Chapter 99 – The Eve of the First Grade’s Decisive Battle
Eastsea Academy.
The hurricane struck Eastsea City this time with a suddenness, throwing the entire city into chaos. Stores were unable to do business, schools were unable to teach, and communications had been paralyzed. Every single department of the city’s administration was completely swamped with work.
The hurricane lasted a whole week. At its peak, it was even able to uproot large trees and bring about great destruction to the buildings.
Fortunately, it had now passed.
After the hurricane, Eastsea City appeared fresher than before. A thin mist created a veil in the air while sunshine sprinkled the earth. Occasionally, the two would combine to create a rainbow off in the clear horizon.
“What’s going on with that guy? He still hasn’t answered his communicator. Maybe the communicator ran out of power and we can’t get through to him anymore.” Xie Xie currently wasn’t in the mood to go outside and appreciate the beautiful scenery. He sat in the teacher’s building like an anxious cat on a hot tin roof.
The reason for his agitation was simple: he couldn’t contact Tang Wulin at all.
As the hurricane passed by, Xie Xie had been hard at work cultivating under the guidance of Wu Zhangkong and had been able to make a breakthrough. After making this breakthrough, the first thing he wanted to do was tell all of his good friends. Yet, who could have imagined that he wouldn’t be able to get through to Tang Wulin’s communicator.
More importantly, today was the day they returned to class yet Tang Wulin was still nowhere to be found. Xie Xie didn’t even know where he’d gone.
Returning to class also meant that the Class Promotion Tournament would resume after! Their opponent was the first grade’s class one, the class with the strongest new students in all of the academy’s history!
Tang Wulin, this guy, where the hell are you!?
“Do you know which workshop he’s in? Maybe we can go find him in the afternoon?” Gu Yue’s brows were creased and her eyes were full of worry.
Xie Xie forced out a bitter smile. “I don’t have much of an interest in forging, so how would I know where his workshop is? He even called me that day to specially explain that he would be staying at his workshop and he wouldn’t have any troubles there! But how come there still isn’t any news from him? Could it be that he actually forgot the time?”
Gu Yue’s expression was overcast and gloomy as she steadily said, “What do you know then? Let’s go over to the Blacksmith’s Association in the afternoon; maybe his workshop is registered with them.”
Xie Xie didn’t refute Gu Yue for once, but instead nodded his head and agreed. “That’s a good idea. Let’s go there later.”
Tang Wulin still hadn’t shown up to class, even as it was dismissed at noon. Xie Xie and Gu Yue went to find Wu Zhangkong before they quickly flew out of the campus, heading straight for the Blacksmith’s Association.
An hour later, however, they left the Blacksmith’s Association with gloomy expressions.
The Blacksmith’s Association’s reply had been very simple: any information regarding forging spaces registered with the association was confidential and could not be leaked out. It would only be possible if they had the approval of the government. Moreover, Tang Wulin’s information was on an even higher level of confidentiality than ordinary blacksmiths.
‘What do we do now? Should we ask Teacher Wu to apply for a government permit and then come back and ask?” Gu Yue asked Xie Xie.
Xie Xie laughed bitterly. “We don’t have enough time for that! It’s easy to get a government permit, but what we’re short on is time! Our request definitely wouldn’t be approved today while our match is tonight. I’m afraid it’ll be up to the two of us to win this battle. Wulin isn’t this type of unreliable person! He must have met with some problem that prevented him from coming.”
Gu Yue raised her head and revealed a sour expression. “We can discuss this after we return. Either way, let’s first have Teacher Wu apply for a government permit. It’s crucial that Wulin is there for our match.”
“En.”
“A government permit?” Wu Zhangkong stared at his two students, his originally ice-cold expression gradually thawing to reveal gloom.
Tang Wulin hadn’t gone to any of his classes at all and they weren’t able to find him anywhere.
“Alright then, you two hurry on back to class first. I will handle this,” Wu Zhangkong coldly said.
