Zhou Yi Apologizes on Her Knees

"I—do—not—accept?"

The trace of leniency vanished from Du Weilun's face. His gaze sharpened, his eyes narrowing slightly as he sized up the astonishingly stubborn boy before him once more.

Zhou Yi was, after all, a formally registered teacher at Shrek Academy, and she was closely connected to Fan Yu, a core figure in the Soul Guidance Department. If Su Chen insisted on making a huge fuss and demanded that Zhou Yi be expelled, he would not just be slapping Zhou Yi in the face—he would be slapping the academy's management and challenging its rules and authority!

To maintain the academy's stability and reputation, sometimes one had to resort to extraordinary measures, even if that meant... putting pressure on a peerless genius.

At that thought, the Soul Douluo's soul power pressure, deep as the sea, began to spread from Du Weilun, subtle and indistinct. Though it did not directly bear down on Su Chen, the atmosphere across the entire training ground instantly grew even heavier and more oppressive.

His voice turned cold as well, carrying a clear note of warning and intimidation.

"Student Su Chen, you've achieved such things at your age, so you must be a smart boy. You should know how to read the situation."

He took a slight half-step forward, his gaze sharp as lightning. "If you insist on making things difficult for the academy and persist with conditions that cannot possibly be accepted... then I, as the Outer Court Dean, will have no choice but to personally 'test' this legendary god-tier Martial Soul of yours—the Six-Winged Angel—and see what makes it so special."

He paused. His tone softened, but his meaning grew even clearer. "Shrek Academy is a sacred place for Soul Masters. It has its own rules and bottom line, and it will never allow anyone to act recklessly and disrupt the academy's order and stability. I trust you understand the stakes."

A Soul Douluo was personally threatening him!

The surrounding students fell silent at once, not daring to breathe too loudly. Teacher Mu Jin looked anxious and seemed to want to intervene, but she was wary of Du Weilun's position and strength.

Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao clutched Su Chen's sleeves even more tightly, their eyes full of worry. They feared he might act on impulse and truly take on an Outer Court Dean at the Soul Douluo level.

Faced with such naked intimidation and the urging to "put the greater good first," Su Chen suddenly smiled.

It was a faint smile, tinged with mockery, as if he saw through all of Du Weilun's calculations and helplessness.

He nodded, then said, to everyone's astonishment:

"Fine."

Du Weilun felt a weight lift from his heart, thinking that Su Chen had finally backed down.

But Su Chen's next words made the relief he had just felt vanish.

"Director Du, out of respect for you, and for Shrek Academy's ten thousand years of heritage, I can take a step back for now," Su Chen said slowly. "I can set aside my demands to expel Zhou Yi and receive three Soul Ascension Pills."

Du Weilun was just about to say, "That's more like it," when Su Chen's tone abruptly shifted, firm and leaving no room for negotiation.

"But the bet must be honored!"

Su Chen's gaze, cold as an arrow, shot toward Zhou Yi's pale face.

"Zhou Yi must kneel and kowtow in apology, right now, in front of everyone, for her indiscriminate attack and for calling all the students 'trash'—to Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and every student who was frightened or caught up in the attack!"

"That's my bottom line! There will be no further discussion!"

"Gasp—!"

A wave of sharp inhales swept through the crowd once more!

A twelve-year-old Soul Grandmaster at level twenty-eight had already done the unthinkable by defeating a Soul Emperor above his level. And now he was demanding that this Soul Emperor teacher kowtow and apologize to him and the other students in public?!

For Zhou Yi, who valued her dignity as dearly as her life and had a twisted, extreme personality, this was a disgrace harder to bear than death! It meant dragging all her pride and self-respect to the ground and trampling them underfoot!

Yet after their brief shock, not one of the surrounding students felt sorry for Zhou Yi. Instead, their faces showed satisfaction and approval. Some even cheered quietly and began to clap.

"Serves her right! She's always so arrogant!"

"Exactly! Why should we get called trash and attacked when we haven't done anything?"

"Way to go, Su Chen! We're with you!"

"Someone should've taught that old witch a lesson ages ago!"

