Who's the Teacher Here?

After finishing, Zhou Yi turned back around and swept a sharp gaze across everyone in their seats.

"I know that most of you are deeply dissatisfied with my making you run laps and expelling Tailong just now. You simply don't dare show it because of the pressure."

"I have no need to explain myself to you. Those with insight will naturally understand in the future. Trash who can't figure it out can stay clueless. Now, class begins."

Qian Chaoguang silently shook his head in his heart.

Zhou Yi's emotional intelligence was truly low beyond belief. She had practically lived the past several decades for nothing.

If using him to stir up conflict within the class earlier could still motivate the other students to cultivate while shifting the contradictions elsewhere, then these two sentences of hers were purely digging her own grave.

The original conflict had not even been redirected before she anxiously placed herself on the opposing side of every student again.

Stupid.

Utterly stupid.

"You should all recognize the two words I wrote on the blackboard. In today's first lesson, I'll explain the principles of offense and defense for Soul Masters."

"Since ancient times, we Soul Masters have been divided into many different branches. Some pursue the ultimate, while others seek balance."

"Qian Chaoguang, answer this. Among the various types of Soul Masters, who is better at attacking, and who should lean toward defense and support?"

Me?

Shouldn't it be Wang Dong?

Qian Chaoguang stood up, considered it for a moment, and answered, "Those suited for offense excel at offense, while those suited for defense and support excel at defense and support."

"Pfft..."

Even under Zhou Yi's previous pressure, someone in the classroom still failed to hold back a laugh.

Without question, they all thought Qian Chaoguang had said something pointless. Even Zhou Yi thought so.

"This is your answer?"

"Yes, this is my answer."

"What kind of bullshit is that!"

Facing Zhou Yi's twisted expression, Qian Chaoguang showed no fear and spoke at length.

"Who excels at what? The question you raised is a false proposition. In this era, when Soul Tools are already highly developed, it is difficult to judge what a Soul Master is suited for based on their martial soul alone. Anyone can become an Assault Type, defense type, support type, or any other type of Soul Master."

"Just as the two words you wrote on the blackboard—offense and defense. Today, the distinction between them has become blurred. As long as a support-type Soul Master wishes to, they can use powerful Soul Tools to arm themselves as a gun platform and achieve the attack strength of a long-range Assault Type. If their physique is strong enough, they could even wield close-combat Soul Tools and fill in as a Weapon Martial Soul Assault Type."

"Therefore, my conclusion is that offense and defense are not determined by one's martial soul. It depends on which direction the Soul Master themselves leans toward, or what direction they are more skilled at and better suited for."

"Before entering the academy, I had always been inclined to become a Soul Engineer. Therefore, I have studied Soul Tool knowledge extensively and understand how enormous an impact their invention has had on traditional Soul Masters. That is why I reached the conclusion above. Teacher Zhou, are you satisfied with my explanation?"

Qian Chaoguang's concise speech instantly plunged the classroom into utter silence. The students stared in disbelief at this specially admitted student whose Soul Power was only Level 13.

Others laugh at me for being too mad; I laugh at them for failing to see through it.

In the end, it turned out I was the clown?

Zhou Yi's gaze toward Qian Chaoguang changed, becoming serious in an instant.

She had not expected Qian Chaoguang to steal her lines.

The blurring of offense and defense had originally been the core of this lesson, as well as the point she intended to focus on.

"I didn't expect you to have such a deep understanding of the modern Soul Master System. I underestimated you. Then in your view, which is superior: Soul Engineers or Soul Masters who use Soul Tools?"

Qian Chaoguang smiled helplessly and spread his hands. "Teacher Zhou, now you're giving me a difficult question, aren't you? Professions have nothing to do with who is stronger. The key lies with the individual; every case should be analyzed specifically. For example, if you and I dueled, then even if I held a Level Nine Soul Tool, I would definitely lose."

