Chapter 9

The next morning, after enduring the Eastsea Academy headmaster's long and tedious speech, the class assignments finally began.

As expected, Xiling, Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and the others were all assigned to Class Five.

Once the assignments were over, the five instructors headed to their respective classrooms.

The one who entered Class Five was Wu Zhangkong, a man with an icy aura. He looked around twenty-seven or twenty-eight, and his long lake-blue hair was especially eye-catching.

"Follow me."

Wu Zhangkong swept his gaze across the room. His chilling presence made every student's heart turn cold, except Xiling, who was completely unaffected.

In the Class Five classroom, Xiling chose a seat by the window in the back row, while the other students picked their own seats.

Wu Zhangkong stepped up to the podium, his indifferent gaze sweeping over the class. "My name is Wu Zhangkong. For the next six years, all of you will be my students."

"First, let me make one thing clear: forget what Director Long Hengxu just said. Even if you're a bunch of trash, I'll make you the strongest among your peers."

"Unless you drop out, that will be your goal for the next six years."

"Now, starting with the first person in the first row, introduce yourselves. Name, martial soul, soul power rank, and what kind of Soul Master you want to become. Say it all!"

The first student in the first row reacted quickly. "Hello, everyone. My name is Yun Xiao. My martial soul is the Star Compass, and my goal is to become an intelligent support-type battle Soul Master."

After Yun Xiao finished, it was Tang Wulin's turn. "My name is Tang Wulin. My martial soul is Blue Silver Grass. Soul power rank eleven. My goal is..." Tang Wulin paused. "I don't have a goal yet."

"A trash martial soul. Of course he doesn't have a goal." Someone muttered, but before the words had fully left his mouth, a piece of chalk landed right in his mouth.

Ignoring the student who was dry-heaving, Wu Zhangkong's icy voice rang in everyone's ears, leaving them silent with fear. "In this world, there are no trash martial souls, only trash people."

"Before you call someone else trash, take a look at yourself. If you weren't trash, would you have been assigned to Class Five?"

"Continue!"

Hearing that classic line from the master, Xiling curled his lip. One sentence, and he had insulted himself twice. No one else could manage that.

Still, it sounded much more intimidating coming from Wu Zhangkong.

"My name is Zhou Changxi. My martial soul is the Great Strength Divine Ape, and my goal is to become a strength-type battle Soul Master."

"Xie Xie. Martial soul: Light Dragon Dagger. Soul power rank eighteen. Agility attack-type battle Soul Master."

The moment he announced his eighteenth-rank soul power, waves of gasps rose through the classroom. Especially in Class Five, where the average soul power rank was only eleven or twelve, Xie Xie was undoubtedly a genius.

The astonishment and praise around him made Xie Xie unconsciously raise his head.

Then it was Xiling's turn. He slowly rose to his feet. "My name is Xiling. My martial soul is the Void Core. Thirty-first-rank all-round battle Soul Elder."

When it came to his goal, Xiling paused noticeably. Ever since awakening the Void Core, he had lost his goal. Whatever he wanted, he did not need to desperately chase after it. That was just how it was when you had cheats.

"...Just go with the flow and follow my heart."

The simple sentence fell, and the entire classroom instantly went dead silent.

Everyone who had just been marveling at how impressive Xie Xie's eighteenth-rank soul power was froze in place. Their pupils shrank sharply, and their faces filled with disbelief.

Thirty-first rank? A battle Soul Elder?

Among this group of freshmen in Class Five, whose average rank was only eleven or twelve, there was actually a three-ringed Soul Elder? He would be among the best even in Class One!

The pride that had just appeared on Xie Xie's face vanished without a trace. His mouth hung wide open as he stood there dumbfounded.

"You've got to be kidding! Thirty-first rank?" He had never imagined that Xiling, who had been punished alongside them yesterday, would be this strong.

Tang Wulin also stared blankly at Xiling, his heart pounding wildly. He was so shocked by that rank that he could not speak.

