Wu Changkong

The battle ended when Xie Xie was knocked down by the mutated Blue Silver Grass.

The commotion quickly caught the attention of Long Hengxu, the academy's dean of discipline.

After harshly scolding Xie Xie and Tang Wulin, he finally turned his attention to Meng Li, who was happily cracking sunflower seeds and drinking beer.

"Hello, I'm Meng Li. What's your name? Want a drink?" Meng Li was somewhat muddled from drinking. Seeing someone standing before him, he assumed it was a new student and greeted him, forgetting that the dorm only had four beds...

Long Hengxu's eye twitched as he revealed an amused expression. "My name is Long Hengxu."

"Oh, your surname is Long. Then hello, Brother Long. Want a drink?"

This kid has some serious nerve. Xie Xie secretly gave Meng Li a thumbs-up.

Meng Li's in trouble, Yun Xiao thought.

Meng Li looks like he's about to get scolded. What should I do? Tang Wulin moved his lips.

Long Hengxu took a deep breath, his face turning green with anger. "You've got some nerve, student. Meng Li, is it? On your first day reporting in, you show no respect for your teachers and casually give people nicknames. Write me a thousand-word Self-Criticism and bring it to my office. Otherwise, wait for a demerit.

"Come with me."

"Okay." Meng Li stood up groggily and followed Long Hengxu out of the dorm.

Yun Xiao, Xie Xie, and Tang Wulin exchanged glances and prepared to go eat.

Meanwhile, Meng Li followed Long Hengxu to the office.

"This student is?" Wu Changkong asked.

"A student from your class!" Long Hengxu said angrily.

"My class? Haven't the classes been assigned yet?" Wu Changkong asked in confusion.

"It's already decided." Long Hengxu wore a stern expression. "He's got some nerve. He actually called me Brother Long."

"Brother Long... That's a nice form of address." Wu Changkong nodded calmly.

"Kid, what's your name?" Wu Changkong looked at Meng Li.

"Meng Li!" Meng Li swayed as he spoke.

"How did you drink yourself into this state? Isn't the academy forbidden from selling alcohol to students?"

"I drink when I want to."

"You're my student from now on. You're not allowed to drink anymore!" Wu Changkong suddenly said coldly.

"Okay! Teacher, what's your name?" Meng Li nodded obediently.

"Wu Changkong!"

"Give me his file."

Wu Changkong took the file from Long Hengxu and looked over Meng Li's profile. He came from Red Mountain Academy, had a younger sister, and had transferred schools!

Wu Changkong led Meng Li away and even waived the Self-Criticism.

As they walked, Wu Changkong asked Meng Li where his dorm was. Meng Li, muddled from drinking, had long forgotten, so Wu Changkong could only take him back to his own dorm...

Early the next morning, Meng Li woke up to find himself lying in an unfamiliar bed. He broke out in a cold sweat, only relaxing after checking that his silver pendant was still there.

"You're awake!" A tall man in a bathrobe walked in from outside the dorm.

"Y-you-you, what did you do to me..." Meng Li panicked slightly.

Wu Changkong: "..."

"I'm your teacher."

"Have something to eat." Wu Changkong brought over two bowls of porridge and some peanuts.

"Thank you." Meng Li rubbed his head.

"You're drinking this much at such a young age." Wu Changkong's voice was somewhat cold.

"Mm." Meng Li nodded without responding. He took a bowl of porridge and began drinking it.

Wu Changkong observed his expression and felt that this child was not drinking just for the sake of drinking, but because he had something on his mind. He said coldly, "If something's wrong, say it."

Meng Li drank his porridge, occasionally eating a peanut or two. "Sorry, Teacher. I can't tell you about my affairs."

Wu Changkong coldly sent him away. "Leave after you finish eating."

After Meng Li left Wu Changkong's dorm, he heard an old man giving a speech in a plaza packed with people.

Great, I missed the opening ceremony again. Meng Li quietly slipped to the back of the crowd. Fortunately, everyone was listening to the dean's speech. Aside from a few students nearby, no one said anything even though they saw him.

The dean read from his prepared script onstage.

"There are one hundred and nine new students this year, divided into five classes. Next, those whose names I call will step forward and enter Class One..."

He was assigned to Class Five, the lowest-ranked class. Coincidentally, his three roommates—Xie Xie, Yun Xiao, and Tang Wulin—were also in Class Five.

Upon learning the results, some were disappointed while others were happy. Meng Li alone wore an unconcerned expression. He was already level forty-five, practically unbeatable among those of his age.

The teacher assigned to lead Meng Li's group of twenty-one students appeared to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. It was Wu Changkong, whom they had met before.

His eyes were dark green, matching his long blue hair and giving him a strange air. His face was expressionless, and his gaze was icy.

At first glance, he did not seem like someone easy to get along with. He pulled everyone aside and gave them a thorough dressing-down. In short, they were all useless, every last one of them trash.

After scolding them, he gave them another round of encouragement, saying that every class he taught would become the best in the future, each one worth two others. The process would be difficult, though, and anyone who could not endure it could transfer classes.

They're already the worst class, so where would they transfer to? Go back and keep studying? Meng Li could not quite understand.

After dismissal, Meng Li returned to the dorm alone. Just as he was wondering what to eat, something bumped into him, causing the other person to take half a step back.

He looked up and realized it was his homeroom teacher, Wu Changkong.

"Sorry, Teacher!" Meng Li showed an apologetic expression.

"Come with me. I want to talk to you."

Eastsea Academy's park was shaded by lush trees. It was eleven o'clock, and the sun was blazing, so there was hardly anyone around.

"I contacted your former teacher and learned a little about your situation.

"Your name is Meng Li. You're an orphan, and your studies were fairly good.

"You have a younger sister, but one day, she suddenly stopped going to school," Wu Changkong said on his own.

"I think your sister's departure hit you hard."

Meng Li froze for a moment but said nothing as he followed behind Wu Changkong.

"You always act as though you don't care. You and she are orphans, and she was your whole world. In truth, because you lost your goal in life, you feel that there is no meaning in living in this world, right?

"You're outstanding, truly outstanding. Even with how often you skipped class, you still cultivated to this level. Even I would find that difficult. You shouldn't sink into despair. You should find a goal, one that will drive you to keep moving forward.

"Do you want to find her?" Wu Changkong looked at Meng Li.

Meng Li gave an almost imperceptible nod.

Seeing that Meng Li did not answer, Wu Changkong gathered his thoughts and said, "Find someone you care about and fall in love. She'll help you understand the meaning of life."

"I suddenly understand the meaning of life."

Meng Li looked as though he had attained enlightenment.

"What meaning?"

"Become the strongest and find Na'er!" Meng Li said seriously.

"You brat."

Wu Changkong was stunned. Wasn't he himself living for that very ideal? "You certainly aim high. How many people throughout history have had such thoughts? Don't set your goal too far..."

"Teacher Wu, it's almost noon. Let me treat you to lunch!" Meng Li spotted the cafeteria and pulled Wu Changkong inside.

"Bribing your teacher?"