"We don't know how the other side is going to line up their formation, but for this match, you have to give it your all. Don't worry about the later team battle. Second match, Ye Xinglan; third match, Wu Siduo."
"Yes!" The three girls nodded at the same time.
Xu Xiaoyan, standing next to Xie Xie, chuckled softly, "Embarrassed, aren't you? Look — all the one-on-ones are us girls."
Xie Xie snorted. "If Teacher let me go up, I could win just the same."
"Heh heh!"
"Heh your head…"
"Heh heh!"
The exchange meet had a total of ten points.
Three one-on-ones, one point each; two two-on-twos, worth two points; the final seven-person team battle, worth five points.
Third Grade, Class One — preparation area.
"Class monitor, with the Academy arranging it like this, they're clearly pushing us. First-years, second-years — those little brats think they can challenge us? Truly overestimating themselves."
A tall, somewhat weaselly-looking young man lounged with one leg over the other, speaking to the youth beside him.
As third-years, their average age was around sixteen.
The youth he called "class monitor" was big and broad-shouldered, his looks plain and a bit old-fashioned, not handsome, but carrying a mountain-like sense of authority. Just sitting there gave people a feeling of reassurance, as if he were the pillar of the entire classroom — even if the sky were falling, he could calmly hold it up.
Li Qiankun — Third Grade Class One's monitor, one of the class's two One-Word Battle Armor Masters. Eighteen years old, a Level 56 Defense-Type Battle Soul Master. His martial soul was a very peculiar one — Qiankun Sphere, a rare variant Tool-type soul.
"I've heard about the first- and second-years' situation. We can't underestimate them," Li Qiankun said calmly.
The weaselly youth straightened up. "Boss, no need to take it so seriously, right? At best they've only just hit level forty. How far can they go on the soul master path? This one-on-one fight should count me in. I figure the Academy just wants us to smack them down a bit, so they don't get too full of themselves."
The weaselly youth's name was Ye Wu — an Agility-Attack-Type Battle Soul Master, skilled in all kinds of high-speed combat. His One-Word Battle Armor was 70% complete. Sixteen years old, with a strong chance to complete a full set before twenty and become an inner-court disciple — a core member of Class One.
"You've heard that rumor, haven't you?" Li Qiankun said quietly.
"Of course I've heard it! But who believes that? A teenage Soul Beast? I wouldn't even write something that wild in a novel," Ye Wu said carelessly. If they kept up with outside news, they wouldn't be talking like this. But as Shrek students, with the chance to enter the inner court, they couldn't afford to slack off in cultivation — anything other than training was, to him, just a way to waste time.
"Ye Wu, when are you going to fix that arrogance of yours?"
A crisp voice cut in.
Hearing that voice, Ye Wu instinctively shrank his neck, quickly jumped to his feet, and turned toward the source of the sound. "Sister Mo, I was just saying, really. I'm taking this seriously."
Walking over was a young woman with long black hair flowing down her back, a medium build, sweet features — but eyes that shot cold like knives. She walked straight to Li Qiankun and sat down beside him.
"I checked around. Those little brats this time — at least two martial soul fusion skill pairs, one of them a self-body fusion skill, and a Light-and-Dark combo. As for that rumor you're talking about, I can't confirm it either. But a teenage Soul Sage… Their main team members are all over level forty, and some even have a few pieces of soul-forged metal battle armor. If we're not careful, we could embarrass ourselves."
Mo Jue — Third Grade Class One's vice monitor, the other One-Word Battle Armor Master. Level 54. In class, her prestige even surpassed Li Qiankun's — forceful, protective of her own, and almost every classmate had benefitted from her. Straightforward, strong-willed.
She and Li Qiankun were the class's twin pillars — destined for the inner court.
At the end of this academic year, they would have to undergo the inner court's trial assessment — passing it would make them inner-court disciples for real.
Li Qiankun looked at Mo Jue. "Two martial soul fusion skills? How powerful?"
Mo Jue shook her head. "Not sure yet. But I'm guessing they still can't threaten our One-Word Battle Armor. After all, One-Word Armor can raise our combat power to roughly Soul Sage level for ordinary soul masters."
Li Qiankun smiled faintly. "Let's take it seriously."
Mo Jue nodded. "Honestly, as long as we hold the seven-on-seven team battle, letting them win one or two of the earlier matches doesn't matter. Gotta give the juniors a bit of confidence. My thought is — let's split up. One of us goes into the team fight, the other does one of the one-on-ones. As long as we secure at least six points, that's enough."
"Alright. I'll follow your lead. Which will you take?"
Mo Jue smiled. "Of course I'll take the easy way. I'll do a one-on-one. When it comes to the team battle, we'll see — if the little brats are too strong, I'll step in. If we've got a big lead already, I won't bother."
"That works."
…
Seagod Island — Core Area
A massive wooden house stood here, built leaning against a great tree. This was the heart of Seagod Island, the heart of Shrek Academy, even the heart of the entire Shrek City.
For this golden treehouse, built against the towering tree, was none other than the seat of Seagod Island's highest authority — The Seagod Pavilion!
The true supreme controller of Shrek Academy was the Pavilion Master of the Seagod Pavilion — one of the few people in the world today with the most power and influence. Even major decisions of the Federation had to consider the Pavilion's opinion. The reason was simple: strength.
The interior of the wooden house was simple, unadorned. To outsiders, it would be unthinkable that the place known as the most powerful force on the continent could look so plain.
On either side of a long wooden table sat two people.
They were Yun Ming and Zhen Hua.
Zhen Hua looked at the vigorous, spirited man across from him — he was still so young, like back in their youth.
Back then, when this man shook the continent with storms, Zhen Hua hadn't even become a Divine Craftsman — could only look up in awe. This man was acknowledged as today's number one powerhouse on the Douluo Continent, standing at the very peak of humanity.
With Yun Ming holding the fort, Shrek Academy stood firm as a mountain. Even the powerful Federation government dared not act rashly. Shrek City's relative independence existed precisely because of the Pavilion's strength.
"Zhen Hua, you should know who that evil soul master was, right?" Yun Ming looked at Zhen Hua strangely.
"It was her." Zhen Hua let out a long sigh.
"Were there any battle traces left at the scene?" Yun Ming wanted to ask more…
(End of chapter)