Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong followed Ma Hongjun to another open space within Shrek Academy. This clearing was not large, only about two hundred square meters. At this moment, the long-faced Flender was sitting on a chair taking a nap, and Oscar was there as well.
Because Zhao Wuji had been dealt with by Yun Ming and Yang Wutian in succession a few days ago, his mental trauma had not yet improved, and his external injuries had not fully healed. Therefore, the final round of the assessment, which was usually overseen by Zhao Wuji, was temporarily taken over by Flender today.
"Teacher, I've brought them here!"
Tang San and Xiao Wu were surprised to see this man. They hadn't expected that the profiteering boss they had met earlier when buying the Crystal Board was actually a teacher at Shrek Academy.
Xiao Wu said in surprise, "Isn't that the profiteering uncle?"
Ma Hongjun said, "What profiteering uncle? This is my teacher, the Dean of our Shrek Academy, the founder of Shrek Academy, the Four-Eyed Cat Eagle Flender. A level 78 Soul Saint. Among Battle Soul Masters, he is quite rare."
Hearing Ma Hongjun's greeting, Flender opened his eyes and looked at the three people behind him.
"I didn't expect there to be three people reaching the fourth round this year!"
At this moment, Ma Hongjun, who was standing beside Flender, reminded him.
"Teacher, these three are all students who were exempted from the second and third round tests!"
Upon hearing this, Flender became interested and spoke up.
"Three people above level 25, not bad! Very good! It seems that our Shrek Academy's luck has turned!"
Speaking of this, Flender thought of Yun Ming again. He wondered if he could eventually keep that kid! No, it should be that he definitely could! Flender had confidence in his friend! Clearing other thoughts from his mind, Flender introduced the content of the fourth round assessment with a solemn expression.
"The final round of admission to our Shrek Academy is actual combat!"
"A Soul Master is a profession accompanied by blood and fire, and a Soul Master's abilities are all for the sake of combat, so every Soul Master must possess actual combat experience!"
"I am testing your abilities in this regard!"
"Now, first report your respective names, Martial Souls, Soul Power Levels, and development directions!"
Tang San was the first to speak and report to Flender, "Tang San, Weapon Spirit Blue Silver Grass, level 29 Control System Battle Soul Master."
Seeing Tang San speak, Xiao Wu said second, "Xiao Wu, Beast Spirit Rabbit, level 29 Power Attack System Battle Soul Master."
Staring at Oscar, Ning Rongrong hesitated for a moment before saying, "Ning Rongrong, Weapon Spirit Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, level 26 Support System Tool Soul Master."
Tang San was surprised when he heard that Ning Rongrong's Martial Soul was the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda.
"The continent's number one support Martial Soul, the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda!"
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was a hereditary Martial Soul; on the entire Douluo Continent, only direct descendants of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could possibly possess it. So, this person was a descendant of the Upper Three Sects!!!
Flender was not too surprised, as Ning Fengzhi had already greeted him in advance. After hearing the detailed information about the three, Flender had already decided on their final assessment.
"Since that's the case, this final assessment will be: Tang San versus Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong!"
"The outcome has nothing to do with the final admission; as long as you show your actual combat experience and fight with all your might, that is enough!"
"But if you cannot satisfy me, I will eliminate all of you!!!"
Would Flender really eliminate them all? Of course not, but that didn't stop him from trying to scare them.
Seeing Flender's firm demeanor, Tang San and the others looked more solemn. As for Ma Hongjun, who understood his teacher's true nature, he secretly complained in his heart about Flender's hypocrisy.
The reason Flender didn't do it himself was, first, he wasn't Zhao Wuji and didn't like bullying the small; second, he was, after all, Tang San's senior uncle, so it wasn't appropriate; finally, Flender felt that Tang San, being accepted as a disciple by the arrogant Yu Xiaogang, must be extraordinary. With the precedents of Zhao Wuji and Yun Ming, he was a little worried that Tang San and Ning Rongrong might also give him a big surprise and make him lose face.
This arrangement was just right; it tested Tang San's strength without going too far.
Xiao Wu also found it very interesting when she heard Flender's arrangement.
