The source of that aura shared the same origin as hers, carrying the biting cold and domineering presence of the Extreme North Land.
"A'Tai's aura...? Strange..."
Ice Empress muttered subconsciously.
Titan Snow Demon King A'Tai was one of their Three Great Heavenly Kings of the Far North, and the Snow Empress's most loyal subordinate.
How could its aura appear at Shrek Academy?
Her first reaction was to look at the outside world; could it be that Caelus had encountered someone or something related to the Extreme North again?
However, all she saw was Caelus sitting in the classroom, his expression calm, without any abnormality.
"Could it be my imagination? Have I been too comfortable lately, causing my senses to malfunction?"
Ice Empress shook her head, trying to shake off that strange feeling.
Perhaps she had been too addicted to playing games lately and was having hallucinations.
Thinking this, she focused her attention back on the game's light screen, while Istaroth's voice urging her to respawn quickly reached her ears.
However, in the outside world, Caelus's heart was far from being as calm as his surface suggested.
What Ice Empress could feel, he naturally could feel as well.
Moreover, his perception was even clearer.
The moment Huo Yuhao stepped into the classroom, the Ultimate Ice Soul Power within Caelus's body produced an extremely slight ripple.
Caelus's gaze fell upon Huo Yuhao.
An extra bone-chilling aura had appeared on his body.
As a possessor of Ultimate Ice, Caelus could clearly distinguish the quality of the power on Huo Yuhao's body.
Without a doubt, it was Ultimate Ice of the same level as his own.
Although it couldn't compare to his, its essence was definitely an existence that transcended ordinary ice and snow attributes.
It seemed that Huo Yuhao had encountered another fortuitous encounter in the Extreme North Land.
Not only did he return alive, but he also successfully filled the blank Ice Martial Soul that the Heavenly Dream Ice Worm had given him.
Only... who could it be?
Several names flashed rapidly through Caelus's mind.
There were quite a few One Hundred Thousand Year Spirit Beasts on that frozen plain, and those possessing the Ultimate Ice attribute and meeting the conditions to become a Martial Soul... included the Ice Jade Scorpion clan, all of whom possessed the Ultimate Ice attribute.
If it really were an Ice Jade Scorpion, then Huo Yuhao would be completely countered by him, since his was the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion.
Caelus didn't want to probe too much into the commotion surrounding Huo Yuhao, nor was he interested.
He only knew that the result was that Huo Yuhao had not been expelled for being late; he still remained safely in Class One of the second year, sitting beside Wang Dong.
The liveliness and bustle of the start of school, after the brief ripples brought by Huo Yuhao's return, were finally replaced by the serious atmosphere of the first Martial Soul class of the new semester.
Standing on the podium was the Assistant Class Teacher of Class One, Han Ruoruo.
Today, she wore a neat teacher's uniform, her long hair tied back efficiently. Her usually gentle face was devoid of any smile as she slowly scanned every face below.
Every student her gaze touched couldn't help but feel a sense of pressure, subconsciously straightening their backs.
"I presume everyone is already clear about the new semester's curriculum, but before that, all of you must face a hurdle—the Promotion Assessment."
Han Ruoruo's voice was cool and steady.
"The assessment to advance from the first year to the second year is, relatively speaking, the easiest one in your entire Outer Court academic career. Compared to your seniors, your assessment content is also much simpler."
She paused, giving the students a moment to breathe, before shifting her tone.
"The assessment content for our Class One and Class Two is the same. As for Class Three and Class Four, due to the special nature of their Martial Souls, the academy will make separate arrangements for assessment projects suitable for them."
"The location for the assessment of our two classes will be set in the academy's Beast Fighting Area."
As soon as the words 'Beast Fighting Area' came out, a faint sound of collective gasping echoed in the classroom.
For lower-grade students, that was a place they both yearned for and feared.
They yearned for it because it was a battlefield where the truly strong honed their claws and teeth; they feared it because what was imprisoned there were genuine, wild Soul Beasts.
"Once you reach the fourth year, you will spend a large amount of time having classes in the Beast Fighting Arena. Your practical combat grades there will directly affect whether you can enter the Inner Court and are crucial to your future. This time can be considered an early adaptation for you."
Han Ruoruo seemed to have anticipated the students' reaction as she continued explaining the rules in a steady tone:
"The core of this Promotion Assessment is to have each of you engage in a face-to-face fight with a Soul Beast. The assessment has a high degree of freedom; you will choose the Soul Beast you wish to face. Within the Beast Fighting Area, Soul Beasts of different ages, from ten to a thousand years, are clearly marked. They also represent different base scores. The more powerful the Soul Beast you challenge, the greater the possibility of obtaining a high score in the assessment. Finally, a panel of judges composed of senior teachers from the Martial Soul Department will give a comprehensive score. The maximum score is one hundred points; those who reach sixty points or above are considered to have passed the assessment and are permitted to advance."
By this point in the explanation, the atmosphere in the classroom had become incredibly solemn.
Facing a Soul Beast alone was an experience most of the greenhouse flowers present had never had.
It wasn't like the usual sparring between classmates where one could stop at the right moment; it was a true struggle between life and death.
Han Ruoruo's sharp gaze scanned the room again, taking in everyone's tension and unease.
She emphasized her tone, saying word by word:
"Here, I have a few points that I need every one of you to keep firmly in mind."
"First, do not be too cowardly. The academy's purpose is to cultivate the strong, not cowards. If the cultivation level of the Soul Beast you choose is too poor—for example, a Rank 25 Soul Master challenging a ten-year Spirit Beast—then even if you win easily and beautifully, the judging teachers might still give you a failing grade because you lack initiative and courage."
These words made the faces of some students who had originally intended to take shortcuts turn pale, their small schemes ruthlessly crushed.
"Second, absolutely do not be too reckless."
Han Ruoruo's voice suddenly became stern.
"Choosing a Soul Beast far beyond your capabilities is stupidity, not bravery. You must understand that during the combat process, every assessment will have a proctoring teacher guarding nearby. However, a Soul Beast's attacks are ever-changing, and no one can guarantee that everything will be foolproof. In case... the proctoring teacher is unable to rescue you in time, then..."
She didn't finish her sentence, but that unspoken chill was more heart-stopping than any bloody words.
Everyone understood what that implied.
Soul Beasts were not like classmates on the Soul Duel stage; they would not show mercy. Their claws, teeth, and bites would only follow the most primitive killing instinct.
If rescue was not timely, the only result was death.
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