"Hello? Is this Yanhuang Lingyun Medical Mansion? It's me, Long Jinyu..."
"My lord—!!! Oh, no, Dean! Just tell me what you need!"
The young woman's voice on the other end shot up an octave, betraying barely concealed panic and reverence.
Long Jinyu: "..."
"Ahem. There's an emergency. At Shrek Academy, a female Soul Emperor-level teacher in Freshman Class One suddenly fainted and... lost control of her bladder. She needs immediate medical attention and psychological support. Yes, give them my name. Send the fastest, quietest ambulance ship you have. Also, tell Vice Dean Liu to arrange as many female medical staff as possible. The patient's privacy must be protected." He spoke rapidly and clearly.
"Got it! Don't worry, Dean. I'll hurry them along right away!" The young woman answered at once, brisk and efficient.
He ended the call, took a deep breath, then turned to the freshmen in the classroom. They sat in utter silence, their faces showing every shade of shock. The earlier sharpness had left his expression, replaced by a hint of apology and solemnity.
"Students, first of all, I apologize for how intense things got just now. I must have scared you." His voice softened. "I never meant to show off my power, and I certainly wasn't encouraging you to solve problems with violence."
He walked to the lectern and looked over their young faces. "I want you to understand this: you are not trash, and you are not good-for-nothings! You earned your place here through your own hard work and talent, standing out from tens of thousands to enter this 'number one academy under heaven.' No one has the right to define your worth with insulting words!"
The strength in his words drove back some of their fear. Many of the students straightened their backs without even realizing it.
"Teacher Zhou's words and actions today were utterly wrong." Long Jinyu's tone turned serious. "'Those who don't dare cause trouble are mediocre' was meant to encourage Soul Masters to defend justice and stand up to the powerful. It was not a call to provoke people for no reason or bully the weak!
"Managing students through insults and intimidation is the greatest failure of an educator! Respect for teachers begins with teachers being worthy of respect. I hope you'll meet good teachers in the future who truly guide you."
He paused, then softened his voice. "What I did today was a response to an unusual situation. Please don't imitate me. In most cases, when faced with unfairness, we should first try to communicate, appeal, and use rules and wisdom to protect ourselves. Of course, if someone crosses the line and tramples on your dignity, you must have the courage to stand up for yourself!"
At last, he said solemnly, "What happened today concerns Teacher Zhou's personal dignity. I hope you'll keep it to yourselves for now and not spread it around. This isn't about covering for anyone. It's about giving the academy a chance to handle things properly, and giving Teacher Zhou... a chance to reflect. Can you do that?"
"Yes, senior!" the students chorused, looking at Long Jinyu with trust and gratitude. He had stood up for them, taught them a lesson, and kept the situation from getting any worse.
Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong looked at Long Jinyu with even greater admiration. He didn't just have formidable strength—he had the broad-mindedness and sense of responsibility to match.
Long Jinyu nodded. With a slight movement of his fingers, a thread of nearly invisible, nine-colored light swept across the floor. The puddle of filth instantly evaporated without a sound under the intense heat of Ultimate Fire. Then a gentle gust of Ultimate Wind swept the lingering odor out the window.
He quickly produced a clean, light blanket and gently draped it over Zhou Yi, who was barely conscious and utterly disheveled, shielding her from further embarrassment.
A short while later, a faint hum came from outside. An elegantly streamlined soul-guidance ambulance ship, marked with the insignia of Yanhuang Lingyun, landed smoothly outside the classroom.
Several capable female medical staff hurried in. When they saw Long Jinyu, excitement and reverence flashed in their eyes, but their professionalism quickly won out. They swiftly settled Zhou Yi onto a stretcher and covered her with a thermal blanket. They said nothing unnecessary, only giving Long Jinyu a slight nod before carrying her aboard and departing at once. The whole process was efficient and protected Zhou Yi's dignity as much as possible.
Long Jinyu watched the ship leave and rubbed his brow. I've really stirred up a hornet's nest this time. I should let the academy know what happened first. The first person who came to mind was the dean of studies, Du Weilun.
He gave the class a reassuring smile. "All right, the emergency has been handled. You can study on your own for now and wait for the academy's next arrangements. Remember, you're here to learn. Don't let this keep you distracted for too long."
Meanwhile, Du Weilun paced anxiously around his office. He'd received a vague report that something had happened in Freshman Class One. It seemed Zhou Yi had clashed with that "little ancestor" from the inner court, and then... Zhou Yi had been taken away in an ambulance ship?!
Huh? Wait, didn't Elder Zhuang say the people at that hospital couldn't leave? How could...
No! That's not the point!
Cold sweat broke out all over Du Weilun.
Who was Long Jinyu?
Mu En's closed-door disciple, the owner of a super-level—or even god-level—Martial Soul! The future hope of Shrek!
And who was Zhou Yi?
A teacher whose teaching methods had been the subject of repeated complaints, stubborn and obstinate!
Anyone could figure out that Zhou Yi had run her mouth again and hit a brick wall!
"That Zhou Yi! I told her again and again at yesterday's meeting to show Shrek at its very best! She might as well have let my words go in one ear and out the other!"