Xiao Wu had heard from her 'Third Brother' just now that Ning Rongrong's Martial Soul support was very powerful—the best on the continent. With such a helper, could she beat her Third Brother? Xiao Wu was looking forward to it and quickly flashed to the center of the clearing.
Tang San was also a bit dumbfounded to see Xiao Wu so excited. Then, Tang San and Ning Rongrong also arrived at the center of the field.
Seeing that everyone was ready, Flender announced directly.
"Fourth round, the match begins!"
Xiao Wu said to Tang San in a charming way.
"Third Brother, be careful!"
Then she activated her Martial Soul and rushed toward Tang San.
Seeing Xiao Wu take the lead, Ning Rongrong quickly followed. She wanted to stay at Shrek Academy and see if Oscar, the genius with Innate Full Soul Power, was better than her.
"Seven Treasures Turn Out With Glazed Light."
Ning Rongrong floated and spun in place once, and a brilliant seven-colored light was immediately released from her body. At the point where the seven-colored light condensed, a seven-colored pagoda about a foot high appeared in the palm of Ning Rongrong's right hand.
The treasure light flickered, noble and imposing. Two yellow soul rings rose from under Ning Rongrong's feet, circling quietly around her.
"Seven Treasures Famous, the first is: Power." The first soul ring rose, covering the seven-colored pagoda. Under the guidance of Ning Rongrong's left finger, a ray of colored light was released and covered Xiao Wu.
Suddenly, a warm energy surged from her limbs and bones into her body. Xiao Wu immediately felt that her whole body was full of strength, and even the soul power in her body surged as if it were boiling.
"Seven Treasures Famous, the second is: Speed." Another ray of colored light drifted out, and Ning Rongrong's second soul ring also played its role.
The lightness of her body made Xiao Wu feel as if her body had lost its weight. She secretly marveled in her heart; the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda was indeed well-deserved, worthy of being the number one support Martial Soul. The thirty percent increase in both speed and strength immediately made her feel that her strength had greatly increased.
Grandmaster once said that if one day you encounter an opponent with a Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Soul Master, you must resolve the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect Soul Master first.
Tang San did exactly that. A blue-black vine-like Blue Silver Grass emerged from under Tang San's feet and rushed toward Ning Rongrong like a tide.
However, Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was fast, but Xiao Wu's speed after receiving Ning Rongrong's support was even faster. Xiao Wu appeared in front of Tang San like a phantom and kicked toward Tang San's neck.
Tang San was startled by how quickly Xiao Wu approached. Unable to spare the focus to continue controlling his Blue Silver Grass to restrict Ning Rongrong, he hurriedly activated his Light Body Technique, the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
Suddenly, Tang San's figure shifted with the speed of a ghost, narrowly dodging the powerful, sweeping kick Xiao Wu had launched at him.
Having evaded the strike, Tang San utilized his movement technique to continue retreating while simultaneously attempting to regain control of his Blue Silver Grass to hinder Xiao Wu's pursuit. Through their brief exchange just now, Tang San had discovered just how troublesome Xiao Wu was with the boost from the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda; her speed was simply too fast!
As for Xiao Wu, feeling Tang San's frantic scramble during their short clash, her confidence soared. It had been a long time since she felt such a wonderful sensation while sparring with him. Today, she, Xiao Wu, was going to re-establish her status in the household, transform into Big Sister Xiao Wu, and turn "Third Brother" into "Little San." Xiao Wu shouted triumphantly, completely carried away.
"Little San, bow down before Big Sister Xiao Wu once again..."
Before the words had even faded, Xiao Wu had already transformed into a pink blur, continuing her pursuit of Tang San.
Tang San, hearing her bold declaration, could only offer a bitter smile as he continued to manipulate his Blue Silver Grass to block her path. However, Xiao Wu was not Zhao Wuji; she possessed years of experience fighting Tang San and knew his first two Spirit Rings and their applications like the back of her hand.
Xiao Wu didn't touch the obstructing Blue Silver Grass. Instead, relying on her superior speed, she dodged or circled around it, slowly closing the distance to Tang San. She knew clearly that Tang San's Blue Silver Grass was something she couldn't afford to touch; once caught by its Parasitism, her own strength and spirit skills wouldn't be enough to break free.
