In the front of the fourth-year class, Yue Shan, hearing the conversation of the three, raised an eyebrow. He felt as if something was about to happen.
Meanwhile, Ying Yan Yang and Shuang Yue Lian, standing beside him, exclaimed in unison, "No way!"
Xia Xuan was in a state of confusion, constantly turning his head left and right like a curious baby.
"What are you all surprised about?"
Ying Yan Yang clasped his hands behind his back. As his gaze shifted, he suddenly recalled something. Nearly a year ago, Wang Zhong had once inquired about the Nether Cat spirit in the Star Luo Empire, specifically the fourth spirit ability of the Star Luo Empress, the Nether Shadow Clone, its effect, and its spirit beast origin.
At the time, he had simply thought Wang Zhong was curious and wanted to learn more, not thinking of anything else. But now, combined with the conversation of the fourth-year students, Ying Yan Yang had a startling and whimsical guess.
"Wang Zhong, that little fellow, wouldn't be planning to challenge all five of them, would he!"
"If it's not that, I can't possibly imagine why he would ask about shadow clones! Even if that kind of shadow clone were obtainable, it would be completely useless in a team battle."
A shadow clone that could only exist for a few minutes and whose strength was at most eighty to ninety percent of the original, fighting in a team battle, was simply a joke!
"Yan Yang, you're not thinking what I'm thinking, are you!" Shuang Yue Lian glanced at Wang Zhong, who was descending from the high platform, and then at the five students from Class A of the fourth year, her expression peculiar.
"It must be the same thing!"
"Moreover, that little fellow has never mentioned this matter to anyone. At least Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan are unaware of it. Si Qianyi and the others haven't spoken of it either."
Ying Yan Yang nodded with a frown. In the past year of teaching, he had never seen any unusual behavior from Hu Liena and the other two regarding this matter. Hu Liena's diligent and arduous cultivation was for Wang Zhong; he knew this very well.
Otherwise, she wouldn't have surpassed her brother Xie Yue by a whole level. Achieving this when their talent was similar at the same age was indeed very difficult.
His gaze swept over Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan in Class A of the first year not far away. Recalling the matter they had discussed a few days prior, the shock he felt had not yet subsided.
Hu Liena's spirit had evolved into the Nine-tailed Celestial Fox, just like Wang Zhong's. Yan's spirit had evolved into the Flame Monarch. Xie Yue's spirit, outwardly, seemed unchanged, but that was only on the surface; the sharpness and hardness of his Moon Blade spirit had increased by several tens of times!
The cause of all this was the three immortal herbs Wang Zhong had gifted to the three of them.
Of course, given Wang Zhong's nature of treating those who were good to him well, Ying Yan Yang had also received an immortal herb that day. However, he had not accepted it, forcefully pushing it back into Wang Zhong's hands.
And he had warned Wang Zhong in an extremely serious, solemn, and even commanding tone to hide those immortal herbs well! Not to let anyone else know about them!
Although immortal herbs were rare and no more than a hundred people on the continent recognized them, anyone who did understand how precious they were – things more coveted than spirit bones.
Spirit bones could enhance a spirit master's strength, but immortal herbs could strengthen the foundation and change a spirit master's talent. Even if one couldn't use them personally, if they were passed down to descendants, they could elevate their descendants' potential by several tiers! Reaching Title Douluo, Super Douluo, or even Limit Douluo in the future would not be a problem!
These seeds, akin to the future hope of a family or sect, were something no power would dislike having more of!
If the matter of the immortal herbs were exposed, Wang Zhong would be in even greater danger.
"Little fellow, I've received your sentiment. If it were before I set the five-year challenge with you, I would have accepted that immortal herb."
"But now, I'm not qualified to accept it!"
"You can selflessly offer such precious things as gifts, yet I cannot hand over that hundred-thousand-year left arm spirit bone to you, because I truly need it."
"As a teacher, I am a failure, but you, as a student, are worthy of me! This teacher is proud of you!"
