"You…"
"Damn, Title Duoluo sure are strong."
Tang Wulin cough up some blood, as he starts remembering when he swung his fist. When he delivered the punch, he saw the old lady also throwing back a punch.
That wasn't all he saw nine resplendent rings of light appeared. Four purple, four black, and one red.
Tang Wulin chuckled already grasping what happened. The old hag activated her soul rings as their fist struck but she severely underestimated the raw power of his vicious punch.
It was too late for her to react as, by the time their fist made contact, she knew it was too late.
He was impressed, though, she was quick enough to try and save her arm, causing them to clash a little. Too bad she wasn't quick enough as his attack literally and utterly tears through her arm.
He looks around and saw the building destroyed, with some others being broken. If he had to estimate, that punch would contain about 63,936 kg of force.
Yet he knew that old hag would have been able to cancel out the force or shut him down if she didn't underestimate him.
'So this is the strength of a Titel Douluo.'
Tang Wulin was happy a Titel Douluo wasn't a disappointment. At least now he knows his way to top won't bore him to death.
"You sure are cheeky you brat."
"You sure are durable for an old hag."
Tang Wulin experienced an enormous amount of pressure severely hitting him, as his body started to bleed even more. Yet he still laughed at the whole situation.
"Hahahahahahah."
"What wrong you old hag? Too much of a sore loser?"
Elder Cai glared at him as the pressure increase, even more, he was extremely tired to fight back or struggle. He was slowing closing eyes as his body started to buckle.
PAT!
Tang Wulin eyes widen when he felt multiple pairs of hand on his back. He gradually turns his head and saw Xie Xie next to him. It wasn't just Xie Xie but also Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan, they were all helping him stand.
Even as the overwhelming pressure also hit them, too.
"You brats dare to interfere! Your not afraid of punishing too!'
"Who cares you old hag!"
"You dare mess with the captain!"
"You mess with us!"
Elder Cai increased the overwhelming pressure, even more, causing them all to buckle even more but they all kept supporting each other. Xie Xie merely smiled and started to glare at Elder Cai.
"You think this will make us submit. We are a team, even if it means us failing to get into Shrek. We will never abandon our Captain."
Elder Cai glared at them even more. She finally let up the pressure, causing all of them to fall down.
"Hehe, Thanks for the learning experience old hag."
Tang Wulin blurted out as his body fell down to the ground, Elder Cai just glared at him. Tang Wulin spluttered blood as he fell back and then Elder Cai started walking away.
"Captain!"
"Wulin!"
Tang Wulin stared wistfully at his classmates coming over to him and recall something.
*
"Friends?"
A 4-year old Tang Wulin looks up at his mom, with a questioning glance. Long Yue smiled at her son and then started to stroke his head.
"Yes, my little Tang Tang. You should find some friends."
"Why would I require friends? I already have you guys and I'm fine by myself."
"Hehe. Tang Tang, friends are something everyone should have."
"Friends are people who won't allow you to be alone."
"They are people who will stand by you in the thickest of times."
"Friends are those who will fight the world with you."
"I'm sure you will find friends like those."
*
'Friends… huh'
Tang Wulin felt himself being carried, as his eyes became hazy.
#
"Elder Cai, you should hurry up to go see Ya Li, in the Sea God Pavilion."
"Oh, will you shut up."
Elder Cai looks down on her presently gone arm. She knew she had to go meet women, she really doesn't know how to deal with her.
'Welp, time to think of an explanation for her.'
Elder Cai started to move towards the Sea God Pavilion, but the old man next to her ask her a question.
"About the kids?"
"They all fail this test."
"Isn't that too harsh?'
"Shut up, it's my decision."
"Those poor kids…"
The old man didn't see a smile on Elder Cai face as she started walking away.
'Well played you brat but as you say. I am a sore loser, so I refuse to let you win.'
'I know you will pass that trial but I also hope you suffer.'
Elder Cai still told one of the examiners to give the kids some bonus point if they lag behind, just in case.
#
Shen Yi was still recovering from the event that had happened. The building around them has already been restored and yet she feels her world is being broken apart.
'He just a Spirit Elder, rank 32 and he was able to overpower Elder Cai!'
'How! Even if Elder Cai held back a lot. A Spirit Elder shouldn't be able to tear off her hand and destroy a city block so easily with pure strength.'
'Wait a min!'
*
"...Just who his he?"
"Our heaven-defying monster."
*
'Isn't this too much, though! How can someone be this strong at his age!'
While Shen Yi was trying to come to terms with the previous event, Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan expression were not too kind. It took Xie Xie saying they need to take care of Tang Wulin, to stop them going out and looking for blood.
Shen Yi was able to recover after a while and start leading them to the sixth trial, while Xie Xie carefully carried Tang Wulin on his back. Gu Yue naturally wanted to try and heal him but knew she had to conserve her energy for the trial ahead.
They all knew in the upcoming trial, that they can't allow Tang Wulin to fight no matter what. Which means, they merely have to crush all opposition and do it swiftly.
