Yan Shaozhe burst into loud laughter, while Qian Duoduo wore an angry expression on his face—though in truth, he was laughing on the inside. With a sideways glance, he thought: Old Yan, Old Yan, no matter how clever you are, you've finally fallen into my trap. Hehe, I hope you won't regret this later. Of course, it's already too late for regrets. Ha ha ha ha.
Unbeknownst to them, the final elimination match between the freshmen teams of Huo Yuhao and Dai Huabin had turned into a wager between the two prominent deans.
Both teams had arrived early, observing each other from a distance while making final preparations.
Though Dai Huabin didn't know Huo Yuhao personally, he could sense a real threat from this team. On paper, his team should hold the advantage in terms of cultivation level. But in actual combat, nothing was absolute.
Was Ning Tian's team weak? Ning Tian with her Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda Martial Soul, and Wu Feng with her Fire Dragon Martial Soul, were among the top students of their class. Their strength nearly matched that of Dai Huabin's team. Or what about Xie Huanyue's team? Their defense was so strong that the match had to be stopped by the teacher to prevent serious injuries.
The presence of the formidable Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao with her twin martial souls, and the mysterious Huo Yuhao—even though he was just a one-ring Soul Master—was enough to warrant caution. Because of this, Dai Huabin had made thorough preparations, even studying the combat history of Huo Yuhao's team.
Unlike Dai Huabin's wariness, Huo Yuhao was filled with complex emotions. Although he had tried to bury his hatred deep within, his heartbeat betrayed him the moment he stepped into the final arena.
How he longed for revenge! But his rational mind knew it was impossible. With teachers and referees on guard, even with Wang Dong's help, killing Dai Huabin was simply unrealistic.
"Yuhao." Wang Dong called out softly.
"Yeah." Huo Yuhao turned, catching the alert glint in Wang Dong's eyes.
"Stay calm. Don't show any weakness," Wang Dong whispered, so quietly that even Xiao Xiao couldn't hear him.
After a short pause, Wang Dong continued in a low voice, "By the way, have you seen Wang Feng? He said he was coming to watch our match."
Huo Yuhao scanned the arena. "As an inner courtyard student, he should be allowed in. But I already checked the audience and didn't see him."
"If he doesn't show up," Wang Dong growled in a low, threatening tone, "he'd better be ready to sleep outside for a week!"
Huo Yuhao gave a slight smile. "Isn't that a bit too harsh?"
"Hmph! Actions have consequences!"
"Why are you two whispering and ignoring me?" Xiao Xiao suddenly protested. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong quickly separated in embarrassment.
At that moment, the referee entered the large assessment area. All partitions had been removed for the daytime match, revealing a wide-open competition field.
The referee waved at both teams simultaneously, signaling them to enter the arena.
Huo Yuhao and the other two walked in with pride. Huo Yuhao still led at the front, with Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao on either side of him. On the opposite side, Dai Huabin entered the arena with two girls walking behind him.
The two girls following Dai Huabin were both beautiful. One had long black hair and black eyes, while the other was a young girl with a lovely appearance.
The referee called both teams forward and said in a deep voice, "For this final match of the freshmen elimination, the rules will be slightly modified. Listen carefully. You are allowed to move freely within the competition grounds, but the flying height of your spirit abilities must not exceed ten meters above the ground. In order for you to exert your full strength, you may attack your opponents without holding back during the match. I will control the intensity of the battle. Anyone I rescue from the arena will be considered to have forfeited the match. Do you understand?"
"Understood." Both sides responded in unison. A strange light flashed in the eyes of Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong. On the opposing side, Dai Huabin's gaze carried a faint chill, as if an invisible killing intent was radiating from him.
As the legitimate son of the White Tiger Duke, although Dai Huabin was not the eldest son, he had received the best education from an early age. This wasn't just about learning how to cultivate martial spirits, but also about learning the art of war and how to kill enemies. The White Tiger Duke was the supreme commander of the three military corps of the Star Luo Empire. His son was expected to gain military experience in the future.
Therefore, Dai Huabin displayed a much colder and sterner temperament than his peers, already showing traces of a military disposition. Among the sons of the White Tiger Duke, his talent was the most outstanding, and he was highly valued by his father. In the White Tiger Duke's clan, the title was always passed down to the most capable. This nurtured Dai Huabin's decisive and ruthless personality from a young age. When he was only five, he killed a small beast with his bare hands.
"Both teams, state your names."
"Huo Yuhao."
"Wang Dong."
"Xiao Xiao."
On Dai Huabin's side, the three of them showed clear hostility.
"Dai Huabin."
"Zhu Lu," said the girl with black hair.
"Cui Yajie," said the girl with long pink hair.
The referee extended his arms to both sides and said, "Everyone move to the edges of the arena. You may begin attacking only after I announce the start of the match."
Both sides slowly retreated, but Huo Yuhao's eyes remained locked on Dai Huabin. Dai Huabin's gaze was sharp, laced with a hint of killing intent, yet to his surprise, Huo Yuhao didn't flinch at all. There was a huge difference in strength between them, but at this moment, Huo Yuhao was not at a disadvantage in terms of momentum.
The teachers watching the match from the podium had gone completely quiet. Even the two deans, Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo, were fully focused on the competition.
Fan Yu watched as Huo Yuhao retreated slowly and thought to himself, Ah, I hope you won't disappoint me. This final test not only affects your evaluation as a freshman, but also serves as the most important assessment for you by the Soul Tool Department.
Soon after, both teams reached the edges of the competition field. The entire evaluation area was vast, and from each side's perspective, the opposing team appeared quite small.
The referee raised his right hand, then suddenly dropped it as he loudly announced, "Begin!"
The movements of both teams were exactly the same. Upon the announcement of "begin," they charged toward each other at the exact same moment.
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