Starting School (II)

However, it made no difference to Mo Yuan. He calmly surveyed the classroom, looking for a seat.

"Mo Yuan, over here."

A voice rang out from the middle of the classroom. Mo Yuan looked toward it and saw Ning Tian waving at him with easy confidence, a captivating smile on her lovely face.

Behind her, Wu Feng was glaring daggers at him, as if he were the sworn enemy who had killed her father. She looked ready to tear him limb from limb!

Both girls were sitting alone, with no one beside them. Most likely, Wu Feng had wanted to sit with Ning Tian, but Ning Tian had refused so she could sit with Mo Yuan...

Wu Feng had become a laughingstock.

"Come on, we found seats."

Mo Yuan patted Bai Yi, who was also looking for somewhere to sit, and the two of them headed over.

"Good morning, Mo Yuan." Ning Tian gave him a captivating smile as he sat beside her. Then she suddenly leaned closer, her moist red lips near his ear as she whispered,

"Did what happened last night affect you at all?"

Mo Yuan glanced at Ning Tian's exquisite, flawless face and replied with a faint smile.

"Other than being a little tired, I'm fine."

Bai Yi, sitting behind Mo Yuan, had watched the whole exchange. He was about to greet his desk mate, but when he turned around, he nearly jumped out of his skin.

Wu Feng was staring resentfully at Ning Tian's back, her hands clenched into fists. Her ample chest rose and fell violently; she looked both heartbroken and furious.

Then she seemed to notice Bai Yi was about to say something to her. Wu Feng turned and shot him a fierce glare.

Damn it!

Bai Yi's mouth twitched. He decided to quietly move a little farther away from his rather abnormal desk mate...

Compared with Zhou Yi, who would expel students at the drop of a hat, Teacher Mu Jin had a much gentler teaching style.

Still, in teaching, a measured degree of authority was necessary to get the best results.

Mu Jin's calm gaze swept from left to right, making every student feel as if she had looked directly at them. An invisible pressure settled over the class.

"Let me introduce myself. My name is Mu Jin. Until you're reassigned after the New Student Assessment three months from now, I'll be your homeroom teacher.

"I know you were carefully selected from countries all across the continent. Among your peers, you can certainly be called elite."

At those words, pride appeared in the eyes of most of the class, except for a few students who were more levelheaded.

It was true. Even the requirements for Shrek Outer Court—Soul Power Level 15 by the age of eleven—were enough to turn away most people. Every student sitting here was a genius in the eyes of ordinary people.

But as the saying went, when listening to a senior or a superior, don't focus on what they say at first. Pay attention to what comes after the word "but."

"But what I want you to understand is that Shrek Academy has never been short of geniuses. In fact, everyone here is a genius. And yet, even among geniuses, more than two-thirds of each year's new students are eliminated during the New Student Assessment.

"That means fewer than one-third of you will be able to continue studying at the academy. All you can do is give it everything you've got, improve yourselves over the next three months, and do your best to stay."

Mu Jin's words reached the hundred students below. Most of them grew serious, clearly feeling the pressure.

Seeing their reactions, Mu Jin nodded in satisfaction.

"Next, we'll elect a class monitor and a vice class monitor. As your teacher, I'll nominate two of you based on the information I have." Mu Jin looked at Mo Yuan and Ning Tian.

"I nominate Mo Yuan and Ning Tian. Their Soul Power Levels are 39 and 31, respectively. I nominate them for class monitor and vice class monitor."

Mo Yuan and Ning Tian exchanged a glance, then slowly stood up.

Neither of them corrected Mu Jin's mistaken understanding of Mo Yuan's Soul Power Level. After all, the Introduction Letter had been written and sealed before Mo Yuan broke through to Level 40.

Mistaken information about a student's Soul Power Level was a common occurrence every year, but it was usually no big deal. Everyone would know the truth after seeing them fight once.

Mu Jin's words, along with Mo Yuan and Ning Tian standing up, immediately caused a commotion.

A Soul Elder!

On its own, the Soul Elder rank might not seem particularly remarkable. But add the fact that they were only eleven, and it became astonishing.

Even an idiot among their peers could understand what it meant to be a Soul Elder at eleven. It was an achievement even the First Generation Shrek Seven Devils hadn't accomplished!

The female students looked at Mo Yuan with even greater warmth and goodwill. On Douluo Continent, where strength was revered, the strong naturally attracted more members of the opposite sex.

And a strong person who was practically perfect in appearance and every other way was no different from a succubus.

Meanwhile, most of the boys who had been hostile toward Mo Yuan or harbored a crush on Ning Tian immediately gave up.

They understood now: Mo Yuan and Ning Tian weren't even in the same world as them. Whether they challenged them or tried to pursue them, it would only be a joke.

But not everyone in this world was normal. Idiots were always in the majority, and Shrek Academy was no exception.

And now, an overconfident clown was jumping out to prove it.

"Teacher, I object! Soul Power Level doesn't determine how strong someone is in a fight! I want to challenge Mo Yuan!"

A boy in the front row stood up and turned to face Mo Yuan, his eyes full of defiance.

What a hassle... Mo Yuan looked utterly helpless. He'd known someone would make a fool of themselves as soon as Mu Jin said that. But he couldn't just openly disregard her authority.

That was how social niceties worked. Mo Yuan had hated them when he worked in an office in his previous life, but what could he do? When you lacked the power to set your own rules, you had to learn to play along if you wanted to grow stronger.

But this trouble wouldn't last much longer. After all, the blood of the Dragon Emperor Nidhogg flowed through his veins. Once he grew powerful, he would be a tyrant by nature! Rules were made to be broken!

Mu Jin wasn't angry that someone had objected. If anything, this was exactly what she wanted. If no stubborn clown stood up to challenge them, how could she humble this proud bunch of students and make them work harder?

"Good. Shrek Academy has always believed in letting the capable rise to the top. Anyone who wants to become class monitor may demonstrate their strength and compete for the position."

"Everyone, follow me to the Battle Soul Zone! The first lesson of the school year will be a real fight for the whole class. No matter where you are, practical combat is what matters most to a Soul Master. The New Student Assessment three months from now will also be a real fight, so I suggest you prepare yourselves."

With that, Mu Jin got up, picked up her lesson plans, and walked straight out of the classroom.

As soon as the teacher left, the classroom erupted in noisy chatter. A few bold female students even gathered around Mo Yuan.

For a moment, he was like a flower, drawing bees and butterflies.

The students who still refused to accept him shot a cold glance in his direction, then left for the Battle Soul Zone.

"Let's head to the Battle Soul Zone first. We shouldn't keep Teacher Mu Jin waiting."

After casually brushing off the questions and conversation from the girls around him, Mo Yuan stood and pulled Ning Tian along as he headed straight out.

Seeing Mo Yuan actually holding Ning Tian's hand, Wu Feng, who was sitting behind her, panicked and rushed after them. "Little Fire, let go of Ning Tian's hand!"

The female students were stunned by the exchange between Mo Yuan and Wu Feng. They understood now: they had no chance with this genius. Anyone hoping to compete for Ning Tian's attention had better first ask themselves whether they could measure up to her.