The Clown Comes to Provoke

Passing through layers of ginkgo trees, golden fallen leaves carpeted the stone path leading to the core dormitory area. A gust of wind stirred them, sending a sky full of golden butterflies dancing into the air.

Huo Yuhao, having just traveled thousands of miles back from the Far North, stood at the entrance of the dormitory area. Looking at the familiar courtyard, his heart was filled with the nervous excitement of a traveler returning home.

In just two short months, he had been reborn. His once thin frame had straightened significantly, his aura was now steady and restrained, and his Spirit Eye grew increasingly profound, with flashes of ice-blue light in his eyes concealing the power of the Ultimate Ice.

The timid and sensitive boy of the past now carried himself with composure, every gesture exuding the confidence of a Soul Ancestor.

"Yuhao!"

A crisp, charming voice suddenly rang out from ahead.

Huo Yuhao looked up to see a bright yellow figure rushing toward him like the wind.

The young girl's golden curls bounced as she moved, her face brimming with irrepressible joy. She dashed up to him, grabbed his arm, and shook it back and forth.

"Yuhao! Long time no see! 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 walked slowly behind Jin Ruiqiu.

Gu Yuan's gaze toward Huo Yuhao was filled with understanding and approval.

He saw through Huo Yuhao's changes at a glance: a cultivation level of a level 42 Soul Ancestor, the forging of Twin Martial Souls, and, just as he expected, the awakening of the Ice God Martial Soul. His efforts had not been in vain.

Thinking that Huo Yuhao's original divine position should have been the Ice God, Gu Yuan had laid out a plan, and the Ice God Pearl had arrived right on cue; the divine-level martial soul was merely the icing on the cake.

His divine soul, nourished by the Heart of the Ice God, the Snow Empress, and the Ice Empress, had become increasingly solid; he was no longer the boy who had just broken through level 30.

Gu Yuena stood by Gu Yuan's side, her silver hair brushed by the evening breeze. A faint trace of approval flickered in her cold, purple-gold vertical pupils.

She could clearly sense the Ice God inheritance within Huo Yuhao. Gu Yuan's choice was correct. The Ice God Pearl had fused perfectly with his body; barring any accidents, his path to godhood was set in stone.

And there would be no accidents. Gu Yuan and she were not just sitting idly by. Since the road had been paved, aside from necessary setbacks, the great tree would shield him from all other storms.

"Brother Yuan, Sister Na." Huo Yuhao looked at the two, his eyes slightly warm, his voice filled with gratitude.

"I'm back. I gained a lot from this trip to the Far North. I have to thank Brother Yuan for the preparations."

Huo Yuhao knew better than anyone that without Gu Yuan's support, he could never have reached this point so smoothly. Let alone subduing the Ice Empress and the Snow Empress, he likely would have been frozen into an ice sculpture the moment he stepped into the Eternal Frozen Domain.

"The road was walked by you, and the opportunities were seized by you. No need to thank me." Gu Yuan smiled, stepped forward, and patted his shoulder. A gentle dragon power quietly surged into his body, helping him smooth out the still-restless Ice God power within.

"Not bad, a level 40 Soul Ancestor, and you even awakened a second martial soul. You didn't let the hardships of this journey go to waste."

"Tell us quickly, is the Far North fun? What did you encounter? Is it really just ice and snow everywhere?" Jin Ruiqiu tugged at his arm, chattering incessantly, her large eyes bright and full of curiosity.

Huo Yuhao smiled and didn't hide anything, recounting his experiences in the Far North to the three of them, selecting the parts he could share.

He didn't want to hide it from them, though he framed the Ice Empress's sacrifice as stumbling upon a dying Ice Jade Scorpion and successfully picking up the scraps, which led to the awakening of his second martial soul.

Gu Yuan watched Huo Yuhao, who was scratching his head while speaking—this was his little habit when lying. Yuhao still didn't know how to lie!

How could he be so lucky to just "pick up" a super soul beast like an Ice Jade Scorpion and awaken a second martial soul? That was a bit too "lucky."

Jin Ruiqiu listened without blinking, letting out exclamations from time to time. When she heard about the second martial soul, she couldn't help but clap her hands in delight: "Wow! Yuhao, you are so lucky! I'll come to you for all my lucky draws from now on."

Just as the four were chatting and laughing, preparing to return to the courtyard to talk in detail, a cold and malicious voice suddenly came from the side.

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

The four stopped in their tracks and turned around.

Not far away, under the ginkgo tree, Dai Huabin stood with Zhu Lu and a few followers.

He wore a golden tight-fitting outfit, but his tiger eyes were filled with resentment and defiance. He stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao, as if he wanted to spit fire.

In the finals of the Freshman Assessment, he had his Hell White Tiger scattered by Huo Yuhao in a single move. Not only did he lose the match, but he also lost all face and was severely reprimanded by his family, grounded for a full month.

For these two months, he had been training desperately, just waiting for Huo Yuhao to return so he could wash away his shame.

