The next morning.
The students who had passed the assessment filed into the classroom one after another,
almost all in groups of two or three, alongside their teammates.
In the crowded corridor,
Lu Ran walked alone.
The students around him automatically moved aside, then closed ranks behind him,
like a shark swimming into a school of sardines.
He entered the classroom.
Those who hadn't been his teammates over the past three months all turned to look,
including several familiar figures,
such as Dai Huabin, wearing a gloomy expression as he sat in the front row with his arms crossed,
turning his gaze away in disgust and fear.
Lu Ran chose a seat by the window at the back of the classroom. As a Soul Master, he naturally didn't need to worry about being unable to hear or see clearly.
He could take in the entire classroom at a glance.
It was a good seat, and his favorite, too.
Back in his cringe phase, he'd even heard a saying: "Back row, window seat..."
The morning breeze blew through the window, and fresh, damp air filled his lungs,
waking him up without his realizing it.
"It's over~"
A clear, pleasant voice rang out, and a faint, sweet fragrance drifted around him.
Lu Ran turned around.
A platinum-haired girl sat beside him. She had fair skin and a gentle air, with a sweet smile at the corners of her mouth.
Her bright golden eyes curved into crescents.
Her custom-fitted school uniform outlined her slender figure,
radiating youthful energy.
Lu Ran tilted his head. Another girl sat beside her: a redhead with crimson eyes and a striking figure, though her temper wasn't the best.
She was baring her teeth at him,
looking ready to hiss,
though Wu Feng had a delicate, oval face—not round at all.
"This is Class One..."
Lu Ran reminded Ning Tian.
After the Freshman Assessment, the students had been assigned to new classes. The Power Attack System and Control System were in Class One, the Defense System and Agility Attack System in Class Two, the Auxiliary System in Class Three, and the remaining Healing System and Food System students were all in Class Four.
She should have been in Class Three.
"So what if it's Class One?"
Ning Tian blinked her big eyes and said sweetly,
"Classes haven't started yet, have they?"
"Hrr..."
Wu Feng stared at Lu Ran, grinding her teeth at the person who had stolen her Young Lord's attention.
But Ning Tian didn't even turn around. She smacked Wu Feng on the thigh,
"Smack!"
"Ah!"
"Wuwu..."
Rubbing her thigh, Wu Feng whimpered in grievance,
but the corners of her mouth kept lifting. She couldn't hide how pleased she was.
Ning Tian glanced at the Soul Guidance Clock on the wall. Its plain metal color didn't stand out much against the white wall.
It was almost time for class.
She stood up, bringing with her a waft of fragrance.
"I'll leave my Wu Feng in your care,"
she said with a gentle smile, then turned and narrowed her eyes at Wu Feng.
Wu Feng felt a surge of emotion. She hadn't expected herself to mean so much to the Young Lord. Was she afraid Wu Feng would be bullied? The Young Lord didn't need to worry; Wu Feng would protect herself, because she was supposed to protect the Young Lord in the first place...
That only made her dislike Lu Ran even more.
She admitted that Lu Ran was formidable, stronger than her,
but that didn't mean he should be allowed to get close to the Young Lord first!
It had already been three months!
The Young Lord couldn't possibly be interested in him, right?
Not interested, right?
Really not interested, right?!
An ominous premonition suddenly rose in Wu Feng's heart.
In the middle row, Wang Dong took in every movement of the three with her pink-blue eyes,
then turned her head away.
Hmph. All he did was flirt with girls!
The bell rang.
The students returned to their seats, but the classroom didn't fall quiet.
Everyone was discussing who their homeroom teacher would be.
Wang Yan walked in, standing tall in a crisp black suit. His trouser legs were perfectly straight, without a single crease.
The classroom fell silent at once.
Under the students' expectant, delighted gazes,
he smiled as warmly as a spring breeze and spoke in a clear voice:
"First of all, congratulations on passing the Freshman Assessment,"
The students had already guessed who he was.
They stared at Wang Yan,
unable to contain their excitement.
"Allow me to introduce myself. I'll be your homeroom teacher for the next six years, responsible for discipline, student selection, class assignments..."
Before he could finish,
"Yeah!!!"
"That's great!!"
"Zhou Yi's finally gone, hahaha!!"
Those who had spent three months under Zhou Yi's instruction cheered, almost raising their fists to celebrate. Even those who had only heard of her terrifying reputation couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief.
Thank goodness!
It wasn't Zhou Yi!
Class monitors could be explicitly designated as either primary or deputy, but homeroom teachers usually weren't.
It involved the relationships and pride of the teachers, which could be a delicate matter.
Usually, the tasks each teacher was responsible for were simply stated.
The students could all read between the lines.
The primary homeroom teacher had the final say. If Wang Yan didn't approve, the deputy homeroom teacher couldn't expel a single student!
They only had to wait to see the deputy homeroom teacher now!
"Hahaha, good times are here!"
"I'm alive again!"
"Teacher Wang, long li—"
"..."
Before he could finish,
the tremendous roar that had filled the nearly hundred-student classroom abruptly vanished.
A deathly silence fell.
You could hear a pin drop.
Because...
At the classroom entrance to Wang Yan's left, as he stood there helplessly motioning for everyone to calm down,
an elderly woman had suddenly appeared. Without saying a word, she wore a frosty expression—
Zhou Yi!
The room was utterly silent!
The students who had been cheering just moments earlier shrank back into their seats, terrified,
afraid Zhou Yi would notice them.
Fortunately, Zhou Yi didn't look at them. She stared straight ahead, though she wasn't looking at Yan Shaozhe or anyone else.
Wang Yan lowered his hand
and introduced her:
"Please welcome Teacher Zhou Yi,"
"From now on, Teacher Zhou Yi will be responsible for teaching."
The students' faces went deathly pale, especially those who had been the most outspoken just now and whose talent was relatively average. They were sure she'd seen them.
With Wang Yan there, they wouldn't be expelled,
but with Zhou Yi in charge of their lessons, they were definitely in for misery...
The nightmarish three months began resurfacing in some of the students' minds.
Zhou Yi remained expressionless.
She stepped into the classroom, the crisp sound of her footsteps echoing in every student's ears,
like some sort of ominous warning.
She walked up to the podium,
her gaze sweeping over the students below, all hunched over and trembling,
her expression icy.
"A bunch of ingrates..."
Her voice wasn't loud, but everyone could hear every word clearly.
They trembled even harder.
Of course, not all of them. Those with good talent and status, like Dai Huabin, merely lowered their heads, looking down on the frightened students in their hearts.
What useless trash.
Lu Ran sat in his seat by the window, watching Zhou Yi calmly.
Beside him, Wu Feng lowered her head and secretly poked his thigh,
signaling him not to act on impulse.
But Lu Ran was like the only sunflower holding its head up in a field of drooping sunflowers,
making him stand out all the more.
Before you continue