Win every championship!

No one present knew that even if Wu Changkong set aside all his prejudices and insisted on taking him as a disciple, Bai Yushan would never agree.

Bai Yushan had his own standards of judgment. He looked only at strength, not fame or seniority.

Wu Changkong was nearly thirty, yet his cultivation was still stuck at rank sixty-nine, a Soul Emperor who had not even touched the threshold of Titled Douluo.

Such strength was already impressive in the eyes of ordinary Soul Masters, but in his eyes, it did not remotely qualify Wu Changkong to be his master.

What he wanted was not a teacher who could only preach lofty principles, but a top-tier powerhouse who could spar intensely with him, help him hone his practical combat skills, and keep him firmly suppressed.

After the confrontation at the training grounds ended, the academy's senior staff quickly finalized Bai Yushan's class placement.

He could choose any class in the academy. After all the twists and turns, he still ended up assigned to Freshman Class One. It was the best class among Eastsea Academy's freshmen, with the most resources and all of this year's strongest freshman geniuses gathered together.

But Bai Yushan's treatment in the class was completely different from that of the other students.

Yu Zhen personally laid down the rules: Bai Yushan only needed to attend theory classes on time. All his remaining cultivation time, cultivation methods, Soul Power circulation, and practical combat training were entirely up to him. No teacher in the academy could intervene or interfere.

Ye Yingluo, the homeroom teacher of Freshman Class One, had no say whatsoever. However dissatisfied she was, however much she wanted to discipline him, she could only bottle it up.

The terrifying strength Bai Yushan had displayed in the earlier battle had already made her wary. With the dean personally issuing the order as well, she did not dare voice any objections.

When the other students in the class heard about this, they were both shocked and jealous. Everyone else had to obediently follow school rules, check in for cultivation on time, and attend practical training. Bai Yushan alone enjoyed special treatment, doing whatever he pleased with no one to restrain him.

A few days later, the evening sun bathed the plaza outside East Sea Soul Guidance Train Station, and the evening breeze was slightly cool.

Chen Qingquan was being transferred elsewhere for work and had made a special trip to the station to say goodbye to Bai Yushan. After three years spent together day and night, the person he worried about most was this boy with his extreme temperament and heaven-defying talent.

People came and went through the station. The two stood quietly in the plaza, the atmosphere particularly still.

Chen Qingquan habitually raised a hand and ruffled Bai Yushan's fluffy black hair, his voice full of admonition.

"After I leave, behave yourself and obey the law. Don't cause trouble for your Uncle Yu Zhen, hear me?"

Bai Yushan frowned, reluctance written all over his face. He hated people touching his head more than anything, but... Chen Qingquan was one of the exceptions. Over these three years, Chen Qingquan was the only one who had treated him sincerely and taught him patiently. He was one of the few people Bai Yushan acknowledged.

Mustering his patience, he urged, "I know, I know. Uncle... Uncle Chen, keep nagging and you'll miss your train."

That earnest "Uncle Chen" made Chen Qingquan freeze for a moment. Bai Yushan had always been a smart-mouth who never addressed anyone properly, tossing out casual jokes every day. It was especially rare to see him so earnest.

Coming back to his senses, he laughed and rubbed harder, mussing Bai Yushan's hair until it looked just like a bird's nest.

"Hahaha! Hearing you say that means all those gray hairs I grew worrying over you these past three years weren't for nothing!"

Anger flared in Bai Yushan's eyes as he stared fixedly at him, but he neither pushed him away nor talked back.

Ignoring his indignant look, Chen Qingquan turned to Yu Zhen and entrusted him earnestly, "Yu Zhen, I'm leaving Xiaoshan in your care. Be patient with him."

Yu Zhen's eyes reddened slightly as he replied with a smile, "Patient? Brother Quan, Xiaoshan is such a promising seedling. I can't cherish him enough! I'll definitely give him the best resources and protect him as he cultivates."

Chen Qingquan shot him a sideways glance and sighed inwardly. You make it sound nice now. There'll be plenty of headaches waiting for you later. But he said nothing more, simply waving with easy nonchalance.

