Preparation for the Class Promotion Tournament!

"Alright, now for the real matter."

Wu Changkong stood with his hands behind his back, his Dark Green Eyes sweeping over Fang Yang, Tang Wulin, and Xie Xie before him.

His voice remained icy, yet carried an unquestionable authority.

"Eastsea Academy holds a Class Promotion Tournament every year. All grades participate, and it is also a grand event for our academy."

Wu Changkong paused, his gaze lingering on each of their faces in turn. "For you, this is both a challenge and an opportunity."

"The Class Promotion Tournament?"

Confusion appeared in Tang Wulin's eyes, and he instinctively looked at the two companions beside him.

Fang Yang and Xie Xie, however, remained calm. Both of them knew what the Class Promotion Tournament was.

Seeing Tang Wulin's puzzled expression, Wu Changkong began to explain.

"The Class Promotion Tournament means that, within each grade, the weakest class sends students to challenge the class above it. Class Five challenges Class Four, and so on. If they win, the class designations are exchanged."

"In other words, if you defeat Class Four, our class will no longer be Class Five but Class Four. At the same time, after winning, you may continue challenging upward until you lose."

His voice suddenly rose several notches. "Not only that—if you can defeat Class One all the way through, you may even challenge students from Second Grade, Third Grade... all the way to Sixth Grade."

A flicker of excitement flashed through Xie Xie's eyes, and he could not help interjecting, "Teacher Wu, then what about the rewards...?"

"The rewards are naturally generous."

Wu Changkong cut him off coldly. "Not only cultivation resources, but supreme honor as well. In the Class Promotion Tournament, the lower-ranked class decides the number of combatants, but there must be no fewer than three. At present, the participants from our Class Five are the three of you."

"Leave it to us! We'll definitely be able to..." Xie Xie straightened his chest and declared confidently.

Hearing this, Wu Changkong gave a cold snort. "Xie Xie, do you really think you are invincible just because you possess Twin Martial Souls?"

"There are also several geniuses in this year's First Grade Class One. Without Fang Yang and Tang Wulin, you would not stand the slightest chance."

Xie Xie smiled and rubbed his nose. "I see. But aren't they here now?"

Fang Yang and Tang Wulin exchanged a glance, both seeing helplessness in the other's eyes.

The corner of Wu Changkong's mouth slightly raised. "Oh, right. The task I have set for you is very simple: raise our class's designation to at least First Grade Class One."

"What?... Class One?"

Xie Xie's voice suddenly trembled, and all his earlier confidence vanished without a trace.

Tang Wulin swallowed and asked cautiously, "Then if... we fail?"

"Hehe!"

Wu Changkong's laughter sent chills down all three of their backs.

"Believe me, you had better not fail. Otherwise, the consequences are definitely not something you want to experience."

"From now on, in preparation for the Class Promotion Tournament, the three of you will undergo Special Training with me every night after class, to ensure that you win first place in this year's Class Promotion Tournament for your grade."

"Yes, Teacher Wu!" Hearing this, Fang Yang and the other two nodded.

"Alright, go back."

With a wave of his hand, Wu Changkong turned and left the office.

Seeing this, Fang Yang and the other two exchanged glances before following him out of Wu Changkong's office.

"This is just too..." Xie Xie suddenly stopped mid-sentence, shook his head, and revealed an expression of wanting to speak but holding back.

Seeing this, Tang Wulin reached out and patted both of them on the shoulders. "Fang Yang, Xie Xie, you two head back to the dormitory first. I need to make a trip to the Blacksmith Association."

"The Blacksmith Association? What are you going there for?"

Xie Xie abruptly turned to look at Tang Wulin, his eyes widening round.

His voice was full of disbelief, as though he had heard something utterly unimaginable.

Fang Yang shook his head helplessly and explained on Tang Wulin's behalf, "Xie Xie, Tang Wulin is a blacksmith. He must have business to handle at the association."

"What? You're actually a blacksmith?"

Xie Xie took half a step back in shock and looked Tang Wulin up and down. "What rank are you? Level One? Don't tell me you're Level Two?"

Tang Wulin smiled shyly. "Well... I'll tell you in detail when I get back."

With that, he hurried away.

Fang Yang and Xie Xie watched Tang Wulin's figure disappear around the corner before turning toward the dormitory.

When they pushed open the dormitory door, Zhou Changxi was lying on his bed resting. Seeing the two return, he lazily greeted them, "Yo, you're back? Where's Tang Wulin?"

"He has something to do. He'll be back later."

Fang Yang answered briefly, his gaze resting on Zhou Changxi for a moment. Ever since their last clash, Zhou Changxi had clearly become much more restrained.

Meeting Fang Yang's calm yet oppressive gaze, Zhou Changxi immediately knew better than to say anything else. He turned over and pretended to go to sleep.

Xie Xie flopped headfirst onto his bed, burying his face deep in the pillow and letting out a muffled groan. "Sigh... it's hard to put into words."

His voice grew quieter and quieter before finally turning into a long sigh. His whole body sprawled across the bed like a deflated balloon.

Fang Yang said nothing more. He walked to his bed, sat down cross-legged, slowly closed his eyes, and began sensing the Soul Power circulating within him.

It was time to break through Rank 30!

Thinking of the upcoming Class Promotion Tournament, a smile unconsciously appeared at the corner of Fang Yang's lips.

When the time came, amid the fervor of the Class Promotion Tournament, Fang Yang merely smiled. "I am at the peak of Third Transformation. Who would dare kill me? Who could kill me?"

Rank 30 Soul Elder!

Among first-year students, that was practically a crushing advantage across dimensions!

Besides, this wasn't some fated battle. As a Rank 30 Soul Elder, he wouldn't get one-shot by Dragon Duke with an A attack!

Afterward, Fang Yang adjusted his condition and began cultivating the Flame Mantra.

Strands of pale red Soul Power seeped from the pores all over his body, forming a thin halo over his skin that flickered rhythmically with his breathing.

The Soul Power within him surged like a rushing river, continuously battering against the Rank 30 bottleneck under the guidance of the Flame Mantra.

The dormitory fell into an eerie silence.

At some point, Xie Xie had already sat up and closed his eyes to cultivate as well.

Although Zhou Changxi had his back to them, the tension in his back showed that he had not truly fallen asleep.

No one knew how much time passed before a powerful wave of Soul Power suddenly erupted from all over Fang Yang's body.

He abruptly opened his eyes, a sharp gleam flashing through his pupils.

"Rank 30 Soul Elder—achieved!"

Feeling the surging Soul Power within him, Fang Yang curled his lips into a satisfied smile.

After the breakthrough, his Soul Power had not only increased in quantity; thanks to the Flame Mantra's tempering, its quality far surpassed that of an ordinary Soul Elder. What delighted him even more was that the Golden Dragon King Bloodline had grown stronger as well.

Xie Xie was jolted awake by the sudden Soul Power fluctuation. His eyes widened as he looked at Fang Yang. "You... broke through to Rank 30?"

His voice trembled slightly with shock.

Fang Yang slowly exhaled a breath of stale air and retracted the Soul Power he had released.

He turned to look at the stunned Xie Xie and smiled faintly. "Just broke through."

Silent for a Moment, Xie Xie suddenly fell back onto his bed. Staring at the ceiling, he muttered to himself, "Fang Yang, your cultivation speed... you're really a monster."