Meanwhile, within the ranks of Second Year, Class One, the atmosphere was entirely different.
"Interesting, truly interesting."
Ye Guyi's eyes were shining with excitement, clearly one who thrived on chaos.
Elbowing the person next to her, Caelus, her face was a picture of gleeful anticipation at the impending drama.
"I thought this would just be a boring assessment. I never expected such a fantastic show before it even started! Hey, Caelus, who do you think will win between the two of them? Want to make a little bet?"
"Bet on what?"
Caelus asked, amused by her eager expression.
He knew Ye Guyi's personality all too well; he could guess her little schemes with his eyes closed.
"Just bet on who will win, Dai Huabin or Huo Yuhao,"
Ye Guyi said swiftly, a sly, fox-like smile spreading across her face.
"The rules are simple: the loser treats the winner to a meal at Tingchao Pavilion. I'm betting on Dai Huabin."
Her maneuver was the epitome of "fighting dirty"—she immediately backed Dai Huabin, who, on paper, had over a ninety-nine percent chance of winning, giving Caelus no real choice.
"If that's the case... then I suppose I have to choose Huo Yuhao,"
Caelus said helplessly, spreading his hands in a gesture of "you got me."
"Hehe, it's settled then. No take-backs. Anyone who backs out is a dog,"
Ye Guyi declared, her smile widening as if she could already see a lavish feast waving at her, her scheme a success.
Suppressing a laugh, Caelus nodded solemnly, indicating he wouldn't go back on his word.
Just then, a cool, ethereal fragrance, reminiscent of a snow lotus, quietly approached. Gu Yuena had somehow moved to his side and asked in a whisper only the two of them could hear:
"Are you really that confident in Huo Yuhao?"
Her sudden proximity made Caelus's spirits lift slightly.
That unique scent was unlike any floral or cosmetic fragrance; it was more like the crisp, clean air after the first snow.
He turned his head to meet Gu Yuena's violet eyes, seeing within them a glimmer of the same curiosity and inquiry.
He smiled and replied in an equally low voice:
"Aren't you the same?"
With Gu Yuena's perception, she could undoubtedly gauge the true strength of both Dai Huabin and Huo Yuhao.
"Dai Huabin is probably about to suffer a loss he'll remember for the rest of his life."
Caelus's smile held a trace of all-knowing understanding.
The fact that Huo Yuhao had returned alive from the Extreme North Land spoke volumes.
Undoubtedly, Huo Yuhao had completed his Second Martial Soul, and had done so in one fell swoop, acquiring the power of Ultimate Ice.
With such a trump card, Dai Huabin was no longer his match.
Thus, Huo Yuhao's current actions were not recklessness, but a meticulously planned act of revenge.
His purpose in publicly announcing this private wager before everyone was to completely seal off all of Dai Huabin's escape routes, making it impossible for him to renege or deny it.
What he wanted was not just victory, but to repay Dai Huabin a thousandfold, in front of everyone, for all the humiliation once inflicted upon him.
This was no longer a simple assessment competition; it was a settling of scores involving dignity and hatred.
Caelus could almost foresee that, to ensure victory, Huo Yuhao would inevitably make a choice in selecting his Soul Beast that would shock everyone, displaying his new abilities in the most spectacular and awe-inspiring manner possible.
And Dai Huabin would become the perfect stepping stone for Huo Yuhao's stunning debut.
In the distance, on the teachers' platform.
Several teachers watched this sudden conflict unfold but made no move to intervene.
Wang Yan frowned, seemingly somewhat worried the situation might spiral out of control.
However, a flicker of subtle approval and interest passed through the eyes of Han Ruoruo beside him.
"Let them be,"
a teacher in charge of invigilating said gravely.
"Shrek never forbids competition, especially healthy competition settled by strength. Mighty trees do not grow in greenhouses; true powerhouses are forged through trials of blood and fire. Perhaps this can force out the true potential of both of them."
Upon hearing this, the other teachers nodded in tacit agreement.
As long as it didn't involve life and death, they were happy to see competition among students.
This was the survival Law of Shrek.
Led by their homeroom teachers Wang Yan, Han Ruoruo, and the teacher of Class Two, the students from both classes, after receiving their fate-determining assessment forms, filed into the combat area of the Beast Fighting Arena.
They were not directed to the high spectator stands but were instead brought directly to the vast, sprawling periphery of the Beast Fighting Area, covered in dark yellow sand.
Following instructions, the students of both classes lined up neatly at the edge of the arena, awaiting their moment of judgment.
Combined, Classes One and Two had over a hundred students.
Standing in this immense arena so quiet they could hear their own heartbeats, they seemed as insignificant as grains of sand.
Varying degrees of tension were written on every face; for the vast majority, this was their first time engaging in a life-or-death struggle against real, bloodthirsty Soul Beasts.
The Promotion Assessment was not only about their continued stay at Shrek Academy, this Holy Land for Soul Masters, but also a test of their courage and Mind and nature.
The Academy's emphasis on this assessment far exceeded the students' imaginations.
To ensure the safety of these fledglings on their first foray, a full twenty experienced senior teachers from the Martial Soul Department had been waiting here long before the students arrived.
They wore unified dark-colored combat attire, their auras steady, dispersed across various corners of the arena.
They would be responsible for guiding the Soul Beasts, protecting students in critical moments, and serving as preliminary judges, recording each student's performance in combat.
Although there were many participants, to allow all students to observe and learn clearly, the Academy did not divide the massive Beast Fighting Arena into multiple smaller sections for simultaneous assessments.
Instead, they adopted the most primitive yet direct method: one-by-one, single-person assessments.
While this would undoubtedly consume more time, it was also the best way for the grading teachers to observe every detail and see each student's true performance under extreme pressure.
On one side of the arena, atop a temporarily erected high platform, five figures sat.
Their position afforded a clear, commanding view of the entire Beast Fighting Arena.
Seated in the center was a stern, unsmiling middle-aged man. He was precisely the Director of the Martial Soul Department at Shrek Academy, Du Weilun.
And he was also the chief examiner for today's Promotion Assessment.
The four beside him were core teachers selected from the Academy, the most experienced among them, together forming the final judging panel for this assessment.
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