Xie Xie inquires why they skipped the fifth trial but Shen Yi told them, they failed that too because of Elder Cai. This enraged Gu Yue and Xu Xiaoyan, but they knew they were too weak to have any say in the matter.
They genuinely wanted to instantly tell Shrek to screw off and leave but realize that if they did that, Tang Wulin would have gotten hurt for no reason. Wu Zhangkong chance that he gave them would be also a waste, causing them to hold in their anger.
The sixth trial was to test their capacity to eat. To one side was a sign that listed the requirements to receive points. It said that eating fifteen buns was a passing score and for every additional five bun eaten, another point would be rewarded.
However, they weren't permitted to circulate their soul power while eating and could only rely on their own stomachs. This was even harder now because Tang Wulinw as still knockout but then Xu Xiaoyan smiled.
"I got this."
Xu Xiaoyan walks towards the plate of steam buns and started gorging herself. Everyone but Gu Yue look in shock as they saw the small Xu Xiaoyan gorging herself on the steamed buns.
'Are you not a little girl! Even if you don't care about your image, at least be realistic here!'
Shen Yi starts to wonder if all of Wu Zhangkong students were pure monsters in some way. Xie Xie lips twitch as he saw Xu Xiaoyan moving on to his plate. He already understands that if he tries to make fun of her, he will die.
Gu Yue kick Xie Xie in the shin and informed him to come help by eating some. The reason why Xu Xiaoyan would able to eat with such ferocity and eager was all because of her training.
Tang Wulin training had her fighting for her life, right after class time ended. Before she uses to eat a little as she was being cautious of her body but after a week of going hungry every day.
Xu Xiaoyan did not care and gorge herself with food after training was done.
Worst part he didn't allow her and Mu Xi to use spirit power to digest the food, him saying it to train their digestion power.
What she didn't know was not only was the extensive training working off any extra body waste but Tang Wulin has been adding more stuff in her meals.
Through this training, it inadvertently opens up the Penetrating Vessel or sometimes called Vital Passage which helped regulate the imbalance in her body and allowed her to continue to eat so much.
So Xu Xiaoyan compared to herself three years ago could eat about ten times more now than before.
The kids were able to finish off their plates of steam bun, with Gu Yue and Xie Xie using Tang Wulin has motivation. They steadfastly refuse to allow this trip to go to waste and push themselves even when it undoubtedly caused them to throw up on the floor.
Zeref was watching attentively, with a smile as he saw Tang Wulin teammates doing their best for his sake.
'You have found yourself some lovely friends, Acnologia.'
Before they went to the next trial Gu Yue made sure to pack some steam buns for the future. The seventh trial was that of endurance, shown when they saw other examinees still here.
It was split into three tests: running ten kilometers, squatting fifty kilograms one thousand times, and one thousand chin-ups.
Any exam taker who finished all three tests would be awarded six points while finishing within an hour would net them full marks. Xie Xie asks if Tang Wulin will have to participate in this and Shen Yi said that someone can do his set.
But it not advised because it would take too much stamina. Xie Xie gritted his teeth, trying to think of a plan, but Xu Xiaoyan said she would do Tang Wulin set.
Xie Xie didn't question Xu Xiaoyan, knowing she wasn't the type to overestimate herself but inwardly he was shocked.
'This girl… Didn't she have the weakest physical abilities out of all us years ago.'
Gu Yue was told to run ten kilometers to save up her strength for the trial, while Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan went to complete the three. Xie Xie lay Tang Wulin down on the wall and ask Shen Yi to watch him, too paranoid to leave him alone.
'These kids don't seem too worried about the test compared to taking care of their captain.'
'But I can't blame them.'
Xu Xiaoyan to Xie Xie shock did not go at a steady pace but at full power for the three courses. She had to run ten thousand kilometers every day for the past three years without using spirit power.
The fact of the matter is she finishes it in five minutes and went to do the one thousand squats. She did this twice, one set for her and the next set for Tang Wulin.
It took Xu Xiaoyan thirty-five minutes to finish the all them and Xie Xie finishing it in thirty minutes. Xie Xie and Gu Yue rest for a while to give Xu Xiaoyan some time to recover before, then grabbing Tang Wulin and leaving for the next trial.
"The eighth trial is a comprehensive battle. You will fight a current student of Shrek Academy. The available opponents are random, so your luck will also be a factor. Last ten minutes against your opponent to pass. Defeat them, and you will receive full points. Alternatively, marks between six and ten will be awarded based on your performance."
Shen Yi briefed them, that one of them can fight twice to cover for Tang Wulin. Gu Yue said she will fight them all by herself and they nodded. This way, it can give Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan time to recover for the next trial.
Shen Yi was terribly shocked when she heard their plan.
'Your opponents are those who are currently in Shrek. Where do you guys get the confidence.'
