Heavenly Grade Class One

Heavenly Grade Class One,

As class time gradually approached, more and more students filled the classroom.

However, because of the holiday, every student had plenty of things to talk about.

Until a voice suddenly rang out,

"Whoa—Boss and sister-in-law are here!"

A handsome young man with short golden hair spotted the figures entering through the door. His lively nature made him instantly start heckling.

The green-haired girl, Dugu Yan, had just entered the classroom with her arm linked through Yu Tianheng's when a playful glint appeared in her green eyes.

"Yu Feng, you seem awfully excited. Want me to poison you a little and make you even more alert?"

"Uh—"

At those words, Yu Feng felt as though someone had seized his throat. Coming back to his senses, he hurriedly shook his head, his face full of resistance. "Sister Yanzi, maybe we should forget it. Just pretend I ran my mouth, or that I didn't say anything."

"Serves you right."

Seeing Yu Feng get put in his place, the black-clad, blond-haired young man seated behind him immediately gloated and laughed without restraint. "You're just the type to forget the pain as soon as the wound heals."

Yu Feng turned around and glared at him.

"Leopard, will it kill you to stop making snide remarks?"

"Heh. Serves you right."

"You looking for a fight?"

"Serves you right."

"..."

As the two living treasures started bickering, the other students watched the show from the sidelines. Dugu Yan rolled her eyes, released Yu Tianheng's arm, and returned to her seat.

Ye Lingling, who had followed behind them, nodded to the Shi Family brothers after they greeted her, then went to sit in the farthest corner of the classroom, enjoying the peace that belonged to her alone.

Seeing that the bell was about to ring while Yu Feng and Oslo were still acting like a pair of bickering fools, Yu Tianheng could not be bothered to keep watching. "All right, both of you, shut up. How much soul power did you break through over the holiday?"

The moment that topic came up, it was like a conversation killer had arrived.

Yu Feng and Oslo awkwardly stopped, looking left and right as they talked about random things—where the scenery was nice, where the food tasted good, what places had special features...

Not a single word had anything to do with cultivation.

That reaction immediately told Yu Tianheng everything he needed to know.

"You two slacked off the entire holiday?"

His tone was so certain that it did not sound like a question at all.

"Uh—we did cultivate, but..."

Seeing the two hesitate and stammer, Yu Tianheng shook his head repeatedly.

Fine, there was no need to ask anymore.

"You two... are done for."

Dugu Yan, seated nearby, also wagged a finger as she gloated.

The other students who heard the conversation: "..."

Everyone knew that Teacher Qin was easygoing in daily life. But if anyone dared slack off in cultivation...

Tsk, tsk, tsk—

At that moment, all their eyes were filled with sympathy.

Just then, "Tap, tap, tap—"

The sharp sound of leather shoes striking the corridor floor served as a warning, and Heavenly Grade Class One instantly fell silent.

At that moment, everyone sat upright. As for those who had fooled around during the holiday... they could only pray for themselves.

Less than three breaths later, Qin Ming entered the classroom.

With a warm smile, he swept his gaze across the room, lingering briefly on Yu Tianheng, Yu Feng, and Oslo.

However, compared to the satisfaction in his eyes when he looked at Yu Tianheng, he frowned at Yu Feng and Oslo, whose faces practically screamed "guilty." The two became even more nervous.

Just when they thought judgment was about to descend,

"Welcome back to the academy, everyone."

Qin Ming spoke with a smile, his attitude as warm as ever. At some point, his furrowed brows had relaxed, and he seemed just as usual.

Yu Feng and Oslo: "..."

Were they being let off just like that? Seriously?

But before they could think about why, Qin Ming's next words completely captured their attention.

"However, before classes officially begin today, we must welcome a new student to Heavenly Grade Class One. Everyone, welcome them."

After saying that, Qin Ming looked toward the door.

"New student, please come in."

Oh? A new student?

Everyone immediately became interested. After all, every Soul Master who could join their class possessed outstanding talent. They wanted to see what this new classmate was like.

Outside the door, Ouyang Ling entered the classroom upon hearing the call.

"Hello, everyone."

From his seat, Yu Tianheng could not help but look surprised.

"It's him?"

"He's so small. He looks like he's only eight or nine."

Dugu Yan had just been startled when she heard Yu Tianheng beside her. Curious, she asked, "Tianheng, you know him?"

Yu Tianheng nodded, feeling that it was only natural for her to think so.

"He's the one I told you about..."

As the two whispered to each other, Ouyang Ling's somewhat childish appearance also shocked the other students in the classroom.

"Wait? How old is he?"

"From the looks of it, maybe eight or nine? But he's already in the Heavenly Grade at that age?"

"..."

Qin Ming ignored the growing commotion in the classroom, and so did Ouyang Ling. As they had agreed, he walked straight to the front and introduced himself. "My name is Ouyang Ling. I am currently eight years old. My martial soul is the Sea God Dragon, and I am a level 25 Great Soul Master."

Ouyang Ling's words made every one of the fewer than twenty students in the class suck in a breath. Their already astonished eyes widened again after hearing confirmation, as though they were looking at a monster.

