"None of the other students in our class dare to fight this student one-on-one."
Mu Jin explained somewhat helplessly:
"So this student wants to challenge every student in our Class Nine at once."
"Huh?"
The other teachers froze at those words, then turned incredulous gazes toward Xue Chen at the edge of the field.
Even after so many years teaching at Shrek Academy, they had never seen such an arrogant student.
"A mere rank-nineteen freshman, yet so arrogant. Who knows if that Ultimate Ice attribute of his is what gave him the courage."
While everyone was still stunned, a cold chuckle suddenly came from the side.
"Even with the Ultimate Ice attribute, he couldn't possibly be a match for so many students of his own year."
"You'd better be careful, Teacher Mu Jin. Don't let that outstanding student of your class get beaten to death."
Casting a cold glance at Zhou Yi, who had come over at some point, Mu Jin spoke with a smile that never reached his eyes:
"You should concern yourself with your own class, Teacher Zhou Yi."
"It isn't your place to point fingers at how we do things in Class Nine."
After a pause, Mu Jin suddenly smiled.
"At least our class has a student willing to challenge and surpass himself. I wonder whether your class has anyone like that, Teacher Zhou Yi."
Zhou Yi said nothing, but her aged face slowly darkened.
After learning yesterday that Xue Chen possessed the Ultimate Ice attribute, she had immediately gone to see Du Weilun, the director of studies.
She was an outstanding teacher who had come down from teaching the upper years to teach a freshman class, and her husband was the vice dean of the Soul Tool Department. Even Du Weilun had to show her some consideration.
After obtaining Xue Chen's detailed records from Du Weilun, she had nearly gone mad with jealousy.
A student with an Ultimate Attribute should have become the boldest, most brilliant stroke of her teaching career, yet that bitch Mu Jin had reaped the benefit instead!
"Begin. But this is only practical combat training, after all, so make sure you show some restraint!"
Seeing that Zhou Yi had fallen silent, Mu Jin turned toward his students.
"Martial Soul Possession!"
In an instant, yellow light lit up the entire field.
To gain admission to Shrek Academy, these students had to have, at the very least, the optimal Soul Ring Configuration.
There were no Soul Elders in Class Nine, and the Soul Rings beneath these students' feet were uniformly yellow.
Xue Chen smiled and released his Martial Soul as well.
The phantom of a Five Elements Qilin instantly appeared behind Xue Chen, with a dragon's head, a deer's antlers, a lion's tail, and an ox's hooves, its scales shimmering with five-colored light.
A terrifying pressure descended upon the Soul Masters in Class Nine who possessed Beast Martial Souls, even dimming the colors of the Soul Rings beneath their feet.
Not only those students, but even some of the teachers were affected by the pressure of the Five Elements Qilin Martial Soul.
"So this is a Martial Soul with an Ultimate Attribute?"
One of the teachers could not help sighing:
"To think that even with my strength, the circulation of Soul Power inside my body would grow slightly sluggish when facing this Martial Soul."
Most of the other teachers wore expressions of agreement as they studied the Martial Soul phantom behind Xue Chen without blinking.
Only Zhou Yi's expression grew uglier and uglier.
To her, letting a student with such a powerful Martial Soul fall into Mu Jin's hands was simply a wanton waste of heaven's treasures!
"So strong!"
In an inconspicuous corner of Class One, Huo Yuhao, who had just run laps until he had nearly frothed at the mouth, struggled to his feet and looked toward Class Nine.
Even though his Spirit Eyes were an exceptionally unusual Body Martial Soul, he could already feel the oppressive force of the Five Elements Qilin Martial Soul.
"Brother Sky Dream, wh-what exactly is that Martial Soul?"
"I don't know either."
Inside Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm shook his head, but his tiny eyes settled on the yellow Soul Ring beneath Xue Chen's feet.
"But for some reason, that kid's Soul Ring feels vaguely familiar."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm was extremely familiar with the Ice Empress, who had hunted him for so long, but he knew very little about the Snow Empress, the true overlord of the Far North.
Had the Soul Ring beneath Xue Chen's feet belonged to the Ice Empress, he might actually have recognized it.
"Familiar?"
"Could he have caught the eye of a Soul Beast like you too, Brother Sky Dream, just like I did?"
A look of shock appeared on Huo Yuhao's face, and he could not help asking.
"How could that be possible?"
Hearing this, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm immediately burst out laughing.
"How could any other Soul Beast's wisdom compare to mine?"
"Especially my God-Creation Plan and Wisdom Soul Ring Plan. Only I could come up with such world-shaking wisdom and have the ability to carry it out!"
After a pause, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm pondered aloud:
"Maybe this kid's First Soul Ring came from the Far North. That might be why it feels familiar..."
The Sky Dream Ice Silkworm's words broke off abruptly before he could finish.
On the field, the yellow Soul Ring beneath Xue Chen's feet lit up, and the Five Elements Qilin Martial Soul behind him threw its head toward the sky and let out a long howl.
The cloudless sky above Shrek Academy became blanketed with dark clouds in a single instant.
Within a few breaths, the warm sunshine gave way to a biting, icy wind.
"How... how is this possible?"
Zhou Yi shakily reached out to catch the white snow drifting down from the sky, and a look of horror finally appeared on her aged face.
"It's... it's actually snowing?"
Over the past ten thousand years, Shrek Academy had recorded countless varieties of Martial Souls, but none had ever been capable of changing the weather.
Changing the weather was something only the gods of legend could accomplish.
Yet the increasingly heavy snowfall before their eyes kept reminding everyone that someone's Martial Soul truly could change the weather.
And this was merely a yellow, hundred-year First Soul Ring.
The teachers fell into a stupor, while every Class Nine student on the field stood frozen in place.
The temperature on the field was dropping at a terrifying speed.
In mere moments, these Soul Masters, who were only in their twenties in rank, could no longer even circulate the Soul Power within their bodies normally.
"Th-this Soul Skill looks a little like Snowy Dance of Ultimate Ice, belonging to the Snow Empress, one of the three great overlords of the Far North..."
Watching the sudden change in the sky and feeling the cold that almost made him think he had returned home to the Far North, the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm could not help murmuring:
"That's impossible. How could one of the Three Ultimates that made the Snow Empress famous appear on a human Soul Master... this should be because of his Martial Soul, right?"
"What an impressive Soul Skill. Its power is almost on par with some of the very best innate domains!"
Just as everyone stood stupefied, a soft chuckle suddenly came from midair.
"Xue Chen, withdraw your Martial Soul and Soul Skill."
"These children are no match for you!"
Hearing the familiar voice, Xue Chen nodded, immediately ended his Soul Skill, and withdrew his Martial Soul.
"Yes!"