Wu Zhangkong's Arrangements, Promotion Class Tournament

The three followed Wu Zhangkong to his office. The office was pitifully small, around ten square meters. Apart from a desk, a cabinet, and a chair, there was nothing else.

Wu Zhangkong sat in the chair, his eagle-sharp gaze sweeping over the three Class Five students with the highest Soul Power Levels. He addressed Xie Xie first.

"You have Twin Martial Souls, don't you? Twin Martial Souls inevitably come with Innate Full Soul Power. That means you haven't even gained eight levels in the past three years. Am I right?"

"Uh... yes." Xie Xie had wanted to explain, but faced with Wu Zhangkong's dangerous gaze, he obediently admitted it.

"As an Agility Attack System Soul Master, you can't even outrun Tang Wulin while she's carrying the Clear Sky Hammer. It's obvious you've been too lazy. Starting tomorrow, your workload in physical training will be thirty percent greater than everyone else's."

Ignoring Xie Xie's pleading look, Wu Zhangkong directly issued the death order.

He then looked at Tang Wulin and Tang Li, his tone gentler than it had been with Xie Xie.

"Tang Wulin, your control over your Martial Soul exceeds my expectations. Such control at your age is extremely rare. Can you tell me how you achieved it?"

"Teacher, I'm a Level-3 Blacksmith. I use my Martial Soul quite often, so I have better control over it."

When Tang Wulin revealed that she was a Level-3 Blacksmith, both Xie Xie and Wu Zhangkong were shocked. Wu Zhangkong simply did not show it on his face.

A Level-3 professional at this age was unquestionably a super genius.

"Very good. Then your current priority should be your Soul Power cultivation. As far as I know, the higher one's professional level, the higher the Soul Power cultivation required."

Listening to Wu Zhangkong's assessment, Xie Xie felt like he had shattered. Clearly, he and Tang Wulin had the same cultivation, yet he was criticized while Tang Wulin was praised.

Xie Xie: Sob, sob, my life is so hard.

"I called you here mainly because of the upcoming Promotion Class Tournament. It is a competition the academy holds at the beginning of every school year, and both the Intermediate Division and Advanced Division participate."

Wu Zhangkong continued, "The so-called Promotion Class Tournament begins with the weakest class, which sends students to challenge the other classes. The winner can take the defeated class's number and continue advancing until they lose. After defeating every class in their grade, they may also challenge other grades. The academy offers rewards for winning against higher grades."

Hearing this, they all understood why Wu Zhangkong had called them over.

"A minimum of two people may participate, while the exact number will be decided by our class. This is a battle for the class's honor. My demands are not high. You only need to turn the five in Class Five into a one."

At this point, Wu Zhangkong's tone suddenly became grave. "I will specially train you over the next month. If you two fail to meet this requirement by then, heh..."

Wu Zhangkong gave a cold laugh, and the temperature in the entire office seemed to drop several degrees.

"The two of us? What about Tang Li? Isn't he participating?"

Xie Xie asked curiously. He had originally thought that with Tang Li, this ultimate weapon, clearing the first grade at lightning speed would be easy.

"My arrangement for him is to participate in battles against the upper grades. If you cannot make it through the first-grade rankings, then Tang Li will not need to act."

Hearing this, Tang Li remained as calm and unruffled as ever. At Eastsea Academy, it would be difficult to find a student capable of defeating him. More accurately, when facing Tang Li, this BOSS, they were the challengers.

"The special training will take place every evening from now on. All right, Tang Wulin and Xie Xie, you two may leave. I have something to discuss with Tang Li."

With that, Wu Zhangkong waved a hand, signaling that the two could leave.

Xie Xie turned and left at once. Tang Wulin gave Tang Li a worried glance, then departed as well under Wu Zhangkong's watchful gaze.

After both of them had left, Wu Zhangkong's expression abruptly turned serious. In a heavy tone, he asked,

"Where did the Mysterious Heaven Skill on your body come from? As I recall, there is no one named Tang Li at the Eastsea branch of the Tang Sect. Or are your parents members of the Tang Sect?"

Wu Zhangkong did not say it outright. Even if both parents were Tang Sect members, they were not allowed to privately pass the Mysterious Heaven Skill on to their child.

Faced with Wu Zhangkong's question, Tang Li, who had prepared for this ever since obtaining the Mysterious Heaven Skill, explained unhurriedly,

"My parents are not Tang Sect members, and neither am I. I also do not know whether the cultivation technique I practice is truly the 'Mysterious Heaven Skill,' but it was indeed passed down to me by an elder in my family."

"An elder in your family?" Wu Zhangkong frowned and continued, "Then why doesn't Tang Wulin cultivate it?"

"It is an old rule handed down by the Clear Sky Sect: this technique is passed to men, not women. Therefore, only I can cultivate this nameless technique. As for my sister, even though her Martial Soul is the Clear Sky Hammer, she cannot cultivate it. Once I become strong enough, perhaps I'll secretly teach it to her."

Without changing expression, Tang Li began spinning his tale. He had drafted it long ago. Whenever something like this came up, he would push the matter onto the Clear Sky Sect. After all, his sister Tang Wulin possessed the Clear Sky Hammer Martial Soul—there was no better proof than that.

In any case, the Clear Sky Sect had long since vanished. No matter how wildly he spun his story, no one would come refute him.

Moreover, the Clear Sky Sect and Tang Sect truly had countless ties between them. Even someone as discerning as Wu Zhangkong could not find any flaw in it.

Sure enough, once he heard the words "Clear Sky Sect," Wu Zhangkong's expression returned to its usual indifference.

Naturally, he knew of the relationship between the Clear Sky Sect, the Tang Sect, and Shrek. As the sect once inhabited by the Clear Sky Douluo, father of the Sea God, it was only normal for it to possess the "Mysterious Heaven Skill."

As for that absurd rule of passing it only to men and not women, Wu Zhangkong found nothing strange about it. Such things were common among factions founded on family lineage. They feared that cultivation techniques would be carried away when women married out of the family.

In his view, Tang Li must also have been forced to uphold some kind of oath, making him unable to pass it on for the time being. That was why he had said he would teach the Mysterious Heaven Skill to Tang Wulin later.

It made perfect sense.

"Very well. As a member of the Tang Sect, I merely needed to confirm the origin of the Mysterious Heaven Skill you possess. Since it is an inherited technique of the Clear Sky Sect, there is no issue. As for your sister, after some time, I will take her to the Tang Sect. She can obtain the Mysterious Heaven Skill there, so you will not need to take the risk of passing it on to her."

Wu Zhangkong explained the reason, then continued,

"With Tang Wulin and Xie Xie's strength, they have a good chance of defeating the first grade. As for the upper grades afterward, you may need to step in.

"You may skip the daytime physical training classes from now on. I will arrange for you to go directly to the academy's Soul Fighting Arena for the upper grades and battle there to accumulate experience. Oh, and have you already embarked upon a second profession as well?"

Facing Wu Zhangkong's question, Tang Li replied, "Yes. I'm already a Level-4 Soul Engineer, following the path of a Mecha Designer."

"Fine, I understand. Remember to come to special training with them every evening."

Seeing that Wu Zhangkong had issued a dismissal, Tang Li politely bade him farewell before leaving Wu Zhangkong's office.

Inside the office, Wu Zhangkong, now alone, summoned the Heavenly Frost Sword once more. No longer suppressing the sword intent around him, he instantly stirred up a burst of icy chill.