Yan Shaozhe

Huo Yuhao was completely unaffected by Yan Shaozhe's imposing aura and said calmly, "I merely interpreted the sentence according to its original meaning. If the Academy wants to encourage students to dare to challenge and be brave enough to challenge, it could simply make those eight words the school motto. It could even promote people and deeds that embody the courage to challenge as examples, rather than using an ambiguous sentence as the school motto and misleading students and teachers."

Yan Shaozhe's face filled with smiles once more, but there was not the slightest hint of amusement in his eyes.

He stared at Huo Yuhao. This new student actually wanted to suggest changing the school motto? Young people these days were truly full of arrogance!

How could he possibly alter the school motto passed down by the ancestors? He was one of Shrek Academy's staunch conservatives. Opposing reform, suppressing the Soul Tool Department, and safeguarding the Martial Soul Department's supreme status within the Academy were what he had always worked toward. How could he change an ancestral school motto? Even if he clearly knew that sentence was wrong, he would make it right.

Wasn't the boy's suggestion of greater promotion quite reasonable? The Academy did need to publicize it more, so everyone could understand the "true" meaning of the school motto.

Yan Shaozhe nodded. "The Academy's work has indeed been lacking. We actually allowed students to misunderstand the meaning of the school motto. It seems we truly must increase our publicity in the future, so that Shrek Academy's students all understand that 'Those who dare not cause trouble are mediocrities' encourages the spirit of being brave enough to challenge and daring to challenge."

Yan Shaozhe turned to Du Weilun. "Weilun, make a note of it. This must be a key point of future publicity."

After arranging these matters for Du Weilun, Yan Shaozhe revealed a kindly smile and said to Huo Yuhao, "I have considered your suggestion about publicity, and it is indeed feasible, so I have decided to adopt it. How about this? Half a month from now, the Academy will hold a Challenger Arena competition to encourage all students to participate. Since you were the one who proposed this suggestion, you will be the first challenger to be challenged. What do you think? If you can win the competition, the Academy will also give you, as the proposer of this suggestion, an additional reward."

As Yan Shaozhe spoke, he wore a smile, his eyes full of earnest expectation and encouragement, just like a kind old man encouraging his own junior to strive forward. Yet no one could know what he was truly thinking.

Yan Shaozhe felt that this student, who dared to speak ill of Shrek Academy and offer him advice to his face, was far too arrogant. That would not be conducive to the Academy winning him over.

Fortunately, the Academy had no shortage of geniuses. This boy was no more than a One-Ring Soul Master. Once the Academy's other geniuses gave his arrogance a proper beating, he would understand just how formidable the Academy was. Then, when the Academy rewarded him as usual, shouldn't he be overwhelmed with gratitude?

If it were not for Zhi Wei's chance to advance to Titled Douluo, he could not be bothered to target such a minor character.

No one in New Student Class One had expected Shrek Academy's dean to be so kind and approachable. He had seriously adopted a new student's suggestion and even decided on the spot to hold a Challenger Arena. How close he was to the people!

Their slight doubts about Shrek Academy instantly vanished.

Huo Yuhao was rather surprised that Yan Shaozhe wanted to hold some Challenger Arena over the school motto, but he still decided to participate.

Ever since obtaining the Sky Dream Spirit Ring, his strength had improved tremendously, but he had gained very little actual combat experience.

He had repeatedly reviewed his battle with Wang Dong several times and discovered that he relied rather heavily on overwhelming opponents with the number of his soul skills and suppressing them with spiritual power. While those were also part of his strength, they concealed his shortcomings in close combat.

He could not even beat that lazy dog Wang Dong in close combat. Huo Yuhao felt that was truly humiliating!

He felt that he at least had to temper his close-combat ability until it surpassed Wang Dong's, reaching Two Dongs of Strength!

Close combat did not need to be exceptional, but it could not become a weakness. It was like how a divine beast's strength did not need to be particularly great, but it could not be unable to fly, or it would become a laughingstock. Right, Groudon?

After receiving a satisfactory answer, Yan Shaozhe nodded and smiled at the class. "Students, continue your lessons!"

With that, he and Du Weilun departed for the other classes.

Zhou Yi watched Yan Shaozhe disappear into the distance, then her face darkened again as she said coldly, "You all heard him. The school motto encourages everyone to be brave enough to challenge and dare to challenge, not to bully the weak with strength or stir up trouble!"

"Now, all of you, get down there and run! One hundred laps in one shichen!"

Having been interrupted like this, Zhou Yi could no longer be bothered to investigate whom Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong had fought, or why they had fought.

Ever since arriving at this new student class, Zhou Yi had felt that nothing had gone smoothly. And the source of it all was that Huo Yuhao! Yet she did not dare target Huo Yuhao now. Leaving aside the fact that she already knew Zhi Wei was behind him, she had no desire to experience Huo Yuhao's strange ability again in public.

If it were in private...

Zhou Yi shook her head and threw the thought away.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, along with Xiao Xiao, who had been following the two of them, arrived at Shrek Square.

This was where they were supposed to run. One lap was roughly four hundred meters, so one hundred laps meant forty kilometers.

For ordinary people, completing that in one shichen would be difficult. Even for these students with a Soul Master foundation, some might not be able to manage it.

Huo Yuhao's physical condition had improved drastically after his abilities awakened. His physique was now even better than Wang Dong's, so running one hundred laps was naturally no problem for him.

As for worrying about whether running would damage his knees, Huo Yuhao was not concerned in the slightest. What did they think Soul Power was for? If one was afraid that even running for exercise would hurt one's knees, then they might as well stop cultivating altogether. Cultivation could even lead to qi deviation!

Huo Yuhao took the lead at a fairly relaxed pace. Seeing him run so quickly, Wang Dong refused to be outdone and followed closely behind him. The other students also consciously trailed after Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao noticed that everyone was following his pace, and his pace was rather fast. If they kept this up, some people might not last all one hundred laps. He slowed down and reminded them, "Everyone, follow your own rhythm. Don't deliberately run at someone else's pace. As long as you can finish within one shichen, that's enough. There's no need to go too fast. The important thing is conserving your stamina and making sure you finish on time."

After hearing Huo Yuhao's reminder, most of them began adjusting their pace according to their own endurance, while a small number continued following behind him.

Huo Yuhao resumed his pace and began accelerating. Before long, he had left those people behind. When Xiao Xiao saw that she could not keep up with Huo Yuhao, she began running at her own pace. Only Wang Dong continued following closely behind, panting as she complained, "Why are you running so fast? We only need to finish within one shichen anyway."

Huo Yuhao smiled. "Isn't it better to finish early?"

"That's true. Finish early, rest early." Wang Dong agreed.