Ning Rongrong and Zhu Zhuqing's Sudden Realization

Zhao Wuji swallowed hard and said in a muffled voice, "Sword Douluo's Seven Killing Sword, that's... that's..."

He said "that's" for a long while, yet could not find suitable words to describe the shock in his heart.

Yu Xiaogang's expression became more solemn than ever, even somewhat pale.

The Seven Killing Sword's ranking was like a heavy hammer, smashing viciously into his theories.

He had always believed that the Clear Sky Hammer and Seven Killing Sword stood at the pinnacle of Tool Martial Souls, neither inferior to the other.

But now, the Seven Killing Sword was merely in 15th Place!

Then what about the Clear Sky Hammer?

What rank could it possibly reach?

His previous confident claim of "Top Three" now sounded somewhat laughable.

Tang San clenched his fists tightly, his fingertips turning slightly white from the force.

He was equally shaken by this ranking.

He had heard of Sword Douluo Chen Xin's strength. He was an opponent even Tang San's father had spoken of with great seriousness.

Yet the Martial Soul of such a powerful figure had only been ranked 15th by the Heavenly Dao?

"Teacher..."

Tang San looked toward Yu Xiaogang, his eyes full of questions.

Yu Xiaogang took a deep breath and forcibly calmed himself. In a deep voice, he said, "Little San, do not let the rankings affect your state of mind. We have no way of knowing the Heavenly Dao Ranking List's standards. Perhaps it judges more than mere attack power."

"Your Clear Sky Hammer is still a top-tier Martial Soul."

"What we need to do now is wait calmly and make every possible preparation."

Despite his words, a shadow had already settled over everyone at Shrek Academy.

Big Dipper Academy, Central Plaza.

The Golden Sky Curtain slowly faded from the sky. After announcing the Seven Killing Sword's ranking, it once again fell Silent.

Ning Rongrong's delicate little face was filled with confusion and disbelief.

Her cherry-red lips parted slightly, unable to close for a long while.

She rubbed her eyes hard, then looked up at the sky, which had already returned to calm.

As though she wanted to confirm whether she had misheard what she had just heard.

"Grandpa Sword's Seven Killing Sword... 15th Place? Grandpa Bone's Bone Dragon... 17th Place?"

She muttered to herself, her voice tinged with doubt.

"How is that possible? Grandpa Sword's Seven Killing Sword is the number one attacking Tool Martial Soul in the world!

"Grandpa Bone's Bone Dragon has space abilities that are even more elusive and unpredictable. How could it... how could it rank so low?"

She abruptly turned her head toward Lu Xiao, who was still lounging lazily in his rocking chair, and asked in puzzlement, "Dean, what is going on? Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone's Martial Souls are so powerful. Why are they ranked so low? Could the Heavenly Dao Ranking List have made a mistake?"

Her voice was full of incomprehension.

Even Grandpa Sword and Grandpa Bone's Martial Souls could only rank below 15th Place. Then what about her Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda?

Although it had evolved into the Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, greatly improving in quality.

At its core, it was still a Support System Martial Soul. In terms of pure offense and strange abilities, it did not seem to hold any advantage...

Did that not mean...

That the top ten spot she had been so confident about was also in jeopardy?

At the thought of that possibility, Ning Rongrong's heart sank sharply.

Lu Xiao did not even lift his eyelids. He merely lazily rolled over and muttered indistinctly.

"The Heavenly Dao Ranking List has its own reasons. Is a lower ranking not good? You still received the rewards, did you not? Improving your strength is what matters."

"But..."

Ning Rongrong wanted to ask more, but a cool hand beside her gently caught hold of hers.

It was Zhu Zhuqing.

At that moment, Zhu Zhuqing's breathtakingly cold and beautiful face was filled with unprecedented solemnity.

She had thought more deeply and further ahead than Ning Rongrong.

Shock spread through her deep, beautiful eyes like ripples.

She did not look at Ning Rongrong. Instead, her gaze slowly swept across the others in the plaza.

Teacher Li Bai, carefree in bearing and unfathomable, who had effortlessly crushed the three of them working together without even using his Martial Soul...

Teacher Zhuang Zhou, dozing nearby, and the other teachers inside the rooms.

And...

Dean Lu Xiao, who spent all day either eating or sleeping, yet gave off an unfathomable feeling like the Abyss...

A thought flashed through Zhu Zhuqing's mind like lightning, one that made her entire body turn cold:

"Sword Douluo's Seven Killing Sword and Bone Douluo's Bone Dragon—these top-tier Martial Souls that had shaken the entire Douluo Continent—could only rank 15th and 17th on the Heavenly Dao Ranking List..."

"Then what ranks would the Martial Souls of the people in our academy—Teacher Li Bai, Teacher Zhuang Zhou, and the Dean—hold?"

Could it be that every person in this seemingly inconspicuous Big Dipper Academy, hidden deep within Sunset Forest, possessed a Martial Soul even more powerful and unimaginable than the Seven Killing Sword and Bone Dragon?

Once that thought arose, it spread wildly through Zhu Zhuqing's heart like weeds.

It made her involuntarily suck in a breath of cold air!

"Hiss—!"

A chill shot from her tailbone straight to the top of her head, and her delicate body even Trembled slightly.

If her guess was true, then the foundation of this Big Dipper Academy was simply too terrifying!

Terrifying enough to overturn the existing balance of power across the entire Douluo Continent!

At last, she somewhat understood why Dean Lu Xiao always appeared so indifferent, as though nothing mattered to him.

She also understood why Teacher Li Bai and the others were so unfathomably powerful.

Why their teaching methods differed so greatly from ordinary people's.

Because the heights they stood at and the power they possessed were simply not on the same level as the Soul Masters of the outside world!

Ning Rongrong was startled by Zhu Zhuqing's sudden reaction.

Seeing her pale face and shocked eyes, she asked in confusion, "Zhuqing, what is wrong? Do you also think this ranking is too absurd?"

Zhu Zhuqing slowly turned her head, looking at Ning Rongrong before glancing at the Dean and the others not far away, who seemed entirely unsurprised by all this.

Her voice carried a hint of dryness and unprecedented seriousness.

"Rongrong, have you ever thought about why Sword Douluo and Bone Douluo's Martial Souls rank so low?"

Ning Rongrong froze. "Wh-why? Is it not because there are even stronger Martial Souls on the continent?"

"Yes, stronger Martial Souls."

Zhu Zhuqing's gaze swept over the academy once more, her tone faint. "Then where do you think those stronger Martial Souls are?"

Ning Rongrong was not stupid. She had merely been thrown into a panic by the ranking just now.

Prompted by Zhu Zhuqing, she was stunned at first.

Then she followed Zhu Zhuqing's gaze. When she saw Li Bai, the Dean, and the others.

An equally astonishing thought struck her mind like lightning!

Her eyes instantly widened, and she pointed at those people with a trembling little hand. "Zhu... Zhuqing, you mean, could they..."

She did not finish her words, but her meaning was already obvious!

When she thought of how, for the past three years, she had studied and fought alongside a group of teachers who might possess Martial Souls surpassing the Seven Killing Sword and Bone Dragon.

Ning Rongrong felt dizzy, as though her entire worldview had suffered an unprecedented impact!

At last, she understood why Dean Lu Xiao had responded so perfunctorily just now.

Perhaps a ranking that seemed earth-shattering to outsiders was nothing more than ordinary to the Dean and these teachers?

Perhaps... they even thought the ranking was too low?

The two Girls looked at each other, both seeing boundless shock and a trace of sudden realization in the other's eyes.