Chapter 45: I Say You're Called, So You're Called

The next day.

Class One, Grade D.

The worst class at Tianfu Academy. The students in it came to the academy listlessly every day. The moment they stepped through the school gate, they lowered their heads, avoiding the gazes of those around them.

They wore blue long robes, the uniforms the academy had tailored according to four levels.

Blue represented the D-grade class, and it was also the uniform that signified the worst standing.

Some students nearby would sneer when they saw those in blue. After all, trash was unwelcome anywhere.

Cultivation depended on talent. Without great fortune, those with poor talent could never achieve much. So poor talent meant trash—that was the phrase they heard most often after entering Tianfu Academy.

Last night, they received notice that a new teacher would be instructing them. It didn't stir much reaction in them, because they had already given up on themselves. They only wanted to graduate after three years, quietly run some small business, and live as ordinary people.

The path of cultivation was not something people with poor talent like them could tread.

As for teachers or anything else, they didn't think much about it. Some of their peers hadn't even reached the Houtian stage, and the teachers looked down on them—what else could they expect?

…

Lin Fan got up early that morning and washed up properly. Today was a big day. The profession of a teacher was so lofty and grand—he couldn't believe he actually had the chance to become one. It felt pretty good.

Along the way, Lin Fan asked around and found out where Class One, Grade D was located.

When he reached the door of Class One, Grade D, Lin Fan stopped, took a slight breath, then stepped inside without hesitation.

The moment he crossed the threshold, Lin Fan suddenly felt a wave of oppressive lethargy hit him, as if it could drain all hope from life.

“I'm your new teacher. My name is Lin Fan. Today is our first meeting. I hope you'll respect me and not cause trouble behind my back.” Lin Fan walked in, looking at the students he was supposed to teach—each one slumped listlessly over their desks—then placed the things in his hands on the podium.

“Did you hear me?” At that moment, seeing that these little brats were ignoring him, Lin Fan raised his voice several notches and shouted.

The students below, who had lost all hope in cultivation, were startled by Lin Fan's shout and trembled all over. Then, after letting out a sigh, they slumped back into their seats, listless again.

“Alright, let's take roll call. That way I can get to know you all.” Lin Fan picked up the list in his hand and glanced at the names. His brow furrowed slightly.

These characters looked a bit complicated—like the traditional Chinese characters from his old world, but somehow different.

Still, Lin Fan knew he was the teacher now and couldn't lose face. Although these characters were a bit hard to recognize, they did seem somewhat familiar, probably not too different from Chinese characters.

“Liu Shuishui.” Lin Fan read the first name, but no one answered.

Lin Fan looked at the students. “Which one is Liu Shuishui?”

“Didn't come to class?”

The listless students exchanged glances, wondering who the new teacher was calling.

Then a girl with a timid, self-conscious expression raised her hand.

“Teacher, my name is Liu Miaomiao.”

Lin Fan sucked in a cold breath, feeling his face flush. But then he forced himself to stay calm, remembering that he was a teacher now. He couldn't lose face, so he replied.

“What, you think I can't read? Today I'm calling you Liu Shuishui. Hmph, you have no respect for your elders. Next.” Lin Fan spread his hands and shrugged his shoulders as he spoke.

“Cao Tianjiao. Which one is Cao Tianjiao?” Lin Fan looked at the list. At least this name was recognizable—he shouldn't make a mistake this time.

The students below turned their heads and looked at each other again. They had no idea whose name the teacher was calling this time.

“Which one is Cao Tianjiao? Why aren't you speaking? Did you not come?”

“Sick, or what? If you don't come to class, how can you advance further on the path of martial arts?” Lin Fan said.

A student with a tigerish head and a naive face looked left and right, then finally shook his head, thinking to himself that this must be his name.

“Teacher, it's me.”

Lin Fan saw someone raise their hand and immediately stepped forward. “I called your name, why didn't you answer? You believe I won't slap you to death?”

For Lin Fan, being a teacher meant showing authority. He had to leave an impression of strictness and rigor in these students' minds, or else he wouldn't be able to control them later.

This was something Lin Fan had learned from his own school days.

“Teacher, my name is Cao Fushu…” Cao Fushu said timidly, feeling that this new teacher seemed a bit off—how could he keep misreading names?

At that moment, Lin Fan sucked in a deep breath.

“I say you're called Cao Tianjiao, so you're called Cao Tianjiao. Did you hear me clearly?” Lin Fan said firmly.

“Cao Fushu.”

“Cao Tianjiao.”

“Cao Fushu.”

“Cao Tianjiao.”

Cao Fushu looked at the new teacher, feeling both helpless and a little sad. In the end, he could only nod very reluctantly.

“Alright, it's me.”

Lin Fan heard this and immediately broke into a smile. “That's right. Good, next…”

…

After roll call ended, Lin Fan swore he would never take roll call again. This one session was more exhausting than fighting some big boss.

Which bastard created the script of this Xuanhuang Realm? If I ever find out, I'll slap him to death.

Of the thirteen students, Lin Fan had only read one name correctly. The other twelve had their names changed under his coercion.

“Alright, since this is the first day, I'll lay out the curriculum for you.”

“In the morning, Ethics class; in the afternoon, Practical Combat class. Now let's start class. Everyone, stand up.” Lin Fan said sternly.

The thirteen students below were completely baffled. What was Ethics class? And why did they have to stand up now?

“Say 'Hello, teacher.'” Lin Fan saw the thirteen students standing there dumbfounded, not knowing what to do next, and suddenly felt the weight of his responsibility.

“Hello, teacher.” The thirteen students stared at Lin Fan in shock, but eventually they cooperated with this man who, in their eyes, seemed like a madman.

At the same time, they felt like crying. Even if the D-grade class was the worst, the most useless, they couldn't just hand them over to a madman like this.

“Mm, sit down. Let's start class.” Lin Fan nodded in satisfaction, seeing that the students were obedient.

Even if their talent wasn't great, as long as they listened, they were good students.

“Alright, the content of today's first lesson is the first chapter of 'Battle Through the Heavens': The Fallen Genius.”

“Ding, congratulations on triggering the sub-profession: Mentor.”

…