The results of the freshman assessment quickly spread throughout the academy.
That evening, Tang Ya and Bei Bei specially chose a well-reputed restaurant to celebrate Wang Dong and his team securing third place.
"Wang Dong, are you saying that Bai Yan wants to join our Tang Sect?" Tang Ya asked after the meal, finally getting down to business.
Wang Dong nodded. "Yes, Senior Sister Xiaoya. In fact, Bai Yan's martial soul has a very close connection to the Tang Sect."
Tang Ya paused for a moment, recalling something she had nearly forgotten. "Sharp-tailed Swift... Alright, Bai Yan, as the Sect Master, I approve your entry into the Tang Sect. Xiao Xiao, what about you? Are you interested?"
Xiao Xiao blinked, murmuring, "Tang Sect?"
Tang Ya smiled. "Yes, the Tang Sect! We don't offer any special privileges, but there's one thing—we never hold back our techniques. For our own people, all the unique skills of the Tang Sect are open for you to learn and practice."
Xiao Xiao grinned. "Alright, I'll join too. I don't belong to any sect anyway. Sister Tang Ya, I want to learn Wang Dong's footwork."
Tang Ya nodded generously. "No problem. I'll teach you all later."
Despite her carefree demeanor, Tang Ya was genuinely thrilled.
Setting aside Bai Yan's connection to the Tang Sect for now, Xiao Xiao's potential was no less impressive than Wang Dong's—a twin martial spirit! She hadn't expected Xiao Xiao to agree so readily.
It was a shame that Huo Yuhao had never shown interest in the Tang Sect. After being rejected by him multiple times, Tang Ya had stopped pestering him.
Still, even if Yuhao didn't join the Tang Sect, she could always visit him for some grilled fish. In a way, wasn't that almost like having him in the sect?
With this, the Tang Sect had grown from three members to five, all of them young and full of potential.
The conversation soon turned to soul guides.
Bei Bei asked, "The Tang Sect is famous for its hidden weapons. However, with the rise of soul guides, hidden weapons have gradually faded from prominence, which is a major reason for our sect's decline. To restore the Tang Sect's glory, we must find a way to integrate hidden weapons with soul guides. What are your thoughts on soul guides? Once you officially become first-year students, you can choose soul guides as an elective."
Both Xiao Xiao and Wang Dong declined. Studying and crafting soul guides would likely leave them with little time for their own cultivation.
Bei Bei and Tang Ya chuckled, understanding their concerns.
Tang Ya sighed, "You truly are exemplary students of the Martial Soul Department! This is a typical mindset for martial soul practitioners. Not just you—even Bei Bei and I often feel there's not enough time for training.
"The Tang Sect won't restrict your cultivation paths. I'm just asking if you're interested. All of you have exceptional talents, and it's not wise to spread yourselves too thin. We'll have to wait until the Tang Sect recruits disciples who specialize in soul guides."
At that moment, Bai Yan spoke up, "Xiaoya, if I have a talent for it, I'd like to give it a try."
Tang Ya was delighted.
Bei Bei cautioned, "Junior sister, make sure to manage your time well. Your martial soul still has great potential. Don't focus too much on soul guide training. Soul power and soul rings are the foundation of any soul master. Even powerful soul guides require sufficient soul power to operate effectively."
"Yes, senior brother," Bai Yan replied quickly. She had her own plans. Although she had been fortunate enough to absorb a soul skill that combined attack and speed, her martial spirit was primarily speed-based.
In terms of offense, soul guides could help compensate for her shortcomings.
…
The next morning, all the freshmen who had passed the assessment gathered at Shrek Square, awaiting the class division.
Du Weilun, the director of the outer courtyard Martial Soul Department's teaching staff, arrived with over a dozen teachers. Holding a folder, he scanned the students with a smile before speaking.
"The freshman assessment elimination round has concluded, and the top three have been decided. I will now officially announce the results and the rewards they will receive. The third-place team in the freshman assessment is Wang Dong's team, consisting of Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Bai Yan. Please step forward."
