Self-Introductions

The following morning, the opening ceremony officially took place on the athletic field. After a lengthy speech by Yu Zhen, Huo Yuhao heard class assignments that diverged completely from how things had originally gone. "We will now begin the class assignment ceremony. As everyone knows, at East Sea Academy, a lower class number usually signifies greater strength among its students, though this is by no means absolute. It is our hope that those assigned to higher-numbered classes will strive diligently to catch up and overtake the rest. This year's incoming class totals one hundred and ten students, divided into five classes. Next, when I call your name, please step forward." "Huo Yuhao, Gu Yuena... Xie Xie, assigned to Class One." "Tang Wulin... assigned to Class Two." Light flickered in Huo Yuhao's eyes as he watched Tang Wulin stride forward with an excited look, joining the other students heading toward the Class Two assembly area. The Soul Spirit Contract had, in the end, brought a different color to this era. Many among them who originally shouldn't have been able to obtain a Hundred-Year Soul Spirit now possessed opportunities they once lacked... At that thought, a faint smile touched the corners of Huo Yuhao's lips. Long Hengxu called out, "Homeroom teachers, lead your students back to your respective classrooms." Watching the man walking in their direction, Huo Yuhao's smile vanished, and his eyelid twitched. *So that's how it is. You're the 'surprise' Pagoda Master Hua was talking about—* *Teacher Luo Yanglu?* Looking at the man who had grown familiar to him recently, Huo Yuhao wore a complicated expression. Yet on second thought, he felt a sense of relief. At least Hua Yichen hadn't come personally! Stepping up to them and noticing the odd looks on Huo Yuhao's and Gu Yuena's faces, Luo Yanglu chuckled and addressed them via sound transmission: "You two have probably guessed by now. East Sea Academy plans to establish a special class, and toward that end, they reached a cooperative agreement with our Spirit Pagoda. The two of you were pre-selected for it. "As for the teacher of that special class, previously only Wu Zhangkong over there was slated for it. He used to be a Shrek Inner Court student. We certainly weren't comfortable leaving you in his hands—if he managed to abduct you into their fold, we'd have nowhere to cry about it. That's why they sent me over to teach Class One first and build up some experience. "Don't look down on me just because it's my first time teaching. At least I'm better than those love-addled teachers over there, right? If it weren't for me, the Class Two homeroom teacher would've been the one leading you, and she'd probably have made you go slap Teacher Wu across the face to spite him." Huo Yuhao: "..." Gu Yuena: "..." There were five homeroom teachers in total—three men and two women, including Luo Yanglu. The two female teachers were in their twenties, young and pretty, and bore a resemblance to each other. They were sisters named Ye Yingluo and Ye Yingrong. One was the homeroom teacher for Class Two and the other for Class Three, yet neither was looking at her own students. Instead, their gazes were fixed intently on the Class Five homeroom teacher—Wu Zhangkong. Unfortunately, Wu Zhangkong wore an aloof expression that warned strangers away. He did not spare them a single glance, merely saying "Keep up" to his students before turning and walking away. This was plainly unrequited love; Gu Yuena could even detect a flicker of resentment born of spurned affection in Ye Yingluo's eyes. Had they truly been placed into Class Two, this woman might well have done exactly as Luo Yanglu had guessed: order them to defeat Wu Zhangkong's students out of spite... Encountering people this love-struck right after arriving, Gu Yuena suddenly felt that Hua Yichen's prior warning hadn't been without merit. If even the teachers were like this, what hope was there for the students? Were human academies all like this? Ignoring serious business just to spend all day chasing romance? Gu Yuena glanced at Huo Yuhao and suddenly understood why he had left behind such ancestral precepts. *Hm? The one beside him is that boy from yesterday...* "Didn't expect us to be in the same class. I'm Xie Xie." Xie Xie strolled over to Huo Yuhao's side. Seeing him looking in the direction where Wu Zhangkong had left, he remarked: "I've heard people say he's East Sea Academy's icy male god. Girls from the advanced division and the academy's female teachers are all head over heels for him. Just look at those two female teachers' eyes and you can tell how popular he is... What, are you envious? You're not doing too poorly yourself—that girl who was with you yesterday is looking at you right now." Huo Yuhao turned to look at Xie Xie, whose face was stern and aloof yet who spouted such irreverent nonsense, then glanced back at Gu Yuena, who was watching them. "I'm Huo Yuhao. Student Gu Yuena and I are just friends." *Friends? That can't be right. An icy girl like that is only pleasant toward one person—no matter how you look at it, something's going on.* Though Xie Xie thought this, he didn't voice it aloud. Instead, he said, "I look forward to working with you from now on, genius of the Mecha Master Association. If you ever run into trouble, come find me. I've got your back." Earlier he hadn't been completely certain, but once Huo Yuhao gave his name, Xie Xie confirmed it: this was the very genius his father had been endlessly talking about lately. No wonder he had looked so strangely familiar yesterday. The Xie family was an established mecha clan in East Sea City. They took great pride in becoming mecha masters and maintained good relations with the Mecha Master Association. Lately, his father had constantly been harping on how a peerless genius had emerged over there, becoming a rank-three designer at such a tender age and crafting a flawless blueprint for his colleague. Xie Xie had grown sick of hearing about it. So what if the other guy was miles ahead in a secondary profession? As a possessor of Twin Martial Souls and innate full soul power, Xie Xie had his own pride. A Mecha Designer wasn't like a maker who carved soul tool formations; it had no strict soul power requirements. In terms of cultivation, he was definitely superior! Huo Yuhao gave Xie Xie an odd look and nodded. "If the occasion arises." Xie Xie gave a nonchalant nod, secretly feeling pleased. That secret smugness lasted all the way until everyone returned to the classroom and began their self-introductions. Luo Yanglu beamed as he looked at the students below. "Hello, everyone. My name is Luo Yanglu, and I will be serving as your homeroom teacher. Let's introduce yourselves in the order I indicate, so I can learn what you're good at and what your goals are. "Student Xie Xie, let's start with you." Seated in the front row, Xie Xie stood up at the prompt and announced proudly, "Xie Xie. Martial soul: Light Dragon Dagger. Soul power: rank nineteen. My goal is to become an Agility-Attack Battle Soul Master." A soul power rank as high as nineteen elicited gasps from several classmates. At East Sea Academy, anyone who could become a Great Spirit Master before turning twelve was considered a genius, and Xie Xie was well ahead of that pace. Yet a few others cast disdainful looks in his direction. After Xie Xie, over a dozen more stood up to introduce themselves, their soul power averaging around ranks fourteen and fifteen. Until... "Wei Xiaofeng! Martial soul: Green Shadow Snake. Soul power: rank twenty-two. Agility-Attack Battle Soul Master!" Savoring the gaze of the entire room, Wei Xiaofeng glanced at Xie Xie, whose brow had furrowed instantly, and sneered inwardly. *I am the greatest genius in this class!* Because his first soul spirit was the same as his martial soul—a Green Shadow Snake—the feedback from the Soul Spirit Contract had made his early cultivation extraordinarily fast, matching that of top-tier prodigies. In his eyes, the students entering Shrek Academy at his age were merely on this level. In fact, his future goal was to enter Shrek Academy and ultimately become an earth-shattering Titled Douluo of his generation. He had even decided on his title: "Green Shadow"! At this thought, the smile on Wei Xiaofeng's face broadened even further. And then, his smile froze. "Gu Yuena. Martial soul: Elementalist. Soul power: rank twenty-seven. Power-Attack Battle Soul Master."