Chapter 17: If You Call Yourselves Geniuses, Then Prove It to Me
In this slightly subtle atmosphere, a series of crisp "da, da, da" sounds came from the direction of the front door of the classroom.
It was the sound of high heels tapping on the marble floor, approaching from afar, neither hurried nor slow.
The chatter was cut off as if by an invisible hand, quickly subsiding.
Everyone's eyes involuntarily turned toward the classroom door.
The next moment, a tall and slender figure appeared at the door and walked in with graceful steps.
It was a woman who appeared to be about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, wearing a well-tailored deep purple Teacher's uniform that outlined her mature and graceful curves.
Holding a folder in her hand, she walked onto the podium with steady steps, placed the folder gently on the desk, leaned forward slightly with both hands supporting herself on the tabletop, and her eyes slowly scanned every young and vibrant face below.
The classroom was so quiet that a pin drop could be heard.
Her red lips parted slightly, and her voice echoed clearly in the quiet classroom.
"Good morning, students. First, let me introduce myself. My name is Teacher. From today until the freshman assessment and re-assignment in three months, I will be your homeroom Teacher."
"Welcome to Shrek Academy, welcome to—class nine."
"However, don't get happy too early. Shrek Academy never accepts mediocre people. Two-thirds of the freshmen will be weeded out in the freshman assessment three months from now. In other words, perhaps only one out of every three people sitting here can stay."
"I know that all of you here might be famous geniuses in your hometowns, but remember, while you might be gold elsewhere, Shrek Academy is a palace of gold."
Hearing Teacher's words, some students couldn't help but frown, finding some truth in them, but more had expressions of complete indifference.
Just as she said, of those who could enter Shrek Academy to study, who wasn't a renowned top-tier genius in their hometown?
"I know some of you are unconvinced, but it doesn't matter; you will understand later."
Teacher looked at the expressions of all the students below one by one, pausing significantly near Lin Xuan's area.
Then, she no longer dwelled on the topic, reached out to open the folder on the podium, and her tone returned to its previous steadiness.
"Now, I will announce the candidates for the temporary Class Monitor and vice class monitor of Freshman Class Nine. This was initially drafted based on comprehensive evaluations in your admission recommendation letters, Soul Power levels, Martial Soul characteristics, and other information."
"Please note, this is only a temporary appointment. Whether you can ultimately hold onto this position depends on your own abilities."
She paused briefly, her eyes skimming the list, and said clearly,
"Temporary Class Monitor, Ning Tian. Soul Power level: thirty-one. Three-ring Soul Elder."
"Temporary vice class monitor, Lin Xuan. Soul Power level: twenty-nine. Two-ring Great Soul Master."
As her voice fell, there was a moment of silence in the classroom, followed by a "buzz" as discussions broke out everywhere.
Ning Tian and Wu Feng were both slightly surprised, but they immediately realized why.
The recommendation letters were prepared in advance, meaning the information on them was outdated.
Now, apart from the two of them and a few others like Tang Ya and Bei Bei, probably no one knew that Lin Xuan was already a Soul Elder.
The other students in the classroom were more shocked by Ning Tian's "level thirty-one Soul Elder" information.
An eleven-year-old Soul Elder!
This would be considered shocking anywhere!
Many eyes immediately focused on Ning Tian, filled with wonder, envy, and even awe.
As for Lin Xuan's "level twenty-nine," it seemed less prominent under Ning Tian's halo, but it was still enough to attract attention.
Many female students' gazes toward Lin Xuan became more passionate and curious; after all, in the Douluo Continent, strength is always an important asset for attracting the opposite sex.
However, the eyes of many male students became subtle, especially after hearing he was only "level twenty-nine."
"Only level twenty-nine? Although it's higher than me, aren't there quite a few in the class whose Soul Power has reached level twenty or above?"
"vice class monitor... doesn't that mean he can frequently interact with Class Monitor Ning Tian?"
"Soul Power level doesn't necessarily represent strength completely. Maybe his Martial Soul is special or his recommendation letter was well-written?"
Whispers spread among the boys, and their gazes toward Lin Xuan held less of the previous wonder and more defiance and eagerness to try.
