Opening Ceremony

After registering, the two waved goodbye and left the Blacksmith Association.

Not long after they left, Mu Chen could no longer suppress the excitement in his heart and burst into delighted laughter.

"Heaven has truly favored me! It actually let me take in two such outstanding disciples. Our Blacksmith Association will have worthy successors!"

Seeing this, Mu Xi could not help complaining, "Father, stop laughing already. You look like a madman! Besides, those two little guys look even younger than me. How could they possibly be third-rank blacksmiths?"

As the proud daughter of heaven, Mu Xi had always been hailed as the new generation's blacksmithing genius. At only twelve years old, she had already broken through to become a second-stage instructor at the age of three. Even some of the Association's old-timers said that the Mu Xi of this era had already surpassed her father.

Yet Luo Ze and Tang Wulin looked only nine. How could they possibly surpass her at the same age?

"My dear daughter, the records cannot be falsified. Their Association registrations clearly show that they are indeed third-rank blacksmiths."

Mu Chen did not notice the other emotion kindling in his daughter's eyes at all. He was still immersed in the joy of taking disciples and could not pull himself free.

"Oh, I see..." Mu Xi replied slowly, already forming other plans in her heart.

By midmorning, it was time for the opening ceremony.

The ceremony was held in Eastsea Academy's central plaza. Only at times like this would students from the advanced division and intermediate division gather together.

There were roughly a hundred students in each grade of the intermediate division, with classes arranged from lower to higher levels. Altogether, there were only seven or eight hundred students.

There were noticeably fewer students in the advanced division, only around two hundred by the looks of it. Even so, they were divided into three grades, which only showed how strict Eastsea Academy's advanced division admissions were.

"Students, please quiet down. Let us welcome Dean Yu to the stage for his address!"

Eastsea Academy's dean was an elderly man who looked to be around sixty. He was of average build and wore square glasses. He did not appear particularly remarkable, though he carried the air of a scholar.

"Hello, students. Every year at this time, I cannot help but feel emotional. A group of students from the intermediate and advanced divisions graduate, while the Academy welcomes new blood. I hope you will not disappoint the Federation's expectations and will work hard to learn Soul Master knowledge!"

The dean was quite eloquent, and his speech seemed to have a hypnotic effect, making the newly enrolled students unable to resist feeling drowsy.

Only after a quarter of an hour did the dean gradually bring his speech to a close.

Next, the other students left one after another, leaving only the first-year intermediate division students behind to await their class assignments.

The assignment process was simple. The students' strength, Innate Soul Power, Soul Power, martial souls, Spiritual Power, and other attributes had already been investigated, and they were assigned based on their overall abilities.

After stepping onto the podium, Long Hengxu offered a few words of encouragement before beginning the assignments. As expected, Luo Ze, Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and the others were all placed in the lowest-ranked, poorest-resourced Class Five, which had a total of twenty students.

Other than the three of them, nearly every student in Class Five lowered their heads like a bunch of wilted cucumbers, utterly dispirited.

"Alright. Each class teacher, take your students back to your classrooms and familiarize them with the Academy."

Five teachers stepped forward, and one of them slowly walked toward Class Five.

This teacher looked to be around twenty-seven or twenty-eight. When the Class Five students saw his face clearly, they could not help staring blankly.

It was because this teacher was simply too handsome, so handsome that people could not look away!

Although Luo Ze and the other two were also strikingly good-looking, they were still too young for it to truly stand out.

This teacher was different. He was over six feet tall, lean and erect, with piercing dark green eyes, a high nose bridge, and waist-length blue hair flowing behind him. He looked almost like an immortal.

However, his face was utterly expressionless, and his gaze was exceptionally cold.

"Wow! Teacher, you're so handsome!" a girl from Class Five cried excitedly, voicing everyone's thoughts.

"Follow me!" The simple three words carried such chill that every student could not help shivering. This feeling...

"This teacher is so strong!" Yun Xiao said tremblingly.

Luo Ze and Tang Wulin frowned. Through long experience and training, both of them could sense the aura radiating from the young teacher.

His mere presence could make people feel cold. Such strength was not something an ordinary person could possess. This teacher was far from simple!

"Brother Luo, I suddenly have a bad feeling," Tang Wulin said.

"What feeling?" Luo Ze asked doubtfully.

"I think this teacher is going to put us in our place," Tang Wulin said with some certainty.

When he had trained with Luo Ze before, the aura Grandpa Long gave off had been exactly like that of the teacher before them. It was the sign that training was about to begin!

"Huh? No way. Training on the first day of school?" Luo Ze was half-convinced.

Class Five's classroom was at the innermost end of the first floor, making it the farthest away. There were thirty sets of desks and chairs inside, facing the podium.

"Take your seats!" the young teacher said coldly.

Luo Ze and Tang Wulin chose the seats in the very corner without hesitation. There was no particular reason; they were simply used to sitting there.

For some unknown reason, Xie Xie sat directly beside Luo Ze.

The others moved as far forward as they could. After all, Class Five was already the worst class. If they sat any farther back, they might not even be able to see the podium clearly.

The young teacher slowly walked to the front and said coldly, "My name is Wu Changkong. I will be your homeroom teacher for the next six years."

"First, I want to emphasize one thing. You may treat everything Director Long Hengxu just said as though you never heard it. Even if you are a group of trash, I will make you the strongest among your peers. That will also be your only goal for the next six years!"

He spoke the most arrogant words in the calmest tone, instantly drawing the attention of every student.

"Now, introduce yourselves. Name, martial soul, Soul Power Level. You must also state what kind of Soul Master you want to become. Begin!"

Simple and direct, without the slightest delay. The more decisive he was, the more Luo Ze was convinced of his suspicion. This Teacher Wu Changkong was definitely not simple!

"Hello, everyone. My name is Yun Xiao. My martial soul is the Star Compass, and my Soul Power is Level 12. My goal is to become an intelligent support-type Battle Soul Master." Yun Xiao stood up and introduced himself generously, though his voice was still trembling.

After he finished, it was Zhou Changxi's turn. "My name is Zhou Changxi. My martial soul is the Great Strength Divine Ape, my Soul Power is Level 11, and my goal is to become a strength-type Battle Soul Master."

"Xie Xie. Martial soul: Light Dragon Dagger. Level 18 agility attack-type Battle Soul Master."

The moment the words "Level 18" left his mouth, the classroom erupted in gasps.

Level 18! Level 18 at nine years old! This was a true genius!

One had to know that throughout the entire lower division, even Class One, the most outstanding class, had a highest level of only 18. Yet their class actually had an eighteenth-level Soul Master!

"Are you sure he wasn't assigned to the wrong class?"

"Damn, how is that possible? Could the records be wrong?!"

Wu Changkong was not surprised at all upon hearing Xie Xie's Soul Power Level. He understood that Long Hengxu had deliberately assigned Xie Xie here to raise Class Five's overall strength.

"Silence! Next."

Wu Changkong's voice was icy and forceful, immediately leaving the Class Five students silent as cicadas in winter.

"Hello, Teacher Wu. My name is Luo Ze. My martial soul is the Qilin. I am a Level 15 control-type Battle Soul Master, and I do not have a goal for now."