A group of people finally arrived at the main competition arena of the Dou Soul Zone. The area was large; the spectator stands were unlit and appeared dim, while only the competition stage had soft lighting.
Turning around, Xuanzi looked around and said, "I don't like wasting time. This time, I've gathered you core disciples here mainly for one purpose: to select seven suitable students for a special mission, and among those eliminated, choose three backup students to accompany the mission as well."
Hearing this, everyone exchanged glances. Those who were familiar with each other began forming teams while glaring at the unfamiliar students.
Huo Yuhao, on the other hand, immediately showed a change in expression. As expected, the situation was different from the original storyline.
Xuanzi said cheerfully, "The selection competition is simple. You twenty-six students will engage in a free-for-all battle right here on the main Dou Soul stage. The last seven standing will be the final winners."
"During the match, except for killing, there are no rules. If you feel something's wrong during the fight, immediately surrender. I will pull you out, which means that student is eliminated."
"Alright, teachers, exit the stage. When the old man shouts start, you begin fighting."
The teachers quickly left, leaving most of the students dumbfounded.
A free-for-all? What kind of strategy is that?Confused above the tree, confused below the tree, you and I—total chaos.
"Isn't this a bit reckless?" a fourth-year student murmured.
Several others nodded in agreement.
Meanwhile, at the moment the teachers departed, Huo Yuhao quietly joined forces with Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Beibei, forming a small alliance.
This was called gaining the initiative first.
Zhu Lu calmly glanced at Huo Yuhao. She felt no disappointment because Huo Yuhao had already explained things to her. The next year's tournament would be her time to shine.
So when the battle began, she planned to surrender immediately.
Seeing Huo Yuhao and the others making their moves, Xuanzi's lips curved into a faint smile. While most students were still confused, he shouted loudly, "Start!"
"I surrender!" Zhu Lu immediately called out.
Instantly, a soil-colored Soul Power carried Zhu Lu out of the competition stage.
While Zhu Lu surrendered, Huo Yuhao's team of seven had already formed a battle formation, and their soul rings lit up simultaneously.
He CaiTou's body erupted with countless Soul Conduction beams. Numerous cannon barrels emerged, surrounding him like a porcupine, aiming at the remaining scattered students.
The sudden change was so shocking that the other students froze for a moment as soon as Xuanzi shouted start.
Including Wu Feng and Ning Tian.
"Everyone raise your hands!" Xu Sanshi chuckled, though his eyes were tightly closed.
That sneaky laugh instantly snapped the students to attention. Following Xu Sanshi's laugh, their expressions changed drastically.
Damn…
"Whoosh!"
Suddenly, flashes of light streaked across the arena. Strong Soul Power fluctuations spread, making the air hum. All were emitted from He CaiTou—over twenty Soul Light beams.
The attack was sudden and devastating. Before the students could react, streams of soil-colored Soul Power wrapped around them and carried them out of the stage.
Most of the second-year Class One students were eliminated first; their cultivation was the lowest and reflexes the slowest.
Except Wu Feng, who survived by staying close to Ning Tian, students like Lan Susu and Zhou Sicheng were collectively eliminated.
When they regained consciousness, they found themselves beside Zhu Lu, acting as spectators.
You could at least let us release a soul ring!
After He CaiTou's volley ended, the remaining third- and fourth-year students who dodged quickly agreed: they had to take out Huo Yuhao's seven-person team first, or they wouldn't stand a chance.
"What do we do?" Wu Feng asked Ning Tian.
"Just join the third- and fourth-year seniors," Xie Huanyue said cheerfully.
The two girls exchanged glances. The selection required only seven people—Huo Yuhao's group was the seven. To succeed in staying, they had to eliminate them first.
Without hesitation, Wu Feng prepared to charge forward, while Ning Tian activated the Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda for support.
However, they were already too late to coordinate.
"Psychic Disruption!" Huo Yuhao's eyes gleamed golden. As his mental force expanded, the space seemed to warp momentarily.
"Tripod Tremor!"
