In the wide corridor leading to the First Soul Tool Proving Ground.
"Yuhao, Brother Gu Yue... I mean, Teacher Gu Yue. Isn't he being a little too aggressive?"
Meng Hongchen walked beside Huo Yuhao and glanced back at the classroom with some concern. "Xu Hu may not be as strong as my brother and me, but he's a direct member of the imperial family, and he holds a grudge. If this gets out of hand..."
"Hmph, what's there to be afraid of?"
Xiao Hongchen folded his arms, utterly unconcerned. "This is the academy. Strength is what matters. That guy's been throwing his weight around for ages. Someone should've taught him a lesson long ago."
Huo Yuhao, meanwhile, remained calm, his eyes filled with blind trust.
"Master must have his reasons for doing this."
"Maybe he wants to establish his authority, or maybe there's another reason. Either way, Master definitely won't come out on the losing end."
As they spoke, several students in upper-grade uniforms came toward them.
The one in front was a stocky, dark-skinned young man whose heavy build gave him the air of solid granite. Every step he took was steady and powerful.
When he saw the Hongchen siblings, he stopped, looking somewhat surprised.
"Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen? I heard your class has a new specially appointed Martial Soul Department dean, and he's planning to hold Combat Class?"
"Senior Ma."
Even the usually arrogant Xiao Hongchen showed some restraint, giving him a slight nod.
Meng Hongchen leaned close to Huo Yuhao's ear and quietly introduced him.
"Yuhao, this is Senior Ma Rulong, Number One of Sixth Grade and the current captain of the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy team."
"He's extremely skilled at both operating and crafting Soul Tools. He's very powerful, and they say he's on the verge of becoming a Soul Emperor."
Huo Yuhao was taken aback. He hurriedly greeted him politely. "Hello, Senior Ma. I'm Huo Yuhao, a new student."
"Huo Yuhao?"
Ma Rulong looked him over and nodded. Though his expression was serious, he was still polite. "I heard you're a Disciple brought here by the new dean. Keep working hard. The Martial Soul Department doesn't have it easy at our academy."
With that, he hurried off with his group, apparently heading to join the spectacle too.
Meanwhile, in the Year One, Class One classroom.
The atmosphere was charged with tension.
Xu Hu first froze when he saw the young teacher walking toward him. Then a flash of incredulous fury crossed his face.
In the Sun Moon Empire, his status as a direct member of the imperial family, along with his kinship to the Crown Prince, let him do practically whatever he wanted at the academy.
Even the veteran teachers turned a blind eye to his behavior.
And this new pretty-boy teacher actually dared to provoke him in front of everyone?
"You, surnamed Gu, do you even know who you're talking—"
Before Xu Hu could finish, the two lackeys sitting beside him could no longer hold back.
Here was their chance to show off!
"Impudent! Is that any way to talk to Brother Hu?"
"You're just some new teacher. Don't get too full of yourself! Think you can stay in Mingdu if we decide you can't?"
The two lackeys shot to their feet, Soul Power surging as they tried to shove Gu Yuejin.
"Quiet."
Gu Yuejin didn't even look at them. He merely furrowed his brow and casually swept his Golden Eyes over them.
Whoosh—
It was as if an invisible hammer had swung through the air.
Thud! Thud!
The two lackeys who had just stood up were sent flying before they could even scream. They slammed into the back wall of the classroom and stuck there, unable to pry themselves loose.
Xu Hu's pupils contracted. His casual posture tensed in an instant.
He hadn't even sensed a fluctuation in Soul Power!
"How dare you commit violence at the academy?!"
Xu Hu sprang to his feet, and four Soul Rings rose around him. Their configuration was merely standard, but he was still among the best of his peers.
He pointed at Gu Yuejin and shouted, trying to sound fierce despite his fear.
"I'm Xu Hu! The Crown Prince's cousin! A direct member of the imperial family!"
"If you so much as touch a hair on my head, I'll have your whole family buried with you! If you know what's good for you, get down on your knees and beg for forgiveness right now, or—"
Hearing that familiar line, Gu Yuejin didn't get angry. He actually laughed.
He slipped his hands into his pockets, his smile growing brighter.
"That's the stuff. Absolutely perfect."
"That's just how a minor villain should talk. Otherwise, I'd find this boring."
"Since you like throwing your status around so much..."
Gu Yuejin stepped forward, his gaze turning as deep as an abyss.
"Let me show you what it means to really throw your weight around."
BOOM!!!
He didn't summon his Martial Soul or use any Soul Rings.
Instead, the terrifying mental pressure of a Level 77 High-level Soul Saint, infused with Dragon King Divine Might, crashed down on Xu Hu alone like a mountain.
"Ugh—"
Xu Hu's threat caught in his throat.
