"...And that's how it was." Tang Ya finished recounting her experiences over the past few days, then her expression grew a little melancholic as she murmured, "If only I had met Ziyang sooner, perhaps our Tang Sect wouldn't have declined so severely. But, thankfully, I'm here, and I will definitely revive the Tang Sect!"
"So, Xiaoya, your Spirit evolved?" Jiang Nannan's eyes sparkled as she looked at Tang Ya and asked.
The greater Tang Ya's gains, the more impressive her Yang-ge was. And the more impressive her Yang-ge was, the prouder she felt!
"Uh!" Tang Ya's excited tone faltered at the question, and she said with some uncertainty, "I can't really say. Bei Bei says my Spirit is still Blue Silver Grass, and I also feel it's Blue Silver Grass, but it's also a bit different from ordinary Blue Silver Grass."
As she spoke, she extended her hand, and a Blue Silver Grass appeared. It was indeed a very unusual Blue Silver Grass; its color was quite deep, its leaves were thicker, the veins on them were very clear, and the leaves were also dotted with some spots, making it look full of life and vitality.
"This is indeed still Blue Silver Grass, but it's Blue Silver Grass in the process of Transformation." Zhu Ziyang glanced at it, then immediately concluded, "If your subsequent spirit rings still come from top-tier plant Spirit Beasts like the Sky Star Vine, or if you acquire a suitable heavenly treasure, your Blue Silver Grass Spirit could very well evolve into an even more powerful plant-type Spirit."
"Really?" Tang Ya's eyes immediately lit up at the news.
Yu Beibei also showed a thoughtful expression, as if he had remembered something, and said, "Ziyang is right. I once read a book that recorded how one of the founders of our Shrek Academy, the pioneer of modern Spirit Master theory, Yu Xiaogang, known as Grandmaster, initially had a failed mutated Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Spirit. Later, after consuming a top-tier heavenly treasure given to him by his disciple, who was also Tang San's ancestor, it finally evolved into the Light Holy Dragon Spirit."
Zhu Ziyang couldn't help but glance at Yu Beibei upon hearing this. This kid certainly knew how to give examples!
"Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon! Light Holy Dragon!" As expected, Tang Ya's expression brightened even more after hearing Yu Beibei's words. She said, "I remember Grandmaster is your ancestor, isn't he? Bei Bei, so this is a true story!"
"Mm!" Yu Beibei nodded.
"Wow! Bei Bei, you're actually a descendant of Grandmaster, you're truly a hidden talent!" Jiang Nannan, learning for the first time that Yu Beibei was a descendant of Yu Xiaogang, looked at him with great surprise and said.
"Zhu Ziyang, why don't you look surprised at all?" Tang Ya saw Zhu Ziyang's unchanging expression and couldn't help but feel a little disappointed. It was a pity she couldn't see Zhu Ziyang show an unexpected expression.
"I could infer it," Zhu Ziyang said with a smile.
"Okay, then I'll set a goal: to make my Blue Silver Grass Spirit undergo a second awakening and evolve into the Blue Silver Emperor!" The small interlude didn't distract Tang Ya's attention. She said with full enthusiasm, a clear, naive determination shining in her beautiful eyes.
Zhu Ziyang, hearing this, offered nothing but a polite smile.
—
While the four were catching up, in front of the freshman dormitory building, Mu En had already learned of Tang Ya's changes from Yu Beibei's great-uncle.
"Sky Star Vine... her Spirit has undergone a metamorphosis?" Mu En lay on a wooden chair, his eyes still closed, merely murmuring, "It seems it's necessary to help that girl... It's rare to find such a promising talent who hasn't gone down the wrong path!"
The old man suddenly vanished, yet it didn't attract any attention.
—
After experiencing various minor episodes such as alchemy, selling pills, and Tang Ya acquiring her second spirit ring, Zhu Ziyang's academy life settled back into tranquility, with time slowly flowing in the routine of daily life.
Soon, another two months passed, making it exactly three months since the freshmen entered Shrek Academy, and the freshman assessment was just around the corner.
During these nearly three months, all freshmen underwent a cruel screening.
Taking Class Four, where Zhu Ziyang was, as an example, the initial one hundred students had become eighty-one. Excluding Ling Xiaodong, who transferred departments, a full eighteen students had completely left Shrek Academy.
All the remaining students had, on average, increased their spirit power by one rank, and several students even achieved major breakthroughs, successively acquiring their second spirit ring, like Tang Ya.
The freshmen who remained were undoubtedly more outstanding than those who were eliminated. However, for these remaining freshmen, the cruel elimination was not over; they still needed to face the most brutal challenge: the freshman assessment!
It could be said that this was the final step in the 'raising of gu' process!
According to Xia Yu, the head teacher of Class Four, the freshman assessment would definitely eliminate half of the freshmen! This was an unquestionable and unchangeable decision from the high-level officials of Shrek Academy's Martial Soul Department, and it was also Shrek Academy's consistent practice.
Because, according to Shrek Academy's educational philosophy, Shrek Academy did not need too many mediocre people!
Currently, the number of first-year students is approximately six hundred. Although this is similar to the final number of first-year students in previous years, half of them still need to be eliminated. This means that after the freshman assessment, at least three hundred freshmen will leave Shrek Academy!
A nearly fifty percent elimination rate, very cruel, yet very realistic.
On this day, in the Class Four classroom, Xia Yu was explaining the rules of the freshman assessment to the freshmen.
"On the first day of school, I said that the freshman assessment would take the form of combat. Considering that support system Spirit Masters and food system Spirit Masters are not skilled in combat, the final form of the freshman assessment will be a team battle mode," Xia Yu said. "According to the assessment requirements, every student participating in the assessment needs to form a three-person team. When forming teams, you need to follow these rules: each team can only have one attack system Spirit Master, and at the same time, the Spirit Master development directions of the three team members cannot be the same. In our class, there shouldn't be anyone who hasn't determined their Spirit Master development direction yet, right?"
"No!" All students shouted in unison.
Regarding the choice of Spirit Master development direction, Xia Yu had issued a notice a month ago, requiring all students to choose their development direction. Therefore, all students in Class Four had already clarified their Spirit Master development direction.
Thanks to the prior preparation, Xia Yu didn't need to consider this item at all and could directly assign teams to the students.
"Regarding team assignments, we will first consider two students from the same dormitory as one team, and the other student will be freely chosen by you. Students who fail to form a free combination will ultimately be decided by drawing lots. Later, I will inform you of my proposed groupings for your reference. If anyone is dissatisfied, you can come to me, and I will consider it appropriately." Xia Yu said with a slight smile on her face and a gentle tone, yet the students in Class Four did not feel a trace of warmth.
Everyone subconsciously shook their heads.
Over the past three months, everyone had figured out the temperament of their head teacher. She usually smiled, looking harmless, but in reality, she was a deeply hidden smiling tiger, ruthless and unforgiving when expelling students. Therefore, many freshmen referred to her and Class One's head teacher, Zhou Yi, as the 'Twin Tyrants'!