Let's hear you call me Grandma!

The sports field was deathly silent.

The watching students stared at the two figures in the center of the arena—one kneeling, one standing—not daring to even breathe loudly.

Dai Mubai's White Tiger Vajra Transformation was still active, but his golden-white fur had begun to dim, signaling that his spirit power was nearing its limit. His knees pressed into the shattered stone tiles, his tiger claws bracing against the ground, and his entire body trembled slightly.

It wasn't out of fear. It was out of rage.

He, Dai Mubai, possessed the royal bloodline of the Star Luo Empire, was a level 68 Spirit Emperor, and wielded the White Tiger Martial Soul. He was a figure who could walk sideways through the entire Spirit Academy.

Yet today, he had been beaten by a level 62 girl without even being able to touch a single strand of her hair.

With the entire school watching, he had lost face completely.

"I'll ask one more time," Zhu Zhuqing's voice drifted over. "Do you concede? I'll give you three seconds to consider."

A low growl rumbled in Dai Mubai's throat, his tiger fangs grinding together with a creaking sound.

He wanted to stand up and keep fighting.

But his reason told him it was useless. The gap in speed was too vast. He couldn't hit her. Continuing would only make him look even worse.

Ma Hongjun stood on the sidelines, originally intending to shout, "Go, Brother Mubai!" but after seeing the state of the match, he swallowed the words back down.

What was the point of cheering? It wouldn't change anything.

Dai Mubai knelt there, head bowed, his chest heaving violently.

The arena remained quiet for several seconds, and then, the White Tiger Vajra Transformation dissipated.

The golden-white fur faded, and his bloated physique returned to normal. Dai Mubai shifted from a two-meter-tall tiger-man back into his standard human form, standing one meter eighty-five.

He pushed off his knees to stand, brushing the stone dust from his pants.

His left eye was swollen, a dried trail of blood stained the corner of his mouth, his ribs throbbed with a dull ache, and he limped slightly as he bent his right knee.

Dai Mubai raised his head, looking at Zhu Zhuqing with his one remaining open eye.

"I concede."

The three words were squeezed through his teeth, and the sports field instantly erupted.

"Holy crap, Dai Mubai conceded?"

"Zhu Zhuqing won! She actually won!"

"Level 62 against level 68—a six-level gap!"

"That speed was terrifying; I couldn't even see how she moved!"

The discussions rose and fell, buzzing like a disturbed beehive.

Xiao Wu jumped up on the sidelines, her scorpion braid swinging in a wide arc as the heels of her crystal shoes clicked rhythmically against the stone steps.

"She won, she won, she won! Zhuqing, you're amazing!"

Ning Rongrong was also clapping, the hem of her blue skirt swaying gently with the motion.

Bai Chenxiang poked her whole body out from behind Ning Rongrong, her hands clasped together. Her lips curled slightly, too shy to laugh out loud, but her eyes were shining brightly.

Zhu Zhuqing stood where she was, watching Dai Mubai admit his defeat.

Her heart was actually beating much faster than she appeared. From the start of the fight until now, she had been controlling her breathing and rhythm, refusing to let any trace of nervousness show.

She won—she had really won!

Just last night, she had been toyed with by Dai Mubai, forced to swallow her pride and walk away. Today, he hadn't even touched the hem of her clothes.

Zhu Zhuqing took a deep breath, suppressing the surging emotions in her chest.

"You remember the terms of the bet, don't you?"

Dai Mubai's expression stiffened.

The watching students went quiet at once; everyone remembered the wager made before the match.

The loser would have to call Zhu Zhuqing and her three roommates "Grand Aunt."

Ma Hongjun walked over from the sidelines, his expression complex. Half of it was embarrassment for his brother, and the other half was a struggle to hold back laughter that had turned his face bright red.

"Brother Mubai... about the bet... maybe..."

"Shut up," Dai Mubai glared at him.

Xiao Wu walked over from the sidelines, her scorpion braid swaying behind her. With her hands on her hips, the heels of her crystal shoes tapped crisply against the stone tiles.

