Ning Tian and Wu Feng

Another wave of murmurs swept through the room. Aside from Wu Feng, whose expression remained unhappy, everyone else seemed to think it was only natural.

In a place where everyone was a genius, if you were more talented than me, then you deserved to have a greater say. That was their logic.

So even though some of them did feel a little discontented, Wang Yan had said they could raise objections later, and they were willing to wait and see.

"Vice class monitor: Ning Tian and Dong'er!"

"It really is her..." Huo Yuhao thought. As expected, he'd just seen a blonde girl whose face was deliberately hidden tug Wu Feng back. If anyone could do that, it would be Ning Tian.

Ning Tian was the current young sect master of the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect. She possessed one of the finest auxiliary Martial Souls on the Douluo Continent: the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda.

Legend had it that if someone could find a special Immortal Herb to refine their Martial Soul, the Seven Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda could evolve into the higher-quality Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda. But in Huo Yuhao's memories, aside from the Nine-Colored Goddess, he'd never seen another Soul Master with the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Pagoda Martial Soul.

But after meeting so many familiar faces these past few days, Huo Yuhao knew he had to keep an eye on Ning Tian, too. Who knew whether her talent had advanced even further... and her Martial Soul had evolved?

Wang Yan continued announcing the names of the other class officers, but aside from Ning Tian and Wu Feng, who had been appointed cultivation representative, Huo Yuhao didn't hear any other familiar names. That let him breathe a little easier for now.

"Who has any objections?" Before Wang Yan had even finished speaking, Wu Feng's hand shot up.

"I have an objection. I doubt Huo Yuhao's ability, and I don't think he's suited to be class monitor!"

"Ning Tian should be class monitor!"

Wu Feng's voice rang out as loudly as ever. The other students had already expected this, and their gazes all turned to Huo Yuhao, curious to see how he would respond.

"Then, Wu Feng." Huo Yuhao stood up and stared straight at Wu Feng in the back row before continuing:

"How would you like to test my ability? Should I show you my Soul Rings?"

"Or, since you recommended Ning Tian, do you want her to fight me?"

"No. Even if you show your Soul Rings, that'll only prove you're a One-Ring Soul Master. It won't prove your true ability," Wu Feng said.

"And Ning Tian's an auxiliary-type Soul Master. She can't fight alone. As her attendant... I mean, her friend, I'll test you in her place!"

Wu Feng pointed at Huo Yuhao.

"I want to fight you. If I win, you'll give up the class monitor position."

"And if I win?" Huo Yuhao asked, crossing his arms over his chest.

"If you win... I'll accept you and be your underling for one semester. I'll run errands and bring you meals!" Wu Feng declared with absolute confidence. But to be honest, when Huo Yuhao heard her terms, he froze for a moment.

Such a simple... request?

To Huo Yuhao, the stakes weren't remotely equal. To be honest, he wasn't that interested in being class monitor. If she'd just asked nicely, he'd have been happy to let Ning Tian take the position.

As for having an underling... Huo Yuhao was even less interested. He wasn't bored enough to get himself an underling at school. Besides, he remembered Wu Feng was Ning Tian's attendant... Even if he won, would she really have time to run errands and bring him meals?

She was nothing like the Wu Feng he remembered. The twelve-year-old Wu Feng in his memories hadn't been nearly so easygoing... She'd been all threats, constantly saying she'd make his life so difficult he'd leave the academy.

It seemed she was still young, and her personality wasn't so unpleasant yet. She was just a little biased in favor of her young mistress.

Huo Yuhao thought that if he could beat her and earn her respect in this match... then with a little guidance later, perhaps they could become friends.

"Heh, it seems Wu Feng is brimming with fighting spirit! Very well. We'll replace this afternoon's practical lesson with a demonstration match between Wu Feng and Huo Yuhao!"

Before Huo Yuhao could answer, Wang Yan accepted the challenge on his behalf.

