The Outcome

With two brave souls taking the lead, more and more students stepped up to challenge them. Those who believed they had some skill came up one after another, but naturally, almost none of them lasted twenty exchanges against Ming Lunyu or Ma Hongjun.

Two and a half days later, Ming Lunyu defeated a student with an Iron Sword Martial Soul with a single palm strike. Looking over the deathly silent arena, he shouted, "Who else?"

After waiting for a while, no one stepped forward.

Ma Hongjun ran over and handed him his cup. "Bro, have some water."

Ming Lunyu took a gulp and asked, "How many have come up so far?"

Ma Hongjun glanced at the list in her hand. "Other than support-type soul masters and students below level twenty, everyone else has gone up."

"So many?" Ming Lunyu was startled. He had been fighting, fighting, and fighting, without keeping track of the numbers at all. Ma Hongjun had been recording everything from the side.

Interestingly, aside from the second student, Luo Kai, very few of those who came afterward challenged Ma Hongjun. No one knew why.

Ming Lunyu guessed that Ma Hongjun had hit too hard. Ma Hongjun adamantly denied it and even publicly demonstrated her gentle side.

Though she turned around and kicked a challenger ten meters away...

By now, the students were all spreading rumors that Senior Ming's girlfriend was a She-Dragon, and a terrifying one at that. Along with that came their sympathy for Ming Lunyu.

When an unnamed Green-Haired Loli was interviewed, she declared, "Ma Hongjun is just a violent woman. She never considers Senior Ming's feelings at all. Unlike me, I only feel sorry for him..."

Since no one else was willing to fight, Ming Lunyu announced the end of the selection.

"But don't worry. As long as you haven't graduated from the academy, you'll have a chance to participate in the school team selection next year, the year after, and every year after that."

The students erupted into cheers.

Over the past two and a half days, most of them had watched every one of Ming Lunyu's matches. They had long since been won over by his handsome appearance and formidable strength, becoming his devoted fans. Some quick-witted students had even made and sold merchandise of Ming Lunyu and Ma Hongjun, supposedly earning quite a bit.

Ming Lunyu did not care much when he found out. He even joked, "Merchandise is good. Buy more of it, and maybe one day you students will worship me as a god."

But his words about becoming a god were not entirely a joke. On Douluo Continent, soul masters truly could cultivate to godhood. Tang Fu'er had told him that. Achieving godhood through faith was one such path.

After dismissing the students, Ming Lunyu and Ma Hongjun headed to the dean's office. They needed to select the roster for the Advanced Competition Class based on the combat data.

When they pushed open the door, Dugu Bo was not there. That was normal. As a Titled Douluo, how could she have so much time to manage the academy every day? Such matters were generally handled by the academy's relevant departments. She only needed to adjust the overall direction according to Ming Lunyu's instructions.

"She really knows how to enjoy herself," Ma Hongjun said as she leaped onto the soft dean's chair and stretched lazily.

Ma Hongjun's petite body sank entirely into the soft, springy cushion, radiating a languid air. "After fighting nonstop for two and a half days, I'm tired too."

Ming Lunyu said irritably, "Wasn't I the one doing most of the fighting? What are you tired for?"

Ma Hongjun grinned mischievously. "I've been keeping records the whole time! Bro, you know me. Making me do this is worse than sending me to fight."

"Enough messing around. Hurry up and choose. Once we're done, let's go out and have a look around."

Ming Lunyu picked up Ma Hongjun's notes and began reading.

"Really?" Ma Hongjun instantly perked up, springing from her chair with an energetic look.

"No."

"No, no, no. Once we've chosen them, you have to go out and have fun with me~" Ma Hongjun began acting coquettishly.

"Fine, fine, fine. I'll go with you." Ming Lunyu revealed an indulgent expression.

Only then did Ma Hongjun happily sit back down.

"Bro, are there any students you have your eye on?"

After pondering for a moment, Ming Lunyu named three people.

"Bai Xu, Cao Mei, and Lu Fanxing."

Ma Hongjun quickly flipped her notes to the page containing the three and read aloud.

"Bai Xu, seventeen years old, level thirty-one, Cold Gleam Dragon Spear Martial Soul."

