Huo Yutong and the other two walked up onto the examination stage.
Immediately, many gazes gathered on the three of them.
"Go, Wang Dong! Big sis will always love you!"
"My dearest Dongdong!"
A group of slightly older senior sisters from the outer courtyard had already begun cheering loudly from the stands.
"If you didn't dislike girls, what a pity that would be."
Xiao Xiao leaned close to Wang Dong's ear, glancing at the grand "fan club" below, her beautiful eyes full of amazement.
"To be honest, in the beginning, she too couldn't help but feel a trace of affection for Wang Dong."
But now, under someone else's aura, those feelings had mostly faded away.
"Nothing I can do about it—don't like what I don't like." Wang Dong shrugged. Some things were hard to explain.
You could only say—being too good-looking was also a kind of trouble…
"All right, get ready for battle."
Huo Yutong's willow brows arched slightly as she looked at the team approaching opposite them.
"Our opponents today are indeed no simple matter."
As her words fell, both Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong put away their joking expressions, focusing their gazes forward.
The three young girls across from them were all beautiful, dressed in the same fresh school uniforms.
At the front stood a tall girl with golden hair and emerald eyes, her cheeks dotted with a few playful freckles.
Next was a red-haired girl whose scarlet eyes shone coldly. Her pale, porcelain-like skin set off her aloof expression, her beautiful gaze filled with disdain.
The last girl formed a stark contrast to her—green hair and dark green eyes brimming with gentleness.
"It's Ning Tian from Class Nine!"
The instant Xiao Xiao saw the three, her cute little face turned solemn.
"They're one of the strongest contenders for the championship this year. Why are we facing them so soon?"
"She's the direct daughter of the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. Rumor has it she's one of the only two three-ring Soul Elders this year, and the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda is one of the most powerful auxiliary spirits in existence…"
Xiao Xiao's tone was grave.
"Looks like this will be a tough battle for us."
At the referees' table.
Neuvillette leaned back slightly in his chair.
For this match, even he felt some anticipation.
They likely wouldn't need to use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill yet—but nearly all of their other trump cards would be forced out, and the girl's debut with her Soul Tools should appear as well.
"Haha, I specifically arranged for them to meet these opponents. At the very least, they'll be forced to show some strength."
Dai Yueheng smiled, eyes full of expectation.
"This match is at least on par with a finals-level fight." Du Weilun nodded slightly.
Hearing such praise from the leading figures, the other teachers were visibly shaken. They straightened in their seats, eyes locked intently on the arena.
"Freshman Class Nine, Wu Feng, twenty-fifth rank Assault System Battle Spirit Master!"
"Freshman Class Nine, Nanmen Yun'er, twenty-fourth rank Agility Attack System Battle Spirit Master!"
"Freshman Class Nine, Ning Tian, thirty-first rank Auxiliary System Soul Elder!"
As their voices fell—
Gasps of disbelief rose from the audience.
For Tool-type Spirit Masters, advancing in rank was already difficult. Beyond that, this was the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda—renowned across the continent.
Reaching Soul Elder level at her age was enough to rank her among the very top talents of Shrek Academy.
Coupled with her two teammates, both Great Spirit Masters of the Battle Spirit category, their lineup was overwhelming compared to other teams, averaging only around the ten-something ranks.
"Freshman Class One, Wang Dong, twenty-fifth rank Assault System Battle Spirit Master!"
"Freshman Class One, Xiao Xiao, twenty-fourth rank Control System Battle Spirit Master!"
"Freshman Class One, Huo Yutong, twenty-fifth rank Control System Battle Spirit Master!"
The trio reported their ranks in turn.
"What a clash of titans—this will be a great show!"
"All of them are above the twentieth rank, enough to place in the top ten among all the teams here."
"But the latter group doesn't have a Soul Elder, so they seem weaker overall…"
"That Wang Dong, though, his second soul ring is a thousand years old. A monster like that isn't something an ordinary Soul Elder could ever compare to."
"We'll see soon enough…"
The weight of the battle was not lost on the crowd—within moments, the stands were alive with fervent voices."
Then, with the referee's declaration—
The battle began.
Wu Feng and Wang Dong shot forward at the same time.
Crimson dragon scales spread swiftly across Wu Feng's pale neck and arms, heat rippling outward as faint dragon roars echoed in the air."
Her slim figure burst through her school uniform, revealing the flexible leather outfit underneath.
Wu Feng's tall, gorgeous form radiated explosive power, her martial soul resembling a violent dragon.
Her Fire-attribute Red Dragon was a top-tier martial soul, on par with Bei Bei's Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon.
She clashed directly with Wang Dong's Radiant Butterfly Goddess.
Flames and radiance intertwined—the fight immediately fierce.
Meanwhile, Nanmen Yun'er sprouted a pair of emerald short wings, her speed so fast she left only afterimages.
Boosted further by Ning Tian's acceleration, she flashed past the dueling pair, striking straight toward Xiao Xiao.
Her green-tinged arms transformed into scythe-like blades.
"Careful!"
Huo Yutong cried out.
But thanks to their shared spiritual link, Xiao Xiao suddenly retreated a step, narrowly dodging the strike.
At the same time, her Three Lives Soul Suppressing Cauldrons rang in unison.
"Resonant Shock!"
Waves rippled outward in all directions.
Nanmen Yun'er froze in place, stunned within the area of effect.
The cauldrons lunged forward again, aiming to smash her down."
"Seven Treasures are illustrious—Second: Resolve!"
From afar, Ning Tian's beautiful eyes grew solemn as she intervened, a ray of light falling upon Nanmen Yun'er and instantly dispelling the stun.
Their probing exchange ended with neither side gaining the upper hand.
Nanmen Yun'er quickly retreated.
Down below, the arena had already dissolved into chaotic melee.
Neuvillette tapped his pale fingers rhythmically on the table, expression calm as water.
With the aid of Dragon Beard Tea, the three youngsters had each broken through one or two levels. Its effects were more about stabilizing their foundations and purifying impurities from their bodies—the quality comparable to an immortal herb.
"How many minutes until it ends?"
Dai Yueheng propped his chin with one hand, smiling as he asked.
"Three minutes."
Neuvillette replied lightly.
Once she revealed her Soul Tools, the battle would end.
"So fast?" Du Weilun exclaimed in surprise.
As the Martial Soul Department's director, an eight-ringed Soul Douluo, he had seen thousands upon thousands of students in his lifetime.
But he truly couldn't understand why these three children, favored by His Highness, could defeat Ning Tian's team in just three minutes…
Neuvillette nodded slightly, unconcerned with Du Weilun confusion, and took a slow sip of tea.
"Hehe, then I'll wait and see."
Dai Yueheng leaned forward, eyes sparkling with excitement.
He knew his junior brother well—Neuvillette never spoke empty words. His judgments always came true.
Which meant—
These three little ones must still have hidden trump cards…
(End of Chapter)