Freshman Class One

Not long after Tian Chen left, Tang Ya slowly approached him, her steps light yet steady and her long hair stirring gently in the breeze. She seemed to have noticed the unusual aura around him, but showed neither hostility nor wariness, only a hint of curiosity and interest.

As Tang Ya drew closer, Tian Chen's Martial Soul stirred again, and the urge from its devouring attribute grew stronger.

To avoid unnecessary trouble caused by his Martial Soul's abnormal fluctuations, Tian Chen quickly regulated his breathing, trying to calm his nerves while making his expression look more natural.

However, just as he barely managed to suppress the restless devouring power inside him, Tang Ya had already walked up to him.

Tang Ya lifted her beautiful eyes slightly, her clear gaze carrying a trace of scrutiny as it settled on Tian Chen. It was not because of his outrageously handsome looks, but because her Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul seemed to sense a faint, unusual resonance. That only deepened her interest in him.

"Hello there, little brother!" Tang Ya greeted him with a radiant smile.

"Hello, big sister." Tian Chen's voice was low and measured, conveying respect and a little fondness for Tang Ya, mixed with unease and fear that his Martial Soul's devouring attribute might be exposed.

Tang Ya nodded gently and said softly, "I'm Tang Ya, a fourth-year student. You can call me Big Sister Xiaoya. What's your name, little brother?"

Tian Chen paused briefly before saying, "My name is Tian Chen. I'm a new student at Shrek Academy."

Just as the conversation between Tang Ya and Tian Chen took on a slightly delicate air, Bei Bei and Huo Yuhao walked over. Their eyes moved between the two, as though they had noticed something unusual about the atmosphere.

Bei Bei asked in a refined tone, "Xiaoya, are you recruiting newcomers again? Who's this?" Though his voice was gentle and polite, it carried a hint of scrutiny.

Seeing Tang Ya talking to someone so breathtakingly handsome made him especially unhappy.

Tang Ya seemed to notice the odd note in Bei Bei's voice. With a slight smile, she explained, "Bei Bei, this is a little brother I happened to meet in the square. His name is Tian Chen. I sensed something very unusual about his aura, so I wanted to chat with him."

Bei Bei breathed a sigh of relief and nodded slightly, though his gaze did not entirely relax. He said softly, "I see. Still, our Tang Sect really does need promising new members. Would you be interested in learning more about our sect, Brother Tian Chen?"

Tian Chen shook his head. "Thank you for the kind offer, big brother, but I don't plan to join any faction right now!"

A little disappointed, Tang Ya pressed her lips together before saying with a faint smile, "Since you're not interested at the moment, little brother, we won't push you. But if you change your mind someday, you're always welcome to come find us."

Afterward, Tian Chen continued strolling along the edge of the square, and Tang Ya followed him. The closer she came to him, the stronger the resonance of her Martial Soul became, keeping her intensely curious about him. She kept probing into his background and his Martial Soul's characteristics, trying to uncover his secrets. Her clear eyes shone with curiosity, occasionally flashing with excitement, as though she had discovered some fascinating treasure.

Faced with Tang Ya's persistent questions, Tian Chen remained calm and vigilant, using all sorts of clever excuses to evade them. He successfully avoided revealing any crucial information about his Martial Soul or his origins.

Bei Bei watched from the side, his gaze shifting between Tian Chen and Tang Ya as he paid close attention to their interaction. Though he maintained his refined demeanor, Tian Chen's presence left him faintly uneasy, especially whenever Tang Ya showed a keen interest in him.

Even so, Tang Ya did not give up trying to learn more about Tian Chen. Her questions became increasingly pointed as she searched for an opening.

Eventually, Tian Chen realized that continuing like this might expose his secrets, so he politely told Tang Ya, "Big Sister Xiaoya, let's call it a day! I need to get back to the dorm. If this goes on any longer, my roommate will get anxious waiting for me."

With that, he gave Tang Ya a slight nod, then turned and hurried away, his steps brisk but not panicked, displaying just the right degree of composure.

Tang Ya was about to follow him, but Bei Bei caught her from behind and said, "Xiaoya, leave it. We're all at the academy, so you'll definitely see him again. It's getting late. We should head back too."

Tang Ya paused, then nodded gently. Although a faint smile still lingered on her face, a complicated emotion flickered in her eyes. She seemed to be weighing something, but ultimately did not insist. The two turned and walked away in the opposite direction from Tian Chen.

Meanwhile, after leaving Tang Ya and Bei Bei, Tian Chen felt hunger creeping up on him and decided to buy some food at the dining hall before returning to his dorm.

As he ate, he kept replaying his interaction with Tang Ya, especially his Martial Soul's abnormal reaction. He silently congratulated himself on getting away in time. If its devouring attribute had been discovered, the consequences would have been unthinkable.

