If Someone Shows Me One Part Respect, I Return Ten; If Someone Crosses Me by an Inch, I'll Pay Them Back a Hundredfold

As Zhou Yi fled in disgrace, everyone in the stands turned their eyes to the handsome, black-haired, black-eyed youth on the Spirit Fighting Platform.

Most of them had come to watch the battle out of curiosity and schadenfreude.

They all wanted to see what fate awaited a freshman arrogant enough to challenge an Outer Court instructor outright.

But now that the battle was over, they had all fallen silent. Before leaving, many etched Huo Yuhao's appearance deep into their minds.

Compared with this young man, it seemed that everyone else had become mediocre, mere ordinary mortals.

Huo Yuhao's words had sounded like a taunt aimed at them.

A senior student from Shrek Academy stared at Huo Yuhao in utter disbelief, cold sweat streaming down his forehead.

"Th-this is a first-year freshman? You've got to be kidding me. A first-year freshman beat the tar out of an Outer Court instructor? Am I still asleep? He's a first-year freshman—what does that make me?"

Smack! His companion slapped him hard across the face.

"Why'd you hit me?"

"Did it hurt?"

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

"Then I guess I really wasn't dreaming."

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

"Don't be stupid. Wouldn't that hurt me?"

The two students started tussling.

Elsewhere, Xiao Xiao looked at Huo Yuhao, then suddenly turned to Wang Dong and asked, puzzled, "Wang Dong, didn't you say you and Huo Yuhao fought at the start of the school year? Who won?"

Wang Dong answered with a carefully composed expression. "To be fair, the kid's got some skill. A couple days ago, I lost to him by one move. Now that I've seen him, he really does have the right to claim he stands above his generation. Even I have to keep out of his way."

Though she said that, Wang Dong felt terribly guilty, and she was on the verge of rolling her eyes clean out of her head at Xiao Xiao.

Was this girl missing a screw? That kid over there had just flattened a Spirit Emperor, and she was asking who'd won between the two of them?

What was she supposed to say? That she'd won? And then what? That she could beat a Spirit Emperor?

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

Wang Dong got up and walked away. She'd figured it out: Xiao Xiao was a natural airhead, born to mess with her head.

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

"Don't follow me. Go by yourself if you want."

Tang Ya and Beibei watched Huo Yuhao on the platform. The image of the boy who hadn't yet obtained a Spirit Ring seven days ago still lingered before their eyes.

The figures of the two boys overlapped. It was the same person, yet somehow he didn't seem like the same person at all.

Tang Ya suddenly shook Beibei by the arm. "Beibei, I've got it! Little Yuhao definitely isn't human. He's a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast in disguise, which is why he's so strong! I don't believe it. None of what I'm seeing can be real."

"That has to be it. Let's grab Little Yuhao now, and we can get his Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring and Spirit Bone."

Beibei flicked her on the forehead and gave her a wry smile. "What are you thinking, Xiaoya? You want to grab Yuhao? Could you even beat him? Besides, if a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast really had sneaked into the school, the Pavilion Elders would have found it ages ago. What makes you think you'd get the chance?"

Tang Ya covered her forehead and pouted. "Of course I know Yuhao can't be a Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Beast! But, Beibei, how do you explain all this? Didn't you say Zhou Yi would win?"

Beibei was at a loss for words too. Watching Huo Yuhao stand there so easily, she even got the impression that he still had another card up his sleeve—that he hadn't had enough yet.

Had a Six-Ring Soul Emperor like Zhou Yi really failed to make Huo Yuhao use his full strength?

And how did Yuhao know Senior Sister Zhang Lexuan? The two of them even seemed quite familiar.

Beibei stared at Huo Yuhao, feeling that he was shrouded in layers of mystery. She understood him less and less.

On the platform, after hearing Huo Yuhao say, "Next time you see me, keep your head down," Zhang Lexuan covered her mouth and chuckled.

"You really do have a sharp tongue, and you never let anyone off once you've got the upper hand. Zhou Yi's going to hate you for this."

Huo Yuhao answered earnestly, "That's just how I am, Senior Sister. If someone shows me one part respect, I return ten. If someone crosses me by an inch, I'll pay them back a hundredfold."

"I've always remembered how you helped me, Senior Sister."

Zhang Lexuan was taken aback, then smiled and shook her head. "Yuhao, I can tell that, like me, you've carried deep hatred since childhood. But I still hope that one day you'll be able to let go of that hatred and do more to bring peace to the continent. It might make life much easier for you."

Huo Yuhao didn't say much. He simply nodded.

Doing more for the good of the continent? Destroying a place like the White Tiger Duke Mansion would definitely benefit the continent.

Once he'd razed it to the ground, he'd naturally be able to let go of his hatred.

"Let's not talk about that, Senior Sister. What brings you here today, of all places?" Huo Yuhao suddenly asked, puzzled.

At his question, Zhang Lexuan's face immediately showed a trace of guilt. She glanced around and said to Huo Yuhao, "There are too many people here. Why don't we go somewhere else to talk?"

Huo Yuhao agreed with a nod.

Zhang Lexuan then grabbed Huo Yuhao by the shoulder, and the two of them vanished in a streak of white light.

Huo Yuhao felt a gentle Soul Power envelop his whole body. The wind whistled in his ears as he seemed to hurtle rapidly through the air.

A moment later, the streak of white light descended from the sky and slowly settled on the ground.

A faint dampness reached Huo Yuhao's nose. He turned and saw a lake beside him, its surface shimmering. Soft, moist air mingled with the fresh breeze and washed over him, putting him at ease. It felt like taking a stroll by the sea.

"Is this Sea God Lake?" Huo Yuhao looked at the lake, his heart stirring.

Though Sea God Lake was only an artificial lake built by Shrek Academy, its water was exceptionally clear. The blue water was like a length of smooth, lustrous silk, and the ripples that occasionally crossed its surface resembled the folds in a woman's skirt.

Beautiful and graceful.

"Senior Sister, what is it? Why did we have to come all the way here to talk?" Huo Yuhao asked.

Zhang Lexuan said awkwardly, "Yuhao, I'm sorry. I promised to transfer you directly into the Shrek Inner Court, but the academy's senior leadership still refused. They said they'll only admit you to the Shrek Inner Court as a special recruit if you take first place in the academy's Freshman Assessment."

"Yuhao, I'm sorry. I—"

Zhang Lexuan was about to continue, but Huo Yuhao raised a hand and stopped her.

"Senior Sister, you've already done everything you could to help me. How could I hold this against you? I'm not the sort of person who doesn't know how to appreciate kindness. In fact, Senior Sister, I should be thanking you. Without you, how could I have joined Shrek Academy so smoothly?"

Huo Yuhao sincerely thanked Zhang Ruoxuan.

"Besides, Senior Sister, do you really think taking first place in the Freshman Assessment would be difficult for someone with my strength?"

Huo Yuhao smiled faintly, not concerned about it in the slightest.