"Who on earth is this Su Chen? Where did he pop out from? It's been almost a year, and we've never heard of such a badass in our class."
"No idea. Maybe he registered ages ago, never showed up at the academy until now."
"He's insane! Reaching first place on the Dragon Hidden Roll with a Foundation Establishment Realm cultivation—that's never happened in the history of East Wasteland Academy. Our worst introductory class has finally made a name for the academy this time."
The three girls were utterly shocked. After all, within East Wasteland Academy, the worst introductory class had always been invisible, a laughingstock in the eyes of every student.
"You three, stop right there. I have a question for you."
"What is it?"
Catching sight of students from other introductory classes, the three girls instinctively felt a notch below them. There was no helping it; everywhere you went, strength was the only language that mattered.
"What's the background of this Su Chen?"
Shi Xiaoman shook her head and said helplessly, "We'd love to know who this Su Chen is ourselves. We've never seen him, never even heard his name."
Utterly astonished.
Even students from the worst introductory class didn't know him—this Su Chen truly was a mystery.
Su Chen had captured first place on the Dragon Hidden Roll, sending shockwaves through the entirety of East Wasteland Academy.
Everyone was trying to find out who Su Chen actually was.
A Foundation Establishment Realm student from the worst introductory class had actually managed to make the Dragon Hidden Roll amidst the fierce competition.
As all the participants of the Dragon Hidden Roll returned to the academy, various pieces of information regarding Su Chen quickly spread far and wide.
Su Chen possessed a Sword Blood Wheel, was already in the Virtual Pill Realm, and acted like an absolute lunatic, seizing points everywhere he went. No one could stand against him.
Virtual Pill Realm?
A Virtual Pill Realm warrior who had only just entered the academy, and in the worst introductory class at that?
For a full day, East Wasteland Academy was filled with rumors about Su Chen. Even before stepping foot inside the academy proper, the lunatic Su Chen had already made a resounding name for himself.
The northwest corner of the academy.
This was the most remote area of the entire campus, where rows of neat, independent bungalows served as the dormitory for the worst introductory class.
Though called a dormitory, they were actually just simple bungalows. Compared to the dormitories of other classes, they were simply not in the same league.
Upon returning to the academy, Su Chen first went through the admission procedures and collected his point reward for taking first place on the Dragon Hidden Roll—a full thirty thousand points. Combined with the three thousand three hundred and thirty-three points he had won, he now possessed a total of thirty-three thousand three hundred and thirty-three points in his possession.
"Are you Su Chen?"
Before Su Chen could even search for his assigned accommodation among the rows of bungalows, he heard someone call out to him.
Glancing at the five figures walking toward him, Su Chen nodded and replied, "I am Su Chen."
"Ha! It really is you. My name is Qiao Hong, and these four are Liu Yu, Wan Niyun, Huang Qi, and Fang Jue. We're all from Introductory Class 22; the other four haven't arrived yet."
"Who says we haven't arrived?"
Just as her clear, oriole-like voice faded away, Xing Yingxue and three others walked over.
"Junior Brother Su, let me introduce them to you. This is Xing Yingxue, Fang Qing, Shi Xiaoman, and Ye Xuanguan. With you, our Introductory Class 22 now has ten people in total—easily the smallest class in the entire East Wasteland Academy."
The worst introductory class.
Also dubbed the trash class by the academy, because anyone who entered this class was, without exception, considered trash among trash. Their innate talent was abysmal, and their Blood Wheels were even worse. Once they failed to pass their evaluations, the academy would forcefully expel them.
"You must be Elder Brother Su?"
Fang Qing walked up to Su Chen, extended her right hand, and smiled cheerfully. Her appearance was quite refined, especially the two dimples that appeared when she smiled, making her look exceptionally cute.
Su Chen similarly extended his hand, shook Fang Qing's hand, and smiled. "Hello, Senior Sister Fang."
"Don't call me Senior Sister. Even though you just entered the academy, you're ranked first on the Dragon Hidden Roll and have made quite a name for yourself across the entire campus. If others heard you calling me Senior Sister, I'd die of embarrassment!"
Su Chen persisted, "I don't care what others say. In Introductory Class 22, you are all my seniors."
Everyone soon realized that Su Chen spoke very little and had an exceptionally pleasant demeanor, lacking the arrogance and haughtiness they had imagined.
In an instant.
