Chapter 21: A Side-Bet on Soul BonesDai Huabin's expression instantly turned extremely ugly. He stared at Dai Youheng, his tone filled with anger and confusion, "Dai Youheng! What kind of bewitching potion did this Huo Yuhao give you? It's one thing for you to bootlick Xu Jiujiu at home, but here you are bootlicking Huo Yuhao again? Do you feel uncomfortable if you don't bootlick someone for a day? We are the ones from the Dai Family!"He truly couldn't understand why this illegitimate fellow always sided with outsiders. Starting last year, he had been exceptionally considerate and protective of Huo Yuhao.Facing his questioning, Dai Youheng merely smiled faintly and repeated, "Why do you ask so many questions? Just tell me, are you betting or not?""Bet! Why wouldn't I bet?" Dai Huabin was completely enraged by his attitude. He gritted his teeth and said, "You all just wait for me! It's just a Spirit Bone, I, Dai Huabin, can afford to bet!"After speaking, he snorted coldly and left the cafeteria in a huff, accompanied by a worried Zhu Lu and a Cui Yajie with a complex gaze.A commotion temporarily subsided.Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao immediately gathered around."Brother, thank you so much just now!" Huo Yuhao sincerely thanked him, his face filled with gratitude. Although he could sense that his brother's kindness towards him might have ulterior motives, ever since he was little, Dai Youheng was indeed one of the few people in the Duke's mansion who had given him warmth.In his heart, among the Dai Family, only this brother, Dai Youheng, and his younger brother, Dai Luoli, could give him some sense of belonging. Moreover, with Dai Youheng's interference, this bet of his became incredibly worthwhile.He had achieved two words—no loss!If he lost, it wasn't his Spirit Bone anyway. If he won, although he wouldn't get a Spirit Bone, he could at least make Dai Huabin lose a Spirit Bone. Dai Huabin's misfortune was his happiness.No matter what, it was a guaranteed profit with no loss.Dai Youheng smiled slightly, trying his best to imitate the bootlicker's habit, and patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder, "Then compete well, don't disappoint me."His tone carried a hint of encouragement, but deep in his eyes was a calm calculation."Don't worry, brother! I will definitely win a new Spirit Bone for you!" Huo Yuhao confidently promised."Hmph!" Wang Dong, who was nearby, snorted unhappily and began to complain, "Yuhao, don't be too happy too soon. Your brother has changed. He hasn't brought breakfast for Xiao Xiao and me these past few days, and he even said he won't bring it anymore! What a stingy person!" She was clearly still bothered by the breakfast incident."It's okay, Wang Dong, it's just breakfast. Now that we're in the second year, our studies are even busier, so it's normal for Brother not to have time. If you want to eat, I'll be responsible for it from now on." Huo Yuhao said.At this time, he had not yet been tutored by Tang San, and his character was not bad. At most, he had a slight habit of cheating on exams, but there were no other issues with his personality. He also wouldn't overthink such a small matter as breakfast.At this moment, Xiao Xiao also stepped forward and bowed deeply to Dai Youheng, "Classmate Youheng, thank you very much for helping us out just now."The thought of how, if Dai Youheng hadn't produced a Spirit Bone, the bet might have fallen on her leg bone, filled her with lingering fear."Mm." Dai Youheng merely nodded faintly in response. He was completely uninterested in the gratitude or complaints of these three.His fundamental purpose in acting was simply to get something for nothing, to earn a free Spirit Bone.If the person destined to win this competition was Dai Huabin, he would have unhesitatingly chosen to stand with Dai Huabin.In a sense, the current Dai Youheng was still a "bootlicker." However, he was no longer bootlicking a particular person, but rather the stark words "self-interest." All his actions were guided by the principle of maximizing his own benefits.The Ice Arrow Pig Spirit Bone in his hand was of good quality, around thirty thousand years old, but its attributes were completely incompatible with him, and he had no desire to absorb it.However, Spirit Bones have always been hard currency. If he couldn't use it himself, he could exchange it for a suitable one, or directly sell it for a huge sum of money, and then use that money to buy the resources he needed. For example, the top-grade Spirit Bones or rare metals that might appear at future auctions and would be more suitable for him!Anyway, no one would ever complain about having too many Spirit Bones.In the shadows, Zhou Yi smiled faintly and quietly departed.Actually, in the original work, she came out to stop this bet because at that time, it was Xiao Xiao's leg that was being bet.But this time, she merely watched the show.Her thoughts were exactly the same as Huo Yuhao's; in this bet, whether they won or lost, Huo Yuhao's side wouldn't lose out.As for Dai Youheng, although he was also a student in her class, she wasn't very concerned about him. In her opinion, a person whose Spirit was incompatible with him was destined to have little future.The assessment day arrived as scheduled, and the atmosphere in the Shrek Academy's Beast Fighting Area was solemn. Students lined up according to their class sequence, and the air was filled with tension and anticipation.Before entering the examination hall, Huo Yuhao and Dai Huabin, these sworn enemies, met again. Huo Yuhao had learned a surefire method from the Tianmeng Iceworm, and he actually took the initiative to propose increasing the stakes.In addition to the Spirit Bone Dai Youheng had put up, they would add three kowtows! Whoever lost would kowtow three times to the other in front of everyone!How could someone as arrogant as Dai Huabin be provoked like this? Without even thinking, he sneered and agreed, as if he could already see Huo Yuhao kneeling before him.Dai Youheng was completely indifferent to such matters. It didn't concern him at all who kowtowed to whom; as long as his Spirit Bone was delivered when the time came, that was all that mattered.Upon arriving at the assessment grounds, Dai Youheng's gaze swept across the viewing platform, and a subtle hint of surprise flashed in his eyes. Seated in the main position was not Du Weilen, the director of instruction mentioned in the original work, but two even more significant figures.One was dressed in a white robe, with a refined appearance. He was none other than Yan Shaozhe, the Dean of the Spirit Department of Shrek Academy, a ninety-fifth-level Super Douluo, whose Spirit was the Bright Phoenix.The other was tall and burly, with a ruddy complexion and eyes full of shrewd calculation. He was Qian Duoduo, the Dean of the Soul Tool Department of Shrek Academy, a ninety-fourth-level Titled Douluo, whose Spirit was the Black Dragon Shield."It's actually the two Deans of Shrek Academy personally presiding? It seems the direction of this World leans more towards the anime setting." Dai Youheng understood in his heart but didn't pay too much attention to it. For him, whether it was the original work or the anime, the general plot direction and character relationships were similar, with just a few fewer characters. Some minor differences in detail were harmless.Responsible for the specific assessment was a robust, dark-skinned old man who exuded a fierce aura. His voice was like a booming bell as he announced the assessment rules. He was Gongchang Long, the ninety-second-level Titled Douluo and the person in charge of the Shrek Academy's Beast Fighting Arena, the Beast King.
