The Founding of First-Year Zero Class

After breakfast, they had barely arrived in the classroom when the students received notice that all first-year classes were to gather on the field for a grade-wide meeting.

Although Xie Xie's arm was injured, his condition had stabilized, and he still had to attend class.

Wu Zhangkong remained as stern as ever as he led the students of Grade 1 Class 5 straight to the field to assemble.

Grade 1 Class 5 was now a far cry from what it had once been. When they arrived on the field, students from the other first-year classes all turned to look at them.

Most of those gazes fell on Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Gu Yue. As for Nan Fusheng, he drew only a little attention. After all, during the previous battle against Class 1, he had merely been an inconspicuous support.

Soon, all five first-year classes had assembled. Nan Fusheng noticed that Zhang Yangzi was absent from Grade 1 Class 1. A broken leg was clearly much more troublesome. Like Xie Xie, Wang Jinxi had bandages wrapped around his hand.

At the front of the gathered students, not only had Director of Academic Affairs Long Hengxu arrived, but Dean Yu Zhen had come in person as well.

After signaling to Dean Yu Zhen, Long Hengxu announced loudly, "We've gathered everyone today for a temporary first-year meeting to announce two matters.

"First, due to the special circumstances of this year's first-year students, the winning class will no longer continue participating in the following Class Promotion Tournaments. First-year rankings will be adjusted according to the tournament rules. In other words, the former Grade 1 Class 5 will be changed to Grade 1 Class 1, with the other four classes shifting accordingly."

They would not be allowed to continue in the Class Promotion Tournament? The students who had become Grade 1 Class 1 immediately stirred. Being barred from the tournament meant that the rewards for challenging higher grades would no longer exist!

Long Hengxu continued, "In recognition of the outstanding performance of the new Grade 1 Class 1 in this Class Promotion Tournament, every student in the class will be awarded one Grade A Meal per day for the remainder of this semester."

The commotion instantly turned into cheers. What did a Grade A Meal represent? It was an enormous tonic! Setting aside its taste, it would greatly benefit their cultivation. Most families simply could not afford Grade A Meals. Providing them free to the entire class for a semester was an incredibly generous gesture.

Ye Yingluo, who had now become the homeroom teacher of Grade 1 Class 2, looked even gloomier. Clearly, she was not in a very good mood.

Long Hengxu barked, "Quiet."

Only then did the cheering gradually die down.

Long Hengxu continued, "Due to the outstanding performance of this year's first-year students, the academy's board has decided, after deliberation, to establish a pilot class among the first years and select the finest students to join it.

"It will tentatively be called Grade 1 Zero Class, with Teacher Wu Zhangkong serving as its homeroom teacher. The students of Zero Class will be selected from the existing classes. There are currently seven members. From Grade 1 Class 1: Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Gu Yue, and Nan Fusheng. From Grade 1 Class 2: Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, and Wei Xiaofeng.

"If any other students in this grade perform equally well in the future, they may also have the chance to join Zero Class."

Grade 1 Zero Class?

What the hell was that?

The students present could not help but stare blankly. In Eastsea Academy's history, there had never been anything like a Zero Class! And Teacher Wu Zhangkong would be its homeroom teacher—what did that mean?

Tang Wulin and the other three were shocked—Nan Fusheng only pretended to be. On the other side, Wang Jinxi and Wei Xiaofeng were equally surprised, and their gazes instinctively turned toward Tang Wulin's group.

Wei Xiaofeng's eyes were filled with resentment and hatred, while Wang Jinxi's gaze rested solely on Tang Wulin. His expression was somewhat complicated.

Wu Zhangkong remained expressionless. In truth, the academy board had notified him immediately after making its decision the previous night.

Originally, Grade 1 Zero Class had only six members. Nan Fusheng had not been included. After all, Nan Fusheng's performance throughout the battle had not been particularly outstanding. Having Wang Billy join Grade 1 Zero Class would have been more convincing than letting Nan Fusheng in.

It had been Wu Zhangkong and Dean Yu Zhen who insisted that Nan Fusheng be included as well. Their reason was that the four students of Grade 1 Class 5 were already a whole—either they entered together, or none of them did.

Dean Yu Zhen had found this quite troublesome and asked Wu Zhangkong to give him a better reason. Otherwise, he would have no way to convince the others.

Wu Zhangkong had only replied with one sentence: "That child's Soul Skill can control even me. His Martial Soul still has enormous potential to be developed."

Dean Yu Zhen had been left speechless by those words. How could he not know where Wu Zhangkong came from?

Since even Wu Zhangkong thought so highly of Nan Fusheng, what else could he say? Besides, the newly established Grade 1 Zero Class would need Wu Zhangkong to lead it. He could only agree. It was just one additional student, after all.

Even Wu Zhangkong himself had not expected to do this. Had his expectations for Nan Fusheng been this high all along?

At that moment, even Wu Zhangkong did not notice that within his Spirit Sea and on his Martial Soul, three Worms of Time were emitting a faint white glow.

They gave off a fluctuation he could not perceive, slowly influencing his thoughts.

Long Hengxu said, "Besides those two announcements, there is also a disciplinary decision. During yesterday's Class Promotion Tournament, in the match between Grade 1 Class 1 and Grade 1 Class 2, "the students on both sides failed to uphold the principle of friendship first, competition second, resulting in four participating students suffering serious injuries. We hereby issue a severe criticism to all eight participants.

"Furthermore, all possible rewards the eight of them might have earned from the competition will be revoked as a warning to others."

Their rewards would be revoked? But in a Class Promotion Tournament within the same grade, even winning did not seem to come with any rewards. It was just a matter of being promoted to the next class.

Long Hengxu sounded quite stern, but there did not seem to be any real punishment to it.

"Dean, would you like to say a few words?" Long Hengxu asked Yu Zhen quietly.

Yu Zhen nodded and announced, "Students, I'm sure you're all very curious about why Grade 1 Zero Class was established.

"It is because these few students chosen from among you have already far surpassed your current level in terms of individual ability. If they continue to be trained alongside students of the same level, their talents will be wasted.

"This tells you that if you wish to shine brilliantly in the future, you must put in even greater effort.

"I hope to see more of you joining Zero Class in the near future and becoming Eastsea Academy's finest talents as well.

"All right, dismissed. Each homeroom teacher will lead their students back to class. Director Long Hengxu will temporarily serve as the homeroom teacher of Grade 1 Class 1 until a new teacher is selected. Teacher Wu Zhangkong and the students of Grade 1 Zero Class, stay behind."

Amid shock, envy, jealousy, and resentment, the five first-year classes returned to their classrooms. Only the dean and the teachers and students of the newly established Grade 1 Zero Class remained on the field.

"Children, come here." Yu Zhen beckoned to them.