Storm: From the Classroom to Sea God's Pavilion

The deathly silence on the training grounds was shattered by a suppressed gasp.

"How... how is this possible?!"

"The White Tiger Blazing Light Wave... just vanished?"

"And the White Tiger Bodyguard Barrier—one punch shattered it? Dai Huabin is at the peak of two rings!"

The watching students erupted into an uproar, their faces filled with shock and confusion. They could understand being overpowered in strength, and they could understand being surpassed in speed, but they could not comprehend what had just happened.

That had not been a battle. It had been... "erasure."

Dai Huabin stood frozen in place. The lingering force of Wang Dong's punch still brushed against the tip of his nose, but what he felt was bone-deep cold. It was not physical cold, but fear rising from the depths of his soul. His proudest strength, his sturdiest defense, had been as flimsy as paper before her, effortlessly "seen through" and "dismantled."

Zhu Lu hurried over to support him, her voice trembling. "Brother Huabin, are... are you alright?"

Dai Huabin violently shoved her away. His bloodshot eyes glared at Huo Yuhao as he roared, "This isn't real! What kind of sorcery did you use?! If you've got the guts, fight me again!"

"There's no need." Huo Yuhao's voice remained calm, yet carried unquestionable authority. "The result is already obvious. Before absolute 'rules,' repeated strength is meaningless."

With that, he did not spare Dai Huabin another glance. Turning to Wang Dong, he said, "Let's go. The data needs to be sorted and filed."

That complete disregard was more devastating than any taunt. Dai Huabin's face shifted between green and white. In the end, as if all strength had been drained from him, he collapsed to his knees in despair. He had lost utterly, even losing the right to issue another challenge.

When Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong entered the classroom, the previously noisy room instantly fell silent.

Everyone's eyes focused on them. Awe, curiosity, jealousy, fear... all kinds of complicated emotions intertwined, forming invisible pressure.

Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu entered last. He kept his head lowered, his steps unsteady, as though he had aged ten years in an instant. He walked straight to a corner in the last row and buried himself in the shadows.

One sparring match had completely destroyed the pride of a favored prodigy.

"Quiet!"

Zhou Yi's icy voice rang out. Holding her lesson plans, she stepped onto the podium. Her blade-sharp gaze swept over every student in the class before lingering on Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong for a full three seconds.

"Today's lesson is the theory of practical Soul Skill application."

She began teaching. Her voice was as stern as ever, but the classroom atmosphere could never return to what it had been. The students all secretly watched Huo Yuhao as if they were looking at a monster.

"Huo Yuhao." Zhou Yi suddenly called his name.

"Present."

"What Soul Skill did you use on Dai Huabin just now?"

At that question, everyone pricked up their ears.

Huo Yuhao stood and answered calmly, "Reporting to the teacher, that was not a Soul Skill."

"Not a Soul Skill?" Zhou Yi frowned. "Then what was it?"

"It was... a method of combat." Huo Yuhao chose his words carefully. "I define it as Soul Skill Structure Optimization. By analyzing the energy structure of an opponent's Soul Skill, finding its weakness, and then dismantling it with the least possible expenditure."

A collective gasp rose from the classroom.

"Nonsense!" Zhou Yi slammed her palm down on the podium and sternly rebuked him. "Soul Skills are the might of Martial Souls, the principles of heaven and earth. How could they be casually 'optimized' or 'dismantled' by you? Such crooked, opportunistic methods lack a stable foundation and will never lead to greatness! Sit down!"

Huo Yuhao silently sat down, but he knew that Zhou Yi's rebuke was more of a cover-up. Behind her glasses, her eyes shone with a stronger desire to investigate than anyone else's.

She was protecting him in this way, and also warning him.

Do not reveal your edge too openly.

When the dismissal bell rang, Zhou Yi did not leave as usual. Instead, she said to Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, "You two, come with me."

The two followed Zhou Yi along a familiar route until they arrived at Sea God's Pavilion.

Unlike last time, they did not see Elder Muen. Seated in the main seat was a small, thin-haired old man with a somewhat wretched appearance. He was pulling a braised pork knuckle from his robes and devouring it heartily, his mouth glistening with grease.

Below him sat Martial Soul Department Dean Yan Shaozhe and grade director Du Wilun, both wearing grave expressions.

"Elder Xuan." Zhou Yi respectfully bowed.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong's hearts tightened. This seemingly unremarkable old man was actually Shrek Academy's strongest figure in the open—the head of Sea God's Pavilion's Inspection Team, a Rank 98 Super Douluo, the Taotie Douluo!

"So, you're the little ones?" Xuan Zi finished the last bite of pork knuckle, casually wiped his greasy hands on his clothes, then raised his seemingly muddy but actually star-deep eyes to examine Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong. "Come, let this old man see what kind of 'crooked path' could stump even our Dean Yan."

Yan Shaozhe gave a bitter smile and nodded. "Elder Xuan, I have never seen this child's combat method before, nor can I understand it."

Xuan Zi said nothing more. He merely extended a greasy finger and lightly pointed it at Huo Yuhao.

In an instant, Huo Yuhao felt an irresistible force enter his Sea of Consciousness. Yet this time, he sensed no malice. The force was gentle and tolerant, like a master archaeologist carefully brushing dust from an unparalleled treasure.

Xuan Zi "saw" the Bus Structure of the Spiritual Net, the Sandbox's defensive mechanisms, the records analyzing the Dragon Soul Will, and finally, the Rule Code that had just been successfully "compiled" to dismantle the White Tiger Blazing Light Wave.

"Heh... hehehehe..."

Xuan Zi first chuckled softly, then his laughter grew louder and louder. Finally, he slapped his thigh and leaped up from his seat. All traces of his wretched demeanor vanished, replaced by an overbearing aura that looked down upon the world.

"Interesting! Too interesting!" He pointed at Huo Yuhao and said to Yan Shaozhe and Du Wilun, "You old fossils only saw a 'crooked path,' but failed to see what lies behind it!"

"This is not a Soul Skill. This is a 'path'! A path closer to the origin of the world than the road we walk!"

He walked up to Huo Yuhao, his eyes blazing. "Child, your name is Huo Yuhao, right? Do you know what you've done?"

"I... only wanted to make our battles more efficient," Huo Yuhao answered somewhat nervously.

"Efficient?" Xuan Zi laughed loudly. "This isn't efficiency. You're 'creating a world'! You're using Spiritual Power to construct rules that belong to you! If I'm not mistaken, as long as that so-called 'net' of yours is given enough time and energy, it can become a true 'domain'! A Divine Domain where you can alter the laws as you please!"

At those words, Yan Shaozhe and Du Wilun both sucked in a sharp breath.

A domain! The embryonic form of a Divine Domain, something even Titled Douluo might not possess!

"Zhou Yi!" Xuan Zi suddenly turned toward Zhou Yi. "From today onward, these two children are no longer under your supervision."

"I have decided, in the name of Sea God's Pavilion, to establish a special 'research group'! It will specifically study the 'path' of these two children!"

"I will personally serve as its leader!"

The entire Sea God's Pavilion fell into deathly silence.

Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, two freshmen who had enrolled less than a year ago, had just stirred up a storm that would sweep across all of Shrek Academy in the most unimaginable way.