Chapter 25 - Your Advanced Soul Master Academy Actually Enrolls Babies? 

Ding, ding, ding!

The second bell signaling the start of class rang, the final warning for students to get in before being marked late.

Hu Liena and her friends hurriedly entered the classroom, taking their seats, and the teacher on the platform only shot them a slight glare without further comment.

The teachers at Spirit Hall Academy were renowned, the best in the continent's advanced academies. Even all first-year homeroom teachers were Spirit Kings or higher, some even holding titles as Purple-Robed Bishops within the Spirit Hall. 

And for Class 1-A, the cream of the crop among first-year students, their homeroom teacher was an impressive Black-Robed Bishop at the Spirit Emperor level. But given Hu Liena and her friends' exceptional talent and high potential—students flagged for special attention by the Spirit Hall—her minor tardiness was overlooked with minimal fuss.

"Do you know when the Platinum Bishop is coming?" whispered Xie Yue to Hu Liena.

"No idea," she replied.

Xie Yue sighed, "Wake me up when he gets here, alright? I'm taking a nap." 

Hu Liena just rolled her eyes, too used to her brother's nonchalance to even bother responding.

Yan, however, was not having a good day. Unlike Xie Yue, who was sprawled across his desk in peaceful slumber, Yan was restless and distracted. He'd become the laughingstock of the class overnight—all because of a baby.

Behind him, a few girls whispered and giggled in his direction, making him grit his teeth in frustration. Why did I even think it was a good idea to try and race that baby yesterday?

Just then, a small figure darted past the classroom door—a blur that left Yan reeling. He gasped and leaped to his feet, startling everyone as he pounded his fist on the desk.

"He's here!!"

The room fell silent, every head turning toward him. Even Xie Yue sat bolt upright, rubbing the sleep from his eyes, his gaze darting around for the Platinum Bishop he assumed must have arrived.

The teacher on the platform scowled, looking unimpressed. "Who's here? Your great-aunt?"

Yan looked around, bewildered. "Didn't anyone else see it? There was a baby crawling past the door just now!"

At the mention of a "baby," the class chuckled. They assumed Yan was trying to make light of his recent mishap and his unlikely rival.

The room burst into laughter, everyone throwing friendly jibes his way. Yan flushed, embarrassed, slumping back into his chair, wishing he could sink into the floor.

With a sigh, the Black-Robed Bishop said, "Pay attention. This better be the last time."

Minutes later, Yan, fidgeting in his seat, glanced back at the door—and there it was again. Another tiny figure flashed by, and this time Yan shot out of his chair in such a panic that his desk toppled with a crash.

Everyone stared at him, wide-eyed. Pointing frantically at the door, Yan cried, "He's here—he's here again! He came in!!"

The whole class stared at him in shock, and a powdery snap sounded from the front as the Black-Robed Bishop broke a piece of chalk on the board, throwing it aside in anger.

"Yan, I've had just about enough of this! Out in the hall, now!"

"B-But, sir! The baby really came in!" Yan pleaded desperately.

"Three seconds, Yan. Three, two…"

With a look of pure misery, Yan shuffled out of the classroom, earning an exasperated look from Hu Liena.

Once in the corridor, Yan's heart sank further as he spotted the imposing figure of a Platinum Bishop surrounded by other staff members. The Dean, a Red-Robed Bishop, wore a strained smile as he tried to placate the man. 

"Bishop Salas, I assure you, there's no favoritism here. All first-year students are at least twelve years old—no one is enrolled through the back door."

Salas' expression darkened. "Oh, really? Because I heard you don't even check students' bone ages, letting children younger than twelve slip in. How much were you paid?"

The Dean looked flabbergasted, sputtering, "I… That's a complete slander, Bishop Salas! Every student here is verified to be twelve or older."

"Oh, well, let's just take a look at Class 1-A then, shall we?" Salas sneered, cutting him off. "I hear that in this prestigious class, the underage admissions are the worst. I heard there's even a six-year-old in there! A six-year-old—are you serious? What kind of advanced academy accepts toddlers?"

At this point, Salas was practically spitting with rage, and the Dean was red-faced with embarrassment, trying to explain, "I swear, Bishop Salas, there is no such child…"

In Class 1-A, Hu Liena had been diligently studying her textbook when a small head suddenly appeared beneath her desk, peeking out with large, innocent eyes.

Startled, she gasped, quickly covering her mouth to stifle a laugh.

"It's you!" she whispered, sneaking a quick glance around before carefully lifting the baby into her arms.

To his embarrassment, Lin Luo realized that his first glimpse of Hu Liena involved catching sight of her blue underwear. Why does this keep happening? he thought, blushing slightly as he tried to focus. [TL: bro became a god but still was a virgin]

As Hu Liena hugged him, Lin Luo clambered up her shoulder, hoping to get to the empty seat behind her—Yan's desk, conveniently vacant now that he was out in the hall.

"Where are you going, little guy?" Hu Liena whispered.

Hiding, obviously! Lin Luo thought as he looked at her with exasperation, hoping she'd get the hint. The Platinum Bishop was getting closer by the second!

He had just perched himself on Yan's desk when the classroom door flew open, and a throng of staff filed in.

The Dean mopped his brow nervously as he gestured around the room, saying, "As you can see, Bishop Salas, all the students here are indeed at least twelve years old."

But Salas merely shoved him aside, fury flashing in his eyes as he pointed toward Hu Liena's row. 

"Su tan jie! You didn't just enroll a six-year-old—you went and admitted a baby! Are you out of your mind?!"

The Dean looked over, bewildered, until he saw the innocent-looking infant perched on a desk, blinking wide-eyed at the Platinum Bishop in total innocence.