"Have you heard? A first-year newcomer sent challenge letters far and wide, to practically every Soul Master with a hundred-year soul ring from the first through fifth years. He declared that Shrek City's Elementary Soul Master Academy could have only one sun."
"I haven't just heard-I've seen one. Wang Hu in our class received this, and I brought it over. Take a look."
"Hm? What's written here... is this newcomer stupid? He gave away his information so easily, writing down both his martial soul and soul power level. Who's his teacher? Didn't anyone tell him that in a Soul Master duel, the more information you reveal about yourself, the worse your disadvantage at the opening?"
"Haha, he's Cold-Faced Old Li's prized pupil. He only transferred in yesterday, and today he's already cooked up something big for Old Li."
"To be fair, this newcomer really is impressive. Level 14 upon enrollment? I heard his parents are lecturers in Shrek Academy's Soul Tool Department. They probably wouldn't use potential sacrifice methods to force up his soul power cultivation. This kid might have a chance at breaking that record. Surely Old Li isn't counting on him to get transferred to an administrative position?"
"Then Old Li's dreaming. He's such a fine beast of burden-how could the vice principals let him take it easy? Even if he pulls it off, they'll surely keep entrusting him with important duties, making him send more students next door in exchange for subsidies. Hahaha..."
"..."
Similar conversations took place in offices throughout the office building.
An occasional dash of excitement in the academy's uneventful routine delighted teachers and students alike.
Naturally, a teacher eager for a bit of drama took a challenge letter from a student and presented it to Li Qun. Li Qun glanced over its contents and wordlessly slapped his forehead.
Money was hard to earn, shit was hard to swallow, and these performance results were a scalding handful!
Brother Jiang's little lord couldn't stay quiet for even a moment. So that was why you'd been so lively in class yesterday-you wanted someone to help you stir up something huge.
A teacher who knew him well asked, suppressing a mischievous grin.
"Mr. Li, how do you see this?"
"How do I see it? Sitting down." Li Qun glared.
A well-meaning teacher suggested:
"Although the academy doesn't prohibit Soul Master duels, we've never had a madman like this, challenging every Soul Master in the school single-handedly. Should we stop him? I believe he might defeat the first-, second-, and third-year students, but facing those promising youngsters with a chance of entering next door might deal him a blow. For such a young child, that kind of experience isn't a good thing."
"There's no need. At noon the day after tomorrow, we'll give him what he wants."
Li Qun waved a hand and refused.
"A blow would actually be a good thing. It'll help him see himself clearly, and give me an opening to teach him. An arrogant Soul Master never comes to a good end."
"I'll go ask the vice principal to cancel classes that afternoon and make things easier for him."
With that, Li Qun rose and left his desk.
After Li Qun left, one teacher had a sudden thought.
"What do you think it would look like if that kid really defeated every Soul Master in the academy?"
"Impossible! There are so many one-ring Soul Masters. Even if each one could only withstand a single move from him, his soul power would run dry before he got through a fifth of them."
"Level 14 soul power and a fireball martial soul-there are plenty with higher soul power and better martial souls. What could he possibly use to defeat the entire academy? Ridiculous!"
"..."
The principal's office.
A stern, dark-faced, clean-shaven man of about fifty was listening to three vice principals report on their work.
He was the dean of instruction for the Martial Soul Department of Shrek Academy's outer court, and concurrently served as principal of the Elementary Soul Master Academy. Ordinarily, the three vice principals handled the elementary academy's affairs, and he only occasionally came over to inspect things.
Today, he happened to catch the beginning of a farce.
"A mere fireball martial soul and level 14 soul power, yet he dares act so arrogantly? Nothing but the fearlessness of ignorance."
"And you want to invite me to watch?"
"...We'll discuss it tomorrow. If I have time, I'll come take a look. I'm not interested in this boy. Perhaps his aptitude for soul power cultivation really is good, but a fireball martial soul limits how high he can rise."
The moon set, and the sun rose.
The new day that had tugged at the heartstrings of every teacher and student in the Elementary Soul Master Academy finally arrived.
