[5K-word chapter]
"Mm, it was nothing."
Her words caught Chu Ge off guard, then he shook his head helplessly, signaling that she needn't worry.
"I only came to have a look at the Golden Ancient Tree yesterday."
"I probably went too long without proper rest. My training was so intense that I passed out."
He smiled and offered a simple explanation.
"Mm..."
Ling Luochеn nodded thoughtfully, evidently finding nothing particularly questionable about that. Every student in the Inner Court was a favored child of heaven; training hard was all too common.
She could also tell that the man before her was far stronger than she was. Perhaps, as he said, his training really had been too intense.
With diligent training and academy assignments, going without sleep was normal. Still, continuing like this clearly wouldn't do.
"All right, then."
With that, she had no intention of lingering. She had only woken him because she feared something had happened to him.
Now that he was awake, there was no reason to stay. As for telling him to get more rest, that would obviously have been a strange thing for her to do.
"Looks like I've given her a strange impression."
Watching her retreating figure, Chu Ge shook his head helplessly. He was probably now a fool who fell asleep wherever he lay down.
Shocking news: an Inner Court teacher fell asleep the moment he lay down...
But how could he have known he would fall into such a deep sleep? He had been perfectly awake before. It must have been because...
At that thought, Chu Ge openly glanced at the Golden Ancient Tree beside him.
Then, without thinking, he grabbed its trunk and squeezed.
The Golden Ancient Tree shone with warm light, remaining unmoved.
After watching it for 2.5 seconds, Chu Ge withdrew his hand.
Had the Golden Ancient Tree lost consciousness again?
It seemed he still couldn't unravel its mysteries.
"My cultivation must still be too weak. The Golden Ancient Tree can't communicate with me too openly or too deeply."
"Once I break through the limit someday, I'll definitely be able to communicate with it..."
Thinking this, he soon left.
After he departed, a cautious figure appeared beside the Golden Ancient Tree, timidly hiding as she watched the direction he had gone.
"He squeezed..."
"He hurt me when he squeezed..."
The girl murmured dazedly, then quickly vanished.
Yesterday had been registration day for Shrek Academy's new students. The process lasted two days; after all, newcomers arrived from all over, and inevitably some wouldn't finish registering in a single day.
Only after the new students registered would the other students return to the academy one by one. The newcomers would also be assigned to classes during this time.
For that reason, Chu Ge hadn't seen any other familiar faces from the original story, such as Ma Xiaotao.
The only person he saw often was the Ice and Snow Girl who lived across from him, Ling Luochеn.
There was certainly nothing interesting happening in the Inner Court, so he spent most of his time in the Outer Court, gathering with his unexpectedly acquired disciple, Huo Yudie, and the daughter of a god, Tang Wutong.
Occasionally, Tang Ya came too, pretending to check on Huo Yudie while actually glancing his way the whole time.
"Brother Chu."
"The list showing Yudie as our homeroom teacher is out."
That day, Tang Wutong held Huo Yudie's hand and pointed to the noticeboard before them. Both their names appeared on the roster for Freshman Class One.
Under the homeroom teacher entry was the name "Zhou Yi."
Unlike the printed student names, the teachers had written their own names, their handwriting free and flowing.
"Zhou as in Monday, Yi as in ripples."
"Just looking at this teacher's name, she must be someone who takes her responsibilities really seriously."
Huo Yudie looked thoughtful as she spoke, seeming a little adorably clueless.
Chu Ge smiled without speaking, a helpless look on his face.
Responsible? Did that mean the kind who constantly threatened to expel students to improve her advancement rate?
"I think so too."
Not noticing Chu Ge's expression, Tang Wutong smiled brightly, clearly agreeing with Huo Yudie.
"Brother Chu, do you know this teacher, Zhou Yi? Will she be really responsible?"
Her gaze landed on the smiling man, drawn to him unconsciously as she asked expectantly.
"Mm..."
"She probably will."
Smiling, Chu Ge nodded in agreement, reluctant to shatter their image of their homeroom teacher.
Just then, a mechanical voice rang out, announcing the system's latest mission.
[Homeroom teacher Zhou Yi] [Rookie host, your talent is hardly impressive. You have easily made a poor impression on your demanding homeroom teacher, Zhou Yi.] [To tell you the truth, she hides a dagger behind her smile and has already begun considering what excuse she can use to expel you and secure a better advancement rate.] [Please do everything you can to gain your homeroom teacher's approval and make it through your time at Shrek without trouble.] [Note: Zhou Yi is a Soul Emperor with the red dragon martial soul and a full six soul rings in the optimal configuration. Her strength is terrifying indeed. Host, your strength is still lacking, so please do not provoke her.]
Chu Ge fell silent.
Zhou Yi was a Soul Emperor with a full six soul rings, someone the system described as "terrifying indeed" to him.
But was there perhaps a possibility that he already possessed nine soul rings, with a configuration exceeding the standard?
"The system really is as mischievous as ever..."