Seeing Xiao Wu still closing in, Tang San felt a bit helpless. The Blue Silver Grass blockade tactic, which usually worked, was no longer effective against Xiao Wu's speed, which had surged by more than thirty percent. He simply couldn't seal her off.
With his current level of Soul Power, Tang San couldn't cover the entire field. By constantly shifting his focus to patch the gaps in his defense, he always left an opening for Xiao Wu to find and slip through.
Realizing this, Tang San immediately adjusted his tactics. Since using the Blue Silver Grass alone was useless, he decided to employ his signature skill. As a master of Hidden Weapons, Tang San had immense confidence in his craft.
In the next second, Tang San retracted all his Blue Silver Grass. Using his Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon technique, he scooped up a pile of gravel from the empty ground and began using the stones as hidden weapons to restrict Xiao Wu's movements. After all, this was just an entrance exam; he couldn't bring himself to throw real hidden weapons at Xiao Wu.
Watching the stones shooting toward her, Xiao Wu's expression finally turned serious, shedding her previous arrogance.
The stones thrown using Tang San's hidden weapon techniques were far superior in both speed and angle compared to his previous attempts at using the Blue Silver Grass for containment.
Suddenly, Xiao Wu felt the joints and meridians throughout her body—the very points that governed her movement—sending out warning signals. Tang San's stones were thrown fast, in great numbers, and with deadly accuracy, instantly disrupting her intent to advance.
Aside from the stones thrown at Xiao Wu, Tang San also occasionally took the time to flick a couple toward Ning Rongrong, forcing the young miss to jump and scramble to dodge them.
There was no help for it! Since dodging them completely was now impossible, Xiao Wu had to defend with all her might. Her slender legs kicked out repeatedly, creating a flurry of shadows.
"Bang~"
"Bang, bang, bang, bang~"
"Bang, bang, bang~"
"..."
A continuous series of sounds echoed as her leather shoes collided with the stones. If not for the fact that she had infused her shoes with Soul Power, they likely wouldn't have withstood such high-frequency impacts.
However, it was all worth it. Under the barrage of her sweeping kicks, Xiao Wu actually managed to hold her ground. Furthermore, using some of the small techniques for utilizing hidden weapons that Tang San had taught her, she managed to kick some of the stones back toward him.
Watching those "heavy and powerful" stones hurtling toward him, Tang San felt a strange sense of irony. If this wasn't the definition of lifting a rock only to drop it on one's own feet, he didn't know what was! Tang San was pleased that Xiao Wu remembered what he had taught her, but the fact that she was using it against him didn't make his mood any better.
"Swish, swish~"
The stones kicked by Xiao Wu, boosted by Ning Rongrong's power, could hardly be called hidden weapons; with that kind of noise, they were purely about raw force! There was nothing "hidden" about them at all.
Helpless, Tang San had no choice but to retreat.
This retreat disrupted the rhythm of his hidden weapon throws. Seizing the opening, Xiao Wu exerted force through her legs, increased her speed by another notch, and lunged directly in front of Tang San. She hooked her hands onto his shoulders and delivered a knee strike aimed straight for his abdomen.
Perhaps it had been too long since she had beaten Tang San; Big Sister Xiao Wu was clearly enjoying the prospect of pummeling the Tang God King.
Tang San knew he wouldn't have time to dodge, so he activated his Mystic Jade Hand.
In an instant, Tang San's hands turned as cold and solid as jade. He pressed down with one hand to pin the knee strike, while using the other to push against Xiao Wu's lower abdomen with a soft force, attempting to shove her away. But Xiao Wu's combat experience was incredibly rich. Seeing the attack wouldn't land, she shifted her force, turning her grab into a push, and used his momentum to leap backward.
Taking advantage of Tang San's unstable footing, she landed, exerted force a second time, and vaulted into the air. Her snow-white, slender legs descended like a gleaming blade, hacking down toward Tang San's shoulder.
Just as Tang San steadied himself, he saw Xiao Wu's attack descending upon him. With no other choice, he used both his Mystic Jade Hand and Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon to deflect the force of her kick. However, this move allowed Xiao Wu to stick to him completely.
