Yan Shaozhe Makes His Move

After Lin Yao's breath attack struck Wang Qingming, he didn't stop attacking. Instead, he bent his knees, pushed off, and soared into the air.

With the Ender Dragon Martial Soul's help, Lin Yao flew at incredible speed. In the blink of an eye, he was in front of Wang Qingming. His dragon-transformed right hand clenched into a fist, and he slammed it into Wang Qingming's abdomen, sending him flying backward.

The outer-court students in the stands who had thought little of Lin Yao now wore more serious expressions.

When it came to this fight, they actually wanted Wang Qingming to win. He was already an inner-court student, so he wasn't competing with them.

Lin Yao, on the other hand, was a newcomer who had only just entered the outer court. No one knew what he planned for his future, but one thing was certain: only so many people could enter the inner court each year at Shrek Academy. Some would make the cut, and others would be left behind.

And with the strength Lin Yao had shown so far, he had practically secured a place among those who would make it.

In this environment, where there was more competition than opportunity, some outer-court students had already begun to look at Lin Yao differently.

Still, those who had managed to last here weren't fools who would volunteer to stick their necks out for someone else. Though some of them had begun to entertain other ideas, none dared to act rashly.

Lin Yao didn't care about any of that. He simply looked at Wang Qingming with disdain and said calmly, "So this is the level of the inner court you're always bragging about? You don't seem worthy of that so-called glory."

Lin Yao had no respect for Shrek's "glory," a term used exclusively to manipulate its students. But as someone who had spent years surfing the internet in his previous life, he knew that when it came to a war of words, the best approach was to hit where it hurt.

Strike where it stings—that was the whole idea.

Using the other person's own logic to trample them was the only way to truly hurt them mentally.

Wang Qingming struggled to his feet. Purple flames still blazed around him. He let out a howl, like the final cry of a dying beast, then charged at Lin Yao once more.

Seeing Wang Qingming charge as if ready to fight to the death, Lin Yao snapped his fingers and voluntarily withdrew the Soul Power sustaining the dragon's breath. Then he squared up, ready to punch Wang Qingming again and knock him out for good.

Lin Yao had fought Wang Qingming to establish his reputation, not to kill him. He had been deliberately keeping his strength in check, which was why he had withdrawn the dragon's breath.

Just as Lin Yao's fist was about to strike Wang Qingming in the chest, a stern voice rang out from the far end of the Soul Fighting Arena, drawing nearer as it called, "Both of you, stop!"

As the voice rang out, a wave of pressure swept through the area, silencing the spectators around the Soul Fighting Arena. But it was too late. Lin Yao's fist had already struck Wang Qingming, while Wang Qingming's palm had landed on Lin Yao's shoulder.

The difference was that Wang Qingming's palm hit Lin Yao's shoulder a moment after Lin Yao's fist did. Lin Yao's blow had already scattered the force in Wang Qingming's palm, leaving it about as effective as brushing dust off someone.

Lin Yao's punch, however, was completely unaffected. It struck Wang Qingming squarely in the chest. With a crack, Wang Qingming shot backward again, like an arrow loosed from a bow.

This time, he didn't crash into the arena floor. Instead, he stopped unnaturally in midair, as if someone had caught him with Soul Power.

Wang Qingming had avoided taking the impact of a second fall, but he showed no relief. Instead, he turned around with a look of fear, clearly recognizing the owner of the voice.

Lin Yao also looked toward the voice. A familiar figure was walking onto the Soul Fighting Arena—it was none other than Yan Shaozhe, who had brought him a letter of recommendation years ago.

Yan Shaozhe glanced at the blood on the arena floor, then looked at the two of them. Feeling guilty, Wang Qingming immediately stepped out of the Soul Power that was holding him up and stood off to one side with his head lowered, waiting for Yan Shaozhe to reprimand him.

Lin Yao, by contrast, stood there, calm and composed, waiting for Yan Shaozhe to speak first. Yan Shaozhe looked at them both, then asked Wang Qingming, "What did I tell you?"

Wang Qingming no longer had any of the arrogance he'd shown Lin Yao earlier. Head bowed, he said to Yan Shaozhe, "That Lin Yao is a promising student the academy values. We should treat him courteously when welcoming him. He may well become one of our assets in the future..."

Yan Shaozhe glared at Wang Qingming, his voice turning colder. "And this is how you welcomed him? You brought him all the way to the Soul Fighting Arena?"

Lin Yao calmly replied, "I was the one who asked to come to the Soul Fighting Arena. This senior student just had a foul mouth."

If Lin Yao hadn't said that, Yan Shaozhe's expression might have been better. But after hearing it, his face darkened further. He stamped his foot, and Soul Power rose around them, sealing off their space from everyone else. Then, with a casual wave at Wang Qingming, he said evenly, "If I remember correctly, you should have graduated already. You might as well officially graduate from the academy this year."

Wang Qingming's face changed at once. His knees gave way, and he was about to drop to the ground before Yan Shaozhe. "Dean Yan, I was wrong. Please give me one more chance..."

Yan Shaozhe waved a hand. When he spoke again, his tone had already settled, cool and detached. "The Sea God Pavilion made this decision after discussion. Begging me won't help. Wang Qingming, even though you've graduated from Shrek Academy, I hope you'll remember that you came from Shrek. If we ever learn that you've done something that goes against the spirit of Shrek Academy, we teachers will surely come and purge the school of your ilk."

Wang Qingming nodded, tears already welling in his eyes.

"Go treat your injuries. The rest of this has nothing to do with you." Yan Shaozhe lowered the barrier that had blocked their voices and spoke to Wang Qingming.

Lin Yao couldn't hear exactly what Yan Shaozhe had said, but from the movement of their lips, he could guess most of it. He said nothing, merely looking calmly at Yan Shaozhe. "Dean Yan, then I'll head back and rest too."

Yan Shaozhe nodded. He looked over the arena where the two had fought, then fixed his gaze on the layer of black dragon scales Lin Yao had shed. He nodded at Lin Yao and said, "You truly are gifted, and you've certainly lived up to the fact that your teacher personally asked us to bring you back. I hope you won't waste your efforts at Shrek, and that you'll soon reach the summit of the Soul Master World..."