Seemingly long accustomed to the system's antics, Chu Ge soon stopped dwelling on it and turned to the rewards for this mission. His eyes lit up.
"Still, the rewards this time are just as generous as before."
[Mission reward: Soul Power Experience Pill ×9] [Each pill instantly increases cultivation by one level, with no side effects or lasting consequences. Only effective below Titled Douluo rank. Each person may take no more than two in their lifetime.]
"Soul Power Experience Pills."
Surprise appeared on Chu Ge's face.
An instant increase of one cultivation level, without any side effects or damage to one's foundation!
Although they were useless to him now that he had surpassed Titled Douluo rank, they made an excellent gift for any Soul Master at Soul Douluo rank or below.
For instance, a certain Grandmaster from the original story who was stuck at level 29 could take a Soul Power Experience Pill and instantly advance from Soul Grandmaster to level 30.
Then he could experience having a Thousand-Year Soul Ring.
"A pretty good reward."
"So I'll be facing Zhou Yi again."
A smile appeared on Chu Ge's face.
This time, he would see whether that woman behaved herself.
If she still refused to behave and dared lay a hand on his disciple, it wouldn't end as simply as last time, when he had stunned her unconscious.
If a teacher who ruined students thought only about expelling them to improve her advancement rate instead of improving her own abilities wasn't fired, were they keeping her around for New Year's?
Besides, after expelling so many students...
Perhaps she had never imagined that one day...
She herself would be expelled.
"I hope we meet some classmates who are easy to get along with."
Beside him, Huo Yudie smiled softly, stars sparkling in her eyes. She was clearly looking forward to academy life.
But when her gaze swept over the noticeboard, her expression froze, her eyes instantly turning serious.
On the roster for Class Two, she had spotted an extremely familiar name-
Dai Huabin.
A name etched deeply into her memory, one that had brought her suffering and tragedy.
The villain who had constantly bullied her older brother when they were young, and who had beaten her plenty of times too.
She had already known he would be enrolling this year as well, but hadn't expected him to be in Class Two.
He should already be a Soul Elder. Even with Master and Brother Sky Dream now, my progress is still far behind his.
Only by becoming very, very strong can I win justice for my brother and mother...
I have to keep working hard!
Huo Yudie's gaze soon grew resolute. She knew what she needed to do, and even more importantly, how to accomplish it.
A debt of blood must be repaid in blood. Everyone understood that principle. She would become powerful and avenge her grievances!
"Yudie..."
Chu Ge took in her reaction, his gaze likewise settling on Dai Huabin's name as coldness flashed in his eyes.
The Dai Family of the Duke's Mansion-the upper beam was crooked, so the lower beams followed suit. This brat certainly wouldn't be lucky enough to escape disaster as he had in the original story.
"Master..."
As though sensing his gaze, Huo Yudie turned her head and met his kindly eyes. An adorable smile instantly appeared on her face.
"Oh, right, Master. You're a teacher at the academy now. Aren't you teaching any students?"
Suddenly remembering something, she lifted her head and looked at him eagerly.
As an academy teacher, he presumably had some responsibility to teach students.
But in truth, she didn't want her master to become anyone else's teacher. She really, really didn't.
"No."
"I'm only a newly arrived teacher, after all. These classes were assigned long ago, so of course I won't be taking one."
Chu Ge shook his head with a smile.
Holding a nominal position at Shrek was enough for him. As for teaching...
He understood himself very well. His strength was real; casually killing a Ten-Thousand-Year Soul Beast on the way back was something he could do as easily as lifting a hand.
With twin martial souls and all eighteen soul rings gathered, he might not even have a match among Super Douluos.
But if he were asked to teach...
Without any real expertise, wouldn't leading young people astray mean failing his students?
"As long as I teach my own disciple well..."
"That's enough."
Then he smiled and stroked Huo Yudie's little head. What he truly hoped to see was the moment she achieved her revenge.
"Yay!"
Huo Yudie's eyes immediately lit up as she exclaimed with a grin.
I knew it! Master's the best!
Beside them, Tang Wutong silently watched the scene, feeling rather like a third wheel...
But I suppose I'm not a third wheel. Brother Chu and Xiao Yudie aren't boyfriend and girlfriend, after all... huh?
At that thought, Tang Wutong abruptly stopped.
Her thoughts seemed to be getting a little dangerous.
"Hehe~ Everyone's here."
"Yudie, Wutong, you've both been assigned to classes, right? Which class did you get?"
Just then, a lovely, youthful figure appeared beside the two girls. It was Tang Ya.
"Hello, Sister Xiao Ya. But how do you always manage to suddenly appear like this?"
Looking at the newcomer, Tang Wutong grew thoughtful and couldn't help voicing her confusion.
Xiao Yudie silently nodded beside her, wholeheartedly agreeing.
During their two days at the academy, they seemed to run into this senior, Xiao Ya, the Tang Sect's leader, remarkably easily. She appeared and vanished like a ghost. In a phrase Master had used that she didn't understand...
