The Legend of the Dragon King Chapter 261-270

Chapter 261 – A Test of Strength

Chapter 261 – A Test of Strength

After creating spirit souls, Spirit Ice Douluo Huo Yuhao managed to obtain an orange-gold soul ring somehow, one that provided multiple soul skills from a vicious spirit soul. He was truly outstanding.

Soul rings with special colors rarely appeared throughout history, and the legendary Huo Yuhao and Tang San were the most prominent examples of people who possessed them.

In light of this, even though Tang Wulin only had a single golden soul ring, it immediately attracted everyone’s attention.

After recovering from her surprise, the old lady furrowed her brows. “Your soul ring is quite unique. It doesn’t seem to be made of soul power. I sense blood essence fluctuations coming from it, but your soul power is

completely serene. Just what is going on?”

“Honestly, I don’t know either,” Tang Wulin answered calmly. “I only know that my blood essence is very powerful. I think this ability came from my bloodline, but since it granted me a soul skill, it seems to be a type of soul ring.”

As Tang Wulin spoke, the golden ring lit up, and the roar of a dragon erupted from his body. His muscles swelled as a layer of golden light enveloped him.

“Th-this is… Golden Dragon Body? You have the Golden Dragon bloodline?” the old lady sputtered.

Her words stunned Tang Wulin.

 The name of the soul skill appeared in my mind, so how does this old lady know it? Has someone been in a situation like mine in the past?

No. That’s not possible. She said Golden Dragon, but what’s sealed inside my body is the Golden Dragon King. They should be two different things.

As his mind worked in overdrive to understand the situation, the old lady appeared in front of him in a flash.

“Punch me.” The old lady stared at him with profound, thoughtful eyes. “Punch you?” Tang Wulin hesitantly asked, clearly taken aback.

Although he knew how mighty a Shrek Academy examiner had to be, the old lady before him looked as if she already had one foot in the grave. He doubted that she could take one of his punches.

My strength surpassed five hundred kilograms long ago, but with Golden Dragon Body, I think it might be over five thousand kilograms!

“Don’t worry about me,” the old lady said impatiently. “My old bones are quite tough. If you actually kill me, you can just immediately enter the Sea God’s Pavilion.”

At her words, Tang Wulin sucked in a deep breath and said, “Please be careful then.”

And he threw a punch at her. Bang!

Tang Wulin suddenly felt something strike his arm, instantly slapping his punch aside.

“Have you not eaten yet?” the old lady barked in a scolding tone. “Use some strength!”

The people watching from the sidelines had clearly seen what happened. The moment Tang Wulin’s scaled fist shot out, the old lady casually swatted

 it away as if it were a housefly!

Their awareness of his strength only made this sight all the more shocking. Even if it wasn’t a full-power punch, Tang Wulin was still a dragon in human form! Yet… she simply…

Realizing what had happened, Tang Wulin felt better about punching the old lady. He sucked in a deep breath, his belly seemingly inflating as a

sharp whistling sound pierced in the air. His arms swelled with even more power than before, their golden scales shining brilliantly. With a loud grunt, he threw all of that power into an explosive punch directed at the old lady.

However, this punch was different. A deafening boom rumbled through the room in the wake of his fist, even leaving a golden afterimage.

Bang!

His fist came to an abrupt halt in the old lady’s palm.

The old lady hadn’t moved an inch and was just as expressionless as before. Tang Wulin felt as if he had struck a wall of rubber, all of his force instantly dissipating.

This…

Tang Wulin felt just as powerless as Xie Xie had. She can actually take my punch without using her martial soul or soul power? She’s crazy strong!

“Is that all?” the old lady asked dryly. “You’re only this strong?” The disappointment in her eyes provoked his sense of pride.

“I’m even stronger than this,” he declared, preparing his fist once more.

Golden tendrils of light danced about as it transformed into a golden dragon claw.

With Golden Dragon Body activated, low rumbles could be heard radiating from his claw, as if its oppressive magnificence alone was enough to make the air tremble.

 Light flashed through the old lady’s eyes. “Come,” she said.

Breathing in deeply, Tang Wulin hurled his third punch screaming outward.

This time he held nothing back, pouring all his strength into this punch.

Unlike the second punch, his blood howled as all of his blood essence

converged on his right arm. The roar of a regal dragon filled the air as he punched. No sonic boom accompanied his fist this time because the air itself parted before its might.

Although the old lady remained nearly as motionless as before, this time she threw a punch of her own.

Xie Xie, Gu Yue, and Xu Xiaoyan saw light warp around the old lady as nine resplendent rings of light appeared. Before they could comprehend what was happening, the two fists met.

Boom!

Flying backward like an artillery shell, Tang Wulin struck the wall twenty meters behind him, embedding himself into it.

The old lady remained where she had been standing, unmoving. After a moment, she returned to her seat at the table. “Next.”

“Captain!” “Wulin!”

The members of class zero shouted in unison, immediately rushing to his side.

“I’m fine,” Tang Wulin said with a cough.

Debris tumbled from the wall as he extricated himself from it. This wall is really thick!

 Tang Wulin truly was fine. During the clash of their two fists, he felt as if he were punching a gigantic balloon. A simply overwhelming elastic force had sent him flying into the wall.

His was more than tough enough to experience being embedded into the wall and walk away unscathed, but still, it wasn’t a pleasant experience. Those three punches had depleted him of blood essence, and now his body felt weak.

Gu Yue helped him up. “Are you sure you’re okay?”

Tang Wulin nodded. “Relax. I just need to rest for a moment and I’ll be in prime condition. Actually, I guess I’m still a bit hungry.”

If I had a good meal right now, would my blood essence recover even faster? Too bad there isn’t any food here.

Preoccupied with Tang Wulin’s condition, the students hadn’t seen the looks of shock painted on the faces of Shen Yi and the other two examiners. Their jaws had dropped.

Tang Wulin sat on the chair, took in a deep breath, and began using the

Mysterious Heaven Method to adjust his soul power and recover his blood essence. His breathing was still a bit rough as his eyes flitted toward the old lady, awe lingering within them.

Her strength is unfathomable! I don’t think that even Teacher Wu could compare!

Gu Yue walked to the center of the room, her expression somewhat grim. She did not bow like her three classmates before her. Instead, she simply nodded. “I’m beginning now.”

Shen Yi frowned. This was the first time someone ever dared act so haughty in front of a Shrek Academy examiner.

The old lady narrowed her eyes and leaned back in her chair. “Go on then.”

 Gu Yue’s eyes sparkled as three soul rings appeared beneath her, two yellow and one purple. She flipped her hands to form the shape of a bowl with her palms, a yellow light gathering in them a moment later.

That yellow light was steady and gentle, the characteristics of the earth element.

The earth element spun within her hands and gradually congealed into a physical form.

Elemental control. So she’s showing the strength of her spiritual power. The three examiners instantly came to the same conclusion.

However, what happened next challenged their understanding.

Gu Yue took the ball of yellow light in her left hand, then began sculpting it with her right. Each soft touch of her fingers created a petal, until finally,

she held a yellow flower with nine petals.

The nine-petaled flower spun slowly, its otherworldly nature a mesmerizing sight.

The middle-aged man on the right gave a slight nod of approval. Elemental- type martial souls were rarely seen, and Gu Yue’s wealth of spiritual power and steadfast control over the element proved impressive. However, this

still fell within the boundaries of what was considered normal.

Chapter 262 – Title Douluo

Chapter 262 – Title Douluo

Gu Yue suddenly reached out and grabbed the air, then slowly opened her hand to reveal sparkling specks of blue light. They began to multiply and merge together until a spherical blue light levitated above her palm

She’s using the water element?

Just like the earth element, Gu Yue fashioned azure water-element petals from the light ball and floated them above the yellow earth petals. There was one less water petal than earth petals, the two layers occasionally overlapping as they rotated in sync.

Gu Yue’s three soul rings lit up in turn, each aiding her in a specific manner. Dual element control! What a remarkable martial soul! The two middle-

aged examiners nodded in approval. But it didn’t end there.

Gu Yue grabbed at the air again. Strands of green light winked into existence and flew in her hand.

Wind element?

The two middle-aged examiners leaned forward in anticipation. Dual element soul masters existed in Shrek Academy, but a soul master that wielded three elements was unprecedented!

More elements was not necessarily better; soul rings usually only affected one element at a time, and it was difficult to control multiple elements as

 they exerted a greater influence on the body In fact, it was impossible in theory for soul masters to wield so many.

The green light transformed into a whirlpool in Gu Yue’s hand, condensing into a ball of the same color. It flew above the water petals before

separating into seven petals. This…

She can actually manipulate three elements, and with such precision and harmony! What skillful control! Her spiritual power and comprehension of the elements must be deep!

