Fighting a Soul Emperor (1)

At those words, the students seated below exchanged bewildered looks. They were all new students. Who would pick fights for no reason?

Wang Dong was just about to stand when Tian Chen caught his arm. Tian Chen shook his head slightly and whispered so only the two of them could hear, "Don't rush. Let's see what happens first." Wang Dong froze for a moment, then suppressed his impulse and sat back down, though a trace of resentment lingered in his eyes.

Standing at the lectern, Zhou Yi swept her blade-sharp gaze over every student in the classroom and continued coldly, "Not a single one? What a bunch of trash. Don't you know that 'those who don't dare stir up trouble are mediocrities'?"

"Now, this instant, all of you get outside and run a hundred laps around Shrek Square. Anyone who fails to finish will be expelled."

The entire class erupted in an uproar. It was their first day, and lessons had not even begun, yet they were being punished for not fighting. Who could accept that?

Many students began grumbling under their breath. One even stood up and demanded loudly, "Teacher, we've only just enrolled, and you're making us run for a reason like that? It's unfair!"

Zhou Yi sneered, her piercing gaze sweeping across the class. Her voice carried unquestionable authority. "Fair? Shrek Academy has never cared about fairness, only strength. If you don't like it, you can leave. No one will stop you. But if you choose to stay, you will follow my rules."

As she spoke, a terrifying aura surged from her body, and six Soul Rings slowly rose around her: yellow, yellow, purple, purple, black, black.

They were only new students. Under that crushing pressure, none dared resist. They rose and hurried outside.

Wang Dong was about to argue, but Tian Chen gave him a gentle tug. He turned his head slightly and saw Tian Chen shaking his head at him.

Wang Dong frowned. Though he still felt indignant, the calm strength in Tian Chen's eyes gradually quelled his impulse, and he followed him outside.

"Why did you stop me? That teacher is completely insane! Besides, we did fight. Why didn't you admit it earlier? Now we have to run." After leaving the classroom, Wang Dong took a deep breath, a hint of accusation in his voice.

Tian Chen glanced at him and said, "Can you outargue her, or can you beat her in a fight? Besides, what would admitting it accomplish? Does getting into a fight prove you're strong?"

"'Those who don't dare stir up trouble are mediocrities' is just ridiculous nonsense. Are you supposed to pick fights whenever you meet someone weaker? And when you meet someone stronger, just stand there like an idiot..." Tian Chen said quietly.

Wang Dong was immediately lost for words. The anger on his face gradually gave way to contemplation. He realized Tian Chen had struck at the heart of the matter: fighting alone did not prove someone's strength. A truly strong person needed sound judgment and the wisdom to act, not blind impulsiveness.

"Besides, if you really think this teacher isn't right for you, you can go straight to the academic affairs office after class and apply to transfer. There's no need to lower yourself by trading insults with someone as brainless as her. Rather than waste time agonizing over whether her rules make sense, focus on solving the problem itself. Otherwise, you're only being childish and ignorant."

After speaking, Tian Chen looked straight at Wang Dong, his gaze calm yet sharp, as though he wanted that look to make him recognize the heart of the problem.

Wang Dong fell silent for a moment after hearing Tian Chen out, then finally nodded. The anger gradually faded from his face, replaced by a complicated expression. He took a deep breath and said quietly, "You're right. I was too impulsive. Instead of complaining, I might as well treat it as a chance to train. Still, I think this teacher is going too far." A trace of dissatisfaction remained in his voice, but the hostility from before had clearly subsided.

Tian Chen said nothing more. He merely patted Wang Dong on the shoulder, then followed the other new students to Shrek Square to run. His movements were brisk and composed, as though the punishment before him were utterly trivial.

Among the mass of runners, many new students were discussing the punishment, clearly angry or confused by the old woman, Zhou Yi. Tian Chen, however, held a firm lead and remained silent throughout. His breathing was as steady as ever, as though this run were nothing more than a light warm-up.

Wang Dong also stood out among the runners. Though drenched in sweat, he maintained second place, following steadily behind Tian Chen.

A little over ten minutes later, Tian Chen and Wang Dong crossed the finish line one after the other. Apart from a little color in his cheeks, Tian Chen looked no different than usual. Wang Dong, on the other hand, was red-faced, his clothes soaked with sweat as he braced his hands on his knees and panted heavily.

Excellent, excellent! They finished so quickly! It looks like there are two more geniuses this year. Only under my guidance can talents like these be polished into fine jade. Zhou Yi secretly rejoiced at the sight.

She was already picturing the two excelling in their assessments and overwhelming their rivals, followed by the other teachers coming to congratulate her and praise her as an outstanding teacher.

