The Clown Comes Looking for Trouble

Through the layers of the Ginkgo Forest, golden leaves blanketed the flagstone path leading to the central dormitory area. When the wind blew, they swirled into a sky full of golden butterflies.

Huo Yuhao had just returned from the Far North, a journey of a thousand miles. Standing at the dormitory entrance and looking at the familiar courtyard, he felt an excitement like a wanderer nearing home.

In just two short months, he had undergone a complete transformation. His once slender frame had grown much sturdier, and the aura around him was calm and restrained. His Spirit Eyes had grown even more profound, and every so often, an icy-blue gleam flashed in their depths, concealing the power of ultimate frost.

The timid, sensitive boy he had once been now wore a composed expression, and every gesture carried the confidence of a Soul Ancestor.

"Yuhao!"

A clear, sweet voice suddenly called out from ahead.

Huo Yuhao looked up and saw a bright yellow figure rushing toward him like the wind.

The little girl's golden curls bounced as she ran, her face brimming with uncontainable joy. She dashed up to him, grabbed his arm, and shook it excitedly.

"Yuhao! It's been so long! You've been gone for over two months. I thought you were going to spend the New Year in the Far North!"

Gu Yuan and Gu Yuena followed behind Jin Ruiqiu, walking at an unhurried pace.

Gu Yuan's gaze was full of understanding and approval as he looked at Huo Yuhao.

He had seen the changes in Huo Yuhao at a glance: a Soul Ancestor at level forty-two, who had forged Twin Martial Souls. Just as Gu Yuan had expected, Huo Yuhao had awakened the Ice God Martial Soul. His efforts hadn't been in vain.

Huo Yuhao's original divine position had likely been that of the Ice God. With a little planning from Gu Yuan, the Ice God Pearl had come to him of its own accord. The divine-level Martial Soul was only icing on the cake.

His divine soul had also grown increasingly solid under the nourishment of the Heart of the Ice God, Snow Empress, and Ice Empress. He was no longer the boy who had only just broken through level thirty.

Standing beside Gu Yuan, Gu Yuena's silver hair fluttered in the evening breeze. A faint note of approval flashed in her cool, purple-gold vertical pupils.

She could clearly sense the Ice God inheritance within Huo Yuhao. Gu Yuan had made the right choice. The Ice God Pearl had fused perfectly with his body, and barring any surprises, his ascension to godhood was all but certain.

And there wouldn't be any surprises. Gu Yuan and she weren't just sitting around doing nothing. Now that the road had been laid, apart from a few necessary setbacks, the great trees would shield him from all the wind and rain.

"Brother Yuan, Sister Na." Huo Yuhao looked at the two of them, his eyes growing slightly warm and his voice full of gratitude.

"I'm back. I gained a lot from this trip to the Far North. I also have to thank you for preparing everything, Brother Yuan."

Huo Yuhao knew better than anyone that without Gu Yuan's support, he couldn't have made it this far so smoothly. Forget subduing Ice Empress and Snow Empress—he might have been frozen into an ice sculpture the moment he stepped into the Eternal Frozen Domain.

"You walked the road yourself, and you seized your own opportunities. You don't need to thank me." Gu Yuan smiled as he stepped forward and patted Huo Yuhao on the shoulder. A warm surge of dragon power quietly flowed from his fingertips, helping to settle the still-agitated Ice God power in Huo Yuhao's body.

"Not bad. A Soul Ancestor at level forty, and you even awakened a Second Martial Soul after birth. All that hard work paid off."

"Come on, tell us about it! Was the Far North fun? What did you run into? Is it really a frozen wasteland everywhere?" Jin Ruiqiu clutched his arm and peppered him with questions, her big eyes shining with curiosity.

Huo Yuhao smiled and didn't hide anything, sharing the parts of his Far North journey he could tell the three of them.

He didn't want to keep secrets from them. He simply described Ice Empress's sacrifice as encountering a dying Ice Jade Scorpion that he'd been lucky enough to pick up, and said that was how he had awakened his Second Martial Soul.

Gu Yuan watched Huo Yuhao scratch his head as he spoke. That was one of his little tells when he lied. Yuhao still didn't know how to lie!

How had he gotten so lucky as to stumble upon a super Soul Beast like an Ice Jade Scorpion and awaken a Second Martial Soul? It was almost too much "luck."

Jin Ruiqiu listened without blinking, letting out one gasp after another. When she heard about the Second Martial Soul, she couldn't help clapping her hands. "Wow! Yuhao, you're so lucky! From now on, I'm making you pick all my raffle tickets."

Just as the four of them were chatting and laughing, preparing to head back to the courtyard and continue their conversation, a cold, vicious voice suddenly came from nearby.

"Huo Yuhao? You actually dared to come back?"

The four of them stopped and turned around.

Beneath a ginkgo tree not far away stood Dai Huabin, accompanied by Zhu Lu and several lackeys.

He wore a golden outfit, but his tiger-like eyes were full of spite and resentment as he glared at Huo Yuhao, as if they were about to spit fire.