But this was still not the end.

When Gu Yue clutched at the air once more, the examiner on the right couldn’t help but shoot out of his seat. Even Shen Yi’s eyes widened in disbelief.

She had witnessed Gu Yue use multiple elements simultaneously before, but not to this degree!

The air came alive as embers of red light gathered in Gu Yue’s palm. A blink later, a fireball stood in its place. Despite the telltale beads of sweat rolling down her forehead, her eyes were never lost their calm.

The old lady leaned over slightly, cracks forming in her mask of indifference.

Four elements? She’s actually controlling four elements!

The difference between wielding three and four elements was an uncrossable canyon.

The Douluo Continent’s soul masters all understood that everything was

composed of elements. Moreover, earth, wind, water, and fire were the four fundamental elements that made up the world.

 For her to be capable of wielding these four elements, it meant she also possessed the power of creation! . Shrek Academy had records of a three-

element soul master, but that person only reached the Soul Sage level before he was overwhelmed by the difficulty of balancing all three elements..

Legends had it that should the four basic elements ever come into harmony, harnessing their immense power would become possible.

And she was to wield all four elements in the entirety of Doulou Continent history!

Gu Yue’s performance won over all the examiners.

The fire in her hand trembled as all three of her soul rings lit up.

Not much of each element was used, but in order to give them each a

concrete form, she needed to split her mind into four parts, paying attention to the equilibrium between elements.

The relationships between earth and water, water and wind, and wind and fire strained her mental faculties, with each additional one increasing the burden exponentially!

Yet, she managed to maintain this fragile balancing act!

The fire congealed into six blazing petals, blossoming above the previous ones.

The quad-colored flower slowly spun, a peculiar sight to behold.

Not to mention the examiners, even the three people most familiar with Gu Yue, the other students of class zero, gaped at her display. Now that her

elemental control was so great, she could unleash a four-element fusion

attack in battle! Of course, whether she’d have enough time to prepare one in battle was questionable, but the fact that it was possible was a testimony to her skill.

The examiners knew that Gu Yue had reached the Spirit Sea realm; otherwise, she wouldn’t have been able to accomplish such a feat.

 Still, she was not finished. Gu Yue clawed and grasped at the air for the fifth time.

This time, even the old lady couldn’t help but stand up. There’s still more?

The light beaming in through the windows became tiny golden specks, all converging in Gu Yue’s hand. However, she did not force them into petals, but instead, spun them around the four-colored flower.

“I present this to you!” She raised her head, shooting her gaze at the elderly lady like a laser beam. Suddenly, the flower vanished from her palm in a flash of silver light, reappearing before her target.

“Careful.” Shen Yi cried out in alarm.

No longer controlled by a soul master, the four elements composing the flower descended into chaos and could explode at any moment!

Gu Yue was fully aware of this fact, but chose to do so through a grudge. She did not like that the woman had harmed Tang Wulin.

The old lady’s surprise quickly dissipated and she bent her lips into a smile, waving her arm, billowing sleeves trailing behind. A crescent moon

appeared behind her, shining down upon the flower. Nine soul rings rose from beneath her.

This time, the four students of class zero could make out their levels.

Four purple, four black, and one red. Power rolled off her body as the soul rings surrounded her.

The moment the moonlight engulfed it, the flower froze in place, as if caught in a trance. Then, ever so slowly, it melted away. The elements returned to their origin. Ashes to ashes and dust to dust.

Nine rings! She’s a Title Douluo!

It was class zero’s turn to shoot out of their seats.

 All of the children trembled with shock.

Nine rings! She’s a nine-ringed Title Douluo! I-is that a legendary hundred- thousand-year soul ring? Heavens! She has a hundred-thousand-year soul ring!

She’s a Title Douluo… This Shrek Academy examiner is a Title Douluo!

Their hearts were all thrown into pandemonium. Even the calm Gu Yue had a lifeless look in her eyes.

To annihilate a four-element explosive flower in an instant, the same flower that took Gu Yue five minutes and over sixty percent of her power to create, spoke volumes of the old lady’s strength. She hadn’t even used her full power!

“Good, good, good!” A grin was plastered on the old lady’s face as she turned to Shen Yi. “Zhuo Shi did quite well to have me extend the exam period for these kids. This girl doesn’t need to take the following trials. Let’s have her directly enter the inner court. Even I can’t help myself at the thought of a six-element soul master. This has to be a first in the entire history of the continent!” The old lady walked over to Gu Yue and looked her up and down.

“Girl, do you want to become my disciple?” she asked with a smile.

Chapter 263 – I Don’t Want To!

Chapter 263 – I Don’t Want To!

“Girl, do you want to become my disciple?” she asked with a smile.

Gu Yue was taken aback, but immediately shook her head. “I don’t want to.”

“You don’t want to?” The old lady was dumbstruck. “Why?” “No reason. I just don’t want to.”

“Gu Yue, don’t speak like that.” Shen Yi quickly approached to reprimand her. “Do you have any idea who this is? Elder Cai is an elder of Shrek

Academy’s most guarded Sea God’s Pavilion. Her title is Silver Moon. She’s the Silver Moon Douluo that stands at the summit of the continent! You’re lucky to have the chance to become her disciple!”

Obviously, none of the students were familiar with of this esteemed old lady before.

However, the mere mention of the Silver Moon Douluo sent shivers down countless people’s spines.

Six years ago, she had a reputation throughout the continent as a heaven-

shaking eccentric, yielding to no one and always doing as she pleased. Her common rampages had flipped the entire soul master world upside down. Peace only returned to the continent when Shrek Academy dispatched people to retrieve her. Like so, she vanished without a trace from the public’s eyes.

 Gu Yue met Shen Yi’s eyes, but she gnawed at her lip, shaking her head again. “She hit Wulin so I don’t want to be her disciple.”

Neither Elder Cai nor Shen Yi had expected this to be Gu Yue’s problem! Her petulant behavior was actually fueled by Elder Cai’s punch that had sent Tang Wulin flying.

Disgruntled, Elder Cai said, “Nonsense! That kid’s claw is special! If I hadn’t used some strength to send him flying, his claw would have gripped my old bones and injured me. I didn’t even harm him.”

The two middle-aged examiners were stunned at the elder’s outburst. There’s an apology hidden in her words! She’s actually apologizing to a thirteen-year-old kid?

Gu Yue turned to face Tang Wulin.

“Gu Yue, I’m fine! Really! Think about this carefully!” The words tumbled out of Tang Wulin’s mouth, clumsily and without grace. He understood how great an opportunity this was.

Gu Yue turned back to Elder Cai, her eyes earnest. “Wherever they are, I will also be. We won’t be separated. If they enter the inner court, then I’ll enter too.”

“Why are you such a handful? Fine, have it your way then. I don’t care anymore.” Elder Cai flicked her sleeve before storming off.

Elder Cai’s fury shocked Shen Yi. A moment later, she quickly followed to explain on behalf of the students, but Elder Cai would not have it.

Tang Wulin approached Gu Yue, tugging her arm. “Why did you do that?

Why did you let such an amazing chance slip away? Didn’t you see how

strong that Elder Cai is? She’s a nine-ringed Title Douluo! And her weakest soul ring is still at the thousand-year level! She even has a hundred- thousand-year red soul ring! Do you have any idea how rare people at her level are on this continent? I can’t believe you turned down her offer.”

 Gu Yue met his gaze, the pools of her eyes swirling with honest intention. “She hit you so I’m not happy.

These simple words put a lid on Tang Wulin’s mouth. Meanwhile, Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan pulled strange faces.

Xie Xie couldn’t help but say, “You know, I always thought I was prideful, but now I know what true arrogance is. Gu Yue, you’re so awesome!”

Xu Xiaoyan laughed. “Big sis Gu Yue is so honest. Really…”

Tang Wulin sighed within his heart. Will this affect our exam? That Elder Cai seems to be really influential in Shrek Academy. Is there anything good waiting for us now that we’ve offended her?

Sure enough, Shen Yi returned moments later with an ashen expression. She pointed a trembling finger at Gu Yue. “You! Who do you think you are? Do you know how many people dream of the chance to become Elder Cai’s disciple?”

Gu Yue remained silent, her head lowered. She had already given Tang Wulin her only explanation; there would be nothing else coming out of those lips.

Anxious, Tang Wulin said, “I’m sorry, it was our fault. Gu Yue is a bit tired right now so she’s not thinking properly. Teacher Shen Yi, can we still

continue with the exam?”

