Kid, weren't you very arrogant just now?

But soon, Lin Yao could no longer laugh.

The three students on stage who were completely crushing Class 1-4 made his eyes nearly pop out of their sockets.

Is this really Class 1-5?

Is this really the dumping ground for the students with the worst talent at Eastsea Academy?

Watching the brute force of Tang Wulin, the martial soul power of Xie Xie, and the way Gu Yue manipulated the elements, Lin Yao fell into deep contemplation.

Then, looking at Situ Xuan, who was standing in front of him and completely indifferent to the situation on the field, a sense of overwhelming security welled up in Lin Yao for no apparent reason.

"Hahaha, old Kong, oh old Kong!"

Long Xiuyuan rushed over to the ashen-faced homeroom teacher of Class 4 in two strides, patting his shoulder hard, "Your class's students this year just don't cut it! You can't even beat the bottom-ranked Class 5!"

This was a match that couldn't even be called a crushing victory, because there was no process of crushing at all.

Everything was so relaxed and casual; Tang Wulin and Gu Yue of Class 1-5 hadn't even really used the power of their martial souls before they had already secured victory.

Kong Hanwen, the homeroom teacher of Class 4, was so angry his face turned beet red, and the belly beneath his brown suit heaved violently: "Long... Long the Madman! Don't you get cocky! It's your class's turn tomorrow!"

"Oh my, oh my, I'm so scared~"

Long Xiuyuan clutched his chest dramatically, then turned and threw an arm around the approaching Situ Xuan, "Our class's little tyrant, did you hear that? A bottom-tier class actually wants to give us a hard time!"

"Old Kong, do you even have that chance?"

Situ Xuan's mouth twitched, and he rolled his eyes helplessly. He looked toward the Class 5 team leaving the stage in the distance, just in time to meet the gaze Xie Xie was casting his way.

Seeing Tang Wulin waving happily at him, Situ Xuan nodded, then ignored Xie Xie's gaze, his eyes shifting with a heavy expression toward the inconspicuous Gu Yue standing beside the two.

Gu Yue...

She should be his greatest opponent this time, right?

Gu Yue, still on the stage, sensed Situ Xuan's gaze and looked over as well.

Situ Xuan gave a rare, proactive nod as a greeting, then grabbed Long Xiuyuan and headed toward the training room.

Extra practice!

This was the second day of the competition, but just like yesterday, there were still no spectators.

However, as with yesterday, aside from the two competing classes, only the next class scheduled to compete, Class 1-2, had come to watch.

Unlike the original timeline where Ye Yingrong was the homeroom teacher of Class 3, the Ye Yingrong who had been displaced by Long Xiuyuan had instead been promoted to become the homeroom teacher of Class 1-2.

Wu Zhangkong led his team over and specifically instructed them: "You must be careful of that boy named Situ Xuan. Defeat his teammates as quickly as possible, and only by working together as a trio will you have a chance at victory."

"Teacher Wu, you're giving that guy too much credit."

Xie Xie flicked the Guanglong Dagger in his hand, the golden blade tracing a dazzling arc in the air, "The three of us against him alone? If word got out, people would think we were bullying him."

Wu Zhangkong's ice-blue eyes suddenly turned cold, and the temperature in the training hall seemed to drop by several degrees.

Xie Xie immediately shrank his neck, but he still stubbornly muttered under his breath: "It's true, though..."

"Teacher, Situ Xuan is indeed very strong."

Tang Wulin stepped forward, his right arm tensing involuntarily, faint golden patterns shimmering beneath his skin, "Back at Red Mountain Academy, he was the benchmark for our entire year. But now—"

He clenched his fist, a flash of firm resolve in his eyes, "I also have a reason I must win."

Wu Zhangkong's gaze lingered on Tang Wulin's arm for a moment, looking thoughtful.

Gu Yue had remained standing quietly to the side, her black hair hanging down like water. Only then did she speak in a cold, clear voice: "Thirty percent."

"What?" Xie Xie didn't understand.

"Facing Situ Xuan, I only have about a thirty percent chance of winning."

