Authority

Wang Qiuer and Wang Dong'er were in excellent physical condition. After accelerating into a sprint, they quickly passed Huo Yuhao at the back and caught up to Ji Lin at the front, following behind him at a steady pace.

Wang Dong'er had wanted to pass Ji Lin and take the lead, but seeing Wang Qiuer running behind him with her gaze fixed on his back, she stayed by Wang Qiuer's side instead. She looked at Wang Qiuer, then at Ji Lin's back, her face full of curiosity. Her intuition told her that there was a story between those two.

Sensing the gazes of the two behind him, Ji Lin was speechless. He knew Wang Qiuer would definitely set her sights on him. After all, he had taken her Destiny Power and exchanged memories with her. But why was Wang Dong'er joining in the fun?

By then, Zhou Yi had arrived beside Shrek Plaza and stood there quietly watching the students run. She first looked at the three at the front, her expression shifting slightly before returning to normal.

Time passed quickly. As the number of laps increased, the students' breathing gradually grew heavier. This was when physical fitness and cultivation showed themselves. Zhou Yi had not forbidden the use of soul power for assistance, so everyone used soul power to restore their stamina during the long-distance run.

More than a dozen people were running at the front, none of them slow. Ji Lin led the group. Although Wang Qiuer and Wang Dong'er had started later, they caught up to Ji Lin in terms of laps after only half an hour, then ran behind him.

The three of them did not seem to have expended much energy, and their pace never slowed.

Behind the leading group was the main pack. At least seventy students were in this area. They maintained an even pace and did not seem overly strained. At their speed, completing one hundred laps within an hour would not be a problem.

More than a dozen students lagged behind, including Huo Yuhao. His Soul Power Level was the lowest in the class, and his physical fitness was also the weakest. After running more than twenty laps, he began to run out of strength.

More than half the time had passed when Zhou Yi's voice suddenly rang in every student's ears. "Accelerate. My position is the finish line."

Even as she spoke, Ji Lin shot past her with a whoosh, becoming the first to complete one hundred laps. Wang Qiuer and Wang Dong'er followed closely behind, finishing their hundred laps as well.

After completing the hundred laps at such a rapid pace, Ji Lin's handsome face had merely gained a healthy flush. This amount of exercise was no more than a warm-up to him now; he had barely even broken a sweat.

Like Ji Lin, Wang Qiuer was not particularly tired. Wang Dong'er's face, on the other hand, was flushed and she was breathing a little heavily. In terms of physical fitness, she was still a notch below the other two.

Seeing how relaxed the two in front of her looked, Wang Dong'er lightly bit her red lip, unwillingness showing on her face.

Wang Qiuer was one thing—after all, she had defeated her before—but Wang Dong'er had not expected even Ji Lin to be stronger than her. Her competitive nature had been stirred.

After Wang Dong'er, students gradually began completing their hundred laps. There was still a quarter of an hour left before the hour was up.

Ji Lin turned his gaze toward Huo Yuhao.

Although Huo Yuhao was not moving very quickly and sweat had soaked through his clothes, he was still gritting his teeth and persevering. At his current pace, he should have no problem completing one hundred laps within the allotted time.

Zhou Yi stood quietly there. She paid no attention to the students who had already finished their laps, instead focusing her gaze on those who had yet to complete them.

Among these students, Huo Yuhao looked the most exhausted. His school uniform was already drenched in sweat, but he still clenched his teeth and held on with difficulty.

Very soon, all the students, including Huo Yuhao, completed their hundred laps within the allotted time and stood loosely gathered in Shrek Plaza.

Zhou Yi turned toward the students expressionlessly and said flatly, "Those whose names I call, step forward. Cheng Cheng, Qiu Jianrao, Tang Dao, Shangguan Chentian, Lin Zeyu, Zhuge Yun, Tailong, Tang Ling, Yun Xiaopiao."

A total of nine people had been named. The students clearly had not expected Zhou Yi, who had not even had them introduce themselves, to casually call out the names of nine of them.

The named students ambled out. Zhou Yi said coolly, "The nine of you may return to pack your things and leave the academy. From this moment onward, you are no longer students of Shrek Academy."

"What?" The nine students, who had just finished running and were still exhausted, were instantly shocked. The other students erupted into an uproar.

"Teacher, why?" A tall youth named Tailong stepped forward with an angry expression. Among the students who had completed the run earlier, he had been in the first group and was one of the earliest to finish.

Zhou Yi said coldly, "Shrek Academy has no need for students who cut corners. Someone with strength but without a sound and upright mindset will bring only disaster, not help, to any nation once cultivated into a talent. Tailong, tell me yourself: did you really run one hundred laps?"

Tailong protested, "Of course I did."

Zhou Yi smiled. "You did? If I remember correctly, when the run began, because I had not yet arrived at Shrek Plaza, you leisurely walked for two laps. You only started keeping up when the leaders reached their fifth lap. Therefore, you ran not one hundred laps, but ninety-seven. I believe more than one person saw how lazy you were at the beginning."

"I..." Tailong's face immediately reddened. He had never expected Zhou Yi, who had not even been at the plaza at the start, to describe his trickery as though she had seen it herself. "But even if I ran a few fewer laps, you can't expel me over that!"

Zhou Yi snorted disdainfully. "I already gave the reason. You are unworthy of calling yourself a student of Shrek Academy. Pack your things and get lost."

"You..." Tailong was utterly dumbfounded. With his strength, running one hundred laps would have been no problem at all. Even among all the students in Class One, Year One, his cultivation ranked near the top. Yet he had never imagined he would be eliminated like this. Zhou Yi looked at the other students and said flatly, "My temper may be bad, but I always keep my word. Every one of the nine people I named cut corners during the run and failed to complete one hundred laps. If you are dissatisfied, you may go report me to the Academic Affairs Office. But now, you may leave."

Under Zhou Yi's overwhelming authority, the nine named students slunk away. Of course, they were not going back to pack their things. Instead, they headed straight for the Academic Affairs Office to lodge a complaint. It was only the first day of school! How could they accept this?

Ji Lin looked at the backs of those nine students and shook his head. They were all outstanding among their peers, yet they had been expelled over such a small matter.

Although he felt Zhou Yi was making too much of it, those students had nothing to do with him, and he did not want to meddle. As he had said before, if even Shrek Academy did not care about something, why should he?

The expressions of the remaining students had completely changed. They did not even dare breathe loudly in front of Zhou Yi. In merely an hour, Zhou Yi had established absolute authority in Class One, Year One.

"Go back to your dormitories and change your clothes, then return to the classroom for lessons. I am giving you a quarter of an hour." With that, Zhou Yi turned and went directly back to the teaching building.

This time, no one dared delay even for a moment. They scattered with a roar, nearly all sprinting toward their dormitories.