When Xiao Mu finished speaking, most of the class felt their cheeks burn.
It was as if someone had slapped them hard across the face.
The corner of Zhang Yangzi's eye twitched. Wang Jinxi's knuckles turned white as he clenched them. Wei Xiaofeng opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but swallowed it back down.
Xie Xie whipped around, his eyes wide as copper bells.
Gu Yue turned her head and glanced at Xiao Mu. Her expression was calm, neither angry nor mocking, yet the air seemed to grow several degrees colder.
Their suspicions were almost perfectly in sync: Was this guy calling them idiots? Yes, that had to be it.
A deep sense of indignation was plain on every face.
Tang Wulin didn't react much. He was a Level Three Blacksmith, so the criticism didn't apply to him. He even figured the others probably weren't bad either.
Na'er, however, shot to her feet. She planted her hands on her hips and lifted her chin slightly, confidence shining in her eyes. She was a Level Two repair technician, and looking at this bunch of dejected losers, she was sure they couldn't be as good as she was.
"Xiao Mu, what levels are your secondary professions? What gives you the right to say that?" Xie Xie demanded, unconvinced. Surely no one could have high Soul Master cultivation and be good at secondary professions too.
"Level Three in Mecha Manufacturing, Level Five in Mecha Design, Level Three in Mecha Repair, and Level Three Blacksmith." Xiao Mu counted them off on his fingers. Actually, if his Soul Power could keep up, he could reach Level Seven in Mecha Manufacturing. With mechanical assistance, he could build a Level Seven Soul Guidance Array.
As for Mecha Repair, that was just laziness. He'd gone to the repair department of the Mecha Master Association three times: once to enroll Na'er, once for her Level One exam, and once for her Level Two exam. Then he'd reached Level Three.
As for why he knew how to forge, well, when store-bought parts wouldn't do, he had to make them himself. He was especially good at slapping people in the face.
The people at the Blacksmith Association could only call him picky these days.
At that, Tang Wulin and the others fell silent. There were only four professions, weren't there?
"Why are you all quiet? I'm not good at fighting, so it's only natural that I'm better at secondary professions."
Xiao Mu sounded perfectly matter-of-fact, but the others grew even quieter. This was what he called not being good at fighting?
You're a civil official, so refined.
"Ahem..." Wu Zhangkong cleared his throat again, bringing everyone back to their senses. "All right. That's enough about mecha-related knowledge for today. Remember, you need to choose a second profession related to mecha within the next three years."
"Someone like Xiao Mu is an exception."
Tang Wulin suddenly blurted out excitedly, "Teacher Wu, when will you let us see real Battle Armor?"
Wu Zhangkong glanced at him. "Once you've completed the first stage of practical training, I'll let you see Battle Armor. Whoever finishes first gets to see it first. As things stand, none of you are qualified."
"All right, let's talk about yesterday's match."
"Those of you on Tang Wulin's team already knew what Xiao Mu could do, but you didn't prepare much. Letting Xiao Mu use all his strongest methods was a major strategic blunder in battle."
Xiao Mu suddenly cut in. "Reporting in: I didn't use everything! I can also make people share both sweetness and hardship!"
Wu Zhangkong was momentarily choked off. Xiao Mu hadn't used his Second Soul Ring at all during the whole match, so he really hadn't shown his full strength. But there was no need to call him out in front of everyone.
He tried to calm himself, reminding himself that Xiao Mu was still just a child.
Then the more he thought about it, the angrier he got.
"All six of you who competed yesterday share one problem. You're severely lacking in practical combat experience and techniques, and instead rely on the basic combat power you get from using your Martial Souls."
By basic combat power, he meant the strength they had when using their Martial Souls.
"Isn't that just wasting your own abilities?" Xiao Mu thought this was nothing but sophistry. If you didn't use your strengths, weren't you just using your weakness to attack someone else's strength?
Wasn't that idiotic?
"If that's what you think, then let's try a test. I won't use any Soul Skills, and I'll suppress my Soul Power to your level. Let's see if you can defeat me."
As he spoke, Wu Zhangkong turned and took a pointer from the lectern, then returned to the center of the room.
Xiao Mu looked around. "What a shame about this classroom! We should ask the dean for a new one afterward."
Wei Xiaofeng looked at Xiao Mu. "Boss, you're really going to fight him?"
"Why wouldn't I?" Two Soul Rings appeared beneath Xiao Mu's feet, and in the next instant, his First Soul Ring blazed to life.
An invisible force field propelled him straight toward Wu Zhangkong at an unbelievable speed.
The faster he went, the greater his mass and the more powerful his impact.
The air compressed in front of Xiao Mu into a white, cone-shaped wave. As he accelerated, his figure blurred into a streak.
The lectern, desks, chairs—all the objects in his path were shoved aside by the force field, tumbling through the air like scraps of paper.
Xiao Mu drew back his right fist, kinetic energy building to its limit. A sharp whistle split the air at his knuckles.
Wu Zhangkong stood still, surprise in his eyes. Was this a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster?
His eyes narrowed slightly, a glint of violet flashing deep in his pupils. Xiao Mu's fist rapidly swelled in his vision, and the air around its leading edge warped like a shattered mirror.
The next instant, Wu Zhangkong took a step and shifted to the left, leaving a shadow in his place.
Tang Sect Secret Arts: Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track.
Xiao Mu's fist punched through the first shadow, and the force field tore the phantom to shreds, scattering it like mist.
He was moving too fast, with too much momentum; it was already too late to turn. His fist, carrying the force of a mountain, slammed straight into the wall at the front of the classroom.
Boom—
A shock wave exploded instantly. Bricks, cement, rebar... everything shattered in the force field, as kinetic energy poured out like a flood and blasted a hole three meters across in the wall.
Xiao Mu stood at the edge of the gaping hole. He turned and saw Wu Zhangkong standing on the other side of the lectern, his white clothes as pristine as snow, not even the hem of his robe stirring.
"Fast dodge." His voice was calm. He had just used his First Soul Skill in three different ways.
First, he accelerated himself. Then, his body absorbed and stored the kinetic energy generated as he sped up. Finally, he released all that energy at once.
The only drawback was that his body could store only a limited amount of kinetic energy.
Otherwise, he'd honestly dare to step on his own left foot with his right and fly into the sky.
At his top speed, his body had to withstand tremendous force when he stopped, and he couldn't turn along the way.
"Not bad," Wu Zhangkong said calmly. "You've got plenty of power, but your aim could use some work."
Xiao Mu smiled, but there was no warmth in his eyes. "Teacher Wu, why did you dodge? Couldn't you take it?"
He activated the force field again, moving even faster than before. A faint tearing sensation ran through his body.
His fist locked onto Wu Zhangkong's real body. This time, the force behind it was even greater.
Wu Zhangkong's pupils contracted slightly as Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track unfolded again, shadows layering over one another, real and illusory forms interweaving.
But this time, Xiao Mu could turn. He simply plowed straight through the illusions, not even bothering to tell them apart.
This time, his attack slammed straight into Wu Zhangkong.