Chapter 12: A New Round

"Tai Long! What foolishness are you up to again?! Stop right there!!"

Director Yin Shu saw Tai Long heading toward Zhou Sheng'an again and asked in exasperation.

Yin Shu was a step too late—Tai Long had already stopped about a meter away from Zhou Sheng'an.

Without a word, he suddenly dropped to his knees and kowtowed three times with resounding thuds, making the entire classroom seem to tremble.

"???"

Everyone present was dumbfounded.

What? Losing was one thing, but kneeling and kowtowing?

Tai Long declared loudly, "I was blind and ignorant, offending Teacher Zhou. As per our agreement, from now on, I will serve Teacher Zhou as my master! Teacher Zhou, from this moment on, you are my master!"

"My body is my master's body."

"Whatever my master commands, whether it be climbing a mountain of blades or diving into a sea of fire, I will not so much as frown!"

Tai Long's voice rang out in solemn oath.

"!!!"

Zhou Sheng'an was stunned. He had been prepared to settle the challenge peacefully, yet this? A direct vow of servitude? This was way too embarrassing!

Everyone else was also in shock. Tai Long's way of pledging allegiance was just too… unconventional.

Yin Shu smacked his forehead and explained to Liu Erlong, "I heard some rumors—Tai Long comes from the Strength Clan, and they have a tradition of pledging loyalty. Back in the day, the old clan chief, Titan, swore allegiance to a young Tang Hao. Now, Tai Long is simply following his ancestor's example."

Liu Erlong twitched at the corners of her mouth. What kind of bizarre custom was this?

However, compared to Titan's pledge, Tai Long's was still relatively restrained—at least the age gap wasn't as extreme.

Titan had been old enough to be Tang Hao's father, yet he still called him 'Master' without hesitation.

Tai Long's eyes burned with admiration as he gazed at Zhou Sheng'an, filled with sincere reverence.

His personality was simple: if someone of inferior skill tried to act superior, he would show no mercy. But if someone could completely crush him in a certain aspect, he would revere them like a deity.

After learning Zhou Sheng'an's identity and being convinced by his teaching skills, Tai Long had fully acknowledged him!

Pledging loyalty to such a person? He saw no shame in it. Even the elders of his clan would support him.

This was one of the Strength Clan's proudest traditions!

"There's no need for this…" Zhou Sheng'an waved a hand dismissively.

Tai Long shook his head firmly, his expression solemn. "It is necessary! Master, the Strength Clan values honor above all. Besides, I have been completely won over by you. From now on, please do not hold back with me!"

"…"

Zhou Sheng'an's mouth twitched hard.

Judging from Tai Long's stance, he clearly wouldn't get up unless Zhou Sheng'an accepted him as a subordinate.

"…Fine, fine. Just stand up first. Don't disrupt my lecture."

Zhou Sheng'an sighed in resignation.

"As you command, Master!" Tai Long stood up immediately and positioned himself beside the podium, looking as attentive as a servant.

Zhou Sheng'an had no choice. The guy had practically thrown himself at him, and scolding him would be too heartless.

Suppressing his embarrassment, Zhou Sheng'an turned back to the lecture.

"Swish, swish, swish…"

His chalk glided across the board, leaving behind a line of bold characters.

"What is Soul Power?!"

After writing, Zhou Sheng'an swept his gaze across the entire lecture hall.

Soul power was the most fundamental force of a Soul Master.

Every Soul Master came into contact with this energy, yet their understanding of it was often superficial. They took it for granted, knowing what it was but not why it existed.

Now, as Zhou Sheng'an began discussing soul power, the students looked bewildered.

Was this even a topic worth lecturing on?

"Soul power is an energy that exists within us. With it, we can summon Martial Souls and unleash Soul Skills. Now, tell me—what can soul power be compared to?"

Zhou Sheng'an smiled as he posed the question.

The class fell silent.

Tai Long immediately raised his hand and answered loudly, "Firewood!"

"Exactly! Tai Long's analogy is spot on—soul power is like 'firewood.' We need it to boil water, cook food, and perform countless other tasks."

"Soul power is such a fundamental and indispensable force."

"But where does soul power originate? How much of it can we store? Is it only transformed into other energies through soul rings, soul bones, and soul skills? And how can we increase the rate of soul power generation?"

Zhou Sheng'an fired off a series of thought-provoking questions.

The students exchanged uncertain glances. They had never paid much attention to such foundational matters.

The classroom fell into a deep silence.

Zhou Sheng'an nodded slightly and said, "Alright, then let's start from the very beginning—how soul power is produced…"

With that, he began his lecture, delivering each point with precision.

He avoided unnecessary filler, speaking only of the essence of the topic. His explanations were clear and engaging, allowing even low-level students to grasp the concepts.

He even performed a live demonstration, altering the properties of his own soul power.

His lecture was so riveting that not a single student lost focus.

Even Liu Erlong's eyes widened as she sat up straight, her gaze burning with interest.

Before they knew it, the bell rang, snapping everyone back to reality.

Had the lecture really ended already?

Why did it feel like barely any time had passed?

Zhou Sheng'an smiled. "That's all for today's lesson. Make sure to take notes and review the material. For homework, I want you all to practice coating your hands in soul power, forming a protective layer like a glove."

With that, Zhou Sheng'an left the classroom gracefully.

Tai Long quickly followed after him.

The other students were filled with reluctance.

In most classes, they struggled to stay awake, and some even skipped altogether to sleep.

But Zhou Sheng'an's lectures? They made them crave knowledge from the depths of their souls.

Liu Erlong smiled, her eyes gleaming with excitement.

"This feeling! This feeling! Xiao Gang, he's so much like you. Back in the day, you were just as passionate and brilliant. He really has some of your presence."

"If Xiao Gang knew about someone like this, he'd be thrilled, wouldn't he?"

"I have to write to Xiao Gang about this! Maybe if he reads this, he'll finally be willing to come see me!"

Brimming with enthusiasm, Liu Erlong hurriedly took notes.

No one had taken notes during the lecture, yet the knowledge had imprinted itself deep in their minds—impossible to forget.

…

Meanwhile, back at his villa dormitory, Zhou Sheng'an found his second simulation ready.

Clicking "Start," he watched as new text appeared before him.

[Douluo Calendar, September 22, 2023. After delivering your theoretical findings, you went out for a meal and encountered Prince Xue Beng bullying others. Outraged, you stepped in to argue…]

[You were rescued by Crown Prince Xue Qinghe, who then invited you into his residence.]

[…]

Reading this, Zhou Sheng'an immediately understood—the simulation's starting point was yesterday.

This time, having learned from past mistakes, he had to stay far away from that lunatic Bibi Dong!

Losing Yu Xiaogang had been an utter humiliation.

"If this is a simulator, then I should use it to enrich my theoretical knowledge. This time, I'll ignore worldly affairs and focus solely on research, occasionally offering Qian Renxue some strategic advice…"

Zhou Sheng'an mused to himself.