This...
"What? Why?" Xie Xie was the first to step forward and voice his discontent. "Just because they turned her down, the two most talented people get zero points?"
"Disrespecting your elders is a serious taboo," an old man said with a wry smile. "Say less, or you'll get zero points too."
Yu Longyue took a deep breath and patted Gu Yue on her delicate shoulder.
"I'm sorry. I've caused you trouble."
Gu Yue froze, then shook her head with a laugh.
Even after all this, instead of blaming her for causing trouble, he was apologizing.
"It's not your fault. I just couldn't stand her, especially that tone of hers. It made me very uncomfortable, so I couldn't hold back."
"Does looking down on Shrek automatically make someone arrogant?" Gu Yue pursed her lips, clearly having been unhappy with Shrek for a long time herself. "Then I am too. And she actually dared to mock you. That won't do. Only I can do that."
"I understand, I understand." Yu Longyue broke into a sweat. The Silver Dragon King really was formidable.
"I caused trouble and dragged you into it... Sorry." Gu Yue leaned close and spoke softly. "I'll settle it myself later and try not to affect your family. At worst, I just won't join Shrek."
"It's all right. She was in the wrong to begin with. Besides, even if my family learns the whole story, nothing will happen to me."
Yu Longyue glanced at the Silver Moon Douluo.
"It's one thing for her to abuse her authority for personal reasons, but if she dares go any further, I'll make her pay, even if I get scolded for it."
"But that depends on whether she dares give me zero points for everything that comes next."
When it was their turn in the fifth assessment, the Silver Moon Douluo gave a cold laugh.
"Gu Yue, zero points. Yu Longyue, zero points."
Zero points again?
The students present all looked somewhat grave, as though they had encountered injustice on their very first venture into society.
Just because they had turned her down, she had given them zero points twice?
Although Gu Yue had gone a little too far, this whole incident could have been avoided. If the top genius on the Young Genius Ranking, whom they regarded as a big shot, could be spoken of so harshly, what about them?
If everything Gu Yue had said was true, then Yu Longyue had probably offended some people at Shrek, and the Silver Moon Douluo was one of them. She had picked on him just now, and Gu Yue, with her fiery temper, had taken offense and snapped back on his behalf.
That was how things had come to this.
One had to understand that getting into Shrek on one's own merits meant a bright future ahead in life.
Yet she had gone and cut off their prospects. This was too...
"Is this the legendary husband-protecting fanatic?" Xu Xiaoyan quietly made a joke at just the right moment to ease the mood. "I remember that old granny only said something bad about Boss Yue... Everything could have been fine, but she had to make a scene."
"I thought someone was arrogant, but I didn't expect someone else to be even more arrogant... That's Gu Yue for you." Xie Xie broke into a sweat, then looked at Huo Yuhao. "Brother Dong, what are they going to do?"
"She's gone a little too far, but there's a saying: whoever has the bigger fist is in the right. There's nothing we can do to change that."
Huo Yuhao also frowned deeply. After ten thousand years away, how had Shrek come to feel both familiar and strange?
He had observed Yu Longyue's character. He couldn't say the young man was bad, nor could he say he was good, but talking with him gave one a very comfortable feeling.
As for the good deeds Gu Yue had mentioned, even he hadn't known about them. That showed just how deeply Yu Longyue had buried them.
Xie Xie clenched his fists. "Uncle Li was able to get his start and even get his wife's illness cured, all thanks to Boss Yue..."
"My family too. Boss Yue helped us a lot, and our economy developed rapidly in Eastsea City. Our area can't even be considered a small, remote place anymore," Xu Xiaoyan said quietly. "I can't believe someone who did all that doesn't even amount to anything in that teacher's eyes. Zero points twice!"
"And with my family's troubles, Brother Yue helped me a lot too. If he hadn't been willing to lend me a million to buy a suitable Soul Spirit, I probably couldn't have become a Soul Master." Tang Wulin was somewhat downcast. This incident had also diminished his favorable impression of Shrek.
"If Brother Yue can't get into Shrek, then... I won't go either."
"All right, all right, it's no big deal." Yu Longyue hadn't expected so many people to speak up for him.
