Douluo Continent: The Eternal Dawn

Chapter 92 Freshman Class Assignment
Born into a top-tier Soul Master family like the Ye family, Ye Xixuan's values ​​were different from ordinary people from a young age, and he didn't actually have much resistance to the arranged marriage. This was mainly because the unfolding events differed greatly from the plot of his previous life, and his surprise at this was greater than the marriage itself.

Elder Mu's next words made Ye Xixuan blush and lower her head in embarrassment.

"Mr. Mu, you already know about it? About Sister Lexuan and Sister Xiaoya."

"It's never wrong for a man to be a little philanderer." Old Master Mu smiled slightly, seemingly unrespecting for his age, and earnestly advised Ye Xixuan that there was no need to feel too guilty about it.

"As I said before, as long as you fulfill your obligations to everyone and leave them with no grounds for complaint, what's the big deal? You don't even need to worry about it; they'll learn to get along harmoniously on their own. At least Princess Vina and Le Xuan of the Heavenly Soul Empire are reasonable women; they'll handle these things for you."

"Elder Mu, is this really a good idea?" Ye Xixuan admitted that he had indeed been persuaded by Elder Mu, but he seemed to be trying to cover up his true intentions, hoping to get a positive answer from Elder Mu.

Perhaps it's human nature to like finding a reason for one's actions. While Ye Xixuan wouldn't say he placed himself on a moral high ground, he did want to alleviate some of his guilt.

When he was young, Mr. Mu was very experienced, and what he said next was a classic statement.

"What's wrong with that? It's not like you went to provoke them, but rather they went to provoke you. Today I'll teach you a lesson: as long as you always adhere to the principle of neither initiating nor refusing, no one will criticize you. Since those girls have come to provoke you, they naturally have to take responsibility for their own actions. What you need to do is treat everyone equally and meet their needs. After all, a man can be passionate, but he cannot be heartless, much less be troubled by love."

At this point, Old Mu's dim eyes also dimmed, and his tone was filled with regret and sighs.

He finally recognized the responsibilities he bore and extricated himself from that entangled relationship. His old friend, Dragon Emperor Douluo Long Xiaoyao, however, was bound by love for life and never found freedom.

Listening to Elder Mu's profound personal experience, Ye Xixuan nodded solemnly.

"Elder Mu, I think I understand. I will follow the arrangements of the academy and you, and get engaged to Princess Vina of the Heavenly Soul Empire."

"This young man is teachable." Old Master Mu smiled kindly, a touch of rosy color appearing on his wrinkled face.

As a descendant of Long Xiaoyao, Ye Xixuan is more like him in matters of the heart. Conversely, his direct descendant, Bei Bei, treats relationships exactly like his old friend. This coincidence feels like a cycle of fate, making him recall his experiences from his youth.

This is one of the reasons why Elder Mu favors Ye Xixuan more. Bei Bei's personality is easily bound by emotions, making her unsuitable for making important decisions.

Seeing that Elder Mu slowly raised his withered right hand, Ye Xixuan immediately stepped forward to help him up from the wooden chair.

"Mr. Mu, please take your time."

"I'll teach you one last trick." Old Master Mu seemed to be in particularly high spirits today, looking at Ye Xixuan with a smile.

"Regarding your engagement with Vina, you can easily pin the blame on me and the academy. You were simply forced into it and knew nothing about it."

"Ah, this..." This was the first time Ye Xixuan had seen Elder Mu in such a different way than before, which could even be described as disrespectful to his elders.

A person who has been able to hold the position of the Sea God Pavilion Master for over a hundred years is certainly not a rigid and pedantic individual. As long as one upholds the bottom line on matters of principle, minor transgressions in personal morality are not a serious matter.

That night, apart from Ye Xixuan and Elder Mu, no one else knew the content of their conversation.

The next morning, the golden sun rose from the eastern horizon, hanging high in the sky, illuminating the entire Shrek Academy in every detail. The warm sunlight mingled with the fresh, moist air, accompanied by a cool morning breeze.