For years, Zhou Yi had thrown her weight around at Shrek, expelling students on a whim and insulting them without restraint. She had long since earned the anger of everyone and become despised by all. Now that she had been humbled, everyone clapped and cheered.

At Su Chen's words, Zhou Yi trembled violently. Her face was white as paper, and her lips quivered. She looked pleadingly at Du Weilun, her eyes filled with entreaty, humiliation, and one last shred of hope. Her voice came out dry and hoarse.

"D-Director Du... I... I can't..."

Kneel and kowtow in apology? She would rather be killed!

Looking at Zhou Yi in that state, Du Weilun felt conflicted. In all honesty, she had brought this on herself. But seeing her so utterly humiliated, he couldn't help thinking of Fan Yu...

Yet when he met Su Chen's calm but unquestionable gaze, and heard the students' nearly unanimous support, he knew this had to end today.

Su Chen had already made a major concession. If even this bottom-line demand was refused, then a genius with a god-tier Martial Soul, an unyielding temperament, and terrifying talent might truly turn against the academy—or even storm out in anger. That would be an enormous loss for Shrek.

By comparison, having Zhou Yi apologize would cost the academy some face, but it would preserve her teaching position, placate Su Chen, and perhaps even help win over a genius with a limitless future... However one counted it, this was the better bargain.

As for Zhou Yi's dignity? What did that matter in the face of the academy's interests and a gifted student?

What Director Du didn't know was that this very decision was what saved his life.

Having made up his mind, Du Weilun turned to Zhou Yi, who was still gazing at him imploringly. His face was expressionless, and his voice was cold and devoid of feeling.

"Teacher Zhou Yi."

He deliberately emphasized the word "teacher," but his tone was laced with ridicule.

"You were the one who insulted others and acted improperly in the first place. As a teacher, you failed to set an example. Instead, you abused your strength and bullied the weak, nearly causing a major disaster."

"Now that you've lost the bet, all he's asking is that you apologize. That's already generous. The weak submit to the strong—that isn't the principle you've always believed in?"

Du Weilun's words were like icy knives stabbing into Zhou Yi's heart.

"You can't even defeat a two-ring student. What right do you have to talk about 'dignity' here?"

Having said that, he did not look at Zhou Yi again. He seemed to find even one more glance too distasteful, turning his gaze toward the distant sky. His meaning could not have been clearer: figure it out yourself.

Zhou Yi was struck as if by lightning. She felt cold all over, and her last hope was utterly crushed. She looked at Du Weilun's icy profile, at the students' mocking or satisfied expressions, at Su Chen's calm yet immeasurably oppressive gaze, and at the disdain in Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao's eyes...

She knew she was finished.

If she didn't bow her head today, Du Weilun might truly abandon her altogether—and might even expel her to appease Su Chen's anger!

Once she lost the protection of her position as a Shrek teacher, her actions today and the grudges she had built up over the years would make her fate even worse!

She lowered her head. Her graying hair had come loose, hiding most of her twisted, nearly ferocious face. Blood trickled from her tightly pressed lips and dripped onto the ground.

Hoarse and broken, as if dragged from the depths of hell, the words struggled out between her teeth, each one steeped in blood and boundless hatred.

"I... Zhou Yi..."

She paused, as though she had to summon every last ounce of strength to say what came next.

"Hereby... sincerely apologize to Su Chen, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao..."

Her voice trembled badly, but she still forced it louder, giving it a desperate, piercing force.

"...and every student I indiscriminately attacked, injured... and insulted..."

The last word was almost torn from her throat.

"Apologize!!!"

Before the words had even faded—

"Bang!!!"

A dull thud rang out, making every heart shudder.

Zhou Yi's forehead struck the cold, hard ground of the training field, strewn with dust and gravel, with no attempt to soften the blow. Dust rose, settling in her graying hair and on the wound on her forehead.

She stayed in that position, curled up and trembling violently, but did not raise her head at once. It was as if she could escape everything before her as long as she kept her head down. Her eyes were squeezed shut, filled with despair that nearly spilled over and a madness bent on destroying everything.

"...I'm sorry."

