For a moment, silence filled the classroom. Everyone was shocked by Huo Yuhao's status as a Level Six Blacksmith. The questioning gazes vanished, and those defiant expressions were reined in. All that remained was shock, bewilderment, and an indescribable sense of awe.
Even the teacher, Shen Yi, was no exception; standing on the podium, a flash of surprise crossed her clear eyes.
Wu Changkong had only told her that Huo Yuhao's Forging level was definitely the highest in the class, but she truly didn't know exactly how high it was.
She had originally thought that since Huo Yuhao should be spending most of his time on Cultivation, it would be good if he could spare a bit of energy for Forging, making him a Level Four Blacksmith at most.
But she hadn't expected that he would give her such a "surprise" in the end; Huo Yuhao was actually a Level Six Blacksmith.
After a brief moment of surprise, Shen Yi quickly composed herself. She glanced at the dazed Yang Nianxia and said, "Yang Nianxia, sit down!"
Yang Nianxia sat down mechanically, his movements as stiff as a puppet's, with the shock from moments ago still lingering in his eyes.
Then Shen Yi's voice rang out again: "Alright, everyone follow me to the training ground."
As her words fell, the Students in the classroom all stood up instantly, preparing to head out. But at that moment, a voice suddenly called out, causing everyone to pause!
"Teacher, I don't need to participate, do I?" The voice was as calm as water, yet it clearly reached everyone's ears.
Everyone's gazes darted around the classroom, quickly locking onto the source of the voice: Huo Yuhao, who had just shocked them all with his Level Six Blacksmith status.
He just sat there quietly in the corner, his expression indifferent.
Huo Yuhao looked at Shen Yi and added, "I don't have much interest in being the class monitor either."
He spoke casually, but to the others, his words carried an unspoken implication—as if he would definitely become the class monitor if he were interested.
However, this time, even these geniuses who considered themselves second to none couldn't find it in them to raise any objection.
Shen Yi did not agree to Huo Yuhao's request.
She shook her head. "Even if you don't want to be the class monitor, you still have to participate in this training."
Shen Yi's gaze then swept over the Students before landing back on Huo Yuhao.
The corners of her mouth curled slightly with a hint of playfulness and expectation. "It's a good chance to let them see what a real monster looks like."
Once these words were spoken, the classroom fell silent for a moment. The weight of the phrase "real monster" sent a jolt through everyone's hearts.
Since Shen Yi had put it that way, Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow and said nothing more. He stood up, ready to head to the training ground with the others.
However, as many Students looked at Huo Yuhao again, a flash of Battle Intent appeared in their eyes.
Shen Yi's provocation had worked. The name Shrek meant monster, and Shrek Academy's founding principle had always been to only admit monsters. So they wanted to see just how strong this Huo Yuhao, whom the teacher called a "real monster," actually was.
Then, led by Shen Yi, everyone walked out of the classroom, and the sound of messy footsteps immediately echoed in the hallway.
Having just arrived at Shrek Academy, they had no idea where the training ground Shen Yi mentioned was located.
This number one academy on the continent occupied a vast area with numerous teaching buildings and intersecting paths; newcomers could easily get lost, so everyone could only follow behind the two teachers, Shen Yi and Wu Changkong.
On the way to the training ground, Tang Wulin quickened his pace to catch up to Huo Yuhao and asked in a low voice, "Yuhao, do you really not want to be the class monitor?"
"Not interested." Huo Yuhao turned to look at Tang Wulin, a hint of a smile in his eyes. "Why? You want to?"
Tang Wulin smiled and shook his head. "In terms of strength, it wouldn't be my turn anyway."
As he spoke, his gaze naturally drifted toward Gu Yue and Na'er nearby. These two were each more of a Prodigy than the last. Although he had undergone the Awakening of his Blue Silver Emperor Bloodline and his Cultivation speed had increased significantly, he was still only a Level 39 Spirit Elder.
Facing these two Spirit Kings, Gu Yue and Na'er, he was self-aware enough to know he was no match for them.
"I want to be the class monitor!" At that moment, Na'er, who was beside them, suddenly shouted. Her voice was crisp and loud, echoing in the hallway with a touch of youthful flamboyance and unquestionable confidence, so quite a few surrounding Students looked over at her.
Gazes converged from all directions onto the silver-haired girl—some curious, some sizing her up, and some dismissive. However, many didn't take her seriously, thinking it was just the girl's own excitement.
After all, in their eyes, someone who hadn't even made it onto the Young Genius List naturally wouldn't be a powerful opponent.
Led by Shen Yi and Wu Changkong, everyone walked deep into the teaching building's corridors.
Finally, they were led into a spacious circular hall. The hall was vast, with a ceiling dozens of meters high, and the surrounding walls were covered in dense Soul Tool Formation patterns. The floor was made of smooth metal, reflecting the light from above so brightly that one could see their own reflection.
Shen Yi went to a section of the wall and, through some unknown operation, pressed her slender fingers against the wall a few times, her speed so fast it was a blur.
Then, the Soul Tool Formation on the wall suddenly lit up, blue light flowing like a giant spiderweb spreading across the hall.
The floor split open, and egg-shaped spherical objects slowly emerged from underground, lining up neatly in the center of the hall.
Then Shen Yi's voice came: "You all should have been to the Spirit Pagoda's Spirit Ascension Platform before. The training ground we're about to use is similar to the Spirit Ascension Platform; it's a Simulation, so you can go all out."
Her gaze swept over everyone with a touch of solemnity. "Now, enter the training pods!"
As her words fell, the doors of these spherical training pods on the ground opened one after another.
Everyone entered them one by one as required and buckled their safety belts.
When the pod doors closed, it was pitch black inside, so dark that one couldn't see their own hand. But soon, spots of starlight lit up inside, like the brightest stars in the night sky, twinkling in the darkness.
Everyone felt that it was similar to the feeling of entering the Spirit Ascension Platform at the Spirit Pagoda—the familiar sense of weightlessness, the trance as one's consciousness was drawn away, and the strange experience of the separation of body and spirit all followed.
As a wave of dizziness occurred, their consciousness blurred, as if they were falling downward or perhaps rising upward.
But soon after, everyone's consciousness cleared.
They opened their eyes and looked around; they were currently in a dense, great forest.
Sunlight filtered through the gaps in the leaves, mottled shadows swayed on the ground, and as a breeze blew, the leaves rustled.
Everything was so real, as if they were truly standing in a primeval forest.
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A/N:
5 Power Stones = 1 Extra Chapter
2 Reviews = 1 Extra Chapter
I hope all of you are enjoying this story so far. I would appreciate some Power Stones if you can spare any. Leave a review if you like the story. Thank you.