Xiao Hongchen stepped onto the competition stage, his gaze falling upon Lan Fozi opposite him. He took a deep breath, not daring to harbor the slightest trace of contempt.
After all, these were first-year students recruited by the true Monster Academy, so their strength definitely would not be weak.
However, that strength probably hadn't been polished by this Shrek Academy yet since she hadn't even enrolled. Of course, even so, Xiao Hongchen intended to go all out.
Just as Xiao Hongchen was adjusting his mindset, Lan Fozi suddenly spoke with a hint of a smile on her face.
"Would you like me to let you make the first move?"
Hearing Lan Fozi's words, Xiao Hongchen felt a bit embarrassed. Although he regarded her as a very strong opponent, her saying that made him feel somewhat weak.
Furthermore, if he made the first move, it would seem like he was taking advantage. Of course, if he let her make the first move, it would be far too arrogant; besides, if he let her go first, Xiao Hongchen truly felt he might not even get a chance to attack.
Xiao Hongchen shook his head and then directly spoke.
"No need. We'll each make our move; there's no need for anyone to yield to anyone."
Hearing these words from Xiao Hongchen, Lan Fozi nodded and said,
"Then as you wish."
A flash of light crossed Lan Fozi's eyes, and then she chuckled softly.
"However, I won't hold back."
Xiao Hongchen nodded, standing on guard.
"Just what I wanted."
Beneath his feet, four Spirit Rings—two yellow and two purple—slowly rose, and the Spirit Power within his body began to circulate wildly.
Xiao Hongchen planned to use his full strength right from the start, leaving no backup options. However, before Xiao Hongchen could launch an attack, in the very next instant, the Aura around Lan Fozi suddenly changed. Her gaze became profound, and her eyes grew even bluer, resembling a bottomless ocean.
Circles of blue halos were released from her body, spinning at high speed around her form.
"Hum—!!"
A humming sound rang out, and the Spirit Power Aura on Lan Fozi rose sharply!
Then Xiao Hongchen saw the Spirit Rings at her feet: five black ten-thousand-year Spirit Rings slowly rising!
Xiao Hongchen's expression changed instantly. No, what kind of first-year student who hasn't even enrolled yet is actually a Five-Ring Soul King?!
"Are you joking?!"
During the brief moment Xiao Hongchen was dazed, Lan Fozi had already made her move. He didn't even see which of Lan Fozi's Spirit Rings lit up; he suddenly felt as if a vast ocean had appeared before him.
That azure seawater was boundless and surging, sweeping toward him!
Layer upon layer of palm prints transformed into towering giant waves, assaulting him with an overwhelming force!
This Aura was like the destruction of heaven and earth. Xiao Hongchen was completely dumbfounded, his body instinctively wanting to dodge. But before Xiao Hongchen could take action, his entire body was sent flying directly, slamming heavily into the light barrier of the competition stage before tumbling to the ground.
Lan Fozi withdrew her hand, looked at Xiao Hongchen collapsed on the ground, and then smiled.
"Thanks for letting me win."
Xiao Hongchen had already begun to doubt life, his eyes filled with bewilderment. He couldn't even beat a freshman who hasn't enrolled yet, and couldn't even block a single move—was this right?!
The corners of Xiao Hongchen's mouth twitched, and a deep sense of powerlessness surged in his heart.
That terrifying, towering giant wave gave him the feeling... that she was clearly even stronger than the upper-classman Xu Xiaoyu!
Xiao Hongchen climbed up from the ground with difficulty and patted the dust off his body.
He looked at Lan Fozi, fell silent for a moment, and then slowly spoke.
"I lost."
There was a hint of bitterness in his voice; being inferior in skill meant there was nothing to say.
Lan Fozi smiled and then walked off the competition stage.
Xiao Hongchen also returned below the stage, standing beside Ji Juechen. Ji Juechen glanced at him without speaking, merely patting his shoulder.
Meng Hongchen stood to the side, looking at Xiao Hongchen's battered appearance, her expression also turning solemn.
Even Older Brother lost so miserably...
As for herself...
Meng Hongchen took a deep breath, then stepped forward onto the competition stage.
Opposite her, Bai Xiuxiu was already standing there waiting.
She had dark blue long hair, dark blue eyes, and a bit of baby fat on her face, making her look tender and quite cute.
But at this moment, Meng Hongchen did not dare to be the least bit careless. Xiao Hongchen's lesson was right before her eyes—well, although Xiao Hongchen didn't lose due to carelessness either, seeing as he had been completely crushed.
Bai Xiuxiu looked at Meng Hongchen, then slightly bowed, speaking quite politely.
"Please advise."
Meng Hongchen also hurriedly returned the courtesy.
"Please advise."
Just as the battle commenced, Bai Xiuxiu's Aura also changed, her eyes becoming quite sharp.
In the next instant, Bai Xiuxiu's right hand jerked upward, and a dazzling blue light surged from her palm, then condensed into an ice spear in her hand!
"Hum—!"
That ice spear was translucent throughout, exuding a bone-chilling coldness.
At the same time, a large expanse of ice mist surged from her body, instantly enveloping the entire competition stage!
Meng Hongchen's pupils shrank abruptly, instinctively wanting to release her Spirit.
But... the ice mist came quickly and went quickly.
Almost in an instant, the sky-filling ice mist dissipated.
And at the very instant the ice mist disappeared, Bai Xiuxiu was already standing in front of her, holding the ice spear in her right hand, the tip of the spear steady right in front of Meng Hongchen's neck.
That sharp spear tip exuded a freezing chill, stinging Meng Hongchen's skin slightly.
"Thanks for letting me win."
Alright, she had lost as well, and likewise lost in a single move, just like her older brother. Both possessed ice-attribute Spirits, but Meng Hongchen could sense that her opponent was far above her, and in terms of combat skills and the like, she was far inferior to the opponent.
"I lost."
Meng Hongchen sighed softly, her tone full of bitterness. She had originally thought she could struggle a bit, but she hadn't expected there to be any room for struggle at all.
Bai Xiuxiu put away the ice spear and walked off the competition stage.
Xiao Hongchen stood below the stage, watching this scene, completely dumbfounded.
His mind was blank, and his face was full of disbelief.
The three of them... all lost, and all were defeated in a crushing posture. His proud talent was truly nothing at all in this place.
Especially since the three opponents had all held back somewhat. Xiao Hongchen's gaze fell upon Na'er beside them, wondering how Na'er's strength was.
However, since she was called over, her strength surely wouldn't be too low, right?
Of course, Xiao Hongchen didn't regret thinking whether the result would be the same if he had chosen Na'er; he only sighed that the people in this academy were all freaks. If he were lucky enough to enter this academy, Xiao Hongchen didn't dare imagine how huge the future pressure would be.
Facing this group of freaks every day, could he still maintain his self-confidence?
However, in a short span of time, Xiao Hongchen quickly adjusted his mindset. The greater the pressure, the greater the motivation; Xiao Hongchen chose to pull himself together again.
And right at this moment, Ye Zhi's voice rang out.
"Alright, the sixth checkpoint is over."
She looked at Xiao Hongchen and the other two, then slowly spoke.
"Continue following me and proceed with the following tests."
Xiao Hongchen and the other two nodded and then followed in Ye Zhi's footsteps.
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A/N:
5 Power Stones = 1 Bonus Chapter
1 Review = 1 Bonus Chapter
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