"Dai Mubai, a bet is a bet. With so many people watching, you aren't thinking of welching on it, are you?"

Dai Mubai's right eye stared daggers at Xiao Wu, the vein on his temple throbbing twice.

Of course he wanted to welch.

But there were hundreds of students surrounding the sports field, all of them witnesses.

Dai Mubai had a reputation to maintain in the academy; he couldn't afford to welch in public. If word got out, it would be even more humiliating than calling her Grand Aunt.

"Call it, call it, everyone is waiting," Xiao Wu urged.

Ning Rongrong also walked over, standing beside Xiao Wu, the hem of her blue skirt gently lifted by the breeze.

Her legs, encased in white silk stockings, stood pressed together. She held that notebook in her hands, her expression gentle, yet she couldn't suppress the slight curve at the corners of her mouth.

Bai Chenxiang stood the furthest away, hiding behind Ning Rongrong with only half her face visible. Her two low ponytails rested against her chest, and she was incredibly nervous.

The four of them stood in a row.

Zhu Zhuqing was on the far left, her tall figure wrapped in black leather, arms crossed over her chest, her face devoid of expression. Xiao Wu was to the left of center, wearing a pink gauze dress with rabbit-ear hair accessories, smiling so broadly her little fangs showed. Ning Rongrong was to the right of center, standing quietly in a blue dress, white socks, and short boots. Bai Chenxiang was on the far right, half-hidden behind Ning Rongrong's shoulder.

The four girls, varying in height and style, stood in a line on the sports field.

Dai Mubai looked at the four of them, feeling his blood pressure hit its peak.

"Hurry up, we're waiting!" Xiao Wu urged again.

The surrounding students began to jeer.

"Call them!"

"A bet is a bet!"

"Young Master Dai, speak up!"

Dai Mubai took a deep breath, then another, and then a third.

Then, he closed his one remaining open eye.

"...Grandmistresses."

The voice was as soft as a mosquito's buzz.

Xiao Wu immediately shook her head: "Can't hear you! Louder!"

Dai Mubai's temple throbbed even more violently: "Grandmistresses!"

This time the voice was loud enough that everyone on the sports field could hear it clearly.

The entire crowd was silent for a second, then erupted into roars of laughter.

The laughter drowned out the entire sports field; some people were doubled over on the ground, while others laughed until tears streamed down their faces.

Dai Mubai, of the Star Luo Empire royal bloodline and one of the Spirit Academy's F4, had called four girls "Grandmistresses" in front of the entire school.

If this got out, it would be enough for the academy to laugh about for an entire year.

Ma Hongjun stood to the side, biting his lip desperately, but his shoulders still couldn't stop shaking. He didn't dare laugh out loud for fear that Dai Mubai would turn around and beat him up.

Dai Mubai turned and walked away.

His steps were fast and heavy, limping, his left eye swollen, his body covered in injuries; his gait was anything but dashing.

Ma Hongjun hurried to catch up: "Brother Mubai, wait for me!"

The two figures disappeared at the exit of the sports field.

Xiao Wu watched them walk away and slapped Zhu Zhuqing on the shoulder.

"Satisfying!"

Zhu Zhuqing's lips finally curled upward.

The movement was slight, but she was truly smiling.

Ning Rongrong walked over from behind and gently patted Zhu Zhuqing on the back.

"He won't dare do it again."

Zhu Zhuqing nodded without speaking, but her clenched fists slowly relaxed.

Bai Chenxiang also ran over, her two ponytails swaying, and whispered, "Sister Zhuqing, you're amazing."

The four of them walked side-by-side out of the sports field. The surrounding students automatically cleared a path, their gazes toward them completely different from before.

There was admiration, envy, and in the eyes of several girls, a kind of indescribable longing.

Xiao Wu walked at the very front, her strides long, her scorpion braid swinging back and forth as she hummed an unknown tune.

They walked out of the sports field gate and turned onto the path back to the dormitory.