After the lunch break, the afternoon bell rang, and the round of thirty-two to sixteen officially began.
The number of participating students was halved again; after drawing lots once more, everyone headed to their new competition areas.
The venue remained the same sixteen areas from the morning.
It is worth noting that on the north side of the assessment area, a twenty-meter-high metal spectator platform had been erected at some point, supported by six thick metal pillars.
Looking up from below, it was impossible to see exactly who was on the platform; one could only vaguely see some figures moving about.
This height was sufficient to overlook the entire assessment area, taking in every match at a glance.
Caelus drew the number six assessment area this time.
When the three of them walked into the venue, the opposing team was already prepared and waiting.
A tense atmosphere permeated the air. None of the teams that managed to enter the top thirty-two were weak. The upcoming battles, I fear, would no longer be as easy as before.
However, the faces of Caelus, Gu Yuena, and Ye Guyi remained calm, as if what was coming was merely a drill with a predetermined outcome.
Walking onto the competition stage of the number six assessment area, Caelus swept his gaze calmly over the three people opposite him and whispered to his companions, "This time, let me handle it."
Ye Guyi and Gu Yuena naturally had no objections to Caelus taking the initiative.
Ye Guyi was happy to be at leisure, while in Gu Yuena's amethyst-like eyes, a hint of curiosity appeared for the first time. She also wanted to see for herself just how strong this class monitor, whom she viewed as a potential rival, really was.
The three people opposite came from the freshman class nine and were a standard control system, support system, and attack system combination.
control system Lin Lei, Martial Soul: Mist Vine; support system Su Wan, Martial Soul: Clear Heart Bell; attack system Shi Meng, Martial Soul: Rock Armor Bear.
All three were two-ring Spirit Grandmasters with Soul Power around Rank twenty-five. They coordinated well and were an elite team of class nine.
After both sides announced their names, the Referee Teacher gave the order: "The match begins."
The three from class nine reacted extremely quickly, instantly completing their Martial Soul release.
Vines with hazy mist spread from under Lin Lei's feet, a small silver bell emitting a soft halo appeared in Su Wan's hand, and Shi Meng's body expanded, his skin covered in rock-like armor. Two yellow spirit rings shone on them, their Aura quite impressive.
However, the next moment, everyone's gaze was firmly drawn to the figure on the other side of the stage.
Caelus did not make any exaggerated movements; he just stood quietly in place.
But just as his thoughts stirred slightly, an indescribable phantom silently emerged behind him.
That phantom seemed to transcend the boundary between reality and illusion, possessing long silver hair flowing with starlight and moonlight. Her face was blurred but carried a breathtaking holiness and nobility, her golden eyes like frozen time, deep and mysterious.
She wore a magnificent robe that seemed to be woven from countless threads of time, and an ancient, distant, time-governing Aura flowed around her—it was none other than the phantom of the Regent of Time, Istaroth.
At the same time, Caelus's originally broken-gold eyes underwent a strange change, turning into clocks with hands slightly rotating, as if measuring every inch of passing time around him.
And what was most shocking, making people almost gasp out loud, were the three spirit rings spiraling up from under his feet.
The first one, yellow, a hundred-year spirit ring, standard and conventional.
Following that, the second spirit ring rose—deep, noble, and purple, emitting an energy fluctuation that made one's heart tremble.
A thousand-year soul ring.
This wasn't the end; the third spirit ring followed closely, still that dazzling deep purple, symbolizing absorption beyond one's Rank and representing monster-level Aptitude.
Another thousand-year soul ring.
Yellow, purple, purple.
A spirit ring configuration that exceeded the optimal ratio had shockingly appeared on an eleven-year-old boy.
"Wow—!"
The entire number six assessment area, and even other areas that could see the situation here, instantly erupted in uncontrollable uproar.
"I... I'm not seeing things, right? Two purples?"
"The first spirit ring is a hundred-year one, and the second and third are both thousand-year soul rings?! How is this possible?"
"A monster, this is a true monster."
The Battle Intent and confidence on the faces of Lin Lei, Su Wan, and Shi Meng opposite him instantly froze, replaced by immense shock.
Those two deep purple rings were like two great mountains, pressing down on them until they could barely breathe, and their originally smooth-flowing Soul Power even stuttered for a moment.
Even the knowledgeable Referee Teacher widened his eyes at this moment, subconsciously gasping for air, and almost dropped the recording board in his hand.
And on that high spectator platform, Han Ruoruo, who had been watching the number six area, revealed a relieved and proud smile on her face.
Beside her, Zhang Lexuan, this Inner Court Senior Sister, could not hide the look of surprise in her beautiful eyes. She turned her head and smiled lightly at Han Ruoruo, "Sister Ruoruo, you have found a real treasure. This spirit ring configuration is rare even in the history of the Inner Court."
On the other side, Elder Xuan, who had been busy gorging himself, had stopped gnawing on his chicken leg at some point.
His eyes, which had previously appeared somewhat cloudy, were now flashing with sharp light. He stared with great interest at Caelus below the stage, and the corners of his mouth even curled into an imperceptible arc.
Compared to Huo Yuhao, who had a ten-year soul ring and Rank seventeen Soul Power and was highly recommended by Wang Yan, this silver-haired boy before him, based solely on his Soul Power Rank and shocking spirit ring configuration, already initially possessed the qualifications to be selected by him.
As for that mysterious time-attribute Martial Soul, it piqued his great interest even more.
On the competition stage, Caelus seemed not to hear the exclamations and shock around him.
His eyes, which had turned into clocks, calmly locked onto his opponents, as if he had already seen through all their movements in the past, present, and even the next second.
"Be careful."
He spoke indifferently, his body moving with his voice, and took the initiative to launch an attack with those heart-trembling yellow, purple, and purple spirit rings.
Facing Caelus's common-sense-defying yellow, purple, and purple spirit ring configuration, although Lin Lei, Su Wan, and Shi Meng of the freshman class nine were shocked, they were able to advance to the top thirty-two, so their determination was extraordinary.
A strong sense of crisis instead stimulated their fighting Martial Soul.
"Follow the plan."
The control system Lin Lei let out a low shout, and his first spirit ring lit up first.
"First Spirit Ability, Mist Concealment."
Dense gray-white mist instantly permeated from his body, quickly covering most of the stage, not only obstructing vision but also interfering with mental force perception to a certain extent.
Following that, the support system Su Wan gently shook the Clear Heart Bell in her hand, and her second spirit ring flashed.
"Second Spirit Skill, Soul Power Amplification."
A crisp bell sound rang out, and two soft rays of light were injected into Lin Lei and Shi Meng's bodies respectively, causing their Soul Power fluctuations to instantly strengthen a bit.
The boosted attack system Shi Meng roared, his first spirit ring, Rock Skin, making his already burly body appear even heavier, and his second spirit ring immediately lit up.
------------------------
I've posted 40+ chapters in advance on Patreon.
Webnovel updates will still be daily, as usual.
It might not seem tempting right now but who knows what the future holds?
[email protected]/DaoistRoeoNQ
"And If you're enjoying it, drop a Power Stone for me!"