Yan sat by the window on one side of the classroom, his face now so dark it looked ready to drip.
He had already been unhappy with Su Ming.
As time passed, Hu Liena grew colder toward him and warmer toward Su Ming.
That only made him resent Su Ming more.
Now, seeing that Su Ming had actually joined their class, he immediately spoke up. "Nana, you can't be serious, can you?"
"This kid is only around level thirty at most. What gives him the right to join our Elite Class One?"
At that, the others looked at Su Ming doubtfully.
Faced with their skepticism, Hu Liena only smiled faintly.
"Su Ming hasn't reached level forty yet, that's true, but his Soul Power is already level thirty-nine."
"Besides, the order to make an exception and admit him to Elite Class One came directly from my teacher. If any of you have a problem with it, you can go to the Pope Palace and argue with her right now."
When they heard that the Pope, Bibi Dong, had personally issued the order, everyone fell silent.
The Pope's word was law.
No matter how dissatisfied they were, they wouldn't dare disobey her.
And Su Ming had reached level thirty-nine at such a young age. He certainly had the talent to join Elite Class One.
He simply hadn't reached the required level yet.
But hearing this only made Yan resent Su Ming even more.
Level thirty-nine?
What gave this guy the right to be level thirty-nine?
A few days ago, wasn't he still level thirty?
The Pope must be showing favoritism, secretly using some kind of secret technique on Su Ming!
Just then, a crisp series of footsteps sounded outside the classroom door.
"The teacher's here! Hurry, sit down!"
Someone called out, and the students immediately rushed back to their seats as fast as they could. The classroom fell so quiet you could hear a leaf drop.
A few seconds later, a female teacher around forty years old walked slowly up to the podium. She wore a fitted black instructor's robe.
Though nearing forty, her skin was still fair and taut, and her figure was striking.
Her full curves stretched her robe taut, while her waist remained slender. She radiated the distinctive allure of a mature woman, tempered by the sternness of someone accustomed to authority.
Her name was Liu Ru. She was the homeroom teacher of Elite Class One and a Tool Soul Saint with a strength of level seventy-two.
Liu Ru walked to the center of the podium, set the lesson plan in her hand on the desk, and swept her sharp phoenix eyes across the room.
At last, her gaze settled on Su Ming.
Before she had come to the classroom, the academic office had already given her a heads-up, so she knew the boy's background well.
Liu Ru gave a light cough. "You're Su Ming, right? I'm glad you've joined Elite Class One."
"Thank you, teacher," Su Ming replied politely.
Then Liu Ru addressed the class. "Now that everyone's here, I'll assign this semester's assessment. During the semester, all of you must go to the Spirit Arena for actual combat training."
"The requirements are simple: you must win ten solo matches and twenty doubles matches, and you must also achieve a five-match winning streak!"
"Anyone who fails to meet the requirements will be demoted and kicked out of Elite Class One."
"Understood?"
A low murmur of sharp breaths swept through the classroom.
Winning twenty matches in a semester wasn't an especially high bar. But adding a five-match winning streak made it much harder.
The Great Soul Arena was full of hidden dragons and crouching tigers. With every win in a streak, the opponents they were matched against grew stronger.
By the fifth match, they would basically be facing opponents several levels above them.
"Quiet!"
"Class is starting!" Liu Ru wasted no time. As soon as she finished speaking, she began the lesson.
Soon, the class ended.
Liu Ru left, and the classroom erupted into noise.
The students rose from their seats and began looking for strong teammates.
Yan went over to Hu Liena's desk.
He invited her, "Nana, let's team up for doubles at the Great Soul Arena. With our Soul Power and how well we work together, twenty wins will take us no more than half a month."
As far as Yan was concerned, when it came to strength and teamwork, no one in the class but Xie Yue deserved to team up with Hu Liena.
A Power Attack System fighter paired with a Control System fighter was also the perfect combination in the Great Soul Arena.
Besides, Xie Yue certainly wouldn't try to steal her from him.
Xie Yue knew how Yan felt about Hu Liena.
The other students looked over too. In their eyes, the two of them really were the perfect partners.
They would've liked to team up with Hu Liena as well, but they simply weren't strong enough.
Yet Hu Liena didn't even pause to think before turning Yan down.
"No need, Yan."
"I already have a better choice for my doubles partner. Go find someone else."
The smile on Yan's face instantly froze.
Being rejected in front of the whole class left him utterly humiliated. His face went from red to ashen, his expression turning horrid.
He never imagined Hu Liena would reject him so bluntly in public, without even giving a reason.
After turning Yan down, Hu Liena stood up and, under the gaze of more than twenty classmates, walked straight over to Su Ming in the back corner.
The students were astonished. Was Hu Liena really going to team up with Su Ming?
But he was only level thirty-nine. The difference was huge!
When Hu Liena faced Su Ming, the frost melted from her pretty face in an instant.
It was as if she saved all her warmth for him alone.
She tilted her head slightly and smiled like a gentle older sister. "Junior Brother Su Ming, want to team up with your senior sister for doubles at the Great Soul Arena?"
"You handle the attacks up front, and I'll control the field from behind. Together, winning those twenty matches will be a piece of cake."
The students were astonished.
She really had invited Su Ming?
Wasn't she worried he'd drag her down?
No matter how talented he was, his strength hadn't caught up yet.
Hearing Hu Liena's invitation, Su Ming raised his head slightly.
He didn't waste his words.
Reason told him that after evolving into the Nine-Tailed Demon Fox, Hu Liena's ability to control the field would be formidable. Teaming up with her really was the fastest and most efficient way to complete the task.
Besides, he needed a partner for the doubles matches.
Aside from Hu Liena, he didn't seem to have any other options.
It wasn't as if he could team up with Yan.
That guy clearly looked like he wanted to eat him alive.
Su Ming nodded slightly and said one word: "Sure."
"Then it's settled. We'll leave together after class." Hu Liena smiled with satisfaction when he agreed, then turned and strode out of the classroom.
Not far away, Yan's fists were clenched so tightly they crackled.
He glared at Su Ming at the back of the room, his eyes bloodshot and the veins on his forehead bulging.
The goddess he'd pursued for years had turned around in front of everyone and practically begged a twelve-year-old kid to team up with her, and that kid had the nerve to act as if he were doing her a favor, all high and mighty.
"Damn you, Su Ming. Just you wait!"