Practical Class Battles! (Happy New Year!)

Freshman Class 4's classroom was already full, with every student seated at their desk.

Xia Yu entered the classroom.

"Zhu Ziyang, come up here and post this list beside the blackboard." Xia Yu took out a sheet of paper and called to Zhu Ziyang.

Zhu Ziyang walked up to the podium, took the list from Xia Yu, and glanced at it. To his surprise, it was a ranking of Soul Power Levels. He immediately spotted his own name in first place and Jiang Nannan's in second.

As he posted it, he gave it a rough scan. The gap among the hundred students was enormous. Excluding Zhu Ziyang, fewer than twenty had Soul Power above level 20. Jiang Nannan was the only one at level 25, while most were level 21 or 22, with a few at level 23 or 24. Even more students were at level 18 or 19. Tang Ya, for example, had Soul Power at level 19.

"This list records every student's Soul Power Level upon enrollment. Before the Freshman Assessment, I expect everyone's Soul Power to rise by at least one level. Those who fail to meet that target need not participate in the Freshman Assessment. They can leave directly," Xia Yu said.

His words shocked the students, and worried expressions appeared on their faces.

However, Xia Yu paid them no mind.

He continued, "This is a practical class. As Soul Masters, the only form of practical training is battle. Therefore, in this class, as well as every practical class from now on, you will all need to fight!"

Xia Yu's words threw everyone into an uproar. Having just experienced the duelling matches in the Soul Duelling Zone, they were still highly sensitive to the idea of battle.

"Quiet!" Xia Yu said. A wave of pressure instantly erupted from him, and the classroom fell silent at once.

Zhu Ziyang felt that pressure as well. His eyes narrowed slightly. It seemed his homeroom teacher was stronger than he had imagined. That kind of pressure could very well belong to a Soul Saint!

"Now, let me explain the rules." Xia Yu was satisfied once the room had quieted down. He withdrew his pressure and said, "Our class currently has one hundred students. Class Monitor Zhu Ziyang does not need to participate in practical class battles, leaving ninety-nine people. I will divide those ninety-nine into forty-nine groups.

"That leaves one extra person. I have one recommendation slot for the Soul Tool Department. If anyone wishes to study Soul Tools, tell me. That slot will be yours, and you will also be exempt from practical class battles.

"Anyone interested?"

"Teacher Xia, I want to join the Soul Tool Department!" The moment Xia Yu finished speaking, a boy immediately stood up. Judging by his excited expression, he had clearly planned this for a long time.

"Very good, Ling Xiaodong. Come to my office after class and fill out the paperwork." Xia Yu was delighted and immediately spoke to Ling Xiaodong.

"Yes, Teacher Xia," Ling Xiaodong answered.

"Forty-nine groups, with two people in each group. You will battle one another. Once every group has produced a winner, there will be a second round of grouping—again, forty-nine groups—and another round of battles. In this way, we will conduct five rounds of battles during the first month!" After that interruption, Xia Yu paused. His expression turned extremely stern as he said, "I hope every one of you remembers what I am about to say. Once the five rounds are over, anyone without a single victory will be expelled!"

"Ah!" All the students erupted, staring at Xia Yu in disbelief.

Xia Yu's pressure emerged once more, freezing everyone in place. He said, "As the homeroom teacher of a freshman class, I have the authority to directly expel students from my own class! Even the Academic Affairs Office cannot interfere with a freshman homeroom teacher's decision! So rather than complain here, you should think about how to improve your combat ability. The standard I've set for you is already very low. I hope you don't push your luck!"

Aside from Zhu Ziyang, Jiang Nannan, and a handful of others who were confident in their own strength, the remaining students fell silent as cicadas in winter, their expressions grave.

"Very good." Xia Yu was pleased with the students' reactions. "I have already arranged the first round of matchups. Zhu Ziyang, come up and announce them, then keep track of each student's wins and losses."

"No problem!" Zhu Ziyang stood up at those words and walked to the podium under his classmates' envious and jealous gazes.

He took the list from Xia Yu, glanced over it, and began to announce, "Group One: Jiang Nannan, Li Yue."

Jiang Nannan's gaze flickered slightly below, while the girl named Li Yue sharpened her eyes as she looked at Jiang Nannan, seeming unable to wait any longer.

"Group Two: Lin Ziwei, Luo Tianyou. Group Three: Wang Qiao, Zhang Yiqing. Group Four... Group Forty-Nine: Shi Zijian, Zhang Zhao."

As Zhu Ziyang read through the pairings, the atmosphere among the students gradually grew tense. Their gazes toward one another were filled with hostile animosity.

It was worth noting that Xia Yu had not assigned any Dormitory roommates to the same group. Clearly, he did not want his entire class to become enemies who hated one another.

Once all the groups had been announced, Xia Yu spoke again. "There are a few points I need to remind you of.

"First, do not collude with one another. If I discover it, both of you will be expelled!

"Second, do not carry the outcome of a match beyond the match itself. If anyone bears a grudge after losing and retaliates against the winner afterward, then if I find out, I will make you regret ever coming to Shrek Academy!"

Xia Yu's final sentence dripped with killing intent. Seven Soul Rings rose behind him with a sharp flare—two yellow, two purple, and three black. A Soul Saint!

He really was a Soul Saint!

The students below were merely Soul Masters and Soul Grand Masters in their teens and twenties. Faced with a Soul Saint's pressure, they could not move at all. The dissatisfaction they had felt over Xia Yu's arrangements vanished instantly. This was a Soul Saint! And a Soul Saint of Shrek Academy at that!

Zhu Ziyang stood closest to Xia Yu and endured the greatest pressure. He mobilized all his strength and resisted with everything he had, barely managing to keep himself steady and avoid embarrassing himself. Even so, fine beads of sweat covered his forehead.

Xia Yu glanced at Zhu Ziyang from the corner of his eye. Seeing that he could actually withstand his pressure, Xia Yu was surprised and deeply satisfied. He withdrew both his Soul Rings and pressure. After waiting a moment, he said, "Very well. You have three minutes to ask questions."

"Teacher, why doesn't Zhu Ziyang have to participate in practical class battles?" The moment Xia Yu finished speaking, a male student stood up and challenged him.

"You're Luo Tianyou, right?" Xia Yu did not answer Luo Tianyou's question immediately. Instead, he said, "I like this kind of unwillingness to accept defeat, because only then can your will to compete be awakened!"

Luo Tianyou? Zhu Ziyang's eyes shifted slightly. He remembered that name. Luo Tianyou was one of only three level 24 Soul Grand Masters in the class.

"Why doesn't Zhu Ziyang have to participate in practical class battles? I can tell you clearly: he does not need to." Xia Yu smiled. "I imagine that, as a level 35 Soul Elder, Zhu Ziyang would not want to bully a group of Soul Masters and Soul Grand Masters, would he?"

Zhu Ziyang remained silent. The students, however, exploded into an uproar. They all looked toward Zhu Ziyang with admiration, shock, and curiosity. They were the same age, so why was he so outstanding?

No one raised another question. Xia Yu said, "No more questions? Good. Now, everyone, leave the classroom and gather on the open ground in front of the teaching building."

Everyone stood and filed out of the classroom in an orderly fashion. Xia Yu and Zhu Ziyang were the last to leave.

"Good kid, you've let me see hope for a bonus!" Xia Yu said with a smile, patting Zhu Ziyang's shoulder happily.

"Uh!" Zhu Ziyang had no idea what to say for a moment.

A bonus? It's not like you're giving me half of it, so why tell me?

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