The light screen displayed the complete video of Xiao Han's fight against Chen Feng, along with Zhou Kai's report, full of shock and admiration.
The video replayed again and again, showing Xiao Han merging into the shadows, appearing out of nowhere, breaking through Chen Feng's defenses with both fists, and gravely wounding him in a single blow.
Lin Qingxia's breathtakingly beautiful face was as still as an ancient well, betraying no emotion. Yet an unusual light flickered through her eyes, deep as a sea of stars.
"Sixth Level of the Warrior Realm... shadow-type movement techniques and control... and a fist technique with Destruction Intent..."
Her fingertips tapped lightly against the desk with a crisp sound. "Chaos Green Lotus, Eternal Night Monarch... those two Martial Souls really aren't that simple."
Back at Beihai No. 1 High School, she had already seen Xiao Han in a different light, not only because of his extraordinary theory scores and solid foundation at the Martial Apprentice Ninth Level, but also because of an intuition.
Now it seemed her intuition had been right.
That kid was hiding a huge secret.
"Twin SSS+? No, I'm afraid there's more to it..."
Lin Qingxia shook her head slightly. "He shattered the crystal during his awakening, and now he can cross a major realm to take down a Martial Master in an instant... interesting."
She switched off the light screen, picked up an internal communicator from the desk, and dialed a number.
"It's me."
Her cool, magnetic voice rang out. "Notify Xiao Han of first-year Class Seven at the Martial Arts Institute to come to my office immediately."
Xiao Han had only just returned to the Class Seven classroom and had barely warmed his seat when Zhou Kai rushed in like a gust of wind. His face bore a complicated mixture of excitement, awe, and a touch of nervousness.
"Student Xiao Han! Student Xiao Han!"
Zhou Kai ran up to Xiao Han, his voice trembling slightly. He tried to maintain his bearing as a class adviser, but he couldn't hide the fawning tone in his voice. "Well... Instructor Lin Qingxia has summoned you!"
Lin Qingxia?
Hearing this, Xiao Han raised an eyebrow slightly.
What did that beautiful Martial King instructor who had specially recruited him from Beihai City want with him?
Was it about his defeat of Chen Feng just now?
"Understood, teacher."
He nodded slightly and stood up.
"Hey! I'll take you there! I'll take you there!"
Zhou Kai hurried over, his eagerness making the surrounding students unable to bear watching.
Xiao Han didn't refuse and followed him out of the classroom.
On the way, Zhou Kai's mouth never stopped moving. He talked on and on about Lin Qingxia's exalted status at the academy and how powerful she was, not forgetting to urge Xiao Han to make a good impression. He looked just like an old father afraid his son-in-law would slight his daughter.
After passing through several teaching areas of strikingly different styles and taking a high-speed floating elevator reserved for internal use, Xiao Han finally arrived before a tower that rose into the clouds.
Zhou Kai was stopped at the tower entrance; only Xiao Han was allowed in.
When Xiao Han entered Lin Qingxia's office, he found it even more spacious than he had imagined, with an excellent view.
A faint fragrance and rich spiritual energy drifted through the air, leaving him refreshed.
Lin Qingxia stood before the enormous floor-to-ceiling window, her back to him as she gazed into the distance.
She wore a well-tailored silver-white instructor's uniform that traced every exquisite curve of her figure.
Her waterfall of long hair hung loose. Even from behind, she radiated an indescribably powerful aura and a breathtaking beauty.
"You're here?"
Lin Qingxia turned around.
Her gaze was calm and deep, as though it could see into a person's heart.
Under her gaze, Xiao Han felt a faint, almost imperceptible pressure.
This woman was far stronger than he had expected.
"Instructor Lin."
Xiao Han greeted her with neither servility nor arrogance.
"Sit."
Lin Qingxia pointed to the sofa nearby.
Xiao Han sat down as instructed.
Lin Qingxia sat opposite him and personally poured him a cup of tea wreathed in spiritual energy.
"Try it. Calming heart tea helps focus the mind and settle the spirit."
"Thank you, Instructor."
Xiao Han thanked her, picked up the cup, and took a small sip.
A gentle current of warmth slid down his throat, instantly refreshing him and dispelling much of the fatigue from days of cultivation and combat.
Good stuff.
"I saw your performance at the awakening ceremony in Beihai City."
Lin Qingxia got straight to the point.
"Twin Martial Souls: Chaos Green Lotus and Eternal Night Monarch. The test result at the time was SSS+."
Xiao Han's heart stirred. He knew the main event had arrived.
"But I also watched your fight with Chen Feng just now."
Lin Qingxia continued, a trace of inquiry in her voice.
"The strength you displayed, especially that strange movement technique and your ability to break through defenses, seems... not quite consistent with the known characteristics of your two Martial Souls. Besides, defeating someone at the First Level of the Martial Master Realm in one move while you're at the Sixth Level of the Warrior Realm isn't something an SSS+ Martial Soul alone could easily accomplish."
She paused. Her tone was even, but carried an unquestionable note. "Can you explain, Student Xiao Han? After your awakening, did you encounter anything... unusual?"
Here it comes!
Sure enough, she's asking about that.
Thoughts raced through Xiao Han's mind.
He absolutely could not expose the system.
A perfectly measured look of thought appeared on his face, and he said candidly, "Instructor Lin, your eyes are as keen as torches. After my awakening, I was indeed lucky enough to obtain a special inheritance left by a senior expert while I was out training. It included some incomplete cultivation techniques and martial skills, which allowed my strength to improve somewhat... well, rather quickly."
That explanation was half true and half false.
The cultivation techniques and martial skills had indeed come from the system, so there was nothing wrong with calling them an "inheritance."
As for the "senior expert," that was pure fabrication.
Lin Qingxia watched him quietly without speaking.
The office fell silent for a moment, with only the drifting clouds passing soundlessly outside the window.
Xiao Han remained calm on the surface, but inwardly he was on guard.
Doesn't this woman believe me?
After a moment, Lin Qingxia finally spoke slowly, her tone revealing neither joy nor anger. "A special inheritance... that isn't uncommon in the martial world. It seems your fortune is indeed quite good."
She seemed to accept his explanation and didn't press him for details.
Xiao Han secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"Your potential far exceeds my expectations."
Lin Qingxia changed the subject, a hint of appreciation appearing in her eyes. "With your current strength and potential, keeping you in an ordinary class like Class Seven would be a waste."
Xiao Han's heart stirred, and he had a premonition.
"I've already spoken to the institute."
Lin Qingxia said, "I'm arranging to transfer you into the Martial Arts Institute's first-year core class—Zero Class."
The core class!
Zero Class!
Although Xiao Han had only just arrived, he had heard about the Imperial Capital Academy's class system.
Above the ordinary classes were the elite classes, and above the elite classes lay the true core!
The core classes gathered the very top talents of the entire year, received priority access to the academy's finest resources, and were personally instructed by its most powerful instructors.
And Zero Class was the core of the core, mysterious and powerful!
Just then, the system notification sounded right on cue.
[ Ding! The host has been detected facing an important choice. God-Level Choice System triggered!]
[Choice one: Accept Lin Qingxia's proposal and join the core Zero Class. Rewards: Priority access to the academy's core resources (partial), accelerated cultivation privileges for the Creation-Heaven-Penetrating Art (temporary), a large number of credits.]
[Choice two: Politely decline Lin Qingxia's proposal and continue developing low-key in Class Seven. Rewards: Temporary "Master of Lying Low" title (slight improvement to concealment effect), basic cultivation resource pack x1, one month of undisturbed cultivation time.]