At this moment, among the soul masters on the field, apart from Beibei and Xu Sanshi, the others had already been taken down by Xuan Zi before they suffered serious injuries.
Because of the immense pressure from this battle, both Beibei and Xu Sanshi were battered and bruised, with various wounds left by offensive soul skills.
However, most of Beibei's injuries were only superficial, though he looked rather miserable.
Xu Sanshi, on the other hand, was much less fortunate. Facing the assault of the Nether White Tiger head-on, even though he was a strong defensive-type Soul Sect himself, he was now on the verge of serious injury.
"Hiss…" A healing-type Soul Emperor teacher, under Xuan Zi's signal, began treating Xu Sanshi.
Xu Sanshi winced in pain, but soon his injuries stabilized. With some rest and care afterward, he would recover.
Xuan Zi glanced around at everyone present. Although he thought Huo Yuhao and his group's performance in the selection trial could be called "half-hearted," he had no intention of going back on his word.
Taking a bite of his chicken leg and a sip from his gourd of wine, Xuan Zi said, "Aside from the last seven who remained standing, everyone else is eliminated. You can return on your own."
The students who had been rescued from the battlefield fell silent, while Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu slowly regained consciousness under the teachers' care.
Dai Huabin clenched his teeth tightly. This selection should have been his and Zhu Lu's perfect opportunity to showcase their strength. It was all his fault… all because of that hateful Huo Yuhao.
He glared at Huo Yuhao, eyes filled with resentment. Xuan Zi looked over the silent group and continued, "Some of you might think this is unfair, maybe even feel unwilling to accept it."
"You might believe this kind of chaotic melee is too careless, that stronger participants had to bear more pressure and were eliminated early because of it."
"But I'm telling you,you're wrong. You're wrong because you think every battle must be fair and just. The only thing that matters to a soul master is victory."
"Battle is battle. In a real battlefield, fighting is not a child's game like in the academy. You can't decide how many enemies you face or what situation you're thrown into."
"So the real test is how you make choices, how you use your strengths. That's what defines a true soul master's combat ability. The only thing you can control is yourself."
"No matter the result, no matter your strength, those who stood until the very end,Beibei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, Wang Dong, Ning Tian, Xiao Xiao, and Huo Yuhao,are the undeniable victors."
"In this melee, every one of your fighting abilities, personal strength, and judgment was displayed before my eyes."
"I only hope you remember this well. If any of you still think this battle was unfair, then I can only say,you're not suited for the Inner Court, and you're not qualified to become its students."
Xuan Zi's calm voice carried immense spiritual power, echoing clearly in everyone's ears.
His mental energy subtly influenced their emotions, gradually calming them and shifting their thoughts.
Though his martial soul wasn't of the spiritual type, as a Super Douluo nearing the limit, guiding the minds of these young students was nothing difficult for him.
However, Huo Yuhao was an exception,with two powerful entities residing in his spiritual sea, things were different for him.
"You must understand," Xuan Zi continued, "this kind of free-for-all test is common in the Inner Court. If you can't even handle this, you're not qualified to be Inner Court disciples."
Then he shifted back to his favorite topic,telling his own "glorious" tales.
"Do you know what kind of situation Inner Court disciples once faced at their most critical moment?"
"Once, twelve Inner Court disciples were separated from their teachers and faced a hundred-thousand-year soul beast on their own. In that battle, eight of them died."
"But the four who survived became the pillars of the Inner Court. One even obtained that hundred-thousand-year soul ring and soul bone, laying the foundation for future cultivation."
Listening to Xuan Zi's "glorious" story, Huo Yuhao couldn't help feeling speechless. Honestly, he couldn't understand it,someone like Zhang Lexuan had the talent to be one of Shrek Academy's greatest pillars.
With such a strong lineup, how could they possibly lose more than half their group to a single soul beast? It was absurd.
As Xuan Zi continued his tale, everyone's expression turned somber, clearly influenced by his mental power.
Huo Yuhao quickly lowered his head, pretending to be deeply moved.
"So don't think that studying in the academy means you're safe. Even here, you must be ready to face life-and-death situations."
"Becoming an Inner Court disciple isn't just an honor,it's a beginning, a doorway to life and death. Once you join, you bear the mark of Shrek Academy."
"As Inner Court disciples, the first thing you'll do is sign a life-and-death agreement."
"To pursue the ultimate as a soul master, only by casting aside fear of death can you achieve the impossible."
Then came a round of so-called "heartfelt" persuasion,essentially a glorified manipulation session. Xuan Zi twisted the fact that the Inner Court used its students as tools to stabilize Shrek's status into something noble and sacred.
In that moment, these under-fifteen students,still immature in thought,had a seed planted in their hearts: a seed of pride and longing for Shrek's so-called glory.
That seed would later take root under Shrek's distorted education system, deeply affecting those with ordinary minds and weak wills.
