Morning breeze carried a trace of coolness as it swept across the broad, paved tree-lined avenue of the Junior Soul Master Academy.
Meng Chen had just stepped into the lobby of the teaching building.
A familiar, charming figure met him head-on, bringing a wave of fragrant wind to block his path.
"Meng Chen, why are you only just getting here!"
Ning Rongrong put her hands on her hips, puffed out her cheeks, and looked Meng Chen up and down with her large, dark eyes.
Today she had changed into a light goose-yellow pleated skirt, tied at the waist with a brocade belt embedded with precious gems.
It made her already exquisite face even more stunning and moving.
Meng Chen spread his hands helplessly. "Big Miss, there's still a quarter of an hour before class starts. I've arrived plenty early."
He had long since grown used to Ning Rongrong's behavior over the past month.
Ever since experiencing Dugu Yan's surprise raid in the cafeteria a month ago.
Ning Rongrong's territorial instincts could be said to have been maxed out directly.
In class, anyone who dared to sit in the rows directly in front of or behind Meng Chen would mysteriously find themselves transferred away by the next day.
So much so that by now, the seats on both sides of the two of them were completely empty.
The only thing that gave Meng Chen some solace, however, was that after several protests from him, this girl had reined it in quite a bit.
At least in full view of the public, she no longer pounced on him indiscriminately like before, at least sparing him a bit of dignity as a full-grown man.
"Hmph, this young miss is just showing concern for you."
Ning Rongrong very naturally hooked her arm through Meng Chen's, pressed her small body tightly against him, and dragged him half-reluctantly toward the classroom while muttering under her breath.
"You have no idea, that fierce woman from the sixth grade actually went wandering outside the Mimicry Cultivation Zone again yesterday."
"Meng Chen, I'm warning you, if you dare to see her in private again, this young miss will, will not bring you the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's specialty pastry for a whole week!"
Listening to this entirely toothless threat, Meng Chen could not help rolling his eyes in his heart.
Yet over the past month, Dugu Yan really did slip over from the Advanced Division every few days to look for him and play.
As the biological granddaughter of the Poison Douluo Dugu Bo.
The signboard of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect could frighten others, but it could not frighten her.
Every time Dugu Yan appeared, Ning Rongrong acted like a cat whose tail had been stepped on.
The bickering between two proud daughters of heaven with illustrious family backgrounds had practically become a regular pastime for the students after meals.
Meng Chen allowed Ning Rongrong to pull him over to his seat, his peripheral vision drifting involuntarily toward the silver-haired figure in the back.
A full month had passed, and the communication between the two of them was pitifully little.
Gu Yuena still walked alone, as cold and aloof as if she were utterly incompatible with this world.
Yet Meng Chen could sense that whenever his inner blood Qi fluctuated.
Gu Yuena's gaze would invariably fall upon him.
Clearly, the Silver Dragon King still hadn't figured out why the Golden Dragon King had turned out this way.
To the extent that he grew a pair of golden rabbit ears and turned into a harmless-looking little rabbit.
Meng Chen was quite happy to play the fool.
Since the other party did not proactively clear the air, he wouldn't be foolish enough to run over and acknowledge his kin.
Gu Yuena's current strength was unfathomable; heaven knew whether this Soul Beast Co-Ruler would directly bundle him up and abduct him back to the Star Dou Great Forest once she figured out all the truth.
The current state of non-aggression was the safest.
Just as Meng Chen's thoughts were churning, the sound of footsteps echoed at the classroom entrance.
The chattering classroom quieted down in an instant.
The head teacher Mo Lei walked up to the podium carrying a stack of assessment materials.
The normally stern middle-aged soul ancestor wore a poker face today, his sharp gaze sweeping over the dozens of aristocratic youths below before he spoke in a low voice.
"Settle down, there is a very important matter to announce today."
Mo Lei slammed the files in his hands heavily onto the podium with a sharp smack, immediately drawing the attention of all the students.
"According to the plan jointly formulated by the academy's academic affairs office and the Heaven Dou Imperial Family, the junior division will hold this semester's Freshman Tournament starting tomorrow."
Whoosh-
As soon as these words were spoken, the classroom grew noisy at once.
The Freshman Tournament, as the name implied, was a ring tournament that tested the personal strength and combat skills of the current batch of freshman students.
Although it was held every term, it usually took place half a year after enrollment; nobody expected it to be advanced by several months this time.
"Quiet!"
Mo Lei frowned, his formidable soul power pressure making the classroom quiet down once more.
"The results of this Freshman Tournament will not only affect whether you can enter the academy's key cultivation Elite Class in the future, but will also relate to the distribution of mimicry cultivation resources."
"Furthermore, because the imperial family attaches great importance to this batch of freshmen, the top three finishers in the tournament will not only receive precious treasures from the academy treasury, but also obtain substantial rewards directly issued by the imperial family along with reserved peerages."
At the mention of prized treasures and peerages, many self-important aristocratic youths showed burning lights in their eyes.
Yet Meng Chen noticed that Ning Rongrong's expression at the moment was somewhat unsightly.
The little girl muttered under her breath, "Hmph, what precious treasures, making it sound all grand, our Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect has plenty of those."
"Besides, this young miss is an auxiliary-type soul master. A tournament of solo fights like this is clearly discriminating against us auxiliary types."
Hearing this, Meng Chen could not help but laugh in spite of himself.
The Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Pagoda, as the number one auxiliary-type martial soul under heaven, truly could not exert the dominance it ought to possess during one-on-one combat.
However, when Mo Lei reached this point, his gaze swept toward Meng Chen and Gu Yuena in the back row.
"In addition! I must remind certain people sitting here who have slackened in their cultivation."
"This tournament will adopt a random drawing system."
"On the ring, family background does not matter, only victory or defeat. Once you step onto the ring, you must bring out your true combat prowess to speak for you."
"Not only that, several leading instructors from the Advanced Division, as well as several lords of the Heaven Dou Royal Knights, will personally grace the viewing gallery tomorrow."
"Whoever loses face on the ring, don't blame the academy for banishing you to the ordinary classes."
Saying this, Mo Lei paused deliberately, his gaze lingering on Meng Chen for a few seconds.
"Class dismissed, all of you go back today and prepare properly."
"Gather at the Central Main Soul Fighting Arena No. 1 before seven o'clock tomorrow; those who arrive late will have their match qualification directly revoked!"
Following Mo Lei's departure, the students in the classroom gathered in twos and threes.
Meanwhile, the nobles hailing from various provinces, along with several genuine scions of prominent clans, cast their gazes upon Meng Chen.
Because in their view, although Meng Chen wore the halo of innate full soul power, his martial soul was ultimately just a rabbit.
Previously, relying on Ning Rongrong's protection, everyone dared not say much on the surface.
Yet now, many people were already plotting in secret, wanting to step on Meng Chen to make a name for themselves right in front of the Advanced Division and the Royal Knights.
Sensing the gazes of the people around him, Meng Chen naturally understood what these individuals were plotting.
"Heh, they really take me for a soft persimmon."
"Since you want to use me as a stepping stone to stand out, though, you'll just have to see if you're good enough!"
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