The Bet Between Two Teachers

A few days later, Lin Yao's three-man team stepped into the assessment area for the first time. A high platform had been erected on one side for teachers to observe the competing teams.

Every team participating in the knockout tournament had already secured their place at Shrek Academy. This tournament served more as a showcase for students to flaunt their potential, while also allowing teachers to gauge who the true top-tier talents were and who was merely coasting.

Almost all the teachers from the Martial Soul Department associated with the freshmen had arrived.

Du Weilun, the Dean of the Martial Soul Department, was in charge of the roll call. When he called the names of Lin Yao and his teammates, his expression lingered on Lin Yao for a brief moment.

"Are you the team that the Dean personally requested to be fast-tracked directly into the round of sixty-four?" Du Weilun asked Lin Yao indifferently.

Lin Yao replied with equal composure, "Yes, Director Du. We were quite startled when we heard that request ourselves; it's the first time we've ever seen such a thing."

After Du Weilun spoke, the gazes of the other teams shifted toward Lin Yao's group. Once they confirmed the news, the expressions in their eyes varied.

Not every student was qualified to know the inner workings of Shrek Academy, and privilege was the easiest thing to fuel wild speculation.

Especially when it was a special privilege hand-picked by someone like Yan Shaozhe, it was inevitable that some would have ulterior thoughts.

It wasn't that these people didn't recognize Lin Yao, but rather that they couldn't fathom Shrek Academy's well-intentioned motives, and secondly, they dismissed Lin Yao's previous victories as mere posturing in collaboration with Inner Court disciples.

Soon, Du Weilun finished the roll call, and the drawing of lots began. Since it was only a freshman assessment, there were no overly complex ceremonies.

Lin Yao drew the lot on behalf of their team. All sixty-four teams participating in the knockout tournament were divided into thirty-two matches to compete head-to-head.

As luck would have it, Lin Yao's first match was drawn against the team of Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao.

To Lin Yao's surprise, Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao did not appear as disheveled as described in the original story. They hadn't even been late, arriving at the arena on time alongside Xiao Xiao.

There was no sign of any soul power connection between the two, as if their martial soul fusion skill did not exist.

Has history deviated? Lin Yao thought to himself, then turned his gaze toward Huo Yuhao and his team.

Huo Yuhao and his teammates had checked their draw and were likewise looking at Lin Yao.

As the gazes of Huo Yuhao and Lin Yao met, a different kind of intense, almost tangible gunpowder smoke ignited on the observation platform.

"Teacher Zhou, looking for your seeded team? I just checked the draw, and what a coincidence—the seeded team you picked just happened to run into our class's seed. Over there, in the eighth assessment area. Care to guess who will win?"

Mu Jin walked over to Zhou Yi, looking quite smug as she spoke with a low chuckle.

Zhou Yi's eyes narrowed instantly. "Mu Jin, do you think your students are guaranteed a win?"

Zhou Yi didn't have absolute confidence in Huo Yuhao's team defeating Lin Yao's, but she was simply arrogant, which was why she hadn't bothered to learn who the two seeded teams from Mu Jin's class were.

Just as she had been surprised by Ning Tian's Nine Treasures Glazed Tile Sect background when they first met, arrogance was Zhou Yi's greatest flaw; she held herself in too high a regard.

As someone who had been at odds with Zhou Yi for a long time, Mu Jin knew her temperament all too well. She suppressed the wild laughter in her heart and mocked her calmly.

"And what if I do? Isn't your Class One supposed to have good results? I'd like to see how many of your students can survive the round of sixty-four to thirty-two. When the draw ended just now, I realized my seed was matched against yours, and I felt wonderful."

"Ever since you expelled my younger brother despite my desperate pleas, this is the first time I've felt this good. I heard you wanted a promotion to a higher rank; well, I'm afraid that's going to fall through this time."

Zhou Yi ignored Mu Jin's provocative expression and cast her gaze toward the competition arena below, locking onto the eighth area where Huo Yuhao and the others stood. "A wager?"

This was exactly what Mu Jin had been waiting for. She leaned against the railing and said triumphantly, "Of course, let's bet. Let's not play any of those fancy games; how about a slapping contest? If my team wins, I slap you three times. If your team wins, you slap me three times. How about it?"

Zhou Yi feigned indifference. "Just slapping faces is a bit boring. How about adding a soul bone? Do you dare?"

Mu Jin was stunned for a moment, then glanced at Zhou Yi, thinking, You really are a fool who doesn't know when to die. She replied, "Of course, no problem. But don't regret it. Let's write it down right now, shall we?"

Zhou Yi snorted in disdain. "First, you haven't won yet. Second, I won't necessarily lose."

Mu Jin leaned against the railing and burst into loud, unbridled laughter.

Seeing this reaction, Zhou Yi frowned and asked in a deep voice, "What are you laughing at?"

Mu Jin stopped laughing, reached out, and lightly pinched Zhou Yi's chin. "Let's be clear first: you've agreed to the bet?"

Zhou Yi pushed her away in disgust and gritted her teeth. "Don't touch me! Since I've given my word, I will see it through. But you haven't won yet."

Mu Jin wiped her fingers casually and said to Zhou Yi, "I suggest that next time you make a bet, you should take a good look at the situation of the person you're betting against. You're still completely out of the loop."

Zhou Yi was taken aback, and Mu Jin said nonchalantly, "The one matched against the only seeded team in your class is the one from my class who was fast-tracked into the top sixty-four."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yi felt as if she had been struck by lightning. She reached out and gripped the railing in front of her, her Soul Emperor-level strength causing the metal to deform. She glared at Mu Jin and hissed, "You set me up?!"

Mu Jin covered her mouth and whispered to Zhou Yi, "This isn't me setting you up; it's just that you're as stupid as a pig. You make a huge bet involving your dignity and wealth without even knowing the strength of your opponent. If you aren't a pig-brained fool, what are you? You think you're fit to be a high-ranking teacher with that brain? Shrek keeping you around to earn a living is an act of charity!"

On the competition stage, Lin Yao's trio and Huo Yuhao's team stood at opposite ends. When Huo Yuhao saw Lin Yao, he no longer held much hope for the outcome of the match. He used his spiritual power to whisper to his teammates...