Xiao Xiao, fully prepared, mentally activated three massive tripods that collided in midair. A surge of black light spread, and the shockwave swept across the arena.
"Thunder Might, Wrath of Thunder!"
Beibei's arms crackled with blue-purple lightning. As his second and third soul rings lit up, the lightning condensed into a massive net and shot forward.
Amplified by the Thunder Wrath soul skill, the net's momentum surged, lightning exploded in the air, and sparks flew everywhere.
"Light of the Butterfly God!"
Wang Dong's Light Goddess Butterfly wings gathered countless golden light orbs, controlled like a meteor shower, rapidly shooting forward.
With Huo Yuhao's psychic detection, the three had already locked on to every target.
Only Jiang Nannan and Xu Sanshi did not attack; Jiang Nannan specialized in melee, and Xu Sanshi had no ranged soul skills.
At some point, He CaiTou had a cigar in his mouth, the last puff taken. Next, a special flash grenade shot from a cannon on his shoulder.
Under psychic disruption, no one noticed He CaiTou's action.
"Bang!"
The grenade exploded above them, blinding everyone with intense white light.
Wu Feng, Ning Tian, and Xie Huanyue, along with the other third- and fourth-year students, were blinded.
They became fish on the chopping board.
Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong, and Beibei's combined attacks, along with control soul skills, struck simultaneously.
Fierce Soul Power waves erupted across the arena.
Xiao Xiao's skills stunned everyone, Beibei's Thunder Might paralyzed and shocked them, while Wang Dong finished off the weakened targets.
When the flash grenade's effect dissipated, only Wu Feng and Ning Tian remained, along with faint dark marks on the ground.
Of course, residual Soul Power with a wild aura still lingered in the air.
Wu Feng and Ning Tian: "???"
The two girls froze, realizing they had survived because they were just slow to join the main group.
"Bang bang bang!"
From the spectator stands came the sound of falling objects. Breaths were short, and faces were pale. A sense of death had just washed over them, making them feel weak.
Outside, the supervising teachers were stunned.
This assessment lasted less than half a minute, and the results were clear.
"Wu Feng, Ning Tian, step down," Huo Yuhao called, snapping the two girls out of shock.
"We… surrender," Ning Tian raised her hands, still astonished.
"Hahaha!" Xuanzi teleported to the stage. "Not bad, not bad. You coordinated really well."
Huo Yuhao and his group relaxed and high-fived, celebrating their victory.
Jiang Nannan and Xu Sanshi, who hadn't acted, stared at Huo Yuhao in shock.
Though they didn't fight, they shared the benefits of psychic detection, able to perceive all movements without looking—a thrilling sensation.
He CaiTou initially planned to fire a conventional Soul Conduction cannon but was stopped by Huo Yuhao. This was an assessment, not a battlefield; he didn't want to severely injure anyone. The flash grenade sufficed.
Xuanzi gestured for the teachers to approach. "Let the eliminated students rest. These seven remain."
"Yes, sir," Wang Yan and the other teachers bowed respectfully.
"This isn't fair!" a fourth-year male student complained, even with classmates trying to stop him.
Others didn't speak but looked displeased. Many had lost without even awakening their soul or soul rings. The free-for-all format was clearly flawed.
Students who had formed teams early easily dominated scattered individuals.
Only the second-year core disciples remained indifferent—they never expected to win, so their mindset was different.
"Displeased?" Xuanzi said cheerfully. "I'll give you a chance. From these seven, I'll randomly select one for a duel. If you win, you replace them. Deal?"
All eyes shifted.
The male student worried that Xuanzi might pick a fifth-year student—he would have no chance against them.
"Don't worry. I'll pick an easy one—Huo Yuhao. Step forward and fight this guy," Xuanzi said, reading his thoughts.
Instantly, everyone who knew Huo Yuhao focused their attention on him.
Huo Yuhao stepped forward with a smile. "Senior, let's finish quickly. The cafeteria will close soon."
"You two fight; everyone else leave the stage. I'll be the referee," Xuanzi said, excited.
Everyone exited the Dou Soul stage.
