The Silver Dragon King's Beyblade, so satisfying to spin!

"Why do most intermediate academies avoid teaching mecha-related knowledge, yet Shrek Academy places such high requirements on a candidate's secondary profession during their entrance exam?"

"Could it be that this is also part of Shrek Academy's grand plan? Or is this simply the reason why Eastsea Academy is so lackluster?"

When Lan Kai learned from Zhang Yangzi—who had voiced his dissent to Wu Zhangkong out of sheer surprise—that mecha-related content was only taught in the advanced divisions, and then reflected on the Shrek Academy entrance exam, he seemed to understand why Eastsea Academy, despite being located in Eastsea City, a major metropolis home to one of the Eighteen Pillars of the Spirit Pagoda, was considered only mediocre among the continent's top-tier academies.

The lecture Wu Zhangkong gave today covered only the most basic common knowledge, yet even so, it left everyone present—save for Lan Kai and Gu Yue—deeply moved.

So, it turns out that Soul Masters could become even more powerful.

After the brief theory lesson concluded, Wu Zhangkong immediately ordered everyone to move their desks and chairs to the corners of the classroom, clearing a large open space in the center.

Subsequently, Wu Zhangkong began a scathing critique of their performance in the Class Promotion Tournament; to be precise, he unilaterally tore Tang Wulin and Gu Yue to shreds.

After all, if one were to review that Class Promotion Tournament, Xie Xie's only problem was that he wasn't strong enough to lead Grade One Class Five to victory in a two-on-one scenario—especially against two opponents possessing a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.

As for the coordination between Tang Wulin and Gu Yue, in Wu Zhangkong's eyes, it could be summed up in four words:

Unbearable to watch.

Even though Gu Yue, as the team's primary controller, showed a clear bias toward Tang Wulin during the battle, the two of them combined couldn't even defeat Lan Kai alone, and their coordination throughout the match was riddled with all sorts of issues.

As for Lan Kai...

"Lan Kai, I know your combat power is formidable, but some of your habits in battle are completely unnecessary."

"For instance, why did you choose to take Gu Yue's fireball with your face?"

"And when facing Tang Wulin's charge, why did you fail to adopt any defensive posture?"

Wu Zhangkong offered no mercy in his criticism of Lan Kai's showboating, making Lan Kai feel exactly like Aihara Ryu watching Ultraman Mebius use a skyscraper as a shield just to show off his skills.

"Because it strikes fear into Tang Wulin and Gu Yue, and it shakes their confidence, making my subsequent battles go much smoother."

"However, if Gu Yue and Tang Wulin were truly capable of hurting you, you would suffer heavy damage that you shouldn't have taken, which is fatal in a real fight."

"Even if your strength can crush your opponent, you must never be careless or underestimate them."

"That said, there is one thing worth praising: your combat techniques are exceptionally solid."

"Your attacks have very few openings, and you are always well-prepared."

"Today, I am going to teach you exactly how important solid combat techniques are in actual combat."

After offering a few words of praise to Lan Kai, Wu Zhangkong officially began the day's lesson.

He used only a single pointer, and while his cultivation was suppressed to around the two-ring level, he made the members of the Zero Class—excluding Lan Kai—suffer immensely.

Gu Yue, in particular, seemed to be the target of Wu Zhangkong's desire to show the Zero Class the meaning of gender equality; he showed her no mercy, causing her to let out periodic cries of pain that made Lan Kai frown deeply.

"That's not right. Gu Yue is the 'true form' of the Silver Dragon King. Even if she doesn't excel in physical strength, her martial arts shouldn't be this clumsy, right?"

"Could it be that her talent for martial arts was, along with her emotions, split off and given to Na'er?"

Watching Gu Yue spin like a Kamen Rider secondary rider who had lost their beginner's protection, being whipped into a top by Wu Zhangkong, the expression on Lan Kai's face shifted from his initial smile to a look of pure, deadpan disbelief.

"Gu Yue, although you possess the rare Light-Dark Elemental Wielder martial soul, you must not neglect basic combat techniques. Otherwise, once someone gets close to you, even if you can utilize the power of space, you will be ten times more pathetic than you are now."

After finishing his session of spinning the Silver Dragon King like a top, Wu Zhangkong offered a few brief comments before his gaze fell upon Lan Kai, and he set down the pointer.

"...Lan Kai, follow me to the academy's Sparring Arena."

"Teacher Wu, why does Lan Kai get to skip..."

Tang Wulin asked, pointing at Lan Kai with a sense of injustice. Why did Lan Kai get to avoid being whipped by Wu Zhangkong's pointer while they had to endure such torture?

"What, do you want me to use my martial soul and stop suppressing my soul power to conduct combat training with you?"

Wu Zhangkong looked at Tang Wulin again, his expression unchanged.

"No, no, no, Teacher, I think today's lesson has been more than enough for me..."

Tang Wulin hurriedly declined.

Although the braised beef incident hadn't occurred, the strength Wu Zhangkong had displayed during his special training for Grade One Class Five had already left a deep impression on Tang Wulin.

If he was already being whipped like a top while Wu Zhangkong suppressed his soul power and didn't use his martial soul, wouldn't he be in even worse shape if Wu Zhangkong actually unleashed his martial soul?

"...Teacher, can I transform?"

Lan Kai thought for a moment and decided to ask first.

"You mean that form you took during the Class Promotion Tournament? You may."

Wu Zhangkong nodded and led the Zero Class members toward the Sparring Arena.

Since Wu Zhangkong had decided to stop suppressing his soul power, there was no point in fighting in the classroom.

Moreover, Wu Zhangkong vaguely felt that Lan Kai's combat techniques were likely built upon the physical state granted by that transformation; otherwise, he wouldn't have taken a fireball to the face.

Who knows, in his transformed state, Lan Kai might even be able to block lightning with his pectoral muscles.

Soon, the group arrived at the Sparring Arena located behind the teaching building. The arena was quite large, a square with sides of fifty meters.

Wu Zhangkong and Lan Kai stepped onto the arena and took their positions on opposite sides.

"Lan Kai, your strength doesn't seem measurable by soul rings. In this battle, let me see your full power."

"I will not only use my martial soul, but I will also equip my Battle Armor. You may transform now."

As he spoke, a pale blue longsword appeared in Wu Zhangkong's hand.

Rings of light emerged from the hilt—the soul rings were small, hovering around the blade. They were none other than Wu Zhangkong's own, two yellow, two purple, and two black—the optimal configuration for a Soul Emperor from ten thousand years ago.

Immediately following this, white specks of light appeared on his body. Starting from these points, threads of silver, light-like energy were instantly pulled out, converging into magnificent silver patterns, and the aura emanating from Wu Zhangkong began to erupt at a terrifying speed.