A Teacher's Name Isn't Given Lightly

Gu Chensha could hear the thoughts churning in her heart.

But he, having not been human for a long time, could no longer understand the girlish sentiments hidden within her words.

This made him want to sigh, yet also made him want to laugh.

"But if you don't call him Teacher, what else would you call him?"

He neither agreed nor refused directly.

Zhu Zhuqing pursed her lips.

She also knew her request was somewhat unreasonable.

The person sent by the Martial Soul Hall to guide her, in terms of status and seniority, it was only proper to call him Teacher.

But she just didn't want to. Teacher could only be the one who pulled her up when she was at her most desperate, who gave her light and a path forward.

"Then... I'll call him Instructor?"

She asked tentatively, "Or else... I'll just call him 'You'?"

"It's just a formality anyway, I don't need to learn anything from him."

The more she spoke, the more feasible it seemed, and her tone unconsciously became lighter.

Gu Chensha chuckled softly and gave her an easy way out.

"In the Martial Soul Hall, the lowest rank that can be your mentor is a Cardinal."

"When you meet a Cardinal, you call him Lord Cardinal; when you meet an Elder, you call him Your Excellency the Elder."

"At the very least, calling him 'Mister' is also sufficiently polite."

"This way, you won't lose your composure, nor will you go against your own feelings."

Zhu Zhuqing's eyes instantly lit up, as if she had found the perfect answer. She quickly nodded, her voice filled with undisguised joy.

"Okay! I'll listen to Teacher!"

"Alright, go to sleep."

"Got it, Teacher."

Zhu Zhuqing obediently responded, burrowed into her blankets, completely at ease, and closed her eyes.

As dawn was just breaking.

Zhu Zhuqing opened her eyes.

Gu Chensha's voice immediately echoed in her mind.

"You're awake so early?"

"That's good. Wash up, the people from the Martial Soul Hall are almost at the door."

She nodded obediently, got up, and quickly tidied herself.

Sure enough, not long after, a soft knock came from outside the door, accompanied by that familiar female voice.

"Sister Zhuqing, are you awake? I'm Hu Liena."

"I'm awake, coming."

Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath and walked forward to open the door.

Standing outside was Hu Liena, dressed in a simple white outfit, with a gentle and proper smile on her face.

Seeing Zhu Zhuqing open the door, she immediately asked softly.

"Did I disturb your rest?"

Zhu Zhuqing gently shook her head, her tone calm but polite.

"No, I was already awake."

"Mm, I should have let you rest for a few more days."

"But according to the rules of the Martial Soul Hall, we need to arrange a dedicated cultivation mentor for you as soon as possible, so I had to come early."

Hu Liena naturally took her hand and led her deeper into the Martial Soul Hall, speaking as they walked.

"While we're on the way, I'll first tell you about the core rules of the advanced Soul Master Academy."

"By the way, Sister Zhuqing, did you ever learn about the teaching methods of the advanced academies when you were in school before?"

Zhu Zhuqing's delicate eyebrows twitched slightly. Fortunately, the movement was very small and was buffered by her head shake, so Hu Liena didn't notice.

She looked up at Hu Liena, her eyes filled with just the right amount of confusion.

"Sister, I don't remember things from before."

"Qing'er, you're doing very well."

Gu Chensha's cold laugh sounded in her mind at the same time.

"This woman's way of speaking is quite tricky. She didn't ask if you remembered your time at the academy, but directly asked if you understood the teaching methods."

"If you had truly lost your memory, you would only blankly say you didn't know; any subconscious hesitation would have given you away."

"It seems the defenses of Martial Soul Hall have never once relaxed."

Hu Liena immediately wore an apologetic expression, gently patting the back of her hand.

"It is this sister whose memory is poor, forgetting about that. My apologies."

"It's alright."

Zhu Zhuqing shook her head, her face returning to that indifferent look.

Only when alone with Gu Chensha would she shed this guard and reveal more vivid emotions.

Hu Liena stopped probing and turned to explain earnestly.

"Most other Soul Master Academies on the continent use a unified teaching model."

"But we in Martial Soul Hall have always employed a completely different educational system, centered on three core policies that set us apart from other academies."

"They are the Aptitude Ranking System, the Bottom-Elimination System, and the Mentor Responsibility System."

"It is precisely by relying on these three systems to filter layer by layer that Martial Soul Hall can continuously cultivate top-tier Soul Masters, gaining the confidence to stand on equal footing with the Two Great Empires today."

Zhu Zhuqing listened attentively and asked in a soft voice.

"Is the Aptitude Ranking System based on Innate Soul Power?"

"Not entirely."

Hu Liena smiled, shook her head, and patiently explained.

"This is the foundation of all our systems."

"From the moment of enrollment in the primary Soul Master Academy, we assess each student's aptitude level based on multiple dimensions, including Martial Soul quality, Innate Soul Power, and potential for comprehension, then assign them to classes accordingly."

"Furthermore, this level is not set in stone; it is reviewed every six months. As long as you progress quickly enough, you can be moved up at any time."

"Conversely, if you stagnate, you will be demoted immediately."

"This system runs from the primary academy all the way through to the intermediate academy."

"Even a student initially regarded as a genius due to high Innate Soul Power will be kicked out of the genius class if they cannot keep up with the pace."

Zhu Zhuqing was lost in thought, then asked.

"Then, is the Bottom-Elimination System about dismissing people based on assessment scores?"

"You could say that."

Hu Liena nodded.

"Once classes are assigned, the Bottom-Elimination System activates immediately."

"Starting from enrollment in the primary academy, there is a comprehensive assessment at regular intervals—monthly, quarterly, and annually—covering three major areas: Soul Power advancement, actual combat, and Soul Master theory, with rankings determined by total scores within the class."

"Students who rank at the bottom of each assessment are directly demoted to the next lower class."

"Students who fall to the bottom of the lowest class twice in a row are directly dismissed from the academy."

"After dismissal, Martial Soul Hall assigns their placement based on their cumulative scores during their time at the school."

"Those who meet the score requirements can be assigned to various city branch halls as White-Robed Patrol Deacons."

"Those whose scores are insufficient can only be arranged into logistics, guard duties, or other idle positions, and will never be able to enter the core system of Martial Soul Hall for the rest of their lives."

"Even if you manage to graduate from the intermediate academy, if you fail the final assessment, the highest position you can reach is Yellow-Robed Grand Deacon; you will never touch the threshold of the Bishop level."

"This rule treats everyone equally; there are no exceptions."

Gu Chensha muttered to himself.

"So that's how it is. I was wondering why that blind Douluo, Su Yuntao, could only stay in Nuoding City his whole life; it turns out he was filtered out by this system."

"However, this system is somewhat similar to the schooling I experienced in my past life."

"It looks like fair selection, but in reality... it is domestication."