The group crowded around him, talking over one another in a flurry of chatter. Within a short moment, they all hit it off, and Su Chen felt quite satisfied with this so-called worst introductory class.
"Good day, Vice Dean."
Inside the admissions hall.
Two instructors were organizing student files when an elderly man walked in. He had a plump body supporting a watermelon-like belly, hair as messy as a bird's nest that looked as though it hadn't been washed in ages, and he was currently gnawing on a chicken leg in his hand.
Nodding slightly, Qin Zhu walked up to the two instructors and said, "I heard that Introductory Class 22 has produced a lunatic who actually managed to snatch over three thousand points in the Dragon Hidden Tournament and even claimed first place on the Dragon Hidden Roll. Let me have a look at his file."
"Please take a look, Vice Dean."
Taking the data card, Qin Zhu read the detailed information regarding Su Chen written upon it.
Su Chen, hailing from the Su family of Panyou City. Sword Blood Wheel. At the Foundation Establishment Realm prior to entering the academy, he broke through to the Virtual Pill Realm after participating in the Dragon Hidden Tournament, and claimed first place on the Dragon Hidden Roll with an overwhelmingly tyrannical momentum.
Frowning deeply, Qin Zhu said with profound dissatisfaction, "What happened before doesn't matter, but now that he has broken through to the Virtual Pill Realm and secured first place on the Dragon Hidden Roll, why is he still assigned to an introductory class—and the worst introductory class at that?"
"Vice Dean, we already made arrangements earlier, but Su Chen was unwilling to enter the intermediate classes and stubbornly insisted on remaining in the introductory class."
What?
Qin Zhu was somewhat surprised.
Both instructors wore expressions of utter helplessness and bewilderment, completely defying all conventional logic.
Under normal circumstances.
Anyone who entered the academy to cultivate did so to climb higher; as the saying goes, water flows downwards while men strive upwards.
Anyone capable of entering the intermediate classes would jump at the chance—after all, the cultivation resources available to the two tiers of classes were worlds apart.
Yet Su Chen was an exception.
"Why does he insist on staying in the introductory class?"
"Vice Dean, he didn't explain. Do you think we should forcefully—"
Before the instructor could finish.
Qin Zhu waved his hand dismissively and chuckled, "Leave it be. Since he wishes to continue staying in the introductory class, let him be. However, remember this: his privileges and treatment must be identical to those of the advanced class students."
Advanced class?
The two instructors grew even more astonished, though they dared not ask any further questions. After all, the Vice Dean's status within the academy vastly towered over their own.
Furthermore, Qin Zhu was hailed by East Wasteland Academy as its premier Vice Dean, possessing a Peak Condensed Spirit Realm cultivation.
Dormitory.
Shi Xiaoman and the others spent a mere half-hour transforming the dilapidated courtyard into a spotless space. All the weeds had been completely cleared away, and under the blazing sunlight, it actually looked rather decent.
Su Chen quite liked this kind of environment—serene and secluded, free from the disturbance of others.
His ascent to first place on the Dragon Hidden Roll this time had been an unintended consequence; who would have thought that a mere three thousand plus points would be enough to conquer the Dragon Hidden Roll?
He had originally planned to participate in the Hundred Battles Tournament—not necessarily to contend for the Hundred Battles Roll, but rather to spar against Solid Pill Realm students. Unfortunately, whether it was the Dragon Hidden Tournament or the Hundred Battles Tournament, both only lasted for ten days.
"Junior Brother Su, the courtyard is all cleaned up. Let me tell you a bit more about the academy."
"Alright."
Everyone sat around a stone table. The rich, enticing fragrance of tea prompted Su Chen to pick up his cup and drain it in a single gulp.
Wan Niyun smiled and said, "Our East Wasteland Academy is a top-tier superpower across the entire East Wasteland. There are many places within the academy suitable for our cultivation, and you can also visit the Martial Pavilion, the Armament Pavilion, and other places to exchange points for anything you desire."
"Junior Brother Su, if you're looking for a place to cultivate, let me tell you this: the very first place you should go is the Myriad Beasts Tower. Rumored to have been established over countless years by various deans, vice deans, and instructors using countless suppressed fierce beast primordial spirits and souls as a supplement, anchored by a top-tier spiritual vein, it is a sacred ground for cultivation that offers immense benefits to students. The only catch is that the points required to enter the Myriad Beasts Tower for cultivation are simply exorbitant."
"How many points?"