"Cao Mei, sixteen years old, level thirty-two, Electric Light Rat Martial Soul—ptui, Lightning Rat."

"Lu Fanxing, nineteen years old, level thirty-five, Hurricane Dart Martial Soul."

"They really are pretty good. They all have High-Level Martial Souls."

Martial Souls were broadly divided into Waste Martial Souls, Low-Level Martial Souls, Mid-Level Martial Souls, High-Level Martial Souls, Top-Tier Martial Souls, Super Martial Souls, and God-Tier Martial Souls. Though such classifications existed, the actual strength of many Martial Souls was vague. A Martial Soul might be called High-Level, yet still contend against certain Top-Tier Martial Souls without falling behind. In the end, Martial Soul quality could not determine everything. It also depended on a soul master's Soul Skill combinations and combat talent.

Ming Lunyu nodded. "Not only are these three's Martial Souls of good quality, their practical combat abilities aren't bad either. They can properly understand their own Soul Skills, which shows they possess decent combat intelligence and adaptability."

Ma Hongjun marked the three names with a special symbol.

"And this one, Qi Xiao'ai. She's definitely talented, the kind other academies would fight over. Honestly, I'm surprised we recruited someone like her in our first batch of students. But given her age, she won't make it in time for this tournament," Ming Lunyu said.

Ma Hongjun pulled out her information.

"Qi Xiao'ai, eleven years old, level twenty-five, Burning Flame Qin Martial Soul. She really is talented! How did someone like her not get snatched up by another academy?"

"That's a good thing. If we properly nurture such an outstanding seedling, she might become a great help in accomplishing my ambitions someday," Ming Lunyu said.

"Right, we need to brainwash her properly!" Ma Hongjun revealed the grin of a great villain.

Ming Lunyu flicked her forehead.

"What do you mean, brainwash? That's ideological education, understand? Ideological education! Besides, nothing's even begun yet. Let's run the academy well first before thinking about anything else."

"Oh..." Ma Hongjun rubbed her head, secretly muttering about when she would become the big sister of an evil force with countless followers, leading a gang of underlings around to bully everyone.

Next, the two carefully screened the candidates again and selected a total of fifteen students as the first members of the Advanced Competition Class.

Over the next two years, all academy students would undergo an assessment once each year, and new students would be recruited into the Advanced Competition Class then.

These elite students would receive better teaching resources, but they would also face a harsher elimination system. Only those who stood out could represent the academy in battle and win honor for both the academy and themselves.

After finalizing the list, Ming Lunyu thought it over and realized there was nothing urgent left to handle. He took Ma Hongjun out for a stroll to relax.

Ice and Fire Twofold Polarity Eyes.

Two green-haired figures, one tall and one short, sat in front of the Wooden Cabin, staring at each other wide-eyed.

After a long silence, Dugu Yan finally let out a high-pitched scream. She leaped up, hugged Dugu Bo in her arms, and vigorously rubbed the top of Dugu Bo's head.

"Grandpa, how did you become so cute?!"

"That little face!"

"That little body!"

"Those jade-like feet!"

"Did you really turn from that gloomy, antisocial old geezer?"

Dugu Bo irritably slapped Dugu Yan's paws away.

"You little brat, you dare call your Grandpa an old geezer now?"

"Grandpa, don't be angry, don't be angry..." Seeing the displeasure on Dugu Bo's face, Dugu Yan hurriedly smiled ingratiatingly.

"I was just surprised for a moment~ It's all Grandpa's fault. This transformation is way too shocking!" Dugu Yan circled around Dugu Bo, inspecting her from every angle.

"Stop! Sit down!" Unable to endure any longer, Dugu Bo pressed Dugu Yan into a chair.

Seriously, after turning into a girl, her granddaughter had become taller than her!

At the thought, Dugu Bo puffed out her cheeks in displeasure.

"Ahhh! Grandpa, you look so cute when you're angry..." Dugu Yan could not resist hugging Dugu Bo. With a mischievous smile, she extended a slender index finger and poked Dugu Bo's puffed cheek flat as though poking a balloon.

Dugu Bo was displeased, and her cheeks puffed up again.

Dugu Yan: Poke~

Dugu Bo: Puff...

Dugu Yan: Poke~

Dugu Bo dragged Dugu Yan away again. "That's enough!"