"Good heavens! He really is only eight?!"

"I think I'm four years older than him..."

"Did he start cultivating in the womb?!"

"..."

"And that martial soul sounds like a true dragon..."

Someone seemed to have hit the key point, and almost all the students turned toward Yu Tianheng in perfect unspoken agreement.

At that moment, Yu Tianheng had already stopped talking with Dugu Yan. Upon learning that Ouyang Ling's martial soul was the "Sea God Dragon," the shock in his eyes turned into delight. Then came an eager urge to spar upon encountering someone of his own kind.

For a moment, he seemed utterly sharp and imposing!

Ouyang Ling was not afraid in the slightest and met his gaze.

What a joke! You think I'll avoid your edge?!

But as Yu Tianheng sensed that something was off and withdrew his gaze, Ouyang Ling's peripheral vision caught sight of Ye Lingling in a corner of the classroom. She was watching him discreetly, with confusion in her eyes.

Ouyang Ling: "..."

How strange... And that look in her eyes—she couldn't possibly recognize me even like this, could she?

Forget it, forget it. I'm just scaring myself.

As Ouyang Ling's gaze "clashed" with every classmate below, Qin Ming also calmed the noisy room. Yet before long, his friendly exterior faded, replaced by an enigmatic expression.

"Everyone, you have spent some years at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy. The fact that you can enter Heavenly Grade Class One means that each of you is a genius. But today..." Qin Ming's tone abruptly shifted. "Eight years old and level 25. Without a doubt, that is a true monster."

His gaze swept across the students, not even skipping Yu Tianheng. His sharp eyes made even the strongest student in the class lower his gaze, while some guilty people bowed their heads.

"There are always greater mountains beyond mountains, and greater people beyond people. You may not see it within the academy, but once you leave it, perhaps a mountain like this is only the first, not the last..."

Qin Ming's words drifted past Ouyang Ling's ears.

He understood Teacher Qin's purpose perfectly. Or rather, which person present did not understand it?

After all, how could there be so many monsters in the world?

But understanding was one thing. Everyone present was young, and this approach could at least stir their blood and drive them to strive harder.

Ouyang Ling was naturally happy to see that happen.

"But—"

Just as Qin Ming was about to finish saying what needed to be said, his tone suddenly changed. His eyes became incomparably sharp and stern. Wherever his gaze landed, two people whose fighting spirit had just been stirred felt as though a basin of cold water had been dumped over their heads, instantly realizing something was wrong.

Sure enough, in the next moment,

"Certain people spent their holiday indulging in play and nearly wasted their time away. Yu Feng! Oslo!" The final roll call made the two stand up instinctively.

The instant they looked up, Qin Ming's sharp eyes scraped over them like two steel blades. "Can you tell me why neither of your cultivation levels increased in the slightest after an entire holiday?"

"This..."

"We..."

Amid their stammering, the two revealed the truth.

But this time, no one gloated. Instead, the same thought flashed through everyone's mind:

Those two were done for!

"Heh—so that's how it is." Qin Ming rarely sneered openly, his usual scholarly elegance gone. "Don't you think you're geniuses? Fine."

"Move!"

Qin Ming spat out a single word and headed out of the classroom first. "Today's first lesson will be at the Spirit Arena!"

At that moment, Ouyang Ling, who had remained silent ever since Qin Ming began speaking, had a sharp gleam flash through his eyes upon hearing Teacher Qin's words.

Good, good, good. What I've been waiting for is finally here!

After everyone came back to their senses and the students filed out of the classroom, Yu Tianheng deliberately approached Ouyang Ling alone. The fighting spirit in him remained unconcealed. "I'm looking forward to a battle between you and me."

"So am I. But..."

Unaccustomed to raising his head to speak to strangers, Ouyang Ling took a small step back under Yu Tianheng's curious gaze. Then he lifted his chin and pointed at Yu Feng and Oslo, who wore expressions like they were about to die.

"I have a feeling the protagonists this time are those two."

The helpless Yu Tianheng: "..."

Those two living treasures completely deserved it!

"They're supporting clowns at best."

Almost instinctively, Yu Tianheng muttered in disappointment at their failure to meet expectations. But after realizing what he had said, he immediately tried to soften it. "Of course, they're still pretty talented."

"Mhm."

Ouyang Ling neither agreed nor disagreed, but he felt that Yu Tianheng, someone who had not received much description, was actually quite interesting.

So he said,

"Talent still needs hard work to fulfill it."

"That's true, but..."

Yu Tianheng shook his head.

But seeing that Ouyang Ling had stopped speaking and followed the group toward the Spirit Arena, he could only withdraw his gaze.

After exchanging a speechless look with the Dugu Yan who had been waiting for him, he looked at Yu Feng and Oslo, who still seemed like lost souls. "How long are you two going to stand there!? Are you planning to make everyone wait for you!?"

"Yes, Boss..." ×2

Yu Tianheng: "Perk up! Don't embarrass yourselves!"

Dugu Yan: "Don't force me to poison you."

Clearly, her words were more effective. Her sinister tone made the two shudder. "Yes!" ×2