31 Chapter 31 Gold Path VS Hell White Tiger

```

But his third soul skill was indeed formidable, even under such circumstances, he still didn't suffer too much damage.

Wang Dong took to the air, but Huo Yuhao was still there! He didn't follow Wang Dong in retreat but charged towards Dai Huabin instead. Stepping in the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track, his hands had turned into a jade-like white, the Tang Sect's ultimate Mysterious Jade Hands. He seized the opportunity as Dai Huabin's body was leaning backward, got up close swiftly, and with a reverse suction from his palms towards Dai Huabin's chest, only when Dai's body was springing up did he push out with the palms, hitting directly on Dai Huabin's chest.

In this move, Huo Yuhao could be said to have used all the strength he could muster. He knew that he couldn't possibly kill Dai Huabin, so this strike was a venting of all the sufferings he had endured for eleven years in the Duke White Tiger's Mansion. As his palms struck Dai Huabin's chest, his eyes reddened with emotion.

Three months of hard training was not in vain, as Huo Yuhao's soul power and various skills increased, and so too did his physical quality improve significantly. Mysterious Jade Hands combined with Controlling Crane Capturing Dragon represented the strongest level he could reach with physical attacks at the moment. And Dai Huabin's White Tiger Diamond Transformation had just been made somewhat fragile by the impact of Wang Dong's Light of Butterfly Goddess. Even with a vast gap in soul power, Huo Yuhao's all-out palms still caused Dai Huabin's upper body to recoil again, his chest feeling constricted, nearly spewing out a mouthful of blood.

Though Huo Yuhao's emotions were tumultuous, he was, after all, a spirit-class Soul Master, and his strong Spiritual Power allowed him to maintain clarity at all times. After landing a hit, he quickly retreated, not pursuing further attacks. In the next instant, Dai Huabin's body had bounced back, and his tiger claws swept through the space Huo Yuhao had just evaded. With his attack power, if that hit landed on Huo Yuhao, it would have resulted in broken bones, at the very least.

Wang Dong lightly landed and stood once again on Huo Yuhao's shoulder. Although Huo Yuhao didn't truly injure Dai Huabin, he felt irresistibly euphoric in his heart.

Mother, do you see? Your little Yuhao has begun to avenge you. This palm is just the beginning, and one day, I will possess enough power for revenge to wash away the pain and humiliation we mother and child have suffered for over a decade.

Dai Huabin failed to hit Huo Yuhao, and his eyes blazed with rage. He never expected that he would still be at a disadvantage in close combat. There was a clear gap between the strength of the two sides. However, the amazing synergy and precise control of the battle rhythm they demonstrated made him feel as if his strength had no outlet. Although the White Tiger Diamond Transformation was powerful, it consumed a great deal of soul power, and over time, he would weaken and become exhausted.

Without any hesitation or pause, Dai Huabin dashed forward, pouncing towards Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong once again.

The battle between the two parties thus entered an intensely heated phase.

On the other hand, Xiao Xiao had also fully entered the fray. Her cultivation wasn't inferior to Zhu Lu's, and although Zhu Lu's Hell Civet Martial Soul was one of the top in the agile-attack class, Xiao Xiao was no slouch! She was the possessor of Twin Martial Souls, which overall even had an advantage over Zhu Lu. Her Nine Phoenix Flute's slowing effect was precisely what countered her opponent's speed.

In this situation, and with Huo Yuhao's Shared Spiritual Detection assisting her, if Xiao Xiao still couldn't hold Zhu Lu back, she would be failing her potential.

Three black cauldrons, each one meter in diameter, flickered and darted through the air, accurately predicting the enemy's moves with each appearance. Zhu Lu was fast, but it was as if she was trapped in a cage made by the three Soul Calming Cauldrons, struggling to break free to no avail.

She had tried to launch a strong attack, but although her offensive power was not weak, breaking through the top-tier Tool Soul of the Three Lives Soul Suppression Cauldron was impossible.

Of course, Xiao Xiao was not skilled in attacking, so defeating Zhu Lu was also difficult, thereby drawing out the battle into a tug-of-war.

In the eyes of the watching teachers, Xiao Xiao had already won. In the world of Soul Masters, agile-attack class was countered by control-class, and since Xiao Xiao could control Zhu Lu with her Twin Martial Souls, she already had the upper hand. This at least prevented Zhu Lu from assisting Dai Huabin. And Nine-Tailed Fox Grand Soul Master Cui Yajie was out of the match early, thanks to Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong's clever tactics, closing a lot of the gap in strength between the two sides in the competition.

