Chapter 45

"Students, tomorrow is the freshman assessment; this assessment is extremely important, and I hope you will truly value it from the bottom of your hearts."

Wang Yan spoke while writing the four big characters for "freshman assessment" on the blackboard.

It has now been about three months since Dai Huabin's dropout incident, and the Academy's annual freshman assessment has begun again.

"This year's freshman assessment adopts a three‑versus‑three combat format, so the first thing we need to do is group the students. As for grouping, I will arrange it based on my understanding of each of you; if any student is dissatisfied, you may raise an objection. First, the first group: Tang Wulin, Huo Yutong, Zhou Sichen."

Upon hearing Wang Yan call their names, the three stood up from their seats.

The eyes of the Freshman Class 7 students instantly focused on the three.

Three months later, the three had undergone considerable changes, especially Tang Wulin and Huo Yutong, who were almost unrecognizable compared to three months ago.

With the unlimited supply of premium ingredients provided by Mu En, Tang Wulin's body grew rapidly; now his height has already surpassed Huo Yutong's, and anyone outside would not guess he is only nine years old. Moreover, his temperament has become much more composed than before, and his several combat performances over these months have already won the entire class's admiration, leaving no one daring to question why he can be the Class Monitor.

Huo Yutong has also shed her previously malnourished appearance; if she once seemed a bit skeletal, now she simply matches her style as a petite cutie. The resources of the Sea God Hall have also been tilted toward her, and with the few pills she obtained at the time, her level has now reached seventeen, no longer the lowest in the class.

Wang Yan looked at the three who had stood up and said seriously:

"I believe everyone can see it; the three of them are basically the strongest subgroup in our class, our class's seed contestants. Tang Wulin, I chose you three to form a group for no other purpose than to let you win the championship. The results of other groups don't matter, but if the three of you fail to claim the championship, be prepared to face punishment."

His words were not empty threats; over the past three months he had fully gauged the strength of Tang Wulin and the other two, and this trio's hard‑power configuration is undoubtedly the strongest among the freshmen. Moreover, Wang Yan has given Freshman Class 7 many practical combat lessons, so if they still lose, the only reason could be carelessness or lack of seriousness.

The Freshman Class 7 students' gazes, which had originally carried a hint of envy toward these few, now vanished instantly.

They had heard that other classes also have Soul Elders, and the freshman assessment championship is not so easy to obtain.

Next, Wang Yan proceeded to group the Freshman Class 7 students one by one.

It must be said that Wang Yan indeed knows the students well; after three months of observation he has fully understood the information of all classmates. Among the ninety‑nine students in the class, not a single one expressed dissatisfaction with his groupings.

After finishing the groupings, Wang Yan patted the lectern on the podium.

"Tang Wulin, come over and help me distribute these papers. After the freshman assessment, you will be re‑assigned to new classes; at that time your placement will follow your development paths, so the choice of path is crucial. I should have taught you quite a bit about this over the past three months, so decide for yourselves. I hope you won't make choices you'll regret."

While Wang Yan spoke, Tang Wulin had already handed out all the papers.

He returned to his seat and, without hesitation, wrote the two characters "Strong Attack" on the paper.

Just as Wang Yan said, his combat style is purely overwhelming force—one strike shatters myriad techniques—so using him as a control type would be a waste.

Moreover, with Huo Yutong, a top‑tier controller, in the team, he naturally would no longer consider himself a control type as before.

Soon, the whole class had filled in their decisions; Tang Wulin stood again, collected all the papers, and handed them to Wang Yan.

Wang Yan skimmed through the classmates' choices and nodded in satisfaction.

"Very good, it seems there are no troublemakers who wrote 'Strong Attack' as support; although a few choices differ from what I expected, I respect your decisions. By the way, does anyone in our class want to go to the Soul Guidance Department?" Since Yan Shaozhe stepped down from the dean position, the lax Gong Changlong became the new martial soul department dean, and the Soul Guidance Department has begun rapid development with Mu En's support.

The previous rule was that only until the third year could the Soul Guidance Department take some underperforming students from the martial soul department, and those students could even refuse voluntarily.

Now it is different: from the first year, students in the martial soul department who wish to go to the Soul Guidance Department may register and go; the third‑year batch is even required to join, so the previously stagnant development of the Soul Guidance Department has finally been re‑activated.

Hearing Wang Yan's question, Huo Yutong raised her hand without hesitation.

She now studies Soul Guidance device knowledge every night under Qian Duoduo's instruction, and has already vaguely sensed the threshold of a Level‑One Soul Guide; she is genuinely interested in Soul Guidance devices, so she naturally was the first to raise her hand.

Wang Yan was not surprised; he had long known from Huo Yutong what her future plans were, and her soul skill and martial soul indeed suit the study of Soul Guidance devices.

"Alright, Huo Yutong as one; do any other students have this aspiration?"

With Huo Yutong's call, two more students quickly raised their hands.

There are three students in this class interested in the Soul Guidance Department.

Wang Yan wrote down their names and instructed:

"Very well, I will submit your names to the Academy; you may then go to the Soul Guidance Department's Building No. 1 to report to the relevant teachers. However, before the third year you must first study the basic martial soul knowledge in the martial soul department, and after the third year you may formally transfer to the Soul Guidance Department. Take a seat."

Having said that, Wang Yan set the notebook down, picked up the chalk again, and said:

"It's still early, so I'll go over the assessment's precautions. After three months of study, I believe you now have ample experience fighting peers. Next, I will explain how to deal with seemingly unbeatable strong foes—given our situation, that means how to struggle when facing a squad that includes a Soul Elder."

Listening attentively to Wang Yan's lecture, Tang Wulin's expression grew increasingly serious.

Mu En told him last night that as long as he wins the freshman assessment championship, he may freely choose any three herbs prepared by the Academy for him.

Moreover, with the wealth he has forged during this period, he can purchase an additional herb, meaning that if he wins the freshman assessment championship, he can guarantee the material needed to unseal the next seal.

This is extremely important to him; he is determined to obtain it.

Off‑topic, regarding the difference between the Dou‑Two and Dou‑Three combat systems, I personally think the biggest distinction is that Dou‑Two remains within the martial soul and soul skill realm, whereas Dou‑Three has entered the bloodline and self‑created soul skill realm.

A reader previously said that Dou‑Two emphasizes mechanisms, with each person having a controller, while Dou‑Three emphasizes stats, basically all strong attacks; I think that statement is correct.

Indeed, upon careful thought, among the Dou‑Three Seven Monsters there are hardly any that use soul skills as their main combat method; almost all rely on sword techniques, fist arts, or talents like Xie Xie who live off innate abilities. The only Dou‑Three Seven Monster whose primary combat method is a soul skill is our Dou‑Three first‑mechanism monster, Xu Xiaoyan.

Thus it can be seen that soul skill emphasizes mechanisms, bloodline emphasizes stats; essentially that's the pattern, and the root of the difference between Dou‑Two and Dou‑Three combat styles lies here.

(End of chapter)