A thrilling spectacle of rivers of blood

Under Jiang Yu's gaze, Huo Yuhao's face grew paler still.

He wanted to deny it, but no matter how he tried, the words would not come out.

But his hesitation had already given the perceptive Bei Bei and Tang Ya their answer.

Bei Bei and Tang Ya exchanged a glance, both feeling helpless and bewildered.

They felt helpless because Jiang Yu and his two companions truly had cause for their actions. What bewildered them was that, ever since enrolling, Huo Yuhao had dutifully focused on cultivating and earning his own living. They could not understand when he had offended the three of them.

And judging by their reactions, the offense was certainly no small one.

Thinking of the powerful backing behind Jiang Yu and his companions, the two could only feel that this was a thorny problem.

If they handled this badly, Huo Yuhao's life at the academy would become unbearably difficult. More importantly, once he left the academy's protection, Jiang Yu and his companions would have countless ways to make him vanish without a trace.

The disappearance of an ordinary outer court student hardly counted as a major incident in the outer court. The academy certainly would not launch a special investigation over it.

As for the Tang Sect...

Bei Bei and Tang Ya knew they would fight anyone who murdered a Tang Sect disciple to the death.

But what could the two of them possibly amount to before a powerful faction capable of raising two Soul Elders just over twelve years old at the same time?

To put it even more bluntly, they probably could not win even against Jiang Yu and his two companions alone.

Tang Ya was the most impatient. She pulled Huo Yuhao and the doubled-over Wang Dong to their feet, then asked anxiously:

"Yuhao, what exactly happened? How did you suddenly offend Junior Jiang and his companions?"

Huo Yuhao's lips quivered. After struggling with himself for a long while, he still shook his head.

How could he possibly say it aloud?

If he really told them, would the powerhouses of Shrek Academy seize him and slice him up for research?

While Tang Ya questioned him anxiously, Bei Bei gave a light cough, then looked earnestly at Jiang Yu and his companions and said softly:

"Juniors, although I don't know when Yuhao offended you, harmony is precious above all else. Do you think we could..."

"No," Jiang Yu said flatly.

"From the moment Huo Yuhao did that, fighting until one side is dead became the best possible ending for us."

"Bei Bei, we know your background, but I advise you not to meddle in this lightly. There are some things even that person can't cover for you."

Bei Bei's pupils contracted sharply, and his gaze toward the three immediately filled with shock and uncertainty.

His background was an absolute secret in Shrek Academy's outer court. Even Du Weilun, the outer court's Martial Soul Department director, did not know it. Not only did Jiang Yu and his companions know, they were not intimidated by it at all. Instead, they openly declared that they would fight to the death. That made this a very serious problem.

Just as Bei Bei was about to say something else, Huo Yuhao, who had remained silent all this time, suddenly caught his arm.

Then Huo Yuhao took a few steps forward and abruptly bowed deeply to Jiang Yu and his companions.

"I-I'm sorry. I really didn't mean it that day. I-I really only did it because I had no choice."

Jiang Yu sneered again, then said something that made everyone present's expression change sharply.

"Having no choice gave you the right to divert the flood of disaster onto us and lead an out-of-control Ma Xiaotao our way? Do you realize that without our protective Soul Tools, our chances of surviving her would have been less than thirty percent?"

"Huo Yuhao, let me tell you: you didn't have no choice. You were deliberately trying to kill us!"

Huo Yuhao stumbled back two steps, then murmured in a daze:

"I wasn't. I didn't. I never even thought of doing that..."

"But you already did."

Jiang Yu's expression did not change.

You might not have thought of it, but the Sky Dream Ice Silkworm, who shares your heart and body, thought of it and acted on it.

Since you enjoyed the benefits of that action, you're no longer innocent either.

Besides, their respective positions were clear. Jiang Yu did not concern himself with right or wrong, but he would never allow anyone to drag everything he cared about into the abyss.