"Second-year Class One, Huo Yuhao." About thirty meters apart from the male student, Huo Yuhao still smiled, though the air around him grew cold.
The male student inhaled deeply. "Fourth-year Class One, Bao TaiGui."
Huo Yuhao's lips twitched at the name.
"Begin." Xuanzi casually said.
Bao TaiGui's eyes deepened. Two yellow and one purple soul rings appeared as a giant lion-shaped light manifestation materialized.
His Martial Soul was the Giant Palm Lion, a powerful advanced Martial Soul.
"Roar!" Bao TaiGui let out a lion's roar and surged forward. In a one-on-one fight, he feared no one below the Soul Sect level, as his Soul Power was level thirty-eight.
As Bao TaiGui advanced, his first soul ring activated. His thick palms expanded, and yellow fur grew.
At that moment, Huo Yuhao moved. Ice-blue light flickered across him as his fists transformed into Ice Crystal Fists, radiating a bone-chilling cold.
The crystalline fists slammed forward, bringing a savage icy wind.
No one expected Huo Yuhao to counter head-on without activating his soul ring. Even those familiar with him were stunned—he wasn't supposed to have a Spirit Eye Martial Soul?
"Good, good," Bao TaiGui exclaimed, then grinned with excitement.
The giant palm collided with Huo Yuhao's fist.
Before contact, a layer of frost formed on the fur from the invading cold. The next second, a terrifying force shattered Bao TaiGui's disdainful smile.
"Boom!" Bao TaiGui was sent flying, a dull roar echoing across the arena.
"Damn." Bao TaiGui tried to steady himself, gripping his weakened right arm, swallowing hard. Had he not activated his soul skill, that punch could have destroyed his arm.
But then an even more shocking scene unfolded.
Not only Bao TaiGui, but all onlookers were startled.
At Huo Yuhao's feet, a soul ring slowly rose—just one, black in color.
"Millennium Soul Ring?"
Bao TaiGui froze. The black soul ring suddenly illuminated.
At that moment, strands of cold mist appeared along Huo Yuhao's arms, spreading upward. The ice-crystal fists hardened further, with strange light patterns appearing.
Behind Huo Yuhao, a phantom scorpion of ice-crystal appearance appeared, its orange-yellow eyes cold and indifferent.
"Ice Azure Scorpion!" Wang Yan shouted, alarmed.
The teachers gasped.
Students might not know what an Ice Azure Scorpion was, but the teachers did.
One of the three Northern Land Kings, the Ice Emperor, was of the Ice Azure Scorpion clan. This Martial Soul, once awakened, represented the ultimate ice attribute. Huo Yuhao was now an ultimate-attribute Soul Master.
Even in Shrek Academy's history, an ultimate Martial Soul had appeared only three times—none of the original Shrek Seven had it.
"Senior, shall we continue?" Huo Yuhao asked with a calm, virtuous gaze.
Raising his fists, they gleamed like deadly talismans. He could instantly make Bao TaiGui experience the full strength of the Ice Emperor's claws.
"Junior, you jest. Let's stop here. No need to hurt the harmony," Bao TaiGui laughed nervously, retracting his Martial Soul and Soul Power.
Huo Yuhao smiled and retracted his soul ring and Martial Soul.
Though simulated, his soul ring's power was nearly equivalent to a Millennium Soul Ring. Enhanced by the whale glue, Huo Yuhao also gained a portion of the Ice Emperor's essence power.
"Anyone else not convinced?" Xuanzi asked calmly.
"Convinced." The third- and fourth-year students exchanged glances, saying nothing.
A second-year student defeating a fourth-year? Too humiliating.
Meanwhile, second-year students like Ning Tian and Zhu Lu smiled.
"Return. Remember, never let down your guard. Once you leave the academy, you'll see how dangerous the world is. Crisis can strike at any time—today was a lesson," Xuanzi said solemnly.
"Yes, sir."
Soon, under the teachers' guidance, all students except Huo Yuhao's seven left the Dou Soul Zone.
....
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