As he walked over to Huo Yuhao, he also gave him a subtle wink.

A few beads of cold sweat immediately appeared on Huo Yuhao's forehead. He knew very well that with his current strength, even a twelve-year-old Wu Feng might not be able to withstand one of his Thousand-Year Mental Shocks.

There was no need to mention Wang Yan. He definitely knew what was unusual about Huo Yuhao's First Soul Ring. Otherwise, he wouldn't have agreed to the match so readily.

Wang Yan in this life... was he actually a devious schemer?

Huo Yuhao recalled the honest man from his memories, who had devoted himself to studying theory... All right, he had to admit it would take some time to get used to this change.

He consoled himself. At least Wang Yan didn't look any different.

Before long, the students arrived at the Spirit Fighting Arena. To Huo Yuhao's surprise, it was the very same arena where Lang Ya had attacked a few days earlier.

What was this, fate?

After paying the Gold Soul Coins to rent the Spirit Fighting Arena, Wang Yan led Huo Yuhao and Wu Feng onto the platform.

To be honest, after experiencing battles in the Divine Realm... Huo Yuhao couldn't help feeling that this arena was ridiculously small.

"The rules are simple. If you fall off the platform or run completely out of strength, you lose."

"Lethal attacks are forbidden during the match. This is just a friendly spar between classmates, so remember that above all else."

Wang Yan briefly explained the rules. Wu Feng and Huo Yuhao both nodded to show they understood.

Then they retreated to a point fifty meters from the center of the arena, one of the basic rules of Soul Fighting.

The two sides began at a distance to prevent either one from launching a sneak attack during the introductions.

Wang Yan had already taken a seat in the stands, his eyes shining as he watched the two face off on the platform.

"This should be quite a show..." Wang Yan murmured to himself. Dong'er and Ning Tian happened to be sitting beside him—or rather, Wang Yan had deliberately arranged it that way.

"Teacher Wang Yan, you seem very confident in the new student, Huo Yuhao?" Ning Tian had neat, short, pale-gold hair, and her eyes were the same pale-gold color.

She didn't doubt Huo Yuhao's actual Soul Power. She had absolute faith in the academy's assessment.

It was just that before Huo Yuhao arrived, she'd had the highest Soul Power Level in the class. At seven years old, she'd already reached level fourteen. It would've been a lie to say she wasn't bothered that Huo Yuhao had stolen the spotlight.

"Mm... I'm not just confident. I'm very confident," Wang Yan said.

"Ning Tian, I'll give you a hint. Want to guess how many years old Huo Yuhao's First Soul Ring is?"

Ning Tian answered without a moment's hesitation.

"As far as I know... the average age of a Soul Master's First Soul Ring is three to four hundred years. The limit was 3,700 years, achieved by Pope Chen Mo ten thousand years ago."

"Teacher Wang Yan, is there something unusual about Huo Yuhao's First Soul Ring?" Ning Tian suddenly thought of a possibility she didn't even quite believe herself. But Wang Yan's expression made her suspicious.

"Mm... some things are better seen with your own eyes." Wang Yan pointed toward the arena, and Ning Tian followed his gesture.

"Wu Feng, level twelve, One-Ring Power Attack System Battle Soul Master. Martial Soul: Red Dragon!"

Wu Feng rolled up her right sleeve. As a yellow Soul Ring appeared beside her, fine crimson dragon scales covered her hand, transforming it into an elegant dragon claw. At the same time, a pair of vivid red horns sprouted from her forehead.

"Huo Yuhao, level fifteen, One-Ring Control-Type Battle Soul Master."

Huo Yuhao slowly opened his eyes. Purple light swirled in their depths, but the violet halo behind his head drew even more attention.

"A thousand-year Soul Ring... His First Soul Ring is a thousand-year Soul Ring..." Ning Tian murmured in disbelief as Huo Yuhao announced his Martial Soul.

"Martial Soul: Spirit Eye!"