In the Freshman Assessment finals, Huo Yuhao had shattered the Hell White Tiger with a single move. Dai Huabin had not only lost the match but also suffered a humiliating defeat and been severely reprimanded by his family. He had even been confined for a whole month.

Over the past two months, he had trained like a madman, waiting for Huo Yuhao to come back so he could wipe away the shame of his defeat.

Now, seeing Huo Yuhao again, old and new grudges surged through him all at once. How could he possibly hold back?

"Dai Huabin." Huo Yuhao's smile faded, and his eyes turned cold.

Seeing him brought back ten years of torment at the Duke Mansion and the memory of his mother's wrongful death. His hands clenched involuntarily, his knuckles turning white.

"What? You hid outside for two months and thought you could come back and act like nothing happened?" Dai Huabin strode over with his men, looking down at Huo Yuhao with a vicious sneer.

"I thought you were too ashamed to stay at Shrek and had packed your things and left. I never expected you'd dare to come back."

"I earned my place at Shrek Academy. Why should I leave?" Huo Yuhao shot back coldly.

"Besides, you lost the Freshman Assessment so badly. What makes you think you have the right to run your mouth?"

"You!" Dai Huabin had been struck right where it hurt. His face flushed red as he roared, "Last time, you just resorted to dirty tricks and got lucky! If you hadn't used those crooked schemes, how could you have beaten me? Huo Yuhao, you're a piece of trash who can only hide in the shadows and shoot cold arrows!"

The more he spoke, the more worked up he became. He even started hurling abuse without thinking. "Look at what you are! A bastard from the Duke Mansion, and you think you can compare yourself to a legitimate heir like me? I should be glad your lowborn mother died early!"

The moment he heard those words, Huo Yuhao's eyes turned red.

His mother was the deepest taboo in his heart. Dai Huabin's words had crossed the line completely.

His Soul Power surged, and his Spiritual Power and ultimate frost erupted together. His Spirit Eye Martial Soul and Ice God Martial Soul were about to manifest at once; he was ready to attack Dai Huabin.

But just as he was about to strike, Gu Yuan stepped forward and gently pressed a hand to his shoulder.

In an instant, the agitation in Huo Yuhao's Soul Power subsided. Gu Yuan walked calmly up to Dai Huabin, a gentle smile on his face, but not a trace of warmth in his deep eyes.

He merely swept Dai Huabin with a glance. An invisible pressure, as crushing as Mount Tai, instantly enveloped Dai Huabin and his companions.

Dai Huabin felt a terrifying force pressing in from every direction, squeezing the breath from his lungs. His legs went weak against his will.

With a thud, he dropped to one knee, his whole body trembling violently. He didn't even have the courage to look up at Gu Yuan.

The White Tiger Martial Soul within him let out a frightened whimper. He couldn't circulate even a trace of Soul Power.

Zhu Lu and the lackeys fared even worse. They collapsed straight to the ground, their faces deathly pale, unable even to scream.

"Did you just come out of a latrine? Your mouth's filthy. Seems the Duke and Duchess never taught you that loose lips sink ships." Gu Yuan's voice was mild, yet carried unquestionable authority. Each word struck Dai Huabin's heart.

"If I hear you use that kind of filthy language to insult him again, kneeling won't be enough."

With that, Gu Yuan withdrew the pressure.

Only then could Dai Huabin gulp in lungfuls of air and get back to his feet. He looked at Gu Yuan with fear and resentment in his eyes.

He understood that this young man from Douluo Hall had unfathomable strength. Neither he nor the White Tiger Duke Mansion could hope to stand against him.

But the hatred in his heart hadn't lessened in the slightest. He simply didn't dare vent it at Gu Yuan, so he focused all his venom on Huo Yuhao instead.

"What? Still not convinced?" Gu Yuan said coolly, noticing the resentment in his eyes.

Dai Huabin clenched his teeth and glared at Huo Yuhao. "Huo Yuhao! Do you dare to make a bet with me?"

Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow and replied coldly, "What do you want to bet?"

"The second-year advancement assessment!" Dai Huabin said, every word deliberate, his eyes blazing with madness.

"The assessment scores students based on one-on-one fights against Soul Beasts. We'll compare our final scores. Whoever scores higher wins! The loser has to kneel and apologize to the winner in front of the whole school, teachers and students alike, and publicly admit they're a good-for-nothing! Do you dare?"

He had absolute confidence in himself. He was already a level-thirty-five Soul Elder, and his White Tiger Martial Soul was a top-tier Beast Martial Soul. He was sure to get the highest score in the advancement assessment.

He didn't believe that even with his talent, Huo Yuhao could turn the world upside down after just two months.

Who could have imagined that Huo Yuhao really had turned the world upside down? A Soul Elder? Was that impressive? I'm a Soul Ancestor!

Everyone thought Huo Yuhao would hesitate, but he agreed without the slightest delay, nodding firmly. "Fine! I accept! I'll make sure you lose so badly in the advancement assessment that you're completely convinced!"

He had long wanted to defeat Dai Huabin fair and square and reclaim some of what he was owed in front of everyone. This bet was exactly what he wanted.

"Looks like you've got some guts!" Dai Huabin hadn't expected him to agree so quickly. He froze for a moment, then sneered.