As for those who failed to finish or slacked off, they could fend for themselves. Trash like that had no right to remain in her class.

As the run continued, the atmosphere in the square grew increasingly tense and oppressive. The differences in the new students' stamina became clear. Some with weaker constitutions were already gasping and stumbling, while others gritted their teeth and struggled to keep pace.

One student collapsed from exhaustion. Zhou Yi stood at the edge of the square with her arms crossed, coldly watching the new students run. She showed no concern whatsoever for the student who had fallen. A faint sneer even curled her lips, as though she had expected it all along.

When the fallen student tried to plead with Zhou Yi, she merely gave him a cold glance before looking away to watch the others. "You can't even endure this little physical exertion, yet you still dream of staying in my class?" she said indifferently. "Shrek Academy doesn't need trash, much less people who can't meet even the most basic requirements."

Some of the lower-ranked new students gradually exhausted their stamina. A few began falling behind, and some even chose to give up. Yet Zhou Yi remained expressionless, seemingly unmoved by their suffering and struggles. She only raised her hand occasionally to check the time, making sure the running task would be completed on schedule.

Watching all this, Tian Chen could no longer tolerate Zhou Yi's indifference. He turned toward her and said in a cold, firm voice, "Teacher Zhou, as our homeroom teacher, don't you have any basic responsibility toward your students, or any concern for them?"

Zhou Yi frowned slightly and turned an impatient gaze on Tian Chen. "Responsibility? Concern?" she replied mockingly. "In my class, only the strong deserve attention. Trash who can't even finish a run don't deserve to be members of Shrek Academy. What, do you have a problem with that?"

Tian Chen frowned at her words. Previously, he had only thought Zhou Yi resorted to certain methods for the sake of fame and status. He had never imagined she treated students as disposable tools, and now she was showing no regard whatsoever for their physical condition.

He was not intimidated by her presence. Looking straight into her eyes, he spoke gently, yet with unquestionable force. "Assessments may be meant to select outstanding students, but education means far more than that. If you abandon a student over a single fitness test, your approach to education is far too narrow."

Then Tian Chen pointed at the student lying on the ground and continued, "This student may simply be exhausted for now, but his effort clearly deserves recognition. If you write him off over one failure, how can you ever nurture someone truly strong?"

Tian Chen's words drew the attention of the students around him, and gratitude and admiration appeared in some of their eyes. Zhou Yi's expression, however, only darkened. She snorted coldly and said, "Educational philosophy isn't something a new student like you gets to lecture me about. If you're unhappy with my rules, you're welcome to leave my class."

Tian Chen refused to back down before Zhou Yi's callous approach to education. "Your so-called 'rules' are nothing more than a ruthless screening tool. A real teacher doesn't prove their worth by eliminating students who fall just a little short. They demonstrate their strength by helping others grow and progress together. If all you do is manage your class through intimidation, your students will only fear you, not respect you. Do you really think behaving like this makes you fit to teach?"

At those words, Zhou Yi, who had always considered her teaching exceptional, gradually twisted her face into a vicious expression.

"Who do you think you are, brat? You have no right to judge whether I'm fit to teach. Today, I'll teach you what it means to respect your teachers!"

Enraged by Tian Chen's words, Zhou Yi decided to put him in his place through action. She abruptly raised both hands, soul power surging from her body like a tide. Six soul rings rose from beneath her feet, radiating immense pressure. Her soul power formed a streak of fierce light that shot straight at Tian Chen, seeking to crush him with absolute strength.

Tian Chen was startled. He had considered that Zhou Yi might threaten him with expulsion, but he had never expected her to attack him outright.

Wang Dong, standing nearby, was also shocked. He had only intended to watch and see how things unfolded, never imagining this madwoman would actually attack a student.

Wang Dong quickly stepped forward and shouted, "Tian Chen, watch out! That old hag really has gone mad!"

Faced with Zhou Yi's sudden attack, Tian Chen reacted swiftly. Without hesitation, he drew the Emperor-Slaying Ghost Blood Blade and held it before him, blocking the fierce streak of soul power. The blade radiated blood-red light, and its collision with Zhou Yi's soul power produced a piercing explosion, as though the air across the entire square had been torn apart.

Tian Chen's gaze instantly turned icy. Abandoning his earlier politeness, he said coldly, "You actually attacked a student. It seems my earlier assessment of you was accurate, and I still gave you too much credit. You don't just have poor character. You're a pitiful person with no professional integrity, who only knows how to suppress students through violence. A real teacher never needs to prove their authority this way. Your actions have already shown that you're completely unfit to be a teacher."