Douluo Dalu: Sun Gauntlet

Xue Yuan's gaze briefly lingered on Quan Yi and Huo Wu before quickly shifting away.

Seeing the two of them among the freshmen, Xue Yuan felt even more confident about the academy's future.

At the peak of his prime, he was filled with ambition, eager to bring about great change. At this moment, a fire burned in his heart as well.

"Everyone, the academy is in a period of transformation, growing alongside you. I hope all of you will strive forward with us!"

After speaking, Xue Yuan bowed deeply to the students.

His speech was short yet powerful, carrying his sincere expectations for the new generation.

Thunderous applause erupted from the crowd.

After stepping down from the podium, Xue Yuan and the senior students departed for the teaching building under the guidance of their instructors.

Meanwhile, the freshmen remained on the training grounds.

Not long after, six teachers walked toward them.

Leading them was a petite woman who appeared to be in her early thirties.

Despite her small stature, her presence was commanding. Dressed in a formal teacher's uniform, she carried herself with an air of authority. Her sharp gaze alone made some of the more timid students instinctively lower their heads, afraid to meet her eyes.

The woman stepped past the other teachers and stood at the front. Puffing up her chest, she projected her voice, which was far stronger than her petite frame suggested.

"Greetings, everyone. I am Bai Yan, the homeroom teacher for the first class of freshmen. I will now announce the list of students assigned to Class One."

"When your name is called, respond with 'Present!' and step forward."

All the students turned their full attention to Bai Yan.

They knew exactly what Class One represented.

Simply put, it was the academy's genius class. Being selected meant that one's talent had been recognized by the institution.

Even those who knew they had little hope of making the cut still watched closely, curious to see who would be chosen.

"Quan Yi."

"Present!"

The very first name called was Quan Yi.

Immediately, all eyes were on him.

Among the freshmen, Quan Yi's name had already begun to spread.

A single punch at Level 15 had sent a higher-ranked opponent flying. That incident alone had cemented his growing reputation.

But things truly escalated when someone with sharp eyes uncovered the truth—Quan Yi was a new student.

Once that information spread, the entire academy was shaken.

From that moment on, whenever Quan Yi appeared in a crowded place, he would inevitably attract attention.

He exchanged a brief glance with Huo Wu before stepping forward.

"Huo Wu."

"Present!"

The second name called was Huo Wu. She confidently walked out of the lineup and stood beside Quan Yi.

Many freshmen recognized her—not just because of her own presence, but because she was often seen next to Quan Yi.

However, they hadn't expected her talent to be on par with his.

Do geniuses only associate with geniuses?

Many could only admire them from afar.

"Wan Sheng."

"Present!"

"Wang Ying."

"Present!"

Bai Yan continued calling names.

Once she was done, she concluded, "The above students are the official members of Class One. Class One students, follow me to the classroom."

As Bai Yan made her announcement, Quan Yi took a quick glance around.

The students chosen for Class One made up less than one-sixth of the total freshmen.

In other words, the selection process was strictly merit-based.

Only those who met the academy's standards were chosen—those who fell short were simply left behind.

It was harsh, but that was the reality of the Douluo Continent.

Bai Yan led the way as the Class One students left the training grounds.

The surrounding students watched them go, their eyes filled with envy.

Upon entering the classroom, the students found more than a dozen neatly arranged tables and chairs, exactly matching the number of students in Class One.

"Find your seats. There is a white paper with your name on it," Bai Yan instructed as she walked to the podium.

Quan Yi glanced around and quickly located his seat—it was by the window in the last row.

Coincidentally, Huo Wu's seat was right next to his.

A quick survey of the seating arrangement made it clear: students were seated by height, with the taller ones in the back and the shorter ones in the front.

Huo Wu noticed her assigned seat and smiled.

"Looks like we'll be seatmates from now on," she said cheerfully, patting Quan Yi's shoulder.

Quan Yi's lips curled into a slight smirk.

Bai Yan, standing on the podium, waited for everyone to settle into their seats before speaking again.

"Ahem. Quiet down. For the next six years, I will be your homeroom teacher. Let me introduce myself."

"My name is Bai Yan. My Martial Soul is the Red-necked Crane, and I am a Level 44 Agility Attack Soul Master."

As she finished speaking, four soul rings appeared behind her—two yellow and two purple.

The moment she released her soul power, an invisible pressure swept across the room.

The students, who had initially thought of their teacher as small and unassuming, immediately straightened their backs.

Seeing this reaction, Bai Yan nodded in satisfaction.

"Today is not a formal lesson. The main purpose of this session is for us to get to know each other. I've introduced myself, now it's your turn."

She pointed to a petite girl in the front row.

"Wang Ying, you go first."

Wang Ying stiffened slightly when she was suddenly called upon.

"My name is Wang Ying. My Martial Soul is the Fiery Fang Cat. I am a Level 6 Spirit Scholar. Please take care of me!"

She spoke quickly, then sat down just as fast.

From behind, Quan Yi could see her ears turning red.

He understood Wang Ying's nervousness—self-introductions were something every student had to go through.

Still, this process was useful. Through these introductions, he was able to gauge the levels and Martial Souls of his classmates.

Most students were around the same level, with none below Level 6.

As expected of the genius class. Every single one of them has outstanding potential.

A Level 6 talent at this age meant a high probability of reaching the Spirit King level in the future.

While Quan Yi was lost in thought, it was suddenly Huo Wu's turn.

She stood up with confidence, a faint smile on her lips.

"My name is Huo Wu. My Martial Soul is Fire Shadow, and I am a Level 13, first-ring Soul Master."

As she finished speaking, golden-yellow light flared beneath her feet, and a single soul ring emerged.

"Whoa!"

A male student couldn't help but exclaim in shock.

Quan Yi was also slightly startled by Huo Wu's bold display.

Was that really necessary?

Huo Wu calmly withdrew her soul ring and sat down.

However, as soon as she did, she turned toward Quan Yi with a smug, expectant look.

It was clear—she had released her soul ring specifically so that Quan Yi would have no choice but to reveal his as well.

Quan Yi ignored her antics and stood up casually.

"Quan Yi. Martial Soul: Sun Gauntlet. Level 15, first-ring Soul Master."

As soon as he finished speaking, deep golden light surged beneath his feet. A single yellow soul ring appeared, its color darker and richer than Huo Wu's.

The contrast was obvious.

The room fell silent as every student stared at Quan Yi, stunned.

Not only was his level higher than Huo Wu's, but even his soul ring seemed different from the norm.

Quan Yi maintained a calm expression, mirroring Huo Wu's earlier demeanor, and sat back down.

Clap, clap.

The sound of Bai Yan's hands clapping brought the students back to their senses.

"Now that you've introduced yourselves, you should have a basic understanding of your classmates. From today onward, you will function as a unit. I hope you support and learn from each other."

After a brief pause, she continued, "Lastly, I have a small task for you to complete."

"There is a white sheet of paper on your desk with your name on it."

"On the back, you will find a simple question. Write your answer, and once you're finished, you may leave the classroom."

Quan Yi flipped his paper over and saw the question written on the back:

"Please indicate your desired training specialization. For example: Attack System, Defense System, Agility System, etc."