"Don't you dare regret it! I'll show you the vast gulf between us!"

So who was the sky, and who was the earth?

After saying that, he didn't dare look at Gu Yuan again. He turned and left in a sorry state with Zhu Lu and his lackeys.

Watching him leave, Jin Ruiqiu couldn't help frowning. "Dai Huabin really doesn't know his own limits! Yuhao, crush him for me. Make sure he knows what you're capable of!"

"Sure. I'll show him exactly what I can do." Huo Yuhao smiled at Jin Ruiqiu, his eyes full of certainty.

He was no longer the innate-level-one good-for-nothing boy he had once been. With Twin Ultimate Martial Souls and the cultivation of a Soul Ancestor, he was certain he could win against Dai Huabin—not to mention ten of him.

Gu Yuan saw the confidence in his eyes and smiled, nodding without saying anything.

A fledgling had to spread its own wings eventually. To Huo Yuhao, this bet was nothing more than a stepping-stone on the road to growth.

The second-year advancement assessment at Shrek Academy began soon after.

The assessment took place in the academy's own Soul Beast Trial Ground. Dozens of Soul Guidance Arrays divided it into independent trial spaces, each stocked with all kinds of Soul Beasts ranging from a hundred to five thousand years old.

The rules were simple and direct: each student entered a trial space alone and chose a Soul Beast of an appropriate age to fight one-on-one. A panel of judges then assessed the student's final score, from 0 to 150, based on four criteria: the Soul Beast's age, the quality of the fight, the student's remaining strength, and the tactics used. A score of at least 90 was required to advance to the second year.

On the day of the assessment, every seat in the stands around the Trial Grounds was filled. The entire student body and faculty were there, and even Yan Shaozhe, the dean, had come in person to watch.

Yan Shaozhe sat at the center of the judges' platform, wearing the academy dean's robes and projecting an air of authority. An aura as terrifying as that of a Titled Douluo radiated faintly from him.

Soul Douluo Qian Duoduo and Cai Mei'er sat beside him. The others were also key figures from the outer courtyard, followed by the homeroom teachers. Every one of them held a position of importance within the academy.

Everyone knew this was more than a trial for the second-year students. It was also the showdown over Huo Yuhao and Dai Huabin's bet. Even before the assessment began, all eyes in the stands had been fixed on the two of them.

According to the draw, Dai Huabin went first.

He strode proudly to the entrance of the Trial Grounds. Before setting off, he made a point of throwing Huo Yuhao a provocative look, a confident smile on his face.

At the judge's signal, he chose a Nether Tiger with 3,500 years of cultivation without the slightest hesitation and strode inside.

A wave of gasps rang out from the stands.

A 3,500-year-old Nether Tiger far exceeded the usual standard for a second-year assessment. It was also notorious for its ferocity and brutality. Even a Soul Master at the Soul Ancestor level would have to work hard to defeat one.

For a second-year student, it was almost the very limit of what they could challenge.

But what happened next shocked everyone even more.

Dai Huabin had been inside for less than half a quarter of an hour when he killed the vicious Nether Tiger.

He dragged the slain Nether Tiger out, completely unharmed. Using only the three Soul Skills of his White Tiger Martial Soul, he had executed the one-on-one kill flawlessly. He had only a few insignificant scratches, and had used less than thirty percent of his Soul Power.

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted throughout the stands.

The teachers on the judges' platform couldn't help nodding in approval. Cai Mei'er smiled and said, "Like his older brother, Dai Huabin is exceptionally talented. He's reached level thirty-five and become a Soul Elder in just two short months. That rate of cultivation is absolutely top-tier among his generation."

Yan Shaozhe gave a slight nod as well, a look of approval on his face. As the legitimate heir of the White Tiger Duke Mansion, with a top-tier Beast Martial Soul and the cultivation of a level-thirty-five Soul Elder, Dai Huabin's talent really was outstanding among his peers.

As Dai Huabin walked off the Trial Grounds and listened to the cheers, his smugness reached its peak.

After a brief discussion, the judges gave him an astonishing 145 points—the highest score of the assessment so far.

He wiped the blood off his face and walked up to Huo Yuhao, sneering. "See that? 145 points! A 3,500-year-old Nether Tiger! Huo Yuhao, I can't wait to see what kind of score you'll manage. Go ahead and admit defeat now, and you might save yourself some embarrassment!"

Huo Yuhao watched him gloat and only smiled faintly, saying nothing. When the judges called his number, he turned and headed for the entrance to the Trial Grounds.

As he walked away, murmurs rose from the stands.

"How old a Soul Beast do you think Huo Yuhao will pick? I'd say 2,000 years at most. No matter how talented he is, he might have only just reached Soul Elder level."

"Hard to say. He worked a miracle in the Freshman Assessment. Maybe he'll surprise us again."

"So what if he does? A 3,500-year-old Nether Tiger and a score of 145—that's the ceiling for a second-year student. How could he possibly beat that?"

Even the teachers on the judges' platform frowned. Fan Yu couldn't help rising to his feet, staring intently at the entrance to the Trial Grounds, his heart full of anxiety.