Huo Yuhao: "Since when did it become your place to decide what I do?"

Goodwill didn't appear out of thin air, but sometimes malice and goodwill looked no different on the surface.

After class on Monday, Fan Yu, a senior teacher in the Soul Guidance Department who had also conducted Huo Yuhao's Soul Engineer evaluation, made a special trip to Class Ten to find him.

In Zhang Lexuan's office, Fan Yu smiled as he told Huo Yuhao about the Sea God Pavilion's decision: in the days ahead, both the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Guidance Department would give him special attention and support.

He was also willing to take another disciple and personally teach Huo Yuhao about Soul Tools.

Just as Fan Yu was about to say that he planned to take Huo Yuhao as his disciple, he caught sight of Huo Yuhao's eyes and couldn't help but freeze.

Those blue eyes were clear and calm, yet in Fan Yu's they seemed to hold a raging fury, churning like a tsunami.

"I just want to ask: since when did it become your place to decide what I do?"

"!!!"

Fan Yu's eyes widened. He stared at Huo Yuhao in disbelief, and even Zhang Lexuan, sitting to the side, was taken aback.

Zhang Lexuan had been quite pleased. Although she hadn't managed to get Huo Yuhao promoted directly to the inner court, he had won the direct support of both the Martial Soul Department and the Soul Guidance Department. Naturally, he would have access to more resources, which was a good thing for him.

But who would've thought the kid would suddenly blurt out something like that?

Huo Yuhao wasn't supposed to know that the Sea God Pavilion, the academy's highest decision-making body, had made this decision. But Fan Yu had clearly told him that the academy's leadership had specially tailored this study plan for him!

Wasn't the normal response supposed to be, "Thank you for nurturing me, Academy. I'll study hard and live up to your expectations"?

Why...?

Before Fan Yu could ask those three words, Huo Yuhao cut him off without any courtesy.

"How I study and what I study are my own business. I have my own plans. But you never even asked what I wanted before deciding my path of cultivation for me. Isn't that a little too overbearing?!"

Fan Yu frowned and said unhappily, "You're still young. You don't understand the academy's good intentions! This is..."

Huo Yuhao interrupted him again. "If Shrek Academy is going to impose its will on its students whenever it pleases, then this place really isn't right for me!"

"..."

It took Fan Yu two seconds to process what Huo Yuhao had said.

A student had actually dared to say something bad about Shrek?!

"Huo Yuhao! Do you know what you're saying?!" He slammed his palm against the table and sprang to his feet in fury. Eight Soul Rings flared into view, and the Soul Power pressure of a Soul Douluo surged toward Huo Yuhao like a tidal wave.

The overwhelming pressure struck, making Huo Yuhao stumble and nearly fall to the ground. But golden light flowed through his eyes, and golden spiritual power spread over his body like water. His body trembled slightly, yet he stubbornly refused to go down.

Fan Yu's expression shifted. A Soul Elder standing firm beneath a Soul Douluo's pressure—was he even human?

And the strength of that spiritual power... Why hadn't they hurried to bring such a genius into the inner court? He really didn't know what those higher-ups were thinking.

"Teacher Fan Yu, withdraw your Martial Soul!"

A cool but authoritative voice rang out, accompanied by even stronger spiritual power and Soul Power. In an instant, Fan Yu's imposing aura was silently forced back.

Fan Yu's heart trembled. A sense of danger kept rising behind him, and he couldn't help turning to look toward the speaker.

Zhang Lexuan stood there with an icy expression. A bright full moon had risen behind her, and eight fearsome Soul Rings—two yellow, two purple, three black, and one red—shone around her.

She walked over to Huo Yuhao and took hold of his arm. "Yuhao is my student. No one else gets to discipline him!"

Fan Yu swallowed, his gaze irresistibly drawn to the blood-red Hundred-Thousand-Year Soul Ring surrounding Zhang Lexuan.

Zhang Lexuan, Shrek's acknowledged number-one genius in the inner court, truly lived up to her reputation.

Fan Yu snorted, but still recalled his Martial Soul and Soul Rings.

Huo Yuhao nodded to Zhang Lexuan in thanks, then straightened his back and said solemnly, "There's something I need to make clear. Teacher Fan Yu, and the academy's leadership behind you! No one can force me to do something I don't want to do!"

Fan Yu pressed his lips together. Noticing Zhang Lexuan's displeased expression, he softened his tone a little. "I'm not forcing you to do anything. This is a better study plan tailored for you."

"I may only be a lowly student, but I hope the academy's leadership will at least respect my opinion." Huo Yuhao snorted. "If the academy ever decides that Huo Yuhao shouldn't stay here, just tell me. I can leave at any time!"

"You..." Fan Yu finally couldn't hold back, but he didn't argue with Huo Yuhao any further. Instead, he turned to Zhang Lexuan.

"Teacher Zhang sure has a way of raising her students..."

Zhang Lexuan gave an unconcerned snort. "I gratefully accept Teacher Fan Yu's praise."

Fan Yu's lips twitched a few times. Whatever his reasons, he swept out of the room.

Huo Yuhao breathed out, trying to calm his indignation, then turned to Zhang Lexuan with an apologetic look. "Sorry, Teacher Zhang. I said some harsh things and put you in an awkward position..."

She shook her head without a word, returned to her seat, and reached out to take Huo Yuhao's hand. She pulled him in front of her and sat him on her lap.

"Hey, hey... um..."

The softness and fragrance coming from behind him and beneath him left Huo Yuhao at a loss. He had more or less gotten used to it with Ma Xiaotao, but this was his teacher! If another student saw them, he'd be fine, but Zhang Lexuan...

Zhang Lexuan rested her head on Huo Yuhao's shoulder and tilted it slightly. "You can spend every day being all lovey-dovey with Xiaotao. Why can't I?"

"Uh... well, um..."

Zhang Lexuan didn't seem interested in continuing the subject. Instead, she closed her eyes, apparently enjoying herself.

"How should I put it... You just make people feel so relaxed. No wonder Xiaotao is so fascinated with you..."

Unfortunately, Huo Yuhao couldn't quite understand what she meant by those words, and he didn't dare move recklessly.

He figured that she was probably just an older sister who thought a child was cute and wanted to hug him for fun...

A few minutes later, a wistful sigh sounded beside his ear. "...Do you know, little Yuhao? I admire you. I admire your courage to say no, your courage to fight back... But I..."

Her voice abruptly fell silent. Huo Yuhao didn't know what she had wanted to say.

"Sorry, I've said so many strange things to you. Your way of thinking is good. No one can stop you from doing what you like. Don't worry about the academy. You're my student, and no one can bully you!"

"Just like you said, go and do what you want."