"Zhu Ziyang's team wins."
The examiner who announced the result was quite confused. Zhou Tianhe's team, which had launched the first attack, clearly had the advantage. How did the situation suddenly reverse in less than a second?
So strange!
The examiner, over forty years old, scratched his head, very puzzled.
"This…" On the main platform, Du Weilun looked at Yan Shaozhe with surprise and uncertainty, a questioning look on his face, and said.
"Hmm!" Yan Shaozhe also had a hint of shock on his face. He nodded and said, "It's a fluctuation of the time attribute! I just don't know if it's a Spirit Bone Spirit Ability or an innate ability of his Spirit?"
Even someone as knowledgeable as Yan Shaozhe was a bit indecisive.
"Should we call Zhu Ziyang over and ask him?" Du Weilun asked.
"Not yet!" Yan Shaozhe waved his hand, a thoughtful look in his eyes, then he regained his composure and said, "Don't interrupt their competition yet. We'll talk about it after the new student assessment ends."
"Yes!" Du Weilun nodded. He had a premonition that perhaps he would witness a new star rising in Shrek Academy!
Zhu Ziyang didn't know that he had successfully attracted Yan Shaozhe's attention, but even if he did, he wouldn't care. He was already mentally prepared; with his talent, if he couldn't attract the attention of Shrek Academy's higher-ups, that would be the real problem.
They left the assessment area.
"Zhu Ziyang, how did you suddenly appear behind Zhou Tianhe during the match just now?" After leaving the assessment area, Tang Ya was like a curious baby, chasing Zhu Ziyang and asking, "You don't know Zhou Tianhe's expression at the time, it was like he saw a ghost, hehehe!"
"Alright, Xiaoya, didn't you see that Gege is a bit tired?" Jiang Nannan pulled Tang Ya, curbing her curiosity, and said.
"Is he? Why didn't I notice?" Tang Ya looked at Jiang Nannan speechlessly, but she didn't continue to pester Zhu Ziyang.
There was indeed a hint of weariness in Zhu Ziyang's eyes. Using the Time Stop ability in actual combat for the first time consumed a significant amount of his mental force. He needed to recover now.
"Let's go back to the dorm to rest. We still have the semifinals to fight this afternoon!" Zhu Ziyang said, then walked towards the dorm.
Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya followed closely behind.
When they entered the dorm building, Mu En was uncharacteristically not lying on the wooden chair at the entrance, basking in the sun.
Zhu Ziyang returned to his dorm and entered meditation.
— —
"…Teacher, that's how it was." Yan Shaozhe stood respectfully before Mu En, recounting everything that had happened that morning.
"Time-type ability, huh?" A hint of curiosity appeared in Mu En's cloudy eyes. He said, "Even you are unsure. Interesting. This old man is also very curious."
"Then I…" Yan Shaozhe hesitated, his gaze filled with probing and indecision.
"Alas!" Mu En suddenly sighed and said, "Forget it, let's observe him a bit longer. You may go first."
"Yes!" Yan Shaozhe respectfully withdrew.
"Light, time, and a faint dragon aura… Shao Zhe is still lacking in magnanimity…" Mu En murmured, then let out another heavy sigh.
— —
Zhu Ziyang awoke from meditation. The mental force he had consumed that morning had almost fully recovered and would not hinder the afternoon's competition.
He got up, checked the time, and found that there were only five minutes left until the dinner time he had agreed upon with Jiang Nannan, so he quickly tidied up and left the dorm.
Arriving at the dorm building's main entrance, Mu En was once again on the wooden chair at the doorway. From an angle Zhu Ziyang couldn't see, he quietly scrutinized Zhu Ziyang.
"Gege, have you recovered?" Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya arrived together. Seeing the radiant Zhu Ziyang standing at the entrance, she looked surprised and said.
"That's right, the consumption wasn't that great to begin with. After meditating for a whole afternoon, I've naturally fully recovered!" Zhu Ziyang replied with a bright smile.