```

"How about that? Old Yan, it was my foresight that paid off, ha ha." Qian Duoduo said with great pride.

Yan Shaozhe smiled faintly and said, "Isn't it too early to conclude? Those three youngsters haven't won yet."

Qian Duoduo laughed, "Look at their coordination; even though there is indeed a gap in strength, they're holding their own through their tacit teamwork. Over time, who do you think will win?"

Yan Shaozhe said indifferently, "I know what you're getting at. The girl playing the flute while operating the cauldron has been trying to minimize her soul power consumption from the very beginning, only using one skill with her flute. If this continues, once the little black cat runs out of soul power, victory is indeed likely to tilt in favor of the three of them."

Qian Duoduo chuckled, "I knew you'd see it; so why don't you just admit defeat now?"

Yan Shaozhe glanced at him and said, "Old Qian, you've spent too much time tinkering with metal and you seem to have forgotten some of the heritages of the Soul Master world. What's the relationship between the Duke White Tiger's Mansion and the Zhu Family of the Xingluo Empire?"

Upon hearing this, the smile on Qian Duoduo's face froze, "You can't be serious. The Zhu and Dai families traditionally have only one, or at most two couples per generation. How old is this kid? Is the Duke White Tiger planning to let him inherit the title?"

Yan Shaozhe smiled, "What's impossible about that? With three rings at under twelve years of age, this performance has already surpassed the ancestors of the Dai family, the leader of the Shrek Seven Monsters whose statue stands at the entrance of the academy. The Dai family has always passed down the dukedom to those with virtue. Didn't Duke White Tiger send his son here to Shrek Academy so he could be cultivated here and see what potential we can unlock in him? The Zhu family is divided into many factions; this little girl is likely an investment by one faction in Dai Huabin. If they were gaining the upper hand in the match, perhaps my words could not be confirmed, but now that they are falling behind, you will soon see if my speculation is correct."

As the Dean of the Martial Soul Department at Shrek Academy, not only was Yan Shaozhe powerful in his cultivation, but he also controlled the various secrets and materials that Shrek Academy had accumulated over ten thousand years. It was not an exaggeration to call him the encyclopedia of Soul Land.

After hearing Yan Shaozhe's words, Qian Duoduo's smile had completely vanished and he said with a pained expression, "I knew you, this cunning old fox, wouldn't let me get the better of you. So you were waiting for me here. Can we reduce the amount a little? Look, the match isn't over yet. If I admit defeat now, how about I give you thirty high explosive bombs for the fixed soul guidance cannons? We've been buddies for so many years, you know my vice, you're cutting my flesh here!"

Sitting in the back row, the head of the Martial Soul Department at Shrek Academy, Du Weilun, was continuously twitching his facial muscles, holding back his laughter. Next to him, Fan Yu covered his face with both hands, bowing his head as if to say, I don't know that person.

The Dean Qian excelled in many ways, but he had one flaw: stinginess. Thus, he had an extra-lengthy nickname at the academy, which included Tight-fisted Qian, Tiny Hands, Iron Rooster, Porcelain Quail, Glass Mouse, and Crystal Cat. This meant that although he controlled a lot of money and resources, getting something out of his hands was quite challenging. He was a true miser!

The situation in the assessment area did indeed slightly favor Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong. They were inferior to Dai Huabin in terms of strength, even when they joined forces. However, the shared spiritual detection of Huo Yuhao played a decisive role. With its powerful predictive ability, they simply avoided directly clashing with Dai Huabin. They constantly attacked where he was forced to react defensively, and with the augmentation of Haodong's Power, Wang Dong unfolded his wings to their fullest while Huo Yuhao stepped on the Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track. The two moved as one, with the dazzling blue figure somersaulting above and below, making Dai Huabin's fierce charges and punches futile.

