"Is it really possible?" Ning Tian stood up excitedly, instinctively grabbing Lin Yun's hand.
Xiao Xiao, still nestled in Lin Yun's embrace, frowned slightly at Ning Tian's action.
She's still in my boyfriend's arms, and now she's holding his hand right in front of me? Is she trying to cuckold me right here?
Meanwhile, Wu Feng, standing to the side, nearly lost her composure. Even if she understood why Ning Tian was so excited, her fiery nature made it impossible for her to stay calm.
Regardless of what Xiao Xiao and Wu Feng were thinking, Ning Tian clung tightly to Lin Yun's hand, her eyes burning with desperate hope.
"If… if you can give me that immortal herb and help my martial soul evolve into the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda, the Nine Treasure Glazed Sect will give you anything you want in return!" Ning Tian said earnestly. "Gold soul coins, soul bones, rare metals, or any other treasures—as long as our sect possesses it, it's yours!"
"And if you want me… I…" Ning Tian's face flushed red with shyness. "I can do anything to make you happy!"
I'll play any little game you want~
That was the unspoken part, but it was already written plainly on her face.
Lin Yun hadn't underestimated Ning Tian's desire for the Nine Treasure Glazed Pagoda. For the sake of reaching the Nine Treasures realm, she truly was willing to do anything—just like any Seven Treasure Glazed Pagoda soul master would, perhaps even more fanatically.
And that was exactly what Lin Yun wanted.
Wu Feng's face, however, had turned slightly green. Not just her face—she felt an inexplicable weight on her head, as if she had been crowned with a certain metaphorical headwear she had gifted herself.
Xiao Xiao's stunningly beautiful face darkened completely, her narrowed eyes fixed on Ning Tian like daggers.
Case closed. These two really are backstabbing fake friends.
Ignoring the strange reactions from Xiao Xiao and Wu Feng, Lin Yun didn't directly answer Ning Tian's question. Instead, he spoke meaningfully, "It's about time. Teacher Mu should be here soon. Isn't today the advancement exam?"
Ning Tian instantly caught on and smoothly replied, "You're right. Teacher Mu will probably arrive any minute. By the way, Yun-ge, are you free after the exam? Maybe we can go out to celebrate together?"
The two exchanged a knowing smile before sitting back down in perfect sync.
Because right after Ning Tian finished speaking, Mu Jin appeared at the classroom door, stepping gracefully inside in her high heels.
"Students, it's been a whole vacation since we last met. I hope you all had a good break?" Mu Jin's smile was warm, her tone as natural as if she were chatting with friends.
A month apart hadn't changed Teacher Mu Jin at all. The familiarity of her presence immediately eased any sense of distance, and the students quickly relaxed, answering her with a mix of voices.
"I had a great time, thank you, Teacher Mu!"
"We trained hard during the break, Teacher Mu! You won't be disappointed in our performance during the advancement exam!"
"..."
Mu Jin listened to their chatter with a patient smile, not showing a hint of impatience. Only when the students had mostly finished did she clap her hands lightly, signaling for silence.
The students obliged immediately—the noisy classroom fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop.
That was the charisma of Mu Jin. No one could harbor ill will toward her. Instead, they respected her deeply as their teacher.
If it had been Zhou Yi, that old hag, the situation would've been completely different. Aside from throwing her weight around and threatening expulsion, almost no one genuinely respected her. Most students only obeyed out of fear.
"I'm glad you all enjoyed your vacation. As your teacher, that makes me happy." Mu Jin smiled. "I also have full confidence in your training. I believe every student in Class One will pass the advancement exam and continue learning with me for another year."
After speaking, she turned toward the door and gave Wang Yan a slight nod.
Wang Yan returned the gesture with a smile, stepping up to the lectern and adjusting his glasses. "Teacher Mu has already said everything I wanted to say, so I'll skip the formalities and get straight to the point."
If one ignored Wang Yan's somewhat warped reverence for Shrek Academy's glory, he was actually a decent person—kind, responsible toward his students, highly professional in teaching, and even humorous enough to make his lessons engaging.
But alas, he was still a victim of Shrek's brainwashing. He probably valued Shrek's honor more than his own life.
"I assume you've all prepared in advance. Today is the first day of the new term, but it's also the day of your advancement exam. Please leave the classroom in an orderly manner and proceed to the Beast Fighting Arena for your assessment," Wang Yan continued. After nodding at Mu Jin, he was the first to step out of the classroom.
"You've all heard Teacher Wang. Starting from the first row, exit the classroom in order and head to the Beast Fighting Arena!" Mu Jin clapped her hands, raising her voice slightly.
The content of the advancement exam varied by class.
Classes One and Two, as combat-oriented soul master classes, would face a practical exam in the Beast Fighting Arena—fighting soul beasts ranging from hundred-year to thousand-year levels. Meanwhile, Classes Three and Four, consisting mostly of non-combat support-type and food-type soul masters, had different assessment criteria.
By the time Lin Yun stepped out of Class One, two long lines had already formed—one for Class One and another for Class Two.
As a member of Class One, Ning Tian would likely need to assist another soul master in battling a soul beast, with her performance being graded accordingly.
And unsurprisingly, her teammate would be Wu Feng.
"Xiao Tian, your advancement exam will go like this—if you choose to team up with Wu Feng, your assessment will be treated as a joint effort, but the grading teacher will evaluate each of you separately based on your individual performances," Mu Jin explained, walking at the back of the group alongside Lin Yun and the others.
"I understand, Teacher Mu," Ning Tian nodded slightly.
Once Ning Tian acknowledged the instructions, Mu Jin turned to Lin Yun with a smile. "Xiao Yun, how about you go first for our class?"
"Of course, no problem. Just watch me, Teacher Mu." Lin Yun grinned.
Fighting soul beasts?
What a flexible exam format! Lin Yun could hardly wait to put on a spectacular show and teach them what the Beast Taming Sect truly represented!
The reason Mu Jin wanted Lin Yun to go first was simple—he was the strongest in Class One, making him the perfect candidate to set the tone.
Even within the same grade, students from different classes engaged in subtle rivalries. Mu Jin intended to use this advancement exam to firmly establish Class One's dominance.
(End of Chapter)
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