The battle on the dueling platform was not over yet.
Although Zhou Sichen had nullified Dugu Xianmeng’s Biphosphor Five Poisons, she possessed actual combat capabilities beyond just her poison.
She didn’t give up easily.
Even though she recognized Zhou Sichen’s extraordinary nature, she still wanted to take a gamble.
Dugu Xianmeng lightly brushed her right hand against the jade-green snake-shaped earring on her earlobe.
Instantly, a jade-green snake-shaped longbow appeared in her hand.
This was a custom-made Class 4 soul device capable of condensing her Biphosphor Snake poison into sharp arrows for long-range strikes!
However, the soul power consumption was immense.
With her current soul power capacity, she could only shoot ten arrows even at peak condition.
Moreover, having just used four soul skills simultaneously, her soul power was already more than half depleted.
She could fire three poison arrows at most.
Drawing the bow and nocking the arrows, Dugu Xianmeng’s soul power drained rapidly as she condensed three poison arrows at once, locking onto both the Ice Jade Scorpion and Zhou Sichen!
The bow was drawn like a full moon, and the arrows shot out, carrying lethal poison as they hurtled forward.
Yet, Zhou Sichen stood quietly in place, showing no intention of summoning anything else.
In front of him, Ah Da slowly raised its two majestic and domineering ice-jade pincers.
Striking out like a phantom, it effortlessly caught all three poison arrows in an instant.
Activating the power of Ultimate Ice, the three poison arrows were immediately frozen solid, leaving the deadly poison without even a chance to spread…
Dugu Xianmeng: “…”
She didn’t know what to say.
Did she feel the frustration of defeat?
Yes, but it didn’t seem that intense.
Because Zhou Sichen had only used a single soul skill, summoning a soul beast approaching the ten-thousand-year level!
And everyone had noticed that Zhou Sichen used his first soul skill, which meant he possessed at least two more soul beasts no weaker than the Ice Jade Scorpion.
Dugu Xianmeng put away her longbow.
Her jade-green snake tail transformed back into straight, fair legs, and her soul rings faded into her body.
She gave Zhou Sichen a meaningful smile.
“I lose.”
Zhou Sichen smiled faintly.
“Thank you for holding back, Senior Sister.”
As he spoke, Ah Da turned into a streak of light and returned to the open page, reverting into an exquisite illustration.
Zhou Sichen closed the golden book, and the three purple soul rings around his body vanished.
“Holding back?” Dugu Xianmeng raised an eyebrow.
“Given your strength, I should be the one saying that.”
Du Weilun’s leisurely voice echoed at that moment.
“Excellent!
Very excellent.
Zhou Sichen, you have passed the Inner Courtyard assessment.
From today onward, you will be the youngest genius in the Inner Courtyard.”
Behind the soul glass, Yan Shaozhe and Qian Duoduo were beyond thrilled.
Ultimate Ice!
Ultimate Ice at the three-ring level!
And that wasn’t even counting the two contracted soul beasts Zhou Sichen hadn’t used yet!
Was Shrek Academy finally about to welcome another great opportunity for prosperity after the three ancestors with ultimate attributes?
Counting the closed-door disciple the Pavilion Master had taken in a year ago—his own junior sister…
Wait, she also seemed to come from Tianyuan City, right?
Her recommendation letter was also written by Zhou Zhenxuan, wasn’t it?
They were already aware of Zhou Sichen’s identity: the legitimate grandson of Tianyuan City Lord, Zhou Zhenxuan.
Yan Shaozhe sighed emotionally.
“Zhou Zhenxuan…
that kid who used to follow us around.
I never expected him to cultivate such a genius!”
Hearing Yan Shaozhe’s words, Qian Duoduo also felt somewhat sentimental.
Zhou Zhenxuan’s martial soul was the Treasure Book, a decent auxiliary martial soul, but Zhou Sichen’s martial soul mutation was simply outrageous.
He had gone straight from the auxiliary system to a special contracted soul beast system!
And it was absurdly overpowered!
Zhou Sichen had passed the assessment with absolute dominance, yet no one thought Dugu Xianmeng was weak.
Ignoring her reputation as the Poison Witch, just that powerful Ice Jade Scorpion alone—no one among the students present could likely withstand a single exchange with it!
Even though they were all at least at the Soul Ancestor realm, facing a top-tier soul beast approaching ten thousand years, and one possessing an ultimate attribute no less, they might not even have the courage to face it!