Seeing Huo Yuhao now, old grudges and new hatreds surged into his heart instantly; how could he hold back?

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

Seeing this person reminded him of the ten years of bullying in the Duke Mansion and his mother who died with grievances. His hands clenched involuntarily, his knuckles turning white.

"What? Hid outside for two months and thought you could pretend nothing happened when you came back?" Dai Huabin walked over with his people, looking down at Huo Yuhao, a vicious sneer curling his lips.

"I thought you didn't have the face to stay at Shrek and had already packed your bags and rolled away. I didn't expect you to actually dare to come back."

"I got into Shrek on my own merit, why should I leave?" Huo Yuhao retorted coldly.

"As for you, you lost the Freshman Assessment completely; do you still have the face to talk nonsense here?"

"You!" Dai Huabin was instantly poked in his sore spot, his face turning red with rage as he roared.

"Last time, you just used underhanded tricks and got lucky! If you hadn't used those crooked schemes, how could you have beaten me? Huo Yuhao, you're just a piece of trash who only knows how to shoot cold arrows from the shadows!"

He became more agitated as he spoke, even blurting out insults: "Don't look at your own status—a bastard from the Duke Mansion, how are you worthy of being mentioned in the same breath as me, a legitimate son? I should really be glad your lowly mother died early!"

As soon as these words were spoken, Huo Yuhao's eyes turned red instantly.

His mother was the deepest reverse scale in his heart; Dai Huabin's words had completely touched his bottom line.

His soul power surged, his spiritual power and the power of the Ultimate Ice erupting simultaneously. His Spirit Eye and Ice God Martial Soul were about to be released at the same time, and he was ready to fight Dai Huabin.

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

In an instant, the restless soul power within Huo Yuhao was smoothed out. Gu Yuan walked slowly in front of Dai Huabin, a gentle smile on his face, but there was not a shred of warmth in those deep eyes.

He merely swept a glance over them. An invisible pressure, heavy as Mount Tai, instantly enveloped Dai Huabin and his group.

Dai Huabin felt a force of extreme terror surging from all directions, crushing him until he couldn't breathe, his legs turning to jelly against his will.

With a loud "thud," he actually dropped to one knee, his entire body trembling violently, lacking even the courage to look up at Gu Yuan.

The White Tiger Martial Soul within him let out a whimper of terror, unable to circulate even a sliver of soul power.

Zhu Lu and the few lackeys were in an even worse state, collapsing directly to the ground, their faces deathly pale, unable to even let out a scream.

"Did you just crawl out of a latrine? Your mouth is so filthy; it seems the Duke and his wife never taught you that loose lips sink ships." Gu Yuan's voice was calm, carrying an unquestionable majesty that struck Dai Huabin's heart with every word.

"If I hear you use such foul language to insult him again, it won't be as simple as just kneeling."

As his voice fell, Gu Yuan withdrew his pressure.

Only then did Dai Huabin gasp for air, scrambling up from the ground, his eyes filled with fear and resentment as he looked at Gu Yuan.

He understood that this youth from Douluo Hall possessed unfathomable strength, far beyond what he or the White Tiger Duke Mansion could contend with.

Yet, the hatred in his heart did not diminish in the slightest; he simply dared not vent it on Gu Yuan anymore, focusing all his malice on Huo Yuhao instead.

"What? Not convinced?" Gu Yuan looked at the resentment in his eyes and spoke indifferently.

Dai Huabin gritted his teeth, staring fixedly at Huo Yuhao, and roared: "Huo Yuhao! Do you dare to make a bet with me!"

Huo Yuhao raised an eyebrow and said coldly: "What do you want to bet?"

"The second-year advancement assessment!" Dai Huabin said, word by word, his eyes full of madness.

"The assessment involves solo-challenging a soul beast to determine a score. We will compare our final assessment scores; whoever has the higher score wins! The loser must kowtow and apologize to the winner in front of all the teachers and students in the academy, and admit in public that they are trash! Do you dare to bet!"

He had absolute confidence in himself. He was now a level 35 Soul Elder, and his White Tiger Martial Soul was a top-tier beast martial soul; he would definitely get the highest score in the advancement assessment.

He didn't believe that no matter how talented Huo Yuhao was, he could turn the tables in just two months.

Little did he know that Huo Yuhao had indeed turned the tables. A Soul Elder? Is that very strong? I am a Soul Ancestor!

Everyone thought Huo Yuhao would hesitate, but to their surprise, he didn't show the slightest hesitation, nodding immediately and saying decisively: "Fine! I'll take your bet! I'll make you lose the advancement assessment with no room for excuses!"

He had long wanted to defeat Dai Huabin fair and square, to reclaim a bit of interest for himself in front of everyone. This bet was exactly what he wanted.

"You've got guts!" Dai Huabin was stunned for a moment that he had agreed so readily, then sneered.

"Don't you regret this! I will let you know that there is a world of difference between you and me!"

But who is the sky and who is the earth, really?