Shen Yi sighed. “Your exam should finish here, but you can all continue. I’ve notified Teacher already, so hopefully he can placate Elder Cai’s rage. Let’s go now.”

In a quick shuffle, she led them out of the large hall and into the depths of the school building.

“The fifth trial tests your talent. Well, more like your second profession,” Shen Yi said.

 Xie Xie asked full of confidence, “Teacher Shen, how many points did we get for the fourth trial?”

“Zero points. You all got zero points.” Shen Yi glared at him.

“Zero points? Isn’t that too little? Even if we weren’t amazing, shouldn’t we still go some points? Or are you telling me Shrek Academy can’t be impartial? Is this because we offended that Elder Cai?” Xie Xie nearly

exploded on the spot when he heard their score. This was a major setback! Moreover, he felt that their performance had been quite spectacular!

Shen Yi swept a deep gaze at them. “In Shrek Academy, the Sea God’s Pavilion makes the rules. If Elder Cai says you get zero points, then you get zero points. No one can dispute it, not even another elder. And now that you’ve scored zero points, you can’t enter the inner court even if you’re

absolutely amazing in the later trials.” Her eyes shifted to Gu Yue. “Do you understand the consequences of impulsiveness now?”

Gu Yue did not retort, following Tang Wulin in silence.

They soon arrived at another chamber. It was about the same size as the previous one, but there were tables spread out across this room, mountains of of miscellaneous items littered all over.

After surveying the room, Tang Wulin’s eyes lit up. Among the many tables was one suited for blacksmithing.

However, his elation was short lasting. Sitting behind the examiner’s table was a familiar figure. It was the elder who had stormed off in the previous trial. Elder Cai. She sneered at him when their eyes met.

“Elder Cai, you..” Shen Yi was at a loss for words.

Elder Cai snorted. “For the fifth trial, you all score zero points.”

Rage bubbled to the surface of Gu Yue’s eyes at Elder Cai’s words, but just as she was about to lash out, Tang Wulin pulled her behind him. Then, he directed a forceful look at Xie Xie to stop him from speaking out too.

 This was Shrek Academy, the home turf of Elder Cai. It would be pointless to argue against her here.

“Elder Cai, isn’t this a bit too much…” Shen Yi made an expression of helplessness and surprise. Although Elder Cai was famed for being an

eccentric, righteousness was not part of her character. In the years where

she had been stirring up trouble across the continent, she had acted a bit too excessively. Otherwise Shrek Academy wouldn’t have dispatched people to retrieve her.

But her current conduct…

“Don’t say I didn’t give Zhuo Shi any face. If they do well in the following trials, they will still be able to enter the inner court despite scoring zero twice. If not, they can go back to where they came from.”

Zero points. We got zero points again. Tang Wulin didn’t know how many trials there were, but this was already their fifth one. The burden would be hard to overcome. Just what is the passing score?

When Gu Yue squirmed behind him, he restrained her with an iron grip. It would be stupid to infuriate Elder Cai any further. He suppressed his fury for the sake of the team. As the captain, he couldn’t act first and think later. The future of his team depended on him.

Shen Yi’s face twisted into a mask of ugliness and she didn’t move until a while later.

She knew that the entrance exam had ten trials, each testing something different and awarding a maximum of ten points. The highest score possible was one hundred points, with sixty needed to enter the outer court. On the other hand, entry to the inner court required at least eighty-five points

scored.

Normally in every outer-court entrance exam cycle, one or two outstanding individuals would make it into the inner court. It was a tremendous

challenge to do so.

 Now that the students of class zero had lost twenty possible points, they had no choice but to score exceptionally in all of the following trials! However, these trials were no laughing matter.

Shrek Academy’s entrance exam was comprehensive. Although they had done well in the first three trials, that did not necessarily mean they would be as lucky in the rest. The upcoming trials all tested different aspects of their ability, not just their combat strength.

Shen Yi did not criticize Gu Yue. There was no point in doing that now.

Chapter 264 – Trial of Eating?

Please

Chapter 264 – Trial of Eating? Please

Elder Cai left, slamming the door shut behind her. Unseen by everyone present though, a smile had formed on her lips.

“Hehe. I bet that old fart Zhuo Shi is fuming right about now. Serves him right. Those brats are pretty good, tempering them a bit more should be fine.” She snorted at the thought of Gu Yue. “Since you dare to reject me, there will be a time when you come back begging.” She crossed her arms behind her back, her steps light as air as she departed.

☀

Aggrieved and indignant, class zero arrived at at the site of the sixth trial. The sixth trial was truly strange. It tested their capacity… to eat.

That’s right, it was a trial of eating.

In front of every person was a giant silver tray, and on top of that tray was a mountain of… steamed buns!

To one side was a sign that listed the requirements to receive points. It said that eating fifteen buns was a passing score and for every additional five buns eaten, another point would be rewarded. However, they weren’t permitted to circulate their soul power while eating and could only rely on their own stomachs.

 They were stupefied by this trial’s rules.

Both Xu Xiaoyan’s and Xie Xie’s eyes shifted to Tang Wulin.

Something flickered beneath Tang Wulin’s calm mask as he turned to Shen Yi and asked, “Teacher Shen, can we help each other eat for this trial?”

Still depressed, Shen Yi grumpily replied, “If you can eat enough to score full points, then you can help the others.”

This trial was truly strange, but then again, this was expected from an academy as monstrous as Shrek! In truth, what this trial tested was

willpower.

They had to eat until their stomachs burst! For a normal fifteen-year-old, fifteen steamed buns was an enormous amount of food. Furthermore, by restricting the use of soul power to aid digestion, it was almost impossible for most people to finish! One would need willpower to overcome one’s bodily limits! Of course, there were medical staff supervising this trial to ensure that the examinees wouldn’t become sick from overeating. The

sturdier-than-normal bodies of soul masters prevented their stomachs from exploding, but that didn’t mean they couldn’t fall ill from overeating. This seemingly simple trial was, in fact, a devil in disguise, innocently dragging examinees through the depths of hell and making them wish for the sweet release of death.

However, today an irregularity had appeared!

“Thank you Teacher Shen,” Tang Wulin said sincerely. In his mind, this trial was practically made for him!

He reached out his hands, picking up two buns in each. The steamed buns were soft and bouncy, their round fullness delighting him even as his

stomach rumbled from the delicious aroma of buns assaulting his nose.

Though Gu Yue had given him food in the morning, it was a meager portion and barely able to fill his stomach. This, coupled with him using up his blood essence in the series of trials, meant that he was starving! The sudden

 appearance of food in this trial was the most beautiful scene he had ever witnessed.

Tang Wulin devoured each bun in three bites and an instant later, four buns had already been demolished.

Hearing Tang Wulin could eat on their behalf, Xie Xie relaxed, placing his hands behind his head and leaning back in his chair as he leisurely waited. Xu Xiaoyan was a bit more reasonable, sitting down cross-legged to meditate. Gu Yue was the only one who picked up a bun to accompany

Tang Wulin in his meal.

Shen Yi frowned. What are those two doing? Why aren’t they starting?

“You only have thirty minutes for this trial. However many you have eaten at the end of the thirty minutes will go into your score calculation.”

Xie Xie smiled. “Teacher Shen, just wait and see.”

In the few seconds they had conversed, eight buns had already vanished into Tang Wulin’s stomach. He let out a gentle sigh as he patted it. I feel a lot better now with some food in my belly.

The reason why Tang Wulin could eat so much was that his bloodline

consumed a lot of energy. This, when combined with his digestive ability, meant that his stomach’s capacity was ten times that of an ordinary person’s. Those eight buns had instantly broken down into nutrients to replenish his starved body.

Thinking he was feeling unwell, Shen Yi said, “Eat slower. It doesn’t matter how fast you can eat as long as you can eat enough for this trial. If you eat too quickly, your digestion will slow down and later affect how—”

Before she could even finish her sentence, Tang Wulin had snatched another four steamed buns and stuffed two of them down with ease.

Xie Xie smirked. “Teacher Shen, you don’t need to worry about our

captain. His greatest strength isn’t his combat ability, but his stomach! He

 managed to eat our dining hall into poverty, so what are a few steamed buns to him?”

His words rang true. The first window at Eastsea Academy served nutritious food, but that came at a steep price. Even then, Tang Wulin’s stomach had only been satisfied because the higher quality of food had made up for the lower quality.

And the steamed buns before them were just average buns, their nutritional content negligible.

Shen Yi then witnessed what it truly meant for one to be called a Rice Bucket; no, a Rice Tub!

Tang Wulin calculated as he ate. If fifteen buns equaled six points and twenty was seven points, then he needed to eat thirty-five of the fifty buns on the tray to get a full score.

