"You're welcome. We're all family from now on!"
Hearing Zhao Tao's words, Mu Chen smiled faintly and unlocked the door to the smithy, inviting Mu Xi to come in with him.
"Zhao Tao, this is my daughter, and also my disciple—Mu Xi."
Looking at Zhao Tao, Mu Chen smiled as he introduced Mu Xi.
"Little junior brother, you're amazing! I can't believe you really are a Rank 3 Blacksmith!"
Hearing Mu Chen's words, Mu Xi took the initiative to greet Zhao Tao, her eyes full of admiration.
Without a teacher's guidance, her little junior brother had still managed to break the Blacksmith Association's record with ease.
What terrifying talent!
"You flatter me, senior sister!"
Looking at Mu Xi's admiring expression, Zhao Tao returned a faint smile.
"From now on, you two should help each other out!"
"Mu Xi studies at Eastsea Academy, just like you. If anyone bullies you, you can ask her for help."
"And you can help Mu Xi with her blacksmithing, too. Sometimes, it's easier to understand the experience of someone your own age."
With a kindly smile, Mu Chen gave Zhao Tao and Mu Xi some advice.
"Yes, teacher (Dad)!"
Hearing Mu Chen's words, Zhao Tao and Mu Xi smiled and agreed.
"Little junior brother, I have to go take the Rank 2 Blacksmith exam. See you next time~"
After chatting with Zhao Tao for a few more minutes, Mu Xi turned to leave. Zhao Tao took the elevator back to the first-floor lobby.
"Brother Tao, congratulations on passing the Rank 3 Blacksmith Master exam!"
By then, Tang Wulin had also completed the Rank 2 Blacksmith exam and was waiting in the lobby.
Seeing Zhao Tao emerge from the elevator, the Rank 3 Blacksmith badge hanging on his chest, Tang Wulin hurried to congratulate him.
"Wulin, congratulations on passing the Rank 2 Blacksmith exam, too!"
"I'm sure it won't be long before you advance to Rank 3 Blacksmith Master!"
"Now, let's head back to the academy!"
Zhao Tao smiled, patted Tang Wulin on the shoulder, and took him back to Eastsea Academy.
In the blink of an eye, the next morning arrived.
Eastsea Academy's opening ceremony was held on the enormous athletic field.
All the students from the intermediate and advanced divisions had gathered.
The intermediate division had six grades, with about a hundred students in each.
There were roughly six or seven hundred students in total.
The advanced division had far fewer students, with only a little over a hundred.
This was enough to show that getting into an advanced soul master academy was no easy feat.
"Good morning, students. I'm Yu Zhen, the dean of Eastsea Academy!"
"First, let's give a warm round of applause to welcome all the new students joining Eastsea Academy this year..."
Amid the students' applause, an old man who looked to be in his sixties, with graying hair, stepped onto the podium and began his speech.
After the ceremony ended, the students dispersed. Only the new first-year students from the intermediate division, including Zhao Tao, remained to wait for their class assignments.
And just as Long Hengxu had said earlier,
Zhao Tao, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie had all been assigned to Class Five, the worst class.
Once the class assignments had been announced, the homeroom teachers headed toward their respective classes.
As the figure approached them, every student in Class Five except Zhao Tao stared in shock.
There was no other reason: the teacher's appearance and bearing were simply too striking.
He stood over 1.9 meters tall and had a slender build. Dressed in a white suit, he had bright eyes, a high nose bridge, and an exceptionally handsome face.
A head of long blue hair hung down his back, and a frigid aura surrounded him, making people shiver.
Zhao Tao knew that this was Wu Changkong, nicknamed the "Cold and Proud God," a fallen genius from Shrek Academy!
"Follow me!"
Wu Changkong had nothing to say to the students' astonished or admiring looks. He simply left them with those words and led them to the Class Five classroom.
"My name is Wu Changkong, and I'll be your teacher for the next six years!"
"Regardless of your talent, over the next six years I'll make you the strongest among your peers. That will be your goal for the next six years!"
"Now, introduce yourselves!"
Wu Changkong's tone was calm as he looked at the students who had taken their seats, but his barely concealed arrogance immediately drew everyone's attention.
"Zhou Changxi, Martial Soul: Great Strength Divine Ape, Soul Power: Rank 11..."
"Tang Wulin, Martial Soul: Blue Silver Grass, Soul Power: Rank 11..."
"Zhao Tao, Martial Soul: Spring Autumn Cicada, Soul Power: Rank 17..."
One student after another took turns introducing themselves.
"Not bad. Your foundations are considerably better than I expected!"
"Starting tomorrow, we'll begin classes in earnest!"
"My teaching methods are different from those of other teachers, so be prepared!"
"If you can't handle hardship or hard work, transfer to another school or class as soon as possible. Don't hold everyone back!"
"Class dismissed!"
Without saying much else, Wu Changkong left with those words. The students who remained in the classroom began talking among themselves.
"Brother Tao, I feel like Teacher Wu is something special!"
Tang Wulin leaned toward Zhao Tao and spoke in a low voice.
"Wulin, great minds think alike. I feel the same way!"
"Maybe joining Class Five will turn out to be an opportunity for us!"
Hearing Tang Wulin's words, Zhao Tao smiled and patted him on the shoulder.
In the blink of an eye, the next morning arrived.
Wu Changkong led everyone to the athletic field.
"Today is our first lesson. Pair up and fight each other so I can see what you're capable of!"
Wu Changkong split the students into pairs, clapped his hands, and announced the lesson.
The students started discussing Wu Changkong's arrangement. One of them, an Auxiliary System Soul Master, even challenged it to his face.
"Hmph. On the battlefield, the enemy won't let you off just because you're an Auxiliary System Soul Master instead of a Battle Soul Master!"
"The fights that follow will have no rules and no restrictions on methods. We'll start with this pair!"
As soon as he finished speaking, Wu Changkong pointed to Tang Wulin and Zhou Changxi, who were in the first pair.
The fight that followed was, naturally, a complete rout.
Relying on the Golden Dragon King Bloodline within him, Tang Wulin won in an instant.
However, Wu Changkong didn't praise his performance.
On the contrary, he questioned why Tang Wulin hadn't gone all out and used his Martial Soul, instead relying on brute strength to win.
After hearing Wu Changkong's words, Tang Wulin nodded thoughtfully.
One fight after another continued without pause.
After round upon round of fighting, soon only two students remained on the field without having fought.
They were Zhao Tao and Xie Xie!
Before you continue