After saying this, he dared not look at Gu Yuan again, and with Zhu Lu and his lackeys, he turned and left in a sorry state.

Watching his departing back, Jin Ruiqiu couldn't help but frown: "This Dai Huabin is simply overestimating himself! Yuhao, crush him hard and let him know your history!"

"Alright, I will definitely let him know my strength." Huo Yuhao smiled at Jin Ruiqiu, his eyes full of certainty.

He was no longer the innate level one trash youth from before; with twin ultimate martial souls and cultivation at the Soul Ancestor level, let alone one Dai Huabin, he had absolute certainty of winning even against ten.

Gu Yuan looked at the certainty in his eyes, smiled, and nodded without saying anything more.

A fledgling eagle must learn to spread its wings; for Huo Yuhao, this bet was merely a stepping stone on his path of growth.

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

The assessment venue was set in the academy's exclusive Soul Beast Trial Ground, which was divided into several independent trial spaces by dozens of Soul Guidance Array formations, each housing various soul beasts ranging from a hundred to five thousand years old.

The rules of the assessment were simple and direct: students entered the trial space alone, chose a soul beast of a corresponding age to challenge in a one-on-one fight, and the judging panel would then provide a comprehensive score from 0 to 150 based on four indicators: the age of the soul beast, combat completion, personal consumption, and tactical application. A score of 90 or above was required to successfully advance to the second year.

On the day of the assessment, the spectator stands around the trial ground were packed; not only were all the teachers and students of the academy present, but even the Dean, Yan Shaozhe, had come in person to watch.

Yan Shaozhe sat in the main seat of the judging panel, his dean's robes accentuating his majestic aura, with the terrifying pressure of a Title Douluo faintly radiating from him.

Sitting beside him were Qian Duoduo and Cai Mei'er, while the others were core figures of the outer courtyard, followed by the various homeroom teachers, each of whom was a person of significant weight in the academy.

Everyone knew that this assessment was not just an advancement trial for second-year students, but also the battle of the bet between Huo Yuhao and Dai Huabin. From the moment the assessment began, the eyes of the entire audience remained focused on the two of them.

Following the drawing order, Dai Huabin was the first to take the stage.

He walked to the entrance of the trial ground with his head held high, and before departing, he specifically cast a provocative look in Huo Yuhao's direction, his mouth full of confident smiles.

At the signal of the judge, he chose a 3,500-year-old Nether Tiger without hesitation and strode inside.

A gasp of surprise erupted from the spectator stands.

A 3,500-year-old Nether Tiger not only far exceeded the standard assessment criteria for second-year students but was also known for being fierce and brutal; even a Soul Ancestor-level soul master would have to put in quite an effort to take it down.

For a second-year student, this was almost the limit of what could be challenged.

But what happened next shocked the entire audience.

Dai Huabin had entered the arena for less than half a stick of incense's time before that fierce Nether Tiger was killed by him.

He dragged the slain Nether Tiger out, completely unscathed. Throughout the process, he had relied on the three soul skills of his White Tiger Martial Soul to perfectly complete the solo kill, with only a few inconsequential scratches on his body and less than thirty percent of his soul power consumed.

Thunderous applause and cheers erupted from the entire arena.

The teachers on the judging panel couldn't help but nod, and Cai Mei'er also smiled and said: "Dai Huabin is as talented as his brother. To have broken through to level 35 Soul Elder in just two months, this cultivation speed is definitely top-tier among his generation."

Yan Shaozhe also nodded slightly, a look of approval on his face. The legitimate son of the White Tiger Duke Mansion, a top-tier beast martial soul, and a level 35 Soul Elder—such talent could indeed be considered a leader among his peers.

Dai Huabin, walking off the trial ground and listening to the cheers of the crowd, felt even more smug than ever.

After a brief deliberation, the judging panel ultimately awarded a staggering score of 145 points, the highest score seen since the Freshman Assessment began.

He wiped the blood from his face, walked up to Huo Yuhao, and sneered, "See that? 145 points! A 3,500-year Nether Tiger. Huo Yuhao, I'd like to see what kind of results you can pull out to compare with me. You might as well forfeit now and save yourself some embarrassment!"

Huo Yuhao looked at his smug expression and merely offered a faint smile. He didn't say much, simply turning toward the entrance of the Trial Grounds as the judges called his name.

Watching his retreating figure, a wave of discussion rippled through the spectator stands.

"How many years do you think Huo Yuhao will choose for his soul beast? I reckon 2,000 years at most. No matter how high his talent is, he's likely only just broken through to become a Soul Elder."

"Hard to say. He created miracles during the Freshman Assessment; maybe there'll be a surprise this time too."

"What kind of surprise could there be? A 3,500-year Nether Tiger and a high score of 145 points is already the ceiling for second-year students. Could he possibly surpass that?"

Even the teachers on the judging panel furrowed their brows. Fan Yu couldn't help but stand up, staring intently at the entrance of the Trial Grounds, his heart filled with tension.