Self-Introduction

Yue Ling saw the awkward look on her face, recalled Mu En's earlier instructions, and relayed them to Ma Xiaotao word for word.

After hearing it, Ma Xiaotao immediately frowned, her face full of disdain.

"Why do you talk like such an old fogey? You sound like an old person."

"Why are you making such a big deal out of everything?"

"You!"

Ma Xiaotao glared at Yue Ling, her temper flaring instantly. They looked ready to start arguing on the spot.

Gongyang Mo quickly stepped forward to smooth things over. "Alright, alright. Let's go back to the classroom and wait. We'll talk after the teacher returns."

"Hmph."

Ma Xiaotao folded her arms, turned her head away without another word, and strode ahead on her own, leaving the two of them only her haughty back.

"Let's go too."

Gongyang Mo nodded, and the three of them headed together toward Freshman Class One.

After returning to class, the seating arrangement was temporarily changed because of Ma Xiaotao's arrival.

Yue Ling sat in the middle of the first row. Gongyang Mo sat diagonally behind him, while Ma Xiaotao happened to be seated on his left.

With nothing else to do, he tilted his head and glanced at the girl beside him.

Ma Xiaotao had fair skin and bold features. Her shoulder-length fiery red hair made her look especially sharp.

The ordinary white Shrek uniform accentuated her slender, upright figure, but the hostility in her eyes warned strangers to stay away. She did not look easy to provoke.

"What are you looking at?" Ma Xiaotao immediately looked up and glared back at him, refusing to give an inch.

Yue Ling smiled and raised a brow. "My eyes are on my face. I'll look if I want to."

He deliberately looked at her a few more times before saying lazily, "But honestly, you really are quite pretty."

Ma Xiaotao's cheeks flushed slightly. She instinctively lifted her chin, pride written all over her face.

"Of course I'm pretty. At least you have good taste."

"But..." Yue Ling abruptly changed the subject, his smile teasing. "You're not my type."

"Hahaha!"

Ma Xiaotao's expression instantly turned pale, then green. She was both embarrassed and furious.

"You're courting death!"

She raised her hand and threw a punch at him. She had not used Soul Power, but she had put real force into it.

Just as her fist was about to hit him, Yue Ling raised a hand and firmly caught her wrist, effortlessly stopping her.

"Alright, alright. No more messing around."

He let go.

Ma Xiaotao sat back down in a huff, rubbing her wrist with a resentful expression.

No matter how Yue Ling tried to talk to her, she kept her mouth shut and ignored him out of spite.

Just then, their homeroom teacher, Wu Ya, walked into the classroom.

"Ahem. Quiet."

The noisy classroom instantly fell silent.

Everyone who could enter Shrek was a genius from somewhere. Even if they did not know the rules, they knew enough to restrain themselves and did not dare act recklessly before a teacher.

"My name is Wu Ya, and I am the homeroom teacher of this year's Freshman Class One."

"You have already experienced my rules. If you have personal grudges, you may settle them privately, but try not to waste yourselves fighting classmates from your own class."

"Fight students from other classes more often. If anything happens, I'll cover for you. Within your own class, unity is the most important thing."

"As the saying goes, those who dare not cause trouble are mediocrities. This has also been one of Shrek's traditions for ten thousand years."

His tone was stern as he continued.

"In three months, it will be time for the freshman assessment, your first major hurdle. Those who fail to pass will be eliminated and expelled."

"The rules are simple: everyone is free to form teams of three, for a total of three hundred teams. Each team will fight ten point matches. The top one hundred and fifty teams by points will remain, and the top sixty-four will then enter elimination rounds to determine the champion, runner-up, and third place."

"All Support Type and food-type students must participate. The academy will match opponents of similar strength. Deliberately killing or seriously injuring fellow students is strictly forbidden."

Wu Ya swept his gaze across the class. "Any questions?"

Dai Yueheng, seated in the last row, raised his hand and stood. "Teacher, do we choose our own teams, or will you assign them?"

"Good question." Wu Ya nodded. "If you have teammates you know and get along with, form your own team."

"If you do not know anyone and end up alone, I'll assign you to teams at the end."

"Understood, Teacher." Dai Yueheng sat back down.

"You'll be spending a long time together, so stop acting like strangers. Starting from the first row, stand up one by one and introduce yourselves."

The first person happened to be Ma Xiaotao.

She stood reluctantly, her tone casual and cold.

"Ma Xiaotao. Martial Soul: Evil Fire Phoenix. Level thirty-two Power Attack Type Battle Soul Elder."

The moment she finished speaking, the entire class erupted.

Twelve years old, and already a level thirty-two Soul Elder!

Even Wu Ya was secretly astonished. She was definitely a top-tier genius!

"Next."

Yue Ling stood up in turn, his voice calm.

"Yue Ling. Martial Soul: Singular Velvet Sky Chrysanthemum. Level thirty-four Power Attack Type Tool Soul Elder."

The class cried out even louder than before.

Wu Ya nodded, his eyes full of approval.

Most of the class had seen his spirit battle, but they were still shocked. A number of girls even secretly looked at him, their eyes filled with affection.

Seeing the looks directed at him, Ma Xiaotao felt inexplicably irritated and simply laid her head on the desk, deciding that out of sight was out of mind.

"Next."

"Wang Hai. Martial Soul: Sharp-Breaking Sword. Level twenty-four Power Attack Type Battle Soul Master."

"Shishi. Martial Soul: Lollipop. Level twenty-six food-type Tool Soul Master."

The students introduced themselves one after another, and soon it was Gongyang Mo's turn.

Yue Ling glanced back at him. Seeing that he was a little nervous and shy, he could not help but chuckle.

"Next."

Gongyang Mo took a deep breath and spoke softly.

"Gongyang Mo. Martial Soul: Rainbow Dragon. Level twenty-eight Support Type Battle Soul Master."

The class instantly erupted again.

Rainbow Dragon? A Support Type beast Martial Soul? And level twenty-eight?

Wu Ya nodded to himself.

A level twenty-eight Support Type Spirit Master could be said to have shown no slack whatsoever in cultivation.

This year's freshmen truly had an excellent foundation.

"Next."

"Xixi. Martial Soul: Lightning Leopard. Level twenty-eight Agility Attack Type Battle Soul Master."

Exclamations of amazement rose and fell throughout the classroom. The uniqueness of the Martial Souls left them quite excited.

Just as everyone thought no more Soul Elders would appear in the class, a steady, proud voice came from the last row.

"Dai Yueheng. Martial Soul: Evil-Eyed White Tiger. Level thirty-one Power Attack Type Battle Soul Elder!"

Wu Ya's eyes lit up.

A full three Soul Elders!

He had taught so many batches of freshmen, but never had a single class produced three Soul Elders at once. In previous years, having even one would have made it an exceptional class; some grades did not even have one!

Wu Ya was ecstatic inside, but his expression remained calm.

"Very good. You all basically know one another now. Discuss team formation among yourselves and report your teams to me before the next class. If anyone is still alone without a team in three days, I'll arrange the groups myself."

"Understood!"

"Class dismissed!"

The entire class answered in unison. The classroom immediately became lively as everyone discussed the five genius Soul Elders revealed today, each face filled with pride.

Yue Ling packed up the things on his desk, intending to call Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo out to find something to eat.

But just as he was about to stand, a figure hurried forward and directly blocked his path.