If any other student had dared to publicly contradict her in front of the entire class on their very first day, Zhou Yi would have expelled them without a single moment of hesitation. This was a ruthless method she had employed for many years with consistent success; it was both direct and undeniably efficient in maintaining her iron rule. However, when she faced a peerless genius like Huo Yuhao, she found that she simply could not bring herself to do it. What she desired most in this moment was to mold Huo Yuhao into her own image. As long as Huo Yuhao became an obedient student who followed her every command, she might even be able to nurture a future Master of the Sea Gods Pavilion. The mere thought of such an achievement made her pulse quicken with excitement, and the burning anger she felt toward Huo Yuhao began to dissipate slightly.
Zhou Yi took a deep breath, consciously suppressing the surging fury that threatened to boil over. She gave a cold snort and looked at him with narrowed eyes. Being successful at such a young age is not necessarily a good thing for your character. Today, I shall teach you the true meaning of respecting your teacher and the Dao. She paused for a moment, her thin lips curling into a very faint, mocking arc. Since you are so conceited about your own strength and actually dare to oppose me, then do you have the courage to take a trip to the Soul Dueling Arena with me?
As soon as these words were spoken, the entire classroom erupted in an immediate uproar. The students could hardly believe their ears. Zhou Yi was actually going to use her high status as a Spirit Emperor to personally suppress a mere freshman? Huo Yuhao met her scrutinizing gaze with an air of complete indifference and said calmly, Why wouldn't I dare?
Zhou Yi's eyelid twitched slightly at his lack of fear, but she did not say another word. She shifted her gaze away from Huo Yuhao's face, slowly scanning the dozens of young faces in the classroom, each wearing a different expression. Some were shocked, some were excited, while others looked fearful or bewildered. Everyone, follow me. Her voice was not particularly loud, but it entered everyone's ears with crystal clarity. After saying that, she turned around, her grey robe cutting a sharp arc through the air as she strode out the door with a sense of purpose.
The silence in the classroom lasted for less than three seconds after her departure. Immediately after, dozens of freshmen stood up almost simultaneously and swarmed toward the door. They followed closely behind Zhou Yi's footsteps as the large group marched grandly toward the Soul Dueling Arena.
The teacher on duty at Soul Dueling Arena Number 23 was a man named Wang Xing. He was originally quite surprised to see a group of freshmen arriving at the Soul Dueling Arena on the very first day of the school year. But then, standing in front of the boys and girls dressed in their brand-new white school uniforms, he saw Zhou Yi's mean face that practically screamed for everyone to stay away, and he suddenly understood the situation. This particular teacher was indeed capable of doing anything if she felt like it.
He was about to ask as a matter of routine if Teacher Zhou was bringing her students for a practical combat drill today, only to see that Zhou Yi did not even spare him a glance from the corner of her eye. She walked straight into the arena without stopping. And behind her, a young man followed at an unhurried, steady pace. Finally, this pair, one large and one small, one teacher and one student, appeared in the center of the Soul Dueling Arena.
Wang Xing looked at Zhou Yi and then at the youth, his gaze moving back and forth between the two of them in disbelief. Finally, he confirmed a fact that seemed entirely unbelievable: Zhou Yi, a powerful six ring Spirit Emperor, was actually going to personally take the field on the first day of school to fight a freshman. Wang Xing could not help but frown, feeling that he should probably report this information to the academy leadership. He was also worried that Zhou Yi would lose her temper and go crazy; it certainly would not be good if she caused serious casualties among the new students.
Inside the arena, the two figures stood facing each other in a tense standoff. In the spectator stands, the dozens of students from freshman class one had already taken their seats voluntarily. No one spoke a word; even their breathing was kept extremely light, for fear of missing even the slightest sound or movement in the arena.
Zhou Yi spoke first, her voice echoing in the quiet space. That you dare to step onto this Soul Dueling Arena and stand opposite me, your courage is at least commendable. In this battle, if you lose, from now on, regarding everything you do in this academy, if I say one, you shall not say two; if I tell you to go east, you shall not go west. How about it?
Huo Yuhao listened quietly with a calm face, showing no outward emotion, but he let out a cold, mocking laugh in the depths of his heart. Fine. Huo Yuhao's voice was not loud, but he agreed to the terms directly. However, in the next second, his voice rang out again with a sharp edge. He paused, looking directly into Zhou Yi's eyes. If Teacher loses, please also take back the arrogant words you said in the classroom today. Furthermore, after this battle, I will apply for a formal class transfer and will not continue to study as your student.
