Shrek Academy, infirmary.
Wu Feng slowly opened her eyes, confusion clouding her gaze.
What happened?
Where am I?
"Ugh..."
A sharp pain throbbed through her head. Memories came rushing back, and her eyes widened in disbelief.
"I actually lost?!"
"I lost to that commoner?!"
Wu Feng refused to accept it, but there was no denying where she was.
This was the infirmary.
Not only had she failed to beat Huo Yuhao, she'd even been sent to the infirmary.
She didn't know who had brought her here.
All she could do was silently pray that it hadn't been Ning Tian.
Wu Feng didn't want Ning Tian to see her in such a sorry state.
"Wu Feng, you're awake?"
Hearing a sound from the bed, Mu Jin, who had been keeping watch nearby, drew back the curtain and walked in, asking with concern.
After Xuan Zi brought Wu Feng here, he had left right away.
After all, Mu En had only ordered him to bring her here and make sure she didn't die.
As for the rest, Xuan Zi had simply left it to the infirmary staff.
After Huo Yuhao had openly jabbed him with that remark, he had no desire to stick around and watch the drama unfold.
The infirmary's teachers quickly treated Wu Feng and immediately notified Mu Jin, her homeroom teacher.
"Teacher Mu Jin, was it you who brought me here?"
Seeing Mu Jin, Wu Feng relaxed a little and asked.
As long as it wasn't Ning Tian.
"No, it was Elder Xuan from the academy."
Mu Jin shook her head and briefly explained. Then her expression turned serious as she asked, "Wu Feng, how did you get so badly hurt? Did you get into a fight with someone?"
As Class Nine's homeroom teacher, she was responsible for every student in her class.
She wasn't like that Zhou Yi, who only cared about the outstanding students in her class.
Although Wu Feng couldn't strictly be considered an ordinary student—her talent and strength ranked among the best in the entire freshman class—the principle was the same.
If a student got hurt, she, as their homeroom teacher, couldn't shirk responsibility.
Especially when this incident had even alarmed Elder Xuan.
Mu Jin felt her teaching credentials hanging by a thread.
"..."
Faced with Mu Jin's question, Wu Feng fell silent for a moment, then turned her head away and answered reluctantly.
"Huo Yuhao."
"Who?"
Mu Jin hadn't expected that name to come from Wu Feng. She froze.
She knew Huo Yuhao. He was her student, too.
He had never stood out in class, always keeping to himself.
What puzzled her was that Huo Yuhao's Soul Power Level and Soul Ring age were far inferior to Wu Feng's. Their strength was clearly on completely different levels.
Mu Jin was certain that without a guaranteed admission spot from the Tang Sect, a student like him wouldn't have made it into Shrek Academy.
But now Wu Feng was saying that Huo Yuhao had caused all her injuries?
Was she serious?
"Was it Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong?"
Mu Jin thought it over and asked tentatively.
In her mind, how could a Soul Master with only one white Soul Ring defeat Wu Feng, who possessed a top-tier Beast Martial Soul and a perfect Soul Ring configuration?
But if Wang Dong had been involved, it would make more sense.
After all, Wang Dong was also a Soul Grandmaster with two Soul Rings, and her Martial Soul was exceptionally high in quality. Her Second Soul Ring was an absurd Thousand-Year Soul Ring, shattering the Soul Master theory passed down by the theory Grandmaster Yu Xiaogang over ten thousand years ago.
Could Wang Dong have made the move? Or had the two of them teamed up against Wu Feng?
As Mu Jin puzzled over it, Wu Feng bit her lip. Her fists clenched beneath the blanket, and her eyes brimmed with resentment as she said, "No. Huo Yuhao alone."
"Huo Yuhao alone?"
Mu Jin could hardly believe her ears, but Wu Feng had said it twice now. She had no choice but to accept it.
Perhaps she had underestimated Huo Yuhao.
"Then why did you fight? What caused the conflict? Did he bully you?"
"How do you want to resolve this?"
Mu Jin took a deep breath and began to consider how to handle the matter.
This wasn't just a minor scuffle between students. One of them had been hurt badly enough to need hospitalization, and the incident had even alarmed Elder Xuan.
Even though a professional healing-type Soul Master had restored all of Wu Feng's injuries, if she insisted on pursuing the matter, it wouldn't be so easily brushed aside.
Mu Jin knew the basic backgrounds of the students in her class.
Wu Feng and Ning Tian both came from the Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect, one of the Upper Three Sects, and neither had an ordinary status.
Incidents like this were difficult to handle. After all, unless you'd reached the level of a Titled Douluo, you still needed connections to get by.
Shrek Academy might claim to be fair and impartial, but when trouble actually arose, it was obvious which mattered more: an imperial prince or a commoner with no background.
"..."
Wu Feng fell silent again at Mu Jin's question.
Mu Jin patiently waited.
After a long while, Wu Feng finally spoke, her voice slow and measured.
"Teacher, please keep this matter a secret for me."
"Keep it secret? Are you sure?"
Mu Jin frowned, not understanding at first.
"Yes. Especially from Ning Tian."
Wu Feng nodded again, answering with absolute certainty.
Her injuries had all been healed, and there was no way to tell from her appearance what had happened.
She didn't want Ning Tian to find out about this humiliating incident, and Wu Feng was also seething inside.
She believed that she had ended up like this because she'd underestimated her opponent.
On top of that, Huo Yuhao had used his astonishing speed to catch her off guard, ending the fight before she could even use a Soul Skill.
If she could do it over again, all she had to do was activate her Soul Skill. Against a Soul Master whose First Soul Ring was only ten years old, Wu Feng refused to believe she'd lose again!
Mu Jin read her expression and understood.
Wu Feng hadn't been in the right this time.
It seemed Wu Feng had provoked Huo Yuhao first. Otherwise, the fight wouldn't have ended so quickly.
Still, that was for the best.
The matter was settled, more or less.
She just had to keep a closer eye on the two students from now on and make sure they didn't fight again.
"Then I'll tell the teachers in the inpatient ward. You can be discharged now and come with me."
Mu Jin nodded and headed outside.
After she left, anger smoldered in Wu Feng's eyes. She looked toward the Freshman Dormitory Building and gritted her teeth.
"Just you wait, Huo Yuhao."
"I'll make you regret this!"
Meanwhile, inside Huo Yuhao's Sea of Consciousness.
Huo Yuhao regretted it.
The Ghost Demon Venerable was even more unhinged than he'd imagined.
Those words just now had been enough to show the state of his mind.
Or maybe the Ghost Demon Venerable had always been like this.
Huo Yuhao had simply underestimated him.
But things had come this far. There was no reason to back down now.
If you're crazy, then I'll go crazy too!
Let's see which of us is crazier!!
You want to put me under pressure?! Fine, I'll go all out with you!!
So he asked without the slightest hesitation, "There's no point saying all that. Get to the point."
"What do you want?"
But the Ghost Demon Venerable's answer surprised him once more.
The Ghost Demon Venerable raised a hand, pointed one finger at him, and slowly said, "I want you."
"..."
Huo Yuhao suddenly laughed.
He was laughing because he was so angry.
Fuck, you're not even pretending anymore?!
Before you continue