Conflict, Dai Huabin, Arrogant Lu Chen

"Brother Lu, this way."

Huo Yuhao pointed at the plaque for Class 1 of First-Years, preparing to lead Lu Chen and Wang Dong inside.

However, just as the three of them were about to enter, a voice thick with contempt and provocation rang out from the other end of the corridor.

"Well, if it isn't Huo Yuhao?"

"I thought I'd mistaken you for someone else. I never expected trash like you to worm your way into Shrek Academy!"

The voice was not loud, yet it was like an icy needle, piercing precisely into Huo Yuhao's ears and making his entire body stiffen in an instant.

Lu Chen and Wang Dong halted and looked toward the sound.

At some point, a teenage boy and girl had appeared at the corner of the corridor.

The boy in the lead was around twelve or thirteen, with brilliant blond hair and handsome features.

Yet his brows carried an innate arrogance and harshness.

He was far more solidly built than others his age, and simply standing there, he exuded an oppressive air.

Beside him stood a tall, black-haired girl with a cool temperament. She was exceptionally beautiful, but her gaze was frosty as ice.

People in the corridor turned toward the voice, and before long, someone recognized the speaker.

"It's Dai Huabin! The second young master of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion in the Star Luo Empire!"

"The person beside him... is Miss Zhu Lu of the Zhu Family, isn't she?"

"Who's Huo Yuhao? How did he offend Dai Huabin the moment he arrived?"

The hallway of the teaching building instantly erupted with murmurs.

Quite a few first-years who had already reached the classroom door stopped and looked over curiously.

Hearing the surrounding discussion, Huo Yuhao slowly turned around. His face was somewhat pale and his body trembled slightly, but his eyes were unusually calm.

Huo Yuhao looked at Dai Huabin. "Dai Huabin, please show some respect. I entered Shrek Academy through proper channels!"

"Proper channels?" Dai Huabin sneered as though he had heard the greatest joke in the world. He slowly walked over, looking Huo Yuhao up and down as if inspecting merchandise.

"With your innate half-rank Soul Power, you piece of trash? Huo Yuhao, don't think I don't know. You only wormed your way in through the Tang Sect's back door. An illegitimate son who couldn't even inherit a complete Martial Soul—how are you worthy of attending the same academy as me?!"

The words "illegitimate son" were like a poisoned dagger stabbing viciously into Huo Yuhao's heart.

Huo Yuhao's fists clenched abruptly, his knuckles turning white. His body trembled slightly, but he still gritted his teeth and did not argue back.

Unwillingness and humiliation surged through Huo Yuhao's heart.

Yet just as the atmosphere froze to its limit, a lazy voice cut in.

"Hey, Blondie, did you eat shit this morning? Why does your mouth stink so badly?"

Lu Chen stepped forward, blocking Huo Yuhao. His hands remained in his pockets and his posture was casual, but his gaze at Dai Huabin held undisguised mockery. "Since when did Shrek Academy let garbage like you decide its admission standards?"

"Is the dean your father, or is the master of the Sea God Pavilion your grandfather?"

"Pfft!"

Wang Dong could not help bursting into laughter at Lu Chen's words.

Lu Chen's personality was as nasty as ever.

But those words had truly hit right where she wanted them to.

"Hahaha!"

The onlookers around them also broke into laughter.

"You...!"

Hearing the laughter around him, Dai Huabin's expression darkened. His sharp gaze instantly locked onto Lu Chen. "Who are you to meddle in my business?!"

"Brother Lu."

Touched that Lu Chen was standing up for him, Huo Yuhao stepped forward and tugged at Lu Chen.

He did not want his own affairs to drag anyone else down.

Lu Chen patted Huo Yuhao's shoulder to reassure him, then stated his name. "Lu Chen. Huo Yuhao calls me big brother, so I'm definitely getting involved!"

Though Lu Chen's tone was calm, it carried an unquestionable weight.

Dai Huabin narrowed his eyes and sized up the youth before him, who appeared to be about the same age as Huo Yuhao.

