Class Assignments and Special Rewards

Shrek Square fell deathly silent.

Core disciples were not limited to the top three teams! Though Du Weilun had not said so outright, who did not know that core disciples of the Outer Court would receive preferential access to the academy's resources?

With their personal interests at stake, the young students listened with rapt attention, afraid of missing their own names.

Du Weilun opened the folder in his hands and read aloud, "Based on the freshmen's performance during the assessment, the final list of approved core disciples is as follows: Yue Ling, Ma Xiaotao, Gongyang Mo, Dai Yueheng, Xixi, Ling Luochen, Yao Haoxuan, and Chen Zifeng."

Du Weilun continued, "During the freshman assessment, some freshmen, while lacking somewhat in talent and ability, still displayed outstanding performances."

"The academy has decided to let them temporarily receive the treatment of core disciples until the end of this academic year. If they make breakthroughs in next year's advancement examination, they will be considered for promotion to official core disciples."

"The list is as follows: Wang Hao, He Jiajie, Li Jingjing, Shishi... The announcements are complete."

The students who heard their names secretly rejoiced, while those who did not lowered their heads in slight disappointment.

Yet there was no defeated despair in their eyes. Instead, flames of unwillingness rose within them.

With the core disciples announced, the next step was class assignment.

At Shrek Outer Court, the entire first year was divided into four classes.

Class One consisted of Power Attack Type and Control Type battle spirit masters.

Class Two consisted of Defense Type and Agility Attack Type battle spirit masters.

Class Three consisted of Support Type battle spirit masters.

Class Four consisted of battle spirit masters and tool spirit masters with all other special attributes, including Food Type and Healing Type.

Yue Ling and Ma Xiaotao were assigned to Class One without question, while Gongyang Mo was pitifully assigned to Class Four.

Fortunately, Yao Haoxuan had also been assigned to Class Four.

The two had been friends to begin with, so they could look out for each other.

At the very least, Yue Ling and Ma Xiaotao would not need to worry about Gongyang Mo being lonely over there.

Nearly every grade was divided this way, except the higher the grade, the fewer students there were in each class.

Shrek Academy's elimination rate had always been extremely high. Even among the students who successfully graduated from the Outer Court, fewer than fifty did so each year.

In other words, among the several hundred students currently present, it would already be quite good if twenty percent made it to the end.

Next came the introduction of the homeroom teachers for each class.

Wu Ya would continue serving as one of Class One's homeroom teachers. Every class had two homeroom teachers, and the other was Wang Yan, who thought highly of Yue Ling.

As a senior teacher from the theory faction, his assignment to Class One was beyond question.

"Alright, everyone, return to the teaching building under the guidance of your respective homeroom teachers according to the new class assignments."

"Ma Xiaotao, you two, come with me to collect your rewards," Director Du announced.

The three followed Du Weilun to the teachers' office area behind the upper-year teaching building.

Du Weilun's office was on the top floor. It did not have much lavish decoration, but it contained no fewer than four bookcases.

Each bookcase was packed with books, and some of them were clearly quite old.

Du Weilun smiled and casually pointed at the sofa. "Have a seat. Don't worry about Yue Ling. He's fine."

Ma Xiaotao and Gongyang Mo simultaneously widened their eyes and looked at Du Weilun. Heavy concern surfaced in both their eyes, mixed with a few traces of guilt.

They both knew that Yue Ling had most likely deliberately concealed all the trouble he was in because he did not want them to worry.

Gongyang Mo in particular felt a faint ache in his heart.

He knew the truth, yet he was equally helpless when faced with such a dilemma.

He was only a twelve-year-old boy, and Yue Ling was his friend and teammate whom he spent every day with.

What if I had reported it to the academy back then...?

No, that would not only have gotten him expelled, but might even have triggered a series of very bad consequences.

Concealing it in private...

That had been the path Gongyang Mo chose back then, yet it had also led to this outcome.

There was nothing he could do. He was powerless. That was the reality he faced.

"Ah." Gongyang Mo let out a soft sigh, his mood somewhat low.

At this point, no amount of regret or self-reproach would be of any use.

Ma Xiaotao clenched her hands. Unable to suppress the unease in her heart any longer, she was the first to ask, "Director Du, is Yue Ling really alright?"

"Don't worry!" Du Weilun nodded lightly, his expression much more composed. "Dean Yan specifically asked me to relay this to you. He told you two to put your minds at ease and not be overly anxious."

He paused, looked at Gongyang Mo, and relaxed his tone slightly, carrying a hint of teasing. "By the way, Gongyang Mo, right? Dean Yan also specifically said that if you miss Yue Ling, help him water those chrysanthemums on the windowsill more often."

Gongyang Mo let out a long breath, and his tense body finally relaxed.

"That's good... As long as Yue Ling is alright. That scene back then really scared me half to death."

Ma Xiaotao beside him also nodded slowly, and more than half the tension between her brows dissipated.

"Anyone would have been startled by a scene like that. No one expected something like this to happen... Forget it, let's not dwell on it." Du Weilun waved his hand, his expression turning serious again.

"There is one more matter. Dean Yan specifically instructed that today's incident must be kept strictly confidential. Do not spread it outside, or it will benefit no one."

Gongyang Mo's expression tightened, and he nodded heavily. His tone was utterly firm. "Don't worry, Director Du. I won't breathe a single word of this to anyone."

Ma Xiaotao also nodded solemnly. "Neither will I."

"That would be best."

Du Weilun nodded in satisfaction. His right wrist moved, and the enormous ruby ring on his finger glimmered with a faint halo. The next instant, a leather pouch appeared out of thin air in his palm.

The pouch itself was a low-grade Soul Tool. Dark patterns were etched across its brown leather surface, and as the two examined it closely, they could clearly sense faint yet steady fluctuations of Soul Power flowing across it.

Du Weilun looked at the two young people before him and spoke solemnly. "Children, you fought your way through every obstacle in this freshman assessment and claimed the final championship. In accordance with the academy's arrangements, this is a reward the academy has exceptionally prepared for you."

As he spoke of the pouch, his face was filled with pained reluctance. He deliberately turned his head away, unable to bear taking another look at it.

Du Weilun said, "What's inside is extremely precious. This is also the first time in several hundred years that the academy has offered such a valuable prize in the freshman assessment."

"Open it and take a look."

As he spoke, he quickly handed the leather pouch to Ma Xiaotao.

Ma Xiaotao took the pouch and examined it curiously.

Under Gongyang Mo's gaze, she slowly untied the cord around its opening.

Though she had already vaguely guessed what was inside, her heartbeat still abruptly quickened beyond her control.