In Cloudtop Academy's grand auditorium, over a thousand new students sat in orderly rows.
Zhong Yiheng stepped onto the stage, his gaze sweeping over the young faces below. "New students, welcome to Cloudtop Academy. First, let me introduce myself. I am the academy's vice principal, Time Sequence Douluo Zhong Yiheng.
"No matter where you come from or which faction you once belonged to, from the moment you step through these gates, you have only one identity: students. Your task is to cultivate, learn, and grow stronger."
The audience was utterly silent.
He paused, then continued, "The academy will provide Soul Rings, classes, and cultivation resources, but only the basics.
"If you want older Soul Rings, Soul Bones, potions, and the like, you will have to earn them through your own efforts.
"I imagine you have all learned about the academy's rankings over the past few days. Only those who make the rankings qualify for more resources.
"And your competitors are not limited to your fellow first-years. The rankings do not care what year you are in. Your seniors are all your competitors as well.
"I know some of you will think this is unfair-that they are merely older than you and have cultivated for two, three, or even more years longer.
"But the world has never been fair. Some people are born with only one or two levels of innate soul power and need years just to reach the starting line of those geniuses born with eight or nine."
As Zhong Yiheng said this, his gaze swept over the key targets planted by other factions. He continued, "But the academy is not responsible for making up the gap between your starting points. We are only responsible for offering the same steps to everyone willing to work hard. How high you