Beginner Warrior Class

The hour of the dragon.

Beginner Warrior Class.

The first lesson had already begun.

Classes had been in session for several days, and the thirteen- and fourteen-year-old children had more or less gotten used to the academy.

"Everyone has a Soul Sea. It's in your mind—unseen and untouchable, but real all the same." The instructor stood at the lectern, speaking at length. "Demon Spirit Masters can bring captured demon spirits into their Soul Seas, then activate Demon Spirit Possession to gain great power."

"However, to merge with a demon spirit, your Soul Force must reach at least one-star Silver rank." The instructor suddenly circulated her Soul Force and activated Demon Spirit Possession, transforming into a beautiful, seductive fox woman.

She was clad in fiery red, sexy and alluring. The male students stared, transfixed... by her eyes.

The instructor was none other than Shen Xiu. Today was her first day teaching at the academy.

Though she was feeling a little unwell, she still showed off her abilities in front of the entire class.

"Boom!"

A ball of red flame suddenly sprang to life in Shen Xiu's palm. Holding it aloft in one hand and resting the other on her slender waist, she declared proudly, "The demon spirit I merged with is the Blazing Flame Demon Fox. After activating Demon Spirit Possession, I gain some of its strength and agility, and can even control fire."

Whoa!

The students gazed at the blazing flames in Shen Xiu's hand and let out a chorus of awed exclamations.

Most of the thirty-odd students in Beginner Warrior Class came from ordinary families. It was their first time seeing a Demon Spirit Master activate Demon Spirit Possession.

"Hey, Nie Li, do you think Shen Xiu's wearing underwear?" At the very back of the classroom, noble student Lu Piao nudged his deskmate with an elbow.

His deskmate seemed not to have slept well the night before. He was resting his chin on one hand and catching up on sleep at his desk, ignoring Lu Piao.

"I don't think she is," Lu Piao muttered to himself. "Otherwise, her tail would get stuck in it."

Shen Xiu suddenly clenched her hand, snuffing out the flame. She narrowed her phoenix eyes and shot a murderous glare toward the back of the classroom.

Lu Piao hurriedly raised his textbook to block Shen Xiu's gaze, thinking in surprise, Good grief, is this beautiful instructor a dog or something? She can hear me from all the way over here—what sharp ears! Could that be another ability of the Blazing Flame Demon Fox?

"I want to merge with a similar demon spirit someday, but not one that enhances my hearing. I want one that enhances my eyesight. Then I could spy on girls bathing from far away without getting caught, heh heh!" Lu Piao muttered.

Suddenly, a booming "Report!" rang out from outside the classroom, making everyone's eardrums ache.

Lu Piao looked up in confusion, peering over the top of his textbook with both eyes.

He saw Shen Xiu sway her ample hips, one hand on her slender waist, and saunter seductively toward the door. She opened it.

"Holy crap, that old hag's actually scared stiff. Who's out there?" Lu Piao noticed Shen Xiu's delicate body tremble. It was as if she'd seen something terrifying.

A moment later, Shen Xiu's haughty demeanor vanished. She ushered the person outside into the classroom with a fawning smile.

He was a tall, burly young man wearing a red vest and blue shorts, with a battered straw hat slung over his back. He looked as if he'd just finished working in the fields.

His arms were incredibly thick, his muscles sharply defined and handsome, as if they'd been forged from steel. Lu Piao had no doubt that they were packed with explosive strength.

"Holy crap, why's he coming this way? Is he going to beat me up? Did I peek at his sister bathing?" Lu Piao panicked and ducked his head into his book like a turtle.

Heavy footsteps echoed through the classroom, each one thudding like a drum and making everyone's heart jump.

The sound suddenly stopped.

Lu Piao cautiously poked his head out. The "monster" had taken a seat in the last row by the window, with only the aisle between him and Nie Li.

"He's not here to beat me up?" Lu Piao breathed a sigh of relief.

He noticed that the monster was staring fixedly ahead, as if watching Goddess Xiao Ning'er.

At the front of the classroom, Shen Xiu recovered from her shock, cleared her throat, and continued the lesson. But she was no longer so arrogant—in fact, she seemed a little nervous.

"How could he make someone from the Sacred Family so afraid? Just who is this new student?"

Dong, dong, dong!

The melodious chime of a bell rang out, and soon it was time for class to end.

As if released from a great burden, Shen Xiu grabbed her textbook and hurried out without looking back.

"Hey, buddy. I'm Lu Piao. Lu as in 'land,' Piao as in 'drifting freely.'" Lu Piao walked over and struck up a conversation with the young man.

"Hello, Lu Piao. I'm Chang Ping—Chang as in 'ordinary,' Ping as in 'ordinary.' From today on, we're classmates." Chang Ping held out a palm as big as a fan and smiled.

Lu Piao held out his sesame-flatbread-sized hand and shook Chang Ping's with a grin.

"Brother Chang, I noticed you've been sneaking glances at Xiao Ning'er. Don't tell me you like her?" Lu Piao bent down and whispered in Chang Ping's ear.

"I do. So what?" Chang Ping admitted without hesitation.

Lu Piao straightened up and looked around carefully. Seeing no one listening in, he bent down again and whispered a warning: "I heard Xiao Ning'er is already engaged to Shen Fei of the Sacred Family. The Sacred Family is a Peak Family, so think carefully before you act, Brother Chang."

"The Sacred Family?" Chang Ping snorted disdainfully. Then he stood up, left his seat, and walked toward the front of the classroom.

"Going to the bathroom, Brother Chang? Wait up, let's go together!" Lu Piao rubbed his chest and hurried after him.

Chang Ping had only brushed against him lightly, yet Lu Piao's chest felt numb and sore, as if a wild boar had slammed into it.

Chang Ping wasn't going to the bathroom. He stopped at the front row.

There were five columns of desks in the classroom. The rows by the window on the left and against the wall on the right had short desks, while the three rows in the middle had long desks.

Chang Ping stood between the long desks in the front row, looking down at the broad-browed, big-eyed male student in his seat. In an unmistakably commanding tone, he ordered, "You. Move to the back!"

At his words, the male student's face darkened like the bottom of a pot. His brows twitched and shot upward.

"Brother, what are you doing? He's a direct descendant of the Sacred Family. He's Shen Yue, the younger brother of Shen Fei I just told you about." Lu Piao tugged on Chang Ping's pants and quietly reminded him.

With the hulking man standing before him, Shen Yue had been a little intimidated. But after hearing Lu Piao's words, his confidence swelled. He slammed a hand on the desk and stood up.

With the Sacred Family backing him, who did he have to fear? Instructor Shen Xiu was his aunt, Shen Fei of Genius Class was his big brother, and his father was a peak Black Gold-rank Demon Spirit Master. Who would dare lay a hand on him?

"Do you know who I am?" Shen Yue stood tall and looked up at Chang Ping as he asked.

"Aren't you just that useless Shen Fei's dim-witted little brother?" Chang Ping said with disdain. He glanced at the purple-haired girl on his right and smiled. "You and your aunt, Shen Xiu, came to Beginner Warrior Class just for classmate Ye Zi Yun, didn't you?"

"You won't work hard, and you're too weak to amount to anything. All you think about is climbing the ranks through a woman. What a pathetic coward!"

His secret exposed, Shen Yue flew into a rage.

"You're asking for death!"