Today, all the students who passed the new student assessment gathered at Shrek Square, waiting for the upcoming class assignments.

Three months ago, there were a thousand new students enrolled, but now only a little over three hundred remain, demonstrating the rigorous examination requirements of Shrek Academy. Based on past experience, only about one hundred students actually graduate from the outer academy.

And getting into the Inner Academy is extremely competitive, with only one in a hundred being admitted. It's not uncommon for none of the graduates from the Outer Academy to be admitted to the Inner Academy.

Ye Xixuan and Huang Chutian stood side by side in the first row, with the Lan sisters on Ye Xixuan's other side. Among the freshmen in Class 7, these four were the most talented.

Last night, Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo fused the two soul bones that the academy had rewarded them with, one fusing with the left arm soul bone and the other with the right arm soul bone. Now, the two sisters can feel the wonderful connection between their two companion soul bones simply by holding hands.

Although they haven't tested it yet, they can clearly feel the amplification effect of these two soul bones on their Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

The two sisters, filled with anticipation, would occasionally glance at Ye Xixuan beside them, their pretty faces slightly flushed.

Offensive and control types are not separated, meaning they will still be placed in the same class.

Huang Chutian was worried about whether he could get the treatment of a core disciple. His martial spirit and talent were not top-notch, and he was eliminated in the top 64 in the freshman assessment elimination round.

Only Ye Xixuan gazed calmly at the Sea God Lake ahead.

Just then, Du Weilun, the Dean of Instruction of the Martial Soul Department, arrived in front of these new students with a group of teachers.

After passing the new student assessment, they will officially become first-year students and will be divided into four classes according to their cultivation direction. There are four class teachers who are fully responsible for the main teaching of these four classes.

Among those Ye Xixuan was familiar with were Wang Yan, the former homeroom teacher of Class 1 of the freshmen, and Mu Jin, the homeroom teacher of Class 9 of the freshmen. As for Nan Ruyao, due to her insufficient cultivation and qualifications, she was clearly not yet qualified to officially serve as the homeroom teacher of a first-year class.

Du Weilun held a document in his hand, smiled as he looked around at the group of students, and then cleared his throat before speaking.

"As you all know, the freshman assessment has concluded, and the top three have been determined. Now, I will formally announce their results and award them the prizes for this assessment. The third place winner is Zhou Sichen's team. Zhou Sichen, Cao Jinxuan, and Long Xiangyue, step forward."

In the semi-finals, Xie Huanyue was severely injured by Ye Xixuan and was unable to compete for third place. Zhou Sichen's team, on the other hand, easily secured third place in the freshman assessment; these three guys were quite lucky.

The audience erupted in applause. Led by Zhou Sichen, the three of them, their faces flushed, walked up to Du Weilun, their excitement palpable. They had practically snagged third place, a result far exceeding their expectations, not to mention the opportunity to shine in front of all the freshmen.

"Second place, Tang Wutong's team. Tang Wutong, Xiao Xiao, and Manzhu, step forward."

Applause rang out again, but of the three, only Xiao Xiao showed a charming and adorable smile. Manzhu rarely showed emotion due to her personality. Tang Wutong, on the other hand, kept a cold expression, searching for Ye Xixuan's figure.

Du Weilun paused briefly before raising his voice enthusiastically, "Now, please give a warm round of applause to welcome the ultimate champions of this freshman assessment! They are the Ye Xixuan team: Ye Xixuan, Lan Susu, and Lan Luoluo."

Amidst enthusiastic cheers, Ye Xixuan stepped forward, surrounded by Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo.

The two sisters smiled radiantly at Ye Xixuan, but Ye Xixuan completely ignored Tang Wutong's resentful gaze and finally stood in the middle of the two teams with Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo.

His actions left Zhou Sichen and the other two wide-eyed and filled with awe.

