked up to two assessments a day.

Lu Cheng and Ning Cong practically slaughtered their way through the field, crushing everyone without a single worthy opponent.

Most of the time, Lu Cheng was the one who acted. Before Xue Ling'er could tank any damage up front, their opponents had already collapsed or raised their hands in surrender.

For a ranged Soul Master to exert such overwhelming pressure with a bow, Lu Cheng was the only one in recent years.

Four days passed in the blink of an eye.

The final assessment.

"Phew..."

Ma Xiaotao rose from the spring. Crystal-clear droplets scattered, slowly sliding down her graceful, voluptuous, fair body. Hazy mist concealed most of her, yet that half-hidden glimpse was especially exquisite.

The girl gently exhaled a wisp of white mist, casually took the soft towel off the wall, and dried herself. She idly hefted her pair of snow-white buns, but a trace of embarrassed annoyance flashed through her beautiful crimson phoenix eyes.

"That guy hasn't even touched them yet..."

"That damn scoundrel. During those three years I spent in the Holy Spirit Cult, I was clearly ripe long ago, but he just had to use being a gentleman as an excuse. Hmph."

Ma Xiaotao lightly clenched her pearly teeth, muttering to herself.

"But Teacher said to go take a look at the freshman assessment arena... sigh. If I weren't thinking about the inner court graduation assessment and getting out to travel the continent sooner, I wouldn't have any interest in watching a bunch of brats tussle."

"What bullshit, Lu Cheng. Only after leaving the dream did I learn how many people are named Lu Cheng. If there aren't ten thousand, there are at least eight thousand."

"He didn't even leave me any useful information. With nothing but the name Lu Cheng, I'll be searching until the year of the monkey and the month of the horse. Seriously..."

As Ma Xiaotao grumbled, she deftly dressed herself.

The inner court's classic red-and-white uniform.

She pushed open her dormitory door, and wings instantly sprouted from her back as she shot toward the outer court like a meteor. Being able to enter Shrek Academy already ruled out the vast majority of "Lu Chengs." At least her odds were better than casting a net into the vast sea of people across the entire continent. Her mouth grumbled, but her body was very honest. After all... what if?

"The final elimination match, huh." Du Weilun stroked his chin, his eyes gleaming.

"In that case, we might as well make the competition more intense."

With that, he made a few changes to the match schedule.

Yu Linglong's team was shifted from its original position and placed opposite Lu Cheng's team.

I have to get the dean to take this seriously as soon as possible. Those fellows from the Soul Tool Department have already come sniffing around these past two days... Du Weilun grumbled inwardly, while looking up and nodding with a broad smile at Fan Yu, the Soul Tool Department director watching from a distance. "Lovely weather today."

"Hehe, this little fellow seems quite accomplished in the Martial Soul Department's field too." Fan Yu stood with his hands behind his back, a hint of surprise in his eyes. They had actually noticed Lu Cheng long ago, but they had subconsciously assumed that, with this boy's terrifying talent, he must already be a core disciple of the Martial Soul Department... although he did not have the title, he must have long since caught the attention of senior figures like Yan Shaozhe, who were merely waiting until this assessment ended to grant him core disciple status.

Thus, they had not dared come straight over to snatch him away. (In the original story, they had only managed to snatch Huo Gua by using a wager to pull a fast one on Yan Shaozhe. Now that the protagonist's talent was so outrageous, Qian Duoduo felt Yan Shaozhe had no reason not to take him seriously.)

Faced with Fan Yu's probing words, and then recalling Dean Yan's lax attitude, Du Weilun was frustrated by his failure to act. Afraid that the other side would discover the dean's attitude, he could only pretend nothing was amiss.

"Naturally..."

"Oh, Xiaotao, you're here too?" Du Weilun looked somewhat surprised as a lovely figure in red suddenly appeared beside him.

"Teacher told me to serve as one of the referees and oversee the assessment in his place," Ma Xiaotao said flatly.

"Then where were you these past few days?" Du Weilun asked, stunned.

"I forgot..." Ma Xiaotao's expression remained calm.

"Hehe, no matter. The finals just happen to be today." The corner of Du Weilun's eye twitched. Ma Xiaotao had already belonged to the Sea God Pavilion's direct line within the inner court. Now, following her Martial Soul Evolution, her standing was approaching that of senior sister Zhang Lexuan, the Sea God Pavilion's successor from the next generation but one. Dean Yan's action was probably meant to have this disciple take over his position.

He had no intention of "advancing another step" himself. He knew his own limitations: his strength fell short, and his seniority was lacking by a great deal too. Naturally, he was quite amiable toward this future superior.

"Um... where's that fellow named Lu Cheng?" Ma Xiaotao went straight to the point.

Although she did not have much hope, she would at least go take a glance.

"Arena seven." The corners of Du Weilun's mouth rose.

At last! At long last!!

Had Dean Yan finally started taking this seriously?

As his disciple, the first thing Ma Xiaotao did upon arriving to oversee the assessment was ask to observe Lu Cheng. Sure enough, the dean was the wily old strategist after all. The moment he saw the Soul Tool Department coming to poach someone, he had sent his disciple to forcefully hold them down.

This gesture was meant to tell Fan Yu on the other side: Lu Cheng belongs to our Martial Soul Department. No one else should even think about it!

Sure enough, Fan Yu also sighed softly upon hearing this.

"..."

Ma Xiaotao was casual and forthright, always straightforward in everything she did. How would she notice all these twists and turns? Once she learned which arena it was, she headed straight over.

"Arena seven."

"Lu Cheng's team versus... Yu Linglong's team!"

The two teams stood on opposite sides of the arena, facing each other from afar.

The air was thick with the smell of gunpowder.

The students watching nearby stared unblinkingly, afraid of missing the first clash between these two demon kings among the freshmen.

One was a Soul Elder, and the other possessed strength no less than a Soul Elder's.

Who was stronger and who was weaker would soon be revealed.

At that same moment.

Ma Xiaotao also appeared at the back of the spectator stands. She glanced around, somewhat surprised. A freshman assessment had actually drawn so many people...

That really was rather strange.

Forget it. I should finish up here quickly and return to the inner court to cultivate.

As Ma Xiaotao thought this, her gaze began sweeping across the people in the arena.

She quickly scanned a few of them. Having instinctively grown used to leaving disappointed, she turned to leave.

But her body suddenly froze.

Slowly, she turned her head back again.

A young man stood tall and straight in the arena.

Flames surged into the sky.

Just like the young man in her memories.

PS: It's the end of the month, and I've wilted. I'm really sorry... OrZ. Tomorrow's first chapter will be posted at noon. Starting tomorrow, three chapters guaranteed!