The Next Morning
Chen Junting arrived at the classroom early—alone.
As for Dugu Xin… after returning to their dorm last night, he'd wasted no time. Fearing delays might bring complications, he immediately began absorbing the Human-Faced Demon Spider's outer soul bone.
By the late hours of the night, he'd fully integrated the Eight-Spider Lances. Then, entering deep meditation, he used the bone's unique ability to slowly devour the Jade Phosphorous Serpent Emperor venom that had poisoned his blood for generations.
By dawn, half his hair had already returned to its natural black.
Determined to eliminate this lingering threat once and for all, he'd decided to skip the final class of the academic year entirely.
Now, Chen Junting sat in the nearly empty classroom, mood subdued. After exchanging brief greetings with the few early arrivals, he took his seat and idly listened to students chatting about their holiday plans.
One by one, Class Nine trickled in—faces glowing with excitement. Even Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu, usually scowling, wore rare smiles… at least until they spotted Chen Junting.
Soon, Wu Feng, Huo Yuhao, and Wang Dong arrived, and Chen Junting's corner of the room came alive with chatter.
Then, Wang Yan and Mujin entered together. Seeing the class in high spirits, Mujin didn't scold them—even after the bell rang. Instead, she beamed.
"What? So excited for the holiday?" she teased.
Emboldened by her good humor, several students shouted in unison:
"Yes!"
Wang Yan stepped onto the podium, smiling. "Looks like everyone's got big plans. Good news: today's your last day as first-years. The academy's assigned no lessons, so after a few words, you're free to pack up and go."
The class erupted in cheers.
Some even declared they'd already packed, ready to leave with their storage soul engineering devices in hand.
Wang Yan's expression softened—but once the noise settled, his tone turned serious.
"This year, I've watched you grow: one Soul Ancestor, three Soul Elders, dozens of Soul Grandmasters. I swear—you're the finest class I've ever taught. Mujin and I are proud to have you as students."
He paused.
"But—"
The room tensed instantly.
"As your homeroom teacher, I must give you a warning." His gaze swept over the class, lingering on the loudest and weakest students. "Shrek Academy has a promotion exam. Whether you return as second-years depends entirely on passing it."
Gasps filled the room. Most students froze in shock—only the confident few remained calm.
Wang Yan continued:
"Most of you are unfamiliar with this exam, so let me explain.
"First—the requirement: you must reach Level 21 to even qualify. I'm confident most of Class Nine will meet this. But those still at Level 19? You'll need to train hard this holiday.
"Second—the exam types.
"Option One: defeat a hundred-year soul beast alone. No outside help. If the proctor intervenes, you fail. This is the standard path.
"Option Two: class-wide promotion. A team of 3–7 students undertakes a special trial. Extremely high elimination rate—but it won't apply to us lower-years, so I won't elaborate."
He folded his arms. "So—what's your holiday plan now?"
For many, the dream of "holiday = paradise" shattered instantly.
This is hell!
We're forced to grind!
Unfazed, Wang Yan glanced at Mujin. Seeing she had nothing to add, he announced, "That's all. I hope to see you all in second-year classrooms next term. Dismissed!"
He and Mujin left together—
but the weight of his words remained. The class sat in solemn silence, minds racing about the looming exam.
Yet amid the anxiety, some felt only sorrow.
"Yuhao, I'm leaving," Wang Dong mumbled, face buried in his arms, a tear glistening at the corner of his eye. "Don't miss me."
Huo Yuhao's heart ached—but before he could speak, a figure stood up nearby, shattering the moment.
Wang Dong scowled—until Chen Junting spoke.
"Since it's holiday, as class monitor, I'll treat everyone to a meal in Shrek City. Interested?"
"Absolutely!"
Cao Jinxuan and Zhou Sichen grinned at each other, then whooped, "Rich boy's paying! Count us in!"
Soon, the whole class joined in—even the loners.
After all, Chen Junting's identity as heir to the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect was an open secret. Everyone knew this "meal" wasn't just about food.
In the end, only Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu refused.
As Class One filed out, they ran straight into Ning Tian—Class Three's monitor—accompanied by a crowd of students from Classes Two, Three, and Four. Even Class Two's monitor, Xie Huanyue, had been summoned by her.
Cao Jinxuan and Zhou Sichen immediately teased, "Ah, our beautiful sister-in-law!"—joking about Ning Tian and Chen Junting's relationship.
Neither minded. Ning Tian even smoothed her golden bangs with a laugh. "Call me that if you like."
She turned to Chen Junting, voice tender. "Everyone's here. Shall we go?"
"Let's."
"Wait—does this mean all four classes are coming?" Cao Jinxuan realized, grinning. "Is this a mega mixer?"
"Don't overthink it," Ning Tian giggled, though no one believed her "just a simple get-together" claim.
A massive group set off for Shrek City, drawing stares from upperclassmen and teachers alike. Even the dorm's old gatekeeper cracked a smile. "Louder than Bowen's crew back in the day," he muttered—yet made no move to stop them.
At noon, an entire restaurant was booked out. Laughter, clinking glasses, and toasts filled the air.
Two hours later, the festivities ended. Students dispersed—
though many chose to linger, savoring the last moments of unity before the holiday scattered them once more.
------------------------------------------------------
Join my Patreon to read an exclusive novel – 'Douluo: Rebuilding Hao Tian Sect'3
40+ Chapters Ahead: patreon.com/EphemeralShadow
There's something for free patrons too! Free Patrons receive 1 chapter in advance :)