“Teacher, then will it just be us two in the match tonight?” asked Xie Xie.
Wu Zhangkong shot him a glance. “It’ll just be the two of you.”
“Yes.”
Xie Xie and Gu Yue returned to class with hearts full of worry and a sour mood. Although the difference between a two versus two battle and a three versus three battle seemed small, and that Tang Wulin was the weakest one among them, they were already accustomed to fighting as a team of three. Without Tang Wulin, it felt as though they were lacking something.
Their afternoon classes flew by quickly. Maybe it was because the week-long hurricane had stifled the students for too long, but when they were dismissed today, many of them gathered at the field. In fact, there were even some teachers present. They were all there to watch the match today.
“Have you heard? This year’s Class Promotion Tournament is full of prodigies! Class five has actually been having triumph after triumph and have already won three matches! Who knows if this dark horse will continue until the end, though.”
“Stop dreaming. Don’t you know how frightening this year’s class one is? They’re reputed to be the strongest new students in all of the academy’s history. Their class actually has three Soul Grandmasters with powerful martial souls! In comparison, the three participants from class five are merely one ringed Soul Masters. With a gap between their soul skills and soul power, they don’t stand even a chance. I really want to see how far class one can advance in this tournament. I heard that all of the classes in the second grade are presently feeling the pressure of a great mountain upon their backs. Hehe.”
Students continuously broke into discussion one after another while the teachers soon arrived in a group.
The teacher in charge of the first grade’s class four, Kong Hanwen, had his gaze stuck to the crowd the whole time, searching for something with a grim expression.
“Teacher Kong, what are you looking for?” The teacher in charge of class three, Ye Yingrong, suspiciously asked him.
Kong Hanwen answered, “I’m looking for that bastard, Wu Zhangkong. Isn’t he just too arrogant? I want to see if his students can truly prevail today.” Kong Hanwen held back a sigh within his heart. After all, his class had been beaten by Tang Wulin’s trio, meaning that he was now in charge of the lowest class of the grade.
Ye Yingrong let out a gentle sigh. “That’s right! This year’s class one is simply too powerful. I don’t think anyone in the second grade can face them either. Even the second grade’s class one only has two Soul Grandmasters right now. I think this year’s class one will definitely be able to battle all the way until the third grade in this tournament.”
Kong Hanwen sneered but remained silent. His purpose for coming today was to see how that Icily Arrogant Prince Charming’s face would look after his students lost.
“They’re here,” Ye Yingrong said in a hushed tone.
Kong Hanwen followed her gaze and sure enough, Wu Zhangkong stood with the rest of class five, looking towards the stage. Behind him were two of his impressive disciples, Xie Xie and Gu Yue.
What astonished Kong Hanwen, however, was that the pretty boy was nowhere to be found. He seemed to recall that the student’s name was Tang Wulin.
Right when Wu Zhangkong appeared with his class, an uproar began on the other side.
The students quickly parted to make a path.
A female teacher in her late twenties lead the way enthusiastically. She looked exceptionally similar to Ye Yingrong, with at least sixty percent of their features being the same. She was even a bit prettier than Ye Yingrong, but had an air of arrogance to her.
Following behind her were the highly acclaimed, most powerful new students of class one in recent history. Leading the class was a trio of three boys. On the left was the one Tang Wulin, Xie Xie, and Gu Yue had met previously, Wei Xiaofeng.
In the middle was a tall youth who seemed calm in comparison to Wei Xiaofeng’s arrogance. He had a maturity that surpassed that of his peers. On his other side was an extremely thin boy, as if he was made of only skin and bones. He carried an expression full of gloom and iciness. Even his aura was gloomy. In fact, he was so gloomy that no one walked behind him. It seemed that no one wanted to even approach him.
The two parties assembled on opposite sides of each other on the stage, waiting for the match to begin.
Ye Yingrong took brisk steps to the side of that female teacher and greeted in a soft voice, “Big sister.”