He did try to take the risk of a forceful attack, but the problem was that the opponent seemed to know his intention completely. The result was that he received an injury while the opponent cleverly dodged his counterattack.

Dai Huabin also noticed the situation on Zhu Lu's side; from the start of the match, Zhu Lu was attacking with all her might, pushing her speed to the limit in an attempt to break through Xiao Xiao's blockade. As a result, her soul power was draining greatly. By contrast, Xiao Xiao, who had devised her tactics well in advance, was using much less soul power. Although she was deploying a Twin Martial Soul, she was only using the first soul skill of the Nine Phoenix Flute.

Zhu Lu's speed had clearly slowed down now, appearing tired under the slowing soul skill of the Nine Phoenix Flute.

And on Dai Huabin's own side, in order to maintain an absolute advantage in attack power, he had been continuously using the thousand-year soul ring skill, White Tiger Diamond Transformation. The enormous consumption was also beginning to wear him down. And in his view, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, who should have been greatly exhausted, still looked energetic. If this continued, with their power waning and the opponents gaining, they really might lose the match.

```

"If you have the guts, let's go head-to-head." Dai Huabin roared furiously, unable to restrain himself any longer.

Wang Dong showed a hint of disdain at the corner of his mouth, "Don't you understand what tactics are? It's a shame you're the son of Duke White Tiger and you don't even understand tactics, what a waste."

A fierce glint flashed at the bottom of Dai Huabin's eyes, and to Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong's surprise, he suddenly released his White Tiger Diamond Transformation.

Despite the support of Spiritual Detection, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had to be careful to avoid direct confrontation with Dai Huabin, maintaining a certain distance from him. Although Spiritual Detection sensed it, Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were puzzled and naturally reacted a beat slower.

Instead of advancing, Dai Huabin suddenly turned and sprinted towards the rear. This abrupt change left Huo Yuhao and the others stunned. Moreover, through Spiritual Detection's monitoring of Dai Huabin's Soul Power circulation, Huo Yuhao could feel that this was not a feint to lure the enemy; he was genuinely running back.

As Dai Huabin was retreating, Zhu Lu also made her move on the other side. After launching a swift Hell Rush at Xiao Xiao, she too accelerated instantly, turning her head and fleeing, chasing after Dai Huabin.

What are they trying to do? Take the opportunity to recover their Soul Power?

Wang Dong disembarked from Huo Yuhao's shoulder, and Xiao Xiao quickly regrouped with them, both of their eyes revealing a hint of confusion.

All of a sudden, inexplicably, Huo Yuhao felt a strong palpitation in his heart. He had felt this sensation before, prior to entering Shrek Academy, on his way to Xingdou Forest, just before he encountered his first soul beast. It was a magical premonition brought by his Spiritual Eyes Martial Soul.

In the midst of the match, considering Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's inexplicable actions and the palpitations, a shock went through Huo Yuhao; he blurted out, "Could they be about to use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill?"

Just then, a tiger's roar bellowed from Dai Huabin's mouth. Accompanied by the roar, Dai Huabin's body once again swelled, and white fur mixed with black tiger stripes crazily burst forth from within him.

Zhu Lu bit her lip gently, her body covered in a faint black glow; her figure became elusive, appearing almost transparent as she threw her arms open and pounced towards Dai Huabin.

At that moment, all they had eyes for was each other. Dai Huabin's eyes merged into one, yet the coldness in his gaze remained unchanged. On the other hand, Zhu Lu's eyes became as tender as water, as if wanting to melt him.

White Tiger and Hell Spiritual Cat's auras completely merged at this moment. The sensation was wondrous, as if the White Tiger was devouring the black cat, with a powerful Soul Power fluctuation erupting like a geyser from within their merged bodies. Black and white auras combined completely with the spread of golden glow, an utter transcendence.

A Martial Soul Fusion Skill is not simply a sum of one plus one. Even two completely identical Martial Souls might not be able to possess a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. It requires complementary and perfect compatibility. When a Martial Soul Fusion Skill is manifested, its power is not merely the sum of the levels of two Soul Masters, but a transcendent being.

The moment Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's bodies merged, they disappeared, leaving only a giant White Tiger in the test area. The White Tiger was transparent throughout, with white fur and black stripes, and purple eyes fixated coldly on the three of Huo Yuhao.