Was this the gap between him and a true genius? Tang Wulin clenched his fist in secret. I have to work hard and become stronger too.

A clear change finally appeared on Wu Zhangkong's cold face. His narrow eyes narrowed slightly as his gaze locked tightly onto Xiling.

Aside from that astonishing soul power rank, he had also noticed another keyword: "all-round." However, he did not question him about it yet.

"Next."

After Xie Xie and Xiling, none of the remaining freshmen displayed anything particularly outstanding. The introductions soon ended.

Wu Zhangkong clasped his hands behind his back, his cold gaze sweeping across the room.

"Classes officially begin tomorrow. My teaching methods are different from those of other teachers. If you're afraid of hardship, exhaustion, or pain, transfer schools or find a way to change classes as soon as possible. Those who stay should prepare yourselves mentally. Class dismissed."

With that, Wu Zhangkong strode away on his long legs.

The moment Wu Zhangkong left, the classroom erupted into commotion. It was in a complete uproar, with students either discussing Wu Zhangkong or Xiling.

Amid the noise, Xie Xie was the first to lose patience. He rushed to Xiling's desk in a few quick strides. "Xiling! Are you... are you really rank thirty-one?!"

Xiling lifted his eyes and gave a faint hum.

"Then can you fight me outside? I want to see how big the gap between us is."

The entire class instantly fell silent and turned to look at them.

Tang Wulin hurriedly tugged on Xie Xie's sleeve. "Xie Xie, don't... Xiling is really strong. Aren't you just asking to get beaten up?"

At the mention of fighting him, Xiling immediately became interested. He looked at Xie Xie with a faint smile that was not quite a smile. "Are you sure you want to fight me?"

Xie Xie felt a little uneasy under Xiling's gaze, but he still stiffened his neck and said with utter seriousness in his eyes:

"I'm sure! I just want to see with my own eyes how strong a three-ringed Soul Elder like you really is, so I can know where I fall short!"

Seeing how serious he was, Xiling nodded. "Fine, I'll fight you. Just don't cry when you lose."

The only reason he agreed to fight Xie Xie was that he simply wanted to bully him a little.

At once, Xie Xie straightened his back, shaking his head like a rattle. "Who's going to cry? I, Xie Xie, keep my word. Even if I lose, I'll accept it wholeheartedly!"

The two walked out of the teaching building one after the other, while Tang Wulin could only follow helplessly behind them.

Eastsea Park was not far from Eastsea Academy. It only took a little over ten minutes to walk there.

The three arrived deep within the park and stopped in a clearing among the trees.

Xie Xie turned to Xiling. "Xiling, let's fight here."

"I'm an agility attack-type Soul Master, so I'll retreat fifty meters. When I say start, we can begin preparing."

Xiling leaned against a tree trunk, a faint smile on his lips. "Sure. You set the rules. I'm fine with anything."

He did not look even slightly serious. His cultivation already crushed Xie Xie's, and with the Void Core on top of that, dealing with an eighteenth-rank agility attack-type Soul Master was no different from teasing a child.

Tang Wulin hurriedly retreated beneath a nearby tree, unable to resist watching this wildly uneven battle with curiosity.

Xie Xie took a deep breath and said no more. He turned and quickly retreated fifty meters before stopping. Then he turned back, his eyes instantly becoming focused and sharp.

He was well aware of the gap between his realm and Xiling's, so he did not dare let down his guard in the slightest. Soul power quietly began circulating around his body.

"I'm getting ready!"

As his words fell, a bright yellow soul ring slowly rose from beneath Xie Xie's feet, and the Light Dragon Dagger appeared in his hand.

He braced himself slightly with both feet, his body taut like a bow ready to be fired. His eyes remained fixed on Xiling in the distance as he waited for the right moment to strike.

Xiling still stood lazily where he was, without even summoning his martial soul.

"Three, two, one, start!"