In other words, this Zuo Xiaoduo was a cultivation prodigy blessed with extraordinary talent!
What he had demonstrated in this very first lesson today already far surpassed any student Qin Fangyang had ever taught!
But Qin Fangyang showed none of his surprise. He remained silent, keeping everything buried in his heart.
Another dozen or so minutes passed. As Qin Fangyang concluded his cultivation, the Star Soul Formation shut down, and the other students finally woke one after another, ending that afternoon's routine cultivation.
The students rose from their cushions one by one, stretching their limbs and taking stock of what they had gained from their cultivation.
Wan Lixiu stretched her limbs, frowning as she murmured, "Why do I feel like today's cultivation results were a little..."
She frowned in thought, wanting to say something but unable to find the words.
Long Yusheng was frowning too, a trace of puzzlement on his handsome face. "Yes, I made a little less progress."
Beside them, the dark-skinned Yu Moyan pressed his lips together. He said nothing, merely nodding.
Only those three sensed anything slightly amiss. Everyone else was entirely unaware, and most looked bewildered even after hearing their doubts. The little fatty, Li Chenglong, scratched his head. "Really? How come I didn't notice? I thought it went pretty smoothly!"
Of course you wouldn't feel anything amiss. You were closest to Zuo Xiaoduo, brat. As the saying goes, a great tree offers good shade. Even without any deliberate attention, the benefits you gained from the Star Soul energy still far exceeded an ordinary day's.
Qin Fangyang cast the little fatty a sidelong glance, coughed, and stood. "To the Martial Dao Arena. Tomorrow's ranking battles begin!"
At that, the students all surged to their feet, their fighting spirit soaring!
And no fewer than ten pairs of eyes turned toward Zuo Xiaoduo in unison!
Zuo Xiaoduo looked a little lost. "What are you looking at me for? Want me to tell your fortunes?!"
"Tell our fortunes? More like take your life. We want to beat you up!"
Quite a few people spoke in unison!
"We'll grant your wish to court death!"
"Hahaha..."
When Zuo Xiaoduo and the rest of his class arrived at the academy's open-air Martial Dao Arena, everywhere they looked, dragons soared and tigers leaped. The place was a riot of activity.
More youths than the eye could take in were fighting in pairs.
At the center of the Martial Dao Arena stood a platform over a dozen meters high, with a section jutting out on each of its four sides. Someone stood at each of these spots: the academy's instructors on duty.
The task of these four instructors was naturally to keep an eye on the students sparring in the Martial Dao Arena below. If anyone went too far or fought too fiercely, creating a risk of death or injury, they would intervene immediately.
Nor were they the only ones watching. Every class's homeroom teacher would remain nearby to watch their own students spar.
Zuo Xiaoduo had long heard of this Martial Dao Arena, but this was his first time coming here in person.
Before this, he had truly only heard of it without ever seeing it. Martial Disciples were not qualified to enter the Martial Dao Arena!
"Begin."
Qin Fangyang tucked his hands into his sleeves, his expression as indifferent as before. Unlike the other young instructors with their tense faces, Qin Fangyang looked utterly relaxed.
This was probably the standard state of a seasoned old hand. Qin Fangyang's indifference was truly famous throughout the academy, in a class of its own.
"Zuo Xiaoduo!"
Long Yusheng looked at Zuo Xiaoduo with a smile. "Don't you boast about how miraculous your Physiognomy is? I'll be your first customer, then. Take a look and work it out: will I win this time?"
Long Yusheng's opponent this time was none other than the second-ranked Wan Lixiu.
Hearing this, Wan Lixiu looked over too, speaking in the same teasing tone. "Zuo Xiaoduo, how about I become your customer too? I also want to ask whether I'll win this match."
Zuo Xiaoduo paused, then readily obliged, activating the so-called Physiognomy within his sea of consciousness. His eyes took in their faces, examining them back and forth for a moment.
"There's certainly no problem with having me read your faces, but let me make this clear first: a face can't be read for free. There has to be a little payment for good luck."
As he examined them, Zuo Xiaoduo said, "Questions of winning and losing like this will be settled right away, so there's really not much point. But you're my first two customers, and I can hardly turn business away. As long as you're willing to pay, anything can be discussed!"
"Pay?!" Wan Lixiu's brows instantly flared with anger. "You actually want money..."
"Hey..." Long Yusheng waved a hand, stopping Wan Lixiu's outburst, and said gravely, "Just tell us how much you want. But if you're hoping to use a little cleverness to rake in money from your classmates, all I can say is... you've read too many novels."
A smile appeared on Long Yusheng's still somewhat boyish face. "I read novels too. Those so-called protagonist tricks in them... don't think you can use them on us."
As he spoke, he pointed at Zuo Xiaoduo, then at Li Chenglong.
The whole class roared with laughter. "We all read novels! Hohoho..."
Zuo Xiaoduo spread his hands helplessly. "You're really ruining my sense of being the protagonist here."
"Boo..."
The words "being the protagonist" drew a chorus of boos.
Thirty-five middle fingers rose in perfect unison, pointing at Zuo Xiaoduo. Among them, conspicuously, was the little fatty Li Chenglong's!
Zuo Xiaoduo looked at Li Chenglong. "Little fatty, you think so too?"
Li Chenglong said, "Brother Zuo, my dream of being the protagonist only shattered shortly before you arrived. The overturned cart ahead is a lesson for those behind..."
"Hahaha..."
Everyone burst into laughter.
Helpless inwardly, Zuo Xiaoduo simply threw caution to the wind. "You name it, then. Whatever you say goes. Like you said, we're classmates. How could I make money off my classmates? Just a token amount will do... Oh, right, there's one thing I have to make clear first. Taking no payment is the greatest taboo in face-reading. Physiognomy reads a person, and a few words spell life or death. Giving that away for nothing means giving away a life, which benefits neither you nor me."
Zuo Xiaoduo spouted lofty principles, but inwardly he was secretly delighted.
So a token amount means I can't rake in money? Haven't you heard that grains of sand pile up into a tower?