Sure enough, women only hinder cultivation speed. Even an outstanding female student like Tang Wutong could refuse him, instantly elevating Ye Xixuan's image in their eyes.

Du Weilun smiled and nodded, then turned to face the crowd and said, "The academy has already privately awarded Ye Xixuan's team an extra championship reward. Now we announce the rewards for the top three teams in the freshman assessment. Every member of the top three teams will receive a unified reward from the academy. When you reach the next bottleneck in your cultivation and need to acquire a spirit ring, you can apply to the academy for assistance in obtaining a spirit ring that is most suitable for you."

These words once again elicited gasps of surprise.

This reward is tantamount to a promise that the next soul ring for the nine members of Ye Xi Xuan will definitely be a limit soul ring.

For Soul Masters, besides considering the compatibility with their Martial Soul, the age of the Soul Ring is another crucial factor when attaching it. The closer the Soul Ring is to its limit, the greater the boost it provides to the Soul Master.

This is why all Soul Masters throughout history have pursued the optimal Soul Ring combination. The optimal Soul Ring combination, generally speaking, is the closest to the maximum Soul Ring potential of an average Soul Master.

The age limit of a Limit Break Soul Ring varies depending on each Soul Master's physical attributes, and it also requires finding a Soul Beast with suitable attributes and age. It not only requires a powerful expert but also consumes a great deal of energy and time. Therefore, the academy's reward is undeniably substantial.

"Okay, you can return to the team."

Ye Xixuan and the others then returned to their original positions.

Du Weilun continued, "In view of the outstanding students who emerged in this year's freshman competition, the academy will specially approve a number of students to become core disciples of the outer academy. Now I will announce the list. The students who have finally passed the core disciple review are: Ye Xixuan, Lan Susu, Lan Luoluo, Tang Wutong, Xiao Xiao, Zhou Sichen, Cao Jinxuan, Xie Huanyue, Ning Tian, ​​Wu Feng, Dai Huabin, and Zhu Lu."

Hearing his name appear almost last, Dai Huabin, standing in the crowd, clenched his fists in resentment, finding it hard to accept this fact.

Reaching the top 64 in the freshman assessment was an indelible shame for him, but Ye Xixuan's strength had indeed overwhelmed him, and he had no choice but to accept this fact.

But Dai Huabin was completely unconvinced by the others. Even Tang Wutong, who possessed three purple spirit rings, he believed he could defeat her.

Despite having a smooth life since childhood, he was too competitive. Such people often resort to extremes when faced with setbacks.

A torrent of negative emotions surged within Dai Huabin—anger, jealousy, even resentment. His eyes were bloodshot as he fixed his gaze on Ye Xixuan. He should have been the center of attention!
Zhu Lu, standing to the side, grasped Dai Huabin's left hand with a worried expression.

"Hua Bin".

Dai Huabin didn't even glance at Zhu Lu. As the eldest son of the White Tiger Duke, when had he ever suffered such humiliation? His eyes seemed to be only on Ye Xixuan and Tang Wutong. His left hand unconsciously tightened, and he let out a hysterical roar in his heart.

"One day, I will trample you all under my feet!"

"Ugh—" Zhu Lu's hand was squeezed painfully by Dai Huabin, but she just endured it, not wanting to anger Dai Huabin at this moment.

Du Weilun then announced the list of those temporarily enjoying core disciple status, which included Huang Chutian, Long Xiangyue, Cui Yajie, Nanmen Yun'er, and Manzhu. If they make breakthroughs or demonstrate other outstanding performances in the second academic year, the academy will consider officially promoting them to core disciples of the outer academy.

When Shrek Academy reviews its core disciples, it mainly looks at their cultivation talent and the quality of their martial soul.

According to the cultivation system of Douluo Continent, in most cases, these two factors determine a Soul Master's future. There's virtually no possibility of defying fate, and not everyone can have a set of cheat codes like Huo Yuhao.