No more than eight minutes from the start of the trial, Tang Wulin had

already inhaled thirty-five steamed buns while Gu Yue had only eaten about four or five.

Tang Wulin sauntered over to Xu Xiaoyan’s tray and, as if his previous record was just a warm-up, he devoured thirty-five buns in seven minutes. Then, he went over to Xie Xie.

Shen Yi was merely surprised at first but her expression soon changed to shock, then dumbfoundedness, and finally, stupification.

Twenty-two minutes in, he finished eating thirty-five buns for Xie Xie too. He had eaten a total of 105 steamed buns now, but his belly hadn’t bulged one bit.

Shen Yi was certain that they weren’t using any soul power at all, which only served to deepen her and the other examiner’s shock. In all his long years of supervising this trial, that examiner had never seen such a glutton.

 Tang Wulin finally came to Gu Yue’s table. She stood up and gave him her seat and began handing him buns as Tang Wulin continued gorging himself.

The speed at which Gu Yue handed him the steamed buns could only just keep up with the rate they disappeared into his belly.

At the twenty-eight minute mark, he finished thirty-five buns for Gu Yue. However, he showed no signs of slowing down.

“Time is up.” The stupefied examiner just barely remembered to call the time.

He had eaten forty-eight of the fifty buns on Gu Yue’s tray, leaving only a lonely pair.

How can he do this?

Tang Wulin patted his belly, still wishing to continue. “Teacher Shen, we got full marks, right?”

Shen Yi nodded and immediately turned to leave. A monster… He really has the potential of a monster. Was he always such a monster? Is his

stomach a bottomless pit?

“Teacher Shen, can I take the leftover steamed buns with me? I didn’t eat breakfast this morning…”

Shen Yi stumbled. She waved her hand, indicating for him to do as he wished.

Tang Wulin showed no restraint and swept all the leftover buns into a few bags then stored them in his storage ring. Only then did he follow behind Shen Yi with a content smile plastered on his face.

After a half-hour’s rest and a good meal, his blood essence was nearly fully replenished. Unfortunately, the steamed buns weren’t that nutritious, otherwise, his condition would be perfect.

 ☀

“All four got full points for the sixth trial?” Elder Cai currently sat in a luxurious room, her face contorting into a strange expression as she listened to the report from the middle-aged man in front of her.

“Yes, they got full marks. It was reported that they even took the leftover buns. It seems the majority was eaten by Tang Wulin.”

Chapter 265 – Points

Chapter 265 – Points

Elder Cai kept silent for several long moments before muttering, “It looks like I won’t have to secretly give them some bonus points. At this rate, they’ll manage to get to sixty! Hmm. Maybe that brat’s strength is related to his stomach. Where did Zhuo Shi even find these little monsters? Especially that Tang Wulin and Gu Yue…”

☀

The first trial tested spiritual power, the second, combat ability, while the third tested for adaptability and courage. The subsequent fourth, fifth, and sixth trials tested talent, a second profession, and willpower. As for the

seventh trial, it was a marathon of endurance! Indeed, it would push their bodies to the limit.

When Tang Wulin and the others arrived at the room of the seventh trial, they were surprised to find other examinees still present.

Time mattered less for this trial of endurance. It was split into three tests: running ten kilometers, squatting fifty kilograms one thousand times, and one thousand chin-ups. Any exam taker who finished all three tests would be awarded six points, while finishing within an hour would net them full marks. Every additional ten minutes would cost them one point, down to a minimum of six.

These tests would be the same no matter what type of soul master the

examinee was. Beyond a shadow of doubt, power-type soul masters held the advantage in this trial.

 Fairness was not a concern. Had the trials been fair, the first one would not have tested spiritual power, seeing how power-type soul masters clearly lacked in that area. Just like in the first trial, this one would see many souls master eliminated from the exam. It was difficult for any single soul master to score well in all of the trials since they each favored different types of

ability. This was also the reason why Shrek Academy’s acceptance rate was so low.

Even so, this trial was kinder than the others in that it had no hard restriction on time. Thus, hours after the exam started, there were still some examinees working hard to obtain those six points.

Hearing the trial’s requirements, Tang Wulin cast a nervous glance at Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan. Both he and Xie Xie could easily pass the tests, but it would prove difficult for the two girls since they weren’t physical types!

They scored a total of zero points in the fourth and fifth trials, so they had to make it up by getting high scores in the following ones. However, this trial fundamentally worked against Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan.

Suppressing his anxiety, Tang Wulin asked, “Teacher Shen, how many trials does the exam have? And how many points do we need to pass?”

Shen Yi said, “There are ten trials and you need sixty points to pass.”

Tang Wulin immediately took to calculating. If we need sixty points and we can get a maximum of eighty points, then we only have twenty points of leeway. With how many points we each have now, Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan should still be able to pass if they get zero points in this trial. But who knows how hard the last three trials will be?

“Can you tell us what the remaining trials will test?” Tang Wulin asked. Shen Yi answered immediately, “I can’t.”

Tang Wulin continued, “Then can you tell us how many points each of the three endurance tests are worth?”

 “Two points,” Shen Yi said.

Tang Wulin made a few more calculations before turning to Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan. “You two only need to run ten kilometers. Xie Xie, we’ll complete all three. Let’s get started,” he told them, his voice resolute.

They didn’t need to go out to run, they had specialized soul treadmills.

Neither of the girls inquired about Tang Wulin’s calculations. They both trusted that someone as stingy as him would definitely have the necessary practice with numbers,

Tang Wulin began running on the soul treadmill, his pace mysteriously fast. As an agility-type soul master, Xie Xie could burst with even greater speed on this straight path, yet Tang Wulin would not lose out in a long distance run.

Shen Yi walked over to the side of Tang Wulin’s treadmill, eyes wide at his speed. “Why do you only want them to score two points? Aren’t you

worried that they won’t be able to score enough points later on?”

Tang Wulin said, “Their bodies aren’t that strong, so it’s basically impossible for them to finish the chin-ups and squats. If I urged them to

complete those, they would end up wasting not only their time but also their stamina, which would put us at a disadvantage in the later trials. I would rather have us conserve our strength and do our best in the final three trials. After all, we did score quite well in the trials we got points for. We still have a chance this way.”

Shen Yi smiled. “Excellent. What a thorough analysis.”

Tang Wulin and Xie only took about ten minutes to finish their runs. They then immediately tackled the second test, squats!

Tang Wulin could do fifty-kilogram squats like they were nothing, and he didn’t slow down one bit for the whole duration. Xie Xie was in a similar situation since he had a sturdy body as an agility-type soul master. Even

 without using soul power, he would still swiftly clear the squats. But fortunately, this trial didn’t restrict the usage of soul power!

It was during this test that the might of Tang Wulin’s Golden Dragon King bloodline revealed itself. Not even ten minutes later, he had finished one thousand squats then began his one thousand chin-ups.

Thirty minutes had yet to pass when he finished all three tests.

Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan had both taken about twenty minutes to finish their ten kilometer runs. They were resting by the side while waiting for the others.

Xie Xie lagged behind Tang Wulin, taking forty-five minutes to finish all three tests. Even so, it was enough to get a full score.

Not in any rush to continue, Tang Wulin and the others rested for fifteen more minutes. As long as they left within an hour of starting, Tang Wulin

and Xie Xie would get full points. The girls just had to give up on the other two trials and they would be fine.

“Teacher Shen, how many points do we each have now?” Tang Wulin asked.

Shen Yi glanced at a form she was holding. “After the seventh trial, Tang Wulin, you have fifty points.” She couldn’t help but glance at Tang Wulin when she read that. Excluding the points lost in the fourth and fifth trials, he currently had a full score! So far, he received maximum points possible on every trial.

“Gu Yue, thirty-eight points. Xie Xie, forty-eight points. Xu Xiaoyan, forty points.”

Since Gu Yue had conserved her strength in the earlier trials and only

completed one of the endurance tests, she had the lowest number of points of the four.

 Tang Wulin and Xie Xie were both in the safe zone, with them being only short by ten and twelve points respectively. In any case, it was impossible for them to directly enter the inner court, so they only had to meet the minimum passing threshold.

On the other hand, Gu Yue was in a tough spot. She only had a leeway of eight points in the next three trials. In other words, she couldn’t lose more than three points on each trial. If she did, then she would be eliminated.

Although Xu Xiaoyan’s situation wasn’t as precarious, it wasn’t much better either.

After resting and adjusting their bodies, Xie Xie’s fatigue was relieved while Tang Wulin was already in tip-top shape. As for the two girls,

considering they had only run ten kilometers, they fared quite well. With the wealth of soul power they possessed, it only took them a moment to get back to top condition.

