Long Jian glanced sideways and saw that it was Ning Rongrong speaking.
She was looking at him with a gentle smile.
Long Jian nodded, a warm smile appearing on his handsome face.
"Thank you for the reminder, Miss Ning!"
Ning Rongrong was slightly taken aback.
This was the first time anyone had addressed her quite like that.
Seeing this exchange from the side, Zhu Zhuqing's lips twitched slightly, but she remained silent.
At that moment, Zhao Wuji stood up and walked over to the group.
"Brats, I will be the examiner for your fourth test!"
"Xiaobai, fill them in on my situation!"
"You have the time it takes for a stick of incense to burn to discuss your strategy!"
With that, Zhao Wuji took out a stick of incense, lit it, and firmly planted it upright in the ground nearby before strolling off to the side to wait quietly.
Seeing this, a mischievous grin involuntarily crept onto Dai Mubai's face.
He walked up to Long Jian and the others with a smile and said, "Normally, I should be the one conducting the fourth test, but unfortunately for you lot, you've run into Teacher Zhao today!"
"Let me give you a quick rundown of Teacher Zhao so you know what you're dealing with."
"Teacher Zhao's full name is Zhao Wuji. He is the Vice Dean of Shrek Academy, a seventy-sixth-rank Combat Soul Saint, with the Vajra Bear Spirit, and holds the title of the Undefeated Diamond King!"
"So he's the Undefeated Diamond King?!" Ning Rongrong gasped, her rosy lips parting slightly as a trace of surprise appeared in her eyes.
For a moment, everyone's gaze turned to Ning Rongrong.
Seeing this, Ning Rongrong explained, "I've heard that when Teacher Zhao was still a Spirit Emperor, he broke through the encirclement of over a dozen Spirit Emperors from the Spirit Hall!"
"After that, he was wanted by the Spirit Hall and vanished for over a dozen years. I never expected to find him here."
"Hiss!"
Tang San, a country boy who had seen very little of the world, was deeply startled upon hearing this.
Xiao Wu also let out a sigh of relief.
As long as he wasn't a Soul Douluo, they could handle it!
And the fact that he had a grudge against the Spirit Hall made it even better.
Hearing the word "wanted," Long Jian's mouth twitched slightly as well.
"Alright, you guys should get to know each other now."
"Good luck!" Dai Mubai said with a smile. As he turned to leave, a malicious look flashed in his eyes toward Long Jian, thinking to himself, "Kid, let's see how you take a beating!"
He had specifically instructed Zhao Wuji just moments ago.
Long Jian was a troublemaker.
If he didn't get a thorough beating, he wouldn't learn.
Facing Dai Mubai's provocative gaze, Long Jian simply ignored him.
A petty clown, full of himself.
"Everyone, we don't have much time."
"Gather around so we can get acquainted."
"Since I am a Control-type soul master, I'll take charge and arrange our battle plan."
Tang San spoke with a smile, instinctively stepping up to command the group.
Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong did not move at all. Instead, their eyes fell upon Long Jian.
Among the five of them present, Long Jian had the highest rank.
If anyone was going to be listened to, it would be Long Jian.
So what if you're a Control-type? What of it?
Tang San's smile froze, and he scratched his head with a trace of awkwardness.
Still, he pulled Xiao Wu forward a couple of steps.
"Long Jian, you have the highest rank among us. Why don't you share your thoughts first?" Tang San suggested with a smile.
Seeing that everyone's eyes had shifted to him, Long Jian spoke softly: "We've only just met, so it's impossible for us to understand each other very well in such a short time."
"Good coordination is out of the question."
"My suggestion is that everyone simply fight according to your own usual habits."
"Zhuqing is an Agility-type, so she can focus on roaming and harassment. Miss Ning is a Support-type, so just provide support later. When I have a spare moment in battle, I'll make sure to keep Miss Ning safe!"
