Chapter 189: The Smiling Lamb

"Congratulations, Wu Wu Shanshan!"

The male teacher's gaze swept across the entire field, finally locking onto a short-haired girl.

"The school has always placed high hopes on you; you are one of the most talented students in this grade!"

"The deity you worship is even the highest-ranked among all deities worshipped by the teachers and students of the entire school!"

"After half a year of accumulation, you have lived up to expectations and stunned everyone with a single brilliant feat, achieving excellent results in the final examinations!"

"On the Night of a Hundred Ghosts Walking, you remained calm in the face of danger and acted with fearless bravery, assisting the Moon-Watching Team..."

Listening to the teacher's narration and praise, Lu Ran finally understood what it felt like to be a "spectator."

It truly is quite hateful~

Unlike Lu Ran's reaction, Wu Wu Shanshan did not lower her head but instead proudly lifted her chin.

She accepted the gazes of admiration and jealousy from the crowd, as well as the honor that belonged solely to her.

Wu Wu Shanshan indeed had the capital to be proud!

If it weren't for a certain little lamb rising suddenly from nowhere, Wu Wu Shanshan should have been the most outstanding student at Deng Yuxiang No. 1 Middle School.

The deity she worships is the Second-Rank God, Divine Divine Asha.

Among the common people, this deity is also known as the "South Sea Bow."

Together with the Most Dongting Halberd, the West Desert Axe, and the North Wind Blade, they are known as the Four Directional Weapon Heroes; their strength is naturally quite formidable!

"... The Yunshan City Divine Citizen Bureau specially rewards you with 20 Believer Points as encouragement!"

The male teacher finally finished speaking, and applause rang out across the playground.

It must be admitted that when a believer of the Second-Rank God, Divine Divine Asha, receives such glory, it is somewhat more acceptable to the crowd.

"Alright." The male teacher nodded satisfactorily. "Next, we proceed to the second item: the Grand Tournament!"

As the teacher's words fell, another wave of commotion erupted on the playground.

"It's finally here!"

"Haha, there's a good show to watch~"

"Those few who advanced to the River Realm seem to have some grudges between them, don't they?"

"Grudges my ass! Just come at me all together; my Brother Ran is in a hurry!" From the front came Qian Hao's voice.

Lu Ran:???

"Shut up!" From the back of the line came Li Li Yanzhu's rebuke.

Qian Hao immediately shrank his head back.

Obviously, many people were looking forward to this Grand Tournament, while some students were stuck at Stream Realm, Stage Five, and could only lament their misfortune.

With only five people participating in the Grand Tournament, as long as you are qualified to register, you are guaranteed at least sixth place!

Even coming in last place still comes with a reward of Believer Points.

Alas, that single "Deadly Five" barrier had blocked numerous believer students.

The male teacher continued: "There are a total of five students participating in this Grand Tournament!"

"They are Lu Ran from Gao San Class 4, Wu Wu Shanshan, Ma Ma Tianchuan, and Kou Kou Yingquan from Gao San Class 7, and Gao Gao Zhonglin from Gao San Class 11."

In the Class 7 formation, Ma Tianchan finally felt a sense of vindication.

Under the gaze of the students, he silently pushed up his rimless glasses.

Kou Kou Yingquan similarly enjoyed the feeling of being the center of attention; he lifted his chin slightly, his posture arrogant.

Although he had only had a "sudden flash of inspiration" and advanced to the River Realm two days ago, barely catching the last bus, so to speak.

Nevertheless, at this moment, Kou Kou Yingquan was a River Realm expert!

He could naturally adopt a high-and-mighty posture to look down upon the bunch of Stream Realm lackeys.

The male teacher continued: "Here, I must specifically commend Teacher Su, the homeroom teacher of Gao San Class 7!"

"Out of the five River Realm believer students in the entire school, Class 7 accounts for three of them!"

"Student aptitude is one aspect, but good guidance and a healthy competitive atmosphere are another; Teacher Su's leadership played an indispensable role in this..."

Good heavens~

Lu Ran bared his teeth in a grin.

This target has been set up all the way from the students to the teachers?

Suddenly, Lu Ran noticed a figure approaching.

He turned his head to look, only to see his homeroom teacher, Li Li Yanzhu, standing expressionless by his side.

With her arms crossed over her chest, she gazed at the podium and asked, "Do you have the confidence to take first place?"

Lu Ran's expression became strangely odd.

Such childish tactics; surely the homeroom teacher wouldn't be provoked by this, would she?

