"Using Soul Tools as aids?"
Mu En looked at the exceptionally persuasive data before him and the freshman team led by Ning Tian he had just seen. For a moment, his thoughts were many.
"Soul Tools aren't just for attack and defense; they can also be used to assist in cultivation.
"After all, everyone's strengths and weaknesses are different. A single, uniform training method cannot cater to everyone. Teaching students according to their individual needs is what we should be doing."
Mu En looked at the documents and fell silent. After a long while, he spoke:
"If I wish to entrust this matter to you, what are your requirements?"
Huo Yuhao shook his head. "My Spirit Transmission Pagoda was founded upon the Academy. If we compare all this to a great tree, then the Academy is the most important main trunk, and my Spirit Transmission Pagoda is merely one of its branches. There are no requirements to speak of."
"No—public is public, and private is private. This must be calculated clearly," Mu En spoke with a tone that brooked no refusal.
"Well... alright." Huo Yuhao's expression flickered with hesitation. He let out a sigh and spoke as if it were a difficult request: "Actually... Elder Mu, you know that my Spirit Transmission Pagoda is too weak and lacks power.
"We were only able to establish ourselves thanks to Shrek Academy's support. Although I strive to recruit talent from the outside, and outsiders have joined the Spirit Transmission Pagoda out of respect for the Academy, in terms of human resources, we are still stretched thin."
Huo Yuhao flashed a harmless smile. "So, I hope Elder Mu will agree to let the Spirit Transmission Pagoda recruit within the Academy.
"Of course, recruitment will be entirely voluntary, based on the students' own choices."
"Recruiting talent..."
Mu En murmured softly, then nodded calmly. "Then let it be so."
"Then I thank you, Elder Mu."
Huo Yuhao bowed slightly, his smile unchanging.
He's hooked...
...
Below, Tang San, utilizing his powerful Divine Consciousness in tandem with his Mental Power, unleashed a "Hundred-Fold Blue Silver Bind" all at once. His two teammates didn't even have to lift a finger before he easily restrained the three opponents in front of him.
However, this achievement of rendering his opponents defenseless in a single encounter did not make Tang San happy; instead, his expression grew increasingly sinister.
This was because, at this moment, the crowd below the stage was cheering for him.
"It's the War God of the Severed X! Holy crap! What a fierce man! Is this the power of severing the root of worldly distractions?! It's freaking 'X-plosive'!"
"As expected of the fierce man who 'produces and consumes' his own! I'm afraid even some second or third-year students are no match for him!"
"Too powerful! Could it be... eating X really makes you stronger?"
The crowd below cast gazes of immense admiration toward Tang San. While many novels and storybooks featured plots about severing the "root of distractions" to gain an explosion in cultivation, those were just stories.
But here was a living, breathing example! Although their own crotches felt an involuntary chill just looking at Tang San's formidable strength, they still had to give respect where respect was due!
A salute to the fierce man!
And so, under the admiring gazes and cheers of the crowd, Tang San led his two "accessory" teammates through a streak of victories.
Unfortunately, he had originally intended to use the battles of the Freshman Assessment to vent the resentment in his heart. Yet, after the three days of preliminary assessments ended, the resentment in Tang San's heart had not diminished; it had increased and become more twisted.
If his Divine Consciousness hadn't firmly stabilized his mind, Tang San would likely have lost his sanity long ago.
Tang San did not notice that while he was using "Blue Silver Bind" and simultaneously releasing toxins through his Blue Silver Grass, a figure was staring at him intently!
"...Uses poison... has a brother two years younger... and that identical face... Tang San..."
In the crowd, Dai Huabin stared fixedly at Tang San. Over these three days, he had watched every single one of Tang San's matches.
Especially when he saw Tang San using the Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul to poison people during the matches, Dai Huabin became even more certain of his suspicion!
Burying all his emotions deep within, Dai Huabin gave Tang San one last deep look before turning to leave.
...
The three-day preliminary Freshman Assessment ended—of course, that was only the beginning.
The subsequent Top 64 elimination tournament was the real highlight.
Because Ning Tian had taken a total of sixty-nine students from Class 1, Zhou Yi had just over ten students left. Furthermore, to establish her authority, Zhou Yi had expelled several students.
So, all told, Zhou Yi only had four teams, and they were of varying quality. Aside from Tang San's undefeated team, only one other team with a record of three wins and two losses barely passed the assessment, and they didn't even make the Top 64.
Meanwhile, the teams led by Ning Tian—a total of twenty-three teams—not only all passed, but seventeen of them entered the Top 64. There were even two other undefeated teams!
Such a record, even in the ten-thousand-year history of Shrek, was among the best!
On the fourth and fifth days, during the Top 64 and Top 32 rounds of the elimination tournament, Tang San naturally led his two accessory teammates to victory.
However, on the sixth day, Tang San encountered a team from Freshman Class 5.
Dai Huabin, Cui Yajie, and a two-ring Support-type Tool Soul Master named Lin An'an.
Stepping onto the competition stage with his teammates, Tang San's gaze involuntarily fell upon the figure with golden hair and double-pupiled eyes.
Evil Eye White Tiger?
Seeing that signature golden hair and the double pupils, Tang San instantly recognized the opponent's Martial Soul.
What a coincidence. I didn't expect to meet someone with the same Martial Soul as Mubai here. Is he a bloodline descendant of Mubai?
Distant memories flooded his mind. Tang San immediately recalled the story of how he and his good brother Dai Mubai became friends after a fight... He didn't expect that this time, he would have to fight a successor of the White Tiger Martial Soul again...
Fate truly toyed with people.
After thinking for a moment, Tang San introduced himself to Dai Huabin in a lukewarm manner: "My name is Tang San."
However, facing Tang San's greeting, Dai Huabin ignored him completely. He gave Tang San a disdainful look as if looking at trash, then immediately withdrew his gaze and looked at the referee, seemingly signaling for the match to begin.
Instantly, Tang San's expression darkened.
I was going to take you in as a dog for the sake of your Martial Soul being the same as your ancestor's, so you could be a source of help for me in the future. I didn't expect you to dare treat me with such an attitude!
You should know, even your ancestor Mubai didn't dare treat me like this!
Truly a path to seek death!
"Did your parents never teach you that you should respond when someone greets you? How utterly uncultured!"
Tang San spoke in a high-and-mighty tone, reprimanding him like an elder acting for his own good.
The moment these words were spoken, the string of self-restraint in Dai Huabin—who had been suppressing his rage toward Tang San—snapped!
Dai Huabin's expression instantly became distorted. Two yellow and one purple Soul Rings naturally emerged. His double-pupiled eyes stared fixedly at Tang San, revealing unmasked killing intent!
"Referee... announce the start!"
The six-ring Soul Emperor serving as the referee frowned slightly. Dai Huabin's commanding tone was truly unpleasant, but after some thought, he said nothing. After all, this was a young master from the Duke's Mansion.
He couldn't afford to provoke him.
Glancing at the teammates on both sides who were all in position, the referee no longer hesitated.
"Match... start!"