Self-Introduction

Back in the classroom, everyone found a seat they liked. Wu Changkong and Long Bing stood at the podium, smiling warmly at the students below with great approachability.

"Now that you're in Class One, you'll be classmates spending day and night together from now on. To help everyone get to know each other better, let's start with a simple self-introduction. That way, I can understand what you're good at and make later teaching more convenient."

Wu Changkong swept his gaze around the classroom. "We'll start with the first student in the first row."

The student seated first in the first row was Xie Xie. Hearing this, he swiftly rose to his feet and said proudly:

"My name is Xie Xie—the Xie in thanks, and the Xie in chance encounter. My Martial Soul is the Light Dragon Dagger. My soul power is Rank 19. I'm an agility-attack type Battle Soul Master, and my goal is to become a god-tier mecha master."

His soul power reaching Rank 19 drew a wave of gasps. A twelve-year-old Great Soul Master was the lowest threshold for being considered a genius. At nine, Xie Xie was only one rank of soul power away from becoming a Great Soul Master. Such a cultivation speed went beyond the ordinary definition of genius.

Where there were gasps of amazement, there were naturally also those who scoffed.

After Xie Xie came Tang Wulin. He spoke with cheerful confidence, "Tang Wulin, Martial Soul Blue Silver Grass, soul power Rank 21, control-type Battle Soul Master."

A nine-year-old Great Soul Master drew even more cries of surprise, but an ill-timed voice rang out from somewhere. "Blue Silver Grass? It's just a trash Martial Soul!"

At the podium, Wu Changkong and Long Bing both wiped the smiles from their faces. Their sharp gazes turned toward a spot in the classroom as Wu Changkong said sternly:

"In this world, there are no trash Martial Souls, only people willing to be trash. Before calling someone else trash, think about what kind of person you are. His Martial Soul is trash, you say? Then if you're in the same class as him, what does that make your Martial Soul?"

Wu Changkong's cold and domineering presence instantly silenced all the students.

Seeing this, Long Bing piled a smile back onto her face. Her pleasant voice, as soothing as a spring breeze, eased the atmosphere in the classroom. "Students, please continue."

The atmosphere returned to normal. Tang Wulin sat down, and more than a dozen students after him rose one by one to introduce themselves, though their soul power was all around Rank 15 or 16.

At East Sea Academy in this era, Rank 15 soul power was the threshold for entering Class One. While none of the students introducing themselves had soul power below Rank 15, few had surpassed Rank 16.

Until someone made a dazzling entrance.

"Wei Xiaofeng, Martial Soul Azure Shadow Serpent, soul power Rank 22, agility-attack type Battle Soul Master."

Wei Xiaofeng arrogantly raised his chin. He appeared to be enjoying the attention of the crowd, but in truth, if he did not lift his head, he would have to meet the gazes of the two homeroom teachers on the podium.

That ill-timed remark earlier had come from his mouth. After being intimidated by Wu Changkong's sharp gaze, he still did not dare look him in the eye.

Thus, he could only suffer and enjoy himself at once, basking in his classmates' astonished stares while enduring the scrutiny of the two homeroom teachers.

Being a Rank 22 Great Soul Master was Wei Xiaofeng's greatest source of confidence. It was also the foundation of his arrogance in uttering that mocking remark even after learning that Tang Wulin was a Rank 21 Great Soul Master.

So what if Tang Wulin had become a Great Soul Master at nine? With a trash Martial Soul like Blue Silver Grass, even the greatest talent would be wasted. Therefore, among Great Soul Masters, he was the strongest genius in this class.

Though he did not possess innate full soul power, his first soul spirit was an Azure Shadow Serpent, the same as his Martial Soul and perfectly compatible with him. As a result, his cultivation speed in the early stages had soared, not inferior to those top geniuses.

In his view, the only thing the Federation's most elite geniuses had over him was their Martial Souls.

His future goal was to ascend the Dragon Rankings of the Young Prodigy Rankings, then the Dragon Rankings of the Young Genius Rankings, and finally the Continental Power Rankings, ultimately becoming a generation's Super Douluo who could command the winds and clouds. He had even thought of his title already: Azure Shadow.

If his Martial Soul had not held him back, he would even have dared to set his future goal as:

Young Supreme, first on the Young Prodigy Rankings; Young Supreme, first on the Young Genius Rankings; and Power Overlord, top ten on the Continental Power Rankings.

As Wei Xiaofeng brooded, Class One's introductions continued.

Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi, whom he knew, both had only Rank 19 soul power. The students after them had either Rank 15 or Rank 16 soul power, far inferior to his.

As a result, the smile on his face grew increasingly smug.

Hmph, I really am the greatest genius here!

Then a crisp, sweet voice sounded beside his ear, and his smile instantly froze.

"Xu Xiaoyan, Martial Soul Star Staff, soul power Rank 27, control-type Battle Soul Master."

Xu Xiaoyan finished introducing herself with poise. Feeling everyone's gazes on her, she smiled innocently, like a pure little white flower—beautiful and dreamlike.

The others watched Xu Xiaoyan sit down, still not having recovered from that dreamlike scene, when a cool, ethereal voice brought them into an unreal world.

"Gu Yuena, Martial Soul Elementalist, soul power Rank 31, power-attack type Battle Soul Master."

After introducing herself, Gu Yuena sat down cleanly and decisively, then glanced to her side at Meng Xinghe, who was seated by the window in the back row.

Withdrawing his gaze from the window, Meng Xinghe rose to his feet and introduced himself under everyone's watchful eyes.

"Meng Xinghe, Martial Soul body, soul power Rank 35, control-type Battle Soul Master."

After saying that, he calmly sat back down.

An eerie silence fell over the classroom. The students' gazes moved back and forth among Xu Xiaoyan, Gu Yuena, and Meng Xinghe, suspecting that this was all a dream and that they had not yet woken up.

Rank 27, Rank 31, and even Rank 35 at nine years old—had they started cultivating in their mothers' wombs? Otherwise, the gap between them was simply far too great...

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

Wei Xiaofeng slapped the back of his chair and abruptly stood up, staring fixedly at Meng Xinghe by the window in the back row.

If he had reached Rank 35 at nine, how outrageous would his cultivation be at twelve? Would he be a Soul King, or even a Soul Emperor?

None of the Young Supremes throughout the history of the Young Prodigy Rankings had cultivated to such a soul power rank by the age of nine. Even the legendary Heaven-Soaring Douluo, ranked first on the Continental Power Rankings, had not possessed such cultivation at nine.

Xie Xie looked at Meng Xinghe. Amid his shock, he accepted the fact immediately.

It was perfectly normal for the other party's cultivation to be so high. After all, he was a top genius who had defeated him three years ago. Though he had been instantly defeated, he had only lost by one move, hadn't he?

Unlike a certain clown who did not know the immensity of heaven and earth, he was no joke.

"Enough. You must know that there are always greater people beyond people, and greater heavens beyond heaven."

Wu Changkong's resonant voice drew everyone's attention. His tone carried a hint of consolation as he said, "People cannot always compare themselves to others, because no one can defeat everyone in every respect. Therefore, the person one must defeat is not others, but oneself."

"People should value themselves. The fact that you can sit in Class One means that you are already favored children of heaven. Do not belittle yourselves because of someone else's excellence. Have a little more confidence and work a little harder, and you will find that today's you is stronger than yesterday's you."