Wang Dong loved running laps

"Well? Twenty years at most, and I guarantee I'll make you a Titled Douluo!"

"After that, whether it's dean of the Soul Tool Department or a Sea God Pavilion Elder, you'll definitely get there!"

Seeing Xian Lin'er looking as though she wanted to devour him, bones and all, Huo Yuhao could hardly refuse. He said, "Um, teacher, could you let me try first?"

Huo Yuhao sat at a metal table, carefully carving a walnut-sized hexagonal piece of metal under Xian Lin'er's guidance.

As simple patterns gradually covered the entire piece of metal, the golden light in Huo Yuhao's eyes faded. He put down the engraving knife and injected Soul Power into it.

In an instant, a faint blue glow shone continuously from the metal's surface.

"Good! You succeeded on your very first attempt. I knew I hadn't misjudged you, Huo Yuhao."

In Class One, Wang Dong's looks, more beautiful than even a girl's, had drawn female classmates into every seat around her. She enjoyed the treatment of a moon surrounded by stars.

Wang Dong sighed inwardly. Although the dormitory was trash, the girls at Shrek were all quite pretty. Of course, they couldn't compare to her.

Suddenly, Wang Dong thought of Huo Yuhao again. She glanced around and found that he didn't seem to be in this class.

Honestly, I didn't see Huo Yuhao when I got up this morning either. Didn't I apologize to him? I'd even wanted to say something to him.

A boy on the other side gritted his teeth in anger. "Damn it, isn't that brat just a little better-looking? He's clearly shorter than all of us..."

The boy beside him snorted and whispered, "Don't worry about it. Let me tell you a secret, but don't tell anyone else. Before school even started, that brat and his roommate..."

"What? Tsk, tsk, that wild? Where did you hear that, anyway?"

"You don't need to know that."

"..."

The class bell rang. An old woman with gray hair coiled into a bun and a face covered in wrinkles held herself upright and reached the lectern in a few strides. She looked thoroughly unapproachable.

Faced with such an imposing teacher, the classroom fell silent in an instant.

The old woman swept her gaze across the class, then spoke in a hoarse voice. "My name is Zhou Yi, and I'm your homeroom teacher. I'm not sure how many of you will be able to stay with me."

"But let me tell you this: in my class, no trash will ever pass the assessments. I intend to cultivate monsters, not fools."

At those words, quite a few faces filled with embarrassment. She was calling them trash on the very first day. Would they be worse than trash later?

Zhou Yi paid no mind to the students' expressions. Instead, she smiled slightly. "Anyone who has fought on academy grounds over the past few days, stand up!"

What nonsense are you talking about?

Everyone exchanged looks. It was only the first day. How could there be anyone that crazy?

"Hey, do you think what they did counts as 'fighting'?"

"Yeah, that really works."

Wang Dong's expression grew even uglier. Could they whisper any louder?

She looked around. Not a single person had stood up. Was she supposed to be the first? No way.

Wang Dong simply turned her gaze out the window and ignored them. Come to think of it, would Huo Yuhao have stood up if he were in this class?

"Not a single one?"

Zhou Yi raised an eyebrow, contempt seeping into her voice.

"What a bunch of useless fools! Don't you know that anyone who doesn't dare stir up trouble is a mediocrity? All of you, get outside and run a hundred laps around Shrek Square. Anyone who doesn't finish can get lost!"

The moment Zhou Yi finished speaking, an uproar erupted among the students.

"Teacher, I object! Why are we being punished for not fighting?"

"Exactly! What kind of rule is that? On the very first day, too..."

"Why? Because I'm your homeroom teacher, and I have the authority to expel any student. If you don't like it, get lost!"

As Zhou Yi spoke, six Soul Rings-two yellow, two purple, and two black-instantly appeared around her. Her powerful aura pressed down on everyone, leaving them unable to speak.

"You have one minute. If I don't see you running laps in one minute, you're all expelled!"

At Zhou Yi's words, everyone else scurried out with their tails between their legs, leaving only Wang Dong.

Seeing this, Zhou Yi grew curious. "What, do you still have an objection?"

"Um, teacher, I actually did fight."

Zhou Yi became interested. "Oh? Good fight! Someone with some spirit after all. Who did you fight?"

"...My roommate."

"Roommates can improve together too. Not bad. Who won?"

"...It was a draw, I suppose."

"That'll do. Remember, Shrek's school rules have always been lax, precisely to encourage students' individuality. The academy has always turned a blind eye to fighting. Of course, there are limits..."

Smiling, Zhou Yi explained her philosophy of combat to Wang Dong in detail.

"All right, go run now."

What? Wasn't it only the people who hadn't fought who needed to run?

Wang Dong froze, her pinkish-blue eyes wide and round, her face full of astonishment. "Teacher, I admitted that I fought! Why do I still have to run laps?"

"You fought on your first day and didn't even win. Since you're so promising, go train some more and try to beat your opponent next time! I'll give you extra time. Now go run a hundred and fifty laps."

"A hundred and fifty laps?!"

Wang Dong felt as if the sky had collapsed. Had she known, she wouldn't have said anything. Now she had another fifty laps!

Wang Dong wanted to say more, but faced with Zhou Yi's murderous expression, she was struck speechless and reluctantly ran outside.

You damned old hag, just you wait!

Huo Yuhao had already left the Soul Tool Department. Not only that, but he now had a Soul Tool Department Core Disciple badge in his pocket, which Xian Lin'er had pressed straight into his hand.

There was no helping it. She had offered too much. Who could withstand a test like that?

Feeling Xian Lin'er's enthusiasm, a trace of warmth welled up in Huo Yuhao's heart. Just then, he happened to glance at Shrek Square, and his steps abruptly halted.

A group of new students was sprinting across the vast square under the blazing sun. Wasn't that slender, dazzling figure at the very front his good roommate, Wang Dong?

Wang Dong's snowy forehead was now covered in beads of sweat. A few stray strands of hair had been soaked through and clung to either side of her cheeks, which were slightly flushed from the heat. She looked even prettier now than before.

Remembering what had happened earlier, Huo Yuhao decided to wait until he finished running and treat him to a meal. They were roommates, after all.

And so, when everyone else had finished, Huo Yuhao discovered that Wang Dong was still sprinting.

What's going on? Does Wang Dong actually like running laps?

Seeing that she seemed to be panting rather heavily, Huo Yuhao glanced around and found that no one was looking their way.

He lowered his gaze slightly, a hint of green light quietly rising in his eyes as Azure Ruins Eye silently activated.

In an instant, gentle blue-green Soul Power soundlessly enveloped Wang Dong.

Running in the distance, Wang Dong suddenly felt something very familiar. It made her legs, which were almost giving out, considerably lighter, and even swept away all the stifling heat in her chest.

She froze slightly, her heart full of questions, but still gritted her teeth and decided to finish her laps first.

"What's this? The Goddess of Life's aura?"

In the middle of a meeting, Tang San turned his gaze toward the benevolent-looking Goddess of Life.