The first rays of morning sun pierced through the clouds, gently draping the ancient academy—nearly ten thousand years old—in a golden veil. The crisp, dew-laden air carried a refreshing coolness, stirring the campus awake.
As the newly accepted freshmen gathered at Shrek Square for class assignments, Dean Du Weilun of the Martial Soul Department arrived with over a dozen instructors in tow.
Their expressions varied—some wistful, some serene, some proud.
Among them, Mujin radiated unmistakable pride.
Outside the square, many upperclassmen had also been drawn by this annual event. Naturally, Bei Bei, Tang Ya, Xu Sanshi, and Jiang Nannan were among the crowd.
Once the appointed time arrived, Du Weilun stepped to the front of the assembly. His voice rang out—clear, resonant, and powerful—ensuring every student heard him before he opened his folder with a warm smile.
"The freshman trials have quietly concluded these past days. To those who departed, I offer my regrets. But to you who remain—I welcome you to Shrek Academy!"
His words echoed across the square, met not only with thunderous applause but also with quiet sobs of relief—tears shed after enduring hardship.
For a moment, the square brimmed with raw, unfiltered emotion.
Du Weilun and the faculty showed no surprise; they'd expected this. They simply waited patiently for the students to compose themselves. Only the upperclassmen outside the square truly understood—
for they, too, had once stood exactly where these freshmen now stood.
But beneath their empathy lay pity.
As the years progressed, Shrek Academy's attrition rate climbed relentlessly. Of all these hopeful faces, fewer than fifty would likely graduate from the Outer Sect.
For most, there would be no "sweet after bitter"—only more trials ahead.
After about ten breaths, Du Weilun continued.
"As you all know, the semifinals concluded yesterday, and the top three teams have been decided. I will now formally announce these teams and their rewards."
"Third place—Team Ning Tian: Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Nanmen Yun'er. Please step forward."
"I'll go first," Ning Tian said brightly, rising under the crowd's gaze. After a quick nod to Chen Junting, she led her teammates to stand before Du Weilun. Nanmen Yun'er's face flushed crimson with excitement.
"Congratulations to them!"
The entire freshman class erupted in applause.
Only Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu of Class Five remained seated, scowling—leaving Cui Yajie awkwardly caught between clapping and not.
Du Weilun went on:
"Second place—Team Wang Dong: Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao, and Dugu Xin. Please step forward."
Applause surged again as the trio walked out from Class Nine.
Wang Dong and Dugu Xin were slightly puzzled—why call it "Team Wang Dong" when Huo Yuhao was clearly the leader? But then they recalled Teacher Mujin's words from last night and understood.
Huo Yuhao, however, wasn't focused on the name.
His eyes were locked on Dai Huabin.
Triumphant? Vindicated? Something deeper?
Whatever it was, his gaze was complex—but undeniably satisfied.
Especially seeing Dai Huabin's jaw clenched tight, bloodshot eyes burning with fury, as if ready to devour someone whole.
'You looked down on me, didn't you?'
'Now, I've crushed you beneath my feet.'
Heart unburdened, Huo Yuhao passed Chen Junting and murmured, "Thank you, Big Brother Junting," before hurrying forward.
Chen Junting simply smiled in reply.
Once the second-place team took their positions, Du Weilun theatrically glanced at his folder, paused for effect, then announced in a louder voice:
"And now—please give a thunderous welcome to the champions of the freshman trials: Team Chen Junting—Chen Junting, Qin Lan, and Gao Ming!"
The square exploded in cheers—
Louder, more fervent than before.
Chen Junting offered a gentle smile as he led his teammates to the front. From his elevated position, he spotted Bei Bei and the others at the square's edge—Xu Sanshi even whistled at him, wearing a smug, proud grin.
Dai Huabin's venomous glare? Utterly ignored.
If that brat dared retaliate—perhaps even ambush him—well, the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect wasn't known for its mercy.
But what caught Chen Junting's attention was a figure who'd just appeared nearby—Fan Yu.
Clearly here for Huo Yuhao.
Though he seemed to have arrived late.
Du Weilun resumed:
"As the top three teams, you will each receive a unified reward from the academy: when you require a soul ring, you may request the academy's assistance in obtaining one that matches your current capacity and is optimally suited to your martial soul."
A wave of astonished murmurs swept through the freshmen. This was an extraordinary reward—even Chen Junting and Ning Tian were deeply pleased.
After all, suitable soul rings were incredibly hard to find.
Chen Junting still hadn't located the ideal soul beast for his fourth soul ring. But with Shrek's support—given its proximity to the Great Star Dou Forest and its superior knowledge of soul beast distributions—his chances had just improved dramatically.
