Chosen Internally

After the placement matches ended, Eastsea Academy's field returned to calm.

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue stood side by side in First-Year Class One's line. The area around them buzzed with noise as the newly enrolled students chatted about what they had seen at the opening ceremony. Tang Wulin and Gu Yue had just drawn plenty of attention; the appearance of two nine-year-old Soul Ancestors had exploded among the freshmen like a bombshell. Now, the two of them tacitly kept a low profile, pretending to be the most ordinary new students imaginable, yet the gazes directed their way remained unceasing. Gu Yue's expression did not change. Her black hair and black eyes gave her an especially cool, distant air beneath the sunlight. She merely shifted half a step closer to Tang Wulin, using his shoulder to block several of the most intense stares.

On the podium, Dean of Students Long Hengxu picked up the microphone and cleared his throat.

"Quiet." The field gradually fell silent. "In light of this year's first-year students' outstanding performance in the entrance assessment, the academy board has decided, after deliberation, to establish a pilot class for the first years and select the most exceptional students to join it. It will tentatively be called First-Year Class Zero, with Teacher Wu Changkong serving as its homeroom teacher."

The moment those words came out, the freshmen erupted. Wu Changkong—the cold-faced idol in white with the blue sword, Eastsea Academy's strongest expert. He was going to be their homeroom teacher?

Long Hengxu continued reading the list. "Class Zero students will be selected from the existing classes. There are currently six. First-Year Class One: Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Gu Yue. First-Year Class Two: Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, Wei Xiaofeng. If other students in this year demonstrate equally outstanding performance in the future, they may also have the opportunity to join Class Zero."

The students whose names had been called reacted differently. Tang Wulin and Gu Yue exchanged a glance—they had already caught wind of this outcome from Lu Menge, but hearing the official announcement still made their hearts race. Xie Xie, standing one spot away to Tang Wulin's left—a tall, skinny boy with a somewhat carefree look in his brows and eyes—let out a whistle. Only after receiving a glare from the homeroom teacher did he rein himself in.

On the other side, Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, and Wei Xiaofeng had far more complicated expressions. Zhang Yangzi was a steady, composed boy and merely nodded slightly at the news. Wang Jinxi's gaze fell on Tang Wulin, carrying a hint of scrutiny. Wei Xiaofeng simply turned his face away, his lips curving downward.

Long Hengxu raised a hand. "Class Zero has been established because these students' individual abilities already far exceed those of their peers. Continuing to train them in ordinary classes would bury their talent. There is one more matter—according to the original plan, Class Zero students were to undergo final selection through the class placement matches. However, at Teacher Wu Changkong's recommendation, the academy board has agreed: Tang Wulin and Gu Yue, having already been confirmed as Four-Ring Soul Ancestors, are exempt from the placement matches and will enter Class Zero directly."

Four rings. Nine years old. Exempt from testing.

The field erupted again, even louder than before. Several upper-year instructors standing at the front of the freshman lines looked at one another—among them, the strongest had only just surpassed three rings. Being crushed in Soul Power rank by two children who had just enrolled was something anyone would need time to process.

Tang Wulin felt the gazes around him grow even hotter. He tried his best to remain expressionless, but his ears had already begun to redden.

Gu Yue stood there without expression, her black eyes fixed levelly ahead as though she had heard none of the surrounding discussion. Only Tang Wulin, standing beside her, could sense it—her fingers lightly tapped twice inside her sleeve. That was a habitual movement of the Silver Dragon King whenever she was in a good mood.

Long Hengxu gave a few more instructions regarding Class Zero's curriculum and disciplinary requirements before dismissing the classes. The crowd slowly dispersed amid the clamor. Tang Wulin was just about to follow his class toward the teaching building when a hand landed on his shoulder from behind.

"Wu Lin, Gu Yue—you two stay behind."

Lu Menge's voice came from behind them. Tang Wulin and Gu Yue stopped at the same time and turned around. For once, Lu Menge was not holding her thermos. Her hands were tucked into the pockets of her white coat as she tilted her head at them, her amber fox eyes narrowing into two crescent moons—this was always the expression she wore whenever she wanted to hold a private meeting with them.

