Douluo Continent: The Peerless Hunting Heavenly Lord, Huo Yuhao!

Gu Yue squatted down, her purple eyes curving into crescents, radiating a sly smile, before letting out a haughty hum.

Ning Tian stood to the side, his fingers clutching the hem of his clothes, a look of guilt on his face: "Gu Yue, Yu Hao, I wasn't able to help much just now..."

As a support character, her buffs and crowd control immunity failed to reach their full potential, which inevitably caused her to feel guilty.

"Gu Yue, I was wrong, okay?" Huo Yuhao's eyes darted around, then suddenly widened.

Looking Gu Yue up and down, he thought to himself: "She's practically overflowing with jealousy. Could she really have taken a liking to me?"

As expected of the legendary "Lewd Dragon King," his main tactic is to be straightforward about jealousy!

Gu Yue rolled her eyes at him, raised her hand to dispel the elemental bindings, and Huo Yuhao broke free, brushed the dust off his body, patted his stomach and laughed, "Come on, I'll treat you to dinner!"

"Eat?" Gu Yue and Ning Tian raised their eyebrows simultaneously, both looking puzzled.

Although the Shrek Academy's outer courtyard cafeteria offered meals, no one ever offered to treat them. The two didn't think much of it and followed Huo Yuhao through the tree-lined path to a secluded courtyard.

With its green tiles and white walls, the bedroom seems to gather the vital energy of heaven and earth, a depth far exceeding that of the courtyard.

Ning Tian took a deep breath and felt refreshed, his soul power flowing more smoothly; Gu Yue... well, she didn't rely on soul power to cultivate, but she also keenly sensed the changes in the spiritual energy of heaven and earth, a hint of surprise flashing in her purple eyes.

"This is my place at Shrek Academy. Please wait a moment while I go cook." Huo Yuhao smiled and turned to go into the kitchen.

It wasn't that he didn't want to go to a restaurant, but rather that Shrek's quality meals were expensive, and he simply couldn't afford them with his savings. The inferior food was far less delicious than what he could cook himself.

Thirty minutes passed in the blink of an eye, and the rich aroma filled the kitchen, a blend of sweetness, freshness, and freshness that made one's mouth water.

Gu Yue and Ning Tianxia subconsciously sniffed, their Adam's apples bobbing, completely abandoning any semblance of composure.

"Sorry to keep you waiting!" Huo Yuhao came out with a tray and placed the dishes on the stone table one by one. "Almond tofu, smooth and sweet; golden shrimp balls, crispy on the outside and tender on the inside; Mondstadt potato pancakes, soft, sticky and fragrant; matsutake mushroom stuffed meat rolls, so fresh they'll make your eyebrows fall off; also boiled black-backed bass, sunset taiyaki, dragon beard noodles as the main dish, and mint jelly and tricolor dumplings as desserts."

The table was laden with delicious food, all of which looked and smelled wonderful. They were all his signature dishes, learned from the Genshin Impact cookbook. As a seasoned Genshin Impact chef, he had already honed his culinary skills out of interest.

Gu Yue was the first to pick up a spoon and scoop up a mouthful of almond tofu. The cool and smooth texture melted on her tongue, sweet but not cloying, instantly amazing her taste buds.

The "Greedy Dragon King" mode was activated on the spot. He no longer cared about his image, and began to devour his food with chopsticks flying.

Ning Tian initially maintained the composure of the young master of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile School. He took a small bite of the golden shrimp ball, and the crispy outer skin wrapped around the chewy shrimp meat. The fresh aroma rushed into his mind, and he immediately abandoned his composure and began to enjoy the meal.

Watching the two devour their food, Huo Yuhao smiled proudly: "The greatest honor for a chef is to make diners happy."

After five courses of food, Gu Yue and Ning Tian patted their round little bellies, their cheeks flushed, and looked at the empty table, too embarrassed to speak.

Huo Yuhao joked, "Ladies, is this meal to your liking?"

Ning Tian quickly and awkwardly changed the subject, his ears turning red: "It's so delicious! By the way, after the freshman competition, we'll be divided into classes. Class 1 is a combination of offensive and control types, Class 2 is a combination of defensive and agile types, Class 3 is a pure support type, and Class 4 is a hybrid special type. Food, healing, and special martial souls are all in Class 4. I really envy you guys being in the same class."

"Class division?" Huo Yuhao muttered to himself, a flash of inspiration forming in his mind, and a bold idea instantly took shape.

He looked at the two of them, his eyes shining: "After we're divided into classes, don't you mind staying together?"