The eighth trial would soon be upon them.

Tang Wulin calculated their possible points while formulating a plan.

“The eighth trial is a comprehensive battle. You will fight a current student of Shrek Academy. The available opponents are random, so your luck will also be a factor. Last ten minutes against your opponent to pass. Defeat them, and you will receive full points. Alternatively, marks between six and ten will be awarded based on your performance.”

Upon hearing that the following trial would be a battle, Tang Wulin let out a sigh of relief. He was sure that, at the very least, Gu Yue wouldn’t face any difficulties this time around.

As for Xu Xiaoyan, it would depend on her luck.

Tang Wulin looked up to survey the sky’s color. With seven trials behind them, evening twilight now covered the horizon.

His heart thumped as he asked, “Teacher Shen, will the four of us take this trial together or one at a time?”

 Shen Yi glanced at him. “You’ll take turns.” “Great. Then can we decide on the order?”

Shen Yi said, “There will be ten opponents for you all to choose from, so it isn’t just your strength being tested, but also your judgement. There are both strong and weak people hidden among the ten. Some may naturally restrain you, while others may be restrained by you. This means a large portion of your performance will be determined by your choice of opponent.”

“Yes.”

They now found themselves in a large, circular room, much larger than the previous few trial rooms. While they were taking the seventh trial, Shen Yi was preparing the current one, which meant that their ten possible opponents were already waiting for them.

Chapter 266 – To Battle

Chapter 266 – To Battle

The opponents class zero would face had only joined the academy a year before them, so there wasn’t much of a gap between everyone’s ages.

However, they were all geniuses who passed Shrek’s entrance exam and had received a full year’s worth of education from Shrek Academy.

This was a trial of true combat, a battle between two soul masters.

An air of indifference in her words, Shen Yi said, “You may begin selecting your opponents. Once you’ve made your choice, you may no longer change your mind—all selections are final. This trial’s only rule is that you are not permitted to use soul devices during battle. You have ten minutes to

choose.”

Tang Wulin nodded to Shen Yi then gathered his teammates.

Tang Wulin lowered his voice. “I have already put together an order for us to go in. I’ll be the first, second will be Xie Xie, and Gu Yue will follow

afterwards. Xiaoyan, you’ll go last. Xie Xie, Gu Yue, you two need to drag out your battles for as long as possible. Especially you, Xie Xie. It should be easy for you since you’re an agility-type soul master. We need to stall for nightfall so that Xiaoyan can use her Starwheel Ice Staff.”

Xu Xiaoyan’s eyes sparkled as she nodded. Gu Yue also gave a slight nod.

Tang Wulin continued, “As for selecting your opponents… Just pick whoever you feel is best.”

The four eyed the ten possible opponents.

 Generally, a soul master’s outward appearance reflected the qualities of their martial soul. Power-type soul masters would have robust bodies while range or spiritual-type soul masters would have more delicate physiques.

After inspecting his options, Xie Xie’s gaze settled on a strong-looking

student. Just as he was about to announce his choice, Tang Wulin grabbed his arm.

He then said in a hushed voice, “Let me remind you all that this is Shrek Academy, the legendary Monster Academy. I’m sure you’re aware of the

school’s motto: they only accept monsters, not ordinary people. That means we can’t judge our opponents as we normally would. Looking at them from the opposite perspective might even prove more accurate.”

Xie Xie felt as if he was struck by lightning. He gave Tang Wulin a big thumbs up before once more examining the ten students lined up in a row.

Attribute compatibility between soul masters was crucial at lower levels. If Xie Xie faced a control-type soul master, then he would be thoroughly

subdued. On the other hand, power-type soul masters feared range-type soul masters due to their ability to keep the former at a distance while also

attacking them. All things considered, it was crucial to pick opponents they would do well against. Despite Tang Wulin’s confidence in their ability, he was aware that the world had no shortage of geniuses, especially here, in the continent’s number one academy.

Xie Xie pointed. “I choose number two as my opponent.”

The student he pointed at had a slender figure that was almost certainly of an agility-type soul master.

Xu Xiaoyan picked the sturdy man Xie Xie had nearly picked beforehand. He was number six.

Gu Yue said, “Number one.” The first student had the most ordinary appearance of the ten. He lacked any unique traits whatsoever.

 The last one to pick was Tang Wulin. His eyes wandered for a moment before finally settling on one student. “I choose number ten.” His legs were already taking him to the arena as he spoke.

Student number ten was a tall, slender girl whose eyes displayed a trace of arrogance. Her looks were above average, but still a whole notch below Xu Xiaoyan’s. She was at about the same level as Gu Yue.

Shen Yi said, “I will be supervising this match. You must listen to my

commands during the match and you must stop the moment I tell you to. Understood?” Her words were clearly directed at Tang Wulin.

“Yes,” Tang Wulin said in deference. “Good. Get ready… Begin!”

Without any superfluous words, the match began. Student number ten’s eyes lit up as she instantly shot forward. Like a cheetah, she pounced on Tang Wulin with lightning speed.

Xie Xie gaped at her speed. He had always been confident in his speed, but he couldn’t even compare with her!

Three soul rings appeared around the girl, two of them yellow and one purple.

Her ears twitched as silver streaks appeared in her hair and her pupils squished into vertical slits.

A beast martial soul. The Snow Leopard? Tang Wulin identified it instantly. He didn’t have much of an impression of the Snow Leopard martial soul.

All he could recall was it being a rarely seen beast from cold climates that possessed both speed and ice-attribute attacks.

A smile blossomed on Tang Wulin’s lips. What agility-type soul masters feared most were control-type soul masters! As a control-type himself, he already held the advantage! Moreover, he possessed the Purple Demon Eyes.

 He may be nowhere near as fast as her, but his eyes could still keep up with her.

Two purple soul rings appeared beneath him while strands of Bluesilver Grass shot out like a giant net.

An agility-type soul master being bound by a control-type essentially signaled the end of the battle.

The very next moment, however, a startling scene unfolded.

Student number ten suddenly halted in the air, snowflakes exploding out of her body as her first soul ring lit up.

Snow whirled around her body which sent the temperature within the arena into a plummet. Popping noises blanketed the air as streams of snow

collided with the swarm of Bluesilver Grass.

The Bluesilver Grass turned sluggish under the snow’s influence. Had it not evolved several times already, perhaps the grass would have shattered on the spot.

Isn’t she an agility-type soul master? These snowflakes seem to come from a control or assault-type! She’s so quick, yet she isn’t approaching like an agility-type? Shrek Academy really is filled with a bunch of deceptive freaks.

As the two martial souls clashed, the blizzard grew in density. Tang Wulin amassed his Bluesilver Grass, but it still couldn’t penetrate the wall of snow as it drifted around his grass and toward his body.

Tang Wulin turned tail without any hesitation. Behind him, Bluesilver Grass spun like a blender, whipping away all the snowflakes nearing him.

“Coward.” His opponent coldly snorted, the air hissing as she willed the snow to pursue him.

She soon vanished amidst the blizzard while the snow itself gathered into the form of a leopard that leapt into pursuit.

 The students had a different assignment from that of the examinees. They were tasked with ending their battles as quickly as possible. The faster they were, the better they would be rewarded.

The girl’s second soul ring lit up. The appearance of her leopard had triggered a second drop in temperature inside the arena which served to lower the speed of Tang Wulin’s grass even further. The leopard instantly broke through the sluggish grass and and rushed Tang Wulin.

Tang Wulin’s appearance was unsightly as he madly fled in a winding path.

Bluesilver Grass continuously whipped at the leopard chasing him in an

attempt to slow it down as much as possible. He cut quite the sorry figure.

The girl held her spot in the center of the arena, commanding her leopard to continue its pursuit. Trying to stall for time? Then let’s see just how quick you are!

After running for a while, Tang Wulin could feel that something was amiss. There was something off about the temperature.

Chapter 267 – The Snow Leopard of Ten

Chapter 267 – The Snow Leopard of Ten

Tang Wulin’s movements slowed down as the temperature lowered even further and a layer of ice formed on the ground. His Bluesilver Grass

continued to whip at the pursuing leopard, but his soul power was quickly depleting.

Despite his situation, Tang Wulin kept running and exhaling more white fog with each breath.

“Hmph! Let’s finish this already.” A streak of blue flashed through the girl’s eyes as her third soul ring lit up. She leaned forward and dashed toward

Tang Wulin, reaching out towards him with her right hand. A white light enveloped her, sending an overflowing sensation of strength through her body.

Behind her appeared the image of a giant Snow Leopard swiping its claw at Tang Wulin.

