Shao Wentao glanced at Shi Yu a few more times, then smiled and praised, "I heard you had a three-move agreement with Xu Sanshi from the senior class and came out on top. Impressive."
"Just luck," Shi Yu replied modestly.
"It wasn't just luck. Any soul master would have had a hard time doing what you did," Shao Wentao commented.
Shi Yu responded with a polite smile and sat down.
"Bro, so you're the famous Shi Yu! You actually clashed with a senior soul master? That's seriously amazing!" The fat student gave him a thumbs up.
Shi Yu looked puzzled. "Has this story spread that much already?"
"Of course! Xu Sanshi is a big name in the outer courtyard. Mention the top students, and he's always in the conversation."
"And you had a public three-move agreement with him—over Jiang Nannan, no less, the most beautiful girl in the outer courtyard—and won. How could it not spread?" The fat student explained with admiration in his voice.
"Let's keep it low-key," Shi Yu waved it off, not wanting to dwell on the subject.
"It's your turn," he added, noticing Teacher Shao Wentao looking at The fat student
"Oh, right!" The fat student hurriedly stood up and said, "My name is Lin Lixuan. My martial spirit is the Brown Bear. I'm a level 24 Great Spirit Master."
After all 117 students had introduced themselves, only a few minutes remained in class.
"You should all start getting to know each other," Shao Wentao said. "Two weeks from now, I'll ask you to form teams of three. It's best to start preparing early for the freshman assessment a few months from now."
He was clearly invested in seeing his class perform well and hopefully take the championship. Helping his students build strong bonds early could give them an edge in the exams ahead.
"We also need to elect a class monitor and vice monitor. If you're interested, let me know. I'll write down the names and hold a class vote—the top vote-getters will be chosen."
With that, Shao Wentao dismissed the class and exited the room.
As soon as he left, the classroom's atmosphere relaxed. Everyone began chatting, and the once-quiet room quickly became lively.
Shi Yu had a sociable personality and easily joined a few conversations. Since it was the beginning of the semester and no one knew each other well yet, people were eager to mingle and make friends.
He managed to get to know a few classmates before the next period.
To his annoyance, most of the conversations somehow circled back to his three-move agreement with Xu Sanshi.
Shi Yu wasn't thrilled. To him, the matter was over and didn't need to be brought up again and again—it would only attract unwanted attention and stir up resentment.
The more people talked, the more likely Xu Sanshi would feel provoked and come after him again.
Shi Yu was sure Xu Sanshi harbored a deep grudge against him now, and who knew how he might retaliate?
There were two classes that morning. The second was taught by a different instructor, who specialized in teaching about soul beasts.
Shi Yu listened attentively. He was genuinely curious about soul beasts and eager to learn more. So far, his knowledge had only scratched the surface.
After all, there were tens of thousands of soul beast species in the world, and countless mysteries waiting to be uncovered.
In that one class alone, the teacher introduced ten different types of soul beasts, and Shi Yu felt like he had gained a lot.
As soon as the bell rang, he rushed to the cafeteria for work.
Now that the semester had officially begun, the number of students eating at the cafeteria had greatly increased, and so had the workload. He served food, washed dishes, and stayed busy until after 1 p.m. before he finally had time to eat.
"Working like this really isn't sustainable," Shi Yu muttered as he walked out of the cafeteria, tired.
The biggest issue wasn't the work—it was the pay. At this rate, it would take him ten years to pay off the debt he owed for acquiring his soul ring.
"You got any other ways to make money?" Jiang Nannan asked with a teasing smile as she walked beside him.
Shi Yu shook his head. Honestly, he had no better ideas right now.
"By the way, Senior Nannan," Shi Yu suddenly asked, "what do freshmen need to do if they want to learn how to make soul tools?"
In this era, soul guides were the future—and a real way to earn money.
"You're interested in soul tools?" Jiang Nannan looked him up and down.
"Even if I weren't in it for the money, I'd still be interested. Soul guides have great potential," Shi Yu replied seriously.
He was fascinated by them—offensive, defensive, utility types—it didn't matter. He wanted to try crafting them all.
"If you really want to study soul guides, you'll have to wait until next semester," Jiang Nannan explained. "The first half of the first year focuses on martial spirits and soul beasts. Department divisions don't happen until the second semester."
"Students who aren't that gifted with martial spirits and show more interest in soul tools are usually assigned to the Soul Guide Department."
"You've got strong martial spirit talent, so I wouldn't recommend diving fully into the Soul Guide Department. It's better to take a soul tool course as an elective when the time comes."
"Can't I start now?" Shi Yu asked, a little reluctant to wait.
"You can, but do you even have the time?"
"This semester is all about training and raising your strength. If your progress is too slow and you fail the freshman assessment, you'll get kicked out of Shrek Academy."
"Wouldn't it be a waste to get expelled just because you were distracted by a soul guide class?"
"That's why most students skip those courses during the first semester. Taking them could affect your assessment score."
"And you already have cafeteria work on top of everything. You won't be able to handle both," she warned seriously.
"Alright, I'll think about it," Shi Yu nodded, clearly weighing his options.
Back at the dorm, Dai Huabin was already napping.
Shi Yu tiptoed inside, took off his shoes, and climbed into bed to rest as well.
"Three-man team. Interested in joining us?" Dai Huabin suddenly asked from across the room.
Shi Yu blinked. He hadn't expected that.
"'Us'? Who else?" he asked, playing dumb.
"Zhu Lu. She has the Netherworld Spirit Cat—a top-tier martial spirit. She's already a level 26 Great Spirit Master. Between her and me, we're among the strongest in the class. You'd be joining a solid team," Dai Huabin said, sitting up straight.
Shi Yu also sat up on the bed, seriously considering the offer.
Team selection had to be based on overall strength. Zhu Lu and Dai Huabin were unquestionably top-tier among the freshmen, and teaming up with them would be a smart move.
The only real concern was whether they could get along.
"I'm only a level 10 Spirit Master. Won't teaming up with me be a disadvantage for you?" Shi Yu asked with a light smile.
"You forced a senior Soul Master to waste his soul skills and still couldn't be beaten in three moves. I trust your strength," Dai Huabin said simply.
"Thanks for the invitation. I'm willing to team up," Shi Yu replied, nodding. "But before that, I think it's important to make a few things clear. If we're going to work together, it's best to avoid misunderstandings later on. No one wants a team falling apart halfway."
Dai Huabin raised an eyebrow. "Like what?"