```

Yes, this is the secret between Duke White Tiger's lineage and the Zhu Family, who are also one of the top noble families of the Xingluo Empire. The secret of Martial Soul Fusion.

Almost every Duchess of the Duke White Tiger came from the Zhu Family, including the one who persecuted Huo Yuhao's mother. Her ability to dominate the Duke's Mansion was not only due to her own authority but also because of her natal family's strength and her own formidable power!

The Martial Soul of the Duke White Tiger, to be precise, should be called the Evil Eye White Tiger. Double pupils in the eyes are the most distinctive trait of having the Evil Eye White Tiger Martial Soul. The Evil Eye White Tiger has a high probability of compatibility with the Zhu Family's Hell Civet Martial Soul for the Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

Since ancient times, the Duke White Tiger lineage has maintained a close relationship with the Zhu Family. When the Duke White Tiger lineage was still part of the royal family of the Xingluo Empire, the Zhu Family held the hereditary position of prime minister. Although the two great families no longer possess their former glory, their intertwined and massive influence still holds a significant position within the Xingluo Empire. The successive marriages also form the best bond and bridge between the Duke's Mansion and the Zhu Family.

Of course, not every combination of the Evil Eye White Tiger and the Hell Civet could possess a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. But throughout history, there was almost always at least one pair, sometimes even two, who had it. Being able to successfully marry into the Zhu Family is also one of the most important prerequisites for inheriting the position of Duke White Tiger. And Dai Huabin is the only direct descendant of his generation who has shown compatibility with the Martial Soul of a girl from the Zhu Family.

The giant shadow, which spanned over eight meters in length and towered over two meters in height, was the result of Evil Eye White Tiger and Hell Civet's combination, which was displayed in the center of the assessment area. It was their Martial Soul Fusion Skill, the Hell White Tiger!

The huge figure of the White Tiger appeared somewhat translucent, an entirely ethereal existence, while the figures of Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu had vanished into thin air. The colossal body crouched slightly, and in the next instant, it already surged forward with a transparent ripple, pouncing towards the direction of Huo Yuhao and his two teammates with terrifying speed.

As the enormous White Tiger pounced, it proudly raised its head, its disdain for everything in the world fully displaying its majestic presence as the king among beasts.

"Xiao Xiao, begin," Huo Yuhao shouted, turning around and opening his arms to embrace Wang Dong.

They had not wanted things to come to this point, as Huo Yuhao had resolved to endure in silence for the sake of his future. But at this moment, when the opponent's Martial Soul Fusion Skill had been unleashed, they had no way out. In this match, Huo Yuhao did not want to lose. He wanted his mother's spirit in heaven to see his efforts and strength, to see the opportunity for vengeance.

Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu had their last resort, but why wouldn't Huo Yuhao and his two teammates have one of their own?

Wang Dong had already opened his arms and, seeing Huo Yuhao embracing him, his eyes sparkled with a strange brilliance, which seemed gentle but also encouraging and comforting. This strange brilliance made Huo Yuhao's heart tug fiercely. His gaze became even more determined, and yet, a faint smile appeared on his face, a smile only Wang Dong could see.

Yes, right before this match began, they had tried to initiate the Martial Soul Fusion, and the fact proved that they were successful. In just three days, they had recovered the ability to deploy their Martial Soul Fusion Skill again.

At this moment, on the high platform, the teachers were all holding their breath, and the referee was the most tense. He was prepared to intervene at any moment.

Apart from a few individual cases, the majority of teachers never expected to witness such a spectacular scene in a match between freshmen. A Martial Soul Fusion Skill, that was indeed a Martial Soul Fusion Skill!

The referee was prepared to stop the Hell White Tiger. Although the Martial Soul Fusion Skill was strong, it was still far from his cultivation level. He was confident he could stop the Hell White Tiger's attack and save Huo Yuhao and his team at the critical moment. The reason he hadn't acted yet was that he saw Huo Yuhao embracing Wang Dong, as well as Xiao Xiao's actions.