Her third soul skill, Snow Leopard Claw, was a thousand-year level soul skill with both spiritual and physical attributes. Anyone it struck would become dizzy for five seconds and endure extreme cold to the point of freezing. It even possessed the ability to send opponents flying.

That was when the girl noticed a golden flash in Tang Wulin’s eyes. The grass around him sprung into the air and then dove into the frosty ground, striking at the leopard behind him, and at the Snow Leopard Claw.

 The leopard received the attack in its entirety and disintegrated into

snowflakes, while the Snow Leopard Claw met the Bluesilver Impaling Array in an explosive clash.

In the end, the gap in soul power proved too deep. The Bluesilver Impaling Array was routed into the icy ground which left the Snow Leopard Claw a clear path to Tang Wulin.

He sent out a punch with his right fist to meet the attack, but he was promptly sent flying backward with a loud bang.

Let’s see if you can still endure this. Is having two thousand-year soul rings even that amazing? The girl wore the smile of a victor. She was confident that, at the very least, the Snow Leopard Claw’s extreme cold would sap

Tang Wulin of all his fighting strength, not to mention the dizzying effect. The leopard previously destroyed by the Bluesilver Impaling Array had also scattered into snowflakes, dropping the arena’s temperature even lower. She couldn’t see any way for Tang Wulin to continue fighting back.

However, though he had been sent flying, Tang Wulin didn’t crash into the floor and a sudden descent of snow obscured his figure from her eyes.

It was cold, but not nearly frigid enough to stifle him. He willed his bloodline into power, speeding up his blood circulation to expel the chill from his body. With his bloodline in effect, the cold now had little effect on him.

Tang Wulin stooped down towards the ground before dashing out to the side, using the cover of the snow to create some distance from the girl.

As for the Snow Leopard Claw’s dizzying effect…

The skill hit Tang Wulin’s right arm, but his golden scales made first

contact, so the dizzying effect couldn’t spread to the rest of his body. At the same time, his Purple Demon Eyes dispelled the spiritual effect of the

attack.

 On the surface, it looked as if Tang Wulin was being greatly pressured. But in reality, a battle of wits and courage was being fought, a battle which Tang Wulin ended up winning. His biggest gain was finding out what his opponent’s three soul skills were.

As the snowflakes landed on the ground, the aftermath became clear. Just as the girl was about to report to Shen Yi, she was left dumbstruck at the sight of Tang Wulin standing in the arena, at the furthest point from her.

How can this be? Isn’t he cold? The girl gawked at Tang Wulin.

A resplendent smile formed on Tang Wulin’s lips. He simply waited there, not making a single move.

The girl snorted and pointed a finger at him, commanding snowflakes to

shoot toward him. Just like before, snow besieged him from all sides. This time, however, the girl also rushed alongside it.

Naturally, as a Shrek student, she wouldn’t be discouraged this easily. Moreover, she had yet to use her full strength.

Bluesilver Grass spread outward from Tang Wulin’s position and began

spinning. Not even by using his Purple Demon Eyes could he completely penetrate the snowy mist.

However, the whirling grass around him warded off attacks from all directions.

The strands of grass twinkled limpidly, simply refusing to yield to the oncoming blizzard as they spun into a giant protective net.

Tang Wulin waved both his arms and began pouring soul power into the grass to strengthen it. As he did so, the Bluesilver Grass’s inner veins displayed a faint golden glow.

His martial soul might have been Bluesilver Grass, but it was Bluesilver

Grass that had already evolved twice. With the aid of his two thousand-year

 soul rings, it was more than enough to hold his opponent at bay for the moment.

The leopard, now reformed of snow, rammed into the net with a big thump, pushing it inward toward Tang Wulin. It looked like it might reach him any second.

However, the Bluesilver Impaling Array appeared and surrounded the leopard in a spiky embrace. The now filled with holes leopard was left stunned in mid air. Tang Wulin took advantage of this by using his

Bluesilver Grass to cover his retreat, opening up some distance between him and the leopard. As this exchange took place, his Bluesilver Grass spun around him without pause. It continued to protectively whip around him from start to finish.

At that moment, a figure burst out of the leopard, charging toward Tang Wulin with lightning speed. It was student number ten!

She was too quick for him to react. Like a bolt of white lighting, she instantly appeared before him.

But in that same instant, golden light exploded from Tang Wulin’s body. He shot into the air like a spring while his Bluesilver Grass moved in to bind the girl.

The girl was startled. She had created the snow leopard precisely for the sake of this sneak attack. By relying on its speed, she could him and

suppress his Bluesilver Grass.

But a strand of golden Bluesilver Grass had launched Tang Wulin into the air before she could execute her attack! Though she wanted to pursue, the swarm of grass trying to bind her forced her to take evasive action. If she chose to follow him into the air, the grass would simply entangle her

From the very beginning of the battle, they assumed the roles of fleeing rabbit and chasing fox. Without a single upset, the girl had always been the attacker and Tang Wulin the defender. Undeniably, he had just been passively enduring an onslaught of attacks.

 The girl’s cultivation base was undoubtedly higher than Tang Wulin’s, the gap between three rings and two rings nearly unbridgeable. As the assailant, however, she consumed slightly more soul power than him, and with her

constant use of area control skills, she would soon be left without the soul power necessary to erupt with one final decisive attack.

After seeing several of her attack plans fail, her head cooled. If I continue this way, I might lose! What an annoying guy.

Tang Wulin had circulated his soul power according to the Mysterious

Heaven Method throughout the battle. Having practiced it for all these years now, his soul power was purer and denser than normal, giving him the

advantage among his peers.

In truth, he found battles of attrition uncomfortable. He was far more

accustomed to ending them explosively. But his only choice was to battle like this so that he could buy enough time for Xu Xiaoyan. His purpose in this fight was to stall for time. Naturally, his soul power consumption was just as severe as his opponent’s.

Tang Wulin’s plan was meticulous. By going first, he would have plenty of time to rest and recuperate while his teammates fought. With the

Mysterious Heaven Method and his low soul power capacity, it wouldn’t be long before he was back to full.

Snowflakes blotted the sky and the girl disappeared into the flurry once more. Then, as if the snow had gained eyes of its own, it shot toward Tang Wulin in one giant stream.

The girl had swiftly adjusted her tactics. Didn’t you want a battle of

attrition? Then let’s see who gets exhausted first. How could you possibly compete against me with only two rings?

The Bluesilver Grass spun into a protective screen in front of Tang Wulin, diverting the incoming attack. Icy mist invaded his body and the grass,

sapping away his strength. In this manner , the two continued to wear each other out.

 Both of them were currently using their first soul skills, as they were the most efficient in terms of soul power consumption. While previously they would use their souls skills freely, they were now more conservative.

Chapter 268 – Battle of Patience, Biding Time

Chapter 268 – Battle of Patience, Biding Time

The girl displayed judgement worthy of a student of Shrek Academy. When her initial attacks failed, she immediately switched to a more conservative

style of fighting. Rather than being anxious to achieve victory, she slowly whittled away at Tang Wulin in a battle of attrition. She resembled a

cheetah stalking its prey, patiently waiting for the best time to end everything with one strike.

Although both combatants were only using their first soul skills, the

constant clashes quickly ate away at their soul power. Despite the fact that Tang Wulin’s Bluesilver Grass only needed to cover a far smaller area, the blanket of cold steadily sapped his strength.

Even madly circulating the Mysterious Heaven Method could not make up for his deficiency in soul power, and the gap between the two soon reared its ugly head. The range of his Bluesilver Grass’s defense grew smaller and smaller, and the girl’s offensive slowly pushed him back. A layer of frost

covered the strands of grass while icicles sprouted out of the ground. Regardless of how one looked at it, he was being forced into a corner.

The situation continued like this until the requirement to earn six points had been met. Tang Wulin persisted for ten whole minutes.

As the clock ticked on, the girl grew more and more astonished. She had never expected her opponent to be so troublesome to deal with. Like a small boat, he tenaciously endured wave after wave of her attacks, not yielding

even once. Such resilience gave her a headache. However, she didn’t dare to

 attack rashly since her opponent was a control-type soul master. If he had any tricks up his sleeve, the tables would instantly be turned.

So she just chose to engage him in this battle of attrition. Allowing her opponent to earn a passing score would be fine since it just meant she

wouldn’t get a reward. However, if she were defeated, the girl would have points deducted.

Seconds slowly became minutes as time passed. The power behind each

combatant’s attacks began to wane, a clear sign that they were approaching the limits of their soul power.