"I'm off."

With that, Chen Qingquan turned and walked toward the ticket gates. The setting sun fell on his hair, which held a few strands of gray, and his retreating figure looked somewhat weathered.

Bai Yushan stood where he was, watching his back slowly merge into the crowd, and casually murmured a line.

"The song's end need not mean we part; if fate allows, we'll meet again."

Yu Zhen paused at his words, then turned to tease him. "I never expected Xiaoshan could compose poetry. Quite fitting for the occasion."

Bai Yushan immediately grinned, utterly unabashed. "I copied it."

Yu Zhen froze, then shook his head with a helpless chuckle. Sure enough, this was still the same Bai Yushan, without the slightest hint of refinement. He had been overthinking it.

That night, Bai Yushan walked out of Eastsea Academy's gates without obstruction and headed toward the neon-lit revelry of downtown Eastsea City.

The security personnel at the academy gates made no attempt to stop him. Yu Zhen had already notified them that Bai Yushan had the highest level of freedom at the academy. He could come and go without reporting in and was not bound by curfew.

Watching the boy's retreating figure stroll away at ease, the security personnel still followed academy regulations and immediately reported the matter truthfully to Dean Yu Zhen.

The dean's office was brightly lit.

Yu Zhen had just finished the work at hand. After hearing the security report, he casually ended the call, a hint of puzzlement on his face, and turned to Long Hengxu, who was standing before him reporting on work.

"Tell me, what would a strapping young lad go out for so late at night with nothing to do?"

Long Hengxu also looked surprised at this. When he had previously visited Red Mountain Academy on an inspection, he had personally witnessed Bai Yushan's cultivation routine.

Whenever other students rested, played, relaxed, or slacked off, Bai Yushan was always immersed in the cultivation room, honing his Soul Power and tempering his physique. He was a genuine cultivation maniac who wished he could pour every moment into cultivation. It was as though he was addicted!

He simply could not understand why a genius so obsessed with cultivation would suddenly go out alone late at night.

After thinking for a moment, Long Hengxu could only offer a reasonable guess.

"Perhaps he wants to see what's different about a big city first? However strong he is, he's still a child. Children are curious!"

Yu Zhen nodded slightly at this, accepting the explanation for now. He stopped dwelling on Bai Yushan's whereabouts and smoothly shifted the conversation back to work.

"Director Long, go on. How do we stand in this Skysea Alliance Grand Competition?"

At the mention of the academy competition, Long Hengxu immediately cast aside his stray thoughts. His expression grew solemn, his eyes filled with excitement, and he radiated confidence.

"After witnessing Student Bai Yushan's strength today, I believe our intermediate division shouldn't play it safe in this Skysea Alliance Grand Competition!"

His tone was certain as he began an orderly analysis.

"Although Teacher Wu deliberately suppressed his own strength, he genuinely displayed the level of a Three-Ring Soul Elder, and he fought with the combat experience of a Six-Ring Soul Emperor. Ordinary Three-Ring Soul Elders simply cannot compare to him."

"Even against an opponent of that caliber, Student Bai Yushan could still trade blows evenly without falling behind throughout the fight, and even seized the initiative at every turn. That combat strength is top-tier among geniuses his age throughout the entire Skysea Alliance."

"Together with the other two gifted students in Freshman Class One who have mastered a Martial Soul Fusion Skill, our Eastsea Academy's overall combat strength has risen an entire tier. In this Skysea Alliance Grand Competition, we absolutely have the strength to contend for prizes!"

The more Long Hengxu spoke, the more excited he became, his voice unconsciously rising. In previous years, Eastsea Academy could only secure a mid-table finish in the Skysea Alliance Grand Competition. Even reaching the top sixteen counted as a blessing from the gods. They had never dared dream of winning any prizes.

With Bai Yushan here this year, everything had changed!

Winning prizes was putting it mildly! What he envisioned was taking the championships in both the individual competition and the three-person team competition-all of them!