Zero Class, First Year

En Zuo did not believe that if he kept silent, Dai Linger would have a chance to become one of Monster Academy's Heavenly Kings within two years.

The remaining openings had already been blocked by Long Yue. Without vacant positions, those Heavenly Kings were no pushovers. Nor was Dai Linger one of Shrek Academy's monsters.

Out of instinctive courtesy, En Zuo offered his blessing. "Then... I hope your wish comes true."

Seeing that they were getting along reasonably well, Dai Yueyan finally put aside his concerns. "Brother En Zuo, I have urgent matters to attend to. I'll leave Linger in your care for now."

"I hope you'll look after her."

En Zuo nodded, accepting the request.

Turning around, the four headed straight toward Monster Academy's examination area.

The remaining students watched their retreating figures with reverence.

En Zuo's name had spread far beyond Monster Academy. His reputation across the Star Luo Continent was much greater than imagined. Since he had not concealed anything, even information about his disciples had been dug up by quite a few people from Star Luo.

En Zuo, twelve years old, a four-ring Soul Ancestor, with soul rings entirely at the ten-thousand-year level. This information did not even include his visits to the Spirit Ascension Platform.

What terrifying talent.

It was even more shocking than Long Yue's situation.

The ten entrance examinations for new students.

For En Zuo and the others, they posed no difficulty at all. Under En Ci's witness, En Zuo effortlessly defeated the senior student defending the final stage.

He became the fastest newcomer in history to defeat a defending senior.

Huo Yuhao and Tang San also defeated the defending senior one after another. Dai Linger, however, was not so fortunate. She only lasted ten minutes against him, though she still received a fairly good evaluation.

The group passed this new student assessment perfectly.

En Ci looked at En Zuo with a complicated gaze. Stroking his grizzled beard, he sighed. "I never expected the teammates En Zuo found to be so outstanding as well."

As En Zuo's teacher, En Ci paid far more attention to the team En Zuo had formed than to the Eight Heavenly Kings.

Within two months, Huo Yuhao's soul power had risen by more than ten levels in succession, reaching level twenty-three. Tang San's soul power had also begun to approach the great threshold of level forty, while En Zuo had stepped into level forty-six.

Of course, this had a great deal to do with consuming immortal herbs. With such heavenly spiritual plants aiding them, advancing so rapidly was only natural.

But it was not enough.

En Zuo's team still had four vacancies.

En Ci made a decision. He would add fuel to the flames and help En Zuo select teammates.

He instructed a teacher he favored:

"Shen Qiu, place En Zuo and the other four in Zero Class and implement a rotating student system. Every week, students from other classes in the same year will each have one chance to challenge a Zero Class student. Each person may challenge only one student per day, and each challenged student may accept only one challenge per day. Winners move up, losers move down."

"I will raise Zero Class's resource allocation priority to the highest level. Resources from every other year at Monster Academy will be directed toward Zero Class, First Year."

"I have only one requirement."

"Before the next Continental Advanced Soul Master Elite Tournament, I want to see En Zuo's Soul Master team assembled with all seven members."

Shen Qiu adjusted his glasses, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes. At Monster Academy, who did not know that En Zuo was En Ci's most prized disciple?

En Ci entrusting En Zuo to his guidance was enough to show how highly he regarded him. This bond between teacher and student would bring tremendous benefits in the future.

"Rest assured, Dean En Ci."

Shen Qiu solemnly promised, "Four years from now, I will hand you a complete Soul Master battle team, one powerful enough to rival Monster Academy's Eight Heavenly Kings."

Entering the main teaching building once again, En Zuo and the other three followed their teacher's notice to a tiered classroom large enough to hold three hundred people. This was Zero Class, First Year, and the place where they would study and spend time with their classmates for the next year.

As the students gradually filed in one after another.

Shen Qiu stepped behind the podium and said solemnly, "All students will now take their seats in the order I call. En Zuo, first row, seat one."

En Zuo was not surprised. With a perfect score, it was only natural for him to take the first seat.

Seat one was neither on the far left nor the far right, but directly in the center of the first row.

"Tang San, first row, seat two. Huo Yuhao, first row, seat three. Dai Linger, first row, seat four."

The four of them had effectively been placed directly in the center of the first row, closest to the podium.

They would remain under the teacher's watch at all times.

En Zuo's expression was fairly calm. His knowledge was comprehensive in every respect, though he felt somewhat uncomfortable.

Huo Yuhao wore a cold expression and did not care in the slightest. As far as he was concerned, as long as he could grow stronger, none of this mattered. Tang San frowned slightly, but overall remained calm.

As for Dai Linger, her face was full of indignation as she complained, "This is favoritism. Blatant favoritism."

Shen Qiu seemed not to hear the protest before him at all and continued reading out the other students' names. Only after finishing the roll call did he set down the roster.

"One hundred and fifty new students were expected, and one hundred and fifty are present. Everyone is here."

Shen Qiu said in a deep voice, "On behalf of Monster Academy, I welcome you all. Next, listen carefully and take detailed notes, because this concerns your future studies. I will not repeat myself. Everything I say is a matter requiring new students' attention. Listen closely."

"Zero Class has the highest-priority resource allocation in all of Monster Academy, but do not think that entering Zero Class means you can rest easy. Zero Class, First Year, is a new system introduced by Monster Academy this year."

"Every week from now on, students from other classes will continuously challenge you. Anyone who is defeated is not qualified to remain in Zero Class."

"Of course, auxiliary-system Soul Masters have their own assessments as well. Those involve comparing soul skills, soul incantations, and even personal qualities."

"In Zero Class, we teach only monsters, not ordinary people. So if you want to spend your time here comfortably, then you will only remain here for one week."

Shen Qiu calmly explained the academy's various rules and regulations. Many of them were harsh, but in En Zuo's eyes, such rules could not restrain him at all.

These rules were meant to regulate Soul Masters whose talents made them more like monsters than ordinary people.

They did not apply to a monster among monsters like him.

One student could no longer bear the rules Shen Qiu was announcing and stood up to refute him. "Teacher Shen, this is completely inhumane! Soul Masters need time to grow. If we are forced into battle without time to settle and develop, we won't be able to show our talents at all."

"Your talent needs to be proven, but someone has already brought his talent into this classroom."

Shen Qiu was not angered in the slightest by the objection. He calmly stated a fact. "In Zero Class, En Zuo, who received a perfect score in Monster Academy's new student assessment, is only twelve years old and has already reached the Soul Ancestor realm. Tell me, what does it mean to realize one's potential?"