"Just..."
"It's not like that at all!"
Gu Yue gave Tang Luochuan a deep glance before abruptly turning her head away, feigning nonchalance as she murmured softly.
"Is that so."
"Alright then."
Wu Siduo responded lightly, her face showing a trace of surprise. She had assumed the two were in a romantic relationship, but apparently not...
They seemed so close, yet their relationship only extended to being good friends.
"Wu Siduo."
"Go ahead and speak first. What did you want to ask?"
Tang Luochuan turned toward Wu Siduo with mild curiosity, his voice gentle.
"Mm, okay."
"Actually, it's nothing much..."
Wu Siduo quickly replied before shifting her gaze to the boy separated only by Gu Yue, speaking slowly.
"Tang Luochuan, what level has your cultivation reached exactly? And before, you..."
"Quiet, everyone. The previous battle has concluded. Let me announce the results of the class leader elections."
Just as Wu Siduo was about to continue, Shen Yi and Wu Zhangkong appeared at the lectern, their expressions calm.
By now, all the students had returned to their seats, silently awaiting the teachers' final announcement—though most already had a good idea of the outcome.
"Hmm..."
"I'll tell you later, okay?"
Seeing this, Wu Siduo could only sigh helplessly and mutter under her breath.
"The final results are in. Among the 101 students, Tang Luochuan's team lasted the longest. Tang Luochuan will serve as our class monitor."
"The vice monitors will be Gu Yue and Wu Siduo."
Wu Zhangkong addressed the group with a detached tone, his eyes settling on the trio sitting together.
Of course, he wasn't the least bit surprised by Luo Chuan and Gu Yue's overwhelming combat prowess. But Wu Siduo, who had emerged unexpectedly...
A twelve-year-old four-ringed Soul Ancestor already far surpassed the rest of Zero Class, not to mention her nearly inconceivable self-contained Martial Soul Fusion Skill.
While Gu Yue and Tang Luochuan were undoubtedly peerless geniuses who crushed all competition, Wu Siduo's talent was rare even in historical terms.
Indeed, the world was never lacking in prodigies. Even if Luo Chuan and Gu Yue would one day dominate their era, there would always be other outstanding individuals.
"Alright then..."
Tang Luochuan's expression remained calm as he effortlessly assumed the role of class monitor, showing no particular enthusiasm.
To him, whether he became monitor or not didn't matter much. But since Teacher Wu had arranged it this way, he didn't mind having the title.
"As long as..."
"I don't end up doing all the work like monitors in my past life did."
Tang Luochuan thought to himself. He had no problem with cultivation, but if it involved chores, he'd be gone in an instant.
Gu Yue paid even less attention to the matter. She was at Shrek Academy solely to accompany Luo Chuan. As for everything else...
None of it mattered.
Being vice monitor alongside Luo Chuan could be considered an experience, at least!
"Vice monitor..."
Unlike Tang Luochuan and Gu Yue, Wu Siduo visibly furrowed her brows upon hearing the announcement.
For a moment, her fists clenched unconsciously.
From childhood till now, this was the first time she had ever been surpassed by someone her own age. Although Tang Luochuan and Gu Yue were indeed strong, she still cared deeply about it.
The word "vice" would be etched deeply into her heart.
"In the future..."
"I will definitely surpass you, Luo Chuan..."
A glint of determination flashed in Wu Siduo's eyes as she looked in Tang Luochuan's direction. The position of class monitor—she was determined to claim it!
Once she surpassed him in the future, she would surely have her chance. As long as those two didn't grow too much stronger than her, she would definitely overtake Tang Luochuan.
"Luo Chuan, Gu Yue, Wu Siduo, the three of you, stand up for a moment so everyone can get to know you."
"These three class officers all have cultivation levels above the Soul Ancestor realm, with two of them even being Soul King-level powerhouses. They serve as role models for all of you."
At this moment, Wu Zhangkong introduced them with a smile.
"Yes, Teacher."
Tang Luochuan responded softly, standing up alongside the other two with a calm expression.
But unlike him and Gu Yue, Wu Zhangkong's words undoubtedly ignited the emotions of the other students.
"Soul..."
"Soul King?"
Hearing this, the entire class wore expressions of bewilderment before erupting into an uproar. Shocked gazes turned toward Tang Luochuan and Gu Yue.
Soul King powerhouses—they were actually Soul King powerhouses!
Among first-year students, there were actually people whose cultivation had already reached the five-ring Soul King level! Even Yang Niansha, who had previously encountered the two by chance, couldn't help but look stunned.
Twelve-year-old Soul Kings—what did that even mean? After all, the requirement to enter the inner academy was Soul King-level cultivation and a set of one-word Battle Armor!
Didn't that mean Tang Luochuan and Gu Yue had already fulfilled half of the conditions?
"But they're only twelve years old!"
The entire class couldn't help but gasp in astonishment.
"You..."
"You—you're Soul Kings?"
