Compared to Class One of the new students, the first day of lessons for Class Nine was relatively easy.
Each student only needed to participate in one actual combat duel; the rest of the time was spent spectating.
Those special students without combat ability, such as healers, support types, or food-type soul masters, were each assigned by Mu Jin a battle soul master as a teammate, and they engaged in two-versus-two matches. This ensured everyone experienced an actual combat encounter.
By the end of the morning, more than half the students of Class Nine had already completed their battles.
"Class dismissed. We'll gather again this afternoon in the Battle Soul Area. I expect no one to be late." Mu Jin looked up at the sun now directly overhead. As she spoke her last words, she deliberately glanced toward Xu Zihuang and Tuoba Yu.
Tuoba Yu couldn't help but mutter under his breath: "We're done for, Teacher Mu has her eye on us."
"If she has, then so be it. What's the big deal? Teacher Mu isn't like the homeroom teacher of Class One, expelling students at the drop of a hat." Xu Zihuang was calm, lazily stretching his body as he headed toward the exit of the Battle Soul Area.
After showing his strength in the duel with Wu Feng, the number of girls trying to approach him had actually decreased.
Among soul masters, strength always came first. Knowing Xu Zihuang's shocking talent and power, those girls inevitably felt somewhat inferior.
Most of them had cultivation levels below rank 20, uncertain if they could even pass the freshman assessment in three months' time. They were simply people of a different world compared to Xu Zihuang.
This suited Xu Zihuang just fine, letting him deal more easily with the two lively girls who still came up to talk to him.
These two happened to be among the few rank-20-plus Great Soul Masters in Class Nine. From their behavior and speech, it was clear they were of noble birth, lacking the restraint of commoner soul masters.
"Class monitor, which country are you from?"
"The Heavenly Soul Empire."
"We're both from the Dou Ling Empire. That makes us compatriots, if you trace it back."
"..."
Tuoba Yu trailed silently behind Xu Zihuang, feeling utterly redundant.
After some effort, Xu Zihuang finally managed to send the two girls away.
"Women are such trouble."
Hearing Xu Zihuang's words, Tuoba Yu, following behind, felt his whole body go stiff.
What else could he even say?
Since Mu Jin had dismissed them a little early, when the two arrived at the cafeteria, the only people queueing for food were Class Nine students. The spacious dining hall looked quite empty.
Inside, the food counters were lined up, each marked with its prices. There were eight counters in total, dishes varying, with prices rising steadily from right to left.
In terms of daily necessities, Xu Zihuang never stinted on himself. Naturally, he went for the most expensive meal.
A bowl of tender braised Scaled Armored Crocodile meat, a plate of steamed hundred-year Ice Bear paw, and a clear soup brewed with a whole flying-type soul beast. Along with a large bowl of crystal-white jade corn rice.
This meal alone cost him over thirty gold soul coins.
Tray in hand, he sat down opposite Tuoba Yu. Tuoba Yu stared wide-eyed. Before coming to Shrek Academy, his family had also given him plenty of living expenses, but never could he spend so lavishly—casually dropping dozens of gold soul coins on a single meal.
Of course, his own meal wasn't bad either; it too used materials from soul beasts. But compared to Xu Zihuang's, it looked paltry.
Just then, a series of footsteps approached.
Xu Zihuang looked up to see two Class Nine girls carrying trays toward them.
One was Nanmen Yuner. The other, slightly shorter but with a striking figure and short black hair, was the girl who had sat on the other side of Nanmen Yuner in class earlier.
Her name was Ya Lu. She had been Tuoba Yu's opponent in actual combat, and was also a rank-20-plus Great Soul Master.
As the short-haired girl drew closer, Tuoba Yu's face suddenly paled, as if recalling something terrible. He clutched his mouth and gagged.
This reaction made Ya Lu explode instantly. She glared at him furiously.
"Tuoba Yu, what do you mean by that?"
Her little tiger fangs peeked out at the corners of her mouth, strands of white mixed into her black short hair swaying slightly. Though she looked extremely angry, she was still irresistibly cute.
What do I mean? You know full well, Tuoba Yu grumbled inwardly. But his body was honest—he gagged again, even more violently. That unforgettable stench, imprinted in his mind, refused to fade.
The truth was, her martial soul in their combat had left him traumatized. Even though he had been the victor, given the chance, he would rather lose than suffer through Ya Lu's second soul skill again.
Xu Zihuang glanced at Tuoba Yu in puzzlement. He had already sensed something off after Tuoba Yu's duel earlier.
"What's wrong?"
"Nothing."
Tuoba Yu shook his head. Looking at the untouched delicacies on his tray, his face twisted with pain. But he had utterly lost his appetite. If he forced himself, he would surely vomit on the spot.
"My stomach's acting up. I'll head out first."
Nanmen Yuner cast a sympathetic glance at Tuoba Yu's hurried retreating back.
She had known Ya Lu since childhood, and was well aware of the effects of her Skunk martial soul's second skill.
Though its power wasn't great, its area of effect was huge, and the smell unbearable. Back in Sunset Forest, even a pack of ten-year Wind Wolves had been utterly crippled just from being caught in it.
Xu Zihuang also frowned as he watched Tuoba Yu dump his food and leave, before turning back calmly to Ya Lu and Nanmen Yuner.
"Classmate Ya Lu, Classmate Nanmen, is there something you need?"
"May Yuner and I sit here?" Ya Lu's expression had softened. Her dark eyes flickered playfully.
"Is it alright?"
"Go ahead." Xu Zihuang nodded calmly.