The Nervous New Homeroom Teacher, Wang Yan

Several plump silver-scaled fish were wrapped in vines and flung onto the shore, where they flopped about energetically, their scales gleaming with a crystalline sheen beneath the sunlight.

His Blue Silver Grass, brimming with life energy, was practically the perfect bait.

If those fishing fanatics from his previous life who always came home empty-handed saw this, they would probably go insane.

By the time he returned to the clearing with the fish in his arms, Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao had already set up the grilling rack. The firewood was neatly stacked, and sparks had already been struck from the flint.

Tang Ya crouched nearby with several sharpened branches in hand, carefully scaling and gutting the fish. Wang Dong stood beside her, still holding that hammer of his, looking eager to help but having no idea where to begin.

Tang Wulin set the fish on the ground. "Young Master Wang Dong, skewer these fish onto the branches. Don't just stand there watching."

Wang Dong responded with an "Oh," quickly put away his martial soul, and crouched down to help clumsily.

Gu Yuena sat down on the stone bench nearby, bracing both hands on her knees as she quietly watched them bustle about. The flickering firelight reflected in her violet eyes, making them sparkle.

Before long, the scent of grilled fish drifted away with the wind.

Huo Yuhao's technique was indeed deft, and his control over the heat was precise. The fish skin was grilled lightly crisp, and whenever he turned a fish over, fat dripped onto the charcoal with a sizzle. The rich aroma burrowed straight into everyone's noses.

Tang Wulin sat nearby with a small dish of prepared sauce in hand, occasionally passing it over to Huo Yuhao.

Once the fish were ready, they all sat in a circle on the blue-brick ground. No one cared about appearances; they simply tore into the fish with their hands. Bei Bei's mouth was shiny with oil as he praised vaguely, "Yuhao, your cooking is absolutely incredible."

Tang Ya nodded repeatedly in agreement, her cheeks puffed out like a little squirrel storing food.

At first, Wang Dong maintained his airs and took small bites, but before long, he let loose as well. Gripping a fish by the tail, he gnawed away without even raising his head.

Tang Wulin took a bite of fish, his brows lifting slightly. The fish from Sea God Lake truly differed from those in ordinary rivers and lakes outside. Its flesh was firm yet delicate, carrying a cool, sweet freshness. After swallowing it, a faint strand of gentle energy slid down his throat and slowly spread through his limbs and bones.

Though that energy was thin, it was exceptionally pure, like the spiritual aura nurtured by lake water that had been steeped in the Golden Ancient Tree's influence for centuries. Even the fish carried a lingering trace of life force.

He looked down at the fish bones in his hand, then at the others beside him, who were happily devouring their fish.

Actually, the grilled fish did not taste as miraculously good as he had imagined. After all, Tang Wulin had eaten plenty of food enhanced by technology and ruthless additives in his previous life.

Still, the fish's natural quality was genuinely high.

One fish, two fish, three fish... The pile of fish bones on the plates grew higher and higher.

Tang Wulin ate more than half of them by himself, yet his stomach remained flat, showing no sign that he had eaten so much. Huo Yuhao stared in disbelief.

Tang Wulin, meanwhile, ate with a beaming smile. Even the tiny fish bones were chewed up and swallowed, crunching loudly like crispy cartilage.

Mu En, seated beneath that old locust tree, watched the children making a ruckus in the clearing from afar and smiled. He did not get up, merely waved toward Tang Wulin, his meaning perfectly clear: Do whatever you like.

Tang Wulin bowed to him from afar in thanks, then turned back and continued gnawing on the fish in his hand.

By the time the last fish bone was tossed into the fire, the sky had begun to darken.

The clouds in the west had been burned orange-red by the setting sun, and the wind carried the cool, damp air unique to evening.

The group sat in the clearing and chatted for a while longer. Then Bei Bei and Tang Ya got up to say goodbye, saying they still had evening lessons in the inner courtyard. Before leaving, Tang Ya patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder and told him, "You have to grill again next time we get the chance." Huo Yuhao nodded, the tips of his ears red.

Tang Wulin stomped out the last embers, dusted the ash from his hands, and led Gu Yuena, Wang Dong, and Huo Yuhao back to the dormitory building.

The next morning, Tang Wulin woke just as daylight fully broke.

He opened his eyes, lay in bed for a few breaths, then smoothly rolled over and got up.

Wang Dong was still sprawled across the bed opposite him, his blue-pink hair a complete mess. His blanket had been kicked down to his feet, and he looked like a pancake that had been flipped over.

Tang Wulin did not wake him. After getting himself ready, he stood on the balcony for a while and circulated his Violet Demon Eyes once. Only after the golden line of morning light on the horizon had completely spread out did he turn and leave.

He went to the cafeteria for a filling meal, brought back two buns each for Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao, then returned to the dormitory. He hauled Wang Dong out of bed, knocked on the neighboring door to call Huo Yuhao, and the three of them headed toward the teaching building together.

By the time they arrived at the classroom, more than half the students were already seated.

Of the ninety-one new students, nearly all had arrived aside from a handful of latecomers.

Class One's classroom was especially quiet today. The students sat at their desks with straight backs, their gazes fixed uniformly on the space behind the podium. From their expressions, they looked less like students waiting for class and more like they were awaiting the arrival of some important figure.

When Tang Wulin entered, the silence in the classroom seemed to solidify even further. Without looking aside, he walked past the podium and was about to head for his usual seat by the window when he caught sight of a figure standing beside the podium from the corner of his eye.

Tang Wulin recognized that figure.

Wang Yan, a theoretical studies teacher in the outer courtyard, normally taught subjects such as basic soul beast theory, soul ring age limits, and the physical endurance of soul masters. His teaching was steady and unremarkable, but he had always maintained a fairly good reputation in the outer courtyard.

More importantly, he was quite capable and an exceptionally conscientious teacher.

Wang Yan wore a somewhat faded gray outer robe and held a thin sheet of paper in his hand.

When he saw Tang Wulin enter, a somewhat nervous smile appeared on his face. He cleared his throat, waited until Tang Wulin had taken his seat, then turned to face the class. His voice carried a faint, barely perceptible tremor as he began, "Hello, students. I am Wang Yan, and starting today, I will be serving as Class One's homeroom teacher."

After saying that, he paused, lowered his head to look at the sheet of paper in his hand as if confirming something, then raised his gaze and glanced toward Tang Wulin. In an even more cautious tone, he added, "...As for the specific management and teaching arrangements, well, I will mainly be responsible for instruction and administrative matters. Tang Wulin will assist me in handling the class's daily affairs. In other words... starting today, Tang Wulin will serve as acting class monitor. He will have the final say in all matters, large and small, within the class."

Having said that, Wang Yan could not help stealing another quick glance at Tang Wulin, as though afraid he had not made himself clear enough and might upset him. He hurriedly continued, "Everything is to be done according to Tang Wulin's instructions. If you have any problems or requests, report them to him first, and then have him relay them to me. Everyone... understands, right?"

The classroom fell silent for two breaths.