It is no exaggeration to say that those resources, if used on anyone, could have nurtured a god.

Although Huang Chutian and the others' current cultivation levels are keeping up, their martial souls are still somewhat inferior to those of top-tier martial souls. As their cultivation levels increase, this gap will only widen in the future.

Du Weilin's words were merely polite formalities; from this day forward, they had already been distanced from each other.

After this process is completed, the final step is class assignment.

Class One consists of offensive and control-type Soul Masters, Class Two consists of defensive and agile-type Soul Masters, and Class Three consists entirely of support-type Soul Masters like Ning Tian. As for Class Four, it encompasses various special types of Soul Masters and Weapon Soul Masters, making it a veritable hodgepodge.

Class Four has the largest number of students, but they are mostly mixed-type Soul Masters with all sorts of strange and unusual Martial Souls. Relatively speaking, they don't have much combat power, but they often possess remarkable abilities in certain areas, with food-type and healing-type Soul Masters being typical examples.

The real geniuses are mostly in the top three classes, and this is true for every grade. The majority of students graduating from the outer academy or even entering the inner academy also come from these three classes.

Next is an introduction to the homeroom teachers of each class.

Just like in the original storyline, the homeroom teacher of Class 1 is Wang Yan, and the homeroom teacher of Class 2 is Mu Jin.

"Alright, everyone, please return to your classrooms under the guidance of your respective homeroom teachers according to the latest class assignments," Du Weilun announced, thus concluding the freshman assembly.

On the way back to the classroom, Huang Chutian sidled up to Ye Xixuan and said smugly.

"Haha. Xi Xuan, I didn't expect that even though I only made it to the top 64 in the freshman assessment elimination round, I could still get a spot to enjoy the benefits of a core disciple."

"Shouldn't you be thinking about how to officially become a core disciple in the second semester?" Ye Xixuan casually reminded him, while Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo had already seized the opportunity to step forward from the left and right, taking their places next to Ye Xixuan.

Huang Chutian rolled his eyes in annoyance.

"Although you were a team during the freshman assessment, we were still in the same class before. Do you sisters have to be like this? You're making me feel like a third party, or rather, like a fourth party interfering in our relationship."

Hearing Huang Chutian's blunt words, Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo both lowered their heads shyly, but their attitudes were quite resolute.

The class assignments had just been completed, and the freshmen class had already split into several small groups, especially the core disciples of the outer academy. They were all standing in twos and threes, following the team formation for the freshman assessment.

For example, Tang Wutong and Xiao Xiao, Zhou Sichen and Cao Jinxuan, and Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu.

Because of her Martial Soul Fusion Technique with Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu was granted special permission to study in Class 1 of the first year.

Only Wu Feng remained at the very back of the group.

Not everyone is as stubborn as Dai Huabin. After being tortured by Ye Xixuan, Wu Feng became much more obedient and didn't even dare to meet Ye Xixuan's eyes.

Although Class 1 of Grade 1 has the strongest overall strength, it only has about sixty students in total. However, the spacious tiered classroom can accommodate over a hundred people, and even if everyone is seated, there are still plenty of empty seats.

Ye Xixuan had just found a seat by the window when Tang Wutong, who had been hanging out with Xiao Xiao, clung to him like glue, giving him a haughty glance with an air of entitlement on her pretty face.

Xiao Xiao and the Lan sisters were both taken aback. Their personalities were relatively introverted, and they lost their initiative in an instant while hesitating. They had no choice but to settle for the row of seats behind Ye Xixuan and Tang Wutong.

Before the Lan sisters could say anything, Xiao Xiao couldn't help but start muttering, frantically betraying her good roommate.

"You don't actually have masochistic tendencies, do you? You just got abused by someone, and now you're rushing to cling to them again. Are you going to just give yourself away for nothing next?" But this time she learned her lesson and didn't let Tang Wutong hear her complaints.