"W-What do you mean?" Ning Tian's face flushed red instantly, his voice stammered, and his heart raced. Gu Yue, who was standing next to him, also instantly suppressed her smile, her purple eyes locking onto Huo Yuhao with hostility.

Huo Yuhao cleared his throat and quickly explained seriously, "Don't overthink it, I just want to start a club."

"Clubs? What are those?" the two asked in unison, their eyes full of curiosity.

"A club is a small group of like-minded people who voluntarily form a community for the same goal and interests." Huo Yuhao spoke faster, his eyes full of longing. "Ten thousand years ago, Shrek Academy started from scratch. Its finances were insufficient and its facilities were in poor and remote. It relied on only a few Soul Saints to teach, but it adhered to the principle of 'only accepting monsters' and produced Tang Fo... the seven gods of the Sea God, thus creating a ten-thousand-year myth."

"The Shrek Academy now resembles a force, but it lacks the youthful vigor of its members. Only with a club can we gather people who truly want to become stronger and accomplish great things. This is the precursor to my own force!"

Of course, he wouldn't name it "Student Council," which would only annoy Yan Shaozhe. So he'd call it...

Lionheart!

He was certain that Elder Mu would agree: the Sea God Pavilion Master had a broad vision and would never stifle the ideas of young people, especially since this was injecting new vitality into Shrek Academy, which had been stagnant.

Gu Yue and Ning Tian's eyes lit up instantly. The club could not only gather strong people, but also become an ally in critical moments. It was a win-win situation.

Such a concept has never existed in the Douluo Continent, not because it is unnecessary, but because no one has ever thought of it!

After all, there are three realms in fantasy: ant, fellow Daoist, and senior!

"Let's apply after the freshman competition!" Huo Yuhao decided. "Firstly, the competition will build our reputation and attract more students; secondly, there's the issue of funding..."

He looked at Ning Tian and smiled frankly, "With the young master of the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile School around, even if we're just being a kept man, it'll taste good. Funding shouldn't be a problem at all!"

Ning Tian blushed slightly and glared at him reproachfully, but did not refute him; Gu Yue snorted softly, which was taken as tacit approval of the plan.

Time flies, and a new generation arrives as scheduled.

The assessment area is located in the north-central part of the Martial Soul System, adjacent to the core area of ​​the Fighting Soul. The vast square paved with bluestone is neatly arranged with thirty-three assessment zones, flags fluttering and a bustling atmosphere.

This year's freshman assessment comprises 311 groups and 933 students. Given Shrek Academy's ruthless rules, it's likely that less than half will remain after the assessment.

The law of the jungle, survival of the fittest, is an eternal and unchanging principle.

Huo Yuhao, Gu Yue, and Ning Tian were assigned to District 33. As soon as they stepped into the district, they attracted countless hostile gazes.

The combination of Class 9 was already eye-catching: Gu Yue's cold beauty, Ning Tian's gentleness, and Huo Yuhao's handsomeness. In addition, all three of them were outstanding among the freshmen, so they naturally became the target of everyone's attention.

Just then, a male teacher in his forties walked over slowly.

He had an ordinary appearance, gentle features, and no imposing aura of a Soul Master. He wore a friendly smile, like an elder in the neighborhood.

"Hello fellow freshmen, I am Wang Yan, and I am the judge in charge of the assessment in District 33."

"Hello, Teacher Wang!" The students bowed respectfully, showing perfect manners.

Wang Yan smiled and waved his hand, his tone gentle: "No need for formalities. I've always treated everyone as a friend in my teaching, and you will all remain my friends until the end of the assessment. Therefore, I absolutely do not wish to see anyone maliciously harm anyone."

This is an assessment to determine whether someone stays or leaves, not a life-or-death struggle. If anyone intentionally injures or maims their opponent, I will immediately disqualify them and report the matter to the academy for further action.

His words were gentle, but the freshmen present were all shrewd and immediately sensed the severity in them, nodding in agreement.

Wang Yan nodded in satisfaction, opened the assessment folder in his hand, and announced the match list for the first game in a loud voice:

"Round 1, Match 1: Huo Yuhao's team from Class 9 of Freshmen vs. Feng Qingyang's team from Class 2 of Freshmen!"

Chapter 13 The Assessment, The Bet (Part 1) [Bonus Chapter 1]

The assessment platform in District 33 was made of smooth blue stone. Huo Yuhao and his two companions stepped onto the platform and formed a triangular attack and defense formation instantly.

