"Boom—!"
The colossal "Kill" character and the Golden Road collided—unleashing a cataclysmic wave of soul power that surged outward in all directions. The sheer force of these two attacks rivaled that of a true ten-thousand-year soul skill.
On the spectator stands, Dean Du Weilun had already risen to his feet, eyes locked on the arena below, every muscle tensed. He stood ready to intervene at a moment's notice. An accident here wouldn't just be a loss for the academy—it could strain relations between major powers. Especially since one of the competitors was a descendant of the Hao Tian Sect.
As for the fusion skill…
Du Weilun paid it little mind. In his view, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had simply gotten lucky—somehow managing to activate it a second time within such a short window.
Most of the other instructors shared this opinion.
Only Wang Yan saw it differently.
"Huo Yuhao's martial soul is definitely strange!" he muttered under his breath. "Pity Elder Xuan already handed him over to the Soul Engineering Department… and he's also a disciple of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect…"
Wang Yan sighed, then began scheming. 'I'll need to build a good relationship with Huo Yuhao—maybe then I'll get a chance to study him.'
Meanwhile, in the arena—
One of the techniques was on the verge of collapse.
The hilt of the Seven Kill Sword suddenly slipped from Chen Junting's right hand. As his third soul ring flared, the sword swelled slightly in size, shot beneath his feet, and launched him skyward.
At that exact moment, the blue-and-gold beam obliterated the "Kill" character and blasted toward Chen Junting—but he was already soaring aloft on his sword, causing the Golden Road's lingering force to slam harmlessly into the ground below.
All that remained was a ten-meter-long, one-foot-deep trench, shimmering with golden light under the sun.
Exhausted from the strain, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong's fusion skill dissolved. Seeing the aftermath, the two—already on the verge of collapse—fell into stunned silence.
Their meticulously crafted strategies had failed. Even their ultimate fusion skill had been rendered useless against Big Brother Junting.
Facing the two dazed and drained opponents, Chen Junting instead accelerated toward Dugu Xin, his Seven Kill Sword wreathed in sword aura, poised to strike—
But Huo Yuhao, under Wang Dong's bewildered gaze, raised his hand in surrender.
"We lose."
There was no bitterness in his voice. After all, the gap in raw power was undeniable. And since he'd used the fusion skill only with Tianmeng's help, he'd already accepted defeat the moment he resorted to it.
The referee immediately stepped into the center of the arena and declared Team Chen Junting victorious.
Chen Junting halted at once.
Sword sheathed, he turned to Huo Yuhao. He knew Huo Yuhao's nature—he never surrendered until the very end. So why now?
Could it be because of Tianmeng Ice Silkworm's interference?
That had to be it.
Huo Yuhao, however, wasn't dwelling on the loss. He was reviewing his own performance—and a pang of disappointment crept in. Even with the fusion skill, he'd achieved nothing against Big Brother Junting. Had all his hard work amounted to nothing? Was he letting down Big Brother Junting and Sister Xiao Tian?
As if sensing his mood, Chen Junting walked over and placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder.
"You did well."
Those four words instantly lifted Huo Yuhao's spirits.
Just then, Wang Dong—still catching his breath—overheard Chen Junting's remark and grumbled, "What do you mean 'well'? We used our ultimate move, and you didn't even break a sweat! Now I finally understand—maybe even surpass—how that big-chested Wu Feng feels. Losing is bad enough, but watching you win so effortlessly is even worse!"
"It wasn't effortless," Chen Junting chuckled. "My soul power's nearly drained—I'm just not showing it."
He wasn't lying to comfort Wang Dong. Creating a "Kill" character comparable to a ten-thousand-year soul skill had cost him dearly. He now had only one-sixth of his soul power left.
Hearing this, Wang Dong felt much better.
At that moment, Teacher Mujin descended from the stands and sprinted toward them. Remembering the envious stares of her fellow instructors, she couldn't suppress the proud curve of her lips.
Top three!
Class Nine had claimed all three podium spots!
This had never happened in Shrek Academy's history—
And today, it belonged to them!
"You're all amazing!" she cried.
Outside the arena, she found the three teams already gathered. Overcome with emotion, she summoned her martial soul—a vine shot out and wrapped all nine students (plus herself) into one giant, enthusiastic hug.
No one was left out.
The sudden display of affection left everyone slightly embarrassed—but no one resisted her joy.
Until…
"Ugh—can't… breathe…"
Squeezed between Wu Feng's and Mujin's ample chests, Wang Dong was suffering not just physical suffocation, but emotional jealousy too.
"Alright, alright—I'll let go!"
Releasing them, Mujin beamed. "Tonight, I'm treating the whole class! No one's allowed to skip!"
"Come on, my little monsters," she said, leading the nine of them toward the academic building.
As they left, news of the freshman trials' final results spread like wildfire across the Outer Sect. Everyone now knew: Freshman Class Nine had swept the top three.
The entire academy was in an uproar.
And Class Nine's students? They were practically floating on air. Even the looming sorrow of imminent class separation vanished—replaced by pride and the promise of a feast.
