"Students, I have some very unfortunate news for you."
In the second-year Class A, the presence of Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan brought a liveliness to the once somewhat empty classroom.
Shuang Yue Lian stood on the podium, holding the notice that had been conveyed from above. Her expression showed a hint of anger and displeasure.
The little monsters she had just taken under her wing, before she could even get properly acquainted with them, were being demoted. As their homeroom teacher, how could she possibly be happy?
Her slender jade fingers rubbed her forehead; Shuang Yue Lian was deeply troubled. She had intended to use her position as Wang Zhong's homeroom teacher to try and intervene, but to her surprise, she was rebuffed this time.
"Impossible!"
Two simple words were uttered by Yue Guan, leaving no room for negotiation.
Leveraging her identity as a registered disciple, Shuang Yue Lian managed to glean some information from Yue Guan: Wang Zhong had committed a grave error, incurring the Pope's wrath. The Pope had personally stripped him of all his privileges and status, and her stance was resolute, allowing no room for any changes.
"What exactly did that little fellow do to warrant such a severe punishment?"
With an inexplicable sigh, Shuang Yue Lian looked helplessly at the students staring at her and sighed, "One of our classmates in Class A has been demoted!"
This announcement immediately stirred up a storm. The most anxious among them were Zhang Shuai and Guan Si Yan, both of whom had experienced demotion themselves. According to school regulations, they were the most likely candidates for demotion.
However, such demotions were usually symbolic. Even if demoted, their strength remained. To regain their positions, they only needed to win consecutive challenges in the semi-annual promotion matches.
But demotion was, after all, a dishonorable matter. At the age of eleven or twelve, with strong vanity and excessive pride, none of them were willing to accept it.
Seeing the tension and worry on Zhang Shuai and Guan Si Yan's faces, Shuang Yue Lian winked playfully and chuckled, "Come, let's guess which student is so unfortunate!"
"Truly lacking ambition!"
Shuang Yue Lian was the second eldest among the five sworn siblings, older than Xia Xuan and Ying Yan Yang. By rights, she should be approaching middle age. However, like Bibi Dong, time seemed to have forgotten her; there was not a trace of age on her.
Beautiful and charming, graceful and elegant, coupled with her gentle disposition, even when she displayed such childlike playfulness, it felt perfectly natural, adding a touch of mischievousness.
The classroom atmosphere suddenly fell silent. An invisible pressure enveloped Zhang Shuai and Guan Si Yan.
Tapping her chin with a jade finger, Shuang Yue Lian narrowed her beautiful eyes and said with a smile, "They are students of Class A, with outstanding talent and the most resources, yet they are being demoted at this time."
"Do you think it's because they were too proud and complacent, believing themselves invincible among their peers, and thus became complacent in their daily practice, allowing later arrivals to surpass them easily, leading to such a consequence?"
These two jesting remarks made Guan Si Yan and Zhang Shuai lower their heads so much they almost shrunk under their desks. In recent years, with few new students entering Class A, they had indeed become overly arrogant, and their daily training time had significantly decreased.
"I should have worked harder!"
"But can someone like that truly be caught up by hard work?"
Zhang Shuai lowered his head, clenching and unclenching his fists, revealing the complexity within his heart.
"It was my carelessness, being too focused on the present and forgetting to consider my surroundings and my own changes. Such a grave mistake and oversight warrants demotion."
"But next time, I will absolutely not lose!"
Guan Si Yan also lowered her head, gritting her teeth.
Seeing their varied expressions, Shuang Yue Lian nodded with satisfaction. Teaching by subtly imparting lessons was always her preferred method.
"Of course, it's not necessarily what I said."
"Perhaps some individuals, although their strength has reached a certain level, ultimately have no honorable achievements to show. After discussion from above, adjustments might be made."
A hint of teasing played on her jade-like face as Shuang Yue Lian's gaze fell upon Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan. Her smiling words made all three's scalps tingle, and they involuntarily tensed up.
