Class Arrangement, I Challenge Xie Xie? [Seeking Follow-up]

"Xie Xie."

"Then we are friends."

Under Lu Li's gaze, Xie Xie pursed his lips, seemingly struggling with himself for a moment, before taking the initiative to reach out his hand.

"You're welcome."

"My name is Tang Wulin, what is your name?"

Tang Wulin said with a smile, his eyes clear and bright.

"..."

"Yeah, the second character is the 'xie' from 'xiexie' (chance encounter), that is my name."

Xie Xie smiled unnaturally, feeling a bit awkward.

"Ah, you actually have that name."

"Nice to meet you, Xie Xie."

Tang Wulin blushed in embarrassment and quickly said.

"A genius who can correct his mistakes is a good genius."

"Since you two are roommates, I suppose this is a case of not knowing each other without a fight, and you'll be able to get along faster than others."

Watching the two of them shed their barriers, a smile appeared on Lu Li's face. Tang Wulin was not bad, and although Xie Xie had been a bit provocative upon his first appearance, his nature wasn't bad, and he was also a talent worth molding...

Provided one ignored his rather lackluster talent.

Thinking of this, the look in Lu Li's eyes couldn't help but turn solemn for a moment. If he remembered correctly, the boy had Twin Martial Souls, Innate Full Soul Power, and was currently at rank 18.

Nine years old, rank 18.

How exactly did a genius with Innate Full Soul Power manage to only level up eight times in three years?

He remembered that he himself had become a Soul Elder in three years...

"Teacher Lu Li, what are you...?"

Feeling Lu Li's gaze, Xie Xie's body began to tremble involuntarily, and he instinctively used honorifics in his tone.

He didn't know why, but looking at the man before him, he always felt an aura of superiority radiating from him.

"It's nothing, your talent..."

"Is not bad."

Lu Li shook his head and smiled faintly.

"Alright, I will speak to Director Long on your behalf; you don't need to go to the Academic Affairs Office. Go back."

"Yes, Teacher Lu Li!"

Hearing his words, the two little ones immediately complied obediently. As they spoke, they walked away together, leaving behind only two small silhouettes.

"That child named Tang Wulin."

"Is that the little one you've taken a liking to?"

Wu Changkong had remained silent until the two little figures were far away before he finally spoke.

"Yes, what do you think of him?"

Lu Li nodded with a smile.

"Compared to him, the child named Xie Xie seems to have greater potential, but he is not bad either..."

"With an innate cultivation of rank 3, being able to reach rank 14 at this age, he can be called a genius. But as his cultivation grows higher in the future, I fear he will find it much more strenuous."

Seeing him for the first time, Wu Changkong clearly couldn't discern anything else, but he still gave positive feedback.

After all, he himself only had rank 3 Innate Soul Power.

"You're not wrong. Not only is his talent poor, but his martial soul is also the weakest Blue Silver Grass. But what if I told you..."

"He is a level 4 Blacksmith?"

Lu Li looked at him and chuckled softly.

"A level 4 Blacksmith?"

"How is that possible?"

Wu Changkong was stunned and instinctively shook his head, yet a look of bewilderment covered his face at that moment.

He believed that the man before him would not lie.

But...

The child seemed to be only nine years old, right?

"Hard to believe, isn't it? But that is the truth."

"Let's go."

Lu Li shook his head with a smile and said slowly.

"Where are we going?"

Wu Changkong glanced at him with a puzzled look.

"With your strength, you are undoubtedly the strongest at Donghai Academy. The freshmen this year are quite interesting, so I'm going to ask Director Long to arrange for both of us to be in the best class."

Lu Li smiled and spoke truthfully.

"Hmm..."

Wu Changkong did not speak.

Could he say that the class he was managing was Grade One Class Five, the indisputably worst class?

But thinking that the other party would likely be teaching alongside him, he still nodded silently.

"..."

"Tang Wulin, that Teacher Lu Li..."

