I'll give back tenfold what I receive, and a hundredfold what is taken from me.

As Zhou Yi fled in a panic, everyone in the spectator stands turned their gazes toward the handsome youth with black hair and eyes standing on the Spirit Fighting Platform.

Many had come to watch this battle purely out of curiosity and a desire to see someone suffer.

They had all wanted to see what kind of end a freshman arrogant enough to challenge an Outer Court instructor would meet.

But now that the battle was over, they were all silent; many committed Huo Yuhao's appearance to memory before they left.

Compared to this youth, it seemed everyone else had become mediocre, mere mortals.

The words Huo Yuhao had spoken felt more like a mockery of them all.

A senior student at Shrek Academy stared at Huo Yuhao, his eyes filled with utter disbelief, cold sweat beading on his forehead.

"This... this is a first-year freshman? Stop joking with me. A first-year freshman beating an Outer Court instructor to a pulp? Am I awake? If he's a first-year, then what am I?"

Slap! A companion beside the senior student dealt him a heavy blow across the face.

"What are you hitting me for!"

"Does it hurt?"

"What do you think? Of course it hurts!"

"Then that proves I'm not dreaming."

"Why the hell didn't you hit yourself?"

"Nonsense, wouldn't that hurt me?"

The two students began to bicker and scuffle.

On the other side, Xiao Xiao looked at Huo Yuhao, then suddenly turned to Wang Dong and asked with a puzzled expression, "Wang Dong, didn't you say you fought Huo Yuhao when school started? Who won?"

Hearing this, Wang Dong feigned a calm expression. "To be fair, the kid does have some skill. A couple of days ago, I lost to him by a single move. Now it seems he truly has the right to claim he suppresses the current generation. Even I need to avoid his edge when facing him."

Though he said this, Wang Dong felt incredibly guilty, and he nearly rolled his eyes into the back of his head at Xiao Xiao.

Is this girl missing a screw in her brain? The kid over there just flattened a Spirit Emperor, and you're asking me who won between us?

What am I supposed to say? That I won, and then what—I go fight a Spirit Emperor?

Xiao Xiao's eyes lit up. "Wow, Wang Dong, you're so amazing! You only lost to Huo Yuhao by one move? Doesn't that mean you could fight that old witch to a draw?"

Wang Dong stood up and walked away. He finally understood: Xiao Xiao was a total airhead, a troublemaker specifically designed to ruin his mood.

"Hey, Wang Dong, wait for me! I think we should also challenge a Spirit King or something. Why should that little handsome guy get all the spotlight?"

"Don't follow me. If you want to go, go yourself."

Tang Ya and Beibei watched Huo Yuhao on the platform. The youth who hadn't even obtained a Spirit Ring seven days ago seemed to still be before their eyes.

The figures of the two youths overlapped; it was the same person, yet it seemed as if it were not.

Tang Ya suddenly shook Beibei's arm frantically. "Beibei, I know it! Little Yuhao definitely isn't human. He must be a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast in disguise; that's why he's so strong. I don't believe it. Everything I'm seeing right now isn't real."

"It must be! If we catch little Yuhao now, we can get his hundred-thousand-year Spirit Ring and Spirit Bone."

Beibei flicked Tang Ya's forehead and smiled bitterly. "What are you thinking, Xiao Ya? Catch Yuhao? Can you even beat him? Besides, if a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast had really snuck into the school, the Pavilion Elders would have discovered it long ago. Would it ever be your turn?"

Tang Ya covered her forehead, aggrieved. "Of course I know Yuhao can't be a hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast, but Beibei, how do you explain all this? Didn't you say Zhou Yi would win?"

Beibei was also speechless. Watching Huo Yuhao's relaxed and composed demeanor, he even felt that Huo Yuhao still had trump cards and hadn't even broken a sweat.

Could it be that a six-ring Spirit Emperor like Zhou Yi hadn't even forced Huo Yuhao to use his full strength?

Furthermore, how did Yuhao know the senior sister, and why did they seem so familiar with each other?