They, who had initially thought they were merely spectators, were now made anxious by this remark.
Hu Liena had a record of demoting seniors, but Xie Yue and Yan did not.
And the most dangerous was Yan. Yan had lost to Feng Yuan Sheng before, and in the subsequent challenge matches, due to Wang Zhong's exciting and passionate battles, his heart was filled with admiration. He had never once considered seeking revenge.
His target had always been Wang Zhong!
He never paid any attention to those like Feng Yuan Sheng.
However, Yan had forgotten one thing: among the four companions, his strength and rate of progress were the slowest. Hu Liena and Xie Yue had both broken through, but they had not requested promotion to the second year, waiting for him all along!
An invisible pressure emanated from that smiling face, causing the three to dare not even breathe.
At this moment, Hu Liena, Xie Yue, and Yan finally understood why this woman was considered the most likely person in the Spirit Hall to succeed Chrysanthemum Douluo.
This invisible self-examination and introspection, stemming from within one's own heart, was truly a terrifying method.
Having thoroughly disciplined the three newly promoted juniors, Shuang Yue Lian then said with a light chuckle, "Do not think that things that seem unrelated to you are truly unrelated."
"When you are in the same place, everything that happens to those around you will eventually extend to you through invisible, intangible, spider-like threads."
"Do not be careless, do not be complacent, and do not be conceited!"
"Danger is like poison; it will spread along the threads and ultimately harm yourself. Do not then cry out, 'Why me!'"
With her hands behind her back, Shuang Yue Lian walked briskly around the classroom, speaking each word seriously and delicately, imparting her philosophy to these young children.
Shuang Yue Lian's wandering figure finally stopped beside Hu Liena. She extended a jade-like hand and gently placed the notice before her, saying with the most regrettable tone.
"Because, the person you least expected to be, is precisely the one who ultimately fell victim."
Her gaze fell upon the notice placed before her. Hu Liena's eyes trembled wildly. She abruptly stood up, her lips trembling, and exclaimed in disbelief, "This, this, how is this possible!"
"Why is it Zhong, it's impossible! How could it be him."
Her jade hand gently pressed on Hu Liena's shoulder, forcing her back into her seat. Shuang Yue Lian looked into her eyes and said sternly and seriously, "There is nothing in this world that is absolutely impossible. If something seems impossible, it is simply because no one has done it yet."
"Wang Zhong's talent, strength, and intellect are indeed rare in history, but that does not mean that everything he does will be permitted and tolerated."
"In the Spirit Hall Academy, there is one rule you must firmly remember: His Holiness the Pope is the supreme being. Everything you have is bestowed by her. If she wishes to reclaim it, then you can only bear it!"
"Those who resist die, traitors die, deceivers die, the rebellious die!"
The four words of "die" were uttered from Shuang Yue Lian's rosy lips, containing the supreme authority and dominance of the Pope, an unchallengeable majesty and nobility.
Shuang Yue Lian was warning Hu Liena, telling her not to do anything rash out of impulse, otherwise, even with outstanding talent, the ending would be miserable.
Hu Liena's lips trembled, and her bright, expressive eyes filled with tears at that moment, on the verge of crying.
Reaching out to embrace her, holding her close, and gently stroking her back to soothe her agitated and sorrowful emotions, Shuang Yue Lian transmitted her voice using her spirit power, "Do not be sad."
"That young fellow Wang Zhong will be fine. His Holiness the Pope values him greatly."
"Although the Death Canyon is dangerous, one of the Elders Chrysanthemum or Elder Ghost will definitely remain there to look after him!"
"Four years from now, what you need to do is cultivate diligently, do not fall too far behind that young fellow."
Shuang Yue Lian's comfort made Hu Liena purse her lips and nod heavily.
She knew Shuang Yue Lian was not lying. Wang Zhong had once told her that His Holiness the Pope had accepted him as a registered disciple.
The reason she was crying was because of the words "Death Canyon." Hu Liena feared that Wang Zhong would be in danger.