Chapter 123: The Academy That Got Brutalized by the Warlock?
"Not giving face? Since when did your face matter, Xue Beng?"
Before the arrogant prince could finish, Yu Tianheng stepped out from behind the Shrek group, his cold gaze locking onto Xue Beng.
Luo Ling watched the scene quietly. In the original events, Dai Mubai had been the one to act first—but with him dead, Yu Tianheng naturally filled that role.
Hearing the icy voice mocking him, Xue Beng flared with anger—until he saw who had spoken.
"Yu Tianheng?" The prince's eyes darkened, his expression twisting with resentment.
The Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon Clan's young genius—famous, respected, and known for having once pursued Dugu Yan, who had rejected him coldly. Every student at Heaven Dou Imperial Academy knew the story.
Xue Beng himself had mocked Yu Tianheng for it once… and had been promptly beaten half to death for his trouble.
Since then, he'd avoided confrontation with the man. The clan's prestige alone was enough to make him swallow his rage.
Now, glaring at Yu Tianheng, Xue Beng's tone turned mocking but forcedly restrained. "Ah, I see. A Blue Lightning Prince. Tell me, do you think your clan can just waltz into Heaven Dou Royal Academy, bringing a bunch of peasants along?"
"If that's how it is, I'll have to ask my royal uncle what kind of rabble your Blue Lightning Clan thinks it can smuggle into our academy."
The words were veiled as a defense of the academy's honor, but everyone knew what they were—thinly disguised arrogance.
Heaven Dou Academy may have been open to noble lineages, but no family, not even the Blue Lightning Clan, could send students without approval.
Yu Tianheng's face darkened. Originally, he'd wanted to play the hero in front of his juniors—but Xue Beng's brazenness left him with no room for restraint.
The idiot clearly hadn't learned his lesson from their last encounter. But acting against him now would escalate things beyond personal quarrel—to conflict between clan and court.
And besides, among those he had brought was his uncle, Yu Xiaogang. The clan's disdain toward the man was well-known; Yu Tianheng had already risked enough by supporting him.
He suppressed his annoyance and said coldly, "Xue Beng, I suggest you step aside. These people were personally invited by Teacher Qin Ming. Or do you plan to defy his decision?"
That gave Xue Beng pause. "These country bumpkins?" he sneered after a beat. "You honestly expect me to believe Teacher Qin Ming would invite such rabble into our academy?"
He knew Qin Ming's reputation as one of the academy's most gifted instructors and couldn't quite reconcile that fact with the group before him—plainly dressed, unimpressive, and dusty from travel.
Tang San, who had stayed silent thus far, finally snapped.
"Does your Heaven Dou Academy judge a person's worth by their wealth?" he asked coldly.
A faint hum sounded, and Blue Silver Grass exploded from the ground, instantly coiling around Xue Beng's body.
Three soul rings flared simultaneously.
Gasps erupted from the watching students—none of them had achieved Spirit Elder rank yet.
The blood-red patterned vines wrapped around Xue Beng, sizzling faintly as they released a corrosive mist.
Xue Beng screamed, a high-pitched howl of pain that made his followers recoil in horror.
Students scattered in panic.
Moments later, a stern voice barked from across the field. "What's going on here?"
A middle-aged teacher strode forward.
"Teacher Sun! They attacked us! They even dared injure Prince Xue Beng! You must punish them!" one of the prince's cronies shouted immediately.
Teacher Sun approached and looked over the prince, whose skin had broken out in blistered burns. Only surface wounds, but viciously inflicted.
He didn't like Xue Beng personally—but seeing a student in this condition, he couldn't ignore it.
"Who attacked him?" he demanded coldly.
"I did," Tang San said calmly, stepping forward without fear.
The teacher frowned. "And who are you?"
"My name is Tang San."
Flender stepped ahead as well, his posture proud. "We are from Shrek Academy of the Balak Kingdom—invited here by your instructor, Qin Ming."
He and Tang San stood together with unshaken confidence. After witnessing how weak these "royal" students truly were, Flender felt no need to lower his tone.
"Shrek Academy?" the teacher repeated, raising an eyebrow. Then, as realization struck, a faint smirk crossed his lips. "You mean the Shrek Academy that was humiliated 1v7 by the Warlock?"
His words hit like a dagger.
The entire Shrek group froze, faces flushing with anger and humiliation.
Luo Ling, standing aside, watched it all with quiet amusement.
In the original timeline, this same teacher had greeted them with respect. But now? Times—and reputations—had changed.
Thanks to Luo Ling's interference, Shrek's performance at the Great Spirit Arena had been dazzling—but only because of Yu Tianheng's participation.
And their defeat against the Warlock had spread far and wide. In Heaven Dou Academy, where strength meant everything, they were seen as nothing more than lucky nobodies beaten to disgrace.
"So you're that Shrek Academy?" Xue Beng sneered, grinning through his pain. "I thought you'd at least have some bite. Turns out you're just the ones who got massacred by the Warlock!"
"Seven couldn't even stand against one, and now you come begging Heaven Dou Academy to take you in as charity?"
More jeers followed, spilling from his lackeys.
The Shrek team's faces turned to stone, expressions dark with fury.
Teacher Sun didn't stop them—if anything, his narrowed eyes showed faint contempt. He, too, found these so-called prodigies deeply unimpressive.
A rundown school from nowhere, acting arrogant in his academy.
Flender's voice was icy. "So this is how the Heaven Dou Royal Academy welcomes its guests?"
Teacher Sun coughed, forcing a smile. "It's all a misunderstanding. Our students can be… blunt. I'll make sure the prince is disciplined. Since you're here as Qin Ming's guests, let's not dwell on this. Please, follow me inside."
Flender's expression hardened. "There's no need. Clearly, your academy is far too noble for the likes of us. We won't trouble you any further."
He swept his sharp gaze across the mocking students, then turned on his heel.
The Shrek group silently followed, anger burning beneath their composure.
But just as they were about to leave the gates, a familiar voice called out brightly:
"Dean Flender! You finally made it! I've been waiting forever!"
Qin Ming hurried toward them from inside the academy, smiling enthusiastically—completely unaware of what had just happened.
As his eyes met the stony faces around him, his grin faltered.
Something was very wrong.
(END CHAPTER)
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