When Favor Runs Dry, Contempt Follows

At that moment, Zhou Yi's voice reached every student's ears. "Speed up. Gather at my position as the finish line."

The students who had finished gradually gathered beside Zhou Yi, standing loosely around Shrek Square.

In the final five minutes, every student had gathered at Zhou Yi's side. Keeping track of the time, Zhou Yi turned to face them without expression at exactly one hour. "Tang Ling, Tai Long, step forward!"

Tai Long strolled forward leisurely, while Tang Ling nervously shuffled over to Zhou Yi.

Huo Yuhao glanced over and realized that Tai Long was the one who had cheerfully told him earlier that, with so many people around, Zhou Yi would not notice anyone who had run fewer laps. Tang Ling, meanwhile, was the one who had given up.

"Starting tomorrow, you may leave Shrek Academy. You will no longer be members of Shrek."

"What?" Tai Long and Tang Ling were stunned. Meanwhile, the few students who had completed their laps after Huo Yuhao's reminder patted their chests in relief and cast grateful looks at him.

"Teacher, why?" Tai Long shouted indignantly. His cultivation and strength ranked among the best in the class. How could Zhou Yi expel him so casually?

Zhou Yi said coldly, "My class has no need for people who cut corners and still cling to wishful thinking. Tell me yourself—how many laps did you run?"

"I obviously ran a hundred laps!" Tai Long argued stubbornly. Then, seemingly remembering something, he added, "Even if I miscounted and ran a few fewer laps, you still cannot expel me. You promised us that you would not expel any students today."

Zhou Yi's presence turned sharp as she said icily, "You ran only ninety-seven laps. As for how I cannot expel you today—I said that starting tomorrow, you would no longer be a member of Shrek Academy, not today. If you refuse to accept this, you may file an appeal with the Dean's Office."

Huo Yuhao had not expected Zhou Yi to pull something like that. Although he felt the punishment was somewhat severe, he had already reminded the two of them once. Good advice could not save those bent on destruction. As for people who thought others helping them was only natural, he could not be bothered to care.

Seeing that Zhou Yi would not budge, Tai Long and Tang Ling immediately turned pleading looks toward Huo Yuhao, who had been watching the show. He had stood up for Su Hang, the one who had called the teacher by a nickname. It was only natural that he should stand up for them too, wasn't it?

Zhou Yi's eyelids twitched at the sight.

Huo Yuhao remained utterly unmoved by their looks. "I already reminded you once. After my reminder, the other students all completed their hundred laps. Only the two of you either disdained it or did not take it seriously. And now you want me to stand up for you? Out of consideration for our classmates' sake, I could remind you the first time. I will never help you a second time."

Tang Ling wanted to continue begging Huo Yuhao, but Tai Long said furiously, "If it were not for you, would Zhou Yi have discovered that I had not run enough laps? Your reminder was what made Zhou Yi realize I had not completed them!"

Huo Yuhao could not even be bothered to talk to such an idiot. But Wang Dong was furious.

Her face frosted over as she snapped, "Are you an idiot? If Zhou Yi had not discovered that you did not run enough laps, how would she know you only ran ninety-seven?"

"Heh, it is Huo Yuhao's fault anyway. If he had not provoked Zhou Yi and made Teacher Zhou Yi's anger build up, would she have expelled me? I am a Soul Grandmaster! How many people in the class are stronger than me? If I get expelled, I definitely will not let him off!" Tai Long forced out his argument with a cold sneer, still thinking he made perfect sense.

Wang Dong's fury flared instantly, and even some of the other students could not help wanting to teach Tai Long a lesson. They had actually thought Teacher Zhou Yi had gone too far in expelling him. Now, it seemed that simply expelling someone like him was letting him off too easily.

Huo Yuhao stopped Wang Dong, who was about to make a move, and advised her, "There is no need to get angry with someone who does not know gratitude. In the eyes of people like this, no matter what mistakes they make, they first push the blame onto others. No matter how others help them, they think it is only natural. If you fail to help them even once, they will resent you instead."

After saying that, Huo Yuhao turned his icy gaze toward Tai Long, who still wanted to argue. He controlled his spiritual power and struck at the other's Sea of Consciousness, making Tai Long's face turn pale and instantly shutting him up. At the same time, Huo Yuhao quietly activated Soul Interference. Vast spiritual power silently poured into Tai Long's Sea of Consciousness, altering his subconscious and giving him the urge to attack the teachers and wreak havoc once he reached the Dean's Office.

In an instant, Huo Yuhao's face turned slightly pale. His Soul Power was nearly exhausted, and the deficiency was filled by spiritual power instead. His vast Sea of Consciousness even seemed to have shrunk considerably, though fortunately, it recovered quickly as well.

Forcibly altering another person's thoughts and consciousness truly consumed an enormous amount of energy.

Huo Yuhao said coldly, "I could not be bothered with you in the first place, yet you actually turned around and threatened me? Heh. A selfish, ungrateful person like you thinks that others treating you well is only natural? Do you think everyone is your father?"

"I helped Su Hang because I wanted justice. I reminded the others to complete a hundred laps because I wanted to fulfill the bond between classmates. I kindly reminded you, but you did not care. Now you are turning around and blaming me for it!"

"You think I am some kind of good person? That I have to stand up for you? If I do not help you, you threaten me instead? Heh, I would like to see what methods you have! I, Huo Yuhao, have always treated others with respect when they respect me. But if others offend me, I will offend them in return. Use whatever methods you have. Let us see whether you refuse to let me off, or whether I refuse to let you off!"

Tai Long had just opened his mouth to make more threats when Huo Yuhao immediately struck him with another mental attack. Tai Long swayed in dizziness, blood flowing from his nose as a piercing pain drilled through his skull.

At that moment, he finally felt Huo Yuhao's strength firsthand.

Tai Long opened and closed his mouth. Seeing Huo Yuhao's dazzling golden eyes, he ultimately did not dare say another word and slunk off toward the Dean's Office.

Only after Tai Long left did Tang Ling plead with Huo Yuhao. "Brother Huo, please help me! I have always remembered your kindness. From now on, I will definitely listen to you!"

Huo Yuhao coldly glanced at Tang Ling's pleading expression. "Why should I help you? For the sake of our classmates' bond? I have already fulfilled my share of that bond. For justice? You made the mistake yourself. Since you were wrong, accept the punishment."

"If you go to the Dean's Office, you might still be able to transfer classes. What can I do if you beg me?"

After that, Huo Yuhao shut his mouth and said no more. Tang Ling headed toward the Dean's Office with a disappointed expression.

After Tang Ling and Tai Long left, Huo Yuhao once again used Soul Interference, quietly guiding his classmates' emotions as he spoke loudly to everyone. "We all come from different parts of the continent, yet now we have gathered together, sitting side by side as classmates and shedding sweat together. That is a kind of fate. I cherish this fate between us, and I hope that through it, I can become friends with all of you."

"So, since we are classmates, I will naturally help whenever I can. If any of you encounter unfair or unjust treatment, I am willing to speak up for you. But that does not mean someone can squander my goodwill as they please—thinking I am a fool when they do not need me, then lowering their heads to admit their mistakes and beg me when they do, believing that as long as they apologize, I will help them again."

"But I told him that he was wrong! The friends I want to make with all of you are friends who support and help each other, not superficial friends who act one way on the surface and another in their hearts—one way when they need friends, and another when they do not! My goodwill is limited as well. If people respect me, I respect them. If they do not respect me, I will not be polite either."

"I hope to become true friends with all of you in the future. Of course, if anyone is like Tai Long and thinks I am easy to bully, then feel free to give it a try!"