"Nannan, what do nobles look like in your eyes?" Jiang Qingtong asked, listening to the tremble in Jiang Nannan's voice.
At that, Jiang Nannan fell silent.
After a long pause, she finally spoke.
"I don't know about the nobles of the Sun and Moon Empire… but the nobles of the former Three Kingdoms of the Douluo Continent? I've seen enough of their faces—ugly, filthy, convinced that the so-called power they wield can solve everything."
Jiang Nannan clearly harbored deep resentment toward the nobles of the former Douluo Three Kingdoms. These were the ones who monopolized all avenues of advancement. Even someone with her talent had no choice but to sell herself just to treat her mother's illness.
If the Spirit Hall of ten thousand years ago still existed, with her level of talent, at the very least her mother would've received medical care at a main city sub-hall.
She wouldn't have been denied such an opportunity simply for being a commoner.
Seeing how overwhelmed Jiang Nannan had become, Jiang Qingtong patted her shoulder comfortingly and said, "If you really think the former Douluo Three Kingdoms are hopeless, why not check out the Sun and Moon Empire?"
"Are all the nobles of the Sun and Moon Empire like you?" Jiang Nannan asked after a moment's pause.
Jiang Qingtong shook her head and said, "There are nobles everywhere in this era. I won't claim every noble in the Sun and Moon Empire shares my beliefs, but compared to the former Three Kingdoms, most are more progressive—at the very least, they haven't completely suppressed the rights of commoners to pursue a better life."
"Good! If I get the chance, I'll definitely go see the Sun and Moon Empire for myself!" Jiang Nannan declared with determination.
She understood well that not every noble thought like Jiang Qingtong—perhaps, nobles like her were rare.
But at least they existed.
And as long as there was hope, it was better than having none at all.
After this incident, Jiang Nannan gradually opened up to Jiang Qingtong. She shared her past—those painful shadows that haunted her mind. Speaking them aloud gave her a sense of release, almost like a burden had been lifted.
"Nan-nan this is the fault of the times, not yours."
Jiang Qingtong placed her hand on Jiang Nannan's shoulder and said, "Isn't the Soul Master Tournament selection coming up? That Xu Sanshi, who calls himself the Eternal Shield—he's sure to participate. When the time comes, won't we get the perfect chance to beat him up however we like?"
Jiang Nannan couldn't help but laugh at that and nodded. "Okay!"
It wasn't long before the Shrek Academy's selection for the preparatory team was held under Xuanzi's supervision. Just like in the original, he chose a no-nonsense, chaotic free-for-all to test the candidates.
Although they said they were selecting seven people, in reality, only five needed to be chosen—Jiang Qingtong and Bei Bei had already been preselected by Mu En.
At the center of the Soul Arena, Xuanzi stood with a jug of wine in one hand and a chicken leg in the other. His unkempt appearance left many participants scratching their heads.
They weren't like Jiang Qingtong, a genius prodigy known by every elder of the Sea God's Pavilion—someone with direct access to Shrek's inner circle. These students had no idea who this wild-looking man was.
Dai Huabin even muttered, "Who's this drunkard? Since when does Shrek Academy have someone like him?"
But judging by how respectful Teacher Wang Yan and the other class instructors were, they knew he had to be someone important. That only made things more confusing.
They honestly didn't recognize him at all!
Xuanzi finally stopped at the center of the arena. The core disciples were led to their positions by their teachers.
He finished off the chicken leg, wiped his hands on his clothes, and bellowed in a gruff voice:
"Listen up, you little brats. The content of this core disciple assessment is simple. I call it: Free-for-All Chaos. Within the boundaries of this arena, attack however you like, fight however you want. No rules. If you surrender or get rescued, you're out. The last seven standing are the winners. That's it. Teachers, clear the field. Once I give the signal, you can begin."
"You serious?"
Hearing this, the students couldn't help but widen their eyes, exchanging stunned glances.
They'd never seen this kind of test before! This was twenty-seven people all at once! And everyone had different levels of cultivation and skills.
How was this supposed to assess anything?
Still, the teachers followed Xuanzi's command and exited the arena.
Before the students inside could even react, Xuanzi suddenly raised his wine gourd and shouted:
"Begin!"
As soon as the words left his mouth, his figure vanished from the arena.
The sudden change caught everyone off guard. Aside from Jiang Qingtong, every student froze up momentarily the moment he yelled "begin."
But they were all geniuses from Shrek Academy. After the initial shock and confusion, they adapted quickly. The weaker ones instantly formed alliances, their eyes locked onto the powerful four-ring soul elders among them.
Xu Sanshi, however, was staring at Jiang Nannan.
Bei Bei stood motionless, frowning as his gaze landed on the leisurely Jiang Qingtong.
Mu En had already told him everything. No matter how this battle ended, he and Jiang Qingtong were guaranteed a place on the final team.
Though Bei Bei resisted Mu En's arrangements for him, there was little he could do. He was, after all, the only heir of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's younger generation. He had responsibilities—to his clan, and to the Academy.
Xiao Ya… I'm sorry.
Bei Bei whispered inwardly. He'd already decided that once Jiang Qingtong was safely secured as part of the Shrek team, he would find an opportunity to leave and reunite with his beloved Xiao Ya.
If Jiang Qingtong knew what Bei Bei was thinking, she would've only said—
"The shamelessness of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan really is hereditary."
Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao immediately took their positions beside Jiang Qingtong.
Surprisingly, not a single person targeted their trio as the fight began. After a grueling month-long arena tournament, Jiang Qingtong, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao had thoroughly proven their strength.
Especially when Wang Dong revealed his twin spirits.
Why even bother forming alliances when even a group effort couldn't defeat them? Better to take out the bigger threats—like the four-ring soul elders!
And so, Xu Sanshi, Bei Bei, and Jiang Nannan, all of whom had reached the four-ring level, quickly became everyone's main targets. And of the three, Jiang Nannan was clearly the easiest to deal with.
Xu Sanshi immediately stepped in front of Jiang Nannan and said, "Nannan, I'll protect you!"
Jiang Nannan frowned in disgust, leaping away from him as she coldly replied, "Xu Sanshi, I told you—stay away from me! This is a free-for-all. You're my opponent too!"
As the words left her mouth, she suddenly sensed a thread of spiritual power reaching toward her mindscape. She flinched instinctively, ready to fight it off—
But then she caught a glimpse of Jiang Qingtong waving at her from afar.
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