"…And that's about it." After finishing the tale of her recent experiences, Tang Ya looked slightly downcast and murmured, "If… if I had met Ziyang earlier, maybe our Tang Sect wouldn't have declined this badly. But it's alright. I'm still here, and I'll definitely revive the Tang Sect!"
"So, Xiao Ya, your martial soul evolved?" Jiang Nannan's eyes sparkled as she looked at Tang Ya curiously.
The greater Tang Ya's gains were, the more impressive her Brother Ziyang was. And the more impressive her Brother Ziyang was, the prouder she felt!
"Uh…" Tang Ya's previously excited tone faltered, her voice turning uncertain. "I'm not entirely sure. Beibei said my martial soul is still Blue Silver Grass, and I feel the same. But… it seems different from ordinary Blue Silver Grass."
As she spoke, she extended her hand and summoned a vine of Blue Silver Grass. It was indeed unlike the norm. Its color was deeper, its leaves thicker, and the patterns on the leaves were more distinct. There were even faint speckles across its surface. The entire vine exuded vitality and strength.
"This is still Blue Silver Grass, but it's in the middle of a transformation." Zhu Ziyang glanced at it and immediately concluded, "If your next soul rings continue to come from top-tier plant-type soul beasts like the Star Vine, or if you obtain a suitable heavenly treasure, your Blue Silver Grass martial soul might evolve into an even stronger plant-type martial soul."
"Really?" Tang Ya's eyes lit up instantly.
Yu Beibei also revealed a thoughtful look and said, "Ziyang is right. I once read a book that said one of the founders of Shrek Academy, the pioneer of modern soul master theory known as the Grandmaster—Yu Xiaogang—initially had a failed variation of the Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon martial soul. But after consuming a top-tier heavenly treasure given by his disciple, Ancestor Tang San, it evolved into the Holy Radiant Dragon martial soul."
Zhu Ziyang glanced at Yu Beibei. 'This guy really knows how to pick examples.'
"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon! Holy Radiant Dragon!" Tang Ya's face brightened even more. "Wait, wasn't the Grandmaster your ancestor, Beibei? That means this is all true!"
"Mm." Yu Beibei nodded.
"Wow! Beibei, you're actually a descendant of the Grandmaster? You really kept that hidden!" Jiang Nannan looked at him with genuine surprise.
"Zhu Ziyang, why aren't you surprised at all?" Tang Ya pouted. She seemed disappointed not to see a shocked reaction from him.
"I already guessed it," Zhu Ziyang replied with a smile.
"Alright then!" Tang Ya's fighting spirit reignited. "My goal now is to awaken my Blue Silver Grass martial soul for a second time and evolve it into Blue Silver Emperor!"
Zhu Ziyang could only offer a polite smile at her spirited but somewhat naive ambition.
——
While the four of them were chatting, outside the freshman dorm building, Mu En had already heard about Tang Ya's changes from Yu Beibei's second granduncle.
"Star Vine… her martial soul is transforming?" Mu En lay on a wooden chair, eyes closed, muttering, "Looks like I need to lend that girl a hand… it's rare to see a good seedling not headed down the wrong path."
The old man's figure disappeared without a trace, unnoticed by anyone.
——
After the many events involving alchemy, selling pills, and Tang Ya's acquisition of her second soul ring, Zhu Ziyang's school life returned to a state of calm. Time flowed gently like water.
Another two months passed in a blink. It had been three full months since the freshmen entered Shrek Academy. The freshman assessment was fast approaching.
Over those three months, every freshman had undergone a brutal round of elimination.
Take Class Four, where Zhu Ziyang was enrolled. From the initial one hundred students, only eighty-one remained. Aside from Ling Xiaodong, who transferred to another division, a total of eighteen students had left Shrek Academy entirely.
Every student who remained had, on average, improved by one soul power rank. Several had even achieved a major breakthrough and obtained their second soul ring—such as Tang Ya.
Compared to those who were eliminated, the remaining students were undoubtedly more outstanding. But the culling wasn't over yet. These remaining freshmen would still face the harshest trial of all—the Freshman Assessment!
This was the final phase of the academy's weeding process.
According to Class Four's homeroom teacher, Xia Yu, the assessment would eliminate half the remaining freshmen. This directive came directly from the upper ranks of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department and was absolute—no room for negotiation. It was, in fact, a long-standing tradition of the academy.
After all, by Shrek Academy's standards, the school had no need for mediocrity.
Currently, the total number of first-year students hovered around six hundred. This was similar to previous years. Yet even so, half would be eliminated. That meant at least three hundred students would be leaving the academy after the assessment.
An elimination rate close to fifty percent—brutal, yet undeniably real.
That day, inside Class Four's classroom, Xia Yu was explaining the rules of the assessment.
"As I said on the first day, the freshman assessment will be in the form of battle. But considering that auxiliary and food-type soul masters aren't suited to fighting, the final format will be team battles," Xia Yu explained. "Each participant must form a three-person team. The rules are as follows: each team may have only one power-type soul master, and all three members must have different soul master roles. I assume none of you have failed to choose your role, right?"
"No!" the entire class responded in unison.
A month ago, Xia Yu had already distributed a notice instructing every student to finalize their chosen soul master path. Thanks to this, every student in Class Four had already confirmed their classification.
Because of this preparation, Xia Yu didn't need to worry about that aspect and could go straight to assigning teams.
"When forming teams, we'll first consider students who share the same dorm room. Two such students will form the core of a team, and the third member can be freely chosen. If anyone fails to find a third member, it will be decided by drawing lots. Soon, I'll announce the proposed groupings I've made. You can treat them as suggestions. If anyone's unhappy, you're welcome to speak with me, and I'll consider adjustments," Xia Yu said with a warm smile.
However, the students of Class Four didn't feel comforted by his kind tone. They all instinctively shook their heads.
In the past three months, they had already gotten used to their homeroom teacher's personality. He usually wore a cheerful and harmless smile, but behind that facade was a cunning tiger. When it came to expelling students, he showed no mercy whatsoever.
Because of this, many freshmen had come to refer to him and Class One's homeroom teacher, Zhou Yi, as the Male and Female Double Terrors.
(End of Chapter)
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