"Young Master Jiang Yan, welcome to Eastsea Academy. Starting today, I'll be your homeroom teacher!"
Homeroom teacher Cai Kun said with a smile.
"And me, I'm your physical education teacher."
"Don't be in such a hurry, the principal hasn't spoken yet!"
"..."
"You're all too kind."
Looking at the respectful crowd before him, Jiang Yan smiled, though his feelings were rather complicated.
Was this really enrollment? Anyone unaware of the situation might have thought he was the emperor. But considering Eastsea Academy's actual circumstances, it made sense—
East Sea lacked talent, and leaving aside his apprenticeship under the Heavenly Phoenix Douluo, both his parents were tower masters at the Spirit Pagoda.
With such a powerful background and Innate Full Soul Power, how could he not become the future of Eastsea Academy, or even the city itself?
At that moment, the system's voice quietly sounded:
[Congratulations to the host for unlocking a new achievement: Future of the Academy] [Stage Mission Activated: Star of the Academy. Upon entering Eastsea Academy, you will begin a new life as a student. Here, you will also meet new companions and walk forward side by side.]
"Companions?"
Jiang Yan smiled. There were not many geniuses who appeared early in the original work. If there was anyone... did that lazy boy holding two little knives and insisting he had Twin Martial Souls count?
Forget it.
Compared to him, Jiang Yan was actually more interested in seeing Na'er awaken her Martial Soul. Unfortunately, that would probably be difficult to achieve.
"..."
Leaving behind the many fervent teachers, Jiang Yan silently walked a few steps to his class, Class One, Grade One.
After entering the classroom, he did not hesitate. He quietly chose a window seat in the back row and sat down.
His gaze lingered only briefly on the classmates chattering and greeting one another. He was not particularly interested.
The only one who made him take a second look was the third student seated in front of him. There was dragon energy within that boy's body, so his Martial Soul was likely decent.
Not long after.
The green-haired boy in front of him turned around.
"Hi, classmate. I'm Wei Xiaofeng..."
"Damn, brother, you're so handsome!"
The boy bared his teeth and was about to introduce himself, but before he could finish, his face instantly turned to one of amazement.
Children on Douluo Continent developed early, and naturally cared greatly about appearances. He was no exception.
Brother!
They were the same age, so why was Jiang Yan launching a dimensional strike?
"Hm?"
The two companions beside him also turned around suspiciously, but after just one glance, their eyes widened as well.
Damn, why didn't you say so earlier!
A truly handsome man did not merely slay women; he slayed men too. In the eyes of the three boys, the person before them was the best possible proof.
"Uh...?"
"Thanks."
Jiang Yan froze for a moment, then silently shook his head. If they kept praising him, things would get far too passionate.
"You're welcome. I'm Wei Xiaofeng, and my Martial Soul is the Azure Shadow Serpent. Nice to meet you. We'll be sitting in front of and behind each other from now on."
"And these two are Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi. We grew up together."
Wei Xiaofeng shook his head and spoke warmly. As he talked, he pointed to his companions and introduced them. One was tall and one was thin, one had short hair and the other long hair. Both smiled in greeting.
"Jiang Yan."
"Please take care of me."
Jiang Yan replied with a smile. Yet upon hearing the three names, a sense of familiarity surged into his heart.
How had he forgotten these three?
In Jiang Yan's mind, with a thought from him, information on the three of them appeared—
[Character Information Card: Wang Jinxi] [Level 9 Soul Warrior. Possessor of the Bone Dragon King Martial Soul. Carries True Dragon bloodline. His physique is frail, preventing him from fully displaying his strength. Possesses the possibility of a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Zhang Yangzi. Innate Soul Power: Level 9.] [Talent Traits: Superior Talent (Purple), Martial Soul Fusion (Purple), Social Anxiety (White), Mentally Listless (Gray), etc...] [Character Information Card: Zhang Yangzi] [Level 9 Soul Warrior. Martial Soul: Dark Illusory Demon Eagle. Possesses the possibility of a Martial Soul Fusion Skill with Zhang Yangzi. Innate Soul Power: Level 9.] [Talent Traits: Superior Talent (Purple), Martial Soul Fusion (Purple), Social Butterfly (White), Mentally Listless (Gray)] [Character Information Card: Wei Xiaofeng] [Descendant of the Green Phosphor Snake Clan. Level 9 Soul Warrior. Martial Soul: Azure Shadow Serpent. Innate Soul Power: Level 9.] [Talent Traits: Superior Talent (Purple), etc...]
The information flashed past, and Jiang Yan naturally understood the identities of the three before him.
Weren't they the geniuses hailed in the original work as "East Sea's strongest freshmen"—the future Dark Eagle Dragon and Wei Xiaofeng of Zero Class?
All three had Innate Soul Power at level nine. Compared with the Silver Dragon King Na'er and the God King's son Tang Wulin, their talent panels were naturally unremarkable among peers, but...
At the age of nine, in East Sea Intermediate Academy, where one could graduate upon becoming a Soul Grandmaster, they had already entered the academy as Soul Grandmasters. Even the protagonist had felt pressure from their stance as top geniuses.
When the little-knife boy with Innate Full Soul Power was still an eighteenth-level Soul Master, they had already broken through to Soul Grandmaster. Two of them could even perform a Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
In terms of talent, potential, and teamwork, they were not inferior to anyone in the protagonist's group aside from the gimmick monster Xu Xiaoyan and the stat monster Gu Yue.
"With these three around, it seems academy life won't be too boring."
Jiang Yan smiled. Douluo Continent was, after all, a world of human connections. He definitely needed companions of his own, and these three...
Were not a bad choice.
"Everyone, quiet down. Class is starting."
At that moment, homeroom teacher Cai Kun entered. He lightly patted the blackboard as he spoke slowly.