"Brother Tang San, you and Miss Xiao Wu should know each other inside out, so I won't say much about that."
Seeing that Long Jian wasn't trying to boss him around, Tang San nodded.
He was always the one giving orders to others; when had anyone ever ordered him around?
"I am a Control-type, and my Blue Silver Grass carries poison. Xiao Wu is a Power-type. The two of us will handle Teacher Zhao head-on later."
With that, Tang San looked toward Long Jian and the other two.
Ning Rongrong chimed in: "My first and second soul skills provide strength and speed enhancements."
Zhu Zhuqing's cold voice sounded out slowly: "Both of my soul skills are single-target attacks."
Then the eyes of all four fell upon Long Jian.
"My soul skills are also strictly single-target," Long Jian said calmly.
"I must say, you two are really phoning it in, aren't you?" Ning Rongrong raised an eyebrow, a mischievous smile playing on her lips. "You both have such icy expressions—no wonder you ended up together."
Hearing this, Zhu Zhuqing's face instantly turned crimson.
"Miss Ning has misunderstood. Zhuqing and I only met a couple of days ago; we're just ordinary friends," Long Jian explained.
At this, Ning Rongrong cast a skeptical look between Long Jian and Zhu Zhuqing.
A spark of gossip ignited in Xiao Wu's eyes once again. "Are you two really not a couple?"
"You've got it wrong," Long Jian shook his head.
"We simply ran into each other along the road."
Seeing how earnest Long Jian sounded, the two young women believed him by about thirty percent.
Yet looking at Zhu Zhuqing's silent demeanor and her blushing face, meaningful smiles crept onto the corners of both girls' mouths.
Not far away, Dai Mubai turned green with anger as he listened to their conversation.
He glared at Zhu Zhuqing with a fierce, murderous gaze, as if he wanted to devour her alive.
Time always flies during conversation.
Before long, the stick of incense had burned down completely.
Zhao Wuji called out, "Have you lot finished talking yet?"
"Teacher Zhao, we are ready." Standing at the center, Tang San placed one hand behind his back and made a polite gesture of invitation.
Upon seeing this, Zhao Wuji took out another stick of incense, lit it, and flicked it onto the ground beside him.
"Then let's begin!"
"First soul skill—Blue Silver Entanglement!" Tang San instantly unleashed his tried-and-true first soul skill.
The ground churned as thick, green-glowing Blue Silver Grass vines surged forward like underground dragons, rushing straight toward Zhao Wuji.
"Miss Ning, stand behind me. Zhuqing, watch your safety."
The two girls nodded in response.
Looking at Long Jian's tall, 1.85-meter figure, a blush involuntarily crept onto Ning Rongrong's pretty face.
The Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda spirit appeared, and two yellow spirit rings flashed brightly.
Just as Ning Rongrong was about to cast her enhancements on the group, Long Jian suddenly said, "Miss Ning, there's no need to boost me!"
Ning Rongrong was slightly startled by this.
Seeing Long Jian nod at her earnestly, though she felt puzzled, she nodded in agreement.
Immediately afterward, six beams of light shot forth from the Seven Treasures Glazed Pagoda, entering the bodies of Zhu Zhuqing and the other two.
"Long Jian, why aren't you summoning your spirit?" Seeing that Long Jian was making no move, Ning Rongrong couldn't help asking.
Long Jian thought about it and figured she had a point.
If he didn't use the Genisys Lock to fight Zhao Wuji, it would probably cause quite a commotion.
"Armour!"
Long Jian uttered a low cry, and the Genisys Lock on his wrist flashed with light.
An azure halo instantly washed over Long Jian's body.
As the halo dissipated, a set of azure armour suddenly appeared on him.
Faced with this sudden transformation, Ning Rongrong was stunned.
The gazes of Tang San, Xiao Wu, Zhao Wuji, and Dai Mubai all converged on Long Jian.
"Is this... spirit avatar possession?"