"Xie Xie."
"Then we're friends now."
Under Lu Li's gaze, Xie Xie pressed his lips together. He seemed to wrestle with himself for a moment before reaching out his hand.
"No problem."
"My name is Tang Wulin. What's yours?"
Tang Wulin asked with a clear, bright look in his eyes and a smile.
"..."
"Right, the second Xie is the one in 'encounter.' That's my name."
Xie Xie gave an awkward, unnatural smile.
"Ah, you're actually called that?"
"Nice to meet you, Xie Xie."
Tang Wulin blushed with embarrassment and hurriedly spoke.
"Admitting your mistake and correcting it makes you a good genius."
"Since you're still roommates, I think this means you've become friends through a fight. You'll probably get along faster than you would with anyone else."
Looking at the two boys who had put their differences aside, Lu Li smiled. Tang Wulin was a good kid, and although Xie Xie had seemed a little obnoxious at first, he wasn't bad at heart. He was a promising talent, too...
That was, if you ignored his rather poor talent.
At the thought, Lu Li couldn't help giving the boy a more serious look. If he remembered correctly, Xie Xie had Twin Martial Souls and Innate Full Soul Power. He was currently at Soul Power level 18.
Nine years old, level 18.
How had a genius with Innate Full Soul Power managed to advance only eight levels in three years?
Lu Li remembered becoming a Soul Elder in three years...
"Teacher Lu Li, is something...?"
Feeling Lu Li's gaze, Xie Xie began to tremble without realizing it. He even found himself using a respectful tone.
He didn't know why, but the other boy seemed to carry the air of someone in a position of authority.
"It's nothing. Your talent..."
"Is pretty good."
Lu Li shook his head and smiled faintly.
"All right. I'll talk to Director Long for you. You don't need to go to the Academic Affairs Office. Head back."
"Yes, Teacher Lu Li!"
The two boys obediently did as he said. They walked away together, leaving only their small figures behind.
"That child named Tang Wulin."
"Is he the one you took a liking to?"
Wu Changkong had remained silent until the two boys had walked some distance away. Only then did he speak.
"Yeah. What do you think of him?"
Lu Li smiled and nodded.
"Compared to him, the boy named Xie Xie seems to have greater potential, but Tang Wulin is good, too..."
"With Innate Soul Power of level three, he's managed to reach level 14 at his age. You could call him a genius, but once his cultivation gets higher, I'm afraid he'll struggle."
Since this was their first meeting, Wu Changkong clearly couldn't tell anything else about the boy, but he still gave him a favorable assessment.
After all, Tang Wulin had only had Innate Soul Power of level three.
"You're right. Not only is his talent poor, his Martial Soul is also the weakest one, Blue Silver Grass. But what if I told you..."
"He's a Level 4 Blacksmith?"
Lu Li looked at him with a smile and chuckled.
"A Level 4 Blacksmith?"
"How is that possible?"
Wu Changkong froze and instinctively shook his head, yet a look of bewilderment settled over his face.
He trusted that Lu Li wouldn't lie.
But...
Wasn't Tang Wulin only nine years old?
"Hard to believe, isn't it? But it's the truth."
"Let's go."
Lu Li shook his head with a smile.
"Where to?"
Wu Changkong looked at him in confusion.
"With your strength, you're surely the strongest at Eastsea Academy. This year's freshmen are quite interesting. I'll ask Director Long to put both of us in the best class."
Lu Li smiled and answered honestly.
"Hmm..."
Wu Changkong said nothing.
Should he mention that the class he was in charge of was Grade One Class Five, unquestionably the worst class?
But when he realized Lu Li would probably be teaching alongside him, he silently nodded.
"..."
"Tang Wulin, that Teacher Lu Li..."
"Is he really that impressive?"
On the way back, Xie Xie glanced at Tang Wulin and asked, confused.
"He's incredible."
"Big Brother Lu Li—I mean, Teacher Lu Li—is a Level 7 Blacksmith."
Tang Wulin's face was full of admiration.
As a beginner blacksmith, he knew exactly how impressive Lu Li's talent was. In the field of blacksmithing...
No one could hold a candle to him!
"A Level 7 Blacksmith!"
"Are you kidding me?"
Xie Xie's eyes widened.
Teacher Lu Li didn't look that old. He didn't look like an impressive blacksmith at all. He looked more like an older brother—that was what Xie Xie would have believed.
Blacksmithing was the hardest secondary profession. He'd never heard of a Level 7 Blacksmith under thirty.
"I'm not kidding."
"Teacher Lu Li really is that amazing."
Tang Wulin spoke with a look of awe.
"Then what about his cultivation?"
Xie Xie nodded in astonishment and continued asking.
"His cultivation?"
"I don't know about that, but I do know his name is famous across the continent."
"I think it's something like..."
Tang Wulin blinked and answered honestly.
"The Continental Wind and Cloud Ranking..."
"Achoo!"
"Tang Wulin, what did you say? I didn't hear you. What level is Teacher Lu Li?"
Xie Xie suddenly sneezed and missed what the other boy had said. He asked in confusion.
"Nothing. I don't know what level he is, either."
"Okay."
Xie Xie took out a tissue to wipe his nose, but an inexplicable sense of foreboding rose in his heart.
Meanwhile, in front of the Academic Affairs Office in the teaching building, Lu Li wore an incredulous expression for the first time.
[You have made a name for yourself at the academy and attracted the attention of the young master of the Xie Family, who refuses to be outdone. He is proud by nature and wants to challenge you] [Current mission: Defeat Xie Xie and teach him a lesson] [Mission reward: One million Federal Coins] [Xie Xie, Soul Power level 18, Twin Martial Souls: Light Dragon Dagger and Shadow Dragon Dagger, Innate Full Soul Power, a genius who advanced eight levels in three years] [He is a rare top-tier genius, and a little rich kid to boot. Defeat him and become his nightmare!]
"..."
Lu Li silently rubbed his forehead, at a loss for words. Who? Who did it say?
It wanted him, an old-timer...
To challenge Xie Xie, the genius who had advanced eight levels in three years?
"Brother Lu Li, what's wrong?"
Wu Changkong noticed his odd reaction and asked in confusion.
"It's nothing."
"I just thought of something funny."
Lu Li gave a helpless smile and said no more.
"Teacher Lu Li, you're back."
"And Teacher Wu. Is something the matter?"
Seeing Lu Li and Wu Changkong return, Long Hengxu didn't look confused at all. Instead, he looked serious as he asked.
"Director Long, for this year's Freshman Class One..."
"Teacher Wu and I will teach it together."
Lu Li smiled slightly as he made his request.
"No problem. Absolutely no problem!"
"These are the files for this year's Class One geniuses. It really is the most impressive class in Eastsea Academy's history. Please take a look."
"Anything else?"
Long Hengxu replied with conviction. He immediately forgot that he had promised someone else the homeroom-teacher position, handed Lu Li the files, and asked if he had any other requests.
"One more thing. Xie Xie and Tang Wulin, the two who were fighting just now."
"They're both excellent kids. I want them..."
"To join Class One."
Lu Li looked at the top three names in the files—Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, and Wei Xiaofeng—and felt a pang of emotion.
Three geniuses with Innate Soul Power of level nine, plus Xie Xie and Tang Wulin, and later Xu Xiaoyan and Gu Yue. Those seven...
They could practically be called a miniature Shrek Seven Devils.
"..."
P.S. It's another Winter Solstice. Time really flies. Remember to eat dumplings, everyone. A whole year has already passed...
Before you continue