The Wager Abolished? I Refuse!

Mu Jin stood at the front of the crowd, her hands trembling slightly as a blindingly fervent light erupted in her eyes, locked firmly onto the golden figure in the arena who stood tall despite his precarious state.

A genius! No, a monster! An unprecedented monster! Mu Jin roared internally. A Soul Grand Master wounding a Soul Emperor! Unheard of! And even rarer is this temperament, this courage, and this tactical brilliance!

I must snatch him away! At any cost! With him, what is first place in the freshman assessment? He is a future core of the Inner Court, perhaps even the Sea God Pavilion...

She had already begun calculating how to report to the academy's top brass, how to leverage the "scandal" of Zhou Yi violating regulations by using a sixth soul skill against a student—and even losing to one—to legitimately transfer Su Chen to her own class.

In the arena, the person least able to accept this reality was undoubtedly Zhou Yi herself.

She looked down at the wounds on her body, feeling the searing pain and the chaotic flow of soul power within her, her mind a complete blank.

Lost?

I... a six-ring Soul Emperor, a senior teacher at Shrek Academy, actually... in front of everyone... was wounded by a freshman Soul Grand Master?

And this was after I used my fifth and sixth soul skills, only to be broken through head-on by the opponent and ultimately injured?

This wasn't just a loss; it was a disgrace! A humiliating stain on her teaching career that could never be washed away!

"No... impossible... this is impossible..." Zhou Yi muttered, lost and broken. Her aged face twisted like a demon's from the sheer shame, agony, and disbelief.

But immediately following this, the extreme negative emotion rapidly transformed into a monstrous, irrational murderous intent!

Apologize? In front of so many people, apologize to these "trash" students she looked down upon? Admit that she lost to a Soul Grand Master?

No! Absolutely not! That would be worse than death!

Once she apologized, she, Zhou Yi, would become a laughingstock at Shrek Academy! She would have no place left to stand!

Must... must destroy him before he can speak! If he is dead, or crippled, who would believe a corpse or a cripple could have wounded her? She could say whatever she wanted then! Yes! That's it!

The insane thought grew like a poisonous weed in Zhou Yi's heart. She jerked her head up, her scarlet eyes locked onto the soul-power-depleted Su Chen, a grin of extreme ferocity spreading across her face. Mixed with the blood flowing from her wounds, she looked like a ghoul.

"You... little... bastard..." She enunciated each word, her voice hoarse and venomous like a demon crawling from hell. Ignoring the sharp pain of her wounds and the emptiness of her soul power, the remaining crimson soul power around her burned recklessly, even flickering with a faint blood-colored light!

"I... will have you dead!!!"

With a hysterical roar, Zhou Yi lunged like a dying beast, her dragon claws gleaming with cold light, pouncing toward Su Chen, who stood within arm's reach, drained of power and barely able to move!

This strike condensed all her hatred, murderous intent, and final strength, moving with extreme speed, determined to tear Su Chen to shreds!

"Su Chen! Look out!" The screams of Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao shifted instantly, filled with despair.

Mu Jin's expression also changed drastically as she barked, "Zhou Yi, you dare!" She lunged forward, attempting to intercept.

But it was too late!

The speed of Zhou Yi's desperate, suicidal strike far exceeded any of her previous attacks! And she was too close to Su Chen! Mu Jin was dozens of meters away and could not possibly reach him in time.

As the gleaming dragon claws, carrying the desperate momentum of mutual destruction, were about to land on the defenseless Su Chen...

The hearts of all the onlookers sank to the bottom of the abyss.

Su Chen watched the hideous dragon claws rapidly enlarging in his pupils and Zhou Yi's crazed, bloodthirsty face. Deep within his golden eyes, a flash of icy coldness flickered.

His soul power was indeed nearly exhausted, and his body was wracked with weakness from overexertion.

However...

He slowly raised his right hand, and in the center of his palm, a tiny, imperceptible point of golden light was quietly condensing.

Zhou Yi... you brought this upon yourself.

Just at this critical moment—

"Stop!!!"

A deep, majestic voice, carrying an unquestionable power, exploded across the playground like a thunderclap!

The voice seemed to contain a special soul power fluctuation that struck directly at the soul, causing Zhou Yi's crazed, lunging figure to stall abruptly. It was as if she had slammed into an invisible wall; her forward momentum slowed instantly, and a look of shock and pain flashed across her twisted face.

Who?!

