Dai Huabin's Humiliation, Tang Chuan's Eyes on Zhu Lu

There wasn't a single table or chair in Shrek Academy's dining hall. It was nothing but a vast, empty space.

Only one side had a row of sinks where students could wash their hands and dishes.

Everyone who had gotten food either stood to eat, squatted to eat, or ate while walking.

The dining hall was packed with people, yet there wasn't a single place to sit.

The setup reminded Huo Yuhao of certain prestigious high schools on Blue Star, schools famous for their "military-style management."

But Huo Yuhao had little patience for such an obvious show.

Supposedly, it built students' willpower and taught them to endure hardship.

What a load of crap!

Food was a basic necessity!

If students couldn't even eat a meal in peace, how could anyone expect them to focus on studying?

What kind of bullshit logic was that?

Huo Yuhao grumbled to himself as he bit into a fragrant Soft Bone Rabbit bun.

Just then—

A tall figure suddenly appeared before him.

Blond hair, strange eyes, chin held high—arrogance radiated from his every pore.

It was Huo Yuhao's old acquaintance, Dai Huabin!

Dai Huabin, however, looked at Huo Yuhao as though he were a stranger.

That was only natural.

Huo Yuhao was no longer the sallow, scrawny weakling he had once been.

A year of training had given him clearly defined muscles.

He had grown considerably taller, and his entire bearing had changed.

The transformation was more dramatic than cosmetic surgery!

"Kid!"

Dai Huabin looked down at Huo Yuhao, a cold glint flashing through his strange eyes.

"You've got some nerve messing with my woman."

In the next instant, he swung his arm and slapped the tray out of Huo Yuhao's hand!

The tray hit the floor. The unfinished buns rolled everywhere, gathering dust.

Then Dai Huabin roared and drove his right fist toward Huo Yuhao's face, the blow whistling through the air!

But Huo Yuhao reacted just as quickly.

Instead of dodging, he twisted at the waist and hips and threw a punch of his own!

Bang!

Their fists collided!

An invisible shockwave burst outward from the two of them!

Huo Yuhao smiled inwardly.

Dai Huabin's strength and physical toughness were nowhere near his own.

If Huo Yuhao fought Dai Huabin head-on now, he wouldn't need to reveal many of his trump cards to kill him.

But in public, Huo Yuhao still needed to hide his strength.

A new student at level fifteen, sending Dai Huabin and his White Tiger Martial Soul flying with one punch?

If word got out, the other transmigrators would make him their prime research subject by tomorrow.

So Huo Yuhao grunted and staggered back three steps.

He stumbled, nearly falling to the floor.

But just as he was about to fall—

A hand reached from behind and caught him firmly.

"Yuhao, be careful!"

The familiar voice made Huo Yuhao turn around. Tang Chuan stood behind him, his face full of concern.

But while Tang Chuan sounded concerned about Huo Yuhao—

His eyes were fixed on Zhu Lu, who had just arrived nearby.

Tang Chuan's imagination was running wild!

She really does share Zhu Zhuqing's Nether Civet Martial Soul bloodline!

Zhu Lu's figure and presence are every bit as good as her ancestor Zhu Zhuqing's from ten thousand years ago!

Tang Chuan had long wanted Tang Ya, but because of their relationship, she had never responded to his declarations of love.

It had frustrated him for ages!

If I can't have the main course, I'll sample some wild game first!

Beat Dai Huabin and steal Zhu Lu away!

Let the young master of the White Tiger Duke's Estate play the powerless husband!

Just thinking about it is exciting!

"Kid, are you stepping in for him?" Dai Huabin demanded angrily.

"Dai Huabin!"

Tang Chuan released Huo Yuhao and took two steps forward.

"Bullying a classmate in broad daylight? You call yourself a man?"

"If you've got the guts, come at me—your daddy!"

"You dare insult my father? You're dead!"

Dai Huabin roared, and his Martial Soul instantly possessed him!

His arms swelled rapidly, and white fur spread across his body.

His strange eyes grew even more uncanny as a ferocious aura surged skyward!

Two yellow, hundred-year soul rings rose beneath his feet!

"White Tiger Fierce Light Wave!"

His second soul ring lit up, and Dai Huabin opened his tiger's maw.

A blazing wave of white light shot from his mouth straight toward Tang Chuan!

Tang Chuan's lips curled into a disdainful sneer.

"Is that all?"

He raised his right hand. Blue-white arcs of electricity gathered wildly in his palm, hissing sharply!

"Chidori!"