"So, how does it feel to enter Class Zero without testing?" she asked quietly.

"It feels a little strange. The way everyone looks at me—it's like they're looking at a monster," Tang Wulin admitted honestly.

Lu Menge chuckled. "You'll get used to it. The two of you really are beyond the usual level right now, but it's also true that some people in Class Zero won't accept you—Wei Xiaofeng, that little brat. I noticed him just now. Once you enter Class Zero, remember this: keep a low profile as people, but make a big show when it comes to action. Show your strength when it's time, but don't swagger around normally. Especially you." She reached out and flicked Tang Wulin on the forehead.

Tang Wulin covered his forehead. "Why especially me—"

"Because between the two of you, you look like the easier one to bully. Gu Yue keeps such a cold face that nobody dares provoke her, but you?" Lu Menge looked him up and down, her eyes full of exasperation. "Even when you're not smiling, you look like you're saying, 'Come bully me.' Learn from Xie Xie—the kid isn't as strong as you, but no one dares look down on him because he knows how to put on airs."

Gu Yue gave a soft hum beside him, showing her agreement.

Tang Wulin rubbed his forehead miserably.

Lu Menge's joking expression faded. She tipped her chin toward the ginkgo tree at the edge of the field. "Go on. Teacher Wu is waiting for you over there—he probably has something to say."

Tang Wulin followed her gaze. Beneath the ginkgo tree, Wu Changkong stood alone, dressed in white like snow, his posture straight as a sword. He held a roster of Class Zero students in his hand, but he did not open it. He simply waited in silence. Golden leaves whirled around his feet, and wind blew in from the field, filling every fold of his white robe.

Tang Wulin and Gu Yue exchanged a look, then walked toward the ginkgo tree together. Lu Menge did not follow. She remained where she was, hands in her pockets, watching the two children cross the field.

When they reached Wu Changkong, Tang Wulin stopped and hesitated for a beat before asking, "Teacher Wu, did you want to see us?"

Wu Changkong lifted his gaze from the roster. He looked at Tang Wulin first, then at Gu Yue. He was silent for a moment, as if confirming something, before speaking. "Class Zero begins tomorrow. The classroom is on the third floor of the administrative building, converted from the former teachers' conference room. The curriculum will focus on practical combat, with theory as a supplement. Gather on the field at six-thirty in the morning. Do not be late."

His tone was exactly as usual—cool, steady, without any unnecessary embellishment. Yet after he finished speaking, he paused for quite a while, as though weighing his next words. Tang Wulin noticed that Wu Changkong's gaze lingered on him half a beat longer than usual. In the three years since he and Gu Yue had come to Eastsea Academy, Teacher Wu had watched them grow up. Three years ago, the struggle over the Golden Dragon King Seal had shaken the entire sea of consciousness. Although Lu Menge had sealed off all news from the outside world, Wu Changkong might not have noticed nothing. This Titled Douluo's powers of perception had never been meant merely for conversation.

"Your cultivation—Four-Ring Soul Ancestors—is overwhelming within Class Zero." Wu Changkong finally continued, his voice lower than before and carrying a grave sincerity. "But cultivation does not equal combat strength. The greater the power, the greater the cost of losing control. I do not care what your martial souls truly are, nor do I care what explanation Lu Menge came up with for you—in Class Zero, you are students first, geniuses second. Do you understand?"

The true focus of his words had been the first half—but in Tang Wulin's mind, what exploded first was the sentence, "I do not care what your martial souls truly are." Though three years under Teacher Lu had greatly strengthened his composure, his throat still tightened. Had Teacher Wu discovered them long ago? Or had Teacher Lu already come clean to him?

Gu Yue's expression remained unchanged as she nodded slightly.

"Tomorrow's first class is practical combat." Wu Changkong closed the roster. "You two will form a team and fight the rest of Class Zero one by one in a gauntlet."

Tang Wulin thought he had misheard. "...Huh?"

