Playing Coy

The messages in the Chat Group came to an abrupt halt, as the changes in their expressions had already drawn Zhou Yi's displeasure.

Because their strength was limited, Zhou Yi merely glared at them as a warning, without resorting to threats of expulsion.

All four of them chose to log off, adjusted their states, and listened quietly to Zhou Yi's lecture.

Time passed until past 2:00 PM, and class was finally over.

Clack.

Zhou Yi set down the chalk in her hand, rubbed her palms together, closed the roster, and glared around the classroom at everyone inside.

"Class dismissed."

After saying this, Zhou Yi left the classroom without looking back. After waiting for a moment, the classroom suddenly erupted into a buzz of noise.

"Ouch, damn it, my legs."

"Hey, you've got it easy. You're a Power Attack System, and I'm a Support System who finished the run; my legs have no feeling left at all."

The conversations were all complaints about the running they had just done, and the thought of having to do weighted running again tomorrow filled them with absolute despair. Should they drop out?

Students who could join Shrek Academy not only possessed high talent but also had some background to speak of. If they transferred to other Spirit Master Academies, they would definitely be big fish in a small pond.

Yet, this Shrek Academy was such a miserable experience; it was truly nothing like what they had imagined. They had imagined everyone listening to teachers share insights on Martial Souls, advice on Spirit Rings, and so on.

But after arriving, all there was, was running, running, and endless running!

Chu Mo and his group didn't complain, as they had already spent half the day venting in the Chat Group. Now exhausted, they were heading toward the cafeteria.

Xiao Xiao, Wang Dong'er, and Huo Yu'er stood beside or behind one another.

The lively little girl Xiao Xiao was the first to speak: "Do we have to run again tomorrow? Can we really get stronger?"

"Didn't Chu Mo say in the group earlier? This kind of cultivation requires perseverance; it's not something you can get stronger from in just a few days. Doing it for only a few days might be worse than not doing it at all, and you might even end up with some side effects."

Wang Dong'er shook her head; she didn't hold much hope.

Ever since she awakened the Chat Group, her subconscious was no longer repulsed by Spirit Tools, nor was she obsessed with Shrek Academy.

As a young lady of status, she was pampered and always had a fallback; even if she returned to the Clear Sky Sect, she would still have two Titled Douluo protecting her.

"I think so too."

Huo Yu'er, whose presence had always been weak, chimed in from the side before falling silent again.

"Yeah, I think so too. The most critical thing right now is the Freshman Assessment. It's only three months away; how could running possibly provide any improvement?"

Chu Mo raised an eyebrow, following up on Wang Dong'er's point.

"I heard some people in the classroom discussing that our homeroom teacher has the highest assessment promotion rate. Could it be that there really is some effect?"

Xiao Xiao still tilted her head, asking with pure innocence.

Before Chu Mo could retort, Wang Dong'er replied with a displeased tone.

"Look, he expelled at least nine people today. While some were because they were slacking off during the run, many were expelled simply because they didn't finish. Doesn't that just prove their strength wasn't up to par? He was holding the roster, so he must have investigated their Martial Souls and expelled those who couldn't possibly be promoted."

"As long as the number is small enough to leave only those who can be promoted in the classroom, then of course it's a 100% promotion rate!"

Seeing through it clearly, Chu Mo gave her a thumbs-up when he heard this.

Clever. She used expulsion to threaten people right from the start. People on the outside might rack their brains and never imagine that the so-called number one academy would have a teacher like this.

However, this only proved the inaction of those above, and perhaps it was even tacitly approved. After all, they wouldn't care about expelling those with poor Martial Souls or low strength.

As for those with real backgrounds or good strength, they had long since been marked as priorities.

"Let's not talk about that old hag anymore. Let's go study the new features in the group."

Seemingly because she had drawn a reward, Wang Dong'er was now very interested in the Chat Group and wanted to see if there was anything in it she could use.

When she asked about the new features, the corners of Chu Mo's mouth rose involuntarily. There were indeed new features, but the most critical one was the Manifestation Technique in his hands.

"Heh, you'll know tomorrow. I'll post a video for you all to watch."

To let everyone know, Chu Mo decided to experiment first and then hold a vote to let them choose the content they wanted to see. The subject of the experiment was the heated love-hate relationship between Wang Dong'er and Meng Hongchen that was being discussed today.

He would let them get nice and close to increase the activity value.

As for the scene where she was so angry she coughed up blood, he wouldn't include that; it was too heart-wrenching, and since he had completed a big deal with her today, he would naturally give her some face.

"What video?"

Wang Dong'er tilted her head, suddenly feeling a bit curious after he mentioned it.

"It's a secret. If I tell you, it won't be a surprise anymore."

Chu Mo kept her in suspense and stopped talking about it, ignoring all the threats and pouting from Wang Dong'er and Xiao Xiao.

Heaven Dou Empire.

At a small sect on the outskirts of the capital, Heaven Dou City.

Tang Ya controlled the Demon Puppet as it flew high in the sky, looking down at the former site of the Tang Sect.

It was now actually hanging the sign of the Iron-Blooded Sect, watching the people inside eating, drinking, and making merry.

Flashes of her parents' past teachings and those happy times crossed her eyes, yet now, they had all turned into bubbles.

These people were all enjoying themselves only because they had trampled over her parents.

"All of you deserve to die!"

The rationality in the beautiful eyes of Tang Ya was obscured by the dark purple Devilish Artifact, leaving behind only scarlet rage.

Dark-colored Blue Silver Grass emerged in her hands, which she tugged at like a whip covered in barbs. Beyond that, massive vines marked with red patterns spread from the ground, with branches extending from the vines to rapidly surround this small Iron-Blooded Sect stronghold.

In a room not far away, Zhongli Wu, the trainer of angels, raised an eyebrow as he sensed this familiar aura.

"To think there's a peer here?"

Snap.

Closing the book in his hand, Zhongli Wu vanished on the spot, appearing in the sky above in the blink of an eye. He looked in the direction the energy was coming from and was stunned.

Blue Silver Grass with dark red patterns wrapped around the Iron-Blooded Sect stronghold like a vine ball; whenever it touched blood, those patterns slowly flickered, as if they were truly bleeding.

Art!

This was the Holy Son or Holy Daughter he had been searching for all along!

Feeling the aura of the world and the wonderful scene before him, Zhongli Wu felt as if he had come alive—come alive?

"Ah!"

"What is going on!"

"Which senior is passing by? I am willing to pay, I beg you to spare my dog life!"

Listening to the pleas for mercy from the people down below, a hint of excitement actually appeared on Tang Ya's face.

Controlling the barbed Blue Silver Grass in her hands, she bound everyone in the Iron-Blooded Sect, including the sect master Tie Li, together, piercing their bodies with the barbed Blue Silver Grass before beginning to move slowly.

"Senior, please spare—"

"Ah!!!"

Listening to their screams, the face of Tang Ya, hidden beneath the Demon Puppet, revealed a flushed, morbid excitement.

What should have been a bloody scene saw not a single drop of blood spill out; all that blood was slowly absorbed by the Blue Silver Grass.