Chapter 93: Furina vs Zhou Yi
An eerie, profound silence fell over the classroom.
Zhou Yi had taught for many years, yet this was the first time she had encountered a student who dared so boldly question her teaching methods. A flicker of bewilderment first crossed her deeply wrinkled face, swiftly followed by a surge of irrepressible fury.
"You have a problem with my teaching, do you?!" Zhou Yi's voice shot up sharply, her hoarse tones reverberating through the classroom, carrying an oppressive, heart-quickening pressure.
Furina, however, remained utterly unruffled. She rose gracefully to her feet, her long white hair gleaming with a soft luster in the sunlight streaming through the window. She didn't answer Zhou Yi's question directly. Instead, she posed an unexpected counter-question of her own.
"Before we discuss this matter, I'd like to first ask Teacher Zhou—by your standards, would I be considered a genius right now?"
"Huh?" Zhou Yi was visibly thrown off, her just-brewing fury grinding to a halt. In all her years of teaching, she had encountered every flavor of defiant, unruly student—but never one who so thoroughly defied all expectations.
The other students in the classroom were equally stunned. No one had imagined Furina would ask such a seemingly irrelevant question.
A deeply meaningful smile curved at the corner of Furina's lips. "Didn't Teacher Zhou just say, 'He who dares not stir up trouble is mediocre'? Well then—I am now openly questioning your teaching methods. By that very standard, would that make me a genius?"
"You—!" Zhou Yi's expression froze solid. For a moment, she was so furious she nearly laughed. In all her years, she had never met a student so sharp-tongued and audaciously fearless.
The students below, Huo Yuhao among them, were all struggling desperately to suppress their laughter. Some had even lowered their heads, their shoulders trembling faintly, clearly tickled beyond endurance by Furina's wholly unexpected counter.
But Furina didn't stop there. She continued with unhurried composure. "Or is it that Teacher Zhou preaches 'He who dares not stir up trouble is mediocre,' but in truth believes no such thing—and is merely throwing her weight around in front of her students?"
Her voice was crisp and pleasing, yet every word struck the heart with unerring precision. "Or perhaps you're simply perpetuating some so-called 'fine tradition'? But I have serious doubts as to whether this tradition is truly correct. Are those who dare not stir up trouble necessarily mediocre? In my view, those who only know how to stir up trouble are the true fools. After all, if we follow your logic—wouldn't that make every reckless, brawling street thug a genius?"
"And further—doesn't this philosophy of 'daring to stir up trouble' actually breed nothing more than a pack of cowards, who only dare bully the weak while lacking the courage to challenge the strong?"
These words were like a massive boulder hurled into a placid lake, sending ripples cascading through the students. Many nodded unconsciously in agreement. Furina had indeed given voice to the thoughts buried deep in their hearts.
Zhou Yi's face had darkened to the point of dripping water. She glared fixedly at Furina, her gaze as sharp as a honed blade. The authority she had painstakingly built over so many years of teaching was being challenged as never before.
"My word is the rule!" Zhou Yi slammed her palm against the lectern. The thick, solid wooden podium groaned in protest beneath her strike. "If any of you feel dissatisfied, you are free to get out—right now!"
She swept her icy stare across the room, her voice bone-chillingly cold. "Within one minute, I want to see every one of you running laps around Shrek Square. Otherwise—mass expulsion!"
As her words fell, a powerful wave of soul power erupted from her body. Two yellow, two purple, two black—six perfect soul rings slowly rose from beneath her feet. The crushing pressure of a Soul Emperor instantly blanketed the entire classroom.
"Especially you." Zhou Yi's glare locked dead onto Furina. "You glib-tongued little brat!"
Yet faced with this immense, suffocating pressure, Furina only smiled. That smile carried a touch of casual indifference, but beneath it lay a confidence that could not be ignored.
"Show soul rings? Challenge accepted." Furina raised her hand lightly, and a soft, gentle radiance coalesced in her palm. "If you wish to call me a fool, perhaps you should first take a look at my martial soul and my soul rings."
As she spoke, an exquisitely crafted cake materialized in her hand. And then—a scene that made every jaw in the room drop—four soul rings rose from beneath her feet, utterly defying all convention. Two purple. Two black.
"Allow me to introduce myself," Furina's voice rang out, clear and perfectly composed. "Furina. Fourteen years old. Rank forty-nine, food-type support soul master. And a twin martial soul possessor. So tell me, Teacher—in your estimation, am I a fool?"
In that single moment, a deathly, absolute silence fell upon the entire classroom.
Aside from Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao, who had long since known the truth, every student—Wang Dong included—was struck utterly speechless with shock. A fourteen-year-old Soul Ancestor was staggering enough. But that soul ring configuration which defied all natural law—and on top of it, twin martial souls...
Wang Dong silently compared himself: Twin martial souls aren't that special—I have them too... But he had to admit, the talent Furina had just displayed was truly staggering.
He consoled himself inwardly: Father and Second Father both said I actually have a third martial soul. It's just that I can't attach soul rings to it yet. And my second soul ring is also of the thousand-year tier. For my next soul ring, I'll strive for a ten-thousand-year one as well. One day, I'll catch up to her.
His gaze drifted unconsciously toward Huo Yuhao again. And that guy... he clearly looks even younger than me, yet he's already rank thirty-one, with such an abnormal soul ring configuration. Could it be because he's a companion of Furina's? No matter what, I have to work even harder.
On the lectern, Zhou Yi was equally dumbfounded. She had taught for many years and seen countless geniuses. But someone as monstrous as Furina—this was a first. A talent of this caliber—forget expulsion; even slightly harsh punishment might alert the academy's highest authorities.
Zhou Yi swiftly realized that this student before her was not someone she could deal with as she pleased. With heaven-defying talent like this, the admissions teacher would have certainly reported it to the academy long ago. It was entirely possible the upper echelons were already closely monitoring this student's every move.
Though inwardly reeling, Zhou Yi still burned with fury at Furina's insolence. Furina's actions were, without question, an open challenge to her authority. And what's more, those words just now were truly hard to refute.
Seeing Zhou Yi sunk in silence, Furina spoke up once more, her tone carrying a teasing lilt. "I imagine Teacher Zhou must acknowledge that I am a genius? After all, someone of my extraordinary brilliance is truly a once-in-ten-thousand-years rarity."
Though her words were thick with self-praise, not a single person present could refute them. Before such staggering talent, any doubt seemed pale and hollow. And indeed, in all these ten thousand years, a talent like this had never before appeared.
Furina shifted tone and steered the conversation back to the main point. "Well then, let's set aside the earlier matter for the moment. Regarding the punishment of running laps that the Teacher just assigned—I do have some questions."
Zhou Yi couldn't tell whether Furina was offering her a graceful way out, or preparing to find some new fault to pick. But even if it were the latter, she could only rein in her temper and take the offered topic. "Very well, genius student. Speak. What questions do you have about my lesson arrangements?"
The atmosphere in the classroom appeared to have eased somewhat. But everyone present knew that this contest between teacher and student had only just begun. A deeply meaningful smile curved at the corner of Furina's lips. She gathered her thoughts—and prepared to give this harsh and strict homeroom teacher a proper lesson.