"Seven days?"
Mu Jin's voice shot up sharply, and her delicate features twisted with shock.
Her high heel slammed against the floor, making a crisp, jarring sound.
She had expected one day, two at most. Even that would have counted as a rare divine skill among support-type Soul Skills.
But for the effect to remain unchanged for a full seven days completely defied common sense in the Soul Master World. It was enough to drive any major force into a frenzy.
Realizing that dozens of pairs of eyes below were fixed intently on her, Mu Jin quickly drew a deep breath and forced down the tumult in her heart.
As an experienced homeroom teacher, she couldn't let this group of freshmen make a laughingstock of her on the first day of school.
She cleared her throat, swiftly composed her expression, and assumed the calm bearing of a teacher before giving a light nod.
"Mm, it's about what I expected." Without changing her expression, she picked up the thread of the conversation and continued, "Student Xiao, come by my office after class. We'll discuss how this piece can be used in teaching."
Xiao Yan nodded noncommittally.
He saw right through Mu Jin's little scheme.
Mu Jin turned around and picked up a piece of chalk, preparing to continue teaching basic theory.
But as soon as she turned, she saw the freshmen below sitting restlessly, their eyes burning with excitement.
Even the most reserved girls were now clenching their fists tightly, their thoughts already drifting to the clear, abundant world energy they could feel.
She gave a helpless smile and simply tossed the chalk back into its box.
"It looks like nobody has much appetite for theory right now. In that case, we'll turn this class into a meditation session. Everyone, start meditating and make the most of your current state."
A chorus of cheers nearly lifted the roof off Class Nine. The freshmen eagerly closed their eyes and straightened their postures, afraid of wasting the doubled cultivation speed.
Mu Jin stepped down from the podium and slowly made her way between the desks.
She wasn't just a pretty face. As an experienced teacher who didn't rely on expelling students to establish her authority, she had a solid grasp of her field and a good eye for how to guide her students.
"Li Dazhuang, steady your mind. The Soul Power of your Iron-Back Bear is biased toward raw strength. Don't get greedy and rush under the surge of doubled energy. Protect your meridians."
"Ning Tian, the key to meditation is keeping your mental power steady. Slow your breathing a little more and feel the rhythm of your Martial Soul."
She gave practical advice tailored to each student's Martial Soul, every word hitting the mark.
Of course, when she reached the back row, she quietly went around Xiao Yan and Xiao Xiao.
Facing monsters of this caliber, she knew full well that she had no business telling them what to do.
The class flew by as they meditated.
The bell rang. The freshmen opened their eyes, still reluctant to stop. They felt refreshed all over, and their cultivation had visibly improved after just one class of meditation.
Mu Jin returned to the podium and clapped her hands to draw everyone's attention.
"Before class ends, I have an announcement." Her gaze passed over the students and settled on the white-clad figure in the corner. "Starting today, Xiao Yan will be the class monitor of New Student Class Nine. Any objections?"
The entire class fell silent.
Li Dazhuang in the front row immediately started applauding, and Ning Tian joined in with a smile.
Having tasted the benefits of doubled cultivation speed, everyone sincerely supported and appreciated Xiao Yan.
Even Wu Feng, who had just suffered a crushing mental blow, sat quietly in her chair like a frightened chicken, without the courage to question the decision.
The choice of class monitor was settled.
The teachers' office was warm and tidy, with a faint scent of hibiscus in the air.
Mu Jin cheerfully pulled out two chairs and invited Xiao Yan and Xiao Xiao to sit. She then personally brought over two cups of warm water and set them in front of them.
Afterward, she sat down opposite them and folded her hands on the desk.
The no-nonsense, commanding teacher seemed a little ill at ease now.
She rarely made requests of her students, especially when they were outstanding geniuses with powerful backgrounds.
"You two just arrived at Shrek. Are you settling in well at the dormitory? How's the food in the cafeteria? Is anything giving you trouble?" Mu Jin made small talk, circling around the subject as she tried to find a suitable opening.
Holding his cup, Xiao Yan looked at his evasive homeroom teacher and didn't bother playing along with the pointless pleasantries.
"Teacher Mu." He set down his cup and spoke in a clear, steady voice, getting straight to the point. "You want us to play the Lingshu: Yuan-Gathering Melody more often, so the students in Class Nine can cultivate faster, right?"
With her intentions laid bare, Mu Jin's cheeks warmed.
She stopped trying to hide it and nodded. Her beautiful eyes held an unmistakable plea as she gazed steadily at Xiao Yan.
Mu Jin had set aside the authority she wielded at the front of the classroom.
Beneath her mature, intelligent exterior, she now seemed almost helplessly vulnerable. The contrast was devastatingly alluring.
Looking at the graceful and capable woman before him, Xiao Yan shook his head inwardly.
That Soul Tool researcher Fan Yu had absolutely abysmal taste. He'd passed up a woman like this only to choose Zhou Yi, that twisted old lunatic.
"Sure." Xiao Yan didn't put on airs. "Once every half month."
Mu Jin's eyes lit up. Before she could thank him, Xiao Yan added, "But I have a condition."
Mu Jin's heart tightened.
A condition? This boy was obviously from no ordinary background, and he was an eleven-year-old, Level 46 Soul Ancestor. What could he possibly need? Gold Soul Coins? High-grade Soul Bones? Clearly, those weren't things an Outer Court teacher like her could provide.
If he wasn't after money, then what did he want?
Mu Jin's gaze drifted, against her will, to Xiao Yan's peerlessly handsome face.
The boy's gaze was deep and calm, carrying an oppressive sense that he could see through everything.
An absurd thought sprang uncontrollably into Mu Jin's mind. Her fair face quickly flushed bright red, her ears burning as she gripped the hem of her clothes.
Xiao Yan noticed every tiny reaction.
The Art of the Fuxi Emperor cultivated essence, energy, and spirit alike, giving him an exceptionally keen sense of the body's qi and blood.
He could clearly tell that the thirty-year-old teacher before him still had the pure constitution of someone untouched.
Being in that state, a little sexual frustration was perfectly normal. Understandable.
When faced with an unreasonable assumption about someone's conditions, it was only human for one's thoughts to stray somewhere inappropriate.
Xiao Yan didn't call out her rather ridiculous train of thought. He simply stated what he actually wanted.
"Give Xiao Xiao and me some freedom with our classes. There are some lessons we don't need to attend, so we need the privilege to leave whenever we want and practice our instruments. As long as we don't cause trouble, the teachers won't interfere."
Mu Jin froze at his words.
Realizing what she'd been imagining just moments ago, she wished she could dig a hole in the office's wooden floor and bury herself in it.
She flusteredly grabbed the pen on her desk and tried to cover her embarrassment by pretending to organize her lesson plans, agreeing in a rush.
"No problem! You can attend basic theory class if you want, and go practice somewhere else whenever you don't. I'll make the call!"