Douluo Dalu 2: Peerless Gu master

"My name is Mu Jin, and I am your class teacher. I know that each of you has passed the assessment and earned your place as a student of Shrek Academy. Among your peers, you are undoubtedly the elite. It's a pleasure to meet you, little geniuses."

Hearing the praise from their teacher, most of the students couldn't help but feel a sense of pride.

After all, if they weren't gifted, how could they have reached level 15 or higher before the age of 12?

From the moment their martial souls awakened, soul masters were divided into different tiers, and these students stood at the pinnacle of their age group.

"However, don't mistake my kindness for leniency. If you think I'll go easy on you, you're sorely mistaken."

As soon as Mu Jin's tone shifted, a terrifying aura erupted from her body. A series of soul rings rose from her feet—two yellow, two purple, and two black. A six-ring Soul Emperor!

The overwhelming soul power pressed down on the students, leaving most of them feeling suffocated as if a python had coiled around their hearts.

The only exception was Huo Yuhao, who remained calm and composed.

Mu Jin's gaze swept across the room, lingering on Huo Yuhao for a moment before she retracted her aura and continued, "Shrek Academy has never lacked geniuses. Being a genius is merely the baseline for admission. What Shrek truly seeks are monsters—beings who surpass geniuses. That is the essence of Shrek."

She paused, letting her words sink in before delivering the next blow. "So, I must inform you of a harsh reality. Three months from now, during the freshman assessment, Shrek will eliminate more than two-thirds of its incoming students."

The room fell silent. The idea of eliminating over half of the freshmen was staggering.

The pride that had just swelled in the student's hearts was quickly replaced by solemnity. Their eyes flickered with shock, unease, and even fear.

Mu Jin seized the moment to motivate them. "I hope that, under my guidance over the next three months, you will push yourselves to the limit. Face challenges head-on, dare to surpass your limits and strive to become stronger. Remember, true strength lies in standing firm in the face of adversity. Do you have the confidence?"

"Yes!!" the students shouted in unison.

Huo Yuhao, however, remained unimpressed. 'It's a classic tactic—scare them first, then offer encouragement. But passing the freshman assessment and staying at Shrek won't be as simple as just talking. They're all so noisy. I'd rather focus on my training.'

Finally, the motivational speech ended, and the class began. Mu Jin called out, "Huo Yuhao, Ning Tian."

Huo Yuhao, seated by the window in the back row, stopped his cultivation and stood up slowly. At the same time, a blonde girl named Ning Tian rose from her seat in the middle of the room.

"I've reviewed your entrance examination results. Among all of you, Ning Tian is a level 31 Soul Elder, and Huo Yuhao is a level 27 Soul Grandmaster. Their cultivation levels far surpass the rest of you. Therefore, they will serve as the monitor and deputy monitor of Class Nine."

Mu Jin's words stirred the room. "Shrek Academy has always been a place where strength determines position. The role of the monitor is not fixed. If any of you can defeat them, you may take their place. However, since Ning Tian is an auxiliary-type soul master, anyone who challenges her will have to face Huo Yuhao instead."

The classroom erupted into chatter. "So, his name is Huo Yuhao? Handsome and strong!"

"Why isn't Huo Yuhao the monitor? I don't agree. She's just an auxiliary-type..."

"Hush! Ning Tian is from the Nine Treasures Glazed Sect. She's more than qualified."

"Honestly, Ning Tian isn't a bad choice for a monitor."

Though an auxiliary-type soul master had taken the spotlight, many students recognized the significance of her background and talent.

They understood what it meant to reach such a level at such a young age—both talent and resources were indispensable.

Ning Tian had arrived early that morning with Wu Feng, her long sleeves swaying gracefully as she moved.

Her charm and poise had already won over a small group of admirers in the class. If not for Huo Yuhao's striking appearance and calm demeanor, the class dynamic might have leaned entirely in her favor.

The female students gazed at Huo Yuhao with admiration, their eyes filled with appreciation and a hint of something softer.

Meanwhile, the male students, confident in their own abilities, eyed him with hostility, eager to test their strength against his.

After all, soul power level was only a rough indicator of strength. High soul power didn't necessarily translate to superior combat ability. Otherwise, what would be the point of battles between soul masters? They might as well compare soul power levels and declare a winner.

Huo Yuhao, however, wasn't particularly bothered by his role as deputy monitor. It meant fewer responsibilities and less trouble.

His primary duty would be to support Ning Tian, the auxiliary-type soul master, and act as her protector. He was fine with that—especially since an achievement task had appeared.

[Ning Tian] 

[Relationship: Acquaintance] 

[Achievement Task: Flower Protector]

The long-awaited achievement task was finally here, and it seemed relatively simple to complete. Huo Yuhao was satisfied.

But not everyone shared his contentment.

"Teacher Mu, I disagree!" Wu Feng stood up abruptly.

Ning Tian had been quietly observing Huo Yuhao since Mu Jin's soul pressure demonstration. His calmness under pressure and his impressive soul power level had caught her attention. She had already made up her mind.

'Don't blame me for taking an interest, Sister Nanmen. It's rare to meet someone who meets both my standards and strength requirements. I won't let this opportunity slip away.'

Wu Feng, who had been silently watching Ning Tian, noticed the subtle shift in her demeanor.

In all the years he had known her, this was the first time she had shown such interest in a member of the opposite sex. It ignited a fire of jealousy within her.

Avoiding Ning Tian's disapproving glance, Wu Feng declared, "Huo Yuhao, do you dare to fight me?"

The class buzzed with excitement.

"Fight!"

"I support Wu Feng!"

"That's right, Teacher Mu. Soul masters should settle things with strength!"

The students eagerly added fuel to the fire. Since Wu Feng had stepped forward, they were content to sit back and observe the outcome.

Some even speculated that Wu Feng, Ning Tian's close associate, was trying to put Huo Yuhao in his place and show him that the monitor position wasn't something he could easily claim.

"Very well, Wu Feng. I accept your challenge," Huo Yuhao replied calmly, then glanced at Mu Jin for approval.

Mu Jin raised her hand to quiet the class and tapped the podium with her lesson plan. "I agree. In that case..."

…

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