Those last three words were as faint as a mosquito's buzz, yet like the most venomous curse. Along with her suppressed sob, they vanished into the wind.

Zhou Yi hunched over, like a defeated beast curled up to lick its wounds. Hatred, venom, and murderous intent surged and boiled like thick poison deep in her lowered eyes!

'Su Chen... Su Chen!!!'

Each word burned a bloody mark into her heart.

'Today's humiliation—I, Zhou Yi, will remember it! One day, I'll make you pay... a hundredfold, a thousandfold!!'

'If I don't avenge this, I, Zhou Yi... swear I'll no longer be human!!!'

She forced the murderous intent that threatened to burst from her chest deep down, where it turned into the coldest ice.

"That's enough." Du Weilun's emotionless voice broke the suffocating silence and interrupted Zhou Yi's frenzied curses. "This matter ends here."

He waved his hand. Another teacher, who had been waiting nearby, immediately stepped forward and helped Zhou Yi up from the ground. She was limp, as if drained of all strength. Zhou Yi did not resist. She only lowered her head, letting her disheveled white hair hide her twisted face like a soulless puppet on strings.

"Take Teacher Zhou Yi away and keep her under temporary supervision," Du Weilun instructed the teacher. "The academy will announce its formal disciplinary decision in the coming days, in accordance with the school rules."

After dealing with Zhou Yi, Du Weilun slowly swept his keen, hawk-like gaze over the people still gathered on the training field. His invisible pressure silenced the students who had still been murmuring among themselves.

At last, his gaze settled on the golden-haired boy in the middle of the field. Though his face was somewhat pale, his posture remained straight.

"Su Chen," Du Weilun said, his voice once again steady and businesslike. "The academy will judge the rights and wrongs of what happened today. We will give you the explanation you deserve."

He changed tack, his tone carrying a hint of deeper meaning. "But without rules, there can be no order. Shrek has stood for ten thousand years not only through its powerful teachers and resources, but also through ironclad discipline and a fair system."

"Whatever the cause, openly clashing with a teacher and letting things escalate to this point is ultimately outside the academy's normal order."

He paused slightly, looking straight into Su Chen's calm golden eyes. "Of course, your situation is special, and there were reasons behind it. The academy will take everything into consideration. But principles are principles. Shrek has always sought to handle every matter fairly and impartially. What do you think, Student Su Chen?"

His words both warned Su Chen to stop while he was ahead and not to let his talent go to his head or cause more trouble, and reassured him that the academy would handle things "fairly," without protecting Zhou Yi, while reminding him to understand the academy's "difficulties" and "rules."

Su Chen understood the unspoken meaning behind Du Weilun's words. He had achieved his goals today: publicly defeating Zhou Yi, forcing her to admit her fault, and crushing her arrogance. He had also established his reputation before the entire academy.

As for the academy's specific punishment for Zhou Yi, and whether it would impose restrictions or offer "compensation" to him, those were matters he could negotiate later.

"Director Du is absolutely right." Su Chen nodded, his expression calm and his tone composed, yet carrying a maturity beyond his years. "Rules must be followed. I believe the academy will give a fair ruling on what happened today."

A trace of surprise and appreciation, almost too faint to notice, flashed through Du Weilun's eyes. This boy had not only terrifying talent and strength, but also remarkable courage and composure. Was he truly a monster?

"I'm glad you see it that way, Student Su Chen." A faint smile, almost nonexistent, appeared on Du Weilun's face as he nodded. "You've expended quite a bit today. Go back and get some rest. The academy will notify you about any further matters."

With that, he did not linger. He turned and left the training ground, still filled with the lingering aftershocks of soul power and tangled emotions, taking with him the teacher supporting Zhou Yi and several academy staff members who had hurried over after hearing what happened.

With the central figure gone and the highest-ranking administrator having spoken, the onlookers finally began to disperse. Yet almost everyone looked back as they left, glancing once more at the golden-haired boy in the center of the training field, who was slowly drawing in his magnificent six wings as the strange Soul Rings beneath him gradually faded away.

After today's battle, Su Chen's name was bound to become a major topic among the new students—and throughout the entire Outer Court for a long time to come.