Douluo Continent: The Ruler of Time, Reigning Supreme

Chapter 203 Upgrade Assessment
The source of that aura was the same as hers, carrying the chill and domineering nature of the far north.

"Atai's aura...? Strange..."

Hyotei muttered something unconsciously.

Titan Snow Demon King Atai is one of the three Heavenly Kings of the far north and the Snow Emperor's most loyal subordinate.

How could its presence appear at Shrek Academy?
Her first reaction was to look outside. Could it be that Yin Chen had encountered someone or something related to the far north again?

However, all she saw was Yin Chen sitting in the classroom, his expression calm and without any sign of anything amiss.

"Could it be my imagination? Have I been too comfortable lately, and my senses are acting up?"

Hyotei shook his head, trying to shake off that strange feeling.

Perhaps I've been too engrossed in playing games lately, and I'm even hallucinating.

As she thought this, she focused her attention back on the game screen, and heard Ishtar urging her to revive quickly.

However, to the outside world, Yin Chen's inner world was far from as calm as it appeared.

What Hyotei could sense, he could naturally sense as well.

Moreover, his senses were much clearer.

The moment Huo Yuhao stepped into the classroom, the ultimate ice soul power within Yin Chen's body emitted an extremely slight fluctuation.

Yin Chen's gaze fell on Huo Yuhao.

He exuded an aura of icy coldness.

As someone who possesses the ultimate ice, Yin Chen could clearly discern the quality of the power emanating from Huo Yuhao.

That was undoubtedly the ultimate ice, on par with itself.

Although it cannot compare to him, its essence is definitely superior to ordinary ice and snow attributes.

It seems that Huo Yuhao had another extraordinary encounter in the far north.

He not only returned alive, but also successfully filled the gap in the Ice Martial Soul that the Heavenly Dream Ice Silkworm had given him.

But... who could it be?
Several names flashed through Yin Chen's mind.

There are quite a few 100,000-year-old soul beasts on that ice plain, and those that possess the ultimate ice attribute and meet the conditions to become a martial soul include... the Ice Emperor's Ice Jade Scorpion clan, whose members all possess the ultimate ice attribute.

If it really is the Ice Jade Scorpion, then Huo Yuhao is its natural counter, since his is the Ice Jade Emperor Scorpion.

Yin Chen had no intention of delving too deeply into the controversies surrounding Huo Yuhao, nor was he interested in them.

All he knew was that Huo Yuhao was not expelled for being late and remained in Class 1 of the second year, sitting next to Wang Dong.

The initial excitement and hustle and bustle of the new semester, after a brief ripple caused by Huo Yuhao's return, was finally replaced by the serious atmosphere of the first Martial Soul class of the new semester.

Standing on the podium is Han Ruoruo, the assistant homeroom teacher of Class 1, Grade 2.

Today she was dressed in a neat teacher's uniform, her long hair was tied back in a smart way, and her usually gentle face was devoid of any smile as she slowly swept her gaze across every face below the stage.

The students within her gaze all felt a sense of pressure and instinctively straightened their backs. "I'm sure you all know the course schedule for the new semester, but before that, you all have to face a hurdle—the advancement assessment."

Han Ruoruo's voice was clear, cold, and steady.

"The assessment for the transition from first to second year is, relatively speaking, the easiest one in your entire academic career in the School of Foreign Languages. Compared to your seniors, your assessment is much simpler."

She paused, giving the students a moment to catch their breath, before changing the subject.

"The assessment content for Class 1 and Class 2 is the same. As for Class 3 and Class 4, due to the special nature of their martial souls, the academy will arrange assessment items suitable for them separately."

"The assessment for our two classes will be held in the academy's arena."

The moment the words "Fighting Zone" were uttered, a soft gasp of surprise filled the classroom.

For the younger students, it was a place that they both longed for and feared.

The allure stems from the fact that it is a battlefield where true powerhouses hone their skills, while the fear arises from the fact that it is home to genuine, untamed spirit beasts.

"When you enter the fourth year, you will have a lot of time to attend classes in the arena. Your performance in the practical classes there will directly affect whether you can enter the inner academy, which is crucial to your future. This time, we are letting you get used to it in advance."

Han Ruoruo seemed to have anticipated the students' reaction, and she continued to explain the rules in a calm tone:

"The core of this upgrade assessment is to allow each of you to engage in a face-to-face battle with a spirit beast. The assessment is highly flexible, and you will be able to choose the spirit beast you wish to fight. Within the beast fighting area, spirit beasts of different ages, from ten to a thousand years, have clear markings, which also represent different base scores. The stronger the spirit beast you challenge, the greater your chances of getting a high score in the assessment. Ultimately, the assessment will be judged by a panel of senior teachers from the Spirit Martial Arts Department, with a total score of one hundred points. Those who achieve sixty points or above will be considered to have passed the assessment and will be eligible for upgrade."

By this point in the explanation, the atmosphere in the classroom had become extremely tense.

Facing a soul beast alone was an experience that most of the sheltered flowers present had never had before.

That wasn't the casual sparring between classmates that could be done casually; it was a real life-or-death struggle.

Han Ruoruo's sharp gaze swept across the entire room once again, taking in everyone's tension and unease.

She emphasized her words, emphasizing each one:

"Here are a few points that each of you needs to keep in mind."

"First, don't be too timid. The academy's purpose is to cultivate strong people, not cowards. If the soul beast you choose is too weak, for example, a level 25 soul master challenging a ten-year soul beast, then even if you win easily and beautifully, the judges may give you a failing grade because you lack ambition and courage."

These words made some students who had originally planned to take shortcuts turn pale, their newly formed schemes ruthlessly shattered.

"Secondly, never be too reckless."

Han Ruoruo's voice suddenly turned stern.

“Choosing a spirit beast far beyond your capabilities is foolish, not brave. You must understand that during each assessment, there will be proctors present to protect you. However, the attacks of spirit beasts are unpredictable, and no one can guarantee absolute safety. What if… the proctors are unable to intervene in time…”

She didn't say what she was going to say next, but the lingering chill was more unsettling than any bloody words.

Everyone understood what that meant.

Soul beasts are not like classmates on the Soul Arena; they show no mercy. Their claws and bites are driven solely by their most primal killing instincts.

If rescue is not timely, the only result is death.

(End of this chapter)