The first-year students erupted in applause. Led by Wang Dong, the trio stepped forward, visibly excited, and stood before Du Weilun.
"The second-place team is Dai Huabin's team, with members Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and Cui Yajie. Please step forward."
Another round of applause followed. Dai Huabin led his team forward, though he and Zhu Lu looked visibly downcast.
Dai Huabin, in particular, was still pale, having not fully recovered from yesterday's mental attack. Cui Yajie, on the other hand, had bounced back the quickest, her face flushed with happiness.
Du Weilun paused briefly before raising his voice slightly. "Now, let's welcome the final champion of our freshman assessment with a round of applause. He is—Huo Yuhao!"
The square erupted in cheers and applause.
Huo Yuhao's name was already well-known throughout the outer courtyard. He was the undisputed uncrowned king—powerful, talented, and strikingly handsome. He was the dream partner of countless girls in the outer courtyard.
As Huo Yuhao stepped forward, Du Weilun smiled and gestured for him to stand in the center.
Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu, standing nearby, couldn't hide the fear in their eyes as they glanced at Huo Yuhao. They had no intention of challenging him.
Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Bai Yan, and Cui Yajie, however, smiled warmly at Huo Yuhao, greeting him with camaraderie.
Du Weilun continued, "Now, I will announce the rewards for the top three teams in the freshman assessment. All three teams will receive a unified reward from the academy. Each member may request the academy's assistance in obtaining a soul ring that is both suitable and within their capacity when the time comes."
The students gasped in surprise. This reward was essentially a promise from the academy that the next soul rings for Huo Yuhao and the other seven would be of the highest quality and perfectly suited to their needs.
Huo Yuhao, however, was unfazed. He could make such a request for every one of his soul rings. Whether it was the Dark Demon Evil God Tiger, the Evil Eye Tyrant, or even the Mirror Shadow Beast, Huo Yuhao was confident he could handle any of them.
The real question was whether Shrek Academy could acquire them.
Huo Yuhao thought it would be difficult, but he was willing to try. His requirements weren't excessive—he simply wanted his fourth soul ring to have a lifespan of around 30,000 years.
Then, Du Weilun announced an additional reward for Huo Yuhao:
"In recognition of Huo Yuhao's outstanding performance and undefeated record throughout the competition, the academy has decided to grant him a special reward. This reward will remain confidential. After the class division, Yuhao, you may accompany me to receive it."
'A special reward?' The freshmen were filled with envy, eager to know what this unique prize could be.
"Alright, the award ceremony is over. You may return to your teams," Du Weilun said.
He continued, "The quality of this year's freshmen is exceptional. I hope you all continue to work hard. Talent alone is not enough—diligence is key. Shrek Academy is the premier soul master academy on the continent."
"I hope you all graduate successfully and achieve outstanding results. In light of the exceptional performances in this year's freshman competition, the academy has approved some students to become core disciples of the outer courtyard. I will now announce the list."
The square fell silent. Core disciples weren't limited to the top three teams—anyone who performed well had a chance to be selected.
Everyone hoped to be chosen. Becoming a core disciple of the outer courtyard meant access to the academy's resources and intensive training, effectively placing them halfway into Shrek's inner courtyard!
Du Weilun opened the folder and read:
"Based on the performance in the assessment, the following students have been approved as core disciples: Huo Yuhao, Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Ning Tian, and Xie Huanyue."
The announcement brought mixed reactions—some were elated, while others were disappointed.
But then, under the eager gazes of the students, Du Weilun continued:
"In recognition of some freshmen who demonstrated exceptional performance despite limited talent and ability, the academy has decided to grant them temporary core disciple status until the end of this school year."
"If they make significant progress in next year's upgrade exam, they will be considered for promotion to full core disciples. The list is as follows: Cui Yajie, Bai Yan, Wu Feng, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, Zhou Sichen, Cao Jinxuan, and Nanmen Yuner. The announcement is concluded."
