The Ice Lion suddenly paused, then its entire body leaned backward, barely managing to regain its posture. It no longer dared to attack rashly, instead looking at the ice mist with lingering fear.
That one strike reminded it of its time in the Star Dou Great Forest, where giant pythons would occasionally emerge from the bushes, launching surprise attacks just like that one.
The ice mist gradually dispersed, and Wang Nan's figure reappeared, meeting the Ice Lion's gaze.
Taking a deep breath, his newly acquired third spirit ring finally glowed for the first time.
Wang Nan gripped the Coiling Dragon Staff tightly with both hands, held it upright in front of him, and then forcefully thrust it into the ground.
As the purple spirit ring shone, cracks appeared where the Coiling Dragon Staff touched the ground. The entire fighting arena seemed to boil like water, and rocks surged up from underground, spreading rapidly outwards from Wang Nan.
Third Spirit Ability — Mountain Surge.
With the ground constantly undulating, the Ice Lion couldn't remain in place. It could only awkwardly jump up and down, avoiding falling while dodging the continuous barrage of stones.
But with this, it had no time to deal with Wang Nan, who was coming at it head-on.
Wang Nan first brought his staff down from above onto the Ice Lion's head, then turned and, holding the staff with one hand, thrust it at its chest and abdomen, finally sweeping the Coiling Dragon Staff horizontally across its waist.
Three strikes came out in just a few breaths. The Ice Lion let out a roar and landed on one side of the fighting arena, then quickly scrambled up and ran towards the iron gate. It knew that as long as it reached that place, it wouldn't be beaten anymore.
The assessment referee appeared in time and stopped Wang Nan.
"The assessment is over; you can put away your Spirit."
On the other side, two other teachers appeared and closed the Ice Lion back in. It no longer had any thoughts of resisting, so it didn't take much time.
After the teachers on the high platform discussed for a few moments, Du Weilun's voice carried over from afar.
"Wang Nan, choosing a thousand-year Spirit Beast gives a base of one hundred points. The Ice Lion lost its Battle Intent, and Wang Nan achieved a complete victory, earning full marks for combat technique. However, he initially misjudged the Spirit Beast's intelligence and was once in a dangerous situation, so ten points are deducted. The final score is one hundred and forty points. Assessment passed."
Although it wasn't a perfect score, the high score of one hundred and forty points still broke the highest record for the second-year assessment, causing a stir among the surrounding crowd.
Wang Nan nodded slightly towards the high platform, then walked out of the fighting arena.
"Not bad."
Wang Nan returned to his class's formation. Teacher Sun next to him praised him, but then quickly changed the subject. "But did you forget the first lesson I taught you?"
Wang Nan thought carefully and soon remembered that Teacher Sun's first lesson to him was during the entrance examination.
"It seems you remember. If you don't listen carefully, I'll punish you by making you spend more time here in the future." Teacher Sun chuckled, then added, "Although the Academy only arranges Spirit Beast practical combat classes for you in your fourth year, lower-grade Disciples can also apply proactively. You are a Core Disciple, and the Academy will not refuse."
"I understand." Wang Nan nodded in agreement. Being able to get more practical combat experience here would make it easier to deal with Spirit Beasts when absorbing spirit rings in the future.
"You can go back now. The promotion assessment is in two days, consider it a holiday for you."
There are over four hundred second-year Disciples in Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department, with attack system and control system almost making up half of them.
Even if so many people were assessed non-stop day and night, it would take a full day and night. Not to mention time for eating, sleeping, and resting, so three days for the promotion assessment was already considered a relatively tight schedule.
"Then I'll be going, goodbye, Teacher Sun."
After bidding farewell to Sun He, Wang Nan planned to return to his dorm. However, as soon as he left the fighting area, he saw a figure waiting for him there.
"We meet again, Junior Brother Wang. Congratulations on passing the assessment."
"Thank you, Senior Sister Lin. Are you here for…?"
"I originally wanted to familiarize myself with your fighting style through your assessment process to help me design spirit tools for you. But now, after seeing your strength, I feel even less confident."
Before Wang Nan could say anything, Lin Xiao had already started to comfort herself, "Never mind, I was supposed to be eliminated anyway. It's good enough to have this opportunity; I'll just do my best."
"Junior Brother Wang, would it be convenient to ask what the general effects of your first and second Spirit Abilities are?"
Wang Nan's first and second Spirit Abilities both augmented himself and wouldn't have particularly obvious manifestations. Some teachers who specialized in studying Spirit Abilities might be able to deduce them by calculating Wang Nan's strength and speed, but Lin Xiao, as a Soul Master, couldn't guess their effects.
Wang Nan did not hide anything and told her truthfully.
However, after listening, Lin Xiao's brows furrowed even deeper.
"Junior Brother Wang truly lives up to being a Core Disciple of the Martial Soul Department. In terms of offense, I can't help you increase your Battle Intent by twenty percent. Moreover, your fighting style requires using your Spirit with both hands, so spirit tools like shields that occupy both hands are not suitable. It seems I can only think of ways to integrate them into your body."
"Actually, I have a clever idea." Wang Nan recalled his encounter with Ma Xiaotao in the Star Dou Great Forest that day. In a direct confrontation, he wasn't actually inferior to Ma Xiaotao, but Ma Xiaotao could always injure him by relying on her aerial advantage.
"If there was a spirit tool that could carry me into the air, the augmentation would already exceed twenty percent."
"Junior Brother is talking about a flying spirit tool?" Lin Xiao shook her head, "Leaving aside that flying spirit tools only allow sustained flight once your spirit power reaches Spirit Ancestor, their size would also affect Junior Brother's close-quarters combat, making them a hindrance instead."
"No, Senior Sister, that's not what I mean." Wang Nan explained, "Actually, I have a flying spirit tool that I've secretly studied when I had time. Its principle is to generate thrust by sending spirit power into a core formation, and then adjust the folding wings to achieve flight."
"What I need isn't a complete flying spirit tool, but a spirit tool that can generate thrust, allowing me to stay airborne briefly. It would be even better if it could adjust direction and move in the air."
"Are you talking about a spirit power thruster?"
Lin Xiao's words made Wang Nan freeze, "Does such a thing already exist?"
"Of course it does! The lowest Rank spirit power thruster is a Rank two spirit tool, and I could make one two years ago."
Wang Nan was also greatly surprised to hear this.
'Why hasn't such a useful thing become widespread?'
One must know that on the Douluo Continent, except for some flying-type Spirits, Spirit Masters cannot fly until their cultivation reaches Spirit Saint. Even at Spirit Saint, they can only stay in the air briefly. They can only float at the eighth-ring Spirit Douluo Rank, and only at the Titled Douluo level can they fly for extended periods.
Yet, a spirit power thruster can allow a Spirit Master to temporarily possess the ability to stay in the air, which means possessing the ability of a Spirit Saint. Such a useful spirit tool has never been seen in use.