Wu Zhangkong Asks for Help

Yun Chen did not know whether the emptiness he felt was because the battle had ended so abruptly, but in the end, he could only shake his head helplessly and walk down from the competition platform with Wei Xiaofeng.

After returning to Class One's ranks, Ye Yingluo looked at the two of them with satisfaction. "You both did very well."

At that moment, no one was happier than Ye Yingluo, who had always been ignored by Wu Zhangkong. Yun Chen and Wei Xiaofeng's victory had not only earned honor for the class, but also made her feel that she could finally hold her head high before Wu Zhangkong.

But in truth, Wu Zhangkong did not care about her opinion at all. The garden in his heart had long since gained its owner.

"Come on, let's go tell Yangzi and the others the good news." Wei Xiaofeng was still excited. Earlier, he had not thought much of the Class Promotion Tournament against Class Five, but now things were different. He felt that winning this match was absolutely worth celebrating.

Yun Chen nodded and called Xu Xiaoyan over. The three of them headed to the academy infirmary together.

When Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi learned that Yun Chen and Wei Xiaofeng had won, they were regretful that they had not been able to take the field, but they were also happy for them.

Meanwhile, after Wu Zhangkong dismissed Year One Class Five, he left the academy alone and hurried to Eastsea Hospital. He had needed to teach during the day, so after learning about Tang Wulin's situation, he had been unable to rush over immediately. Now that he was done with his work, it was time to check on Tang Wulin.

After arriving at the hospital, Wu Zhangkong first saw Cen Yue and Mang Tian standing outside the ward. Once he learned their identities, he asked about Tang Wulin's condition.

After listening to Cen Yue's account, Wu Zhangkong frowned as well. Among the dozens of students in Year One Class Five, Gu Yue was undoubtedly the most outstanding. Yet the one Wu Zhangkong thought most highly of was Tang Wulin, that child with unyielding perseverance.

In this era of Legend of the Dragon King, the limitations of the useless martial soul, Blue Silver Grass, were far greater than they had been in ancient times. With the emergence of Battle Armor, even if the ancestor Tang San were alive, Wu Zhangkong did not believe he could still reach such heights.

Yet Tang Wulin's refusal to admit defeat had moved Wu Zhangkong. He truly wanted to see whether this child could rely on his own efforts to carve out a path that belonged solely to him in this day and age.

However, his dream was about to be cut short by a natural disaster. Even someone as cold-hearted as Wu Zhangkong found that regrettable. Especially when he saw Tang Wulin still frowning in unconsciousness, as if enduring pain, the string in Wu Zhangkong's heart was finally plucked.

Wu Zhangkong stood silently beside Tang Wulin's bed for an unknown length of time. Only after the sky outside had been completely shrouded by night did he leave. But he did not return to Eastsea Academy. Instead, he went to the hospital rooftop.

On his Soul Guidance Communication device, he entered a number Wu Zhangkong had never forgotten. After struggling for a long time, he finally pressed the call button with trembling fingers.

"Who is it?" That familiar voice soon came through the communicator.

"Teacher, it's me." Wu Zhangkong's voice trembled slightly, but the next moment, the sound of something falling to the floor came through the communicator, followed by the call ending.

Wu Zhangkong froze where he stood. At that moment, he was like a helpless child. But not long afterward, that number called back.

"Zhangkong, is that you?" The vigorous voice from his memories trembled as well. He seemed to be confirming an answer he already knew, as though afraid there might be even the slightest mistake.

"It's me." Wu Zhangkong replied, "Teacher, I want to ask you for a favor."

Elsewhere, in the principal's office of Eastsea Academy.

After the Class Promotion Tournament between Year One Class One and Year One Class Five ended, Long Hengxu brought a stack of documents to Principal Yu Zhen's office.

As Yu Zhen looked through the materials Long Hengxu had brought, his eyes filled with surprise.

"If things are truly as you say, then this year's first-year students will indeed be the most outstanding class Eastsea Academy has seen since its founding. But how confident are you in this Zero Class Project?" Yu Zhen asked thoughtfully.

"Principal, I'm at least seventy percent... no, eighty percent confident!" Long Hengxu said.

"There are simply too many outstanding students among this year's first-years. There are six two-ring Soul Grandmasters alone, and even one three-ring Soul Elder! There are also Twin Martial Souls, and even Martial Soul Fusion Skills. In previous years, having even one of these would have been impressive, but this time, so many have appeared at once. Principal, this is our opportunity!" Long Hengxu said excitedly.

Long Hengxu could not be blamed for being so excited. Such an opportunity was simply too rare. Because of the existence of soul masters, the Douluo Federation's development planning was somewhat unusual. Coastal cities near the sea were far inferior economically to cities closer to the continent's center. That was because the continent's center was home to Shrek Academy, the number one Soul Master Academy on the continent, as well as the headquarters of Spirit Pagoda and the Tang Sect.

It was precisely for this reason that East Sea and the surrounding cities had fallen behind inland regions in every aspect of development. Even soul masters with exceptional talent were unwilling to remain here.

The Skysea Alliance, formed by East Sea and several important surrounding cities, had performed poorly in the Federation-wide competition several times already. If this continued, the Skysea Alliance would become the laughingstock of the entire Federation. The major cities within the alliance were all trying every possible means to change this situation, and Long Hengxu believed this year's first-years might well be the opportunity they had been waiting for.

Yu Zhen was calmer than Long Hengxu, but even he could not help being moved by the vision Long Hengxu had painted. Eastsea Academy already possessed first-rate teaching staff, and with the generous financial support of its board members, it had ample funding. It was capable of attempting the Zero Class Project Long Hengxu had proposed.

But Yu Zhen was worried about something else. Once these children stood on that stage, bathed in starlight, would they still be willing to return here? It was not as though the Skysea Alliance had never produced outstanding geniuses before. Yet in the end, the vast majority had chosen to leave. Too few had truly remained.

In the end, after discussing the matter, Yu Zhen and Long Hengxu drafted a contract listing several conditions. So long as those conditions could be accepted, Yu Zhen felt that they could try implementing the Zero Class Project among this year's first-years.

However, Gu Yue and Yun Chen, the two people most crucial to the Zero Class Project, happened to run into each other on the Gourmet Street in Eastsea City. Both of them carried numerous bags in their hands. Most of the bags Yun Chen carried had been bought by Xu Xiaoyan, while the ones Gu Yue carried were all things she liked.