"We're here," Dai Mubai announced, coming to a stop.
They had arrived in another clearing within the academy grounds. In the center of the open space, a powerfully built man was dozing in a large chair. This was Zhao Wuji, their final examiner.
"Teacher Zhao, I've brought the applicants for the fourth assessment," Dai Mubai said respectfully.
"Hmm?" Zhao Wuji grumbled, opening his bleary, sleepy eyes. "Someone actually made it to the fourth stage again this year? And there are five of them, no less." He looked at the group of young men and women standing before him with genuine surprise, as if he were witnessing something remarkable.
Dai Mubai couldn't resist adding, "Not only did they make it to the fourth stage, but all of them were exempted from the second and third tests."
At this, Zhao Wuji's eyes immediately lit up with interest. He pushed himself out of his chair and stood to his full, intimidating height. "Not bad, not bad at all," he boomed. "As long as you can pass my test, you can officially become members of Shrek Academy. My assessment is simple: practical combat. I'll give you the time it takes for one stick of incense to burn to get to know each other and form a plan."
He paused, a confident grin spreading across his face. "After that, the test begins. If you can last for one incense stick's worth of time under my attacks, you pass. Mubai, go ahead and tell them about my abilities."
After speaking, Zhao Wuji casually took out a stick of incense. With a flick of his finger, a spark of spirit power lit the tip, and with a smooth wave of his hand, he planted it firmly in the ground. He was about to return to his chair to rest when Dai Mubai stopped him.
"Teacher Zhao, wait a moment."
"What is it?" Zhao Wuji asked, turning back.
Dai Mubai gestured to Ye Yin and the others. "You guys get to know each other first." He then quickly ran over to Zhao Wuji's side and lowered his voice. "Teacher Zhao, do you see that annoying guy over there?" he asked, pointing discreetly at Ye Yin.
Zhao Wuji glanced at Ye Yin and nodded.
"Please, give him an extra good lesson for me," Dai Mubai pleaded. "He gave me a really hard time a couple of days ago."
Zhao Wuji looked at Ye Yin again, his eyes narrowing slightly. He was well aware of Dai Mubai's strength. "You're saying his strength is on par with yours?"
Dai Mubai quickly shook his head. "No, in a direct fight, he's much weaker than me. The thing is, he's clearly a Support-type Spirit Master, but his methods are extremely strange and unpredictable. Teacher Zhao, I really think you should be careful with him."
Zhao Wuji rolled his eyes dismissively. "Strange? How strange can he be? I, Zhao Wuji, have traveled the continent for years. What kind of tricks haven't I seen? Mubai, I think all that time you spend chasing girls has made you go soft. An Attack-type Spirit Master can't even handle a Support-type? You're becoming useless. Starting tomorrow, you'll be joining me for practical combat training."
Dai Mubai swallowed nervously, a grim memory of his last "training session" with the teacher flashing in his mind. "Teacher Zhao, I'm serious. I advise you to be careful. This kid is really different."
Zhao Wuji waved his hand impatiently. "Alright, alright, I get it. I'll help you teach him a lesson. Careful? What is there to be careful about? What kind of storms haven't I weathered?"
While the two were talking, the five applicants began to introduce themselves.
"My name is Ye Yin, a Level 29 Support-type Spirit Master. My Spirit is the Good and Evil Pearl," Ye Yin started.
"I'm Xiao Wu, a Level 29 Attack-type Spirit Master. My Spirit is the Soft Bones Rabbit."
"I'm Tang San, a Level 29 Control-type Spirit Master. My Spirit is Blue Silver Grass."
"Zhu Zhuqing. Beast Spirit, Hell Civet. Level 27 Agility-Attack-type Battle Spirit Master," the quiet girl stated coolly.
The last to speak was a girl with a delicate and refined air. "My name is Ning Rongrong. My Spirit is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda. I'm a Level 26 Support-type Tool Spirit Master."
Instantly, all eyes fell on her.
Tang San voiced everyone's surprise. "Your Spirit is the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda? Does that mean you're from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School?"
Ning Rongrong stuck out her tongue playfully. "Don't stare at me like that. I'm no different from anyone else. I just ran away from home, that's all. Let's focus on passing the test first before we talk about anything else."
Ye Yin, never one to miss an opportunity to earn resentment points, immediately chimed in. "No different from ordinary people? If there's really no difference, then why did you feel the need to point it out?"
The friendly atmosphere shifted instantly.
Ding!
[Resentment from Ning Rongrong +11!]
"I wasn't emphasizing it," she retorted, flustered. "I just said it subconsciously."
Ye Yin nodded slowly. "Subconsciously is a good word for it. It means you were already thinking that way to begin with."
Ding!
[Resentment from Ning Rongrong +13!]
Ning Rongrong stubbornly stuck to her defense. "We're all the same. I'm not special."
Ye Yin pouted. "Not special? But you just went out of your way to emphasize it. If I treated you like an ordinary person now, wouldn't that make your special announcement a waste of breath?"
Ding!
[Resentment from Ning Rongrong +20!]
Everyone had initially thought Ning Rongrong was a gentle and polite young lady from a prestigious family. They never would have expected her to be a subtle show-off.
Ye Yin then mimicked her earlier tone with exaggerated sarcasm. "I'm no different from anyone else, I'm not special."
Ning Rongrong's face fell, her expression turning stormy.
Ding!
[Resentment from Ning Rongrong +25!]
"Ye Yin, you're asking for it!" she snapped.
If the others had any lingering doubts about whether Ye Yin was right, her explosive reaction confirmed it.
"Alas, your acting isn't very good, and you don't have enough patience," Ye Yin said with a sigh. "You aren't suited to be an actress. You're better suited to go home and be a little devil, where you can bully whoever you want and no one dares to say a thing. That won't work out here in the real world, though. No one is going to indulge you."
These simple words twisted the knife in Ning Rongrong's wound. She had run away from home precisely because her peers secretly called her "the little devil." To have it thrown in her face now was infuriating.
Ding!
[Resentment from Ning Rongrong +30!]
"Do I need you to indulge me?!" she said fiercely.
Ye Yin held up a single finger and wagged it in front of her face. "Don't yell. When you know you're in the wrong, shouting just shows you have a lack of upbringing."
Ning Rongrong glared at him, her eyes wide with rage. "And how good is your upbringing? Let me guess how your family taught you!"
Ye Yin rolled his eyes. "I've been an orphan since I was young, so I don't have any upbringing at all. Otherwise, how would I be able to tell that you don't have any either?"
Xiao Wu couldn't hold it in any longer and burst into laughter. "Hahahahaha!"
Honesty was a brutal weapon. Even the ever-stoic Zhu Zhuqing couldn't help but let out a small snicker.
Ding!
[Resentment from Ning Rongrong +33!]
Seeing the situation escalating, Dai Mubai quickly came over to brief them on their opponent. "Teacher Zhao has no obvious weaknesses, and his strength is formidable. You all had better pray for the best."
Ye Yin just smiled dismissively. "No weaknesses? That just means his entire body is one big weakness. Here's the plan. Ning Rongrong and I will provide support from the back. Xiao Wu, you'll be on the frontal assault. Zhu Zhuqing, you'll flank him and look for an opening to attack from behind. Tang San, you'll be in charge of control. We need someone to command the battle, and I'll take on that role."
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