Core Disciple Assessment

When Wang Dong opened her eyes, she discovered that Huo Yuhao had already opened the remaining fruits. She immediately pouted in dissatisfaction and said to him, "Yuhao, you're not friendly at all. You actually opened the fruits without waiting for me!"

Huo Yuhao curled his lips and replied, "I saw that you'd already begun absorbing what you got from the second fruit, so naturally you didn't need me to replenish you. I opened them myself."

Wang Dong looked Huo Yuhao over, then asked, "How were the remaining ones? Did you go take a bath or something?"

Huo Yuhao nodded. After eating the Whale Rubber, he had ultimately not made a move on Wang Dong, mainly because he was worried that the restriction Tang Buddha Ancestor had placed on her might activate dynamically. Not only would he fail to dispel the heat brought on by the Whale Rubber, but he might even provoke Tang Buddha Ancestor.

That would have been more trouble than it was worth. Huo Yuhao understood that clearly, so he went to the academy's public restroom and took a cold shower, suppressing the heat of the Whale Rubber.

Still, today's incident had served as a reminder to Huo Yuhao. There were many things in the Douluo World capable of stirring up a person's desires, so he would need to be more careful in the future.

Although he had yet to use his Eye of Time and Space even once, and could perform Time Reversal at any moment, provoking Tang Buddha Ancestor was ultimately not a good thing.

Huo Yuhao looked Wang Dong over, then said, "By the way, I found something interesting too."

Seeing Wang Dong's curious expression, Huo Yuhao said solemnly, "There was a note inside one of the fruit pits. It had a line written on it: 'The Light Goddess Butterfly will only appear on beautiful women.' What do you think about that?"

Wang Dong's expression immediately stiffened. Then panic appeared on her face. "Th-then... that can only mean the note was talking nonsense! Maybe some bored person buried some fake book with no authority whatsoever in the ground, and it taught those fruits bad things!"

Seeing how close Wang Dong was to confessing without being questioned, Huo Yuhao stepped forward several paces. Feeling guilty, Wang Dong could not help backing away.

Huo Yuhao slapped a hand against the wall behind Wang Dong, trapping her against it as he asked, "Is it really nonsense?"

Wang Dong grew even more nervous, swallowing repeatedly as she stiffened her neck and said to Huo Yuhao, "Of course it's nonsense. It's complete nonsense!"

Huo Yuhao met Wang Dong's gaze for a moment, then curled his lips and nodded. "Fine."

After saying that, Huo Yuhao released Wang Dong, turned around, and returned to sit on his bed.

When Wang Dong saw Huo Yuhao suddenly let the matter go, she stepped forward curiously and asked tentatively, "Where's that note? I want to see it."

Huo Yuhao shrugged indifferently, took a sip of water, and said, "I already disposed of it."

Wang Dong looked at Huo Yuhao in surprise, then asked in disbelief, "You got rid of it before asking me?"

Huo Yuhao nodded and said without concern, "Of course. You already said you weren't a girl disguised as a boy. Even if you really were, you'd have your own reasons. There was no need for me to expose you over a piece of paper."

Wang Dong paused upon hearing that, then sat back down on her bed. "Then why did you scare me? You're awful!"

There was even a hint of coquettish annoyance in Wang Dong's tone as she spoke. Huo Yuhao did not pay it any mind and did not continue responding to her. He merely sat cross-legged on his bed and began cultivating his Soul Power.

Over the following days, Huo Yuhao resumed his normal cultivation. The various arrangements at Shrek Academy that had been somewhat stalled because of the earlier incident gradually returned to normal as well.

"Ding-ling-ling—" The dismissal bell rang, ending the day's classes. The students of Grade 2 Class 1 relaxed in relief.

Mu Jin sorted through her lesson plans and said, "Core Disciples and Huo Yuhao, stay behind. Come with me to the Soul Fighting Zone in a moment."

There were an unusually large number of Core Disciples in Huo Yuhao's year, more than in previous years. His class alone had eight of them, including himself.

If Dai Huabin, who had already died, were included, the number would have reached twelve.

The combined total of the third and fourth grades above them was no more than that.

Mu Jin led Huo Yuhao and the other seven out of the classroom. At a glance, Huo Yuhao spotted Xie Huanyue and Zhu Lu leaving Class 2's classroom together under the lead of their homeroom teacher, heading out as well.

Zhu Lu glanced at Huo Yuhao, her eyes carrying a trace of venomous resentment. Although she could not understand what method Huo Yuhao had used to kill Dai Huabin, she had an instinctive feeling that Dai Huabin's death was connected to Huo Yuhao.

If Shrek Academy had not been keeping her in check, Zhu Lu would likely have long since launched an assassination attempt against Huo Yuhao.

Soon, Ning Tian also emerged from Class 3's classroom. Like Zhu Lu, she glanced at Huo Yuhao, but there was none of Zhu Lu's resentment in her gaze—only gentleness.

Wu Feng, standing behind Huo Yuhao, could not help giving a soft snort. Then, under Mu Jin's lead, the Core Disciples from the three classes gathered together and formed a single-file line as they headed downstairs.

After all, Mu Jin had led the freshmen champions and now had the most Core Disciples under her charge, so she faintly held the position of leader among the three homeroom teachers.

After Mu Jin and the other two homeroom teachers led the Core Disciples out of the teaching building, they made their way to the Soul Fighting Zone and stopped in a relatively shady area to rest while waiting for the others.

Wang Yan had long since arrived at the Soul Fighting Zone and was likewise waiting for the others.

After a brief wait, the Core Disciples from the third, fourth, and fifth grades arrived one after another. Xu Sanshi, Jiang Nannan, and Bei Bei also appeared before Huo Yuhao and the others.

However, Huo Yuhao was not particularly familiar with Bei Bei and the others this time around. This elimination tournament was also destined to have an entirely different outcome from the one in the original story.

Just then, a swaying figure slowly approached from the distance. Judging by the way he staggered with every step, he seemed as though he might fall over at any moment.

It was none other than Xuan Zi, Shrek's top-ranked team-leading Douluo. He was still disheveled and unkempt, his long hair covering most of his face. He held a chicken leg in one hand and a greasy wine gourd in the other, eating and drinking as he pleased.

After confirming with Wang Yan that everyone had arrived, Xuan Zi casually turned and walked toward the interior of the Soul Fighting Zone, beckoning everyone to follow as he went.

Everything in the Soul Fighting Zone was as it had always been, yet today, there seemed to be no teachers present, nor were there any students here to engage in soul fights...