Even if they never entered the Inner Court, they would still sacrifice everything for Shrek Academy's "honor," regardless of consequence.
After finishing his speech, Xuan Zi took another sip of wine, and faint tears glimmered in his eyes.
Through his Eye of Truth, Huo Yuhao confirmed that although Xuan Zi was influencing others through spiritual means, he himself genuinely believed every word he said.
"How terrifying," Huo Yuhao thought.
Soon, the other teachers and students left the dueling area, still wrapped in faint sorrow.
Only Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Ning Tian, Beibei, Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and Xuan Zi remained.
Xuan Zi looked at the seven of them. His mood had returned to calm as he said, "You all know the title 'Shrek Seven Devils,' right?"
"Inside our academy's gates stand statues of the founders and the first generation of Shrek's Seven Devils."
Though everyone already knew this history, no one interrupted his nostalgic speech.
After a long-winded and over-polished retelling of Shrek's "glorious" past, Xuan Zi finally got to the point.
"Every five years, the academy selects a new generation of Shrek Seven Devils. They represent the academy in the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament."
Everyone except Huo Yuhao was visibly excited. Huo Yuhao, however, was deep in thought,should he save a few more Inner Court disciples when dealing with the Death God's envoys later?
Given their current strength, winning the tournament would be extremely difficult. He'd have to use many of his trump cards, and a loss would greatly reduce the resources he could gain from Shrek, as well as upset the continent's delicate balance.
So maybe it was worth slightly changing the course of fate,keeping a few Inner Court disciples alive who were destined to fall might actually benefit his long-term plans.
"Today's selection was to pick the reserve team for the next generation of Shrek's Seven Devils. As reserves, you'll serve as substitutes for the main team. Although the chance of being called to battle is slim, you'll still travel with them and gain valuable experience."
"Slim? More like ninety percent unlikely," Huo Yuhao thought to himself.
"This will be a rare opportunity for you. However, reserve spots aren't fixed. Over the next five years, you'll be re-evaluated repeatedly. Only those strong enough will ultimately represent the academy."
"And to do that, your first step is to qualify for the Inner Court."
"So you can drag us down later, huh," Huo Yuhao muttered inwardly.
Xuan Zi concluded, "Alright, your status as reserve members is confidential. Anyone who leaks this will lose their qualification."
"Starting now, you'll train with me one day a week. There's one month left before the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Tournament. I'll train you alongside the current Seven Devils."
"Make the most of this rare chance to improve yourselves."
"That's all. You're dismissed." His gaze lingered on Huo Yuhao. Though he treated him differently because of Mu En, he didn't like Huo Yuhao's fighting style, and the Body Sect,known for body-type martial souls,had always been Shrek's rival.
"Yes, Elder Xuan," everyone responded respectfully before leaving the arena.
Outside, Beibei smiled and said, "Since we're the reserve Shrek Seven Devils, shouldn't we establish an order, just like the first generation did?"
"Let's rank by age."
Everyone agreed. Huo Yuhao didn't care,it was just a title. The sooner they finished, the sooner he could go back to his research.
According to age, Beibei was the oldest, followed by Xu Sanshi, then Jiang Nannan, with Ning Tian slightly older than Xiao Xiao, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong.
"Senior brother, if there's nothing else, I'll be heading back," Huo Yuhao said.
Beibei nodded, while Xu Sanshi,his face still bruised,winked at Jiang Nannan.
Huo Yuhao didn't bother paying attention to what followed and quickly left. Xiao Xiao stayed behind, seemingly interested in Tang Sect, while Ning Tian and Wang Dong caught up to him.
"Thanks for your help during the selection," Ning Tian said softly after they'd walked some distance.
"It was just a deal," Huo Yuhao replied calmly. "If you really want to thank me, maybe invest a bit more in me next time."
"Given your Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda background, you must have predicted this outcome long ago, right? Your attempt to recruit me at the Treasure Appreciation Gathering was probably for this moment."
Ning Tian smiled, neither confirming nor denying it. She handed him a black card. "This is a Nine Treasure Glazed Sect black card,usable at banks across the continent. There's one hundred and thirty thousand gold soul coins in it, all I can spare for now. I hope you'll help me more over the next five years, Sixth Brother."
She winked playfully before walking off.
"Ugh, the evil rich girl," Wang Dong muttered sourly. She hadn't interrupted their talk earlier, but now she pouted. "It's just a black card. I have one too!"
Huo Yuhao pocketed the card. Combined with his savings, he now had about two hundred fifty thousand gold soul coins,more than enough to buy the Devourer Blade.
With the rest, he could purchase soul tools, materials, or soul beast specimens for research.
"Ahem, enough talk. I'm in a good mood today. How about I treat you to dinner at the cafeteria?" Huo Yuhao said.
Wang Dong immediately grabbed his arm and dragged him off. "Let's go! I'm starving!"
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