She was like some little bot NPC.
"Hahaha, I happened to be strolling over there and ran into you."
Tang Ya's gaze involuntarily flicked toward Chu Ge before quickly returning to the two girls as she spoke earnestly.
Perhaps her chance encounters at other times hadn't been entirely genuine, but this one absolutely was...
If Xiao Yudie and Tang Wutong looked closely, they should have been able to see Bei Bei by the window of the café behind her.
Bei Bei had asked her out yesterday, saying he had something to tell her. She hadn't expected to see everyone the moment she came out.
"Brother Chu."
Tang Ya looked at Chu Ge and greeted him sweetly.
"Xiao Ya."
Chu Ge smiled slightly and nodded in acknowledgment.
Yet he could clearly sense a boy in the nearby café grinding his teeth in anger...
It's him, it's him, it's him again!
Why the hell is it this guy again?
This was none other than Bei Bei, who had invited Tang Ya out. His mood had now been utterly ruined.
As a man with feelings for Tang Ya, he had devised a whole series of plans to woo her with the help of his good buddy Xu Sanshi long ago, sometime before the end of last semester.
For example, since she had broken through to level 30, he would help her hunt down her all-important third soul ring, then confess to her directly on the way back. That had been his original plan. Unfortunately...
Not only had he failed to find a suitable soul beast, but this man who had appeared from who knew where had swooped in and stolen his chance, hunting a soul ring for Xiao Ya instead.
And this man seemed enormously attractive to Xiao Ya. Bei Bei wasn't panicking. Not one bit!!!
How could I possibly not panic?!
So this time, he had asked her out again, intending to express his feelings.
He had even watched her walk out of her dormitory and was already planning to pop the champagne.
But just then, he saw her leave the café, turn around... and walk over to that man.
"Fine, fine, fine!"
"I couldn't get her to come no matter how much I called, but the moment he shows up, she's so enchanted she can't even walk away. Fine. Just great!"
Bei Bei gritted his teeth in fury, got angry in a fit of anger, then abruptly stood up, unwilling to stay there any longer.
Have the butterfly effects caused by my transmigration kept those two from becoming a couple?
Confusion showed on Chu Ge's face. He remembered that the two seemed to have been a couple in the original story, but judging by what he saw now, there might be more to it.
"Who's your homeroom teacher?"
Beside them, Tang Ya looked at the noticeboard covered in writing and asked curiously with a smile.
She knew most of the teachers at the academy, so she could probably help the two younger girls learn a little about theirs beforehand.
As long as they weren't assigned to that woman's class, everything would be fine.
"Here."
"It's this one, Teacher Zhou Yi."
Huo Yudie obediently pointed to the name on the noticeboard and answered honestly.
"Huh?"
"Z-Zhou Yi?"
Seeing that all-too-familiar name, Tang Ya couldn't help looking bewildered for a moment. Zhou Yi?
Of all people, it really had to be Zhou Yi!
"Xiao Ya, does this teacher have a bad reputation?"
Tang Wutong quickly picked up on something. Confusion crossed her face, and she couldn't help asking softly.
Judging by Tang Ya's reaction, this teacher didn't seem particularly competent. Perhaps she wasn't even...
Qualified?
"She's one of the more unreliable teachers at our academy. She used to be my homeroom teacher, but now she's been transferred to teach first-years."
Tang Ya fell silent, a wry smile on her face.
"And..."
"Chu Ge, do you remember the person who picked a fight with you yesterday? That was Zhou Yi."
Then she turned to Chu Ge as well, an indescribable bitterness on her face.
"What do you mean?"
Beside them, Tang Wutong looked completely bewildered, while shock had already appeared on Huo Yudie's face.
"The teacher from yesterday..."
"Xiao Ya, you mean that really nasty female teacher who wanted to make trouble for Master?"
Huo Yudie's expression instantly turned serious, wariness on her little face as she spoke.
That woman had certainly left a deep impression on her. After all, Master hadn't done anything at all, yet she had shown him tremendous hostility.
"A nasty teacher?"
"She picked a fight with Chu Ge? What happened?"
Hearing this, Tang Wutong looked bewildered, as though her little head could no longer keep up.
Chu Ge was clearly a guy who was incredibly easy to get along with, as well as a good master who cared deeply for his disciples. Yet a teacher at the academy had actually picked a fight with him.
"What exactly happened?"
"Wutong, here's what happened..."
With anger on her face, Huo Yudie told Tang Wutong about what had happened earlier, soon bringing an identical look of fury to her face.
"There's actually a teacher that nasty? Chu Ge didn't do anything, and she still picked a fight with us?!"
"Isn't this just a case of the kind getting bullied?!"
Tang Wutong was instantly furious. If the woman made this much trouble for someone merely applying for a job, how outrageous must she be in practice?
At that moment, a thought rose in her heart:
This woman has already embarked on the Way of Seeking Death!
(End of chapter)
Before you continue