I saw Beibei walk up to the assessment teacher and whisper something to him. The teacher nodded and then glanced in Han Yu's direction. Soon after, Beibei returned with a smile on his face.
"Brother Hanyu, I've talked to the assessment teacher. You can take the assessment now!"
Han Yu remained silent, sensing that Beibei had used his connections to expedite the process. He looked over at Huo Yuhao, who had received a letter of recommendation from the Tang Sect and was admitted directly, bypassing the exam. Han Yu, on the other hand, needed to take the assessment.
But he wasn't worried. With his soul power, he was confident he would pass easily.
As he approached the assessment area, the teacher greeted him with a smile. "Your name is Han Yu, right? Beibei informed me, so you're all set for your assessment."
"Please show your soul ring and extend your right hand."
Han Yu nodded, and two soul rings—one yellow and one purple—appeared at his feet.
"Wow! A second ring from the millennium! Where did this monster come from? That's incredible!" exclaimed a new student nearby, his voice filled with astonishment.
The shock wasn't limited to him; second- and third-year students, responsible for maintaining order, also stared at Han Yu in disbelief.
Among the onlookers, one second-year student wearing a yellow uniform commented, "Wow! That new junior is so handsome. He has a knife on his back and a cool demeanor. I think he's even more attractive than Senior Beibei. What do you think?" He turned to a female student beside him, clearly impressed.
Another female student with freckles and a cute appearance looked surprised as well. "This junior is indeed handsome, but I still think Senior Beibei is more attractive. I prefer someone more mature!"
"Tch, I like this junior better; he looks so good!"
"Hey, watch it! Your mouth is almost watering. Could it be that spring has come for you?" the freckled girl teased, clearly embarrassed by her friend's reaction.
"It seems Brother Hanyu is quite popular," Beibei remarked, standing next to Tang Ya with a smile.
"Superficial," Tang Ya muttered, not impressed by the attention.
Regardless of the chatter, the assessment teacher was also taken aback. He hadn't expected such a standout from the new student; he had only given Han Yu an assessment opportunity because of Beibei. Now, he realized he had stumbled upon someone exceptional.
He extended his hand, touched Han Yu's hand, and smiled. "You're of the right age. Let me test your soul power!"
The teacher retrieved a soul power crystal ball and gestured for Han Yu to place his hand on it. A faint light glowed, and soon it stabilized at level twenty-nine.
"Soul power level 29—you passed!" the assessment teacher exclaimed, clearly impressed.
He then handed Han Yu a registration form and instructed him to fill it out. Han Yu glanced at it; it contained basic information such as age, martial soul, and soul power level. He completed the form quickly.
After finishing the registration, Beibei, Tang Ya, and Han Yu walked into Shrek Academy alongside Huo Yuhao. The campus was beautifully constructed, featuring ten enormous statues standing proudly in the square.
Han Yu stared intently at the statue of a man with long blue hair, a faint smile playing on his lips.
Noticing his gaze, Tang Ya proudly remarked, "That's the founder of our Tang Sect, Tang San's ancestor. His martial spirit is Blue Silver Grass, and he has ascended to godhood!"
However, a hint of sadness crossed her face. "Although my martial spirit is also Blue Silver Grass, it's clear that I can't compare to Tang San."
"Who told you Tang San's martial spirit is just Blue Silver Grass?" Han Yu's voice cut through, capturing the attention of Beibei, Tang Ya, and Huo Yuhao.
"It's in the historical records and widely known in our Tang Sect," she replied, confusion evident in her tone. "Everyone knows that the first-generation master, Yu Xiaogang, trained him to become a god."
"Everyone, huh?" Han Yu sneered. "If you both share the same martial spirit, then why is your Blue Silver Grass so lackluster while your so-called ancestor became a god? Don't tell me you didn't work hard enough."
"You've practiced Xuantian Baolu, just like Tang San. You're both Blue Silver Grass users at Shrek Academy. Yu Xiaogang said there are no useless martial spirits, only useless soul masters. So where does that leave you?"
Tang Ya's face flushed as she struggled to respond. She opened her mouth but couldn't find the words. Admitting a lack of effort felt impossible—she worked harder than anyone realized. Acknowledging her potential wastefulness was even more daunting.
"I'm not as good as Tang San's ancestor," Tang Ya admitted after a moment of silence.
Beibei quickly chimed in to console her, "Well, Tang San was personally taught by Master Yu Xiaogang. It's understandable that he'd be better than you, especially since you've been studying alone at the academy."
"Really? But let me ask you this: Blue Silver Grass is generally considered a weak martial spirit. Haven't you noticed your cultivation speed declining?"
Han Yu's words struck deep, leaving Tang Ya visibly shaken.
With her eyes glistening, she responded, "How did you know?"
Beibei looked at Tang Ya, concerned. "Xiao Ya, is what Han Yu said true? Is your cultivation speed really dropping?"
Tang Ya nodded slowly, her voice quavering. "Yes, it's true. My cultivation speed has decreased. I fear that after reaching the Soul Sect, it will slow even more, possibly stopping at Soul King. Why is my Blue Silver Grass like this? How did Tang San's ancestor become a Titled Douluo with the same martial spirit? Why is the gap so vast? Am I not working hard enough?"
"I've been practicing diligently. Except for going out with you, I hardly leave the dormitory to train. Why, why is this happening?"
Unable to hold back any longer, she collapsed into Beibei's arms, tears streaming down her face.
Beibei gently patted her back and turned to Han Yu. "Brother Han Yu, it seems you know something. Even Xiao Ya's cultivation speed has slowed down."
Han Yu glanced at the distraught Tang Ya and replied, "It's not that I know anything special; it's common sense. Blue Silver Grass is recognized as a useless martial spirit. Have you seen any other Blue Silver Grass soul masters reach high levels, aside from Tang San?"
Bei bei shook his head but still unwillingly tried to explain that tang san is her ancestor.