"Hello, classmates of Class A."
"I am Sun Qing from Class B. I wonder if I can make friends with you all."
A gentle and calm voice suddenly intruded into the small circle where Wang Zhong and the other three were.
What met their eyes was a peer with delicate features and handsome looks. He wore a bright smile, exuding a natural sense of closeness.
However, perhaps due to his smile, his eyes were narrowed into slits, making it difficult to gauge his thoughts and adding an air of mystery.
After thoroughly chewing the rice in his mouth, Wang Zhong exchanged a glance with Hu Lienna, Xie Yue, and Yan. He scrutinized the newcomer for a moment, then swallowed the food before slowly replying.
"Making friends, that's not impossible."
"However, on what basis do you think you can make friends with us!"
Wang Zhong rested his chin on his hand, smacking his lips and playfully staring at the other's face, trying to see what lay beneath that fake smile.
This attitude was not due to the arrogance of Class A looking down on others, but rather, they simply didn't believe anyone would approach them for friendship.
Especially between two opposing classes like Class B and Class A.
The rules and resource allocation methods at the Spirit Hall Academy were made crystal clear by the teachers in their first lesson.
Everyone knew that Class A possessed the most resources, while Class E had the least.
But if it was just stated, these newly admitted students wouldn't grasp the nuances.
Yet, after half a month of living there, everyone could clearly feel the almost perverted, extreme resource disparity within the academy.
Whether it was food, accommodation, or differences in teaching staff and learning environments, there was a significant gap between each class.
This terrifying inequality filled students in the lower-ranked classes with a suppressed anger.
Why!
They were all first-year freshmen, so why did they get to eat delicious food while they had to choke down cold, hard steamed buns? Why did they live in luxurious, private apartments while they had to cram into small, damp dormitories with many others!
Was it just because their innate soul power was higher than theirs!
Such anger and unwillingness filled every student's heart. They yearned for a channel, or rather, hoped to prove through a competition that they were no less than anyone else.
They deserved to enjoy what others enjoyed!
When they learned about the annual inter-class competition from the teachers, the covert conflicts between the classes had already begun.
Class B, being dubbed the closest class to the "holy land" of Class A, experienced even more intense competition than other classes.
If it were you, would you make friends with people who were already destined to be your rivals!
Other professions might, but soul masters, absolutely not!
Resources were the foundation of personal strength. No soul master would willingly give them up.
The smile on Sun Qing's face stiffened slightly. He hadn't expected Wang Zhong's words to be so blunt and so sharp.
"Yo, losing your composure already? That smile looks pretty ugly."
"And you still want to come here to gather information!"
Wang Zhong added another jab with a grin.
Sun Qing's smile vanished instantly, and his narrowed eyes slowly opened.
Similar to Hu Lienna's eyes, Sun Qing also had fox-like eyes. But unlike the captivating charm in Hu Lienna's gaze, his eyes were filled with malice and cunning.
"Class A's innate full soul power, I don't know about their actual strength, but I, Sun Qing, have certainly experienced your arrogance."
"I just wonder if you have the ability to hold onto that position."
Since his intentions were seen through, Sun Qing dropped the pretense of friendliness and stared coldly at Wang Zhong.
"Pfft!"
"Ha, ha, ha!"
Wang Zhong couldn't hold back and burst into laughter.
"Are you here to challenge me too?"
Sun Qing's brow furrowed deeply as he watched Wang Zhong's cheerful grin, his expression becoming a little flustered.
"You've already obtained your first soul ring!"
Wang Zhong didn't reply, but he stopped laughing, a playful smile still lingering on his lips.
Sun Qing's gaze darted around. Wang Zhong obtaining his first soul ring was completely outside his expectations.
Remembering his mission to gather information, Sun Qing gritted his teeth, his eyes hardening. No matter what, he had to know today the extent of Wang Zhong's strength and what his first soul skill was.
Otherwise, in the competition half a year later, their Class B would have no hope.
The advantage of innate full soul power was simply too great!
"No..."
"Alright, Sun Qing, that's enough! The difference in soul power at level four is so great that even if he doesn't use his soul skills, he can suppress you. You won't get any useful information."
A rough voice sounded from behind Sun Qing. A slightly burly young man placed a large hand on his shoulder, interrupting him.
The newcomer was an exceptionally sturdy young man. His upper garment clearly indicated he was a first-year student, but his physique and height far surpassed everyone present. His movements carried the imposing demeanor of a fierce tiger surveying its territory.
A resolute face, with a pair of ink-black eyes, surveyed Wang Zhong and the other three. The newcomer grinned, his expression full of arrogance and dominance.
"You guys can enjoy these last six months of Class A life!"
"In six months, Class A will have a complete change of personnel!"
"Innate soul power doesn't represent everything. The strength of one's martial soul and oneself is true power."
"And your martial souls are simply too weak!"
A tiger's roar echoed from behind the newcomer. There, a fierce tiger, entirely crimson, with flames burning around its body, let out a long, skyward roar. A terrifying pressure washed over them.
Hu Lienna, Xie Yue, and Yan all looked extremely serious.
Although they didn't know the origin of the newcomer's martial soul, the pressure it exerted was no trifle. His martial soul was quite formidable.
"Heh!"
With a cold snort, the newcomer, ignoring their reactions, directly pulled Sun Qing out of the cafeteria.
"Blazing Wild Tiger! He's the leader of Class B, Feng Yuansheng!"
At this moment, Xie Yue, with a grim expression, belatedly uttered the name.
"Xie Yue, you know him!" Wang Zhong asked, frowning.
"When the teacher was lecturing, he mentioned his martial soul. It's a powerful martial soul that mutated from an ordinary tiger martial soul, developing an extremely formidable flame ability."
"The teacher once said that if Feng Yuansheng doesn't meet an untimely end, he will definitely be among the titled douluos of the future!"
Listening to Xie Yue's words, which sounded like facing a formidable enemy, Wang Zhong clicked his tongue.
"Does the teacher really think so highly of him?"
"Wang Zhong, you absolutely cannot underestimate this Feng Yuansheng. In just half a month since enrolling, he has subdued everyone in Class B. That strength is no simple matter."
"And there are also rumors that his soul power has increased by one level in just these few days! His cultivation speed is terrifyingly fast."
"He will be the most formidable opponent to us holding onto our position in Class A."
Glancing at their serious faces, Wang Zhong grinned thoughtlessly, "Why are you so nervous? His gaze was locked on me the whole time. It's clear his target is me, and he won't bother you!"
"Relax!"
"Zhong!" Hu Lienna pouted, looking at Wang Zhong with a huff. This was what worried her the most.
Flame-type martial souls have a natural restraint over plant-type martial souls.
This restraint would reduce a soul master's combat effectiveness to less than seventy percent of their original power, or even less.
Wang Zhong was at a disadvantage from the very beginning.