Time flew by, and the Outer Court's Freshman Competition soon came to an end.
The champion exceeded everyone's expectations: the Class 9 team led by Ning Tian.
In truth, this competition in the Shrek Outer Court was somewhat meaningless, as the recipients of Core Disciple status had largely been determined beforehand.
Take Lan Xuanyu's team, for example. Logically, having been eliminated in the first round, they should have been deemed unqualified and expelled. However, because Lan Xuanyu was a Soul Elder, Wang Dong had the background of the Clear Sky Sect, and Xiao Xiao possessed twin Martial Souls, all three stayed on as a matter of course and secured Core Disciple treatment.
So-called fairness was merely a game played by the higher-ups.
Next came the class divisions.
The entire first-grade level was divided into four classes: Class 1 for Power Attack and Control System Battle Soul Masters; Class 2 for Defense and Agility Attack System Battle Soul Masters; Class 3 for Auxiliary System Battle Soul Masters; and Class 4 for various special attributes, including Food and Healing Systems, as well as Soul Tool Masters.
As expected, Zhang Lexuan became the class teacher for Huo Yuhao's Class 1. As for the "famous teacher" Zhou Yi... she was unfortunately sent to Class 4, and not even as a class teacher, but merely as an instructor. It seemed the academy higher-ups had finally realized that Zhou Yi's teaching methods were problematic and she was unfit for a leadership role.
What surprised Huo Yuhao, however, was that Ning Tian privately gave him the rewards from the Freshman Assessment!
Her reasoning was simple: Ning Tian stated that if her team had faced Huo Yuhao alone, they certainly wouldn't have won. To her, the championship felt undeserved, so she felt the true rewards should go to the true champion.
While it was unclear how much of this was genuine, Huo Yuhao's favorability toward Ning Tian undoubtedly jumped significantly.
Lan Xuanyu and Wang Dong got their wish and ended up in the same class as Huo Yuhao.
Regarding their previous conflict, Huo Yuhao acted as if nothing had happened, simply ignoring the two of them. He vanished the moment class ended, making it impossible for Wang Dong to find him even if he wanted to.
Wang Dong had a nagging feeling that the changes in his own body might be related to Huo Yuhao.
Ever since waking up from that bout of head pain and fainting, Wang Dong felt much lighter in mind and body, but simultaneously, something was missing.
First and foremost was his third Martial Soul, the Sea God.
Wang Dong didn't particularly care about losing this Martial Soul. He already had two others, and this third one was something he couldn't actually use yet—it was essentially useless to him at this stage.
This Sea God Martial Soul was, in reality, a wisp of Tang San's Divine Consciousness. Back in the Star Constellation Great Forest, when it tried to control the soul fragments of Tang Wutong to possess the Three-Eyed Golden Lion, it had been wiped out by the combined efforts of Electrolux and the Silver Dragon King. Naturally, Wang Dong lost the Martial Soul as a result.
While this meant Tang San might not be able to intervene in time if Wang Dong faced a life-threatening crisis, there was a silver lining: in every sense of the word, Wang Dong could no longer turn back into Tang Wutong.
Congratulations to the Tang God King; he had utterly lost his daughter in the spiritual sense.
In the original timeline, the fusion of three Martial Souls between "Old Huo" and Wang Dong was quite absurd to begin with. Setting aside why eyes and butterflies—two things with zero correlation—would fuse, how could the Divine Consciousness of Electrolux and the Sea God achieve a 100% fusion?
Without the meddling hand of the God King, the so-called triple-martial-soul fusion naturally vanished.
However, this didn't mean the original lingering feelings would disappear. Wang Dong was desperate to find Huo Yuhao because he had many things he wanted to say.
...
Inner Court, Sea God Island.
In the vast and empty martial arts arena, Huo Yuhao stood with a calm smile, looking at a huffing Ma Xiaotao nearby. Zhang Lexuan stood beside them acting as the referee.
"...Judging from the result just now, it counts as Yuhao's win."
Ma Xiaotao gave Huo Yuhao a frustrated glare but helplessly raised her hand in agreement.
As Huo Yuhao stowed away several Soul Tools, he walked toward them. "So, Sister Xiaotao, do you still think Soul Tools are just external objects? Do you still think you can just easily beat a Soul Engineer?"
Ma Xiaotao pouted unhappily. "Ugh... well... I wouldn't go that far... but I admit, Soul Tools are indeed useful in certain aspects."
The battle just now... no, it shouldn't be called a battle.
It was more like... training or a special lesson?
Armed with long-range Soul Tools and Soul Thrusters, Huo Yuhao had "kited" Ma Xiaotao. Even though she used her Bathing Fire Phoenix skill to chase him all over the arena, she was eventually worn down to nothing.
If you can't even touch the opponent, how can you talk about winning or losing?
Zhang Lexuan looked at the elegant gold-and-blue longbow in Huo Yuhao's hand and asked curiously, "I knew you were hiding something. Did you make this Soul Tool yourself? What rank is it?"
"The Light Feather Bow, a Rank 5 Soul Tool."
Zhang Lexuan's eye twitched. "...I knew it. A Soul Elder capable of making a Rank 5 Soul Tool... you really are a monster..."
Huo Yuhao chuckled. "Then I'll take that as a compliment, Teacher Lexuan."
Zhang Lexuan nodded thoughtfully while looking at the bow. "I think Yuhao wants to show us just how terrifying Soul Tools can be in warfare."
Huo Yuhao shrugged. "I didn't say that. I just think that as top students of the Shrek Inner Court, you and Sister Xiaotao should understand that the combination of Soul Tools and Soul Masters is the mainstream path for future combat."
He then pointed at their fingers. "If nothing else, no matter how much you dislike Soul Tools, aren't you both still using Storage Soul Tools?"
Ma Xiaotao scratched her cheek. "Uh... well... fine, little Yuhao, you've convinced me."
Facts spoke louder than words. While they claimed to uphold the "glory of the Soul Master," they still carried Storage Soul Tools everywhere they went.
Zhang Lexuan exhaled. "Yuhao, you're right. I'll propose this to the academy higher-ups."
"However..." Zhang Lexuan's tone shifted, becoming much more authoritative yet tinged with a bit of a sulky attitude. She put her hands on her hips and stared into Huo Yuhao's eyes with an imposing gaze. "First, you have to tell me why you want to take a full two-month leave of absence. Do you really dislike my classes that much?"
Huo Yuhao waved his hands and shook his head frantically. "No... no, no, no! Uh, how should I put this? First, I feel Shrek Academy's holidays are far too short, and there isn't that much to learn... Wait, no, that's not it! It's... I want to go home to handle some business."
"Short holidays... that is true. I remember your home is in Star Net City, right? What are you in such a hurry to handle? Tell me, and maybe your teacher can solve it for you."