When her first strike failed, Xiao Wu continued her assault, and Tang San fought back with all his might. For a time, palms met legs, and every move was countered in a flurry of action.
"Boom~"
"Boom, boom, boom~"
"..."
After a long, rapid exchange, Xiao Wu grew impatient at her inability to break through his defenses. As her eyes darted around, she decided to use a bit of strategy.
Tang San reached out with his Mystic Jade Hand, attempting to push Xiao Wu back once more. Based on their previous exchanges, Xiao Wu would normally dodge or counter this strike. But this time, she acted as if her reaction was a beat slow, hesitating for a split second. It was this tiny delay that allowed Tang San's Mystic Jade Hand to land directly on her shoulder.
Xiao Wu's face contorted in pain, and a trace of blood trickled from the corner of her mouth. Tang San was shocked at the sight and cried out.
"Xiao Wu!!!"
He rushed forward, wanting to check on her condition, but as soon as Xiao Wu saw him take the bait, her expression shifted. She smiled faintly and said in a sweet, charming voice.
"Third Brother, you've lost!"
Tang San froze. Before he could react, the two Spirit Rings beneath Xiao Wu's feet flared with brilliant light.
Xiao Wu's Second Soul Skill, 'Bewitch', a control-type skill. It confused the opponent and delayed their actions, causing Tang San to lose control of his body for a moment.
Xiao Wu's First Soul Skill, 'Waist Bow', instantly increased her waist strength by one hundred percent and her flexibility by fifty percent. After reaching level ten, for every level gained, the boost from Waist Bow increased by one percent.
She kicked Tang San in the neck, hooked it with her leg, and planted her other foot firmly against his chest. With a surge of power from her waist, Tang San was sent flying into the air, left to tumble through the clouds.
Flying in mid-air, Tang San relied on the illusion-piercing ability of his Purple Demon Eyes to quickly regain control of his body. He stabilized himself in the air and finally landed with a stumble, retreating seven or eight steps before he could fully dissipate the remaining force.
Off to the side, Flender, who had watched the entire duel, looked at Tang San and Xiao Wu in the arena and felt as if he were seeing Yu Xiaogang and Liu Erlong from years ago. Although Yu Xiaogang never had the ability to trade blows with Liu Erlong like this, their way of interacting was truly identical. Thinking of this, Flender spoke up.
"Alright, this match ends here. The winners are Xiao Wu and Ning Rongrong!"
Hearing Flender announce their victory, Xiao Wu jumped up in joy.
"Yay! I won!"
Seeing Xiao Wu bouncing around, Tang San realized she had just been faking it earlier and immediately wanted to teach her a lesson. However, seeing her so happy, he temporarily suppressed the urge to lecture her. Forget it, let it be! As long as Xiao Wu is fine. He smiled as well.
Tang San had found this match incredibly frustrating; he couldn't use his Hidden Weapons, he couldn't strike too hard, and his Blue Silver Grass was barely useful (he couldn't quite get the hang of it). More than half of his true capabilities had been neutralized.
Watching the sweet interaction between Tang San and Xiao Wu, Flender couldn't take it anymore. Flaunting this in front of a lonely old man like him was just too cruel.
To escape this terrible, pink-bubble-filled atmosphere, Flender announced the final result.
"I announce that all three of you have passed the academy's Fourth Round assessment!"
"Welcome to Shrek Academy!"
PS: At this stage, where Tang San still doesn't know that Xiao Wu is a Soul Beast, this is perhaps the purest point of his feelings for her! Later on, Xiao Wu becomes completely instrumentalized; whether his feelings change or not, it feels like things can never go back to how they were.
Since Zhao Wuji and Dai Mubai are temporarily off-screen because of Yun Ming, Flender cannot force them to follow Zhao Wuji's path and make the San-Wu Duo fight each other. Let's just commemorate the setting before it completely collapsed, back before the sequels to Douluo Dalu existed!
Seeking monthly tickets, seeking recommendations.
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Translated by: randomtranslator.com
Proofread by: DaoistReader