Three black cauldrons by Xiao Xiao's side suddenly emitted dark light, smashing towards the center instantaneously. The two soul rings attached to her Three Lives Soul Suppression Cauldron also lit up at the same time.

Rings of black halos spread out from Xiao Xiao's body, but this time they didn't pause, fully pouring into the Triple Cauldrons Unity of the Three Lives Soul Suppression Cauldron.

As the three cauldrons merged into one, a mighty roar erupted, and a cauldron twice the size of any before it appeared out of thin air. Atop this colossal cauldron, faint mysterious symbols emerged, and an indescribable majesty burst forth with that thunderous sound.

Xiao Xiao's complexion instantly turned pale, but she closed her eyes and pointed forward with her right hand. The cauldron flickered and ruthlessly landed on the Hell White Tiger's inevitable path, emitting a deafening roar.

"The Empire's Heavy Cauldron, Cauldron's Tremor," Xiao Xiao's strongest control technique.

This time it wasn't about absorbing and controlling, because Xiao Xiao was well aware that her strongest skill, which combined two soul skills, was still unlikely to restrain the Hell White Tiger. She decided to unleash the full force of this skill all at once. Although it consumed a great deal, instantly draining her soul power, at least it didn't lead to the sort of overexertion from before.

The air around the Empire's Heavy Cauldron burst forth in violent and visible distortions, as the formidable Vibration Wave spread out for a full ten-meter diameter. Guided precisely by Spiritual Detection, it effectively blocked the Hell White Tiger's charge.

The massive Hell White Tiger, when hit by the twisting wave patterns, merely shone with a white light and then paused briefly on the spot. Despite the intense tremors, its huge body remained completely unmoved.

Xiao Xiao's face showed shock; she had not expected that her Cauldron's Tremor would only cause the giant White Tiger to pause for a mere second.

However, in the next instant, an even more shocking scene unfolded. A strange golden light burst from beside her, and the massive golden light pillar made her vision fill with brilliance in an instant. It came from the brilliance of Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong!

On one side stood Huo Yuhao with faint golden light emanating from his eyes;

On the other stood Wang Dong, with dazzling wings unfurled behind him, releasing the Bright Goddess Butterfly Martial Soul.

As they embraced and simultaneously released their Martial Souls, the ten-meter radius around them lit up. A special kind of light radiated from their bodies.

This light was unusual, a strange brilliance shifting between blue, purple, and gold. The rich aura of light was dominant, mixed with many peculiar soul power fluctuations.

Behind Wang Dong, a huge shadow appeared, that of a complete and stunningly beautiful Bright Goddess Butterfly.

And behind Huo Yuhao, there appeared a giant vertical eye phantom, this eye being pale gold overall, but with a faint hint of purple in its pupil.

In the sky, the two massive shadows slowly came together, and as they approached each other, they too began to change. Huo Yuhao's spirit eyes shadow gradually became deeper, turning entirely blue and purple, while the gold completely retreated.

The Bright Goddess Butterfly shadow of Wang Dong burned intensely as it approached the spirit eyes, igniting with a blue-gold flame.

The moment the Hell White Tiger appeared, those two massive shadows had already fused into one above their heads.

The moment the immense restraining force of the national treasure, Cauldron's Tremor, took effect on the Hell White Tiger, was also the moment the Bright Goddess Butterfly in the midst of burning unfurled its resplendent wings and slowly embraced the spirit eyes shadow.

In an instant, the figure of the Bright Goddess Butterfly vanished, while the blue-purple spirit eyes glowed brilliantly.

The splendid blue-gold flames burst upon the spirit eyes shadow in an instant, gently descending and shielding Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong huddled together.

The vast spirit eyes seemed so profound that, upon closer inspection, they appeared to contain endless worlds. In the next instant, a terrifying tri-colored light of blue, purple, and gold shot forth.

This light, akin to fantasy colors, went straight forth. Where the light passed, the fleeting brilliance, as if eternal, left behind a dizzying distortion and dazzle.