Du Weilun was frantic and furious.
"Wonderful. It's Long Jinyu's very first day in the outer court, and he's already been left with this awful impression! If he thinks Shrek is a den of iniquity and decides to leave, Mu En and Dean Yan will skin me alive!"
He was still wondering how to report this mess to Yan Shaozhe and how to placate Long Jinyu when—
"Knock, knock, knock."
Du Weilun jumped. "C-come in!"
The door swung open, and Long Jinyu walked in. His expression gave nothing away.
The moment their eyes met, an awkward tension filled the air.
"J-Jinyu, please, have a seat! How was your first class? Did it... go all right?"
Du Weilun's heart leaped into his throat. His voice wavered. He was terrified Long Jinyu had come to demand an explanation—or... to announce he was withdrawing from the academy.
Long Jinyu was uneasy too. He worried Shrek might be so stubborn, or so concerned with saving face—or with protecting Zhou Yi because of Fan Yu—that it would shield her. After all, in the original story, Zhou Yi hadn't faced any real punishment.
Long Jinyu bowed slightly, his manner sincere. "Director Du, I'm here to admit my mistake. What happened in Freshman Class One was mainly my fault. I lost my temper and laid hands on Teacher Zhou, injuring her both physically and emotionally. I violated the school rules, and I'm willing to accept any punishment."
Du Weilun was stunned. He hadn't expected Long Jinyu to be so humble. He was just about to breathe a sigh of relief and say, "It's fine, it's fine. Zhou Yi deserved it..." when Long Jinyu's tone abruptly shifted, calm but carrying an undeniable force.
"But, Director Du, my 'admitting my mistake' doesn't mean I 'admit defeat.'"
Long Jinyu raised his head and met Du Weilun's gaze with his different-colored eyes.
"I don't believe I was wrong to 'defend students' basic dignity and oppose education based on insults.'"
"If the academy believes that, when faced with a teacher who publicly called every student 'trash' and 'good-for-nothings' in her very first class of the new term, and promoted the extreme idea that 'those who don't dare cause trouble are mediocre,' students are wrong even to defend their own dignity..."
He paused. His voice was quiet, but it made Du Weilun's heart skip a beat.
"Then I may really have to go up to Sea God Pavilion and have a good 'discussion' with Mu En and the other elders about what 'professional ethics' and 'teaching standards' Shrek ought to uphold..."
"I suggest suspending all of Teacher Zhou's teaching duties until the facts have been clarified. She can rest and take some time to reflect."
As Du Weilun listened, the last trace of wishful thinking vanished. This wasn't an apology. It was a warning, a checkmate!
Long Jinyu had firmly claimed the moral high ground and brought Sea God Pavilion into it, all while remaining so "humble." If Du Weilun dared protect Zhou Yi, he'd be a fool.
Du Weilun immediately put on a grave, impartial expression and declared, "Jinyu, there's no need to stand on ceremony! The academy will investigate this thoroughly and handle it fairly! You stood up for your classmates' dignity and dared to say no to improper teaching methods. That's commendable! As for your methods being a little... intense, well, it's understandable! Young people are bound to be hot-blooded!"
He hurriedly poured Long Jinyu some tea, treating him like a superior, and continued, "Your suggestion is perfectly reasonable! Teacher Zhou does need to take some time off and reflect on her teaching methods. Don't worry, the academy will never tolerate any conduct that violates professional ethics! We'll give all the students—and you—a satisfactory explanation!"
As if there were any question!
One was a rising star with boundless potential and an extraordinary background, who was also in the right.
The other was a troublemaking teacher who kept repeating the same mistakes and had caused a serious mess.
Even with your eyes closed, you'd know which one to protect! Besides, in a way, Long Jinyu's actions had helped the academy get rid of a cancer before it could spread.
Watching Du Weilun's reaction, Long Jinyu took a sip of tea. It seemed Shrek knew how to be reasonable after all. A warm smile returned to his face. "Hearing that from you, Director Du, puts my mind at ease. I believe Shrek Academy will ultimately be a place that values reason and virtue."
Du Weilun hurriedly smiled in agreement. "Of course, of course! Shrek's reputation depends on every teacher and student doing their part to uphold it!" A great weight finally lifted from his heart. At the same time, he resolved to set the teaching staff straight this time.
Just as Du Weilun was about to exchange a few more pleasantries with Long Jinyu, the office door was flung open with a bang!
A fiery-red figure rushed in on a gust of hot air.
Without a word, she raised a hand and rapped Long Jinyu on the head. She'd controlled her strength perfectly; it was more a symbolic punishment than a real blow.
"Ow, ow, ow! That hurts..." Long Jinyu immediately clutched his head with an exaggerated grimace, then turned to the newcomer with a wounded look.
Ma Xiaotao planted her hands on her hips and glared at him with wide phoenix eyes, pretending to be fierce.
"You little rascal, you've got time to relax, huh? Even time to sit here and drink tea with Director Du? I didn't know you had such a temper! Didn't I tell you to go easy on her? Huh?"
"You put your homeroom teacher in the hospital on the very first day of term?! You're really something! I guess I'll have to keep an eye on you after all!"
Before you continue