"Today is your first lesson after entering the academy. Next, each of you will introduce yourselves and tell us about your future goals..."
"Let's start with the first student on the left."
His gaze instinctively swept toward the back row before he spoke.
"Yes, Teacher."
"My name is Li Pao. My Martial Soul is the tool-type Martial Soul Steel Tube. My Innate Soul Power is level four, and my dream is to become the Steel Tube Douluo!"
"My name is Lu Lige. My Martial Soul is the Golden Hammer. My Innate Soul Power is level five, and my dream is to become a great blacksmith."
"Xing Ergou, level six. Martial Soul: Shadow Battleaxe. My dream is for my dad to let me become a rich second-generation heir..."
The students in the front rows introduced themselves one after another. Their Martial Souls and talents were mostly similar, until it came to Wei Xiaofeng's group.
"Wang Jinxi. Martial Soul: Bone Dragon King. Innate Soul Power: level nine. My dream is to become a Titled Douluo."
Wang Jinxi spoke in a low voice. With a slight wave of his hand, dragon-scale characteristics quietly materialized as he spoke.
"Zhang Yangzi. Martial Soul: Dark Illusory Demon Eagle. Innate Soul Power: level nine. My dream is to become a powerful Titled Douluo with Jinxi."
After him, Zhang Yangzi followed with a smile. The instant he released his Martial Soul, dark power emerged from the air.
"Wei Xiaofeng. Martial Soul: Azure Shadow Serpent. My Innate Soul Power is also level nine. My dream is to become the fastest man alive, fast enough to break through the heavens."
Wei Xiaofeng grinned, and behind him, a python quietly appeared.
"..."
As the three spoke in succession, the revelation of their talents immediately caused quite a commotion in the classroom.
Geniuses with Innate Soul Power at level nine were the very highest tier even across all of Eastsea City, let alone three appearing at once.
The three of them were somewhat proud of this, but at the same time, they could not help turning around and focusing their gazes on Jiang Yan behind them.
They all vaguely felt that he would definitely not be weaker than them!
"Jiang Yan. Holy Dragon King. Level twelve Soul Master. My dream is... to work hard to become the finest Soul Master."
Jiang Yan said with a smile.
People said that as long as one lived, one was destined to be invincible. Was becoming the finest Soul Master not also his dream—to live well?
"..."
The instant Jiang Yan spoke, the classroom, which had still been filled with cries of surprise, fell silent. Just a few seconds later, even louder uproar erupted.
"A-A Soul Master!"
"A genius with Innate Full Soul Power!"
"Oh my god—"
"Is this real?!"
Exclamations rose and fell throughout the classroom.
"Classmate Jiang Yan is Eastsea City's greatest genius in a century, and the strongest student Eastsea Academy has seen since its founding. From now on, everyone should learn well from Classmate Jiang."
At that moment, homeroom teacher Cai Kun's introduction undoubtedly reinforced the news, making the shock in the classroom even harder to dispel.
Wei Xiaofeng and the others sitting beside Jiang Yan had already widened their eyes to the extreme. They had all just awakened their Martial Souls and had thought their talents were already absurdly high, but Jiang Yan...
Was unbelievably powerful!
Since when did Eastsea Academy have someone with Innate Full Soul Power?
"We're all the same age. I originally... didn't want to launch a dimensional strike."
Watching the three turn back with shocked, astonished expressions, Jiang Yan kept a calm face, though for some reason this sentence came to mind.
As a Long Aotian-style transmigrator with cheats.
Innate Soul Power...
Was perhaps the smallest gap between them.
"..."
Naturally, the first class of the school year was rather relaxed.
After the students finished their introductions, the homeroom teacher merely explained the developmental paths of beast Martial Souls and tool Martial Souls. The day's lesson then quietly came to an end.
After class, Jiang Yan looked at Wei Xiaofeng and the other two, who had stopped him, and silently put a question mark in his heart.
"The other students have all left. Go ahead."
"What do you need from me?"
As he stood, he asked suspiciously.
"N-No, it's just that in the world of Soul Masters, the accomplished are teachers, so we wanted to..."
Among the three, the most outgoing Wei Xiaofeng smiled bashfully, his eyes filled with anticipation.
"Huh?"
Hearing this, Jiang Yan took half a step back. An uncertain thought arose in his heart. Surely they were not planning to take him as their teacher?
"Not as our teacher! Classmate Jiang Yan, we actually want you to be our big brother."
It was Zhang Yangzi who noticed that Wei Xiaofeng's words were off. Helplessly, yet with an expectant gaze, he asked.
"Your cultivation is far above ours. You became level twelve only days after awakening your Martial Soul. We..."
"Want to follow you."
Wang Jinxi, the least articulate among them, also spoke. Expectation appeared on his expressionless face for the first time.
At six years old, awakening one's Martial Soul was also the most hot-blooded time of one's life. Moreover, they both possessed dragon-type Martial Souls, and Jiang Yan's bloodline even made Wang Jinxi feel an urge to submit. Such a big brother...
He had made up his mind!
"That's right, that's right!"
"Big Brother, please accept a bow from the three of us!"
Wei Xiaofeng stood straight and immediately bowed.
"Greetings, Big Brother!"
"..."
"You three are really interesting."
Jiang Yan did not know whether to laugh or cry, but...
It seemed he had not agreed to become anyone's big brother yet, had he?
However, seeing the three boys' expectant expressions, he thought for a moment before stepping forward and helping them up.
"Since you want to cultivate with me."
"From now on."
"Then work even harder to become stronger."
One would always need companions on the road to growth. He had a good feeling about these three little fellows, so what was wrong with having three little brothers?
Future powerhouses of the continent.
Did not lack three little fellows who were still foolishly standing there.
Before you continue