Just as Tian Chen relaxed a little, a cold, mechanical voice suddenly sounded in his mind:

"Congratulations, host, on checking in with Tang Ya, a Douluo SR-rank goddess. Reward: Soul Profound Hand Seal."

At the unexpected notification, Tian Chen's steps faltered slightly, and a smile lifted the corners of his mouth.

Meanwhile, Wang Dong was sitting quietly on his bed in the dorm, meditating and cultivating. Though he looked calm, his heart was far from peaceful. After Mu En's words that morning had brought him to his senses, he had begun reassessing his past behavior and resolved to change.

As footsteps approached, Wang Dong opened his eyes and saw Tian Chen push the door open. He had intended to keep meditating as though nothing had happened, but could not help stealing glances at Tian Chen's face, hoping to glean something from his expression.

"If you want to look, you can do it openly. There's no need to sneak around!" Tian Chen said calmly, with a trace of teasing.

Caught in the act, Wang Dong's face flashed with embarrassment, but he quickly recovered. "I was just... curious about where you went." After speaking, he averted his eyes slightly, seemingly unconvinced by his own answer.

A faint smile curved Tian Chen's lips. He picked up a food container and handed it to Wang Dong. "Even if you want to work hard at cultivating, you have to take it one step at a time. You still need to eat!"

Wang Dong froze for a moment before taking the container, warmth welling up inside him. He had thought Tian Chen would keep mocking him, never expecting such thoughtfulness. "Thank you," he said quietly.

Then he began eating his dinner in silence.

"Ding! An unknown power has been detected spying on the host. The system has interfered with it. Please rest assured!"

Tian Chen did not even need to think to know it had to be that petty little bastard up above.

At that moment,

in the Divine Realm,

"This is... an unforeseen variable!"

Dressed in lavish clothing, Tang San stared down at the lower realm in fury. He had suddenly sensed that an unknown power had severed the connection between his daughter and the original child of destiny.

"Damn it! How dare someone tamper with my plans! Whoever they are, they're courting death!" Tang San swept his sleeve sharply, but after calming down, he could not help frowning.

"No! The Divine Realm is being watched too closely lately. I can't descend at will! I'll have to leave this to those two!"

As he spoke, Tang San sent a strand of divine sense toward the lower realm. Suddenly, as though it had been blocked, it struck a barrier and dissipated.

"What? How could this happen?" Tang San went to the entrance to the lower realm, only to find it sealed by a barrier.

"What... what is this thing?"

Once he recovered, Tang San summoned the Sea God Trident and thrust it at the barrier with all his strength.

Yet this seemingly devastating strike failed to leave even a mark.

"It can block my full-powered strike? What the hell is this thing?" With no other options, Tang San could only rage helplessly where he stood.

Early the next morning, as dawn barely broke, silence shrouded Shrek Academy's dormitories. Having finished his morning training, Tian Chen sat cross-legged on his bed, regulating his breathing. His mismatched gold and red eyes were half-closed, his aura restrained yet profound. He had clearly made further progress.

Just then, Wang Dong quietly woke and rubbed his sleepy eyes. Tian Chen glanced at him and smiled slightly. "You're awake? Then come to class with me!"

Wang Dong nodded gently in response.

Once they had washed up and straightened their clothes, the two prepared to head to class together.

When they entered the Freshman Class One classroom, their classmates cast curious looks their way. Tian Chen's long white hair was as pure as snow, shimmering faintly silver in the sunlight and swaying in the breeze, lending him an unworldly air untouched by mortal dust. His eyes, one gold and one red, were like two magnificent jewels set in his finely sculpted face, mysterious yet captivating. His distinctive appearance made him stand out strikingly in the crowd.

Wang Dong had delicate, fair skin and soft, handsome features. His bearing was noble and ethereal, giving him the overall air of a refined, beautiful young man.

After entering the classroom, they picked a couple of seats at random and sat down.

Just then, someone walked through the classroom door. She was an old woman with wrinkled skin and graying hair coiled atop her head. She wore a white robe, and her exceptionally bright black eyes gleamed sharply.

At that moment, the system also sounded a notification:

"Congratulations, host, on checking in with Zhou Yi, a Douluo A-rank goddess. Obtained: Foundation Establishment Spirit Liquid ×20."

"My name is Zhou Yi, and I'm your homeroom teacher. I don't know how many of you will make it through the next year with me, but let me tell you this: in my class, no trash will ever pass the assessments."

"I'm here to train monsters, not idiots and useless trash!" As her words fell, angry expressions appeared on the faces of quite a few students.

Who could stand being called useless trash on the very first day of school? Besides, every student who could get into Shrek Academy was a genius, yet she had just called them idiots and trash.

But they kept those thoughts to themselves, not daring to show the slightest sign of them.

Sweeping her gaze around the room again, Zhou Yi said, "Anyone who has been in a fight during these past few days of registration, stand up!"