However, cultivating students to advance to the River Realm must certainly count toward the teachers' performance assessments.

Similarly, if he could win first place in the Grand Tournament, the school should also grant the homeroom teacher corresponding reward policies, right?

"Hmm?" Li Li Yanzhu looked at Lu Ran, her face showing an inquiring expression.

Lu Ran scratched his head and said softly, "How about... you let them all come at me together?"

Lu Ran's tone was very humble, but the words he spoke were incomparably arrogant!

Li Li Yanzhu immediately glared at Lu Ran: "What did I tell you on the phone yesterday?"

"Guard against arrogance and rashness! I told you to guard against arrogance and rashness!"

Truly worthy of being a homeroom teacher!

Just an ordinary scolding was enough to achieve the effect of the Most Dongting Divine Art: Thunderous Roar.

Lu Ran felt his head buzzing.

What's the difference between this and being struck by a Divine Art? The body can't move, so one can only stand here, listening endlessly to the homeroom teacher's admonitions.

It's just unbearable~

"Now, please have five students come to the stage!" the teacher on the podium shouted loudly.

"Go ahead." Li Li Yanzhu patted Lu Ran's shoulder. "Remember what I said!"

"Mm, mm, avoid arrogance and impetuosity," Lu Ran replied repeatedly, then turned to look at Chang Ying.

The girl was very perceptive and immediately stepped forward to take the blade.

Lu Ran also drew a Silent Night Blade from the fabric and walked briskly toward the podium.

"Brother Ran, go easy on me." Lu Ran had just reached the side of the podium and stepped onto a stair when someone grabbed his shoulder.

Lu Ran turned and saw a little wolf cub.

Greedy Wolf Believer · Gao Gao Zhonglin!

Lu Ran immediately smiled: "We agreed, you can't eat me later!"

Gao Gao Zhonglin also smiled: "No, no, no, I don't have that capability.

I just wanted to ask, do your words from last time still count?"

Lu Ran asked in confusion: "What words?"

Gao Gao Zhonglin: "You told me, 'The emperor rotates; next year it's my turn!'

Now, it's already next year!"

Lu Ran nodded thoughtfully: "A true man's word, once spoken, cannot be chased back by four horses."

"Oh?" Gao Gao Zhonglin had intended to tease, but he didn't expect Lu Ran to say such a thing.

Lu Ran suddenly changed the subject: "However, I was only seventeen back then, not a true man.

I was just an innocent and ignorant handsome young man."

Gao Gao Zhonglin:???

"You two, hurry up and come up!" the male teacher urged.

The two immediately went onto the stage, and Lu Ran's gaze swept over the three students from Class 7.

Wu Wu Shanshan had a blank expression and didn't look at Lu Ran at all.

Ma Ma Tianchuan glanced at Lu Ran a few more times, feeling considerable battle intent in his heart.

The duel between the two dated back to their rookie days and had been postponed until now.

As for Kou Kou Yingquan...

He had already realized the severity of the situation!

Previously, within the student formation, he had thoroughly enjoyed the admiring and worshipful gazes of his classmates.

Now, it was Lu Ran staring at him!

Lu Ran's gaze was very friendly, and his smile was even gentler.

Yet it made Kou Kou Yingquan feel hair-raising terror!

But if Kou Kou Yingquan were to withdraw from the competition, that was absolutely impossible, after all, this involved Believer Points.

Kou Kou Yingquan could only wear a gloomy face, feigning calmness, and coldly glanced at Lu Ran.

"You are five people, so one will have a bye." The male teacher held a microphone and looked down at the audience. "Spirit Talisman Believer!"

"Here!"

"Here!" Including Chang Ying, three people responded in unison.

The teacher immediately spotted the tall one, pointing at Chang Ying: "Five-Treasure Lot, draw now!"

The teacher walked past the five students, pointing and saying as he went: "Summon, Damage, Defense, Control, Support!

Whichever lot the Spirit Talisman Believer draws, that student gets the bye."

It must be clarified: the probability of drawing each type of lot is not one-fifth!

The Summon lot is the hardest to draw, followed by the Damage lot, then Control, Defense, and Support.

Lu Ran's heart rejoiced; he stood at the end of the line and had been assigned the "Support Lot."

That was the easiest to draw!

The male teacher was quite domineering, fully displaying the unfairness of the school's grand competition, and gave the several students no room to object at all.

"Rattle-rattle~"

Down below, Chang Ying also had a joyful expression, shaking the lot container repeatedly while muttering incantations:

"Heavenly spirits, earthly spirits, protect my Bao Ran so he gets a bye."

