Electrolux takes the wheel!
The moment he took control of Huo Yuhao's body, the sky suddenly darkened.
Pure black mist surged out of Huo Yuhao's body, spreading in every direction.
It engulfed the entire Soul Fighting Platform.
The light on the platform was blocked, plunging everything into gloom.
The students in the stands let out a chorus of gasps.
"Ooh! What's going on?"
"Could it be—"
"Huo Yuhao still has a trump card?"
"..."
Even the referee instinctively took half a step back.
In the gloom, Huo Yuhao's body slowly rose from the ground.
His eyes were open, but there was not a glimmer of light in his pupils—only a hollow grayness.
An ancient, weathered pressure, steeped in the aura of death, radiated from him.
Gu An sat in the stands, watching the darkness fill the sky and Huo Yuhao float in midair.
"Tsk, tsk. No wonder he's the protagonist. Even Electrolux has taken over to fight for him."
Leng Yaozhu furrowed her brow slightly, and the spiritual power at her fingertips gathered once more.
She hadn't planned to interfere again, but she couldn't sit back now.
There was no way she'd let Huo Yuhao turn this around.
You're some old monster who's lived for tens of thousands of years. You're already dead, and all that's left is a wisp of your remnant soul—yet you have the nerve to join a freshman assessment match?
Isn't that a little shameless?
Leng Yaozhu's spiritual power spread silently.
Spiritual power at the Spirit Domain Realm slipped soundlessly into that patch of darkness.
Electrolux's aura continued to spread, and the darkness kept expanding.
The next instant—
The darkness recoiled violently, like snowflakes meeting a flame.
Huo Yuhao's body, floating in midair, suddenly stiffened.
With a wet smack, he hit the ground and lay still.
He had passed out.
Sunlight spilled onto the Soul Fighting Platform once more.
The platform fell silent. Huo Yuhao was the only one lying face-down on the ground, his posture utterly bizarre, butt sticking up in the air, unconscious.
The students in the stands exchanged bewildered looks.
That was it?
The buildup had been so huge. The sky had gone dark, and his aura had been so intimidating.
And that was it?
What a colossal letdown.
They'd been looking forward to it, too.
"Boo!"
A wave of jeers rose from the audience.
"I'm dying. That's the funniest thing I've seen all semester."
"Damn, was that first ring just there for laughs?"
"This is hilarious!"
"Peak comedy, seriously."
"What part of that was peak?"
"..."
Dai Huabin stood on the platform, looking down at Huo Yuhao sprawled on the ground. His mocking grin nearly reached his ears.
"Hahahaha! Were you guys sent by the monkeys to make me laugh?"
"Are you trying to kill me with laughter?"
Zhu Lu and Cui Yajie covered their mouths and giggled, too.
No.
Huo Yuhao had passed out, but Wang Dong was still standing.
She pushed herself up from the ground, her school uniform coated in dust and her pink-and-blue hair in a tangled mess.
A trace of blood still clung to the corner of her mouth.
"You!"
"What, you? Still want to fight?"
Dai Huabin folded his arms, his face full of mockery.
The referee looked at the three students: one was unconscious, and two were still standing.
There was no point continuing.
He announced the result outright.
"Freshman Class Five, Dai Huabin's team, wins."
Wang Dong bit her lip and turned toward the stairs without a word.
Xiao Xiao followed behind her.
The moment the two stepped off the Soul Fighting Platform, they ran straight into Zhou Yi.
Zhou Yi's face was dark, her expression utterly grim.
Her gaze swept over Wang Dong and settled on Xiao Xiao.
"Xiao Xiao."
"Why didn't you block the Hell White Tiger's attack? Why didn't you buy Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao time?"
Xiao Xiao opened her mouth, but before she could say anything—
Zhou Yi's next accusation came crashing down.
"What about your Second Martial Soul? Your First Soul Ring? Why didn't you use them?"
Her voice grew louder and louder. The students who hadn't yet left stopped and looked over.
"Don't you know that if you'd used your Second Martial Soul's Soul Skill, the result of this assessment might have been different?"
"What are you even trying to do?"
"I..."
Zhou Yi gave her no chance to speak.
"And why were you late today? You nearly missed the match altogether."
"Do you think being a Twin Martial Soul talent makes you so special? Do you think Shrek Academy is begging you to stay?"
Wang Dong stood beside her, her face just as angry.
She needed someone to vent her frustration on, too.
She'd lost to Dai Huabin, been slammed down by the Hell White Tiger, and humiliated in front of everyone.
When had Wang Dong ever had to put up with this?
"Xiao Xiao, what's wrong with you?"