Dean Yan Shaozhe, with absolute confidence, had already shot to his feet when Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong embraced each other, his eyes filled with disbelief. Rising with him was the stingy Dean Qian.

The shock in Qian Duoduo's eyes was no less than Dean Yan's. He, too, had no idea that Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had such a move up their sleeves! He was even more astonished that such a shocking scene would unfold in the freshmen assessment finals. Soul Fusion Skill against Soul Fusion Skill. Even among the senior students of the outer court or even in the Inner Court, such a sight was extremely rare. And at this moment, they were witnessing the three-colored light erupting from that giant vertical eye, heading straight for the immense Hell White Tiger.

At this moment, even the experienced referee teacher was dumbfounded, because he didn't know whether to stop such a collision; with both sides using Soul Fusion Skills, how could the winner be determined without letting them clash head-on?

He didn't know, but that didn't mean no one else knew what to do at this time. A white figure finally appeared like out of thin air, silently arriving at the assessment area at the last possible moment. His location was precisely at the center of the collision of the two great Soul Fusion Skills. He blocked the Hell White Tiger's swipe with his own back and intercepted the dazzling tri-color light with his front.

A rich white light soared into the sky, morphing into a seemingly illusory yet incredibly sturdy barrier that blocked both parties' Soul Fusion Skills at the same time.

The Hell White Tiger, which seemed so powerful, burst instantaneously upon colliding with the layer of white light, leaving Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu pale-faced as they fell to the ground, unable to even muster the strength to stand up.

On the other side, the dazzling tri-color light gradually faded, and the enormous spirit eyes reemerged. Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong remained in each other's embrace, and this time, they did not fall. Their lifeless eyes simultaneously looked towards the figure blocking the Gold Path.

This person who had appeared out of nowhere to block the two mighty Soul Fusion Skills without causing any rebound was none other than Shrek Academy Martial Soul Department's Dean Du Weilun.

The white light was the pure soul power he emitted from himself. At that moment, eight soul rings simultaneously appeared around him.

Two yellow, two purple, and four black— the strongest soul ring configuration. The formidable strength of an eight-ringed Soul Douluo!

How to resolve such intense collisions? Du Weilun provided the answer, by using his own body to block. At the same time, he would withstand the attacks from both sides. Using his body as the criterion, he would determine the strength of each attack to distinguish the winner.

Both were Martial Soul Fusion Skills, and both were the final moves. Without a doubt, it would be clear to see who was stronger as he withstood the attacks.

Atop the high platform, the other teachers observing the match were somewhat better off, but in the eyes of deans Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo in the front row flashed a hint of shock. Because Du Weilun's body had turned golden, like a statue carved from gold, standing there. And the back of his robe was even torn open by the Hell White Tiger's palm strike, revealing his solid spine. There were even five bloody marks there.

An eight-ringed Soul Douluo was actually injured? Injured by the hands of freshmen with at most three rings?

This was simply too unbelievable, and the teachers gradually came to their senses, each of them somewhat dumbfounded.

Zhou Yi was naturally among the spectators, and upon seeing this scene, her expression instantly dimmed. Although she couldn't believe this situation was happening, the Hell White Tiger indeed had inflicted real damage on Du Weilun! She was well aware of Du Weilun's cultivation and completely believed that he wouldn't allow himself to be embarrassed under such circumstances. The wound on his back must be a true portrayal.

Yan Shaozhe looked very unhappy at this moment. He turned to look at Qian Duoduo, only to find Qian Duoduo looking innocently back at him.

"You really didn't know?" Yan Shaozhe lowered his voice but said fiercely.

Qian Duoduo responded with a bitter smile, "Do I look like I knew? These are students who were trained in your Martial Soul Department. How could I know a damn thing? Old Yan, you're not thinking of reneging, are you?"

Yan Shaozhe snorted and in a flash, had left the high platform, and in another, he had disappeared from everyone's sight.

Watching his departing figure, Qian Duoduo smiled. Although he did not laugh out loud, the smugness on his face fully revealed his excellent mood.