The sun climbed to its zenith, and the long morning passed.
The playground was already packed with students. Many had skipped lunch to watch the spectacle, afraid they wouldn't secure a good spot.
Li Qun had contacted Jiang Ming the previous night to confirm that Jiang Dongjun would attend at noon today, rather than simply make fools of the academy's entire staff and student body.
"Make way, make way! The star of the show is here!"
He Tao shouted as he cleared a path up front, helping Jiang Dongjun squeeze through. Gradually, they drew attention, and the little sprouts spontaneously parted to either side.
Thousands of gazes converged on him.
"He's here? Seriously, dude, you actually dared to show up?"
"He's so tall! So handsome! Is he really our age?"
"Wow, wow, wow~ What a distinctive presence! I, Xu Xuanxuan, acknowledge under my own name that Jiang Dongjun is the only sun in Shrek City's Elementary Soul Master Academy!"
"Dong Xiong is invincible! He'll beat you until you're on your knees begging for mercy!"
"..."
With the main attraction's arrival, excitement on the playground reached a peak, and the noise was deafening.
Anyone with weak nerves would already have gone weak at the knees and collapsed.
Jiang Dongjun showed little reaction. He continued through the crowd, walking unhurriedly toward the grassy playground.
He was even wondering what would happen if he lit up his Golden Eyes right now and swept his gaze over these little sprouts with the majesty of the sun.
Haha, that would be downright nasty.
Jiang Dongjun strolled to the center of the playground and stopped, his back to the dais. He spread his arms as though embracing the sky full of boos and goading cries.
He spoke with a faint smile.
"My dear schoolmates, all eyes on me. Now I'll speak, and you'll listen. Silence!"
Jiang Dongjun's voice wasn't loud amid the outdoor din, yet it reached every student's and teacher's ears with uncanny precision, shaking their minds.
Spiritual power that seemingly stood at the Spirit Sea Realm was simply far beyond the norm in this era.
Everyone felt the authority packed into that voice. For a moment, they seemed to be facing a blazing sun. Every emotion and stray thought in their hearts ignited and burned away, leaving them quiet.
This was a little trick Jiang Dongjun had worked out himself.
His inspiration came from the little trick Tang Wulin had used when he appeared at Sea God's Fate after leaving Dragon Valley.
The playground finally fell silent.
The homeroom teachers mingling among the little sprouts stood out like cranes among chickens. They exchanged glances, utterly unable to understand what had just happened.
On the dais, the three Soul Emperor vice principals looked at one another in astonishment.
That voice could even affect them?
"Was that spiritual power?"
The vice principal in charge of logistics asked uncertainly.
"That's right! Spiritual power, at a highly abnormal realm!"
The dark-faced, clean-shaven man in his fifties suddenly appeared on the dais and supplied the answer.
His gaze was sharp as a hawk's as he stared fixedly at Jiang Dongjun, suspecting that he was a spiritual-type hundred-thousand-year soul beast in human form.
On the playground, Jiang Dongjun abruptly turned toward the source of his unease, meeting the older man's gaze on the dais.
Where did this old bastard come from? No sense of fair play, throwing hostility around like that?
He's in the seat of honor. The principal?
Anyone who could reach that position must be a core member of Shrek Academy. Dad, Mom, and Li Qun are all watching nearby. Surely he wouldn't be mad enough to attack me?
Jiang Dongjun forcibly endured the sickening sensation of needles against his back, his mood thoroughly spoiled.
With his mood soured, his words turned nasty.
"My fellow schoolmates, I actually didn't want to come to school, because I couldn't understand what I could learn in a kindergarten.
But my dad taught me that 'beyond every person stands someone greater, and beyond every sky lies another heaven.' He said there were true Soul Master geniuses among you, people with Title Douluo potential, and that you would teach me humility through sheer strength.
So here I am.
I hope none of you disappoint me in a moment.
All right, I've explained why I'm here. Now let's get straight to the point and start with my own year.
Are there any first-year Soul Masters who have obtained a hundred-year soul ring willing to step forward and generously instruct me?"
Before you continue