Lan Susu and Lan Luoluo, who were standing to the side, clearly heard Xiao Xiao's mutterings and glanced back and forth between Ye Xixuan and Tang Wutong.

Wang Yan stood behind the podium, a gentle smile on his face, and looked at everyone, saying, "Before class begins, let's elect the class monitor and vice-monitor. At Shrek Academy, strength is paramount. Based on your performance and rankings in the freshman assessment elimination rounds, I personally nominate Ye Xixuan and Tang Wutong as our class monitor and vice-monitor. If anyone has any other opinions, please feel free to raise them with me, or you can nominate other candidates. We will then vote on them. My teaching philosophy may differ from other teachers; I prefer to treat everyone as equals, so please don't hold back and speak your mind."

“Teacher Wang, I think Dai Huabin’s strength is no less than Tang Wutong’s, why don’t you mention his name?” Zhu Lu, who had been holding back for so long, immediately stood up to speak up for Dai Huabin.

Dai Huabin, standing next to Zhu Lu, remained silent with a cold face, but his resentful gaze clearly indicated that he tacitly approved of Zhu Lu's idea.

You can't beat Ye Xixuan, but you can't even defeat Tang Wutong? So what if you have three thousand-year soul rings?

He always believed that their elimination in the top 64 was simply because they encountered Ye Xixuan earlier than expected. He only lost to the final champion, not to anyone else.

Naturally, the Tang princess could not tolerate being named by Zhu Lu in this way.

"Bang!" Tang Wutong slammed her hand on the table, glanced at Dai Huabin with an icy expression, and spoke with a tone full of disdain.

"Do you think your White Tiger Duke's Mansion is something special? You're nothing but a stray dog ​​who lost the throne of the Star Luo Empire."

"What did you say?!" Dai Huabin's face darkened, his eyes flashing with cold light. His pride stemmed not only from his talent and strength, but also from his status as the eldest son of the White Tiger Duke, a man of illustrious lineage.

Perhaps it was because like repels like, the more arrogant Dai Huabin acted, the more Tang Wutong disliked him.

"I would say that your lineage of the White Tiger Dukes is nothing but stray dogs who have lost their throne. If you're so capable, why don't you go and reclaim the throne that belongs to you? You shamelessly accept the title of duke from the current Star Luo Empire's royal family and are even proud of it. You even have the nerve to show your ridiculous sense of superiority. It's a disgrace to the dignity of your ancestors."

Dai Huabin, who was already seething with anger, could no longer hold back and his pale soul power burst forth.

"you wanna die?!"

"Do you think I'm afraid of you?! If you've got the guts, come fight me in the Soul Arena!" Tang Wutong retorted defiantly, her own soul power surging within her.

"Enough!" Wang Yan's authoritative voice contained a strong soul power, which forced Tang Wutong and Dai Huabin to withdraw their soul power.

"Everyone sit down."

Tang Wutong and Dai Huabin reluctantly returned to their seats.

Wang Yan suddenly realized that although this year's freshmen were excellent, they were by no means easy to manage. After pondering for a moment, he couldn't help but give Tang Wutong some more advice.

"Tang, please don't say things that are detrimental to unity anymore."

"Teacher Wang, am I not telling the truth?" Tang Wutong's attitude remained firm, as if she were deliberately trying to impress Ye Xixuan.

"Others may fear the White Tiger Duke's Mansion, but I don't." She then turned her gaze to Zhu Lu. "Besides, your taste in men is truly appalling. How could you possibly be interested in such a good-for-nothing?"

Seeing that Tang Wutong was still stirring things up, Wang Yan was truly exhausted. However, knowing Tang Wutong's background, he really didn't know how to restrain her. He could only place his last hope on Ye Xixuan, because Tang Wutong only showed special treatment to Ye Xixuan.

"Ye Xixuan, what do you think?"

"Teacher Wang, why don't you just send them to the Soul Fighting Zone?" Under everyone's gaze, Ye Xixuan smiled indifferently.

(End of this chapter)