Who Said Geniuses Had to Go to Shrek?

But after being exposed, Wu Changkong's reaction was far more intense than everyone had expected.

He took a deep breath. His expression remained cold, but his tone grew more urgent as he tried to defend himself.

"I'm not criticizing you just because we're both from Shrek."

"I'm simply looking at the matter objectively."

"You acted far too ostentatiously and left no room for compromise."

"She is, after all, a teacher at Shrek."

"And by doing this, you'll only bring yourself endless trouble in the future."

"So, as your teacher..."

"I'm merely reminding you."

There was a trace of awkwardness in his voice, as though he were eager to distance himself from Shrek.

But the more he tried to explain...

The weaker his words sounded.

At that moment, Ye Yingluo spoke.

At some point, she had already walked to the front of the crowd and stood between Wu Changkong and Han Li. Her arms were crossed, and she wore a faintly mocking smile.

"Teacher Wu, you said you weren't criticizing Han Li because the two of you are both from Shrek."

"Then let me ask you—"

"Where were you when Shen Yi slandered the Skysea Alliance for cheating in front of eighty thousand people?"

"Where were you when Shen Yi put on her Two-Word Battle Armor and attacked Han Li, trying to kill a ten-year-old child?"

"At that time, you were also standing to one side, 'objectively looking at the matter,' without saying a word or even making a gesture to stop her."

"Now that Han Li won and beat her into submission, you've come forward to say he went too far."

"Teacher Wu, your 'objective view' is truly 'impartial,' isn't it?"

Ye Yingluo's voice was not loud.

Yet every word carried biting mockery, stabbing into Wu Changkong's ears like knives.

She paused before continuing.

"And another thing."

"You said Han Li would bring trouble upon himself."

"I'd like to ask you, Teacher Wu—"

"Eighty thousand people from the entire Skysea Alliance witnessed today's battle with their own eyes!"

"Han Li defeated his opponent in an open, just, and fair match. It was Shrek's people who couldn't accept defeat and came looking for trouble. Han Li was merely acting in self-defense!"

"What does this matter have to do with Han Li, a ten-year-old child, once word gets out?"

"Besides, even if Shrek truly wants to cause trouble, would the Skysea Alliance simply abandon Han Li?"

"Would the Spirit Pagoda abandon one of its own core disciples?"

With every sentence Ye Yingluo spoke,

Wu Changkong's expression darkened further.

She stood there.

Though she was only an ordinary teacher, her presence at that moment suppressed Wu Changkong so thoroughly that he could not speak.

Wu Changkong's lips moved as he tried to retort, but several times he opened his mouth without managing to form a complete sentence.

He wanted to say, "That's not what I meant." He wanted to say, "I'm only doing this for Han Li's own good." But before Ye Yingluo's earlier words, those excuses seemed especially feeble.

He realized that no matter how he tried to explain...

In the end, Ye Yingluo's words would always shut him down.

At that moment, Wu Changkong took a deep breath.

He looked at Ye Yingluo, his tone turning serious.

"Teacher Ye, I know Han Li was originally your student."

"But now, he is also my student."

"And what good is there in offending Shrek over a momentary fit of anger?"

"Let me ask you: Shrek Academy is the number one academy on the continent."

"And Han Li's talent is so exceptional."

"If he doesn't go to Shrek, how can he receive the best educational resources?"

"Could he possibly rely on an ordinary teacher from Eastsea Academy like you?"

As soon as those words were spoken, Ye Yingluo fell silent.

She stood beside Han Li, lightly pressing her lips together as her gaze lowered. She did not reply at once.

Wu Changkong's words, "an ordinary teacher from Eastsea Academy," were like a needle that pierced precisely where she least wished to confront.

She knew that she was merely an ordinary teacher at an ordinary academy. She lacked Shrek's background and resources, and she did not have the ability to provide Han Li with higher-level instruction.

But she also knew that Han Li had never relied on anyone's teaching to reach where he was today.

That young man's cultivation progress, combat ability, spiritual power, and physical constitution...

He had built them all step by step on his own. They had little to do with what she, as his teacher, could teach him.

Seeing Ye Yingluo's silence, the corner of Wu Changkong's lips lifted slightly. A nearly imperceptible hint of satisfaction appeared on his cold face.

But then Han Li spoke.

"So what if it's Shrek?"

"So what if it's Eastsea Academy?"

His voice was calm, as if he were stating a fact that had nothing to do with him.

Yet that one utterly calm sentence...

Blocked all of Wu Changkong's preparation and persuasion halfway.

Wu Changkong froze for a moment, then quickly recovered. The expression on his face grew even more serious.

He took half a step forward, his tone carrying an almost earnest persistence.

"Han Li, you don't understand. With your talent, only by going to Shrek Academy can you achieve greater development."

"Shrek possesses the continent's finest educational resources, deepest legacy, and strongest faculty."

"Only there can your talent be brought out to its fullest."

"So I'm doing this for your own good."

His words were very sincere, or at least they sounded sincere.

Those cold eyes were now filled with expectation and persuasion, as though he truly were considering Han Li's future.

"Oh?"

Han Li gave a derisive laugh, his gaze openly cold.

"Are you saying that if I don't attend Shrek Academy, I'll never break through to Limit Douluo in this lifetime?"

Wu Changkong froze. He opened his mouth, but no words came out immediately.

His gaze flickered as though he were rapidly considering how to answer.

A moment later, he spoke again, his tone carrying a forced certainty.

"If you're at Shrek..."

"You'll definitely break through, one hundred percent."

But when he said those words, his eyes flickered slightly. Even he did not truly believe them.

He knew that with Han Li's talent, reaching Limit Douluo was inevitable.

In fact, judging from the information and performance Han Li had displayed so far...

Forget Limit Douluo.

Even becoming a Peak Quasi-God was not impossible.

But he truly could not say that.

If he said, "You can break through on your own as well," then Han Li would have even less reason to go to Shrek.

So he could only grit his teeth and say "one hundred percent," using a false promise to keep him.

But as soon as his words fell, Han Li shook his head.

"There has never been such a thing as one hundred percent in this world."

"How could there be anything in all creation that could be so certain?"

"My path, I will walk it myself."

"I have no need for others to comment on it."

His tone remained calm, yet every word carried an unquestionable certainty.

He looked at Wu Changkong, his eyes holding only calmness.

But that calmness was more powerful than any anger.