"Is he very strong?"

On the other side, on the way back, Xie Xie looked toward Tang Wulin and asked with some confusion.

"Very strong."

"Big Brother Lu Li, or rather Teacher Lu Li, is a formidable Level 7 Blacksmith."

Tang Wulin's face was filled with undisguised admiration.

As a novice blacksmith, he knew all too well the weight of that talent; when it came to forging...

No one could surpass him!

"A Level 7 Blacksmith!"

"You're not joking, are you?"

Xie Xie's eyes widened instantly.

Teacher Lu Li looked so young; he didn't look like a powerful blacksmith at all. He would have found it more believable if someone called him a big brother.

Blacksmithing was the most difficult auxiliary profession, and he had never heard of a Level 7 Blacksmith under the age of thirty.

"I'm not joking."

"Teacher Lu Li is just that amazing."

Tang Wulin's face was full of awe as he said with a smile.

"Then what about his cultivation?"

Xie Xie nodded, still shocked, and continued to ask.

"Cultivation?"

"I don't know about that, but I do know that his name is famous throughout the continent."

"It seems to be called something like..."

Tang Wulin blinked and answered truthfully.

"Continental Wind and Cloud Ranking..."

"Achoo!"

"Tang Wulin, what did you say? I didn't hear you clearly. What level is Teacher Lu Li?"

Xie Xie suddenly sneezed and, having missed what the other party said, asked in confusion.

"It's nothing, I don't know what level he is either."

"Alright then."

Xie Xie took out a tissue to wipe his nose, but a strange, ominous feeling rose in his heart.

Meanwhile, in front of the academic affairs office in the teaching building, Lu Li showed an expression of utter disbelief for the first time.

[You have begun to stand out in your academy life and have caught the attention of the young master of the Xie family, who refuses to be outdone. He is proud by nature and wishes to challenge you.]

[Current Mission: Defeat Xie Xie and teach him a lesson.]

[Mission Reward: One million Federal Credits.]

[Xie Xie, cultivation level 18, Twin Martial Souls Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger, Innate Full Soul Power, a genius who rose eight levels in three years.]

[He is a rare top-tier genius and a wealthy second-generation heir. Defeat him and become his nightmare!]

"..."

Lu Li silently covered his forehead, wanting to say something but stopping himself. Who? You said who?

Let him, this old-timer...

Challenge Xie Xie, a genius who rose eight levels in three years?

"Brother Lu Li, what's wrong?"

Wu Changkong noticed his lapse in composure and asked with concern.

"It's nothing."

"Just thought of something happy."

Lu Li gave a helpless smile and didn't say anything more.

"Teacher Lu Li, you've returned."

"And Teacher Wu, is something the matter?"

Looking at Lu Li and Wu Changkong, who had returned so soon, Long Hengxu showed no signs of confusion. Instead, his face was full of seriousness as he asked.

"Director Long, for this year's Freshman Class One."

"Teacher Wu and I will be co-teaching it."

Lu Li smiled slightly and put forward his request.

"No problem, absolutely no problem!"

"These are the files for this year's geniuses in Class One. It is indeed the most high-caliber batch since the founding of Donghai Academy. Please, take a look."

"Do you have any other requests?"

Long Hengxu agreed firmly, immediately casting aside the fact that he had promised the position to someone else. He handed the files to them and continued to ask.

"There is one more thing. Regarding Xie Xie and Tang Wulin, who were fighting just now."

"Both of these children are quite good, and I want them..."

"To both join Class One."

Lu Li looked at the top three students in the files—Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, and Wei Xiaofeng—and felt a wave of emotion.

Three geniuses with innate rank nine soul power, plus Xie Xie, Tang Wulin, and the later arrivals Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue, these seven people...

They could even be considered a miniature Shrek Seven Devils.

"..."

ps: Another Winter Solstice is here; time flies so fast. Everyone remember to eat dumplings. I can't believe a whole year has already passed...