Jing Shaoyu defeated Number Two in just five minutes, which not only invigorated Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue but also greatly pressured the two remaining Shrek Academy students preparing to face them. They abandoned their previous casual attitudes and began cautiously assessing their respective opponents.
"Well done, kid!" Elder Wu gave Jing Shaoyu a thumbs-up as he exited the training ground. "In past exams, there were always a few who could defeat their opponents. But someone like you, who didn't even reveal their soul rings, is the first! Tell me, kid, satisfy this old man's curiosity—those waves, whirlwinds, fireballs, and vines you used—were they your soul skills?"
"Well… hehe." Jing Shaoyu chuckled and replied with a sly smile, "Elder Wu, it's just as you suspect."
"Good boy!" Elder Wu's eyes sparkled, and a hearty laugh broke out on his weathered face. Turning to Shen Yi, he remarked, "Little Shen, where did you find such a monster? Truly impressive!"
"Hehe!" Shen Yi beamed with pride at Elder Wu's praise and replied, "Elder Wu, they're my senior brother's students!"
"Your senior brother?" Elder Wu looked puzzled at first but then seemed to recall something. His cloudy eyes brightened as he exclaimed, "You mean Wu Zhangkong? He's back? Does Elder Zhuo know?"
"Of course," Shen Yi nodded. "Otherwise, how else would I have brought his students for the exams?"
"That makes sense," Elder Wu muttered.
Their conversation was interrupted as Xu Xiaoyan and her opponent, Number Ten, stepped onto the training ground, ready to begin their match.
"Hello, big sister!" Xu Xiaoyan greeted sweetly, her voice delicate and charming, paired with an adorable smile.
"…" Number Ten, a tall and slender girl with a proud expression, twitched at Xu Xiaoyan's greeting. Her face betrayed subtle discomfort, but she remained silent.
"Begin!" the proctor announced.
Number Ten's eyes gleamed, and her body shot forward like a panther, swift and agile. She dashed toward Xu Xiaoyan at lightning speed, her movements a blur of green thanks to Shrek Academy's distinctive green uniform.
Xu Xiaoyan was momentarily surprised. Number Ten's speed surpassed that of Xie Xie, showcasing Shrek Academy's hidden talents.
As she closed in, Number Ten's soul rings lit up—two yellow and one purple, a standard configuration. Her ears perked up, white fur sprouted across her exposed skin, and black stripes adorned her body. Her pupils became vertical slits, resembling bright amber, and her movements grew even faster. A faint white mist lingered in her wake.
Snow Leopard Spirit!
Xu Xiaoyan quickly identified her opponent's martial spirit and felt both surprise and joy. The Snow Leopard Spirit was rare, typically found in the icy northern regions. Its exceptional speed, combined with decent strength and elemental affinities—often ice, occasionally wind or mental—made it one of the more powerful beast spirits.
Being a control-type soul master, Xu Xiaoyan had a natural advantage against an agility-type opponent like Number Ten.
Despite Number Ten's aggressive charge, Xu Xiaoyan remained calm. Mimicking Jing Shaoyu's demeanor, she smiled faintly and raised her hand. Her Star Staff appeared, along with three purple soul rings that rose from her feet.
Seeing the three soul rings, Number Ten's eyes widened in shock. The onlookers also gaped in disbelief. The petite girl was a Soul Elder with three millennium-level rings—an astonishing sight.
Surely, the boy who defeated Yuan En must also be a Soul Elder. Otherwise, why would she defer to him? The second-year students, unaware of Jing Shaoyu's true strength, could only speculate based on his performance.
Xu Xiaoyan raised her staff, activating her first soul ring. Number Ten tensed, quickly releasing her first soul skill. Snowflakes burst forth, covering the training ground in a flurry that significantly reduced visibility and dropped the temperature.
The proctors shook their heads in silent lament.
"This training ground has had a rough day—flooded, blasted with wind, burned with fire, pounded by fists, and now buried in snow. We'll probably need to renovate after today," one muttered.
On the field, both Xu Xiaoyan and Number Ten unleashed their first soul skills. However, their outcomes were drastically different. Number Ten's snowflakes created a visual distraction, but Xu Xiaoyan's Starwheel Chains didn't rely on sight.
A glowing starwheel appeared beneath Number Ten, and golden chains materialized, binding her body. Though invisible, these chains restricted her movements.
Number Ten froze mid-stride, like a statue surrounded by falling snow—a striking, albeit unintentional, display of artistry. Panic and disbelief filled her eyes.
Xu Xiaoyan, smiling lightly, raised her hand. A compact, elegant crossbow appeared—blue and violet in design, shaped like a spreading thunderbird. As she pulled the trigger, a glowing blue-violet arrow, crackling with electricity, shot out, resembling a swift lightning bird.
This was the Thunderbird Crossbow, a fourth-tier combat soul device designed by Jing Shaoyu and crafted by Xu Xiaoyan. Powered by soul energy, it fired lightning-charged bolts with high speed and destructive power, often delivering surprising results.
Number Ten, immobilized by the chains, could only watch as the electrified bolt streaked toward her. Resignation and frustration flashed across her face. She knew she wouldn't be harmed; the proctors wouldn't allow it.
Sure enough, a large hand intercepted the bolt mid-air. The hand's grip crushed the bolt, dispersing its lightning into harmless blue-violet sparks.
"Elder Wu!" Number Ten exclaimed in embarrassment.
The hand belonged to none other than Elder Wu, who now regarded Xu Xiaoyan with keen interest.
"Little girl, is your spirit star-aligned? Your last name wouldn't happen to be Xu, would it?" he asked, recognizing the Xu family's renowned lineage.
"Yes, it is!" Xu Xiaoyan replied with innocent enthusiasm.
"That explains it," Elder Wu chuckled. "Absolute control with the Star Spirit. Impressive! Little girl, I have high hopes for you. Perhaps the once-mighty star-aligned martial spirits will reclaim their glory through you!"
"Thank you for your praise!" Xu Xiaoyan beamed, her joy evident.
"Well done. You also score ten points," Elder Wu announced, his tone warm and approving.
"Yay!" Xu Xiaoyan cheered as she skipped back to Jing Shaoyu's side. Turning to Gu Yue, she playfully remarked, "Gu Yue, both Shaoyu and I got perfect scores. Now it's your turn to shine!"
Gu Yue glanced at her coolly but said nothing.
Unfazed, Xu Xiaoyan grinned at Jing Shaoyu, clearly unconcerned. She trus
ted Gu Yue to secure her own perfect score but couldn't resist a little teasing.