Freak! She Was a Freak!

Zhou Yi looked at the reactions of the people below the stage, and the displeasure in her eyes deepened. She slammed her hand down on the podium, and her icy voice rang out again. "You lot are just asking for a good honing! Since you're all so spineless, I'll give you your first lesson today!"

"Everyone, get to the training field immediately! Twenty-kilogram weights, one hundred laps of cross-country running! Anyone who can't finish within two hours will be expelled! Now! Move! Immediately!"

The moment those words left her mouth, the classroom erupted in anguished wails.

Twenty-kilogram weights, one hundred laps of cross-country running! One lap around Shrek Academy's training field was a full thousand meters! One hundred laps meant a hundred kilometers! And they had to finish within two hours! For a group of boys and girls no older than twelve, that was simply an impossible task!

"Teacher Zhou! This is completely unreasonable!"

A tall young man couldn't help standing up. His face flushed red as he loudly challenged her. "We're all freshmen. Even if we're geniuses, most of us only have Soul Power in the twenties. Running a hundred kilometers with weights, and finishing in two hours—that's asking the impossible! This isn't honing us; it's deliberately making things difficult!"

"Oh? You think I'm making things difficult for you?" Zhou Yi looked at the young man coldly, her eyes utterly impassive, their glint sharp as ice.

"Isn't it?" the young man said, holding his ground with a stiff neck.

"Shrek Academy is a place for cultivating Soul Masters, not a martial arts gym for training the body! We came here to learn about Soul Masters and combat techniques, not to be pack mules running laps!"

"Good. At least you have the guts to challenge me. That's better than a bunch of cowards hiding in their shells." The corner of Zhou Yi's mouth curled into a cold arc. The next second, her figure vanished from the podium.

There was a muffled thud. The young man who had just been standing there challenging her flew like a kite with its string cut and crashed hard into the classroom's back doorway. He passed out without so much as a groan.

The classroom fell into deathly silence. Every freshman was so pale with fear that they hardly dared breathe.

They hadn't even seen how Zhou Yi had struck. They had only seen a ring sequence of yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black flare into view. Six Soul Rings revolved with terrifying halos, and the pressure of a Soul Emperor bore down on the entire classroom like Mount Tai.

Zhou Yi slowly withdrew her hand. Her icy gaze swept across the room, and her voice held not a trace of warmth. "Who else thinks I'm making things difficult for you?"

The classroom was utterly silent. Everyone lowered their heads, trembling all over. Not a single person dared say another word.

The stooped, elderly woman before them was a genuine Soul Emperor!

"Since no one objects, get out and run!" Zhou Yi barked.

"If I don't see you on the training field in three minutes, you're all expelled!"

The freshmen panicked. They scrambled to their feet and rushed out of the classroom like mad, terrified that if they were a second too late, Zhou Yi would expel them on the spot.

Amid the chaos, only Gu Yuan and the other three remained calmly in their seats, without a trace of panic.

Zhou Yi's gaze fell on the four of them, and her brows knitted together. "Why aren't you moving? Do you think having a recommendation from Douluo Hall means you don't have to follow my rules?"

Gu Yuan slowly rose to his feet. Gu Yuena, Huo Yuhao, and Jin Ruiqiu stood with him.

Meeting Zhou Yi's icy gaze, Gu Yuan remained calm.

He raised a hand slightly. A vast, ancient aura slowly emanated from within him.

A deep dragon's roar reverberated through the classroom.

Behind Gu Yuan, an enormous dragon-shaped phantom slowly took form. The dragon was the color of chaos from head to tail. Its countenance was majestic, and its scales shimmered with nine-colored light. It held the ultimate power of creation while concealing the ultimate might of destruction, encompassing every law from the dawn of the universe. Even as a mere phantom, it made the space throughout the classroom tremble faintly.

Zhou Yi's Red Dragon Martial Soul shuddered violently. Faced with absolute suppression of its bloodline, it didn't dare act out in the slightest. Zhou Yi suppressed the urge to fall to her knees and put on an air of nonchalance.

But the shock in her heart was beyond measure. How could a freshman have such strength? And this Martial Soul had surely reached the very peak of the continent. Even Mu En's Light Sacred Dragon Martial Soul couldn't exert this kind of suppressive force.

Next, four Soul Rings slowly rose from beneath his feet: one yellow, two purple, and one black. His astonishing Soul Ring configuration revolved around him, shining with brilliant halos. His simulated Soul Power of a Level 45 Soul Ancestor burst forth without reservation.

Almost at the same time, Gu Yuena, Jin Ruiqiu, and Huo Yuhao released their Martial Souls and Soul Rings as well.

Behind Gu Yuena, the phantom of a Silver Dragon soared into the air. Its violet-gold eyes looked down upon all living things. Her four Soul Rings had the same configuration—one yellow, two purple, and one black—and the surging Soul Power of a Level 45 Soul Ancestor poured forth. The laws of life and creation enveloped the whole room, and fresh green shoots sprouted from the surrounding tables and chairs.

Golden light blazed around Jin Ruiqiu, and the phantom of a Golden Dragon appeared and disappeared behind her. Its auspicious aura soothed the frightened students. Her Soul Rings had the same optimal configuration—one yellow, two purple, and one black—and her Level 41 Soul Ancestor Soul Power was nimble yet immense.