Shi Xiaoman smiled bitterly and said, "One hundred points for a single day of cultivation. What's more, entering the Myriad Beasts Tower requires you to fight for your own spot."
One hundred points certainly wasn't much for students from other introductory classes, or even the intermediate classes. But for students belonging to the worst introductory class, it was an astronomical sum.
"There are many ways to earn points within the academy: hunting fierce beasts to extract their beast cores and trading them in at the academy, or engaging in wager matches. However, the academy explicitly stipulates that intermediate class students are strictly forbidden from forcefully extorting points from introductory class students. Anyone caught will be immediately expelled."
After listening to this.
Su Chen could easily tell that Shi Xiaoman and the others desperately longed to cultivate inside the Myriad Beasts Tower, but due to their empty purses, they could only dream about it without any hope of entering.
"I have some points on hand. If you're willing, we can go cultivate in the Myriad Beasts Tower right now. But before that, I want to take a look at each of your Blood Wheels."
Apart from Xing Yingxue.
The remaining eight students each released their respective Blood Wheels. In Su Chen's eyes, the grades of their Blood Wheels were indeed abysmally low, and all of them were trash Blood Wheels.
No wonder these eight ended up in the worst introductory class.
"Junior Sister Xing, where is your Blood Wheel?"
Shi Xiaoman giggled and said, "Let me share some good news with you all. Elder Sister Xing has already awakened a mutated Blood Wheel—the Heaven-Covering Skylark! This is a top-tier East Wasteland Blood Wheel. I bet there aren't a handful of people in the entire academy capable of suppressing Elder Sister Xing's Blood Wheel."
Upon hearing of the mutated Blood Wheel, the Heaven-Covering Skylark, everyone present—except for Su Chen—underwent a drastic change in expression. Every single one of them understood what a mutated Blood Wheel represented, let alone one that was among the absolute top-tier Blood Wheels of the East Wasteland, the Heaven-Covering Skylark.
One by one, they began offering their congratulations to Xing Yingxue.
After all, their worst introductory class only had ten members in total; witnessing a fellow classmate awaken a mutated Blood Wheel was naturally a cause for immense joy.
"It was all thanks to Junior Brother Su's help. Otherwise, I never would have been able to reawaken a mutated Blood Wheel."
Hearing this.
Everyone immediately surmised that, without a doubt, Junior Brother Su must have aided Senior Sister Xing in awakening her mutated Blood Wheel during the Dragon Hidden Tournament.
"The academy doesn't know about Elder Sister Xing awakening a mutated Blood Wheel yet. Once they find out, they'll definitely force Elder Sister Xing to leave our class immediately."
"I'm not going anywhere."
Su Chen, however, spoke up: "Senior Brother Huang, your Blood Wheel seems a bit peculiar as well. Let me help you test it out."
Hearing this, Huang Qi's heart trembled fiercely. He knew all too well what Su Chen's words implied.
What he had awakened was a Stone Blood Wheel, and an utterly inconspicuous one at that—truly trash among trash Blood Wheels.
"Junior Brother Su, do you mean to say that my Blood Wheel might also be a mutated Blood Wheel?"
Seeing Su Chen nod, Huang Qi was overwhelmed with boundless joy. No matter what kind of trash Blood Wheel one started with, as long as it mutated, there was a very high probability it would become a top-tier Blood Wheel.
"What should I do?"
"Follow me."
Watching the two of them enter the room.
Aside from Xing Yingxue, the rest of them wore expressions filled with envy. That was a mutated Blood Wheel—a top-tier Blood Wheel! Once a mutated Blood Wheel was awakened, it meant one's future martial path would stretch far indeed.
Who would have thought that the worst introductory class, numbering a mere ten people, would produce two mutated Blood Wheels and the number one spot on the Dragon Hidden Roll?
"Junior Brother Su is truly immensely capable. Someone like this will definitely be valued by the academy's upper management. I reckon Junior Brother Su will be leaving our introductory class very soon."
"Probably not. Logically speaking, since Junior Brother Su has already claimed first place on the Dragon Hidden Roll, the academy surely wouldn't let him continue lingering in the introductory class. Yet he chose to stay, which means Junior Brother Su himself is unwilling to leave."
"That's very likely."
Half an hour later.
The door to the room slowly opened as the two figures walked out.
Fang Jue asked impatiently, "How did it go?"
Su Chen smiled and said, "Just as I thought. Senior Brother Huang has awakened the Petrofaction mutated Blood Wheel."