His vision went black. It was as if an ancient dragon had emerged from the primordial wilderness and opened its enormous jaws before him.
His mind shut down, and his soul trembled.
His eyes rolled back, and foam spilled from his mouth.
Thump.
The haughty young master of the imperial family fell flat on the ground, knocked out in an instant.
The entire room fell silent.
The lackeys who had been about to join in the jeering were now deathly pale, their legs trembling as they barely dared to breathe.
One look!
He'd knocked a Four-Ring Soul Ancestor unconscious with just one look?!
What kind of monster was this?!
"Tsk. He's already out? What a weak constitution."
Gu Yuejin curled his lip in disdain, then turned toward the lackeys shivering in the corner and gave them a "kind" smile.
"Why are you still sitting there, everyone?"
"Would you like to stay and have tea with your teacher, or take a nap like him?"
"N-no! We're leaving right now! Right now!"
The lackeys scrambled out of the classroom, tumbling over one another as if they wished they had two extra legs.
"What cowards."
Gu Yuejin shook his head, walked over to the unconscious Xu Hu, and lifted him by the back of his collar like a little chick.
"If you don't want to leave, then let your teacher give you a ride~"
The First Soul Tool Proving Ground.
The stands were already full. Besides the students from the class, plenty of students from other classes had come to watch after hearing the news.
"Hey, what do you think the new dean's deal is?"
"No idea. I heard he's pretty young..."
As everyone speculated, a figure strode into the arena.
The moment they saw the "accessory" in his hand, the entire proving ground fell silent.
The legendary Director Gu Yue was carrying someone.
And the person being dragged along like a dead dog was...
Wasn't that Xu Hu, the bully who usually ran amok around the academy?!
"Holy crap! This teacher's brutal!"
"He knocked Xu Hu out and brought him here?!"
"That's insane! Xu Hu's part of the imperial family!"
Amid a chorus of sharp gasps, Gu Yuejin walked to the center of the arena and tossed Xu Hu aside.
Thud!
Xu Hu hit the metal floor hard.
"Ow—!"
The sharp pain woke him instantly, and he clutched his backside as he bounced to his feet.
"Who did that?! Who dares throw me, the young master—"
Xu Hu was about to explode when he looked up and met Gu Yuejin's smiling Golden Eyes.
The suffocating fear from before surged back into his mind.
Xu Hu went rigid. The curse on his lips died before he could utter it.
He might have been arrogant, but he wasn't stupid.
His opponent knew exactly who he was and had still dared to do this. And that pressure he'd unleashed... he was undoubtedly a Top Expert!
He might even be a Soul Saint or stronger!
If Xu Hu kept provoking a monster like that, he might actually cripple him!
Xu Hu gritted his teeth, lowered his head, and quietly stepped aside, becoming the picture of obedience.
The students in the stands gaped at the sight of this complete reversal.
It really did take a villain to beat a villain!
Gu Yuejin clapped his hands and swept his gaze around the arena. His voice wasn't loud, yet it carried clearly to every corner.
"Good. Now that everyone's here, let's begin class."
"I'm new here, so I don't really know what level the Sun Moon Empire is at."
"So for our first lesson, we'll keep it simple and see where you stand."
With that, he turned toward the stands and called out:
"Huo Yuhao."
"Here!"
Huo Yuhao immediately stood up, his posture ramrod straight.
"Come down."
"Yes, Master!"
His crisp, loud "Master" set off another uproar.
"Master? Huo Yuhao's his Disciple?"
"No wonder! I was wondering why a transfer student had shown up. Turns out he's got connections!"
"So this is what it means to get cast with a backing deal?"
Under everyone's gaze, Huo Yuhao hurried down from the stands and came to Gu Yuejin's side.
Gu Yuejin pointed to Xu Hu, who was on the opposite side and looking wary, and said to Huo Yuhao:
"Go. Fight him."
"Huh?"
This time, it was Xu Hu's turn to freeze.
He pointed at Huo Yuhao, then at himself, unable to believe what he was hearing.
"Teacher, are you serious?"
"I admit I can't beat you, but this Huo Yuhao... if I'm not mistaken, he's only a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster, right?"
"I'm a Level 43 Soul Ancestor! And a Level Four Soul Engineer!"
"You want me to fight him? Who do you think you're looking down on?"
Xu Hu felt insulted.
He was afraid of Gu Yuejin, but that didn't mean he was afraid of Huo Yuhao!
The difference between them was like a college student fighting a kindergartener!
Huo Yuhao, however, didn't hesitate at all.
He glanced at Xu Hu, then at his completely unruffled Master, and nodded firmly.
"Yes, Master."
Then he walked straight onto the Battle Arena and made a polite gesture to Xu Hu.
His eyes held not a trace of fear, only eager battle intent.
"Please give me your guidance."
Before you continue