Baby-Beating Tournament

The next morning.

Eastsea Academy, Class One, Grade One classroom.

"All right, that's all for this morning's lessons."

Ye Yingluo spoke, sweeping her gaze across the class. "Now, I have an announcement."

"Eastsea Academy will be holding its annual Class Promotion Tournament. Every grade will participate. This is also a major event for our academy."

"Class Promotion Tournament!"

A wave of discussion immediately rose in the classroom.

Many students' eyes lit up, and the atmosphere instantly became lively.

"The rules of the Class Promotion Tournament are very simple."

Ye Yingluo continued, "In each grade, the weakest class will select students to challenge the class above it."

"Class Five challenges Class Four, and so on. If they win, the class numbers are exchanged."

"In other words, if Class Five defeats Class Four, then they will no longer be Class Five—they will become Class Four."

"At the same time, after winning, they can continue challenging upward until they lose."

She paused before adding, "So this is not only a contest of strength, but also a battle for honor."

"Every victory means the class rises in rank, while every defeat causes its original ranking to fall."

"Teacher Ye, we're already Class One. We don't need to participate, right?"

A student spoke up, sounding somewhat relieved.

"Yes."

Ye Yingluo nodded. "But we need to defend Class One."

Her gaze was calm. "The challenges proceed from the bottom up. As the strongest class in the grade, Class One will not take the initiative to compete."

"If another class wins all the way up to us, then we will be the final line of defense."

"So that's how it is."

The students nodded thoughtfully.

Seeing that everyone more or less understood, Ye Yingluo announced, "The participants from Class One will be Fang Ming, Gu Yue, Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi."

No one objected.

After all, the strength of Fang Ming's group of five was obvious to all.

"Awesome!"

Xie Xie looked thrilled. "Finally, I can stretch my muscles a little!"

The corners of Zhang Yangzi's lips lifted slightly, and a trace of fighting spirit flashed through his eyes. "I wonder whether the other classes can make it all the way to Class One."

Wang Jinxi said nothing. He merely clenched his fist silently, his knuckles giving off a faint crack.

Fang Ming remained calm, as though none of this had anything to do with him.

Gu Yue's emotions were unreadable. She simply sat quietly at her desk, her gaze seemingly drifting toward Fang Ming from time to time.

"Class dismissed."

Ye Yingluo made the announcement and turned to leave the classroom.

The students then rose one after another and left as well.

Xie Xie looked at Fang Ming and sidled over with a grin. "Boss, what do you think about the Class Promotion Tournament?"

"It's just a baby-beating tournament."

Fang Ming answered casually.

"Uh..."

Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi fell silent at once.

Indeed, to Fang Ming and Gu Yue, this Class Promotion Tournament was nothing more than a baby-beating tournament. There was no difficulty at all.

While others were still struggling desperately to reach one or two rings, they were already level thirty-eight Soul Elders. The gap was simply like heaven and earth.

Fang Ming looked at the three of them, his tone serious. "Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, cultivate diligently."

"Try to break through to two rings before the Class Promotion Tournament."

"Yes, Boss."

The three nodded together, their eyes gaining a trace of solemnity.

They had to cultivate hard and strive to break through level twenty as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, in the administration building.

Ye Yingluo walked back toward her office with light steps, a bright smile on her face. She was clearly in an excellent mood.

"This year's Class Promotion Tournament is secure."

She pushed open her office door and began organizing her lesson plans, unable to suppress the smile on her lips.

In another office.

Wu Zhangkong sat behind his desk, his expression complicated.

On his desk lay a complete roster of all the students in Class One, Grade One.

The paper had been turned over countless times, its corners slightly curled. Clearly, he had studied it repeatedly.

Wu Zhangkong had requested it from Long Hengxu, the grade director of the Intermediate Division.

When Long Hengxu heard Wu Zhangkong's request, a subtle smile appeared on his face.

Without the slightest hesitation, he handed over Class One's roster.

After all, he wasn't the one who would get a headache over it.

Wu Zhangkong had thought that Eastsea Academy's new Class One might be strong.

But he had never imagined that it would be this terrifying.

As expected of the class hailed as the strongest in Eastsea Academy's history, also known as the Ultimate Class!

On Class One's roster, Fang Ming, Gu Yue, Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, and Wang Jinxi were listed at the very top.

"Nine years old, level thirty-eight Soul Elder..."

Wu Zhangkong repeated the rank, his brows tightly furrowed.

"What is this... Flame that can cultivate to Soul Elder?!"

"One hundred percent Ultimate Fire!"

"If Ultimate Fire can cultivate to Soul Elder, then what the hell is this Elemental Emissary?"

"Could it be... elements that control everything?!"

Wu Zhangkong's mentality collapsed.

His fingers lightly tapped the desk, producing dull thuds.

At present, he could only think of two options.

First: "Surrender outright and give up on the Class Promotion Tournament."

Second: "Train Tang Wulin, who was born with immense strength, then find two more students to challenge Class One..."

As for those two spots, forget about the three students eliminated by Class One.

Class One didn't want them, and neither did Class Five.

Wu Zhangkong took a deep breath, set down the roster, and rubbed the space between his brows. A bitter smile appeared on his face.

After a long while, he murmured to himself, "Forget it... I'll take it one step at a time."

After a moment of silence, Wu Zhangkong picked up a pen and wrote two words on the paper, beginning to devise a response.

"Borrow students!"

His pen paused, and he heavily drew two horizontal lines beneath those words.

Borrow students—but from where? And whom? That was indeed a problem.

Inside Eastsea Academy.

"Xie Xie, Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, you three head back first."

Fang Ming looked at the three of them. "I have something to do. I need to head out."

"Got it."

Xie Xie nodded without asking further and answered crisply.

"Mm."

Zhang Yangzi and Wang Jinxi also nodded separately without saying anything more.

The three then headed toward the dormitory buildings.

After taking a few steps, Xie Xie finally could not resist looking back. Waggling his brows, he shouted, "Boss, we get it. Go do your thing, don't worry about us!"

Zhang Yangzi reacted quickly and grabbed his arm. "Say less and get moving."

"Hey, hey, hey, don't pull me. I can walk on my own..."

The voices of the three gradually faded away and disappeared.

Fang Ming looked at Gu Yue beside him. "Gu Yue, what about you? Heading back first, or..."

"I'll go with you."

Gu Yue spoke in a calm tone.

Fang Ming paused slightly before nodding. "All right."

"Where are we going?"

Gu Yue asked.

"To the Spirit Pagoda, to pick up something the teacher gave me." Fang Ming answered casually.

"I see..."

Gu Yue looked thoughtful.

And so, Fang Ming and Gu Yue left Eastsea Academy together and headed for the Eastsea Spirit Pagoda.