The piercing sound of electricity, like birds crying out, rang through the dining hall.

Tang Chuan became a blur of afterimages as he charged into the White Tiger Fierce Light Wave!

The raging Chidori tore through the wave in an instant and drove straight toward Dai Huabin's chest!

Dai Huabin's face went deathly pale.

If that hits me, I'll be badly injured—if it doesn't kill me outright!

The students around them cried out in shock. Some of the more timid ones even covered their eyes, unable to watch.

But just before Chidori touched Dai Huabin's chest—

A figure appeared in front of him as if by teleportation.

It was a stern-faced, middle-aged man in a black robe. He commanded respect without raising his voice.

With a casual lift of one hand, he effortlessly stopped Tang Chuan's Chidori!

Du Weilun, the outer academy's director of Academic Affairs!

"Enough!"

Du Weilun glared at Tang Chuan, his face livid.

"Were you trying to kill your classmate?!"

"Is the academy dining hall a place for you to brawl?!"

Tang Chuan withdrew his hand. His expression settled, and he replied evenly.

"He struck first. I was just helping someone in need!"

"Helping someone in need?!"

Du Weilun let out a cold laugh.

"Don't play innocent with me!"

"Stop eating, all of you. Come to my office!"

On the way to the Academic Affairs Office—

Huo Yuhao moved close to Tang Chuan, his face full of gratitude, and thanked him quietly.

"Brother Tang Chuan, thank you so much for what you did!"

"If you hadn't stepped in, that bastard Dai Huabin might have beaten me to death!"

"Hey, it was nothing!"

Tang Chuan waved a hand, looking every inch the unruffled expert.

"I barely lifted a finger!"

"By the way, I've been meaning to ask. How did you end up at Shrek Academy?"

Huo Yuhao's eyes shifted, and he once again pinned everything on Ye Beixuan, including the city lord's recommendation letter.

As for his entrance test, he didn't need to embellish anything. He really had coasted through it.

"The Nine Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's Chen Jue?"

At the name, Tang Chuan's expression turned grave.

"If he's that strong, he's a formidable rival. I'll keep an eye on him!"

"As for Dai Huabin, don't worry. With me around, he won't dare bully you again!"

"But when the time comes, you'll have to help me with Zhu Lu..."

Tang Chuan raised his brows and gave Huo Yuhao a knowing look.

"Brother Tang Chuan, you're so good to me!"

Huo Yuhao's eyes reddened. He took an exquisite wooden box from inside his clothes and offered it to Tang Chuan.

"What's this?"

Tang Chuan accepted the box in confusion. When he opened it, his pupils contracted.

A Blackwater Pill!

"Yuhao, this is..."

"Brother Tang Chuan, a classmate gave it to me when he traded dorm rooms with me."

Huo Yuhao scratched his head and got straight to the point.

"He said it's called a Blackwater Pill and that it's very valuable."

"But you just did me such a huge favor, and I have no other way to repay you. Please take it!"

Tang Chuan looked at the Blackwater Pill in his hand and couldn't keep a smile from his face.

Who would've thought?

Even the natives of the Douluo Continent are dropping loot now!

After all, Bei Bei hadn't joined the Tang Sect as he had in the original story.

The Tang Sect was now desperately short of money.

Without his walking treasury's steady financial support, and with Whale Rubber and other medicines to buy for cultivation—

Tang Chuan had to stretch every Copper Soul Coin as far as it would go.

A Blackwater Pill? He had never even seen one!

Granted, now that he was a Soul Elder with three rings, a Blackwater Pill wouldn't do much for him.

But something was better than nothing!

And if it was free, why refuse?

"Yuhao, from now on, I, Tang Chuan, consider you my brother!"

Tang Chuan laughed and unceremoniously slipped the Blackwater Pill into his storage Soul Tool. Then he gave Huo Yuhao's shoulder an affectionate pat.

"Who'd have thought there was an idiot willing to trade a Blackwater Pill for a dorm room? He must have a few screws loose!"

Meanwhile—

In room 108 of the first-year dormitory—

"Wang Dong, should we sleep foot to foot tonight, or share the same bed?"

"Get lost, you pervert! Come any closer and I'll call for help!"

"Hey, don't be shy! We're roommates. Roommates should be close..."

Xiao Yan grinned as he teased the pretty, boyish Wang Dong before him.

"Achoo!"

Without warning, he suddenly sneezed.

Xiao Yan rubbed his nose and glanced around suspiciously.

"Who's talking trash about me?"