Chapter 241
Rules Cannot Be Broken! Level 4, Practical Assessment, Mu Bai, You Go!
The dark gray armor covering his entire body, the menacing horned crown, the sharp tail hooks that looked like they were forged from steel.
Although it has grown much larger and its color has changed from blue-gray to a deeper dark gray, it still possesses a weight, solidity, and an oppressive feeling that seems to devour everything, all stemming from the essence of life.
How similar it is to that little, stubborn, rock-gnawing cub from Notting College six years ago!
A long-forgotten name, accompanied by an intense sense of familiarity, instantly burst through the floodgates of memory!
"what--!"
Xiao Wu suddenly covered her mouth, letting out a short gasp. Her bright eyes widened, her finger trembling as she pointed at Banjilas, then abruptly turned to Lin Xia's handsome and calm face.
Fragments of memory are rapidly pieced together.
Six years ago, at Notting Academy, there was that same calm and composed boy, accompanied by a peculiar little rock beast, who refused the master's invitation and mysteriously left!
"It's...it's you!"
Xiao Wu's voice rose sharply from extreme shock, carrying an unbelievable shrillness.
"You are Lin Xia! The Lin Xia who left Notting Junior Soul Master Academy!"
Xiao Wu's exclamation was like a boulder thrown into the frozen air!
Tang San trembled violently!
All the doubts and vague sense of familiarity were instantly dispelled by Xiao Wu's scream!
He suddenly looked at Lin Xia, his Purple Demon Eye operating at full power. The face of the boy he had glimpsed in the back mountain of Notting Academy six years ago, whose temperament was so calm that he didn't seem like a child, finally perfectly overlapped with the handsome, calm, yet unfathomable face in front of him!
Lin Xia!
The mysterious boy who refused Yu Xiaogang's offer to take him as a disciple and disappeared outside Notting City with that strange soul beast!
That peer, whom he thought was extraordinary at the time, but whom he didn't pay much attention to!
It was him!!
It's actually this twelve-year-old level 58 Soul King right in front of me?!
The city lord of Gengjin City?!
The shock of the huge information gap swept through Tang San's mind like a tsunami, leaving him speechless. He could only stare at Lin Xia with unprecedented shock, confusion, and a trace of fear that he himself was unaware of.
Zhao Wuji, Li Yusong, Dai Mubai, and Ning Rongrong were all taken aback by this sudden turn of events, their gazes sweeping back and forth between Lin Xia and Xiao Wu.
Faced with Xiao Wu's identification and Tang San's shocked and stunned gaze, the playful smile on Lin Xia's face finally widened, transforming into a clear and gentle smile.
Lin Xia nodded slightly, her gaze sweeping over Xiao Wu and Tang San. Her tone carried a hint of emotion at reuniting with an old friend, yet it was as calm as if she were recounting a trivial matter.
"Heh, six years have passed. It seems you still remember that classmate who loves to eat stones. That's right, it's me. I never expected to meet you here again after we parted ways at Notting Junior Soul Master Academy."
Lin Xia turned her gaze to Zhao Wuji, whose smile remained gentle, yet it made Fudo Myo-o's heart inexplicably tighten.
"Let's get to know each other again. My name is Lin Xia."
As soon as he finished speaking, behind Lin Xia, there was no sign of any violent fluctuation in soul power. One, two, three... a total of five soul rings appeared as if they were flowing naturally from the void, layer upon layer, quietly surrounding his tall and straight body.
Purple, purple, purple, black, black!
A soul ring combination that surpasses the optimal ratio!
That deep, abyss-like black soul ring, like two black holes that devour all light, exudes a terrifying aura that makes one's soul tremble!
Especially the last black soul ring, so deep it seemed to absorb all the surrounding light, its oppressive aura even made Zhao Wuji, a level 76 Soul Saint, feel a pang of fear!
Five spirit rings floated in the air, silently telling a cold and cruel truth that overturned everyone's understanding.
Li Yusong didn't need to say another word.
On Zhao Wuji's rugged and fierce face, all the rage, doubt, and ferocity receded like the tide, leaving only a frozen, blank expression called ultimate absurdity.
His burly body froze on the spot, his mouth unconsciously agape, wide enough to fit a goose egg.
The open space was deathly silent. The only sounds were the whistling of the wind through the dilapidated farmhouse and the faint, metallic clicking of Tyranitar's steel-armored tail scraping against the ground.
Dai Mubai's face was deathly pale, his body was as cold as if he had fallen into an ice cave, and he closed his eyes in despair. His last bit of luck was completely crushed by these five soul rings.
Tang San felt his mouth go dry, and his Purple Demon Eyes fluctuated violently due to extreme shock. An unprecedented sense of insignificance and immense pressure weighed heavily on his heart.
Xiao Wu covered her mouth, her big eyes filled with disbelief.
Ning Rongrong covered her mouth, her eyes burning with curiosity and inquiry.
Li Yusong slumped to the ground, looking at the five soul rings, tears streaming down his face, and muttered to himself.
"It's true...it's really true..."
Zhu Zhuqing stood quietly beside Lin Xia, her cool cat-like eyes sweeping over the various expressions of everyone present, finally settling on Zhao Wuji's frozen, blank face, and the corners of her mouth curved upwards in a barely perceptible arc.
Zhao Wuji jolted awake, as if pricked by a needle, snapping out of his immense shock.
He took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the raging storm in his heart. He forced an extremely ugly, even somewhat ferocious smile onto his rugged face, trying to regain a trace of the dignity of a vice dean and the fierce aura of the Immovable King.
"Cough... Hmph!"
Zhao Wuji coughed heavily, his voice slightly hoarse. His gaze swept over Tang San, Xiao Wu, and Ning Rongrong, finally settling on Lin Xia and Zhu Zhuqing. He spoke in a deliberately raised, seemingly powerful voice:
"Great! Great! Great! It seems Shrek Academy has really hit the jackpot this year! Five little monsters passed the previous levels without even needing to be tested, and they've all reached the fourth level!"
Zhao Wuji paused, his gaze lingering on Li Yusong for a moment, the implication being clear—Old Li, what kind of trash have you brought to the academy!
Is this something we can teach?
But his gaze eventually fell back on Lin Xia, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions: shock, disbelief, intense curiosity, and even a hint of annoyance at having his authority challenged.
"Now that you're all here!"
Zhao Wuji straightened his chest, which was as strong as a mountain, trying to regain some ground with his physique.
"The rules cannot be broken! The fourth challenge: practical assessment!"
Zhao Wuji's gaze shifted and suddenly landed on Dai Mubai, who was standing to the side with a pale face, trying his best to make his presence known. A hint of mischievousness or a desire to shift the pressure flashed in his eyes.
"Mu Bai!"
Zhao Wuji's voice suddenly rose, carrying a commanding tone.
"Go for it! Let me see if you've been slacking off lately! As one of the four gatekeepers, I'll put these junior students to the test!"
"Shh!"
All eyes instantly focused on Dai Mubai. (End of Chapter)