Du Weilun’s face was equally filled with uncontainable excitement.
He picked up the soul amplifier and announced, “Everyone, come out.”
Soon, Li Runrun and a few other Inner Courtyard disciples walked out of the rest area.
The reason they had stayed in the rest area, aside from better recovering their soul power, was also to avoid adding pressure to the juniors taking the assessment.
But after watching the final match, they suddenly felt that, given Zhou Sichen’s strength, was it possible for him to challenge the five of them combined?
Just one contracted soul beast could easily handle the Poison Witch.
What about three?
Du Weilun addressed the crowd, “Congratulations on passing the assessment.
From today onward, you are officially Inner Courtyard disciples.
It’s getting late today.
Later, follow your senior brothers and sisters to Sea God Island.
You can consult them about Inner Courtyard uniforms and all other matters later.”
Zhou Sichen, along with the other four students who had entered the Inner Courtyard, replied loudly, “Understood.”
Du Weilun nodded in satisfaction.
“Dismissed!”
He then gave Zhou Sichen a deep look but didn’t say anything more, heading straight toward the second floor of the training hall.
The several Inner Courtyard seniors each chose a junior and led them to Sea God Island.
That was the true Inner Courtyard, and the true Shrek Academy.
Unsurprisingly, Zhou Sichen followed Dugu Xianmeng.
A total of ten people left the training hall and headed toward Sea God Lake.
Compared to the bustling daytime, the Shrek Outer Courtyard was exceptionally quiet at night.
With freshman enrollment over and the senior students having finished their classes for the day, everyone was meditating and cultivating diligently in their dormitories.
Along the way, they didn’t encounter a single student, only occasionally passing patrolling teachers.
Fifteen minutes later, the group arrived at Sea God Lake.
Faint ripples undulated on the lake’s surface, and the fresh air made everyone feel clear-headed and refreshed.
Unlike its jewel-like azure hue during the day, the night-time Sea God Lake, illuminated by soul-powered streetlamps, gained an extra touch of tranquility and mystery.
By the lake, Dugu Xianmeng glanced over the five new students and said with a smile, “Everyone is an Inner Courtyard student now.
Crossing the mere Sea God Lake shouldn’t be a problem, right?”
One of the new students quickly replied, “Senior Sister jests, you underestimate us too much!”
As soon as he finished speaking, a pair of wings unfurled from his back.
He turned into a streak of light and was the first to dash out.
Clearly, he wanted to show off in front of these beautiful older sisters, aiming to secure priority in finding a partner.
Of course, this definitely didn’t include the Poison Witch, Dugu Xianmeng.
The others subsequently used their own methods—some using martial souls, others using soul devices…
Finally, only Dugu Xianmeng and Zhou Sichen were left.
Zhou Sichen looked at her.
“Is Senior Sister waiting for me?”
Dugu Xianmeng nodded without hiding it.
“I want to see how you’ll cross Sea God Lake.”
Zhou Sichen smiled helplessly.
“Then I might have to disappoint you.
I don’t have any special methods.”
He then lightly rubbed the soul device ring on his right middle finger, drawing out a longsword imbued with light attributes.
The sword was four feet three inches long, with a one-foot-four-inch hilt, double-edged, and an orb exuding a radiant aura at the hilt.
Zhou Sichen tossed it lightly.
The longsword seemingly possessing a mind of its own, hovered gently by his feet.
He slowly stepped onto the sword.
Then, it looked as if a pair of wings grew from both sides of the sword’s hilt.
Infusing his soul power, Zhou Sichen rode the sword into the air, transforming into a streak of light that pierced the sky, even kicking up a long trail of waves on Sea God Lake.
In the blink of an eye, Zhou Sichen, riding the sword with the grace of an immortal, had already overtaken the Soul Ancestor who had flown out first.
The others only felt a gust of wind before a streak of light swept past them.
By the time they clearly saw his figure, Zhou Sichen had already arrived first on Sea God Island.
One word: Cool!
Everyone was an Inner Courtyard disciple now, and at least at the Soul Ancestor realm.
How come they couldn’t compare to Zhou Sichen’s effortless elegance?
Watching Zhou Sichen’s retreating figure, Dugu Xianmeng leaped high into the air.
As she plunged into Sea God Lake, her two straight, fair legs transformed into a slender snake tail, and she shot forward at a terrifying speed.