In fact, if Huo Yuhao truly wanted to change classes, he could achieve it just by speaking to Director Du Weilin. The real reason he wanted to fight this match was to demonstrate his unwavering attitude. He wanted to tell Shrek Academy that he was not the kind of obedient pawn who would let them arrange every detail of his life; he had his own thoughts, his own consciousness, and the power to back them up.
Zhou Yi frowned upon hearing his counter-offer, but then she gave a stiff nod. Then it's settled! She stopped looking at Huo Yuhao and suddenly turned her head toward the official, shouting, Wang Xing, you may begin the match.
Wang Xing looked at Zhou Yi in the arena and finally could not hold back his protest. Teacher Zhou! You are a six ring Spirit Emperor, yet you want to enter the Soul Dueling Arena with a first year freshman on the very first day of school. He paused, his gaze falling on Zhou Yi's motionless, aged face. This really isn't very appropriate, is it?
Zhou Yi did not even lift her eyelids to look at him. My business is none of your concern.
Wang Xing's breath suddenly hitched, and a surge of sharp anger instinctively welled up in his heart. She simply does not recognize good intentions when they are offered! He cursed her fiercely in his heart, the muscles on his face twitching twice, but in the end, he did not say the words about how she would eventually suffer a great fall because of her temper. He had worked with Zhou Yi for several years and knew her difficult personality all too well. If you said one word against her, she would remember the grudge for ten years. He stopped looking at Zhou Yi and shouted the command, Start!
As soon as he finished speaking, the atmosphere in the arena changed instantly. Beneath Zhou Yi's feet, six spirit rings—two yellow, two purple, and two black—burst into a brilliant bloom! At the same time, her physical stature suddenly increased, and her originally hunched back straightened abruptly. Layers of fine scales with a scorching dark red luster emerged from beneath her skin, covering its entire surface. Flames began to rise violently around Zhou Yi's body. That was not ordinary spirit power overflowing, but almost substantial scorching waves erupting from the gaps between every single scale. The air was scorched until it distorted and deformed. With her as the center, within a radius of several meters, heat waves rolled, and even the light trembled because of the intensity.
In her eyes, the reflection of the youth opposite her appeared. There was no contempt in her gaze now, no arrogance, and not even the meanness and disdain she usually wore on her face. There was only a concentrated, heavy solemnity. After all, she knew Huo Yuhao's spirit power was only lower than hers, but he also possessed two ten thousand year spirit rings. So in her heart, the power of Huo Yuhao's Spirit Ability should not be weaker than a Spirit Emperor's; she believed he was only lacking in total stamina.
Huo Yuhao recognized her martial soul at a single glance; this was the Red Dragon Spirit. It was a fire attribute soul, a branch of the pure blood Dragon Clan, possessing very powerful attack and defense capabilities. He could completely use the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion Spirit to suppress her attributes with Ultimate Ice; winning the match should not be difficult at all. However, he lowered his eyes slightly. What rose beneath his feet was not that touch of crimson ice. Instead, it was four spirit rings—two purple and two black—as deep and heavy as a bottomless abyss. He was still using the Spirit Eyes Martial Soul.
Seeing this scene, the referee Wang Xing's pupils suddenly contracted like pinholes. Two purple and two black? A Spirit Ancestor? This is a freshman in his first year? He had been in this profession for twelve years and had seen countless geniuses in the Soul Dueling Arena—from the Inner Court, the Outer Court, and even outstanding alumni who had returned after graduation. But he could say with certainty that all those so-called geniuses would pale in comparison to the current Huo Yuhao! With the posture of a four ring master, he faced the Spirit Emperor's aura head-on without retreating half a step.
Wang Xing's heart pounded wildly in his chest, his blood surging as if it were boiling. It was a mix of pure excitement, anticipation, and a certain kind of schadenfreude that could not be explained to outsiders. He slowly relaxed his clenched hands and unobtrusively straightened his body again. But the gaze with which he looked into the arena was completely different now. He wasn't looking at Zhou Yi anymore; he was looking at Huo Yuhao with total focus. Fight. Fight hard. It would be best to pin this old witch to the ground and beat her. Wang Xing chanted silently in his heart with an expressionless face, as if he were performing some kind of sacred prayer for justice.
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