At this moment, Wu Siduo, who had stood up alongside Tang Luochuan and Gu Yue, also widened her eyes, staring intently in Tang Luochuan's direction as she blurted out in disbelief.
Soul...
Soul King?
"Mhm."
"You asked me about my cultivation level before. Now I can tell you—I'm a 53rd-rank Soul King, and Gu Yue is 52nd-rank."
The two responded lightly, with Tang Luochuan smiling faintly as he spoke in a calm tone.
He could tell that Wu Siduo had never had a clear understanding of his strength. In her eyes, his cultivation was probably somewhere between a low-level and high-level Soul Ancestor.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have been so eager to fight him all this time. But in reality...
Whether it was Soul Power, secondary professions, or even Soul Ring configurations—in every single aspect, there was no way he couldn't surpass her.
"They really are Soul Kings..."
Wu Siduo swallowed subconsciously, her heart trembling with shock. Soul Kings—they were actually Soul Kings!
Five-ring Soul Kings—this was an entire major realm above her own cultivation. No wonder she had felt such overwhelming pressure from them before. So it turned out...
The three of them weren't even on the same level.
With her current strength, how could she possibly gain any advantage over Tang Luochuan? Forget about unleashing a Martial Soul Fusion Skill—even if she split herself into two, she probably still wouldn't be a match for them.
"You two..."
"Are seriously terrifying."
Wu Siduo couldn't help but murmur to herself, especially recalling the moment she was instantly defeated. The flash of red light that had appeared around Tang Luochuan still lingered in her mind. Just how strong was he?
And what exactly was that red light?
"Someone like him..."
"Can I really compare?"
For a moment, Wu Siduo questioned herself inwardly.
Her current cultivation speed had slowed significantly compared to before. By the time she reached Soul King level, Tang Luochuan and the others might already be approaching Soul Emperor. By then...
The gap between them would only grow wider, wouldn't it?
Overtaking Tang Luochuan...
It seemed like an impossible dream.
Perhaps she would never be able to match him in her lifetime.
"Three class monitors, please take your seats."
"Now that one head monitor and two deputy monitors have been selected, we will proceed to elect the four class officers for subsidiary professions."
"These positions are: Forging Representative, Mecha Design Representative, Mecha Manufacturing Representative, and Mecha Maintenance Representative. All students who wish to participate may do so enthusiastically..."
Shen Yi spoke calmly, and as she did, the students in the class grew eager, their eyes filled with anticipation.
Becoming a class officer at Shrek Academy carried immense prestige. While the roles of head and deputy monitors were undoubtedly challenging, the subsidiary profession representatives...
Were relatively easier!
At the very least, the difficulty was much lower compared to becoming a monitor.
Especially Luo Guixing and Xu Yucheng, who were now brimming with enthusiasm. Both were Level 3 Mecha Manufacturers, a remarkable achievement for their age.
Could they...
Secure these positions?
"The first position, Forging Representative..."
"There's no need for an election here. Both Tang Luochuan and Tang Wulin are top-tier forging masters from the academy's Forging Masters Association. Since the former is already the head monitor, the position of Forging Representative will be assumed by Tang Wulin."
"Let everyone get to know you."
At this point, Wu Zhangkong spoke slowly.
These two brothers were the most outstanding forging geniuses on the continent, a fact acknowledged by top-tier forging masters Mu Chen and Zhen Hua. No one was more suited for the role than these two brothers.
"Tang Wulin..."
"Since they share the same surname, are they brothers?"
Hearing this, the students couldn't help but speculate inwardly, marveling at the pair of genius brothers—one a Soul King, the other a forging prodigy.
"Ah! Forging Representative."
Upon hearing this, Tang Wulin's eyes lit up. He stood up with a faint smile on his face, never expecting he'd get to be a class officer too!
At least it's a class officer position—it must be useful. One step closer to bringing Zixin to Shrek Academy. Yay!
"It's him."
Seeing Tang Wulin, Xu Yucheng froze momentarily, a thoughtful expression flashing across his face. The memory of being instantly defeated by Tang Wulin's claw attack resurfaced in his mind.
Who would have thought he was also a forging master?
"The student who raised their hand, do you have a question?"
Just then, Shen Yi noticed a male student with his hand raised and nodded slightly before speaking calmly.
"Teacher."
"I am also a forging master and originally intended to run for the position of Forging Representative. Since Tang Wulin has been directly assigned this role, I'd like to ask..."
"What level forging master is he?"
The person speaking was Yang Nianxia, who at this moment was asking curiously. He admitted that Tang Luochuan's talent was truly formidable, and perhaps his achievements as a Forging Master were impressive as well...
But what about this Tang Wulin? He hadn't done anything noticeable, and nothing stood out about him. Yang Nianxia had no idea what his actual capabilities were.
Especially since he looked so delicate and frail—probably just a second-level Forging Master at best. How could he possibly be qualified to serve as the Forging Committee member?
