Those Who Dare Not Stir Up Trouble Are Mediocrities?

Zhou Yi stood behind the podium, her sharp gaze sweeping over the students below. This time, however, no one avoided her eyes. Everyone sat up straight and met her gaze directly, their eyes blazing.

Zhou Yi frowned. This reaction from the students was completely contrary to the effect she had wanted. It seemed that what had just happened had dealt a heavy blow to her authority in the class.

Her face darkened as she tried to appear even more imposing and cold. But without her human-skin mask, she instead looked a little like a young girl throwing a petty tantrum at her boyfriend. She said sternly:

"My name is Zhou Yi, and I am your Class Teacher. In my class, you may resist me and disobey me, so long as you can defeat me like that student just did. But if you lack that ability, then listen to me obediently. Here, trash has no right to negotiate or make suggestions! What I intend to cultivate are monsters, not garbage—let alone idiots."

Huo Yuhao could not help feeling somewhat helpless upon hearing Zhou Yi's words. He had not expected her to keep putting on this act even now. Did she only know how to teach students through threats and intimidation?

In Huo Yuhao's view, a teacher's authority should come from their noble character, their own strength and knowledge, and the effort and emotion they invested in teaching their students. It should never come from the students' fear.

Unfortunately, when it came to personal charm, Zhou Yi could hardly be called good—though saying she was bad would be too absolute. As for strength, she did have it. With the cultivation of a Soul Emperor, teaching freshmen who had not even reached three rings was more than enough for her. Unfortunately, she used that strength only to oppress students rather than teach them. And as for the feelings Zhou Yi invested in her students? Perhaps she would invest some emotion in the few leaders, but toward everyone else, all she gave was threats and coercion.

Huo Yuhao calmly watched Zhou Yi's performance of feigned authority. Compared to that human-skin face from before, at least this face was quite pretty. And this was the very face that, beneath the podium moments ago, had worn a charming, seductive expression as it gazed up at him tenderly. Recalling that scene, Huo Yuhao found himself watching with even greater interest.

Feeling Huo Yuhao's gaze, Zhou Yi felt as though she were standing naked before him, a prickling sensation crawling over her back.

She tried to remain composed as she shot Huo Yuhao a glance from the corner of her eye. Then she continued, "Since registration began, anyone who has gotten into a fight, stand up."

Huo Yuhao stood. Wang Dong followed suit and stood up as well.

The entire class focused their eyes on the two of them once more. School had only started a few days ago—how had they already begun fighting?

"Only two?" Zhou Yi raised a brow. "What a bunch of trash. Don't you know that those who dare not stir up trouble are mediocrities? Other than those two, all of you get out and run one hundred laps around Shrek Square. This is your first test since entering school. If anyone fails to finish, I have plenty of ways to punish you."

The class erupted in uproar at Zhou Yi's words. School had only begun a few days ago—why should they have to fight others? Why could those who fought be exempted from the test, while those who had not fought had to run one hundred laps and would be punished if they failed to finish? This was unfair!

At that moment, Huo Yuhao said to Zhou Yi, "Teacher, I do not agree with your statement that those who dare not stir up trouble are mediocrities. Wang Dong and I do not need to be exempted from this one-hundred-lap running test either. So, we should take the test together with our classmates."

Of course, Huo Yuhao knew that he and Wang Dong would ultimately have to run those one hundred laps anyway, and they would still have to listen to Zhou Yi ramble on about a bunch of things. They might as well show first that they were willing to share hardship with their classmates.

Zhou Yi said coldly, "Of course you and Wang Dong will take the test. But first, you must explain your questioning of Shrek Academy's school motto. Otherwise, even if I do not expel you, the other teachers will not tolerate you once they hear about it."

"The school motto? Teacher, you mean?" Huo Yuhao asked.

"Don't play dumb. 'Those who dare not stir up trouble are mediocrities' is the school motto left behind by Flender, the first dean of Shrek Academy."

Huo Yuhao put on a look of sudden realization and said, "I never expected Shrek Academy's school motto to be 'those who dare not stir up trouble are mediocrities.' This is the first time I've heard of it. I'm truly disappointed in Shrek Academy now."

"May I ask, Teacher Zhou Yi, if this so-called 'those who dare not stir up trouble are mediocrities' means that if someone told you to slap a Titled Douluo, would you be willing to do it?"

"Hah. Provoking someone recklessly without knowing their strength only makes one an idiot," Zhou Yi said with a cold laugh.

"So that means you should first investigate whether others are strong or weak, avoid those stronger than yourself, and go bully and provoke those weaker than yourself? But that isn't right, is it? Such people are clearly useless trash who enjoy causing trouble and bullying the weak. How have they become geniuses and monsters here? Could it be that Shrek Academy cultivates this kind of genius, this kind of monster? I don't think so."

Zhou Yi was left speechless by Huo Yuhao's two questions. The freshmen around them also looked at one another, their impression of Shrek wavering for the first time.

Just then, an imposing voice came from the classroom doorway.

"Of course Shrek Academy does not cultivate such trash who only know how to bully the weak. What we cultivate are strong individuals who are brave enough to challenge and dare to challenge!"

"This student's understanding of the school motto is somewhat misguided."

Everyone in the classroom looked toward the door. There stood an elderly man dressed in white, while Director Du Weilun, whom Huo Yuhao had seen during the entrance examination, stood respectfully at his side.

Just as all the students were speculating about the old man's identity, Zhou Yi stepped forward and bowed respectfully.

"Greetings, Dean Yan!"

He was actually the dean of Shrek Academy!

None of the students had expected this gentle, ordinary-looking old man to be the dean of Shrek Academy—and that he would appear before them so simply. Almost everyone instinctively straightened up.

Huo Yuhao secretly assessed the old man before him and considered what might happen now that Yan Shaozhe had heard his earlier words.

According to the Original Work, this man was also petty and indecisive. There was no telling whether he might make things difficult for him.

Yan Shaozhe nodded to Zhou Yi, then fixed Huo Yuhao with an appraising gaze. After a long while, seeing that the youth before him remained calm and unhurried, Yan Shaozhe finally smiled and said, "You are Huo Yuhao, aren't you? I heard Zhi Wei mention you. As expected, you are mature beyond your years, composed and steady. However, it seems you have some misunderstanding about Shrek Academy's school motto?"

Yan Shaozhe slowly withdrew his smile. The aura of a superior radiated from him as he bore down on Huo Yuhao.

He did not intend to truly punish Huo Yuhao. According to the academy's intentions, they would even go all out to win him over.

Huo Yuhao had caused Zhi Wei's cultivation, which had shown no movement for ten years, to slowly improve. If he could help Zhi Wei advance to become a Titled Douluo, then with Zhi Wei's support abilities, Shrek Academy's strength would receive another enormous boost.

However, winning over talent was like training a hawk. You first had to suppress them, then offer a little benefit to draw them in, then suppress them again, then draw them in again. Given enough time, the talented individual would naturally become loyal.

This was how Shrek Academy had won over students for thousands of years. The academy had even deliberately indulged—and even trained—a group of Outer Court teachers like Zhou Yi to carry out such work.