Although the other boy was plainly dressed and clearly knew his identity, he remained calm and composed. That inexplicably made Dai Huabin wary.

But then he thought of his strength as a Spirit Zun. Even third-year upperclassmen might not necessarily be his opponents.

Dai Huabin raised his chin slightly and resumed his lofty attitude. "Meddling comes at a price. Don't come crying that the White Tiger Duke's Mansion bullies people after your legs get broken!"

Lu Chen smiled, but there was no warmth in it. Instead, it made Dai Huabin sense a trace of danger. "You sure talk a lot. Since we're all Spirit Masters, we'll settle this by Spirit Master rules."

After saying that, Lu Chen swept a finger between Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu.

"There are two of you, and there are two of us. Let's fight."

The moment Lu Chen's words fell, the entire place erupted in an uproar.

"Did I hear that right? He actually wants to challenge the second young master of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion."

"No, the two of them want to fight Dai Huabin and Miss Zhu Lu!"

"Has this kid gone crazy? He's offending Dai Huabin over a Huo Yuhao?"

Hearing Lu Chen's arrogant words, Dai Huabin was briefly stunned. Then, as though he had heard something utterly absurd, he laughed in fury. "Arrogant!"

"You and that piece of trash Huo Yuhao think you're worthy of making Zhu Lu and me join forces!"

"I alone can deal with both of you!"

Yet Lu Chen seemed entirely unaffected by Dai Huabin. He still wore that infuriating expression. "Come on, bring her along. Otherwise, you'll say we bullied you two against one."

"Good! Good! Good!"

"It's been a long time since anyone dared speak to me like that!"

Dai Huabin's face was grim as he stared fixedly at Lu Chen, saying "good" three times in a row. "Since you're seeking death, I'll grant your wish!"

"Tell me, how do you want to fight?"

At that point, Lu Chen's previously relaxed gaze suddenly turned aggressive. "The rules are simple. Whoever loses..."

"Gets on their knees and apologizes!"

Hearing that the stakes were so high, Huo Yuhao immediately grew anxious and hurriedly grabbed Lu Chen's arm. "Brother Lu, I'm fine. Let's just go inside..."

Huo Yuhao knew Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu's strength.

The Dai Family and Zhu Family had intermarried for generations, and he knew even better that the two possessed a terrifying trump card.

But he was only a one-ring Spirit Master. He did not want this matter to drag down Brother Lu.

"Hey, can this kid even handle it? How about I join you instead?"

Wang Dong also spoke up from the side.

Although she was unhappy with Lu Chen, she disliked Dai Huabin's face even more.

With her help as a two-ring Grand Spirit Master, winning this fight would be effortless.

"Go, go, go. Stay out of the way and stop causing trouble. Yuhao and I can stomp them easily."

Lu Chen grabbed the back of Wang Dong's collar and pulled her backward.

In his eyes, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu were just two little kittens.

He could handle them alone.

The first reason he had included Huo Yuhao was that he had noticed his little brother showed extremely intense emotional fluctuations whenever he faced Dai Huabin.

That meant Huo Yuhao deeply hated Dai Huabin.

But because of his own lack of strength, he could only choose to avoid him for now.

This time, he was bringing Huo Yuhao along so that he could face Dai Huabin head-on!

The second reason was that Lu Chen wanted to see what his little brother's Soul Skills could do.

"You!"

When Lu Chen refused to let her interfere, Wang Dong stamped her foot in anger and snapped sulkily, "Don't beg me to save you when you get beaten to death!"

By then, Dai Huabin's expression had become frighteningly dark, and killing intent flashed through his eyes.

"Lu Chen, right? I'll remember you!"

"Since you're seeking death, I'll grant your wish!"

"To the training grounds!"

Dai Huabin said coldly. Today, he would make this Lu Chen understand the consequences of angering him.

"No need to make this so troublesome."

Lu Chen pointed to the wide open space outside the teaching building where students gathered.

"Right there. Let's end this quickly. Don't make me late for class."

The more casual Lu Chen acted, the hotter Dai Huabin's anger burned.