Three students from Class 2 of the freshmen group took the stage: Yang Yanwu was eight feet tall with broad shoulders and a thick back; Feng Qingyang was thin in a green robe with a flamboyant face; Huo Chengfeng was a chubby boy who held a bronze compass and had a simple and honest smile on his lips, but he was the core of the team's support.

"Both sides in position, the assessment begins!" As soon as Wang Yan finished speaking, the soul power barrier instantly erected.

"Martial Soul Possession!"

Yang Yanwu roared, his arms covered in brownish-yellow bear fur, his muscles bulged, and his beastly eyes revealed a fierce light; Feng Qingyang flicked his fingertips, and the soul ring of his cyan longsword lit up, unleashing an agile attack aura.

The Fire Wind Compass spun, its bronze patterns shimmering with light: "Five Elements Compass, First Soul Skill: Fire! Second Soul Skill: Water!"

Crimson flames surged into Yang Yanwu's body, increasing his attack power by 30%; azure water vapor enveloped Feng Qingyang, greatly enhancing his defense. The three members of Class Two instantly completed their attack and defense boosts.

"Quickly finish this!" Huo Yuhao ordered in a deep voice.

"First Soul Skill—Elemental Tide!" Gu Yue was the first to activate the skill.

A pale blue elemental aura swept over him, maximizing his elemental affinity, and his subsequent soul skill power increased by 40%.

"Second Soul Skill – Elemental Control – Ice Wall Binding!"

With a flick of his finger, three walls of ice, as smooth as jade, rose from the platform, encircling and freezing Yang Yanwu, Feng Qingyang, and Huo Chengfeng, trapping them in a small space.

"Seven treasures emerge, revealing glazed tiles!" The Ning Tian Pagoda soared into the sky, its three soul rings pulsating, "First, speed! Third, power!"

The seven-colored amplification halo precisely enveloped Huo Yuhao and Gu Yue, causing their speed and strength to soar simultaneously, raising their combat power to another level.

"Break the wall! Yang Yanwu, smash the ice wall with all your might!" Feng Qingyang shouted urgently, trapped in the enclosed space, his agility advantage completely wasted.

Yang Yanwu swung his bear claws and smashed them against the ice wall with all his might, but only left white marks.

Huo Yuhao's eyes suddenly blazed with golden light, his Heavenly Extreme—All Things Clear—fully opened, and his Heavenly Eye Innate Soul Skill—Annihilation Silently—was activated!

The invisible and intangible mental impact pierced the consciousness of the three, precisely interrupting the chanting of their soul skills!

The soul ring under Feng Qingyang's feet had only flashed half a circle when it suddenly dissipated. Yang Yanwu froze in place, and the Fire Wind Compass stopped spinning.

The mental instability trigger lasts for less than 0.5 seconds, yet it is already a fatal weakness.

The Emperor Bow of Fate appeared in Huo Yuhao's palm, and three white-gold arrows condensed from the bow without strings.

He drew the bow to its fullest extent, then released it with his fingertips.

Zheng!

Three cyan-gold beams of light shot out from the sky with sharp sonic booms and straight, ruler-like trajectories, precisely piercing the non-lethal parts of the three men's shoulders. The force was perfectly controlled, determining the winner without taking their lives.

"The team led by Huo Yuhao from Class 9 of the freshmen group wins!" Wang Yan announced loudly.

The assessment area fell silent for a moment, then a few murmurs broke out.

Many freshmen looked at Huo Yuhao with envy: a level 16 one-ring Soul Master who didn't even show his Soul Rings throughout the entire match, he clearly won by doing nothing!

With Gu Yue controlling the battlefield and Ning Tian providing top-tier support, this combination could win against anyone. Feng Qingyang and his two companions were simply making a mistake!

Only Wang Yan stared thoughtfully at Huo Yuhao's retreating figure, his gaze deep and unfocused.

He could see clearly that Feng Qingyang and the other two had not made a mistake; it was that invisible mental shock that interrupted their soul skills. The real key to victory was this seemingly weakest boy.

"Interesting, well hidden." He murmured to himself, his curiosity fully piqued.

In the spectator area, Mu Jin's heart, which had been hanging in suspense, finally settled down, and a smile appeared on her lips.

A fierce figure approached from the side. The old woman's face was full of meanness, and her wrinkles were squeezed together: "Mu Jin, you really are getting worse as you get older. Letting a level 16 Soul Master lead two Soul Venerables, and they are Seven Treasure Glazed Glass and Elemental Master, isn't that embarrassing?"