"Classmate, what level Forging Master are you?" Shen Yi asked with a smile, completely unfazed.
"Level three," Yang Nianxia replied slowly, taking out a Level 3 Forging Master badge from his Soul Guidance Device.
Instantly, many of his classmates turned their gazes toward him. Forging was undoubtedly the most difficult of all the auxiliary professions.
To become a Level 3 Forging Master at the age of twelve—his talent was clearly exceptional.
"I'm a Level 6 Forging Master," Tang Wulin said with a smile, producing his own Forging Master badge.
"Wha—"
"Wait, what?!"
Hearing this, Yang Nianxia nearly dropped his jaw in shock. And he wasn't the only one—most of the students were equally stunned, their expressions filled with disbelief.
A Level 6 Forging Master...
In any auxiliary profession association, Level 6 was considered the pinnacle. Who would have thought that this twelve-year-old had already reached such heights?
After all, even Elder Feng of the Shrek Academy Forging Master Association had only reached Level 6 in his forties. The gap between them was simply too vast.
And yet, Elder Feng himself was considered a genius!
"A Level 3 Forging Master is certainly commendable, but as I mentioned earlier, no one surpasses Luo Chuan and Wu Lin in forging talent," Wu Zhangkong said calmly, a faint smile on his face.
"I..."
"I concede," Yang Nianxia muttered with a sigh, sitting back down.
"Now then..."
"Next, we'll select the Mecha Design Committee member," Teacher Wu continued with a light smile.
"No way..."
"This group around Tang Luochuan..."
"How are they all such geniuses?!"
Soon after, once all the class officer selections were completed, the first-year students couldn't help but fall into deep thought.
The reason was simple: the Forging Committee member was Tang Wulin, the Mecha Design Committee member was Xu Xiaoyan, the Mecha Manufacturing Committee member was Zhang Yangzi, and the Mecha Repair Committee member was Xie Xie...
Every single one of these prodigies had previously been part of Tang Luochuan's team. Aside from Tang Wulin being Level 6, the other three all had Level 4 auxiliary profession rankings!
Were all the people around him geniuses of this caliber?
Indeed, even if they hadn't come to Shrek Academy before, geniuses were naturally drawn to one another.
"The class officer elections are now concluded."
"You may all return and rest," Shen Yi announced calmly once everything was settled. Yet even now, the first-year students were struggling to process everything.
Between the Soul King class president and the Level 6 auxiliary profession Forging Committee member, Tang Luochuan and those around him had already given them far too many shocks.
"..."
As school ended, Wu Siduo's gaze lingered on Tang Luochuan, her eyes filled with contemplation.
The might of a Soul King with just a single finger—these undoubtedly left a deep impression on her. Moreover, from Teacher Wu's tone, it seemed the opponent's rank as a Forging Master was also quite high.
But as for the exact level...
That would have to wait until she asked later.
"Still, no matter what, he is..."
"A truly remarkable young man."
Walking back, Wu Siduo murmured to herself.
"Xiaofeng."
"Luo Chuan and Gu Yue..."
"Are they really not in a relationship?"
On the other side, Zheng Yiran blinked, casting a curious glance in her younger brother's direction as she spoke.
This was the same line Gu Yue had said to Wu Siduo earlier, which she had overheard clearly while sitting behind Tang Luochuan—Gu Yue had personally admitted that the two were not lovers.
So the two of them... weren't actually a couple?
"Hm? Not yet, but..."
"They just haven't pierced through that thin layer of paper between them. As for how things really stand, we all already know."
Wei Xiaofeng shook his head and spoke slowly. The relationship between their boss and Gu Yue-jie was rock-solid, after all!
"Oh..."
"So it's true that nothing's been settled yet?"
A thoughtful glint flashed in Zheng Yiran's eyes as she pressed further.
"Yeah, that's right... Wait, no."
"Sis, don't tell me you still want to be my sister-in-law?"
Wei Xiaofeng froze for a moment, a look of bewilderment flashing across his face before he stared deeply at his sister, his expression turning solemn. He couldn't help but voice his surprise.
Not that he was complaining, but...
Was his sister seriously still thinking this way? If that happened, would he end up calling the boss "brother-in-law" or his sister "sister-in-law"?
"Of course not!"
"Someone like me could never be worthy of Luo Chuan!"
Hearing this, Zheng Yiran stiffened, her face flushing red in an instant before she shook her head repeatedly, speaking bluntly.
A person must know their own limits.
Someone like Luo Chuan was no ordinary talent—a dragon among men. As for someone with her level of aptitude, even if she was considered a genius, she wasn't even qualified to gaze upon his shadow.
"..."
Beside them, Xu Xiaoyan also nodded faintly.
Once upon a time, she too had entertained similar thoughts—of standing by his side. But...
It was difficult. As difficult as scaling the heavens.
Later, she realized none of that really mattered.
Just being able to stay by his side, quietly watching over him, was already an immense honor in itself!
(End of Chapter)