Two weeks passed in the blink of an eye. Elder Xuan had pointed out the cultivation of the new Shrek Seven preparatory team twice. Elder Xuan's teaching method could be completely described as simple and brutal. It was just practical combat, no-holds-barred practical combat.
Every time Elder Xuan taught, Cao Jinxuan's group of seven would pause their studies in their regular classes and wait for his guidance in the assessment area.
Each time, the seven of them were divided into different combinations to fight against each other. The only requirement Elder Xuan gave them was not to hold back. With a super expert like him on the side, there was no fear of any danger. Under Elder Xuan's deliberate cultivation, Cao Jinxuan was constantly combined with different teammates, and each time, the team he was on was bound to be the weaker one. This was the only way to hone his main control ability to the greatest extent.
It was precisely in this kind of tense study and cultivation that the seven of them could feel themselves improving every day. Xu Sanshi and Wang Dong's soul power fusion cultivation also became more and more proficient. Only half a month had passed, and Xu Sanshi could already feel that he was approaching the edge of level fifty soul power, seeming as if he would have another breakthrough soon.
What was even more pleasantly surprising was Xiao Xiao. Her soul power had smoothly broken through to level thirty. She only needed to hunt a soul beast to become a level thirty Soul Elder.
However, Elder Xuan was not in a hurry to take her to the Star Dou Great Forest to obtain a soul ring. According to the "Great Wet-master's" theory from ten thousand years ago, soul power cultivation would not stagnate due to the lack of a soul ring. Compared to obtaining a new soul ring skill, it was better to thoroughly master the abilities one currently had. This was also one of the few theories of the Great Wet-master that was not criticized.
And among this generation of the Seven Devils, besides Jiang Nannan and Cao Jinxuan, the other five had all joined the Tang Sect.
Subsequently, Elder Xuan also took them to meet the official members of Shrek Academy's participating team, the current Shrek Seven Devils led by Ma Xiaotao.
Ma Xiaotao's soul power had now reached level seventy-nine. With her ultimate fire attribute, she had smoothly become the future successor of the Sea God Pavilion's master. As long as she maintained this speed of improvement in her future cultivation, by the time she was thirty or forty, she would surely become a Limit Douluo, and would also be the most powerful Limit Douluo on the continent.
However, from her lonely expression, this Evil-Fire Succubus's spirits were not high, seemingly because a certain someone was melancholic over a broken promise.
Compared to her, the other official members of Shrek's team were much worse off, including Dai Yueheng. Their cultivation was no different from the same period in the original novel.
The next thing was simple. It was still a mix-and-match of team members for one-on-one fights, which well promoted the fine tradition of Shrek Academy: there was nothing that couldn't be solved through a competition.
Because Ma Xiaotao's strength was too exaggerated, most of the teammates assigned to her side were substitute members. But this did not prevent her from dominating the entire field with her own strength.
In this year's tournament, Ma Xiaotao was undoubtedly the strongest trump card of Shrek Academy. A Soul Sage with an ultimate attribute was enough to sweep through the vast majority of teams alone.
Early the next morning, the two participating teams from Shrek Academy merged into one and left the academy together, heading towards the capital of the Star Luo Empire, Star Luo City.
Xie Huanyue's group, who had failed to pass the melee selection, stood on high ground at the academy from afar, enviously watching the group depart.
Because of Huo Yuhao's relationship, they were also acquainted with Ma Xiaotao and knew what the seven people selected from this melee were going to do.
"In the next tournament, we will definitely be able to fight for a chance to participate!" Wu Feng raised her small fist and said unwillingly.
"Let's go. A loss is a loss, it's no big deal. Let's go back to class," Ning Tian shook her head. She still had lingering fears about the martial soul fusion skill of Xu Sanshi and Wang Dong from yesterday. In her opinion, without Huo Yuhao, they were not necessarily the opponents of those seven people.
"That's right. A stray dog is a stray dog. If you can't afford to lose, don't disgrace yourself here!"
At this moment, a voice full of mockery sounded, making Xie Huanyue's group couldn't help but look down. They saw Gou Luanshi and Chang Cheng'an's group standing not far away, clearly also here to see off the departing Shrek participating team.
"A stray dog? I'm afraid you're talking about yourself, right?" Cui Yejie laughed instead of getting angry. They had always been contemptuous of this vile-natured fellow, looking down on him from the bottom of their hearts.
"What? You couldn't get a spot to participate, so you're taking your anger out on us?" A playful smile appeared on Chang Cheng'an's face. "As expected of that guy's woman, as clueless as ever."
"You want to fight?" Wu Feng was just looking for a place to vent her frustration from this period. Her face instantly turned gloomy.
"Bring it on! You think we're afraid of you?" Gu Xiaoli was also holding a grudge about some previous matters. The Shaking Gold Hammer in her hand pointed diagonally at Xie Huanyue's group. "See you in the Soul Dueling Area! Do you dare?"
"If you have the guts, don't play dirty when we're fighting!" Even the good-tempered Nanmen Yun'er was provoked. She had long been unable to stand the sight of this group of brain-dead rich kids leading a dog around and provoking them for no reason.
"There's no use in talking more. See you in the Soul Dueling Area," Xu Qiexing, with his firm pectoral muscles exposed, turned around, dismissive of Wu Feng and the other girls.
"Beat them up!" Xie Huanyue clenched his fists and said with a resounding voice.
---
Shrek Academy, Soul Dueling Area.