His gaze fixed on Wang Zhong, who had already descended from the high platform and was standing in the center of the arena, Ying Yan Yang's lips curved slightly, revealing a smile full of relief at this moment.
To have his teacher's feelings in his heart was the greatest affirmation for Ying Yan Yang as a teacher and his guidance!
Looking at Wang Zhong, who stood in the center of the arena, arms crossed, staring ahead, Lu Xiao Shuang inexplicably felt that the scene was somewhat familiar.
"I think I've seen this scene before!"
Lu Xiao Shuang rubbed his temples. Wang Zhong's posture and movements evoked too strong a sense of déjà vu.
However, an even stronger sense of déjà vu was yet to come. Wang Zhong stood on the arena and beckoned with his index finger towards the fourth-year Class A.
"Hiss, this kid, he's got some nerve!"
"Half a year after enrollment, he challenged the second years. The latter half of the year, he challenged the third years. In his second year, he didn't challenge the fourth years! In two years, does he want to fight everyone in the academy's Class A?"
Lu Xiao Shuang's scalp tingled. The fourth year had monsters at the Soul King level.
Which one was he challenging!
Not just him, but also Yu Fei Xue, Rou Yu Zhu, Dian Hao, and others beside him were greatly shocked by Wang Zhong's actions. For such a person, being audacious was an understatement.
It was extreme confidence in his own talent and absolute self-assurance in his strength that allowed him to challenge those who were several, or even dozens of times stronger than himself, with such fearless attitude.
At the edge of the arena, the students and teachers who were mere spectators on the plaza froze for a moment.
Just like Lu Xiao Shuang, they too felt that the scene before them was very familiar.
"Last year, when Wang Zhong challenged Lu Xiao Shuang, wasn't it exactly like this?"
"Yes, I didn't even blink at the time. I can guarantee it was exactly this scene, no difference in expression or action."
"Wang Zhong is challenging the fifth years? How old is he now?"
"Eight years old?"
"What were you doing when you were eight? I was still desperately trying to break through to Soul Grandmaster, wanting to obtain my first spirit ring!"
"Me too."
"Me too."
"Is this guy even human?"
...
In front of Class A of the fourth year, Yue Shan's mouth twitched. He asked the five people behind him, "Which one of you has provoked that little fellow?"
"Why is he looking at you with that expression and posture!"
Si Qianyi's eyebrows twitched wildly. Shangguan Lan You's expression was peculiar. The sisters Luo Pian Ruo and Luo Wan Ru exchanged glances, while Zhan Sheng had an expression of "You dare."
The five of them looked at each other and then shrugged simultaneously, walking towards the arena. In unison, they said, "Teacher Yue, you're mistaken!"
"It's not that one of us provoked him, but rather that the five of us issued him a challenge a year ago!"
"Today is simply the day to fulfill that promise!"
The five stepped onto the arena together. Their movements subtly followed a certain pattern, and with each breath, their spirit power and their vital essence were connected in a peculiar state.
When the five reached the opposite side of Wang Zhong, Si Qianyi stood at the forefront, Shangguan Lan You on the left, Zhan Sheng on the right, and finally the sisters Luo Pian Ruo and Luo Wan Ru. After the five took their positions, in Wang Zhong's eyes and perception, they had become a single entity. Their breathing, spirit power fluctuations, vital essence, and spirit states were all tightly connected, forming an impregnable whole!
"Where are your teammates?" Si Qianyi asked with confusion.
Even as she spoke, their impregnable collective state remained unbroken.
"No, I alone am enough!"
Wang Zhong said with a smile, uttering the most confident and arrogant declaration.
I, alone, can defeat you!
Even if you are known as the academy's strongest combat team, undefeated to this day, I, Wang Zhong, can still defeat you alone and shatter that so-called invincibility!
The entire plaza fell into absolute silence the moment Wang Zhong spoke.
At this moment, they all began to doubt their own ears. One against five! And the academy's strongest five-person team!
Had Wang Zhong gone mad, or had their ears malfunctioned!
"Is this a joke?..."
This was the shared sentiment of everyone in the plaza.