All the students in the class turned their gazes toward Liu Yuan.
A storm of shocked discussion erupted instantly.
"A… a Fifth-Rank Soul Engineer? Did I hear wrong, or did Ke Ke miscount?!"
"My god! How is that even possible?!"
"Didn't Liu Yuan only start learning spirit tool crafting last semester? I remember it clearly!"
One student's voice trembled with disbelief.
"That's right! One semester—and one break!"
"From a complete beginner to a Fifth-Rank Soul Engineer?!"
"What kind of insane speed is that?!"
---
Why They Were So Shocked
Because this was the Sun Moon Royal Soul Engineer Academy, they understood better than anyone just how difficult it was to reach the Fifth Rank.
It wasn't just about talent.
It required vast theoretical knowledge, countless hours of practice, and an immense amount of resources.
Even here—at the continent's top academy for spirit tools—Fifth-Rank Soul Engineers were rare.
Many fifth- or sixth-year seniors spent their entire time in the academy just reaching the Fourth Rank—and that alone was considered impressive.
But Liu Yuan?
He had only been here for—
One semester.
Plus one break.
And he had already reached the Fifth Rank.
For a moment, envy, jealousy, disbelief, admiration, and confusion all mixed together, forming a turbulent storm of emotions in everyone's hearts.
---
"Nice Flex…"
Amidst the countless intense gazes, Xiao Hongchen nudged Liu Yuan with his elbow.
With a smile that was equal parts helpless and impressed, he whispered teasingly:
"Brother Liu Yuan, not bad. First day back and you've already made such a huge impression."
Liu Yuan spread his hands innocently.
"I didn't mean to."
That calm, almost too natural response made everyone around him grit their teeth in frustration.
---
Ju Zi Won't Let It Go
Ju Zi took a deep breath, barely suppressing the shock in her chest.
She wasn't buying it.
Grabbing Liu Yuan's arm, she pulled him closer and stared straight into his eyes.
"Stop dodging the question!"
"Tell us honestly—how did you improve so fast?!"
The moment she asked—
The entire classroom fell silent.
Everyone leaned in slightly, eyes burning with curiosity.
They all wanted to know.
What kind of secret cultivation method could create a monster like this?
---
Liu Yuan's Answer
Under countless eager gazes, Liu Yuan thought for a moment.
Then, in a completely sincere tone, he said:
"Well… I just kept practicing."
"And then the feeling came…"
"And I broke through."
---
Silence…
Dead silence.
Time itself seemed to freeze.
A few seconds later—
Every student's expression stiffened.
Then, slowly…
The corners of their mouths began twitching.
Fists clenched.
Teeth grinding.
Finally, someone couldn't hold it in anymore and snapped:
"Are those even human words?!"
What kind of explanation was that?!
Everyone here practiced every single day!
Why didn't they "feel it"? Why didn't they break through?!
A crushing sense of helplessness descended upon the class like a dark cloud.
The gap between people…
Was simply too big.
---
The Teacher Arrives
Just as the atmosphere was about to explode into collective outrage—
"Ahem."
A calm yet authoritative cough sounded from the classroom door.
Everyone froze.
Turning their heads, they saw their professional instructor—
Mr. Xuan.
"The teacher's here!"
In an instant, the entire class snapped into order.
Students scrambled back to their seats like startled mice, sitting upright with perfect posture.
Within seconds, the noisy classroom became completely silent.
---
Mr. Xuan's Reaction
Mr. Xuan walked calmly to the podium.
His gaze swept across the room before briefly pausing on Liu Yuan.
When he saw the five-star badge on Liu Yuan's chest, a flicker of astonishment and satisfaction flashed in his eyes.
Although he had already heard about it from Jing Hongchen—
Seeing it in person was still shocking.
This child… truly is a monster, he thought inwardly.
But outwardly, his expression remained calm and dignified.
---
The Announcement
With a soft thud, he placed his lesson plan on the podium.
"Students," he began in a steady voice, "I have an important announcement."
"Starting today, all regular theoretical and practical classes will be suspended."
A ripple of surprise spread instantly.
"In their place, the academy will hold a large-scale internal tournament—open to all years and departments."
The classroom erupted into murmurs.
Mr. Xuan raised his hand, silencing them again.
---
Purpose of the Tournament
"There are two purposes for this competition."
"First—to select the strongest students to represent our Sun Moon Royal Academy in the upcoming All-Continent High-Rank Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament."
"Second—to evaluate everyone's progress and ensure no one has grown complacent during the break."
---
Rules Explained
"To ensure fairness," he continued, "we will use the most direct method—"
"One-on-one elimination matches."
"Selection will begin within each class."
"After class champions are determined, inter-year battles will follow."
"Finally, the strongest students from all years will compete in a final ranking tournament to decide the official team."
---
Rising Ambition
By now, the students fully understood.
This wasn't just a competition—
It was a gateway to the continent's greatest stage.
Excitement surged.
Some students' breathing quickened, their eyes burning with ambition.
---
Doubts Arise
But soon, a more rational voice spoke up:
"Isn't this too harsh? We lower-year students have to fight seniors who've trained for five or six years… how can we possibly win?"
Many nodded in agreement.
---
A Different Perspective
But another student quickly countered:
"That's not necessarily true!"
"People like Xiao Hongchen, Meng Hongchen—and Liu Yuan…"
"They can't be judged by their grade anymore!"
"Even seniors might not be able to beat them!"
"Maybe they'll be the ones to bring glory to the academy!"
---
Realization
The moment those words were spoken—
Everyone froze.
Then realization dawned.
"That's right…"
"How could we forget them?"
All eyes once again turned toward Liu Yuan and the Hongchen siblings.
Especially Liu Yuan.
If it were him…
Then maybe—
Just maybe—
He could stand at the very top of the entire academy.
Even reach the top three.
It sounded unbelievable.
But now…
It no longer felt impossible.
-------------Author---------------
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