Freshman Class One's Class Monitor, Zhou Yi Suspended (Thanks for the tips; please keep reading)

"Don't think you've won just because those bizarre tricks of yours gave you a little advantage. We'll read the ledger as we ride the donkey—just wait and see."

Zhou Yi stood up and brushed the dust off herself, as though she had instantly put her frantic worship and panic in the mist behind her, and spoke to Huo Yuhao with a show of composure.

Huo Yuhao shrugged, then said to Zhou Yi,

"If you want to play, we'll keep playing. Let's see who breaks whom in the end."

Huo Yuhao really wasn't afraid of Zhou Yi coming after him. After all, in the original story, Dai Huabin had sent assassins from the White Tiger Duke's Mansion on a killing spree right inside Shrek City, and Shrek hadn't done anything to him.

Whatever his standing in Dai Hao's heart, it was at least ten Dai Yuehengs higher than Dai Huabin's had been at that stage.

If something serious really happened, he could send Dai Hao a letter, and Dai Hao would help deal with some of it.

Besides, given Zhou Yi's intelligence, it wasn't that Huo Yuhao looked down on her, but he figured her options amounted to physical training or finding people to back her up and beat him down.

To Huo Yuhao's surprise, however, Zhou Yi actually smiled after he finished speaking.

"Not bad. You've got fire in your blood. You're just the sort of student I like."

Zhou Yi's sudden change in attitude left Huo Yuhao momentarily at a loss for words, and even the other members of Freshman Class One were rather bewildered.

Zhou Yi paid no attention to anyone's looks. She pointed at Huo Yuhao and declared firmly,

"Starting today, as the homeroom teacher of Freshman Class One, I officially appoint Huo Yuhao as its class monitor. If any of you are dissatisfied with this appointment, you may challenge him. Anyone who defeats Huo Yuhao can replace him as class monitor."

Once Zhou Yi finished speaking, the students of Freshman Class One fell silent for a moment before breaking into loud applause.

In this era, being a class monitor at Shrek Academy didn't carry nearly as much weight as it would in later generations. Becoming the monitor of one of Shrek Academy's classes wasn't even worth putting on a résumé.

Practically no one with a functioning brain would provoke a twelve-year-old Soul Ancestor over an empty title that lost all value the moment they stepped outside the classroom.

One glance at what Huo Yuhao brought to the table made it obvious that he was no ordinary person. At the very least, his background couldn't be as simple as the descendant of an ordinary city lord that he appeared to be.

If an ordinary city lord's family really produced a genius like him, they would never bear to parade him in public. He would be a political trump card kept hidden until the crucial moment, then played to deliver a killing blow.

Although Zhou Yi's appointment surprised the freshmen, it also salvaged part of her reputation. At least in their eyes, Teacher Zhou was no longer someone incapable of tolerating others.

Yet once the applause ended, Zhou Yi suddenly sneered. Her mood changed so quickly that even Huo Yuhao couldn't help wondering whether the bitch had some kind of mental illness.

"It's all right. I know you don't want to offend someone powerful over the position of class monitor. That way of thinking might be fine elsewhere, but not at Shrek Academy. The most basic quality of a Shrek Academy student is meeting difficulties head-on and possessing the hot blood of a true Soul Master."

"As punishment for losing that fire, I'll have to find a way to heat your blood up. Now, everyone in Freshman Class One, stand up."

She delivered those words so quickly that, after a brief daze, the students of Freshman Class One all stood up without even having time to examine whether there was anything wrong with her logic.

"Starting now, everyone except Huo Yuhao has one hour to run fifty laps around the field. Anyone who fails to finish, even by a single lap, can get out."

Zhou Yi issued her demand imperiously. The students of Freshman Class One exchanged looks, seemingly unable to process what she had just said.

Zhou Yi had no patience to repeat herself. She slapped the lectern and snapped at them,

"Why aren't you moving?!"

Huo Yuhao watched Zhou Yi follow close behind them, then vaulted out the window himself before she could speak to him.

Before Zhou Yi could react, she saw that Huo Yuhao had already stopped up ahead with the others.

"Huo Yuhao, do you have an objection?"

Forcing down the anger in her heart, Zhou Yi walked out of the teaching building and demanded an answer from Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao faced her squarely and said,

"First of all, Teacher, I don't think throwing your life away counts as having hot blood. I dared to fight you because I had absolute confidence that I could at least survive against you. Their unwillingness to fight me for an empty title like class monitor is simply a clear understanding of their own strength."

"If you'd been to the border, you'd know that the first people to die are the ones you call hot-blooded, the ones who dare to swing a blade at any powerful opponent. At the border, people with a completely clear understanding of their own strength live far longer than the hot-blooded ones. Veterans are all people who know exactly how strong they are."

Zhou Yi looked at Huo Yuhao coldly and said,

"If you're finished, let me remind you that you don't understand your own position, either. At the end of the day, you're only a student. If you continue obstructing my assignment, I'll consider all of Freshman Class One to have failed my requirements."

This time, it was Huo Yuhao's turn to sneer. He said to Zhou Yi,

"Fine, go report it, then. Freshman Class One isn't running today. Expel the whole class if you've got the guts. I'd like to see whether Du Weilun kicks your head in or mine!"

Zhou Yi's expression immediately darkened. If Huo Yuhao really rallied the entire class to stay put, she would truly have no graceful way out.

A moment later, the six Soul Rings she took such pride in, signifying her rank as a Soul Emperor, appeared beneath Zhou Yi's feet. She coldly addressed the other members of Freshman Class One,

"I'm giving you one last chance. Get onto the track and start running immediately, or you'll face an enraged Soul Emperor."

Just as Zhou Yi was arrogantly threatening Freshman Class One, and some of its students truly began to waver beneath the pressure of a Soul Emperor, a voice carrying both authority and a trace of anger rang out behind her.

"Oh, so you're a Soul Emperor. I'd thought you were a Titled Douluo."

Zhou Yi turned around and saw a student in a red school uniform, with a stuffed tiger perched on his shoulder, saunter up to her.

Who else could it have been but Dai Yueheng, the eldest legitimate son of the White Tiger Duke's Mansion?

Seeing the blood-red school uniform that marked Dai Yueheng as an Inner Court disciple, Zhou Yi's expression darkened further. While she was still wavering over what to do, Dai Yueheng shoved her aside.

They were both Soul Emperors, yet Zhou Yi couldn't even withstand a shove from Dai Yueheng. That was the absolute gulf between the Inner Court and the Outer Court...