After the flat-chested loli arrived, four more students made their way to the Integrated Studies Department’s academic building within the next half hour.
Among these four, Li Heng was familiar with two of them: one was Bao Yaoyao, and the other was Yang Rong, whom he had met at the South City Gate.
Li Heng had no impression of the remaining two male students and didn’t recall seeing them at the South City Gate.
As Bao Yaoyao arrived, she was munching on buns and pastries. She seemed a bit slow to catch on to Wen Muyi’s "test." She even asked if the others had eaten breakfast yet, offering that she had several more steamers of buns in her Space Stone.
As for the other students who arrived, Wen Muyi simply had them assemble and said nothing more.
And so, including Li Heng, only six first-year students from Meteor University’s Integrated Studies Department showed up for the first class!
Once all six students had arrived, Wen Muyi had them follow him to begin their first class.
"Dean Wen, for this first class... just the six of us, isn’t that a bit inappropriate? If the other students find out... I heard from Teacher Wen yesterday that she notified students from two whole classes."
It was Yang Rong who had spoken up with the question.
After Yang Rong spoke, everyone except for Li Heng and Bai Shasha turned to look at him.
Sensing that his tone might have been inappropriate, Yang Rong quickly added, "Of course, I don’t mean to question you at all, Dean Wen. I’m just curious—where will the other students have their class?"
Upon hearing this, Wen Muyi showed no displeasure, simply offering a detached reply.
"A class personally taught by a Half-Step Soul Venerable is only for students who know how to cherish an opportunity. As for those other students you mentioned... they are not worthy of attending my class!"
Wen Muyi’s tone was calm, and his words were few, but the effect was absolutely stunning!
Everyone froze for a moment, then all eyes snapped to Wen Muyi.
A Half-Step Soul Venerable!
Li Heng, too, stared in surprise at the somewhat disheveled, middle-aged Dean Wen before him.
Above the rank of Soul Energy Grandmaster was Soul Energy King, often shortened to "Soul King" among Soul Masters. And above Soul King was the Venerable of Soul Energy, or "Soul Venerable" for short!
According to an official regulation from the Soul Energy Alliance, any undergraduate from a Soul Energy University who reached the Soul Warrior realm could take the Alliance’s "civil service exam."
Those who passed could work for the Soul Energy Alliance, though the exam’s difficulty naturally varied depending on one’s realm!
Under the Alliance’s regulations, a Soul Energy Grandmaster could take the city-level exam and, if they excelled, could be appointed to a position as high as city mayor!
Becoming a Soul Energy Grandmaster was the ultimate dream for countless students, an ambition they’d held since childhood.
For most students, a Soul Energy Grandmaster was also the highest-level Soul Master they would ever encounter in their daily lives.
They only began to learn about the realms beyond Soul Energy Grandmaster after enrolling in a Soul Energy University.
A Half-Step Soul Venerable... in other words, a Soul Master a full step above a Top-tier Soul King. Such a level of power was something these students normally wouldn’t even dare to imagine.
But now, an expert of that very realm, one they wouldn’t dare to even imagine, was standing right before them—and he was going to be their teacher!
Yang Rong didn’t need to think twice. The moment the realization hit him, he clamped his mouth shut and didn’t dare offer any more clarifications.
’Are you kidding me? Personal guidance from a Half-Step Soul Venerable? That’s something I wouldn’t even dare to dream about. It’s an opportunity money can’t buy, no matter who you beg.’
None of the students present were idiots; they all understood what being a Half-Step Soul Venerable meant.
Never mind what they might actually learn; just attending this class would give them serious bragging rights later.
After all, being able to say you were "a student of a Half-Step Soul Venerable" was a level of prestige not just anyone had. It was a major boost to one’s reputation.
In an instant, the minds of the six students present began buzzing with excitement.
Li Heng didn’t know what the other students were thinking. As for himself, he was indeed surprised to hear that Wen Muyi was a Half-Step Soul Venerable, but only because it contrasted so sharply with the man’s disheveled appearance. The rank itself, however, seemed perfectly normal to him.
Wen Muyi’s mention of being a Half-Step Soul Venerable reminded Li Heng of a minor incident. When he had previously entered the Ancient Dust Continent Dungeon to participate in the Hundred Flowers Assembly, he had encountered two "Soul Saints."
’I almost forgot about that. I should find a snowy mountain when I get the chance. Guidance from a Soul Saint should be quite rewarding, right?’
Li Heng recalled the guidance the elderly Soul Saint had given him, but he kept the thought to himself, his expression remaining nonchalant.
After a moment of adjustment, however, Li Heng did start to feel some anticipation for the lesson that Dean Wen Muyi, the Half-Step Soul Venerable, was about to teach.
"During your freshman year, I only teach one class. Therefore, today is the first and last class I will personally teach you this semester."
As if he had already anticipated their reactions, Wen Muyi gathered the six students and began his pre-class remarks, simultaneously informing them of his "schedule" for the semester.
The students had varied reactions upon hearing about Wen Muyi’s schedule, but they quickly composed themselves.
After all, he was the dean, and a Half-Step Soul Venerable to boot. A "teacher" of his stature wouldn’t be available to teach them every day; he surely had far more important matters to attend to.
So, the students didn’t say anything, instead waiting for Wen Muyi to continue. They were all curious as to what kind of lesson a Half-Step Soul Venerable dean would give.
Wen Muyi didn’t keep them waiting long before posing a question. "Meteor University is built within a semi-explored secret realm. This was made very clear to you on your first day. So, do you know... what is the most important thing for exploring and surviving in such a place?"
...
Following Wen Muyi’s question, the six students fell silent once more. The silence didn’t last long, however, as Yang Rong, after a moment of thought, was the first to answer, "The timeliness of information?"
Wen Muyi shook his head.
More answers followed, but Wen Muyi shook his head at each one. After four students had tried and failed, he turned his gaze to the flat-chested loli and Li Heng, awaiting their responses.
Li Heng was still trying to formulate a suitable answer when the flat-chested loli beside him glanced at him first, then met Wen Muyi’s eyes and spoke. "Strength! Overwhelming strength!"