Su Wen followed Elder Gong to the judges' seats.
The homeroom teachers of two classes arrived late. As homeroom teachers, they needed to direct their classes to enter the Beast Arena trial in an orderly fashion.
Because the venue was limited, the second-year assessment could only accommodate two classes at a time.
And as luck would have it…
The two leading teachers—one gray-haired old crone with razor-sharp eyes, and one young, beautiful woman—locked gazes; sparks flew like needlepoint to wheat awn.
Su Wen's expression turned odd.
Could that be Zhou Yi and Mu Jin?
It really looks like them. Shrek's outer court doesn't let teachers serve consecutive cohorts as homeroom. There's generally a one-cohort gap, and between his cohort and this one there's exactly one gap…
"Teacher Zhou Yi, the quality of your class doesn't look so hot. Don't end up screening and screening and not keeping a single one." Mu Jin chuckled, her eyes full of mockery as she looked at Zhou Yi's face.
"Worry about your own class." Zhou Yi said woodenly. "If our class surpasses you in average and highest scores, that'll be interesting."
"Our Xiao Yan is a rank thirty-two assault-type battle soul master. His martial soul is said to trace back to the ancient Zhuyan; his talent is top-tier. He has no rival across the entire cohort. With the crooked melons and cracked jujubes in your class, you think you'll outscore him? Heh…" Mu Jin looked proud.
"Hmph!" Zhou Yi's face looked unpleasant.
Talk is talk, but her class indeed had no one impressive. The highest was barely a rank twenty-seven Soul Grandmaster.
A bunch of trash…
Her nails dug into her palm. She glared viciously at her class, calculating how to add more training.
"…"
But as she turned her head, she saw a kid sitting beside the judges' table. Her anger flared at once.
"Hey, kid—ever heard of respecting teachers? We teachers haven't even sat down yet. Who allowed you to sit? Which first-year class are you from? Who's your homeroom teacher?"
Su Wen looked baffled.
Is this menopause—kick even the passing stray dog?
"You talking to me?" Su Wen arched a brow.
"Nonsense. Who else here but you! You're in first year and not busy cultivating—who brought you here!"
Elder Gong had stepped away briefly.
So Su Wen looked like he'd been brought to watch by some teacher, perhaps a child of theirs. Of the outer court teachers present, there really weren't many Zhou Yi was afraid of—her husband was the Soul Tool Department's director and was very likely to rise further to vice dean of the Soul Tool Department…
A female teacher tugged Zhou Yi's sleeve. She had personally seen Su Wen chatting and laughing with Elder Gong. This kid's identity was anything but simple!
"Teacher, if you want to throw a tantrum, go back to your own class. Don't pick someone at random and start barking."
Su Wen stretched and spoke blandly.
He wasn't going to her class in the future anyway.
If he went anywhere, it'd be Mu Jin's class.
"…"
The venue fell abruptly silent.
Zhou Yi's face flushed liver-purple; with her hot temper, she nearly struck out at Su Wen. Through gritted teeth, she said one word at a time, "I won't stoop to your level. Who are your parents? Step out! I want to see who brought along this little beast that someone raised but no one taught!"
"I brought him. So what?"
A languid voice sounded from behind.
Elder Gong strolled over, giving Zhou Yi a once-over.
Zhou Yi saw it was Elder Gong, and her pupils shrank sharply. Elder Gong was the one in charge of the Beast Arena, and his strength had advanced to Titled Douluo years ago. His position in the Academy was extremely high; reach a little further and he'd be an elder of the Sea God Pavilion. But since he loved cultivating soul beasts, he'd retired to the Beast Arena.
He'd always ignored her in the past, and she could only smile awkwardly. Even if Fan Yu really became vice dean of the Soul Tool Department, she wasn't about to mess with this one…
Elder Gong glanced at Su Wen and, seeing no sign he was about to turn and leave, finally relaxed.
If this kid walked off, who would help him teach the new students a lesson?
Every year there were always one or two troublemakers who wanted to prove themselves by killing a soul beast or two, spattering themselves with blood and still thinking they looked cool. They'd get compensated afterward, most likely, but were thousand-year soul beasts so easy to raise? This year, that Xiao Yan—just looking at him made Elder Gong bristle. He had a bit of blood reek on him—likely had been to the battlefield or slaughtered soul beasts. One look at those excited eyes and it was clear the soul beast against him would have little chance of escape—and it was going to be a thousand-year one, too…
If he put a beast that was too strong, it might hurt the kid; too weak, and it was just sending it to die. It gave him a headache.
But now there was Su Wen!
This kid's three soul beasts were all far beyond their level and obedient. They wouldn't kill if they got mad. They were perfect to give this group of brats a lesson.
And this Zhou Yi wanted to drive his treasure away!
"He's not going anywhere." Elder Gong slanted a look. "Don't think just because you've got Fan Yu you can stick your head up to the heavens. The Martial Soul Department's outer court isn't yours to run, Zhou Yi!"
"…"
Zhou Yi's face flushed red, but she didn't dare make a peep.
Call it bullying the weak and fearing the strong if you want, but Elder Gong wasn't someone she could afford to offend. The Beast Arena was a compulsory assessment for second-years. If she crossed him and he made things difficult, then every class she led in the future would most likely be at the bottom in this assessment…
Su Wen ignored her and chatted idly with Elder Gong.
Many of the proctoring teachers nearby looked surprised, covertly shooting Su Wen curious looks.
Mu Jin was even more shocked. This youth didn't look like Elder Gong's junior so much as a friend across generations!
Just who was he?!
…
"I—I choose a three-hundred-year soul beast!"
Center of the arena.
A boy from Zhou Yi's class spoke up.
"What type?" the referee nodded, making a note.
"Assault-type!" the boy said nervously.
The referee glanced at him.
Facing a soul beast, most people were very nervous. For a rank twenty-three Soul Grandmaster to choose a soul beast roughly equal to his own strength was already quite brave.
"Ready. Release!"
As the referee left the field…
On the other side, a huge gate slowly rose. An Iron-Armored Rhinoceros lumbered out. The whole venue fell silent.
Watching is fun, but when it might be your turn next, there's no laughing about it.
Su Wen watched the boy below fighting the Iron-Armored Rhino.
The Iron-Armored Rhino had astonishing defense but wasn't fast. And the boy was an agility-type soul master. He kited it around until the rhino collapsed from exhaustion, then finished it with a final strike.
"Huff… huff…"
The boy panted heavily, eyes filled with excitement.
His fear of soul beasts had diminished quite a bit.
For most people, this exam was merely to steel their courage. If they really wanted to hone their skills against soul beasts, they wouldn't wait until fourth year for the Beast Arena to open…
"Next, Xiao Yan!"
The referee's voice rang through the arena.
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