Beibei looked at Huo Yuhao, feeling that the youth was shrouded in layers of mist, becoming increasingly impossible to read.

On the platform, after hearing Huo Yuhao's words, "Lower your head when you see me next time," Zhang Lexuan covered her mouth and chuckled softly.

"You really are something. That sharp tongue and unforgiving nature of yours are truly something else. Zhou Yi is going to hate you to death for this."

Huo Yuhao said quite seriously, "Senior Sister, that is simply how I live. If someone respects me by a fraction, I will return it tenfold. If someone offends me by an inch, I will repay it a hundredfold."

"Just like the help you've given me, Senior Sister; I have kept it in my heart."

Zhang Lexuan was stunned, then smiled and shook her head. "Yuhao, I can see that, like me, you have carried deep hatred since you were young. But I still hope that one day you can let go of the hatred in your heart and do more things that benefit the peace of the continent. Perhaps that would make you feel much lighter."

Huo Yuhao didn't say much, merely nodding.

Do more things that benefit the continent? Wiping out a place like the White Tiger Duke Mansion would definitely benefit the continent.

Once he wiped it out, he would naturally let go of the hatred in his heart.

"Let's not talk about that, Senior Sister. How did you happen to be here today?" Huo Yuhao suddenly asked, puzzled.

At these words, a hint of guilt appeared on Zhang Lexuan's face. She looked around and said to Huo Yuhao, "There are too many eyes and ears here. Let's go somewhere else to talk."

Huo Yuhao nodded in agreement.

Immediately after, Zhang Lexuan grabbed Huo Yuhao's shoulder, and the two turned into a streak of white light, vanishing from the spot.

Huo Yuhao only felt a gentle wave of Spirit Power wrapping around his entire body. The sound of wind rushed past his ears, and he felt as if he were moving at high speed.

Only a moment later, the white light descended from the sky and landed slowly on the ground.

Huo Yuhao felt a slight dampness in his nostrils. He turned his head to see a sparkling lake beside him. A gentle mist of water mixed with fresh air washed over him, refreshing his spirit and making him feel as if he were taking a walk by the seaside.

"So this is Sea God Lake?" Huo Yuhao gazed at the expanse of water, ripples of emotion stirring within his heart.

Although Sea God Lake was merely an artificial lake developed by Shrek Academy, its water was exceptionally clear. The azure surface resembled a piece of smooth silk, and the occasional ripples stirred by the water were like the folds on a woman's skirt.

Beautiful and elegant.

"Senior Sister, what exactly is the matter that it had to be discussed in a place like this?" Huo Yuhao asked.

Zhang Lexuan looked embarrassed as she said, "Yuhao, I'm sorry. I originally promised to transfer you directly into the Shrek Inner Court, but unfortunately, the academy's higher-ups still wouldn't agree. Their stance is that if you can take first place in the academy's freshman assessment, they will grant you special admission into the Shrek Inner Court."

"Yuhao, I'm sorry, I—"

Zhang Lexuan was about to continue, but Huo Yuhao stopped her with a wave of his hand.

"Senior Sister, you have already done your absolute best to help me reach this point. How could I possibly hold a grudge against you over something like this? I am certainly not the type of person who doesn't know what's good for them. On the contrary, Senior Sister, I should be thanking you. If not for you, how could I have joined Shrek Academy so smoothly?"

Huo Yuhao expressed his sincere gratitude to Zhang Lexuan.

"Besides, Senior Sister, do you really think it would be difficult for me to take first place in the freshman assessment with my strength?"

Huo Yuhao smiled slightly, completely unconcerned by the matter.

Thank you to brother Naiheli for the 500-point donation; you've tipped me 3,500 points so far. Thank you to brother RainH for your support as well, tipping me 1,500 points all at once. I am so grateful.

If you readers have any spare recommendation votes or monthly tickets, feel free to cast them. If not, just adding the book to your library and keeping up with the latest chapters makes this author incredibly happy.

When readers tip me points, I actually feel a bit embarrassed, like I don't deserve it.

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Tomorrow is Monday. To all the readers catching up on the chapters tonight, get some sleep early. Goodnight.