In the Class Four classroom for new students, all the students were already seated in their places.
Xia Yu walked into the classroom.
"Zhu Ziyang, come up here and post this list on the side of the blackboard," Xia Yu said, taking out a list and calling out to Zhu Ziyang.
Zhu Ziyang walked to the podium, took the list from Xia Yu's hand, and glanced at it, realizing it was a ranking of spirit power cultivation. He immediately saw his own name at the top and Jiang Nannan's name in second place.
As he was posting it, he roughly scanned the list and found that the gap between the one hundred students was significant. Excluding Zhu Ziyang, fewer than twenty students had spirit power above Level 20. Among them, only Jiang Nannan was at Level 25, while most were at Level 21 or 22, and a few were at Level 23 or 24. More students were at Level 18 or 19, such as Tang Ya, who had Level 19 spirit power.
"This list records the spirit power levels of all students upon enrollment. I hope that before the new student assessment, everyone's spirit power will increase by at least one level. Those who fail to meet this goal will not need to participate in the new student assessment and can leave directly," Xia Yu said.
His words shocked the students, who all showed worried expressions.
However, Xia Yu did not pay attention.
He continued, "This class is a practical class. As Spirit Masters, the only practical experience is combat. Therefore, in this class, and all future practical classes, you will all need to engage in combat!"
Xia Yu's words caused an uproar among everyone. Having just experienced the Spirit Fighting Arena competitions, they were still very sensitive about combat.
"Quiet!" Xia Yu said, and an oppressive aura immediately erupted from him. The classroom instantly became silent.
Zhu Ziyang also felt this pressure. He narrowed his eyes slightly. It seemed his homeroom teacher was more powerful than he had imagined. Such an oppressive aura might even belong to a Spirit Saint!
"Next, I will explain the relevant rules," Xia Yu said, satisfied after seeing the silence below. After retracting his oppressive aura, he continued, "Our class currently has one hundred students. Class Leader Zhu Ziyang does not need to participate in practical combat, leaving ninety-nine people. I will divide these ninety-nine people into 49 groups."
"This leaves one extra person. I have a recommendation slot for the Soul Tool Department. If anyone wants to learn spirit tools, they can tell me, and this slot will be given to them, which will also exempt them from practical combat."
"Is there anyone?"
"Teacher Xia, I want to go to the Soul Tool Department!" As soon as Xia Yu finished speaking, a boy immediately stood up and said. Judging by his excited look, he had clearly planned this long ago.
"Very good, Ling Xiaodong. Come to my office after class to fill out the forms," Xia Yu said happily, immediately addressing Ling Xiaodong.
"Yes, Teacher Xia," Ling Xiaodong replied.
"Forty-nine groups, two people per group, will fight each other. Once all groups have determined a winner, a second grouping will take place, again forty-nine groups, and they will fight again. In this way, for the first month, we will need to go through five rounds of combat!" After the interlude, Xia Yu paused, his expression extremely serious, and said, "I hope all of you remember what I am about to say. After the five rounds of combat are over, anyone who has not achieved a single victory will be expelled!"
"Ah!" All the students exploded, looking at Xia Yu in disbelief.
Xia Yu's oppressive aura reappeared, and everyone froze. He said, "As a new student class homeroom teacher, I have the right to directly expel students from my own class! Even the Dean's Office cannot interfere with a new student class homeroom teacher's decision! So, instead of complaining here, you should be thinking about how to improve your combat abilities. The standard I've given you is already very low, I hope you don't push your luck!"
Except for Zhu Ziyang, Jiang Nannan, and a few others who were confident in their strength, the other students were silent with fear, their expressions grim.
"Very good," Xia Yu said, satisfied with the students' reactions. "I have already arranged the first round of groupings. Zhu Ziyang, come up and announce the groupings, and then be responsible for recording the wins and losses of each student."
"No problem!" Zhu Ziyang stood up upon hearing this and, amidst the envious and jealous gazes of his classmates, walked to the podium.
He took the list from Xia Yu's hand, scanned it, and began to announce, saying, "Group One: Jiang Nannan, Li Yue."
Jiang Nannan's eyes below flickered slightly, while the girl named Li Yue's eyes sharpened as she looked at Jiang Nannan, as if she could no longer wait.
"Group Two: Lin Ziwei, Luo Tianyou. Group Three: Wang Qiao, Zhang Yiqing. Group Four... Group Forty-nine: Shi Zijian, Zhang Zhao."
As Zhu Ziyang read out the names, the atmosphere among the students gradually grew tense, and their gazes at each other were filled with ill will and hostility.
It is worth mentioning that in the groupings arranged by Xia Yu, no roommates from the same dormitory were put in the same group. Clearly, he also did not want his class to be full of mutually hostile enemies.
After all the groupings were announced, Xia Yu spoke again, "I need to remind you of a few points."
"First, absolutely do not collude with each other. Once I discover it, both of you will be expelled simultaneously!"
"Second, do not carry the outcome of the match into the aftermath. If anyone harbors resentment because of a loss and retaliates against the winner afterward, if I find out, I will make you regret ever coming to Shrek Academy!"
Xia Yu's last sentence was filled with murderous intent. Behind him, two yellow, two purple, and three black spirit rings, seven in total, rose up — a Spirit Saint!
He really was a Spirit Saint!
Below them were all Spirit Masters and Spirit Grandmasters of levels one to twenty. Facing the Spirit Saint's oppressive aura, they couldn't move at all. The dissatisfaction they had felt due to Xia Yu's arrangements instantly vanished. This was a Spirit Saint! And a Spirit Saint from Shrek Academy!
Zhu Ziyang was closest to Xia Yu and felt the greatest pressure. He mobilized all his strength, resisting with all his might, barely managing to steady himself and avoid embarrassment. Even so, his forehead was still covered in fine beads of sweat.
Xia Yu's peripheral vision caught a glimpse of Zhu Ziyang. Seeing that he could actually withstand his oppressive aura, he was surprised but also very satisfied. He retracted his spirit rings and oppressive aura, waited for a moment, and then said, "Very good, you have three minutes to ask questions."
"Teacher, why doesn't Zhu Ziyang need to participate in the practical combat?" As soon as Xia Yu's words fell, a boy immediately stood up and questioned.
"You're Luo Tianyou, right?" Xia Yu didn't answer Luo Tianyou's question immediately, but instead said, "I like your defiant attitude, because only then can it ignite your will to compete!"
Luo Tianyou? Zhu Ziyang's eyes flickered. He remembered that name; he was one of only three Level 24 Spirit Grandmasters in the class.
"Why doesn't Zhu Ziyang need to participate in practical combat? I can tell you clearly, he doesn't need to," Xia Yu said with a slight smile. "I think, as a Level 35 Spirit Elder, Zhu Ziyang wouldn't want to bully a group of Spirit Masters and Spirit Grandmasters, right?"
Zhu Ziyang remained silent. However, the students exploded into an uproar, all casting gazes of admiration, shock, and curiosity at Zhu Ziyang. They were the same age, so why was he so outstanding?
No one else raised any questions, and Xia Yu said, "No more questions? Alright then, everyone, leave the classroom now and gather in the open space in front of the teaching building."
Everyone stood up and walked out of the classroom in an orderly fashion, with Xia Yu and Zhu Ziyang walking at the back.
"Good boy, you've given me hope for a bonus!" Xia Yu said with a happy smile, patting his shoulder.
"Uh!" Zhu Ziyang didn't know what to say for a moment.