"Not by crushing them as Soul Ancestors. Keep your cultivation below three rings." The corner of Wu Changkong's mouth seemed to shift—a minute, almost imperceptible curve, yet one Tang Wulin recognized all too well. "Teacher Lu said you cannot do it. I said you can. So prove it to her tomorrow."

Gu Yue lifted her eyes beside him, and a faint glimmer flashed through her black pupils. A provocation. Using Lu Menge's name. She pressed her lips together to keep herself from smiling.

"Can you do it?" Wu Changkong asked.

"Yes!" Tang Wulin shouted almost by reflex.

Wu Changkong turned and headed toward the administrative building, his white figure gradually receding amid the fallen ginkgo leaves.

Tang Wulin watched Wu Changkong's back disappear at the end of the corridor, then suddenly lowered his voice and leaned closer to Gu Yue. "Teacher Wu said, 'I do not care what your martial souls truly are'—he found out, didn't he? He definitely found out."

"He found out three years ago. He isn't really a block of ice—do you think he couldn't recognize the Rainbow Dragon phantom and silver hair?" Gu Yue said.

"Then why didn't he say anything?"

Gu Yue turned to look at him, a faint helplessness surfacing in her black eyes. "Because he trusts Teacher Lu. And he trusts us. If he wanted to expose us, he would have done it long ago. The reason he is willing to go along with us is because he has never thought our identities mattered more than our safety."

Tang Wulin said nothing. He only nodded hard.

That night, Lu Menge made her usual rounds. When she pushed open the door, Tang Wulin was already asleep in bed—between the opening ceremony and the establishment of Class Zero, the day had exhausted the little fellow so thoroughly that he had not even covered himself properly. Lu Menge bent down and pulled the blanket up beneath his chin, then checked his pulse. The Golden Dragon King martial soul had fused very steadily. His blood and vital energy were calm, and his Soul Power circulated without any irregularities. Satisfied, she nodded and went next door to Gu Yue's dormitory.

Gu Yue was still awake. She leaned against the headboard with an old book spread open in her hands.

"Too excited to sleep?" Lu Menge asked as she shut the door and leaned against the frame.

"No. I was thinking about how to suppress our cultivation tomorrow. He can't sleep either—he's been hammering iron in his room for several rounds." Gu Yue turned a page without looking up.

Lu Menge sat down beside Gu Yue's bed and fell silent for a moment. The window was open a crack, and the September night breeze drifted in carrying the scent of ginkgo leaves.

"Today, he said that he did not care what your martial souls were—he asked me about it three years ago. I did not tell him everything. But I think he guessed. He did not press me because he trusts you. You two little brats, you've got someone looking out for you."

Gu Yue's hand paused on the page. She looked up at Lu Menge. "Aren't you someone who looks out for us too?"

Lu Menge lowered her head, unable to suppress the upward curve of her lips. She rose and walked to the door, waving over her shoulder with her back to Gu Yue. The hem of her white coat flashed past the doorframe. The door closed softly behind her.

The corridor was silent. She stood against the wall for a moment, looking up at the dim, voice-activated light on the ceiling. Steam from her thermos slowly rose beneath the light.

Class Zero had been established. The Golden Dragon King and Silver Dragon King had officially entered Eastsea Academy's elite training program. That meant the two of them would face more concentrated attention and harsher selection. But it also meant—she could finally, openly stuff these two little brats into the best training resources, without having to rack her brains to arrange extra lessons for them.

Tomorrow, she would have to get up early and watch Tang Wulin and Gu Yue beat the rest of Class Zero one by one. Xie Xie was speed-oriented, Zhang Yangzi's Dark Phantom Eagle excelled at aerial restraint, and Wang Jinxi's Bone Dragon martial soul would not lose out in a head-on clash—perfect opponents for practice. At worst, they might get worked up in the middle of the fight. Either way, she would be there at the sidelines with her thermos, ready to clean up afterward. Smiling, she walked toward her room as the voice-activated lights in the corridor went dark one after another behind her.