Shen Yi knew Gu Yue was strong but she didn't understand how they thought she could take on all four challenges by herself. What she didn't know is that Gu Yue usually doesn't use her full power unless it involves Tang Wulin but when she does…
The opponents class zero would face had only joined the academy a grade before them, so there wasn't much of a gap between everyone's ages. However, they were all geniuses who passed Shrek's entrance exam and had been educated by Shrek Academy.
The previous class zero did not care and only came to do one thing, crush them. Gu Yue didn't care for her opponent and did something outrageous.
"You, you, you and you. Come at me at the same time."
"What!"
"Girl aren't you too arrogant!"
"Shut up. I don't have time for your bullshitting, come at me so I can end this and move on."
Gu Yue didn't have time to waste on this trial, with Tang Wulin condition. One of the girls Gu Yue picks out scowled as she pounces straight on her.
Three soul rings appeared around the girl, two of them yellow and one purple. Her martial soul released, and Gu Yue could tell it was a snow leopard.
The girl didn't get any further as she felt a huge gust of wind sending her up in the air. A boy transformed into something similar to a gorilla and charged at Gu Yue, who didn't bat an eye at him.
Gu Yue dodge to side as the gorilla smashed down on hard on where she was. Then she created an earth wall to guard against the snow leopard attack. The other two people a boy and girl didn't move from their spot but Gu Yue didn't care.
'It time for judgment.'
Gu Yue moved her hands in a series of way, as she created a whirlpool of water around her. She then stomps on the ground and pulled a large block of earth.
She summoned a fireball, then thrust it towards the block of earth. She then called up the wind element and send it towards the burning block of earth.
She then summons the power of light, shining its radiance on the world and blinding all who look at it. She created a ball of light and thrust it towards the combination of the elements, with the whirlpool of water circling around it.
What everyone saw was not a combination of elements but a large spear constructed out of the elements. But Gu Yue wasn't done she glared at the student of Shrek as she pulls the constructed spear down towards her.
They were all shock but then as soon as they blink, the mighty spear was on top of them instead of Gu Yue.
'Begone.'
BOOOOOOOOOOM!
The spear utterly destroyed the arena and created a large hole in the place of the kids. The examiners were too shocked.
Whether it be that Gu Yue challenge four at the same time, her mastery over all the elements or the fact she was able to smoothly switch the location of all the kids with her location.
Gu Yue herself didn't even look behind at the explosion, as she begins walking down from the arena with a glare. Xie Xie and Xu Xiaoyan came up to give her a hive five. The rest of the Shrek students all shivered while thinking.
'Did we offend you or something!'
"The Next trial please."
Shen Yi lips twitch when she heard that. She long since begins to realize these kids are being so ruthless because their captain was unconsciousness. Gu Yue was checking on Tang Wulin, seeing if he was sleeping softly still or if the deafening explosion woke him up.
'I thought your captain was the ruthless one! Don't tell me you all are also ruthless!'
The examiners made sure the Shrek student was still alive before giving them full marks, while still shocked. The kids didn't even give the Shrek student another glance as they follow Shen Yi to the next trial.
Shen Yi led the four students into a small room. This room was different from the rest so far.
The lighting was dim and the surroundings lacked lavish decorations, with only a single large screen hanging from the metal walls.
A sense of familiarity flooded the four students. This place seems similar to the spirit ascension platform! Is the ninth trial like that?
"Your goal for the ninth trial is to survive. I believe you've all been in the spirit ascension platform before. Well, this is similar to that. In a sense, all the soul beasts in it are real. If you kill one and are at a bottleneck, then you'll be able to gain a soul ring. Alright. Prepare to enter."
Shen Yi pressed a button and several metal capsules slid out of the walls. Xie Xie, Gu Yue, and Xu Xiaoyan instantly threw a worried glance at the sleeping form of Tang Wulin. Shen Yi gently shook her head and told them, he has to come.
They gritted their teeth before nodding, already committing Tang Wulin safety above all others. Xie Xie put Tang Wulin in one of the metal capsules and then they all went into the other and marking the start of the ninth trial.
Unknown to them, one person entered the room after the capsules slid back into the walls.
An old man, his nose was high and his deep-blue eyes sunken. He stood tall with gray hair down to his shoulders, accenting his unyielding aura. Just his presence could stifle others.
Shen Yi hastily went to go greet her teacher, who nodded and ask about the kids. Shen Yi talks about how unbelievable they are and much they care for their captain.
"Thier captain was able to not only injure Elder Cai but overpower her. Its nothing but short of a miracle."
Zhuo Shi could only sigh, he wouldn't normally believe it but considering he heard from the examiners that were with her, it must be true.
Although the news would have to be kept in secret, in case, anyone tries to steal Tang Wulin and for Elder Cai reputation.
"If he was still awake, they proly wouldn't have much trouble with the level of the test."
"What level is it now?"
"The highest."
Shen Yi felt her body tremble but went to raise the level to the highest after seeing her master urging her on.
'You kids must survive this!'