The snow in the air had thinned by this point, and the girl’s figure could be seen. Tang Wulin’s Bluesilver Grass, on the other hand, no longer thrashed about as violently as before, the glow along the length of its strand

significantly dimmer.

Without warning, the snowflakes came at him with renewed strength. Tang Wulin’s eyes flashed as he subconsciously retreated two steps, urging his Bluesilver Grass to whip at the snow.

The girl made her move at the same time.

Only thirty percent of her soul power remained after their long stalemate.

Considering her own condition, she was certain Tang Wulin was like an

arrow at the end of its flight. Regardless of what he did, he wouldn’t have enough soul power to continue. It was time for the victor to be decided.

Hidden in the flurry of snow, the girl stealthily approached Tang Wulin like a snow leopard revealing its fangs before pouncing.

Snow assailed Tang Wulin’s Bluesilver Grass, eating up the last of his soul power. Overall, he only had about forty percent of the soul power capacity that his opponent did. He wouldn’t have lasted this long without the

Mysterious Heaven Method.

A white figure burst through the snow cover in front of Tang Wulin,

covering him in sleet and chilling him down to the bone. As his body grew

 rigid from the cold, a white, clawed hand seized the opportunity to reach for his shoulder.

In the blink of an eye, twenty-five minutes of battle had passed under Shen Yi’s supervision. Tang Wulin had earned nine points by this point, so it

would be fine if he lost now.

I guess this kid isn’t that talented after all. Ignoring his golden soul ring, his martial soul is merely Bluesilver Grass. Yet… he wouldn’t have gotten a near-perfect score if he weren’t able to calmly come up with a strategy and execute it. He might not be a peak-level genius, but he’s still quite talented!

However, in her opinion, Tang Wulin’s strength still didn’t make the cut. If student number ten hadn’t approached the battle cautiously, Shen Yi

suspected that the match would have ended in just a few minutes. Yet Tang Wulin was now being thoroughly suppressed by someone who wasn’t even a control-type soul master. With the addition of the girl’s power and speed, Shen Yi didn’t see a way for him to overturn the tide of battle.

Despite having come to her own conclusion, Shen Yi found the composure of the rest of class zero puzzling. Not a single one of them batted an eye at what seemed to be the impending defeat of their captain.

Do these kids just have cool heads, or…

An eruption of golden light interrupted her thought.

The moment the snow-white hand touched his shoulder, Tang Wulin smiled. It’s about time!

Tang Wulin’s two purple soul rings disappeared with his Bluesilver Grass, and a tyrannical aura of blood essence exploded from his body to replace them.

He hadn’t eaten all those steamed buns for nothing! They had fueled a complete recovery of his blood essence.

 His powerful aura immediately dispelled the chill in the surroundings. Soul power receded from his veins, and in its stead, pure, unadulterated power

coursed through!

The girl struck Tang Wulin’s right shoulder, but was shocked to discover that it was as hard as a block of metal. She recoiled from the impact, her white hand numb.

I only have thirty percent of my soul power left, so shouldn’t he have even less? Isn’t he a control-type soul master?

Yet she refused to give in. As a student of Shrek Academy, she immediately reacted to this sudden turn of events and switched from aiming for the best possible result to damage control.

The moment she raised her head to make her move, however, a pair purple eyes came into view. Her plan to retreat and put distance between them was instantly destroyed as the world began to spin around her.

Before she could flee, a large golden hand darted toward her shoulder in the same way she had tried to strike Tang Wulin’s. In the next instant, it moved to her neck and closed tightly around it, squeezing down on her carotid.

With her soul power sealed and her blood flow cut off, she eventually went limp.

Soon enough, the snow dispersed and the golden light died away, revealing the scene for all to see. Tang Wulin held the girl in one arm, keeping her from collapsing to the ground. She had fainted.

This…

He actually won?

Soul masters with leopard martial souls excelled at biding their time, yet in today’s battle of patience, student number ten had lost!

Xie Xie smacked a hand to his forehead. “Captain is really getting sneakier and sneakier! He actually spent thirty entire minutes to lure her into his

 trap. In the end, that girl never realized that Captain actually excels at brute force, not control!”

In reality, Xie Xie’s claims were wrong. Tang Wulin wasn’t fond of such roundabout tactics. He preferred annihilating his opponents in a quick,

efficient manner.

However, for Xu Xiaoyan’s sake, he had to stall for time. And his opponent was a student of Shrek Academy! If an all-out attack failed, he would’ve put himself in a bad position.

The outcome had been decided the moment the girl decided to charge at Tang Wulin. Even more than pure strength, Tang Wulin excelled in close combat!

His skills at close range were absolute. In fact, it could even make up for a soul ring disadvantage and make people with one more ring than him weep.

“Tang Wulin… ten points.”

Shen Yi’s eyes were wide with disbelief as she declared the result.

Chapter 269 – Xie Xie’s Terrifying Opponent

Chapter 269 – Xie Xie’s Terrifying Opponent

Not only had Tang Wulin won… it had been a stomp. “Was he waiting for this the entire time?”

Even though Xie Xie muttered this under his breath, Shen Yi heard him clearly.

He’s just a thirteen-year-old kid! How could he be so patient? This is just…

Unknown to Shen Yi, Tang Wulin’s second profession was that of a lonesome blacksmith. Since the day he met Mang Tian, his temperament had been taken to the grindstone and continuously sharpened to this very day. He had been forging since he was six years old. Seven years was more than enough to forever alter the life of a person without talent, let alone the peerless blacksmithing prodigy that was Tang Wulin.

Student number ten soon woke up, her eyes instantly moving to stare at Tang Wulin in disbelief. She reflected on the match and how she lost, but no matter how she looked at it, she couldn’t understand how he had

snatched victory with his soul power depleted.

What is up with his body? And just what was that purple light in his eyes?

She had fainted in the final moments of the battle, and the snow had obscured everyone else’s line of sight, so no one had clearly seen what happened.

 “Next,” Shen Yi said.

Xie Xie and student number two, the slender one, entered the arena at the same time.

Tang Wulin returned to his companions. Not a single word was exchanged as he immediately sat down cross-legged and began meditating using the Mysterious Heaven Method. His opponent had been powerful and had pressured him immensely, draining all of his soul power.

There were two mysterious trials remaining, and although he already had the sixty points required to pass the exam, he still needed enough strength to help his teammates pass them. His number one priority was to have the entire team enter Shrek Academy.

For his sake, his teammates had nearly lost their chance to enter this sacred academy. Although he didn’t say anything about it, such deep loyalty had been engraved upon his heart.

“Begin!”

The two combatants burst into action.

Xie Xie charged straight at his opponent. As an agility-type soul master through and through, close-quarters-combat was his only option.

Student number two rushed at Xie Xie as well, his eyes possessing an eerie calm beyond his years.

The gap between the two rapidly closed. In terms of speed, Xie Xie was definitely the victor.

Neither had released their martial soul yet. They were both waiting for an opening.

Their soul rings only appeared when the distance between them had shrunk to a mere ten meters.

 Their soul ring configurations were identical: two yellow and one purple. However, the way in which they manifested was completely different.

While Xie Xie now wielded the Light Dragon Dagger, his opponent underwent a monstrous transformation.

The instant their soul rings had appeared, student number two’s slender body swelled with strength, his purple soul ring flashing with light.

He’s already using his thousand-year soul skill?”

The Shrek Academy student’s body inflated like a balloon, his clothes bursting into shreds and leaving only undergarments made of some insanely elastic material.

Brown hair now covered his body. Although he still retained somewhat of a humanoid shape, he definitely didn’t look human anymore. At four meters tall, he towered over Xie Xie with two burly arms attached to his broad

shoulders. His body seemed to rumble with raw power.

Upon seeing this, Xie Xie wanted to run back to Tang Wulin and give him a big thumbs up for his suggestion.

We really can’t judge Shrek Academy students by appearances alone! This guy’s martial soul has to be a giant gorilla! Maybe it’s even the…

As Xie Xie pondered this, his opponent finished transforming and launched an attack.

Two massive arms recklessly smashed the ground.

Xie Xie leaped into the air in response, brandishing his Light Dragon Dagger to unleash a golden blade of light.

Lines cut into the walls and floor of the arena, rippling with golden light and working to counter the quaking ground.

The shock wave below Xie Xie left him astonished. If he had been just a second slower, he would have immediately lost.

 Student number two didn’t even bother to dodge the Light Dragon Blade. He simply lowered his head and met it head-on, then shot toward Xie Xie, clearly unaffected by the attack.

Even though Xie Xie was an agility-type soul master, his opponent’s leap far surpassed his own. Student number two looked like a monster as he

soared toward Xie Xie, his two arms swinging toward Xie Xie with the might of a mountain.