…
Night fell. Stars dotted the velvet sky.
Passing through the bustling snack street of Shrek City, Mujin led her Class Nine students to an upscale hotel.
The interior was elegant, bathed in soft, warm light—cozy yet dignified. Inside a spacious private room, tables groaned under the weight of exquisite dishes.
The rich aromas instantly whetted everyone's appetite—and soon, laughter and chatter filled the air.
"I think this is one of our sect's establishments, isn't it?" Chen Junting mused, sipping his juice.
Ning Tian, leaning against his arm, giggled behind her hand. "Yes. Half of the top ten hotels on the continent belong to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect—though only major powers know that. So Teacher Mujin's really splurging tonight."
She opened her mouth as Chen Junting fed her a piece of Five-Color Pheasant, then mumbled, "I'll slip over to the front desk later and have this meal comped. Teacher Mujin's been good to us."
"Go ahead," Chen Junting said, utterly unconcerned.
But the next moment, he reached out and pressed his palm against Wu Feng's forehead—just as she was about to start drunkenly misbehaving. He sniffed, then frowned.
"Who gave Wu Feng alcohol?"
He glanced down disdainfully at the oil stain she'd smeared on his white robes, sighing in exasperation.
Just changed this an hour ago…
Ning Tian wasn't annoyed in the slightest. It was a happy day—she didn't mind Wu Feng's antics and even laughed happily.
Nearby, Wang Dong—who'd been sipping juice—saw Chen Junting searching for the culprit who'd given Wu Feng wine and instinctively ducked his head. He quickly adopted an innocent expression and shot Huo Yuhao a warning glare: Don't you dare tell!
But his attention was soon diverted.
"By the way, Yuhao," Wang Dong asked, "how did you bypass the cooldown on your fusion skill today?"
"Well…"
Before Huo Yuhao could stammer a reply, Teacher Mujin set down her chopsticks—drawing everyone's focus.
She dabbed her lips with a napkin and smiled at her nine students. "Enjoying yourselves? Well, I have more good news. Barring any surprises, all of you will soon be named Core Disciples—or Provisional Core Disciples—of the Martial Soul Department's Outer Sect."
Her words instantly captured their full attention.
"Core Disciples?" Wang Dong scratched his head, eyes suddenly sharp with recollection.
Wait… didn't someone mention this before?
Ah—yes! Big Brother Junting and Ning Tian had casually brought it up once. He hadn't paid it much mind then.
Now, he leaned in, ears perked.
"Once you become Core Disciples," Mujin explained, "the academy will invest far more resources in you—helping you deepen your cultivation and become stronger soul masters. However…"
She paused, her gaze settling on Huo Yuhao.
His heart clenched.
Chen Junting and Ning Tian exchanged knowing glances—Chen Junting lowering his cup, Ning Tian sitting up straighter.
Even the others grew tense.
"Teacher… Yuhao wasn't chosen by the Martial Soul Department?" Ning Tian asked, her voice gentle but edged with implication.
Chen Junting traced the rim of his cup, his expression unreadable—though the flicker in his eyes and his subtle glance at Mujin revealed he'd already guessed the truth.
Wang Dong nearly leapt to his feet—
But Dugu Xin clamped a firm hand on his arm.
"Stay calm."
"How can I calm down? Yuhao's—!"
"Yuhao's what?" Dugu Xin's serpent-like eyes narrowed. "The teacher hasn't finished speaking. It might not be what you think. And didn't you notice? Junting and Ning Tian aren't panicking."
"Dugu Xin is right," Mujin said, a hint of warmth in her eyes—clearly pleased by their camaraderie.
"Huo Yuhao wasn't accepted as a Core or Provisional Core Disciple in the Martial Soul Department because, after discussions between the Soul Engineering Vice-Dean and our Headmaster, it was decided he shows greater talent in soul engineering. So he's been transferred to the Soul Engineering Department as a Core Disciple."
"The benefits are nearly identical to those of a Martial Soul Core Disciple. And due to special circumstances, Huo Yuhao will still be allowed to continue studying in the Martial Soul Department."
"Huh!?"
Wang Dong froze, his indignant expression melting into utter bewilderment—his wide, round eyes drawing peals of laughter from the group.
Realizing how silly he looked, his face flushed crimson. "Stop laughing! It's not funny!"
But that only made them laugh harder.
And, as expected, the commotion drew the attention of the rest of Class Nine—
Leaving Wang Dong as the sole victim in a world of mirth.
After the feast, Mujin headed to the front desk to settle the bill—only to be told it had already been paid by someone from their private room.
Instantly, the faces of Ning Tian and Chen Junting flashed in her mind.
"Those two…" She shook her head, smiling fondly. "I'll go find them later—time to give them that thing."
---
T/N: For Patrons, don't forget to vote for which story gets 4 Chapters/Day for next week! Checkout the community Chats for the link or use the tag 'Weekly Vote' to get to the post!
------------------------------------------------------
Double Chapters Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)