"If you'd held on a little longer—even just a few seconds—Huo Yuhao and I would have completed our Martial Soul Fusion Skill."
"You're a Two-Ring Soul Grandmaster. You couldn't even hold on for a few seconds?"
Xiao Xiao raised her head and looked at the two of them.
One was her homeroom teacher; the other was the partner she'd fought alongside for so long.
It was all her fault!
She opened her mouth, her voice trembling as she explained.
"I did everything I could."
"I'm a two-ring Soul Master. I blocked a Martial Soul Fusion Skill from a three-ring Soul Elder and held on for that long."
"I really did everything I could."
Zhou Yi paid no attention to her explanation. She just wanted to vent.
"Did everything you could? I'd say you were deliberately holding back."
"You were late, you didn't use your Second Martial Soul, and you couldn't hold your ground on the platform."
"With an attitude like that, do you deserve to be a student at Shrek Academy?"
Wang Dong stood nearby with her arms crossed, watching coldly without speaking up for Xiao Xiao.
Tears the size of beans brimmed in Xiao Xiao's eyes.
One or two people could blame her all they wanted. Whoever wanted to stay at Shrek could stay. She was done putting up with this!
She wiped away her tears and looked at the two of them with scorn.
"You say I didn't do everything I could? What were you and Huo Yuhao doing behind me?"
"Hiding back there, holding hands! You didn't do a thing!"
"And you, you old hag!"
She pointed at Zhou Yi, showing no restraint.
"I haven't added a Soul Ring to my Second Martial Soul!"
"I have Twin Martial Souls! You wanted me to give my Second Martial Soul a Hundred-Year Soul Ring!"
"Why should I sacrifice my future for a freshman assessment? Why?"
"Why can't I wait until I can add a Ten Thousand Year Soul Ring?"
"Just because you're my teacher? Being my teacher doesn't give you the right to ruin my future!"
The area fell silent.
The students who had been about to leave all stopped, turning around with their mouths agape as they stared.
A Twin Martial Soul genius.
A teacher had pressured her to give her Second Martial Soul a Hundred-Year Soul Ring.
That was juicy gossip if they'd ever heard it.
Whispers spread like a rising tide.
"Twin Martial Souls? That green-haired girl has Twin Martial Souls?"
"Her teacher told her to add a Hundred-Year Soul Ring to her Second Martial Soul? Has she lost her mind?"
"With Twin Martial Souls, shouldn't the Second Martial Soul start at a thousand years at the very least? A hundred years? That's just ruining her!"
"A thousand years? Are you an idiot? It should be at least ten thousand!"
"Is that teacher out of her mind?"
Zhou Yi's face turned completely black.
Her robes stirred though there was no wind, and a powerful wave of Soul Power surged from her body.
Soul Rings rose one after another from beneath her feet.
Six-Ring Soul Emperor.
Her Soul Rings revolved slowly around her, radiating an immense pressure.
"Xiao Xiao!"
Her voice grated through clenched teeth.
"How dare you show such disrespect to your teacher!"
"Shrek Academy has no need for a student like you!"
Yan Shaozhe, who had happened to come watch, wore an ashen expression.
"Adding a Hundred-Year Soul Ring to a Second Martial Soul?! This is utter nonsense!"
He'd never expected Zhou Yi to pull something like this.
Mu Jin stood beside Yan Shaozhe and immediately seized the chance to mock her.
"Dean Yan, you saw that, didn't you?"
"Zhou Yi's teaching methods have always been a problem. She's always expelling students and meting out physical punishment."
"And now she's gone too far. She nearly ruined a Twin Martial Soul genius."
"Someone like her has no right to be a teacher."
"Dean Yan, this must be dealt with seriously. The students deserve an explanation."
But all she got in response were icy looks from Yan Shaozhe and Fan Yu.
Mu Jin promptly shut her mouth.
Yan Shaozhe spoke in a low voice.
"This isn't the time to hold Zhou Yi accountable."
"We need to settle this matter down first."
He rose from his seat.
Shrek Academy's reputation mattered far more than one student with Twin Martial Souls.
If this got out, what would become of Shrek Academy's standing?
They had to suppress it first.
As for Zhou Yi, they could deal with her behind closed doors.
Just as he was about to step in—
A voice, still somewhat childish, reached the ears of everyone present.
"So this is Shrek Academy?"
"Not only had they forced their students to overdraw their futures."
"After being exposed, they'd even tried to use force to suppress people."
Yan Shaozhe's hand stopped in midair.
Everyone looked toward the source of the voice.
The corner.
A handsome boy rose from his seat.
Behind him stood an absolutely stunning woman with hair cascading like a waterfall of red.