Petrofaction?
It was still a Stone Blood Wheel?
Huang Qi seemed to understand what everyone was thinking. He chuckled softly and immediately summoned his Blood Wheel. Above his head, a blood wheel condensed, within which hovered the illusory projection of a pale-yellow stone.
"Petrofaction!"
Amidst the astonished gazes of everyone present, a wine glass resting on the stone table in front of Huang Qi instantly turned to stone, transforming into a solid stone cup.
Drawing in a sharp breath, they realized this kind of Blood Wheel was simply too tyrannical.
Falling to one knee, Huang Qi prepared to bow deeply toward Su Chen, but Su Chen quickly stepped forward and pulled him up.
Huang Qi, however, stubbornly remained on one knee, saying, "Ever since I left my family and managed to enter the academy by a twist of fate, I knew that in a few months I would inevitably be driven out due to my abysmal talent. It was all thanks to meeting you."
The others let out heavy sighs; everything Huang Qi said was the truth. Students of the worst introductory class would face evaluations in two or three short months, and failing to pass smoothly meant forcible expulsion from the academy.
The law of the jungle—this was the cruel reality.
No one cared about your hard work or past struggles; talent and strength were all that mattered.
"And now, I, Huang Qi, have actually managed to awaken the Petrofaction Blood Wheel, possessing one of the top-tier mutated Blood Wheels of the East Wasteland. Everything is a gift from you; you are essentially my second-reborn parent."
"Here I, Huang Qi, take a blood oath: from this moment onward, Su Chen is my master. For this lifetime and every lifetime to come, I shall follow my master with absolute loyalty and never harbor a single treacherous thought. Should I violate this oath, may I suffer heavenly retributions and die a wretched death!"
The moment his voice fell.
Before Su Chen even had a chance to stop him, Huang Qi forcefully squeezed out a drop of essence blood and swore an oath before him. The blood formed a peculiar cluster that vanished into thin air—it was the most domineering of blood oaths. Once formed, it was utterly impossible to betray.
Everyone watched in utter shock as Huang Qi actually swore a blood oath. Yet, upon reflection, they understood his feelings; Su Chen had essentially granted Huang Qi a second lease on life.
A trash Blood Wheel and a top-tier mutated Blood Wheel were two entirely different concepts. One could say that with the reawakening of his mutated Blood Wheel, Huang Qi's future path would take an entirely different trajectory.
No matter where he went, no one would ever dare call Huang Qi trash again. Whichever faction Huang Qi wished to join would undoubtedly groom him with utmost priority. The days of him possessing a trash Blood Wheel were gone forever.
Looking at Huang Qi kneeling on the ground, having sworn a blood oath, Su Chen let out a profound inner sigh. It was already too late to stop him.
Pulling Huang Qi to his feet, Su Chen said helplessly, "Why go this far? You don't know my situation yet. Following me will put your life in grave danger in the future."
There were hidden implications in his words that anyone could understand, including Huang Qi.
"Rest assured, Master."
"Stop. Remember, no matter when or where, do not call me Master. Since you are willing to follow me, just address me as Young Master from now on."
"Understood."
Having sworn a blood oath to follow Su Chen, Huang Qi's gratitude far outweighed his rationality; after all, it was Su Chen who had given him a second life and allowed him to reawaken a mutated Blood Wheel. Yet Huang Qi could never have imagined that because of this single decision today, he would eventually ascend to become a supreme entity whose might shook the entire continent.
Out of the nine members, apart from Xing Yingxue and Huang Qi who had awakened mutated Blood Wheels, the rest still possessed trash Blood Wheels.
Su Chen could perceive the deep envy lingering in the eyes of the other seven; after all, nobody wanted to be burdened with a trash Blood Wheel.
Possessing a trash Blood Wheel meant being looked down upon everywhere you went, forever lingering at the very bottom of the ladder.
"I only want to tell all of you one thing: in this world, there is no such thing as a trash Blood Wheel—only lazy people. As long as you refuse to give up, I, Su Chen, will find a way to help you."
"Thank you."
"Many thanks, Junior Brother Su."
Though they offered thanks with their lips, deep down they didn't really believe it. A trash Blood Wheel was a trash Blood Wheel; without reawakening a mutated Blood Wheel, one's life was thoroughly ruined.
"Let's go. We're heading to the Myriad Beasts Tower to cultivate right now—my treat."