The position of vice class monitor didn't seem out of reach, especially if it meant getting closer to the noble and impressively strong Class Monitor, Ning Tian... Teacher, who saw all the reactions below the podium, especially the little thoughts of the boys, clearly, had the corners of her mouth curl up imperceptibly into a meaningful smile.
This was exactly the effect she wanted.
She cleared her throat and raised her voice, which carried a clear provocative tone.
"I said just now, this is only a preliminary decision based on recommendation letters! Shrek Academy has always upheld the rule of 'the capable rise, the mediocre fall'!"
"If anyone has an objection to this appointment and feels they are more capable of the role, you can bring it up now!"
Her bright eyes swept across the room.
"The academy isn't afraid of your defiance; it's afraid you don't have the guts to stand up and prove yourself! Respect for the strong is the eternal law of the Soul Master World. Here, strength is the most persuasive language! Who has an objection?"
"I do!"
"Me!"
"Teacher, I think this should be reconsidered!"
"..."
Before her voice had even faded, almost simultaneously, eleven or twelve boys stood up in the classroom.
They were all excited, their faces full of defiance.
One tall and seemingly strong boy spoke out directly and loudly.
"Teacher, I think the candidate for vice class monitor should be reconsidered! What's so great about level twenty-nine Soul Power? Soul Power level doesn't necessarily represent actual combat ability!"
"Just as you said, who among us here isn't a genius? Why should he get to be the vice class monitor directly? I believe everyone should be given a chance to compete fairly!"
The other boys who had stood up also chimed in, their eyes burning as they looked at the podium or glanced at Lin Xuan, full of fighting Martial Soul.
The smile on Teacher's face became more pronounced; this was exactly the scene she had expected.
And Lin Xuan, sitting by the window in the back row, saw through Teacher's little scheme and the defiance, jealousy, and even the coveting of Ning Tian's position in the eyes of the boys who stood up.
He couldn't help but sigh helplessly in his heart; being a student wasn't peaceful either... Just as Teacher was about to announce a "competitive challenge," Lin Xuan slowly stood up from his seat.
"This student just said two things."
He pointed at the tall boy who spoke first. "One was right, and one was wrong."
The boy was stunned, and others showed confused expressions.
"The right one is 'Soul Power level doesn't necessarily represent strength.'"
"The wrong one," Lin Xuan's tone was flat and calm, "is 'who among us here isn't a genius.'"
He raised his head slightly, his eyes indifferent, looking down on everyone from above.
"All of you who think you are geniuses, come at me together. You say you're geniuses? Then prove it to me."
"Get past me before you say those words again."
After his words fell, the classroom fell into a dead silence.
A level twenty-nine Great Soul Master, facing a classroom full of geniuses, had issued a declaration of a one-against-many challenge!
Arrogant!
Too arrogant!
Almost everyone's first reaction was disbelief.
Even Ning Tian, Wu Feng, and his roommate Dugu Qing, who had some estimation of Lin Xuan's strength, couldn't help but cast stunned looks at him.
Ning Tian frowned slightly.
She admitted that Lin Xuan's talent was astonishing; an eleven-year-old Soul Elder was enough to look down on the vast majority of his peers.
But while a Soul Elder might be the strongest in this class, as the saying goes, 'many ants can bite an elephant to death'!
Furthermore, the gap between Lin Xuan and the other outstanding students in the class was nowhere near as exaggerated as that between an elephant and ants!
A one-against-three would likely be a bitter struggle requiring his full effort!
And looking at Lin Xuan's posture, he seemed... to really want to fight the other forty-plus people in the class all by himself?!
This was no longer confidence; it was simply madness!
Taking in the changes in everyone's expressions—the disbelief, the thought that he was crazy—Lin Xuan's expression remained calm.
Was this arrogant?
To himself, it was indeed outrageously arrogant.
But if you had tamed Mahoraga at seventeen, been ranked as a Special Grade Jujutsu Sorcerer, headed the Zenin Family—one of the Big Three Families—and looked down upon the entire jujutsu world... you would probably be even more arrogant than he is now.
The first day he's Careful S.O.S, and by the second day, he'll likely be Happy S.O.S.