So, sorry, Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao was already on the verge of breaking down, but Wu Feng, who had finally learned the truth about that day and was burning with rage, could not care less about his condition. With a furious roar, she lunged forward and reached for him.

"Huo Yuhao, get over here and die!"

"Junior, calm down!"

Even after learning the truth, Bei Bei still chose to intervene.

Huo Yuhao had certainly been wrong to divert the flood of disaster onto someone else, but his ability to use spiritual power to lure away an out-of-control Ma Xiaotao proved that either his body martial soul or he himself possessed some hidden, tremendous potential or ability.

After all, a One-Ring Soul Master influencing a Six-Ring Soul Emperor was astonishing enough in itself, let alone forcibly changing her target while she was out of control.

It was nothing short of a miracle.

Whether because of their trust in Huo Yuhao or his extraordinary significance to the Tang Sect's future revival, Bei Bei could not possibly stand by and do nothing.

Fist met palm, and both were jolted back.

Bei Bei looked at his tingling palm, inwardly startled. They had actually been evenly matched in that clash, yet his soul power level and martial soul quality should both have surpassed Wu Feng's.

On the other side, after being knocked back, the battle hunger in Wu Feng's eyes burned even more fiercely.

She shook out her arm. A scorching aura surged from within her, and fine red dragon scales began covering her exposed skin.

The countless outer court students watching from a distance did not know exactly what conflict had arisen between the two sides, but they all cheered excitedly when they saw Wu Feng release her martial soul.

Releasing a martial soul meant things were finally getting serious.

And once things got serious, rivers of blood were sure to follow.

Kill, kill, kill!

This was what they wanted to see—a thrilling spectacle of rivers of blood!

Bei Bei looked at the three Spirit Rings rising beneath Wu Feng's feet, his expression turning somewhat grim.

"Since you insist on fighting, Junior, I'll oblige. But if you lose, I ask that the three of you discuss things calmly from now on and give Yuhao a chance to compensate you or turn over a new leaf..."

"What the hell are you babbling about? I don't understand a word. Take my claws!"

Wu Feng was a warrior, not a scholar, and she had even less interest in trading words while fighting.

To her, the moment Bei Bei and Tang Ya chose to stand on Huo Yuhao's side, whatever goodwill she had felt toward them for showing the way vanished completely.

From now on, they would only be opponents.

Facing Wu Feng's fierce assault, Bei Bei did not dare underestimate her and immediately released his martial soul.

Blue-violet arcs of electricity crackled. The might of his top-tier beast martial soul was even more formidable than the red dragon's, radiating a destructive aura like a mass of thunder.

"Junior, watch out!"

Bei Bei gave a low shout. The moment he chose to attack, his gaze and his entire bearing changed, becoming ferocious.

Two top-tier Soul Elders were about to clash head-on, both possessing powerful dragon martial souls rarely seen. The watching students exclaimed that this was some delicious drama, eagerly anticipating the spectacular clash to come.

But just as everyone watched expectantly, an instant before Wu Feng and Bei Bei collided, a cold snort suddenly rang out like an explosion.

Then a figure appeared out of thin air between them. Eight Spirit Rings rose in an instant, and terrifying soul power fluctuations sent both Wu Feng and Bei Bei flying violently backward.

The next instant, an icy voice rang out:

"Private fights are forbidden at the academy gates. Since you were still showing some restraint, I had no intention of intervening. But who would have thought you would grow increasingly outrageous, letting a quarrel escalate to this point? Even an upper-year student fighting a lower-year student, without reporting it to a teacher... what, do you really intend to make Shrek Academy a laughingstock before the entire world!?"

At the sight of this tall, dark-faced, clean-shaven middle-aged man with a stern expression, regret and fear immediately appeared in the eyes of the many spectators who had been hoping for rivers of blood. Then they scattered like birds and beasts.

In just a few breaths, only Jiang Yu and the others remained.