Huo Yuhao's Spirit Eye Martial Soul lit up at his brow, and pale blue light flowed around him. Soul Power bearing the Ultimate Mental Attribute spread out. Two Soul Rings rose, one platinum-white and one purple, glittering beneath the sunlight. Though the aura of this Level 23 Soul Grandmaster was not as immense as that of the other three, it was exceptionally solid and possessed an ultimate power of penetration.

The phantoms of the four Martial Souls shone together behind them, and the light of their revolving Soul Rings illuminated the entire classroom.

Even though Zhou Yi had already seen their records and prepared herself mentally, her heart still jolted when she saw the four of them release their Martial Souls and Soul Rings with her own eyes—especially Gu Yuan's Chaos Dragon Martial Soul. Her hand tightened unconsciously around the class register.

What shocked her even more was that the oldest of the four children was only twelve, while the youngest was just ten, and all their Soul Rings exceeded the optimal configuration! Three twelve-year-old Soul Ancestors and one ten-year-old Soul Grandmaster with an Ultimate Attribute! This had never happened in the history of the entire Douluo Continent!

Outside the classroom, the freshmen who hadn't yet run far saw what was happening inside and froze in place, their faces filled with stunned disbelief.

Whispers rose and fell as everyone stared at the four in the classroom. Their eyes held nothing but the utmost awe.

Even the boy who had challenged Zhou Yi, now awake and leaning on a classmate for support, could only stare at the scene in shock. He couldn't get another word out.

Just as everyone was reeling in shock, Gu Yuan slowly spoke.

His voice was calm and gentle, every word clear and filled with unquestionable force. He met Zhou Yi's gaze and responded without either groveling or arrogance.

"You said Soul Masters need fighting spirit and the courage to fight and throw themselves into battle. We agree with that."

"But saying that anyone who doesn't like fighting is spineless is an utterly ridiculous standard to judge by."

Gu Yuan's gaze was clear as he looked straight into Zhou Yi's icy eyes.

"Shrek cultivates Soul Masters who can stand at the pinnacle of the continent in the future, not porters with great stamina."

This Zhou Yi was just like Yu the Grandmaster. All she knew was how to make her students run. Yu the Grandmaster called it building physical fitness, while this Teacher Zhou claimed it was about cultivating their will. If running alone could make people stronger, could you become a god just by running all over the continent?

Gu Yuan's words rang clearly in the ears of everyone present, one after another.

Every freshman inside and outside the classroom was stunned.

The things they hadn't dared to think or say had actually been spoken aloud by Gu Yuan, right in front of Zhou Yi, word for word.

Every sentence hit home, leaving them nervous yet unable to stop admiring him.

Zhou Yi stood where she was, looking at the twelve-year-old boy before her. The chill in her eyes gradually faded, replaced by an admiration she could no longer conceal.

Zhou Yi watched Gu Yuan in silence for a full ten-odd seconds. The classroom and the area outside it were utterly quiet, and everyone held their breath as they waited for her response.

They had all assumed Zhou Yi would fly into a rage and punish the boy who dared challenge her in front of everyone.

But to everyone's surprise, Zhou Yi didn't get angry. Instead, as she looked at Gu Yuan, the corner of her mouth actually curved into a faint smile, so slight it was almost imperceptible.

Her hoarse voice was less icy and carried a note of approval. "Good. Very well said."

"I've taught for more than thirty years, and you're the first freshman who's ever dared challenge my teaching methods to my face."

"You're Gu Yuan, right? Chaos Dragon Martial Soul, Level 45 Soul Ancestor. Good. Very good."

Gu Yuan gave a slight nod. "Teacher Zhou, I was only expressing my opinion."

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow and looked at him somewhat strangely. "You may think my arrangement is unreasonable, but you're my student now. You do what I say. Understood?"

As her words fell, Gu Yuan couldn't help feeling helpless. This cross-dressing old woman really was one of a kind. She knew her orders were unreasonable, yet was still forcing them through on the strength of her status as their homeroom teacher.

Gu Yuan had a good temper, but even he couldn't stand people pushing their luck. Still, given the circumstances, he could only bow to her authority. He would return the favor to Teacher Zhou later.

He turned to the three beside him and smiled faintly. "Come on. Since Teacher Zhou wants us to run, we'll obediently 'do as we're told.'"

"Okay!" Huo Yuhao immediately straightened his back, his gaze determined.

"We'll run together!"

"It's just a hundred kilometers! I can definitely finish!" Jin Ruiqiu lifted her little chin, looking proud.

A gentle smile flickered through Gu Yuena's cool eyes. She said nothing, but her actions made her stance clear.

The four exchanged glances and walked side by side toward the classroom door.

Standing on the podium, Zhou Yi watched the four walk away together, and a triumphant smile appeared on her aged face.

Even geniuses like these still had to listen to Zhou Yi. She had already achieved her goal of establishing her authority.

She murmured to herself, unable to hide her delight. "The geniuses from Douluo Hall! This year's freshmen are interesting—very interesting."

She turned to the freshmen standing dazed inside and outside the classroom. Her expression turned cold again, and she shouted, "What are you standing around for?! Even the twelve-year-old Soul Ancestors have gone running, and you're still standing here? Want to be expelled? Get to the training field, now!"

The freshmen snapped out of it at once. Not daring to complain, they bolted toward the training field like mad.

The sun climbed higher, its golden light spilling across Shrek Academy's training field.