The Ice Empress had originally assumed the Titan Snow Demon King had died at the hands of those bastards from the Hall of Rebirth. To receive news today that he was still alive was enough for her.
The Titan Snow Demon King was not the Snow Empress, after all.
While she cared for this comrade who guarded the Far North alongside her, their relationship was only so-so.
As long as he was alive, she didn't need to worry too much.
As for why Ah Tai chose Huo Yuhao, this seemingly frail human boy... that was even less of her concern.
Compared to that, those new mini-games Istaroth came up with were much more fun.
The terrifying ferocity released by those two crimson hundred thousand year spirit rings was not merely a mental deterrent; it was a form of dominance over lower-tier existences originating from the very top of the pyramid of life.
The temperature in the entire Beast Fighting Arena plummeted, and the atmosphere froze to the extreme.
Just as everyone was terrified out of their wits by this cognition-shattering scene, and even Director Du Weilun lost his composure and stood up from the high platform, a thunderous roar erupted without warning from the direction of the beast pens.
"Who is it?! Who is causing trouble!!"
This voice seemed to contain the violent power of a volcanic eruption, turning into a physical sound wave that slammed hard against the eardrums of everyone present.
Some students with lower cultivation were even shaken to the point of dizziness, their Qi and blood churning.
The person arrived with the voice.
Before the words had even finished echoing, a fiery-red figure, appearing as if wreathed in flames, crossed hundreds of meters in an instant at a terrifying speed completely inconsistent with his burly physique, appearing in the center of the field before Huo Yuhao.
It was an incredibly brawny middle-aged man.
He had short, fiery-red hair that burned wildly like flames, and his bronze skin was covered in fine scars, likely left from battles with powerful Soul Beasts, filled with a sense of wild power.
He wasn't wearing the standard robes of Shrek Academy, but rather a set of tight-fitting clothes made from the leather of some unknown Soul Beast. His entire body radiated an intensely violent aura that was impossible to ignore.
The moment he appeared, the terrifying pressure belonging to Huo Yuhao's hundred thousand year spirit rings was actually diluted a bit by the aura naturally radiating from his body.
The newcomer was the highest person in charge of the entire Beast Fighting Area, the Titled Douluo with the title of "Beast King"—Gong Changlong.
Gong Changlong's gaze locked onto Huo Yuhao with a death grip.
When he clearly saw the two eye-piercing blood-colored spirit rings beneath Huo Yuhao's feet, a flash of shock crossed his eyes, which was immediately replaced by fury.
"Hmm? hundred thousand year spirit rings?"
He squeezed these words out from between his teeth, his voice low like muffled thunder from deep underground.
"Good boy, so you're the one behind this? You've scared the hell out of my Soul Beasts."
He was beyond furious.
Just moments ago, he was deep within the beast pens inspecting a Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast that was about to advance, when this terrifying Vicious Beast aura erupted without warning, instantly igniting the entire beast pen area.
Thousands of captive Soul Beasts—whether hundred-year, thousand-year, or even those few Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts—had fallen into a state of frantic rioting under the dominance of this fear originating from the depths of their Bloodlines.
The booming sounds of them crashing into iron gates, the panicked howls, the cries of despair... for the first time in the decades of his meticulous management, the entire beast pen had become such a chaotic mess.
"Elder Gong, you..."
Seeing Gong Changlong appear, Du Weilun's face changed drastically. No longer caring about his loss of composure, he hurriedly leaped down from the high platform, arriving before Gong Changlong in a few flashes and bowing respectfully.
"We are currently conducting the Promotion Assessment for the second-year students. What brings you here?"
"Assessment my ass."
Gong Changlong didn't even look at him, directly snapping with a curse, his spittle nearly flying into Du Weilun's face.
"Those precious darlings of mine are all scared shitless right now. Some even fainted outright from fear. How can there be an assessment? What's left to test your students with?!"
"This... this..."
Du Weilun was scolded into silence, cold sweat instantly breaking out.
He knew Elder Gong's temper well and understood the importance of the beast pens to Shrek Academy.
The value of any single Ten Thousand Year Soul Beast in there far exceeded this one Promotion Assessment.
"Today's assessment is entirely postponed."
Gong Changlong said decisively in a deep voice, his tone brook no argument.
"Everyone who hasn't been assessed yet, get back. Wait until my Soul Beasts' emotions have calmed down, then wait for further notice."
"Yes, yes, whatever Elder Gong says."
Du Weilun nodded repeatedly; there was no other way.
He immediately turned around, preparing to announce the suspension of the assessment.
"Then Teacher, what about my score?"
At this moment, Huo Yuhao, who had been silent, stepped forward and asked neither humbly nor arrogantly, facing Gong Changlong's gaze that looked as if it wanted to eat him alive.
"Hmm?"
Only then did Gong Changlong shift his attention back to the culprit.
His coarse eyebrows knitted together as he unceremoniously sized Huo Yuhao up from head to toe, his eyes filled with scrutiny and curiosity.
Two hundred thousand year spirit rings?
He didn't believe it for a second.
How could a mere two-ring Spirit Grandmaster possibly withstand the energy impact of a hundred thousand year spirit ring?
Forget two; even just one would be enough to make his body explode a hundred times over.
This was likely some unheard-of special spirit skill capable of simulating an aura, or an extremely rare spirit tool that carried the pressure of a Vicious Beast.
But... regardless of which it was, the fact that he, a Rank 92 Titled Douluo, couldn't immediately see through the deception, and that even the Ten Thousand Year Soul Beasts in the pens—who were extremely sensitive to auras—were fooled, was shocking enough in itself.
This kid's mental force has probably already reached a very high Realm.
Unknowingly, the anger in Gong Changlong's heart had been replaced by intense interest.
He waved his hand and said in a gruff tone:
"You kid... you deterred the hundred-year Wind Spirit Wolf in an instant, leaving it without a shred of resistance. Although your methods were a bit tricky, the results are real. Fine, you pass with a perfect score."
Immediately, Du Weilun took the hint, picked up the amplification spirit tool, and announced loudly:
"Huo Yuhao, assessment passed. Exceptional rating, full score of one hundred and fifty points. For all other unassessed students, the assessment is suspended and will resume on another day."
With this announcement, the entire venue fell into an eerie silence once again.
And Huo Yuhao, under the gaze of hundreds of complex looks, slowly retracted the spirit rings beneath his feet.
He didn't return to the group but instead turned and walked, step by step, toward Dai Huabin, whose face was as pale as paper and whose body was trembling.
"Dai Huabin."
Huo Yuhao's voice was cold and clear.
"Our bet stated that today, based on the final score of the Promotion Assessment, whoever has the higher score wins, correct?"
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