A miscalculation.
"She didn't curse me out, did she? Why are you all so worked up? And don't joke about your futures. It doesn't matter whether I get in, but if you don't, you'll be throwing away a bright future."
"Easy for you to say. Judging by her expression and attitude, she might as well have cursed you out." Huo Yuhao pursed his lips.
"All right, enough. This is between Gu Yue and me. We can leave Shrek, but you can't. Whatever else you say, Shrek has the best resources and cultivation environment on the entire continent." Yu Longyue gave Xie Xie and the others a stern look.
"There's no such thing as absolute fairness in this world. Cultivate hard, and once you have the ability to obtain fairness, come settle accounts with her then. How about it?"
"All right!"
Xie Xie clenched his fists and gritted his teeth, full of determination.
"When we have the ability to get it back, we'll settle accounts with her!"
While everyone else fell silent, Tang San alone recalled how, over the past three years, he had stolen and robbed, living like a rat in the street that everyone wanted to beat, rejected here and rejected there. Only with great difficulty had he reached level thirty-eight and obtained two Soul Spirits by any means necessary...
And now he was hearing that there had actually been free sponsorship for Soul Spirits?
Tang San's eyes blazed as he stared fixedly at Yu Longyue.
Why hadn't this benefit fallen to a poor Soul Master like him?
That scoundrel must have secretly kept it all for himself.
It served him right to get zero points.
If he failed to get into Shrek Academy in the end, that would save Tang San the trouble of teaching him a lesson.
After the Silver Moon Douluo gave them zero points yet again in the Sixth Trial, she did not appear again. But with zero points in three assessments, whether they could get into Shrek was very much in doubt.
After the Ninth Trial ended, it was time for the examination results, but no one cared whether they themselves had passed. Instead, all eyes were on Yu Longyue and Gu Yue.
Could they get in?
Some felt sorry for them, some felt regret, and some gloated over their misfortune.
"The tenth assessment is a joint review. Six elders of the academy will evaluate your assessment results and give you a final comprehensive score, which will be added to your total," a teacher at the side explained. Then the teacher stepped aside, letting the seated elders behind speak.
"First, Yu Longyue."
The Silver Moon Douluo couldn't wait to be the first to speak.
"Full marks in six trials, zero points in three. Poor performance, lazy by nature, relying solely on his modest abilities, arrogant, disrespectful to his elders, lacking an awareness of the bigger picture, with no desire to improve and never stepping out of his comfort zone. Unsuitable as a leader. Zero points for the comprehensive evaluation, for a total of sixty points."
Yu Longyue listened quietly to the Silver Moon Douluo's evaluation, his face expressionless.
"Second, Gu Yue."
The Silver Moon Douluo continued.
"Her personal conduct affected her companion. Becoming a Soul King at thirteen does show considerable talent, but she has a problematic temperament, disrespects her elders, makes sarcastic remarks, and is arrogant. Admission is not recommended. One point for the comprehensive evaluation, for a total of fifty-nine points."
"Yu Longyue, considering that you are still young and don't know better, the academy is willing to give you a chance. As for Gu Yue, you may leave."
Yu Longyue held Gu Yue back as she was about to flare up.
They were giving him a show of force the moment he enrolled.
What a tremendous surprise.
The others understood at once. Yu Longyue really had offended someone...
They were making things difficult for him the moment he arrived.
Yu Longyue looked at the Silver Moon Douluo.
"Is there no room for discussion?"
The Silver Moon Douluo said coldly,
"If you didn't have a good father, you wouldn't even have the chance to stand before me and speak to me today. Whoever has the bigger fist is in the right. Unless you can defeat me, there's nothing to discuss."
"Fine."
Yu Longyue nodded, then stepped forward and cupped his fists.
"I don't have to join Shrek. I'm merely seeking justice for my friend, nothing more. Once I return, I'll tell my father and grandfather the whole story of what happened today."
Yu Longyue's expression was calm as he looked the Silver Moon Douluo straight in the eye, without a trace of fear.
"I am Yu Longyue, and today I formally challenge Your Eminence."
"If I give offense, please forgive me."