第40章 赌约

Hearing Teacher Zhou's demand, Lu Chen paused slightly.

Paranoid, extreme.

Their Teacher Zhou perfectly embodied these two words.

Seeing Lu Chen freeze in place, the corners of Zhou Yi's mouth curled into a smug smile; she had pegged Lu Chen as someone who wouldn't dare to gamble with her.

After all, no one would trade their own future to exchange for someone else's.

"Since you don't dare, then go back. I'll pick an obedient monitor again."

Zhou Yi said in a cold tone.

Lu Chen's strength was high, and he was indeed the most suitable candidate for monitor in the class.

Yet she did not need a disobedient monitor.

However, right at that moment, Lu Chen's voice suddenly sounded.

"No, Teacher Zhou. I accept your demand. I hope that after I win, you can keep your promise and let Sun Lu return to the class."

Even though Lu Chen's tone was flat, it sounded so grating to Zhou Yi. For a moment, she failed to react and froze in place.

She had not expected that Lu Chen would actually dare to accept such a condition.

With a gloomy expression, Zhou Yi lowered her voice and said, "Lu Chen, don't think that just because your relationship with Qian Renxue is good, I really won't expel you!"

Her husband, Fan Yu, was the deputy director of the Soul Guidance Branch, and she was also a member of the Sea God Pavilion.

She was one of the few teachers among the outer court who knew about the relationship between Lu Chen and Qian Renxue.

When Qian Renxue had first entered the Inner Court, Xuanzi, Yan Shaozhe, and others had all been fighting over the teaching rights for Qian Renxue.

In the end, Elder Mu personally stepped forward and designated Xian Liner to guide Qian Renxue's studies in the Inner Court.

He had also arranged for Zhang Lexuan to accompany her.

That alone was enough to show how much importance Elder Mu attached to Qian Renxue.

"Teacher Zhou, I said it, I accept your condition."

"If I lose, I will fulfill the bet and leave Shrek Academy. If you lose, please also follow the agreement and let Sun Lu return to the class."

Lu Chen repeated his words from just a moment ago.

The meaning couldn't be simpler: since you want to fight, then I will fight.

"Good, good!"

"Lu Chen, I'll give you half an hour of preparation time. Half an hour later, we'll see each other in the Spirit Duel Zone!"

Seeing Lu Chen's attitude be so resolute, Zhou Yi felt as if she had been pushed onto a stage, and she gritted her teeth with a cold remark.

After Lu Chen came out of Zhou Yi's office, Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, Xiao Xiao, and Sun Lu immediately surrounded him.

At this moment, Sun Lu's eyes were still red, and she looked at Lu Chen with a mix of tension and anticipation.

"Monitor, how did it go? Did Teacher Zhou change her mind?"

Seeing Lu Chen come out, Xiao Xiao immediately stepped forward and anxiously inquired.

Only to see Lu Chen's expression calm as he calmly said a sentence: "It's basically resolved."

Having said that, he strode forward and walked outside.

Hearing Lu Chen say that, Huo Yuhao and Xiao Xiao couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief, and Sun Lu's face resumed its smile as well.

Only Wang Dong looked at Lu Chen and frowned.

Lu Chen's reaction was far too abnormal.

According to his usual personality, if a matter could be smoothly resolved, he would definitely proudly boast about it, and would never be this calm.

Wang Dong quickly caught up to Lu Chen in a few steps, walking shoulder-to-shoulder with him. "Lu Chen, where are you going?"

"The Spirit Duel Zone." Lu Chen answered without stopping his pace.

"The Spirit Duel Zone?" Wang Dong was stunned. "What are you going there for? Isn't that something we have to wait until second-grade to apply to use?"

Shrek's Spirit Duel Zone did not allow first-year students to participate.

Only by passing assessments, studying at Shrek Academy for a year, and advancing to a tier-2 student could one use the Spirit Duel Zone.

Moreover, winning matches in the Spirit Duel Zone could also yield quite a few rewards.

