Ye Xinglan's sudden words made the corner of Gu You's mouth twitch even harder.
'Fifth-rank mecha craftsman?' He could easily pull a few strings and find a ninth-rank one if he really wanted.
Among all secondary professions, mecha designers were the easiest to rank up early on. That was because the base requirement was high spiritual power and strong comprehension. Meet those two conditions, and reaching third-rank in a few years was completely feasible.
But mecha manufacturing was far more demanding. It required constant hands-on experience, practice until proficient, and significant understanding. To build a high-quality mecha or battle armor, one first had to comprehend the design. If you didn't understand the design, how could you possibly craft something great?
That said, Gu You actually found mecha crafting fairly simple. When working solo, he just built what he thought looked good and functioned well.
Still, he had to admit that some elite mecha manufacturers could create battle armor far beyond the standard templates and molten molds he used. Every profession had its own domain and purpose—otherwise, it wouldn't exist.
But Gu You didn't say anything more. Ye Xinglan was only thirteen—maybe not even fourteen yet—and already a fifth-rank mecha craftsman. That was astonishing in itself. Besides, most girls wouldn't choose mecha crafting to begin with. For her to take it seriously showed rare awareness.
"I'll be waiting for the day you reach ninth-rank then." Gu You smiled.
"Alright!" Ye Xinglan planted her hands on her hips and nodded. Though on the surface she looked calm, inwardly she was anything but. A fifth-rank mecha craftsman was rare at their age—but a fifth-rank blacksmith? That was practically impossible. Even among all of Shrek Academy, there wasn't one.
The best part about having peers was growing alongside them—but Gu You couldn't really enjoy that feeling. The moment he awakened the Purple-Gold Dragon Emperor martial soul, his path had been sealed.
Ye Xinglan and Xu Lizhi had been assigned to leave the Inner Court for training in the Outer Court. The pressure on them was intense. If they didn't show solid results during this time, even returning to the Inner Court would be uncertain.
…
"What? The sixth-years can use battle armor?" Xie Xie gaped at Shen Yi, stunned speechless.
Even Gu You frowned slightly. He didn't care about the average sixth-year student—but the truly elite among them? Those were the threats worth noting.
"Don't ask me why. There's no reason," Shen Yi said, leaving behind just those few words.
No one responded.
Their seven-person team was already confirmed: Gu Yue, Gu You, Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, Xu Xiaoyan, Ye Xinglan, and Xu Lizhi.
Three days later.
Shrek Academy, Outer Court, First Grade Class One.
"In order to better display your strength, Teacher Wu and I requested from the Academy that this class's internal selection match be held as a real combat sparring match in the Dueling Arena." Shen Yi looked calmly at the students as she announced this.
Everyone was stunned for a moment. Wasn't the match supposed to take place in a virtual space? That way, injuries or serious damage could be avoided.
A real battle?
The atmosphere in the classroom immediately turned strange.
Gu You sat silently, face calm as always.
Luo Guixing wore his usual gentle smile, but a closer look revealed he was quietly exchanging glances with Wu Siduo.
Yang Nianxia looked lazy as usual, while Xu Yucheng wore a gloomy expression that had contrasted with Luo Guixing's from the very first day of school. Zheng Yiran's eyes gleamed with a sharp edge as she locked her gaze on Ye Xinglan, like a venomous serpent ready to strike.
The rest of the students were largely excited. Win or lose, this was going to be a true clash of dragons and tigers. For them, the outcome mattered far less than the experience.
The Dueling Arena was the most frequently used facility at Shrek Academy. On ordinary days, it could be rented with contribution points for private matches. The arena was insulated to contain energy fluctuations, and always monitored by at least one seven-ring or higher healing-type Soul Master, ensuring timely treatment and safety.
When Class One arrived at the Dueling Arena, they saw a woman already standing atop the platform.
She wore a flowing sea-green dress, clean and elegant with an aura of vitality. Her appearance was beautiful and refined. Long, ink-green hair cascaded behind her.
She looked to be around thirty, her refined features glowing with serene maturity, and a gentle smile on her lips.
The moment Shen Yi and Wu Zhangkong saw her, they quickly stepped forward and bowed deeply.
"Your Grace."
"No need for all the formality. Please rise," the woman said with a warm smile.
Gu You immediately ducked out of view. He had a bad feeling something was about to happen.
But how could such a petty trick escape this woman's eyes?
She smiled but said nothing.
Xie Xie, meanwhile, was stunned. 'Your Grace'? That title could only be used for a Titled Douluo! Which meant this seemingly young and graceful woman was actually a powerhouse at the Titled Douluo level.
Even more shocking was the respect in Wu Zhangkong's cold eyes as he faced her—genuine and unrestrained. That spoke volumes about her prestige.
'Just how many Titled Douluo does Shrek Academy have?'
"Everyone, pay respects to the Holy Spirit Douluo," Wu Zhangkong said coldly.
"Greetings, Your Grace." All the students in Class One bowed together, Gu You included.
Yali smiled gently. "The Dueling Arena is meant for friendly sparring. But do your best—unleash your full potential to awaken your strength and grow. Well then, I'll leave the rest to you."
Her body floated gracefully to a tall chair near the arena's edge without the slightest hint of mortal weight.
Wu Zhangkong turned to the students. "This internal class selection will be conducted under the principles of openness, fairness, and justice. The class has been divided into seventeen teams. You'll be drawing lots to determine matchups. It's single elimination. Today, we'll determine the strongest team to represent our class against Sixth Grade Class One in four days. The secondary profession exchange will be handled by the class committee members. Now, begin the draw."
…
"First round, a bye goes to…"
(End of Chapter)
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