He’s so strong!

Unable to exert any force in the air, Xie Xie split into three clones, each kicking off of the other two and speeding in three different directions. It

was an ingenious play to keep out of range of the monstrous student number two.

This…

Shock filled the faces of the Shrek Academy students. Unknown to Xie Xie, all of them were observing his match with keen interest since he had

actually picked student number two, the strongest of the ten arranged opponents!

Xie Xie splitting into three clones didn’t phase student number two. His first soul ring lit up, and he threw three lighting-fast punches.

The pressure of his punches made the air hiss. Xie Xie was stunned to find each of the three blasts of air heading for each of his clones.

Heavens! What sort of monster is this guy? How can his attacks be this terrifying…

However, even in such a helpless situation, the three shimmering clones dashed through the air once more, seemingly kicking off of thin air to

escape the attack by a hair’s breadth.

A trace of surprise finally flashed through his opponent’s eyes. He had just witnessed Xie Xie’s third soul ring light up a second time.

 Both sides returned to the ground at the same time.

Considering what happened up to this point, it was clear that student number two held the upper hand, but it wasn’t an overwhelming advantage. Even though he used his third soul skill to immediately, try to smash the nimble boy, Xie Xie managed to escape his barrage of air blasts.

In a battle, the attacker always became exhausted faster than the defender.

Since their ranks were about equal, Xie Xie managed to seize a tiny advantage this way.

However, that was all in theory. The reality of battle had yet to be tested.

Xie Xie was painfully aware of his own shortcomings. Although his opponent had gone all-out with their third soul skill, he had done the same! The overwhelming pressure his opponent exuded forced him to use Light Dragon Clones to get some breathing room, but the three punches that followed had forced him to bring out Shadow Dragon Clones too!

Xie Xie’s response had been clever, but it took a lot out of him—maybe leaving him a bit more tired than his opponent. Xie Xie could only rejoice in the fact that he possessed the Mysterious Heaven Method. With its recovery power, he was confident that he would be able to barely outlast his opponent.

Without making a move, student number two patiently observed Xie Xie’s three clones running around in different directions. Although he had mighty ranged attacks at his disposal, it was still impossible for him to attack in three directions at once. The range of his attack couldn’t cover the entire

arena.

As a Shrek Academy student, he naturally had an abundance of combat

experience, so he had a hunch that his opponent would strike soon. Using a thousand-year soul skill that produced three clones had to be a huge drain on Xie Xie’s soul power, that left him no other option.

And student number two’s hunch was correct.

Chapter 270 – The Ambitious Xie Xie

Chapter 270 – The Ambitious Xie Xie

The instant Xie Xie’s feet touched the ground, he shot toward his opponent; with both Light and Shadow Dragon Clones now active, he had no time to dally. His opponent was a power-type soul master who also had frightening ranged options, these two traits placing him in a league of his own. Without his clones, Xie Xie would have found it difficult to endure his opponent’s onslaught, but with them out, his soul power was quickly running out.

The three visible clones, now much faster than before, charged at the solitary figure in the center of the arena.

Xie Xie rushed in, this time without employing his Light Dragon Blade.

Student number two simply stood there, his grim face and titanic figure lending him the impression of an immovable mountain.

As Xie Xie’s second soul ring lit up, his three Light Dragon Clones burst into action to unleash a Light Dragon Storm.

Xie Xie was an agility-type soul master, which meant he had exceptionally high attack power. His current opponent, however, possessed equally impressive defensive capabilities, to the point where he could simply shrug off the Light Dragon Blade.

However, Light Dragon Storm was on a completely different level. Xie Xie was confident the attack would injure his opponent as long as it landed.

 Student number two responded to the attack, the motion of his burly arms all too familiar for Xie Xie.

If Tang Wulin weren’t currently meditating, his eyes would definitely go wide. Student number two was using a Tang Sect secret art, Controlling Crane, Capturing Dragon!

Xie Xie felt an aura expand outwards violently from student number two’s position. Upon impact, his clones were knocked tut of Light Dragon Storm.

He then saw his opponent make a pressing motion with his hands, his second soul ring lighting up as he did so.

There air in the arena suddenly changed. As it began to rumble like thunder, Xie Xie’s three Light Dragon Clones and his three Shadow Dragon Clones were sent flying backwards.

The thundering roars roused Tang Wulin from his meditation. He opened his eyes, only to see Xie Xie’s clones being sent flying, and then converging in the air to reform into one.

Student number two stomped off the ground, launching himself into the air like an artillery shell. His first soul ring lit up and he threw a punch.

A shockwave propagated outwards. This time, Xie Xie was in no position to use his clones to dodge. Repeated usage of his soul skills had left his soul power and mind in chaos, not to mention the damage he had received from being sent flying.

A green light flashed over, dragging Xie Xie toward the ground and out of the shockwave’s path.

Student number two ceased his advance. He bowed to Shen Yi and returned to the side of his fellow Shrek Academy students.

The match was over. It was Xie Xie’s defeat.

From start to finish, only five minutes had passed. Xie Xie was suppressed the entire time, and without Shen Yi’s timely intervention, he would have

 even been gravely injured.

This was the strength of a Shrek Academy student.

In the face of true strength, twin martial souls or soul master type compatibility meant nothing.

Tang Wulin was stunned. What if I had been the one to pick him? Would I have been able to last that long? Could I defeat him?

He had no answer to these questions! He simply couldn’t fathom the depths of student number two’s strength.

Student number two had already returned to his original form, his clothes back to fitting tightly around his slender figure by the time he reached his classmates. Tang Wulin gulped. This guy is really powerful!

Xie Xie’s defeat wasn’t disgraceful. He was able to display his full strength, but his opponent was simply overwhelming.

Xie Xie returned to his teammates with his shoulders hanging low. Not only did he receive a measly three points on this trial, he would also have more points deducted at the end for failing a trial. Shrek Academy didn’t care how overwhelmingly powerful his opponent was since he had chosen his opponent by himself.

Tang Wulin cast a solemn look at him. “Why didn’t you just keep running away from him? You knew how strong he is.”

Xie Xie bitterly laughed. “My clones use up too much soul power, but

without them, I had no way of resisting his ranged attacks. I never stood a chance in this tiny arena! If the arena was larger, then I might have had a chance.”

Tang Wulin furrowed his brows. “You! Reflect on your battle! Yes, your clones do use a lot of soul power, but have you forgotten? Your opponent

was only that strong because he was also using his thousand-year soul skill! How could his rate of consumption be any lower than yours? You have twin

 martial souls and the Mysterious Heaven Method. Soul power consumption is the last thing you should lose in. Why couldn’t you at least last ten minutes? There’s no way his attacks can cover the entire arena. You have three clones, so if you had sent them in different directions, he wouldn’t have been able to do anything. You just had to control the distance between you and your clones. Instead of acting first, you should have just fought a battle of attrition. It might take more soul power to maintain your clones the further they are from each other, but that’s still better than being defeated in one hit! Do you have anything to say for yourself?”

After listening to Tang Wulin’s lecture, Xie Xie slapped his thigh. “You’re right! I can’t believe I forgot that guy was also using his thousand-year soul skill. I’ve been fighting too many soul beasts lately so I even treated him like a soul beast!”

Xie Xie’s voice had carried all the way to the other end of the room. Having just finished putting his jacket back on, student number two went stiff for a moment before raising his head to scowl at Xie Xie.

Sensing his opponent’s gaze, Xie Xie turned to meet it. His expression was haughty, as if to declare he would win the next time they fought.

Tang Wulin couldn’t help but chuckle. He had pointed out Xie Xie’s mistakes not only to help him, but also to raise his morale.

Isn’t this guy a bit too resilient though? He was all depressed just a minute ago!

When they finished talking, Gu Yue had already entered the arena. She looked at student number two, a strange light flickering in her eyes.

Her opponent entered the arena. It was student number one.

This student was ordinary beyond belief, practically indistinguishable from any random person found on the street. He calmly walked over to stand opposite of Gu Yue.

“Begin!”

 With Shen Yi’s declaration, the third match started. This was a crucial match for Gu Yue. If she scoring badly, would essentially mean that she wouldn’t pass the exam. Winning was her only option.

Soul rings rose up beneath both of them, but to everyone’s shock, student number one’s three soul rings were all purple.

He had three thousand-year soul rings!

Student number two had been terrifying powerful, but he only had two yellow and one purple soul rings. Gu Yue could only begin to guess how strong her own opponent was.

Generally, only range-type soul masters would immediately release their soul rings the moment a battle started. From the actions of both parties, it was clear this would be ranged battle.

In reality, it really did play out this way.