"Dean Qian, what's with Dean Yan?" Fan Yu asked with a puzzled face as he approached Qian Duoduo.

Qian Duoduo chuckled, "Let's also go. I'm just a good-natured person, we can't lose our cool in our moment of triumph. I must say, Fan Yu, this time you've come across a great talent. Our plan will have to count on this kid. No matter what methods you use, you must not let him become a Core Disciple. You heard the bet I made with Old Yan."

Fan Yu asked softly, "Dean Qian, are you saying we won?"

Qian Duoduo chuckled again, "Of course we won. Let's go." With that, he also vanished from the platform in a flash, swiftly disappearing from the teachers' view.

In the assessment area, the golden color on Du Weilun had already dissipated, but at this moment, his face was full of astonishment and disbelief. His eyes flickered as he looked at Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, who were struggling to let go of each other's arms. Even he could not believe this was all real! Yet, the burning pain in his back kept reminding him of the reality unfolding before him.

Dai Huabin barely stood up, helping Zhu Lu to her feet. The Nine-Tailed Fox Grand Soul Master Cui Yajie had already excitedly rushed onto the field to their side and was cheering joyfully.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong were also looking rather sullen at this time. Although they hadn't seen the extent of Du Weilun's injury behind him, they understood from the condition of their opponents that they probably had lost. They had no idea what the effects of "Withering in Brilliance, The Golden Road" were. Their loss was really quite baffling. Huo Yuhao was even more disappointed because he had not been able to go head-to-head against Dai Huabin in the end. He so much wanted to see if the full-strength strike from him and Wang Dong could have defeated their opponent!

After all, Du Weilun was the dean of instruction, and he had recovered from his brief stupor. A bitter smile appeared on his face as he thought to himself that this was truly embarrassing!

"Good, very good, you all did very well." Du Weilun's voice rang out, and students from both sides restrained their emotions, focusing their attention on him.

Du Weilun calmly said, "I am very surprised that as freshmen, your cultivation could reach such a level, and that you all managed to use a Martial Soul Fusion Skill. I have personally experienced the strength of your Martial Soul Fusion Skills."

As he spoke, he cast a cold glance toward the referee not far away. If it wasn't for his inaction, would he have needed to expose his back? That referee had already lowered his head in shame, not daring to meet Du Weilun's eyes.

Du Weilun said in a deep voice, "Now, I will announce the final champion of the freshmen assessment elimination contest. They are..." He paused, then suddenly raised his right hand and pointed toward Huo Yuhao's team, loudly proclaiming, "Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, Huo Yuhao Team."

"Boom—" The entire venue erupted in commotion.

Not only were Dai Huabin and his team unable to believe their ears, but even the teachers on the high platform were shocked because, in their view, the competition was definitely won by Dai Huabin's team, which had injured Du Weilun! Immediately, some wondered if Director Du, being humiliated, was settling private scores. No, that's not possible! Both deans were present and had watched the match; how could Du Weilun possibly be biased? Moreover, Du Weilun has always been known for his fairness. Serving as the dean of instruction for so many years, he'd never made a mistake.

Let alone others, Huo Yuhao's own team was somewhat in disbelief. The three looked at each other; Xiao Xiao looked at Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, murmuring, "Did we win?"

Wang Dong, puzzled, said, "Did Director Du say champion or runner-up?"

Huo Yuhao confirmed decisively, a hint of a smile in his eyes, "It seems, we really won!"

Just as the three were beginning to accept this fact, smiles emerging on their faces, Dai Huabin's team, on the other hand, would not have it. Disregarding her physical weakness, Zhu Lu said with an unconvinced look, "Director Du, how could they have won? It's clearly us who should have won."

Du Weilun turned around, swept a look over them, and indifferently said, "Are you questioning my judgment?"

Zhu Lu paused momentarily in front of his imposing aura, but the defiance in her eyes was apparent to all. Although Dai Huabin did not speak, his lips were pressed tightly, his gaze fixed on Du Weilun, without any sign of backing down.

Du Weilun forcibly suppressed the tragedy in his heart and thought to himself that it was enough to have been embarrassed; now he had to expose the embarrassing process himself! These little rascals.