Chang Cheng'an's group of seven had looks of mockery on their faces, standing side by side. Opposite them were Xie Huanyue, Cui Yejie, Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and Nanmen Yun'er, five people. Five against seven. Even if Xie Huanyue had a five-ring cultivation, facing Gou Luanshi who could launch sneak attacks, they did not dare to be the slightest bit careless.
"Don't say we're ganging up on you. It's not too late for you to surrender now," Gou Luanshi, acting like a dog borrowing its master's power, wiggled his waist at the several girls. "So many pretty little sisters. If I were to hurt one or two, how bad would that be?"
"I say, why don't you sacrifice your looks a little and go beg a few reliable boys? For example, that Dai Huabin from yesterday... hahahaha!"
Wu Feng was exasperated but was stopped by Ning Tian. "You bark quite well, but I wonder, besides finding a backer, what else is this stray dog left with?"
"Let's see who's better in a fight!" The longsword in Xu Qiexing's hand was already poised to strike. His martial soul was the Soul-Chasing Sword, integrated with both offense and defense, and also had extremely strong control abilities.
Their other member, Liu Furong, his martial soul was also a tool martial soul, named the Flowing Cloud Fan, possessing both wind and fire attributes. While his offensive was extremely fast, it could also cause a certain stunning effect on the enemy.
Gou Luanshi was still two-rings, but this group of his teammates were all three-rings. The leader, Chang Cheng'an, had even reached the four-ring cultivation level at the end of the last school year. The academy's evaluation of him was not the least bit weaker than those Soul Ancestor students in the upper years.
"Attack!" Gou Luanshi was the first to let out a strange cry. His charging body quickly completed its martial soul possession. It was precisely his mutated dog martial soul.
And just at this moment, a clear and long cry echoed through the sky above the entire Shrek Academy. A black figure came speeding from the distant sky. The speed was so fast that it even caused sonic booms in the surrounding air.
The next moment, he suddenly landed, blocking the middle of the two lineups, smashing a deep pit in the ground of the Soul Dueling Area.
Who on earth is this sacred visitor? Ning Tian quickly activated her martial soul to amplify her companions, in case the situation changed.
The smoke and dust gradually dispersed, revealing the youth's tall and straight figure. He was much taller than a month ago, the youthfulness on his face completely faded, and his deep pupils emitted a soul-stirring luster.
"It's you?"
"Yuhao!"
"Young Master Huo!"
Everyone present cried out in surprise at the same time, revealing the identity of the visitor.
Yes, Huo Yuhao had finally rushed back at this critical moment. Because his injuries had not yet recovered, Zhongli Yu had chosen to fly with him at a steady speed. Coupled with the continuous recuperation along the way, that's why it had taken so much time.
"I didn't expect that you, this dog, haven't improved much in a year," Huo Yuhao smiled faintly and made a "be calm" gesture to his excited companions behind him.
"Huo Yuhao, you were late for nearly a month and have already been expelled by the academy! What are you still doing here?" Gou Luanshi looked at him angrily, but his feet couldn't help but retreat, returning to his master's side.
"Oh? Is the academy run by you?" Huo Yuhao raised his eyebrows, lifted his hand to his ear. "Where did you hear that the academy has already expelled me?"
The academy naturally couldn't be run by Gou Luanshi's family, nor would it give up a prodigy like Huo Yuhao. So Gou Luanshi's face turned green and red with anger, just like the mixed-colored fur on his mutated martial soul.
"Hahahaha!" Xie Huanyue's group immediately let out joyous laughter. This Gou Luanshi would only be so thwarted in front of Huo Yuhao. In the few weeks that Huo Yuhao was away, he had relied on his master's background to taunt Xie Huanyue and the others no small number of times.
Out of a desire not to cause trouble, Xie Huanyue and the others had always forcibly endured it. But now that Huo Yuhao was back, it was different. They took Huo Yuhao as their backbone. Even if things got out of hand, they believed that Huo Yuhao had the ability to solve it.
"Huo Yuhao, do you really think that no one in the academy can handle you?" Chang Cheng'an walked out, lightly waving the folding fan in his hand, looking leisurely.
He knew that the reason Huo Yuhao was invincible among his peers was entirely due to that strange great-blade, which could unleash a strike far beyond his soul power level. For this reason, his family had specifically helped him hunt a rare ten-thousand-year soul beast to obtain a means that could break that move.
"All of you, come at me together. It's been a long time since I've abused a 'chaotic world dog.' I was just worrying about having no place to exert my strength," Huo Yuhao tilted his head, stretched his body, and said.
The moment the three words "chaotic world dog" came out, Gou Luanshi's face suddenly turned gloomy.
"It really is you, Huo Yuhao!"
Hearing these words, Huo Yuhao's body trembled. The originally relaxed and carefree expression on his face instantly froze. The next moment, a murderous beastly aura surged from his body.
"Chaotic—World—Dog?"
Huo Yuhao's eyes were instantly filled with killing intent. He seemed to understand something. Why in this life would these exceptionally talented fellows appear to oppose him?
It really is them! The vengeful souls under my blade! They actually transmigrated here with me!
"No wonder! Where in the original novel were there so many geniuses who absorbed soul rings beyond their year limit? It turns out it's you bunch of damned things!"
"Attack!" Sensing Huo Yuhao's terrifying aura, a pressure he had never felt before, Chang Cheng'an knew that this guy must have had a considerable opportunity during this vacation. He immediately chose to strike first.
Huo Yuhao was seen clapping his hands together, quickly switching to his second martial soul, the Immortal Spirit Wood. A circle of a brownish-brown soul ring, without any simulation or concealment, rose from under his feet. On this ring of strange color were inscribed dense red runes.
"Sage Art—Spirit Wood Dragon—"