Hearing the final result, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao breathed a sigh of relief for Bai Yan. During the assessment, the bond between the three had grown stronger.
They had fought their way to third place together and had become close friends who could share anything.
However, they all knew that Bai Yan's martial soul talent wasn't particularly outstanding. During dinner the previous night, Tang Ya had hinted at the possibility of core disciple selections.
Although Wang Dong's class had several talented soul masters, and the overall quality of the freshmen was high, the number of core disciples was still limited.
Moreover, in previous years, core disciples were almost always strong attack or control system soul masters.
Agile attack and defense system soul masters were rarely chosen unless they possessed a martial soul fusion skill that could significantly enhance their strength or had exceptional talent like Xu Sanshi.
Fortunately, perhaps due to their third-place finish, Bai Yan had been granted a one-year probationary period as a core disciple.
Next came the class divisions. The freshmen were divided into four classes:
Class One: Strong Attack and Control System
Class Two: Defense and Agile Attack System
Class Three: Auxiliary System
Class Four: Food, Healing, and other special attribute soul masters—a mixed group.
As a strong attack system soul master, Huo Yuhao was naturally placed in Class One, alongside Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Dai Huabin, and Wu Feng.
The standout in Class Two was Xie Huanyue, a defense system soul master with the unique Rubber Elephant martial soul. Zhu Lu and Bai Yan, as agile attack system soul masters, were also assigned to Class Two.
Class Three consisted of auxiliary system soul masters, including combat and weapon soul masters who could directly assist in battle, such as Ning Tian.
Class Four was a mix of soul masters with unique or specialized abilities.
This division was consistent across all grades, though the number of students in each class decreased as the grades advanced. Shrek Academy's elimination rate was notoriously high, with fewer than fifty students graduating from the outer courtyard each year.
Next, the class teachers were introduced. Each class had two teachers. Notably, Mu Jin and Wang Yan were assigned to Class One, while Zhou Yi took charge of Class Two.
"Alright, everyone will return to the teaching building under the guidance of your class teachers based on the new divisions. Yuhao, come with me to receive your championship reward," Du Weilun announced.
He then led Huo Yuhao to the office area behind the senior teaching building.
Upon entering Du Weilun's office, the director gestured to the sofa. "Have a seat, Yuhao."
Huo Yuhao sat down without hesitation and accepted the tea Du Weilun poured for him.
By now, visiting offices felt almost like coming home. In just a few months, Huo Yuhao had become familiar with several offices and their occupants.
A large ruby ring on Du Weilun's right hand flashed, and a leather bag appeared in his hand, which he handed to Huo Yuhao.
The leather bag was a soul guide, adorned with intricate dark patterns. Huo Yuhao could sense the subtle soul power fluctuations emanating from it.
Du Weilun explained, "Yuhao, this is the exclusive reward Dean Yan has specially prepared for you. Although there's only one, it's the most valuable prize the academy has awarded in the freshman assessment for at least a thousand years. Open it and take a look."
Huo Yuhao untied the leather bag, and a ball of black light emerged, floating in the air.
It was a small bone, resembling a skull, about the size of a palm. It emitted a faint black light, particularly from its eye sockets, which seemed to burn with dark flames. Staring at it too long induced a slight dizziness.
The intense soul power fluctuations made the air in the office feel thick and heavy.
"Is this... a ten-thousand-year skull soul bone?" Huo Yuhao asked calmly, looking at Du Weilun.
…
If you'd like to support me and gain access to advanced chapters, you can follow the link:
patreon.com/DarkLord621
📖 Explore my fanfiction collections:
🔹 Douluo: Infinite Lottery System - 262+ Chapter
🔹 Douluo: Peerless Gu Master - 172+ Chapter
🔹 My Disciple Are All Dou God - 84+ Chapter
Thank you for your support!