"Whoosh!" A lot flew out, hovering above Chang Ying's head.

The next moment, all joy vanished from Chang Ying's face.

The Spirit Talisman suddenly transformed into a mighty and imposing soldier, landing steadily.

The Summon Lot of the Five-Treasure Lots!

The hardest lot to draw of all!

"Whoa!"

"Haha! Amazing, one shot, one soul!"

"Big Axe Chang is good, huh? Looks like there's a reason she got such a high score; her luck is really good, huh?"

"Tsk tsk, look at this big bronze-armored guard, quite exciting~"

Tian Tian: "."

Deng Yutang: "."

Having teamed up with the gambling dog for so long, the two knew Chang Ying all too well.

On the battlefield, you kept drawing Support Sigils one after another; we hardly ever saw a Bronze Armor Guard!

Now you're suddenly getting excited?

"Mm." Chang Ying covered her face with one hand.

The more the people around her praised her, the hotter her face burned.

On the podium, Wu Wu Shanshan wore a strange expression.

She was ranked first and had been assigned a "Summon Sigil," which had originally left her quite dissatisfied.

But now, she was getting a bye?

"Go down and watch the matches," the male teacher said, waving his hand at Wu Wu Shanshan.

"Oh." Wu Wu Shanshan immediately walked down.

The male teacher pointed at Ma Ma Tianchuan, who was ranked second: "You, add one more Summon Sigil."

Ma Ma Tianchuan: "."

The teacher looked at the students below: "That Spirit Sigil believer over there, Five Treasures Sigil! Next, we'll draw the first pair of combatants."

"Next, we will draw the first pair of combatants."

Another Spirit Sigil flew up from the student formation.

This male student choked, directly drawing a Support Sigil.

"Lu Ran, go prepare on the side! Now we'll draw your opponent; the remaining two students will be automatically matched!"

Seizing the opportunity, the male teacher assigned the now-vacant "Support Sigil" slot to Gao Gao Zhonglin, who was currently ranked last.

The male teacher took advantage of the situation and assigned the newly vacated "Support Token" slot to Gao Gao Zhonglin, who was currently ranked last.

The school's grand tournament blatantly displayed its unfairness!

Ma Ma Tianchuan and Gao Gao Zhonglin each had two sigils, while Kou Kou Yingquan, ranked in the middle, had only one Defense Sigil.

"You, Spirit Sigil believer over there, draw!"

"Rustle rustle"

Everyone turned to look at that male student; his face was flushed red, clearly unused to receiving such attention.

He was holding his breath, determined to make a show of it by drawing a Summon Sigil or an Output Sigil.

He was clearly holding back a surge of determination to make a showing, hoping to draw either a Summoning Token or an Output Token.

A Spirit Sigil flew up, and then—

The wooden Spirit Sigil suddenly expanded, resembling a giant fly swatter.

"A Defense Sigil?"

"Haha! Kou Kou Yingquan! Hahahaha! Now there's truly a good show to watch!"

"What good show? What's happening, what's happening?"

"Have you forgotten why Lu Ran was made to stand in punishment on the playground at the start of Gao San?"

"Oh, right! I remember now!"

"Hahahaha! Enemies meeting on a narrow path, indeed~"

On the podium, Kou Kou Yingquan's expression management failed; he could no longer keep up the pretense.

"Damn!" Kou Kou Yingquan's face turned iron-green as he squeezed out a single word through clenched teeth.

He had thought that losing to his teammates Wu Wu Shanshan or Ma Ma Tianchuan wouldn't be shameful.

But the opponent turned out to be that little lamb?!

Suddenly, Kou Kou Yingquan felt as though he was enveloped by a gaze.

He felt his hair stand on end and turned to look not far away.

There he saw Lu Ran, whose eyes were friendly and whose expression was kind.

Under the gaze of the entire school's teachers and students, Lu Ran looked at Kou Kou Yingquan and displayed a closed-lip smile.

Under the gaze of the entire school's faculty and students, Lu Ran looked at Kou Kou Yingquan and offered a closed-lip smile.

Thanks to boss Qi Qi Heji for the large donation! Thanks to readers 20240627142242035, JeremyMak, and several other bosses for their donations! You bosses are generous; thank you for your support!

Thanks to boss Qi Qi Heji for the generous donation! Thanks to readers 20240627142242035 and JeremyMak for their donations! You bosses are magnificent; thank you for your support!

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(End of Chapter)

(End of Chapter)