-----
-----
Just thinking about the future and how her class might end up producing five Titled Douluo was enough to make Chen Wenwen's heart race with excitement.
Of course, she knew full well that these five geniuses weren't people she could actually train, and it was unlikely she'd ever officially become their master. But even so—she was still their teacher.
And just having that connection alone would be huge. Once these five grew up, her status and benefits would rise right along with them. If they really did become Titled Douluo, the perks she'd get would be off the charts.
The more she thought about it, the more fiery her gaze became as she looked at the five of them.
Although she had access to the student enrollment files, she hadn't gotten around to reading them yet—so this surprise caught her completely off guard. No wonder her father insisted she take the role of homeroom teacher for the practical soul tool class. So this was why!
Oh right—she almost forgot to mention, her dad was the principal of Mingdu Junior Soul Engineer Academy. He was also a level-seven Soul Engineer.
Still, Chen Wenwen didn't lose track of her actual job. She quickly adjusted her mindset and smiled, "Today's your first day of class, so I'll start by explaining the different categories of martial souls. Then this afternoon, I'll help guide you through your first meditation session. Meditation is the only way to train and boost your soul power. If you want to become real soul masters, you've gotta put in the effort!"
Some of the new students, like Liu Xing and his group, had already gotten their soul rings. But there were also some total newbies who had only just awakened their martial souls, so her words were aimed more at them.
Even though those five were obviously her pride and joy now, the other students weren't too shabby either. She couldn't play favorites too much.
She knew very well that she didn't have to do anything extra. As long as she did her job as their homeroom teacher and maintained a good relationship with the students, this golden opportunity that had fallen into her lap wasn't going anywhere.
Then she got started on the basics. Liu Xing and the others had already learned this stuff before, but they still listened patiently out of respect for her.
Seeing that made Chen Wenwen feel even more warmly toward them. She'd taught a lot of students before and knew that those from noble families who'd already studied the basics usually got bored fast—and some would even just start meditating in class right in front of her.
But she always started from the basics anyway, because not every student had the same background. Some came from humble origins.
Sure enough, a few students were listening carefully—it was clear they hadn't learned any of this before.
Na Na, who sat in front of Liu Ying, was also paying close attention. Her father might've been a minor noble with a baron title, but he wasn't a soul master. Her mother was a soul master, but from a civilian background, and her knowledge was patchy at best. Rather than risk giving her bad guidance, they scraped together a small fortune to send her to the best junior academy.
After class, Liu Xing called Na Na over, and the five of them headed to the cafeteria together. Liu Ying wanted to make friends, so of course Liu Xing had to help her out.
He actually wanted to invite Gu Yuena too, but she had already left ahead of them, so he had to let it go.
By the time they reached the cafeteria, it was already packed. Besides the new students, there were also a lot of older students who looked a few years ahead.
The cafeteria at Mingdu Junior Soul Engineer Academy was huge, but all three grades ate there together, so every food counter had long lines.
There was a "premium meals" section on the second floor—super expensive. While it wouldn't be a problem for Liu Xing and the others, they didn't want to make Na Na feel uncomfortable. From their earlier chats, they knew her family was doing okay but not rich. Going upstairs to eat would've really hurt her wallet.
And they couldn't just say, "Hey, we'll pay for you"—that would be a blow to her pride. At this age, kids are extra sensitive. Do something like that, and you might lose a friend before you even make one.
Don't let their ages fool you—Ye Guyi and Xu Tianzhen might be young, but they were already way more emotionally mature than most kids.
They found an empty table in the corner of the cafeteria and sat down. Since Liu Xing was the only guy in the group, of course he took on the noble task of lining up for food.
He politely turned down Liu Ying and Na Na when they offered to help and went to line up alone.
He picked a line that wasn't too long—only about a dozen people in front of him—so it wouldn't take long to get his turn.
"Hey there, you're Liu Xing, right? I heard about you from Tianzhen."
Just then, the boy standing in front of him turned around. He had slightly tanned skin, short purple hair, and looked to be about eight or nine years old.
Liu Xing blinked. "And you are?"
Tianzhen? As in… Xu Tianzhen? Someone from the royal family, maybe? Only someone from the royal family would casually call her "Tianzhen."
"I'm Xu He. Tianzhen is my cousin," the boy said with a friendly smile.
Liu Xing's eyes narrowed slightly. "So… Your Highness, then."
Because of his connection with the Fire Phoenix Douluo, Liu Xing actually had a decent understanding of the Sun Moon Empire's political scene. He knew very well that the current Crown Prince's name was Xu He.
Rumor had it, this prince was the emperor's only son. He had seven older sisters, and as the youngest and only boy, he was incredibly pampered. With no other male siblings to compete with, there was no one else in line for the throne.
He was born a Crown Prince—no need for power struggles or succession fights. As soon as his father stepped down, he'd be emperor, plain and simple—making him one of the most powerful people on the entire continent.
Not only that, his awakened martial soul was one of the three great martial souls of the Sun Moon Empire: the Sun Martial Soul. He had full innate soul power too, and was recognized by the imperial family. His position as crown prince was rock solid.
"No need to be so formal," Xu He said with a warm chuckle. "This is school. Just call me senior. You're the same age as Tianzhen, and I'm two years older—calling me 'big brother Xu' works too."
His tone was gentle, and there was no trace of the arrogance you'd expect from a royal heir. Clearly, he'd been raised well—and that left a good impression on Liu Xing.
So far, all the members of the royal family he'd met were surprisingly decent. Whether it was Xu Tianran or now Xu He, none of them had the bad habits you'd see in other noble brats. Xu Tianzhen especially was exactly like her name—sunny and genuine, if a bit scatterbrained.
Liu Xing had been a little surprised at first to find out the crown prince was studying at a junior academy, but after thinking it through, it made perfect sense. Mingdu Junior Soul Engineer Academy was the best in the city. Anyone who got in was among the most outstanding of their age group.
And making friends young is the best time to build real bonds—way more genuine than the political connections people form when they're older. That was probably the emperor's real reason for sending Xu He here.
Training the crown prince could be done anywhere—he could even get a Level Nine Soul Engineer to tutor him privately. But building his own network of allies? That had to start early.
Despite his young age, this crown prince already seemed calm, friendly, and knew how to get along with his peers. The fact that he didn't go upstairs for the fancy meals and chose to line up like everyone else said a lot about him.
"....."