"Why? Because I don't have enough Soul Power to activate it. But what if I were holding a Level Nine Fixed Soul Cannonball? Then the result would be completely different—I would be absolutely certain of dragging you down with me. This thing doesn't require exceedingly high Soul Power to trigger. It can even skip the triggering process entirely. All I would need to do is smash its Outer Shell with one punch, and it would unleash the power of a Limit Douluo's full-force attack."

"But what if you were holding a Level Nine Fixed Soul Cannonball as well? Then the outcome would change again—either we would both be finished, or we would fear each other and remain at peace, because both of us would have the ability to perish together with the other in an instant."

"Don't laugh at me, everyone, but I come from a family of blacksmiths. Since I was little, my forging teacher taught me: iron must be strong before it can be forged. Therefore, I believe that developing a Soul Master's own strength is indispensable. But no matter how tough I am, I can't forge with my fists, can I? They would get burned. Besides, I can't breathe fire. In the end, I still need to rely on tools such as a furnace, an anvil, and a forging hammer."

The analogy was quite amusing. Some students in the back had already understood what Qian Chaoguang meant and could not help laughing quietly.

Zhou Yi shot them a fierce glare. The few students who had laughed instantly held it back, their faces reddening slightly.

Qian Chaoguang paid no attention and continued with his final sentence.

"Therefore, I personally believe that the optimal solution is for traditional Soul Masters to use Soul Tools suited to themselves to assist them in battle on the foundation of their martial souls and soul skills. It is like how the people of ancient times knew to arm themselves with armor and swords. Teacher Zhou, what do you think?"

At this point, he also quietly scanned the students behind him with his Divine Sense.

Everyone, including Wang Dong, was utterly shocked.

This idea was somewhat ahead of its time. Almost no one could understand it.

Beneath her human-skin mask, Zhou Yi was equally stunned, even somewhat horrified.

She had never imagined that an eleven-year-old boy could see matters so thoroughly, with such clear logic and organized thinking.

And...

His views coincided with hers perfectly!

Qian Chaoguang had kicked the ball back to Zhou Yi with a rhetorical question.

To be honest, in his view, although Zhou Yi's teaching ability and emotional intelligence were truly awful, the combat philosophy she imparted to her students was undoubtedly extremely correct.

People should do what they are suited to do.

In a sense, Soul Engineers should be regarded as scientists and scholars. They should not become a combat profession.

Reality had proven it as well. The combat ability of most Rank 9 Soul Engineers was truly abysmal. They were only fairly useful when mowing down weaker enemies on the battlefield.

By the era of Dou San, Soul Engineers were no longer regarded as a combat profession. Instead, they had become genuine scholars, manufacturers, workers, and so on.

Powerful Soul Masters using powerful Soul Tools created by powerful Soul Engineers—that was the true win-win choice.

Now, the Sun Moon Empire had gradually awakened. It had even begun moving down the path of making Soul Tools accessible to ordinary people, universally applicable, and stripped of their extraordinary nature.

Meanwhile, the decaying Three Douluo Kingdoms, including Shrek, remained unable to free themselves from the glory of the past, smugly resting on the achievements recorded four thousand years ago.

Little did they know that in the interstellar era Twenty Thousand Years later, even the gods they fanatically worshiped would be nothing more than a single shot from an Interstellar Battleship's main cannon.

"You... what you said is correct. Sit down. Iron must be strong before it can be forged—that is very true. Improving your physical fitness is what will increase your chances of surviving on the battlefield. Therefore, selecting Soul Rings and training your physique will remain the top priorities throughout your cultivation."

Zhou Yi was utterly frustrated.

Who exactly is the teacher here, him or me?

Qian Chaoguang had said everything she wanted to say, and had even said it better than what was written in her lesson plan!

But no matter what, as the Head Teacher, she still had to maintain her authority.

"For the next three months, your primary training will focus on physical fitness. No matter who you are, no matter what background you have, no matter how talented you may be, if you cannot pass my assessment three months from now, then like Tailong before you, get the hell out!"