She was burning with rage and wanted to ignore everything to complete this fatal strike, but the corner of her eye caught the source of the voice. Her towering fury was extinguished like a bucket of ice water, replaced by a trace of panic and... unwillingness.

Su Chen lowered his right hand and followed the sound as well.

The crowd automatically parted to form a path as a tall, cold-faced middle-aged man walked into the center of the playground with steady strides. He was about forty years old, clean-shaven, with a face that seemed incapable of smiling; the word "cold" was etched into his very bones. Most striking was the badge on his chest, which clearly engraved his name and position—

Outer Court Dean, Du Weilun.

A powerhouse at the Soul Douluo level, one of the true high-level administrators of the Outer Court.

Du Weilun had been attracted by the unusually intense soul power fluctuations and the massive commotion on the playground. He had assumed a teacher was conducting a practical lesson, but upon approaching, he was shocked to see Zhou Yi attempting to kill a freshman! Even more shocking were the wings unfurled behind the boy and his bizarre soul ring configuration...

Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao took advantage of the moment Zhou Yi was halted to rush to Su Chen's side, shielding him from left and right.

"Su Chen! Are you okay? Are you hurt?" Wang Dong asked urgently, her powder-blue eyes filled with lingering fear and worry as she scanned him.

Xiao Xiao nodded vigorously, her emerald eyes misting over: "Student Su Chen, your face is so pale... is your soul power exhausted?"

Su Chen shook his head slightly at them, signaling he was fine. His gaze remained fixed on the approaching Du Weilun.

Du Weilun's eyes first swept over the devastated playground—the ground was scorched and pitted, the turf torn up, with fragments of shredded clothing and a faint scent of blood. The corner of his mouth twitched imperceptibly. The level of destruction was enough to make anyone believe two Soul Emperors had been brawling.

Then, his gaze landed on Su Chen, lingering for several seconds on the six white, holy angel wings flowing with pale golden halos, and the two soul rings—one purple, one gold—that defied all logic. Even with his experience and temperament as a Soul Douluo, he could not help but feel a flash of deep shock and awe.

The Six-Winged Angel... has reappeared on the continent? And in a child so young, with such terrifying talent?

He quickly reined in his emotions, his expression returning to a cold, unruffled stillness. He turned his gaze toward Zhou Yi, who remained in a lunging posture with a volatile, shifting expression, and spoke in a flat tone that carried unquestionable authority:

"That is enough, Zhou Yi."

Du Weilun's voice was not loud, yet it reached everyone's ears clearly, carrying the oppressive weight of a superior.

"As an academy teacher, engaging in a gambling duel with students is already improper. Now that you cannot afford to lose, you actually intend to kill a student in public?" He paused, his tone deepening. "This is 'the strong bullying the weak,' and furthermore, 'attempting to harm a student.' It is a serious violation of academy regulations and damages the reputation of the academy."

Zhou Yi's body trembled. She opened her mouth to argue, but under Du Weilun's icy gaze, the words stuck in her throat, her face flushing red and then turning deathly pale.

Du Weilun stopped looking at her and turned to Su Chen. His tone softened slightly, yet it remained detached and professional: "Student Su Chen, is it? I have a general understanding of this matter. Rest assured, the academy will investigate thoroughly and provide a fair explanation to you and the affected students."

He shifted his tone, looking at Su Chen, and said in a consultative manner: "However, that wager between you and Teacher Zhou Yi... could it perhaps be dropped? After all, she is a teacher of the academy, and fulfilling such a bet in public would be detrimental to both her and the academy's dignity."

Hearing these words from Du Weilun, a thought crossed the minds of many students nearby: Are they crazy? Are these teachers at Shrek Academy... all abnormal? Zhou Yi is tyrannical and wants to kill, and the moment Du Weilun arrives, he wants to sweep it under the rug?

Su Chen looked at Du Weilun. There was no relief or gratitude for being saved on his face; instead, his golden eyes became sharper, like a sword drawn from its scabbard.

He gently pushed aside Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, who were blocking his front, and took a step forward. Despite his face being pale from the exhaustion of his Soul Power, his posture remained as straight as a pine. His voice rang out clearly, every word clanging like metal, piercing straight into the heart:

"Director Du, I would like to ask—"

His gaze swept between Du Weilun and Zhou Yi, his tone calm yet carrying a powerful sense of oppression:

"Can Teacher Zhou Yi's actions just now be lightly brushed aside with the eight words 'the strong bullying the weak, attempting to harm'? If you had not appeared in time, I might already be a corpse!"

