What... We're Fighting Teacher Wu!?

"So that was it. It seems your Spiritual Power is far beyond that of ordinary people. That's how you can control so many elements with such precision."

Hearing that, Wu Changkong nodded, as if something had occurred to him.

It seemed Gu Yue's Martial Soul wasn't without flaws, after all. It wasn't perfect in every way.

Even so, her Elemental Master Martial Soul was absolutely no weaker than Zhao Tao's Spring Autumn Cicada. She was more than worth his full investment!

"Alright, get back to training. Gu Yue, come with me to the Academic Affairs Office."

Wu Changkong shouted to the students who had stopped to watch, then led Gu Yue toward the Academic Affairs Office.

"Understood."

After hearing Wu Changkong, Gu Yue started walking again and followed him.

Before long, Wu Changkong arrived at the Academic Affairs Office and found Long Hengxu. He explained why he had come.

Knowing Wu Changkong's true identity and strength, Long Hengxu naturally didn't want to make him angry.

Besides, Gu Yue's letter of recommendation and documents were all in order, and her strength met the admission requirements.

Long Hengxu readily agreed to Wu Changkong's request, completed Gu Yue's enrollment, and assigned her to First Grade Class Five, where Wu Changkong taught.

And so Gu Yue, the Silver Dragon King's incarnation representing the Soul Beast side of her personality, officially became a member of Eastsea Academy's First Grade Class Five.

After a full day of training, the sun set and evening arrived.

Wu Changkong had originally planned to hold physical training in the morning and teach Soul Master theory in the afternoon.

But after seeing how poor Class Five's physical fitness was,

Wu Changkong changed his mind and turned the afternoon classes into more physical training.

After an entire day of "torture," even Tang Wulin, who was built like an ox, was now gasping for breath. The other students were in even worse shape.

"Zhao Tao, Gu Yue, Xie Xie, Tang Wulin. Come see me at seven tonight for special training."

After dismissing the class, Wu Changkong turned toward the four of them, who were panting heavily, and spoke in a cold voice.

"W-what? We still have special training?"

At Wu Changkong's words, Xie Xie, whose legs were already trembling, couldn't help shuddering.

Even Tang Wulin wore a bitter smile.

But under the pressure of Wu Changkong's overwhelming presence, all they could do was nod in silence. They didn't dare argue.

After a quick dinner, the four followed Wu Changkong to begin their special training.

This time, they weren't training on the academy's field, but in an indoor training arena.

Wu Changkong had specifically requested it while handling Gu Yue's enrollment.

"To prepare for the Class Promotion Tournament, I'll be holding special training for you here every night for the next three months."

"The main participants will be Zhao Tao, Gu Yue, and Xie Xie. Tang Wulin will be a substitute and enter the match when the opportunity arises."

"As for your goal, there's only one: defeat the opponents from First Grade Class One and make our Class Five the new Class One!"

Wu Changkong had already explained the Class Promotion Tournament to Zhao Tao and the others, but with Gu Yue joining them, he once again went over the tournament and the change in participants.

"Teacher Wu, what are we doing for special training? Please don't tell me it's more physical training."

Xie Xie asked, wearing a curious expression.

"Of course not!"

"The special training will take the form of actual combat."

Wu Changkong shook his head at Xie Xie's question, then calmly replied.

In his view, a Soul Master's strength came from actual combat!

Only actual combat could draw out the students' potential and improve their combat experience as much as possible.

"Actual combat?"

"Teacher Wu, that doesn't seem fair. I can't beat any of them!"

Xie Xie hunched his shoulders and glanced at the three beside him.

Clearly, even the weakest of them, Tang Wulin, had beaten him before.

And that was nothing compared to Zhao Tao, whose strength far surpassed Tang Wulin's, or Gu Yue, who could fight Zhao Tao to a standstill.

"Hmph. Who said you'd be sparring with each other?"

"In a moment, your opponent will be me!"

Wu Changkong gave a cold snort and replied calmly.

Then he lightly tapped the ground with his toe and moved to the center of the training arena, activating the protective Soul Guidance barriers around it.

"Teacher Wu, th-this isn't right, is it?"

Seeing Wu Changkong looking eager for a fight, Xie Xie questioned him again.

He didn't know Wu Changkong's exact cultivation level, but judging by the pressure Wu Changkong gave off compared to certain elders in his family,

Xie Xie was sure Wu Changkong's cultivation was no lower than a Soul King's!

What... We're fighting Teacher Wu!?

At the thought, Xie Xie couldn't help trembling three times over.

"What's wrong with it?"

"Only by fighting you myself can I find your weaknesses and bring out your potential!"

"Of course, you don't need to worry about me bullying you with my superior strength. I won't use my Martial Soul or Soul Skills in this fight. Come at me together!"

Wu Changkong replied calmly, then took an ordinary wooden sword from his Storage Soul Tool.

"Together!"

Looking toward Wu Changkong, Zhao Tao stirred his thoughts and activated his Soul Skill, summoning the Time Burial Sword before launching an attack.

As in their usual battles, Zhao Tao deliberately held back and didn't show all of his combat skills.

After all, it would be rather astonishing for him, a Soul Master, to display combat techniques on the level of a Titled Douluo.

"Understood!"

Gu Yue answered briefly, taking on the dual roles of support and mage. She used the Wind Element to boost herself and the other three,

while controlling the Earth Element to turn the ground beneath Wu Changkong's feet into a muddy swamp. She also summoned a series of ice spikes and fireballs and sent them hurtling toward him.

Meanwhile, at Zhao Tao's words, Tang Wulin charged forward without hesitation. He used Blue Silver Grass's Entwining Soul Skill to bind Wu Changkong,

while swinging the pair of Tungsten Steel Forging Hammers in his hands and striking at him through the air.

As for Xie Xie, he swung the Light Dragon Dagger in his hand like the wind, sending golden blades of light slashing toward Wu Changkong's back.

Gu Yue once again took on the dual roles of support and mage. She used the Wind Element to boost herself and the other three,

while controlling the Earth Element to turn the ground beneath Wu Changkong's feet into a muddy swamp. She also summoned a series of ice spikes and fireballs and sent them hurtling toward him.

"Not a bad attempt!"

Faced with the four students' fierce attacks, Wu Changkong's expression remained as calm as still water, as cold as ice.

Wu Changkong swung his wooden sword, sending out sword energy that precisely cut through the strands of Blue Silver Grass or knocked aside the ice spikes and fireballs Gu Yue had summoned.

As he sent out waves of sword energy, the wooden sword in his hand continued to dart about, deftly striking Tang Wulin's wrists.

Tang Wulin's palms went numb at once. It felt as though he could no longer exert strength throughout his body, and the Forging Hammers in his hands clanged to the ground.

Xie Xie's attack also failed to land. Wu Changkong turned and blocked it with a single stroke, then struck him with a fierce blast of sword wind, knocking him to the ground.

Only against Zhao Tao's attack did Wu Changkong's defense seem less than flawless.

Although the wooden sword in his hand had struck the Time Burial Sword in Zhao Tao's grasp perfectly,

because of the Time Burial Sword's unique Time Power, Wu Changkong's stroke had only appeared to block Zhao Tao's attack.

In reality, under Wu Changkong's slightly surprised gaze, the Time Burial Sword in Zhao Tao's hand flashed with dazzling silver light as it slashed toward his chest!