Lu Chen's tone remained flat: "I made a bet with Teacher Zhou. If I can last ten minutes in her hands, she'll let Sun Lu come back."

Upon hearing this, Wang Dong's heart plummeted heavily, and his voice involuntarily raised a notch: "Then what if you don't last that long?"

"I leave Shrek Academy."

"Lu Chen, you've gone mad!" Wang Dong violently grabbed Lu Chen, his voice rising high out of agitation: "Don't you know Teacher Zhou is a Spirit Emperor? You're merely a Spirit Zun, how could you possibly last ten minutes under a Spirit Emperor!"

Lu Chen's strength was indeed formidable; among all the first-years, and even throughout the entire outer court, there were very few who could act as Lu Chen's opponents.

Yet Zhou Yi was different. She was a teacher, a sixty-something Spirit Emperor!

Among the many teachers, Teacher Zhou's strength wasn't considered outstanding, but she was still a solid Spirit Emperor.

She was a full three major grades higher than Lu Chen.

With such a huge gap, how could he possibly last ten minutes!

Hearing Wang Dong's shout, Huo Yuhao, Xiao Xiao, and Sun Lu hurried over.

"Wang Dong, what happened?"

Xiao Xiao hurried over and asked.

Wang Dong didn't speak, only staring straight at Lu Chen.

This gaze made Lu Chen feel very much like a month ago when Qian Renxue didn't want to go to the Inner Court.

It made Lu Chen's scalp tingle.

Lu Chen explained the matter once more.

After listening, Sun Lu wore a look of guilt: "Monitor... it's all my fault, I'm sorry, I shouldn't have..."

Xiao Xiao and Huo Yuhao were also dumbfounded; they hadn't expected Lu Chen to gamble his future at Shrek Academy just to plead on Sun Lu's behalf.

Looking at everyone's worried and guilty expressions, Lu Chen took the initiative to break the silence and smiled: "Don't worry, it's not like I have to defeat Teacher Zhou, I just need to last ten minutes. It's very simple."

If he won this bet, he could establish unprecedented prestige within Shrek Academy.

If he lost, it would amount to nothing more than taking Qian Renxue and leaving Shrek Academy.

After a month of understanding, he had basically learned everything he needed to know about this era.

When the time came, he could just assume a different identity; where couldn't he go?

Even though Lu Chen spoke very casually, everyone present knew just how difficult this was.

Between Spirit Masters, every difference of a major grade was an insurmountable chasm.

Not to mention that Lu Chen and Zhou Yi had a full three major realms between them—a Spirit Zun versus a Spirit Emperor.

Very quickly, the news that Zhou Yi and Lu Chen were going to have a wagered duel in the Spirit Duel Zone spread like wildfire through the entire Shrek Academy.

"Did you hear? That Lu Chen from Class 1 of First-Years, the one who shot apart the Netherworld White Tiger with an arrow a month ago, is going to fight Teacher Zhou!"

"Zhou Yi, that iron-faced teacher? You've got to be kidding?!"

"It's absolute truth. I heard that to stand up for a classmate who was about to be expelled, he set up a wager with Teacher Zhou. If Lu Chen can survive over ten minutes under Teacher Zhou, Teacher Zhou takes back the expulsion decision; if he can't survive it, Lu Chen packs his bags and gets lost!"

"Has he lost his mind? Teacher Zhou is a Spirit Emperor! A first-year like him, what is he going to use to survive ten minutes?"

Dialogues similar to this repeatedly played out in the teaching buildings, training grounds, and cafeterias of every grade.

Countless students and teachers successively set aside their work and training, running to the Spirit Duel Zone to watch the battle.

Crowds converged from all directions, forming surging human tides along every path leading to the Spirit Duel Zone.

Busybodies even opened bets to gamble on how many seconds Lu Chen could survive under Zhou Yi.

The highest odds were for defeat within thirty seconds, while the lowest odds for "surviving the full ten minutes" were only backed by students whom Zhou Yi had previously taught.