Du Weilun added, "Furthermore, due to Team Chen Junting's exceptional performance and undefeated record, the academy has granted them a special reward—one that will remain confidential for now. After class assignments, you may accompany me to collect it."
A special reward?
The crowd buzzed with speculation.
But Du Weilun paid them no mind. "Return to your teams."
Chen Junting's group promptly rejoined Class Nine—though the excitement in the square only grew.
Most students had already heard about Core Disciple status—from teachers, parents, or seniors. Though they knew they had no chance, they couldn't help but feel thrilled.
Sure enough, Du Weilun continued:
"In the academy's eyes, your generation surpasses those before you. But remember: talent alone is meaningless without diligence. May you, under the guidance of Shrek Academy—the continent's premier institution—ride your dreams like steeds, honor your youth, strive relentlessly, and reap the fruits of your labor. Graduate with distinction."
"Moreover, in recognition of outstanding performance in the trials, the academy has approved a select group as Outer Sect Core Disciples of the Martial Soul Department. The list is as follows…"
The square fell utterly silent.
Even the upperclassmen held their breath.
Du Weilun opened his folder again.
"Approved Core Disciples: Chen Junting, Wang Dong, Ning Tian, Wu Feng."
Chen Junting was the first to react—surprised that Qin Lan and Gao Ming, his own teammates, hadn't made the list.
He turned to them.
In the next second, their eyes met. But in their gazes, he saw only acceptance. And Du Weillun's next words eased their expressions further.
"For certain freshmen who, while lacking in raw talent, demonstrated commendable performance, the academy grants provisional Core Disciple privileges until the end of this academic year. Should they show significant improvement in next year's promotion exam, they may be elevated to full Core Disciple status."
"The Provisional Core Disciples are: Qin Lan, Gao Ming, Nanmen Yun'er, Dai Huabin, and Zhu Lu. Announcements concluded."
"Captain Chen, we're satisfied," Qin Lan said from behind his mask, sincerity in his eyes. "Honestly, our strength is only mid-tier among freshmen. We only won because of you. This provisional status is more than fair. If we'd been named full Core Disciples, we'd feel like we were being roasted over a fire."
Gao Ming nodded vigorously in agreement.
Chen Junting could only sigh. If they were content, who was he to argue?
But another concern nagged him:
Dugu Xin's name was absent from both lists.
Which meant…
"Are you really leaving?" he murmured.
Qin Lan and Gao Ming didn't catch the words clearly—but they, too, felt uneasy about Dugu Xin's omission. So did Ning Tian's group.
But the most distressed were Huo Yuhao's team.
"What's going on!?" Huo Yuhao frowned, ignoring Dai Huabin's mocking stare as he turned anxiously to Dugu Xin. "Xin—are you alright?"
Even Wang Dong gripped Dugu Xin's wrist tightly, fearing he might do something rash.
Their concern made Dugu Xin laugh—though warmth filled his chest.
He pried Wang Dong's fingers loose and shook his head with a smile. "Do you really think I'm that fragile? I've already discussed this with the academy privately."
"Really?" Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong exchanged skeptical glances—but seeing his earnestness, they hesitated.
"As real as it gets," Dugu Xin said, pointing upward.
Fan Yu had now joined Du Weilun—and his gaze was fixed on them.
"You'd better get ready," Dugu Xin said. "Looks like the Soul Engineering Department is about to grant you Core Disciple status."
Huo Yuhao followed his gesture.
Fan Yu was already unfolding a document:
"After consultation between the Soul Engineering and Martial Soul Departments, Huo Yuhao of Freshman Class Nine has demonstrated exceptional aptitude in soul engineering. He is hereby granted Core Disciple status in the Outer Sect's Soul Engineering Department, with full privileges—and may continue his studies in the Martial Soul Department."
The square erupted in shock!
The Soul Engineering Department announcing a Martial Soul freshman as their Core Disciple—right here, in the Martial Soul courtyard?
This was unprecedented in a thousand years!
Dai Huabin, who'd just been sneering at Huo Yuhao, now stood dumbfounded—his face cycling through shades of green and purple, utterly humiliated.
He felt like a clown.
But his mood improved slightly upon realizing Dugu Xin hadn't been given Soul Engineering Core status either.
With Core Disciple assignments settled, the freshmen were now divided into four classes:
Class One: Assault- and Control-type Battle Soul Masters (taught by Mujin and Wang Yan)
Class Two: Defense- and Agility-type Battle Soul Masters
Class Three: Support-type Battle Soul Masters
Class Four: Specialized types—including Food, Healing, and various rare-attribute Battle and Tool Soul Masters
Mujin would serve as homeroom teacher for Class One—
with Wang Yan as her co-instructor.
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