Good, Very Energetic!
"My name is Yun Xiao. My martial soul is the Star Plate, my soul power is Level 12, and my goal is to become an intelligent support-type soul master."
The boy in the first seat was thin and seemed nervous. As Wu Zhangkong pointed at him, he stood up shakily and introduced himself.
"Mm. Next." Wu Zhangkong gave a slight nod, offering no comment, and simply motioned for the next student.
One by one, the students stood and introduced themselves. Soon, it was Tang Wulin's turn.
"Tang Wulin. My martial soul is Bluesilver Grass, my soul power is Level 12, and my goal is to become a powerful soul master." Standing up, Tang Wulin declared his ambition with utter seriousness.
"Bluesilver Grass? A useless martial soul, and he wants to become a powerful soul master? How ridiculous." Just as Tang Wulin finished, a discordant, mocking whisper came from the back of the classroom.
Whoosh!
In the next instant, a piece of chalk shot through the air like a bullet, precisely thrown by Wu Zhangkong. It struck the mocking student's throat with a soft thwack, causing him to gag and choke on his words. Wu Zhangkong's icy voice cut through the sudden silence, colder than the deepest winter.
"Remember one thing," he said, his gaze sweeping over the stunned class. "In this world, there are no useless martial souls. Only useless people. Before you call others useless, reflect on your own character. If you weren't lacking, would you be assigned to this class? Continue."
The chastised student clutched his throat, his face pale, not daring to make another sound.
"Yao Xuan. Martial Soul: Lizard Dragon. Level 18. Goal: To become a powerful Soul Master and a Battle Armor Master." Yao Xuan stood up and delivered his introduction with calm assurance.
Hearing Yao Xuan's level, the other students looked at him with a mixture of awe and envy. Level 18 at nine years old was an exceedingly rare feat. He was just two steps away from becoming a Great Soul Master and obtaining his second soul skill. Reaching this level so young marked him as a genuine genius. Barring any major setbacks, advancing to Soul Grandmaster before fifteen and entering a top-tier advanced academy seemed a foregone conclusion.
"Oh? Your soul power is Level 18?" For the first time, Wu Zhangkong showed a flicker of surprise, his cold eyes focusing more intently on Yao Xuan. "Yao Xuan, tell me, how did someone of your level end up assigned to Class Five?"
"Someone bullied my good friend, Tang Wulin. I fought them, which violated school rules. Director Long assigned me to Class Five as a result," Yao Xuan answered truthfully.
"A fight? I see." A barely perceptible nod. "Not a bad reason. If you follow me, you will have plenty of opportunities for combat and practice. Sit down."
After Yao Xuan came Xie Xie, whose own Level 18 soul power sent another wave of shock through the classroom. Two Level 18 students—they should have been the stars of Class One.
'Heh. That Long Hengxu... he really has a plan,' Wu Zhangkong thought, a wry understanding dawning on him. But for a teacher, having students with better talent was never a bad thing.
"Good." Once all the students had introduced themselves, Wu Zhangkong returned to the center of the podium. "Although you have all been assigned to Class Five, I sense a desire to become stronger in each of you, and that satisfies me! My goal for the next six years is to train you to be the strongest among your peers. Do you have the confidence?"
"Yes..." The reply came, but aside from Yao Xuan and Xie Xie, whose voices were firm, the other students' answers were soft and lacking in conviction.
"I can't hear you! Again!" A flash of displeasure crossed Wu Zhangkong's face, and a palpable chill began to emanate from him, lowering the temperature in the room.
"YES!" Stimulated by the sudden cold, the students instinctively raised their voices, trying to counter the discomfort.
"No energy! Speaking so softly, and you want to become powerful Soul Masters?" Wu Zhangkong's chilling aura intensified, pressing down on them. Tang Wulin shivered visibly. Only Yao Xuan remained perfectly still, his expression unreadable.
"YES!!" This time, driven by the cold and Wu Zhangkong's provoking words, the students shouted almost in unison, their voices ringing with forced defiance.
"Good. Very spirited!" Wu Zhangkong finally nodded in satisfaction. "You have confidence, that's excellent! Tomorrow morning, classes will officially begin. My teaching methods will be very different from those of other teachers. If you are afraid of hardship, fatigue, pain, or injury, I suggest you transfer to another school or find a way to change classes as soon as possible."
"However," his voice hardened, "if you choose to stay, be prepared for the most grueling training of your lives. I hope you can maintain the same spirit you showed today during that training. Alright. Dismissed."
With that, he turned and left the classroom, leaving behind a group of students already buzzing with anxious whispers.
The Next Morning.
"Classes officially begin today. I will be personally teaching most of your lessons. Now, everyone, stand up and follow me to the training ground."
Dressed in a simple white shirt and plaid pants, Wu Zhangkong stood at the podium and issued the order in his characteristically cold tone.
"Silence. Form two lines."
Seeing the students' somewhat chaotic formation, Wu Zhangkong didn't get angry. He simply watched them with his icy gaze until, under the pressure of his aura, they obediently fell into two neat lines, not daring to speak or make a sound.
"As I said yesterday, my teaching method is different. Other teachers focus on theory and guided practice. I focus on practical combat. Combat is the fastest way to improve your strength!"
"Today's first lesson is practical combat! You will now pair up and spar. I will act as the referee. We will use a single-elimination format so I can assess your current strength and formulate individual training plans."
"Teacher Wu," a timid voice piped up. It was Yun Xiao, the boy with the Star Plate martial soul. He raised his hand hesitantly. "I'm a support-type Soul Master... do I still need to participate in combat?"
"Of course!" Wu Zhangkong's reply was immediate and sharp. "Imagine yourself on a battlefield. If you tell the enemy you're a support-type Soul Master, do you think they will let you go? From this moment on, I do not want to hear any dissent regarding my orders. Otherwise..."
As he spoke, a wave of intense chill shot towards Yun Xiao, causing the boy to tremble violently from head to toe.
"...there will be punishment! Now, let's begin with you two!"
He pointed to the first pair of students: Tang Wulin and Zhou Changxi.
"Hmph, Tang Wulin!" Zhou Changxi sneered, cracking his knuckles. "Yao Xuan helped you last time, but this time, without him here to protect you, I'm going to teach you a lesson!"
"Bring it on!" Tang Wulin met his gaze, his own fists clenching at his sides. "I won't lose!"
"Begin," Wu Zhangkong's voice cut through their posturing. "There are no rules. Use any means necessary to defeat your opponent. Do not hold back. With me here, no one will be seriously harmed."
The first spar of Class 5 was about to begin.