"Or is it that in the eyes of Shrek Academy's upper management, as long as a student 'is not dead,' such behavior from a teacher can be tolerated and left unpunished?"

Du Weilun's brows furrowed imperceptibly. He had not expected this freshman to be so sharp-tongued and imposing.

Su Chen did not give him time to think, continuing:

"Secondly, the wager was made between Zhou Yi and me in full view of everyone. She lost, and according to the agreement, she should fulfill her promise!"

"By what right do you demand the wager be dropped with a single sentence? Is the dignified number one academy on the continent, Shrek, also a place that 'dares to speak but not to honor its word' and 'reneges when it loses'?!"

These words were resonant and logically sound, refuting Du Weilun's attempt to smooth things over completely. They also resonated with the onlookers, many of whom nodded secretly.

Du Weilun was left speechless for a moment. This matter was indeed Zhou Yi's fault from the start, and since it had caused such a scene in front of everyone, it would be very difficult to suppress it entirely. But if he followed Su Chen's demand and made Zhou Yi apologize publicly... especially to freshmen like Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao, Zhou Yi would likely die before complying, and it would also cause trouble with Fan Yu.

He pondered for a few seconds, trying to find a compromise: "Student Su Chen, I understand your feelings. How about this: the academy will certainly punish Teacher Zhou Yi severely and provide you with appropriate compensation. What do you think..."

"Compensation?" Su Chen interrupted him, a cold curve appearing at the corner of his mouth. "Very well. The 'explanation' and 'compensation' I am satisfied with are—"

He held up two fingers and said clearly:

"First, immediately expel Zhou Yi from the Shrek Academy teaching staff!"

"Second, the academy must compensate me with three 'Soul Ascension Pill' as mental damages for the shock and unprovoked attack I suffered."

Soul Ascension Pill! They could directly increase a Soul Master's Soul Power Level, yet he asked for three right off the bat!

"This..." Du Weilun's brows knotted tightly.

Expel Zhou Yi? That was simply impossible! Not to mention that her husband, Fan Yu, was a core figure in the Soul Tool Department and indispensable, Zhou Yi herself had "cultivated" some decent talent during her years at Shrek. Although her popularity was abysmal, she had her own twisted logic, and some in the academy's upper echelons felt her "high-pressure screening" had its uses. Expelling her involved too much.

As for three Soul Ascension Pill... while precious, they were a small matter compared to the turmoil caused by expelling a senior teacher.

Du Weilun remained silent for a long time, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. Finally, he seemed to have made a difficult decision. He looked up at Su Chen, a trace of helplessness on his face, and spread his hands:

"Student Su Chen, look... they aren't... dead, are they?"

He paused, trying to make his tone sound more sincere: "My point is, since the worst outcome did not happen and Teacher Zhou Yi was stopped in time, could the matter... not be made so rigid? After all, everyone may have to get along in the academy in the future."

"..."

Su Chen fell silent.

It was not because he was speechless, but because he was thoroughly "shocked" by this logic.

So, in the eyes of you, Director Du, as long as no one is dead, even if the other party attempted premeditated murder, the matter is negotiable? It can be dealt with lightly? Must one wait until a life is lost and a corpse is laid out before it counts as "a matter"?

Are you only satisfied if everyone is dead???

Su Chen's silence led Du Weilun to mistakenly believe he was wavering and that he had found a breakthrough. He immediately struck while the iron was hot, softening his tone with a hint of appeasement and persuasion:

"So, Student Su Chen, when young people do things, sometimes you shouldn't be too rigid. You must learn to be flexible and keep a long-term perspective."

He pointed at Zhou Yi, then at Su Chen: "Look, even if she was indeed impulsive just now and wanted to harm you, she is, after all, a teacher of our Shrek, having served the academy for many years. The academy will naturally handle her according to regulations; she will be punished and reflect on her actions. At the same time, the academy will certainly provide you and the other affected students with sufficiently generous compensation..."

Du Weilun felt that his words were very well-spoken; he had preserved the dignity of the academy and the teacher while giving Su Chen a way out and tangible benefits. It should be enough to settle the matter.

However—

"Then what if I say..."

Su Chen slowly raised his head, his golden eyes devoid of any wavering, filled only with icy determination. He interrupted Du Weilun's "earnest guidance" without hesitation, his voice not loud, yet carrying a tone of absolute finality:

"I—do—not—accept?"