New Class One.
Zhou Yi looked at the two with their heads drooped, her brows almost scrunched into the character "川." This trio was one of the teams she favored. Among the current fifty-four students and eighteen teams in New Class One, they were a top-three contender.
Who could have expected sudden upheaval?
The team was formed and had even trained together for a few days, but Wang Dong slipped off to the neighboring class, going to earn merit points for that Mu Jin.
"You two… forget it. As it happens, we had one slot open—Chen Yanjin. The academy was planning to pair him with leftovers from other classes anyway, so slot him into your team." Zhou Yi rubbed her brow.
"…"
The other two still hung their heads.
In a class of fifty-five including Wang Dong, anyone left unassigned is either hopelessly weak or has personality issues.
Fortunately, that Chen Yanjin is just a bit arrogant; he's got strength—rank 24 Soul Grandmaster, assault type—which barely patches the hole left by Wang Dong.
Xiao Xiao bit her lip, unable to hide the loss in her eyes.
She came for Wang Dong—partly a face-con, and Wang Dong's strength was top-tier in all New Class One. She could grudgingly accept Zhou Yi inserting Huo Yuhao, but then he suddenly got transferred, leaving only her and the weakest of New Class One—a rank 15 soul master…
If her family background weren't far worse than Wang Dong's, she'd want to walk too.
Top three in the elimination rounds comes with rich rewards—something a small clan like hers can't reach. That's been her goal, but as things stand, with Huo Yuhao dragging them down, they might not even squeeze into the eliminations.
Huo Yuhao clenched his teeth. The self-abased are always sensitive. He sensed Xiao Xiao's mood. Rank 15 peak—dead last in New Class One, since most people's entry threshold is rank 15.
Wang Dong's sudden departure made him even quieter.
Despised, and he didn't dare say much.
Zhou Yi placed him here because she valued his talent (mainly on the soul tool side). Otherwise, by her usual style, he'd likely be teamed with two other low-teen soul masters and wouldn't even dare dream of top fifteen. Spirit Eyes are rare, but a low-teen Spirit Eyes? The martial soul department would hesitate half a day on whether to even grant him core disciple status.
"Alright, that's that."
Zhou Yi waved impatiently to dismiss them. With New Class Two's morale surging, being pushed by that Mu Jin had made her more and more irritable. These three months of training were downright hellish compared to previous classes, and the number of eliminations increased.
"Oh right, Xiao Xiao, stay." She suddenly recalled something, eyes narrowing as they swept over Xiao Xiao.
The girl felt a chill all over and tensed up.
"Yes!" Huo Yuhao nodded, turned, and left, leaving behind a trembling Xiao Xiao.
"Don't be nervous. I'm not a bad person. Since I'm your teacher, I'll take responsibility for you… Do you want the top-three rewards?" Zhou Yi softened her tone, guiding her gently.
"I do!" Xiao Xiao's eyes lit up instantly.
"Just with your current lineup, it'll be difficult." Zhou Yi shook her head.
"…" Xiao Xiao's expression dimmed again.
She knew. Chen Yanjin was merely excellent, far inferior to Wang Dong. And the team had a dead weight who wasn't even a Soul Grandmaster.
"You have twin martial souls?" Seeing the girl bite, Zhou Yi's lips curled as she suddenly asked.
Xiao Xiao hadn't hidden it and had reported it truthfully to the academy.
As a teacher, she naturally knew.
"Yes!" Xiao Xiao nodded, confused.
"Then your second martial soul hasn't had a soul ring attached, has it?" Zhou Yi showed her hand.
Xiao Xiao: "…"
…
Watching Xiao Xiao walk out of the office with a conflicted face,
Zhou Yi pouted.
She'd painted her a big pie—the top-three rewards were very likely a precious pill to boost strength, maybe even a soul bone!
If it's a soul bone, she'd add one more, letting both Huo Yuhao and her each get one.
But…
Ever since bringing Huo Yuhao to Fan Yu and her husband confirmed his talent, Zhou Yi had taken an unusual interest in the boy. Otherwise she wouldn't have placed him in the class's top team—even though Xiao Xiao was already support-control, adding a pure support on top of that. She didn't know Huo Yuhao's first soul skill had four effects.
So if they did get rewards,
One soul bone would surely go to Huo Yuhao. As for the one she personally funded… that was also earmarked for Chen Yanjin—his family background is powerful; no need to cross them.
"Sigh, blame it on having no background." Zhou Yi shook her head. "Or if you make top three, I'll try to secure you a core disciple spot."
A small clan from the Heavenly Soul Empire wasn't even a hair compared to the power behind Chen Yanjin.
If it were Wang Dong with a second martial soul and she tried to seize and add a ring to it, they'd flip the table right there, report to the academy, and blow it up. But this girl was hesitating…
"If we add a first soul ring to Nine Phoenix Dancing Flute, and have Chen Yanjin carry the assault, this team might be able to push for top three." Zhou Yi shook her head and soon turned to other matters.
…
After the final roster was out,
Su Wen stared idly out the window. Ning Tian and Wu Feng were whispering together.
Suddenly someone up front called his name, the voice as soft as cotton candy. He turned and saw a stunning figure standing there, smiling at him.
The male classmates around were already glaring at him with resentment, not even fearing the "Big Devil" reputation.
Leaving us no way to live?!!
Even this gorgeous senior sister got snatched by him?
"Sister Nannan?"
Su Wen said in surprise.
He quickly stepped down from his seat and casually took the beauty's soft, fair wrist, leading her away.
"Damn! He even knows Jiang Nannan?!!"
"The number-one beauty of the outer court, my goddess—how did he do it!"
"Ahhhh! He held hands! He touched her!"
"When Brother Wen gets back, I'm licking his hand twice. That's the scent of the goddess!"
"…"
Once he left, wails and howls erupted in the previously quiet classroom.
The two came to a pavilion.
Only then did Su Wen let go, noticing the beautiful senior seemed to have something to say?
Jiang Nannan let him hold her all the way, her white earlobes slightly flushed, not struggling.
She took a scarf from her storage soul guide, with "Su Wen" stitched on it, gently draped it around his neck, looped it once and let it fall, then straightened his clothes. Her eyes showed a hint of shyness, mixed with satisfaction.
"Auntie knitted it?" Su Wen realized. The weather had turned to autumn and was a bit cool, though… his martial soul was Ultimate Ice! How could he be afraid of cold?
Still, it felt warm~
"…"
Jiang Nannan froze, opened her mouth, then looked a little desolate.
Advanced chapter here: p-atreon.com/Sajaboyzzz
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