"That's great! As long as we win this afternoon's match, we'll enter the finals, and once we're in the finals, the championship won't be far off!" Tang Ya exclaimed excitedly, her voice full of enthusiasm.
"Naturally!" Zhu Ziyang said, "Let's go, let's eat. After dinner, it'll be almost time for the competition."
"Mm!" Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya nodded and followed Zhu Ziyang to eat.
After lunch, Zhu Ziyang and the other two arrived at the assessment area.
Because the morning's matches had already determined the top four teams, the number of students outside the assessment area was actually fewer than the number of teachers. The twelve students from the four teams lined up in four groups, yet there were over thirty teachers. Almost all the teachers from the Outer Courtyard who didn't have classes came, surrounding the students tightly.
Facing such a large number of observing teachers, all twelve students were well-behaved, not even daring to speak. These were Shrek's teachers, over thirty high-level Spirit Masters, at least of the Spirit Emperor rank! Such a gathering of Spirit Emperors to watch a battle between children with two or three rings was probably a scene that could only occur at Shrek Academy in the entire continent.
Two teachers, whose status was clearly extraordinary, walked out from among the teachers. One of them was Du Weilun, the Head of the Martial Soul Department, whom all the students present recognized. What surprised all the students was that this Head of the Martial Soul Department, who could be said to hold a high position and power, respectfully followed behind another elderly man in white. The white-clothed elder had a benevolent face, a calm gait, and every movement exuded an approachable demeanor.
The students immediately guessed the identity of this middle-aged man.
In the Martial Soul Department, the only people Du Weilun would treat with such respect were the two deans. The Vice Dean was rumored to be a woman, and the Dean was a man, so the identity of the white-clothed man before them was self-evident.
Shrek Academy's Dean, 95th-ranked Super Douluo, Bright Phoenix Douluo, Yan Shaozhe!
The students who knew the Dean's identity became excited, and a peculiar light flickered in Zhu Ziyang's eyes as well.
Bright Phoenix Douluo Yan Shaozhe, the strongest Titled Douluo of Shrek Academy on the surface, but Shrek Academy's enemies all knew that he was far from being the strongest; there were several individuals even more powerful than him within the Sea God Pavilion alone!
I hope Dragon God Douluo Mu En is still alive, Zhu Ziyang thought.
Yan Shaozhe stepped forward and, under the gazes of the twelve students—some awed, some puzzled, some curious—slowly began to speak: "Children, hello. I am Yan Shaozhe, the two hundred and sixty-first Dean of Shrek Academy."
The students who had guessed and those who were completely unprepared all unconsciously straightened their bodies, their eyes fixed on Yan Shaozhe, this elder whose status was no less than that of emperors of various nations.
Yan Shaozhe noticed the twelve students' physical reactions, his gentle smile unwavering. He said in a warm tone, "I know you are very curious as to why I am here. Generally speaking, even in the final stages of the new student assessment, having a Vice Dean present is enough to show the academy's Pay attention to for you. But I must say, this batch of new students, especially the twelve students here, makes me very satisfied. You are the most talented batch of new students in the past hundred years. I am very interested in you, so I came. I will watch all of your matches today. I hope you can show me some surprises. Alright, let the drawing of lots begin."
After hearing Yan Shaozhe's words, even Zhu Ziyang felt a surge of excitement, let alone the other children who were only eleven or twelve years old. This was the Dean of Shrek Academy; his praise was undoubtedly very significant.
Du Weilun brought over the box containing the lots. Then, he called out, "New Student Class One, Chu Hua's team."
A girl walked out, her expression excited, and stepped forward. Noticing Yan Shaozhe looking at her, the little girl's hands trembled slightly. With some effort, she drew a slip of paper and handed it to Du Weilun.
"New Student Class One, Chu Hua's team, number one."
There were only two assessment arenas for the semifinals. Drawing number one meant they would fight against another team that drew number one in assessment arena number one.
"New Student Class Five, Yu Beibei's team." Du Weilun called out next.