Gu Yue raised her eyes, stars seemingly swirling in their depths, "If it's a one-on-one fight."

Xie Xie opened his mouth wide in exaggeration: "Hey, hey, Gu Yue, since when did you start boosting others' morale? Didn't we just—"

"That is the gap between Class 5 and Class 4."

Gu Yue interrupted him, turning her gaze toward the Class 3 team in the distance, "In yesterday's match, we didn't even use one-tenth of our strength."

"By that same logic, since we as Class 5 could stage an upset, why couldn't Class 3 do the same?"

Wu Zhangkong nodded slightly: "Gu Yue sees things very clearly."

He turned to Tang Wulin: "You were his classmate for three years; you should know best—where exactly does this Situ Xuan's strength lie?"

Wu Zhangkong encouraged him; if certain things were said by him as a teacher, the meaning would be different.

Tang Wulin took a deep breath, memories flooding back like a tide.

Combative, eccentric, countless fights...

"His strength is..."

Tang Wulin's voice was a bit tight, "He has no weaknesses."

"No weaknesses?"

Xie Xie scoffed, "Doesn't having no weaknesses just mean being mediocre in every aspect?"

"Fine then, the tactic for later is this: Xie Xie, you go and stall Situ Xuan. Gu Yue, you and Tang Wulin finish the fight as quickly as possible."

Wu Zhangkong said no more; people cannot be taught by words, but they learn instantly through experience.

Sometimes, denting their overflowing self-confidence was not a bad thing; at the very least, it would help them understand that there is always someone better, and there is always a sky beyond the sky.

"Leave it to me, no problem."

Xie Xie accepted the task with great confidence.

However, Tang Wulin looked at Xie Xie with an extremely strange expression. In the end, he could only sigh, give Xie Xie a "may you be blessed" look, pat him on the shoulder, and walk toward the stage.

Having been in the same class as Situ Xuan before, Tang Wulin knew that although Situ Xuan's innate soul power wasn't high, that monster-like physique of his...

Sigh! Good luck, Xie Xie.

"Prepare for the match!"

The referee's voice echoed across the arena as the team members from Class 3 and Class 5 ascended the stage from opposite sides.

Situ Xuan walked in the lead with his hands in his pockets, followed by the slightly nervous Lin Yao and Zhou Tianyang.

Across from them, Tang Wulin nodded at Situ Xuan in greeting, while Xie Xie curled his lip into a provocative smirk.

"Class 3 sent a martial arts maniac like you to be the captain?"

Xie Xie performed a flashy flourish with his blades, the Guanglong Dagger glinting blindingly in the sunlight. "Don't go crying and begging for mercy later."

Situ Xuan grinned, revealing two rows of stark white teeth. "The genius with twin martial souls from the Xie family? Try not to die too ugly later."

"Arrogant!" Xie Xie narrowed his eyes as two yellow soul rings lit up on his body simultaneously. "First soul skill—"

Before his words could finish, the metal floor beneath Situ Xuan's feet suddenly buckled.

Xie Xie felt a blur before his eyes, and a sharp, stabbing pain in his abdomen caused him to arch his back like a shrimp.

The Guanglong Dagger flew from his hand, spinning through the air before embedding itself into the protective barrier ten meters away. His body flew backward uncontrollably, only coming to a stop when he slammed into the soul guidance barrier at the edge of the arena.

"Cough..." Xie Xie knelt on the ground, retching; the burning pain in his stomach left him unable to even speak.

For the sake of Wu Zhangkong, Situ Xuan had not struck with full force, but the earlier taunts had left him feeling quite annoyed...

Situ Xuan ignored his two teammates, instead reaching out to grab Xie Xie by the head and lifting him up without the slightest effort.

Even though they were all ten years old, and Tang Wulin and Xie Xie were generally taller than their peers, to the nearly 1.8-meter-tall Situ Xuan, it was the difference between a child and an adult.

Situ Xuan flashed a sinister grin and patted Xie Xie's pale face. "Kid, weren't you just being very arrogant?"