His Sights Had Been Set Too Low!

In a corner of the carriage, Hu Yuxiu sat alone by the window.

He had short, neat black hair with a few stray strands falling unruly across his forehead. His amber eyes were slightly lowered, like a cheetah that had sheathed its sharpness, showing less of its former restlessness and more of a mature sharpness. He had a well-proportioned and slender figure with taut muscles. Even when sitting quietly, he resembled a cheetah ready to pounce at any moment, exuding a restrained explosive power.

He has changed completely since he returned from Eastsea City a month ago.

Just then, a tall boy walked over and stopped in front of him.

The boy wore the same dark green school uniform, had a handsome face, and a hint of arrogance between his brows. There was a faint flow of lightning around him, and even the tips of his hair seemed to be sparking with electricity.

It was Yu Lin, a fourth-grader, Martial Soul Blue Lightning Tyrant Dragon, and who was a level 45 Power Attack System Battle Soul Ancestor, ranking in the upper echelons of his grade.

Yu Lin lowered his eyes, looking down at Hu Yuxiu, his tone casual. "Hu Yuxiu, now that we're in the East Sea territory, as the host, aren't you going to invite us to a meal?"

Hu Yuxiu glanced at him, his amber eyes devoid of emotion, his voice as calm as still water. "I've said it many times, my hometown is Eastsea City, not Skysea City."

Yu Lin was taken aback, clearly not expecting him to react this way.

A month ago, Hu Yuxiu wouldn't have dared to speak to him like that.

Back then, Hu Yuxiu had just entered Shrek from a small place like Eastsea City. Despite being hailed as a "top genius," he was considered the worst student among all the monstrous students.

He was resentful, jealous, and anxious. Every day, he would chase after others with red eyes, but even with his best efforts, he could only barely keep up. He was like a taut string, ready to explode at the slightest touch.

But things are different now.

That night at the Hu Clan in Eastsea City, the figure wearing the white tiger mask, the black and red lightning, and the domineering will that crushed everything were etched into his bones like a brand.

He then realized how ridiculous all the things he had worried about before were.

A true strong person should face all doubts and forge ahead, climb over the bones and blood of their opponents, and break through all established rules with their own will.

A true strong person should set their sights on a higher and farther horizon, and set their sights on a more powerful opponent, rather than being confined to a small world and competing with those around them.

A true strongman should forge his own path with his own fists, even if the road ahead is full of thorns and the whole world is his enemy, he will forge ahead without hesitation.

He used to think that it was because he lacked talent and came from a poor background that he couldn't compare to the core students.

Only after meeting Sea Tiger did he realize that he had been too naive before!

Talent or background cannot determine one's ultimate potential.

Having a strong will, a bold approach, and a big heart is enough.

Hearing his indifferent tone, Yu Lin frowned immediately.

He was already puzzled by Hu Yuxiu's rapid progress over the past month. How could someone who was at the bottom of the class suddenly have such a large increase in Soul Power, and even his temperament had changed? Now that the other party was speaking to him in this manner, a surge of anger welled up inside him.

"Hu Yuxiu, what do you mean?"

Yu Lin took a step forward, his body crackling with faint blue and white lightning. The Soul Ancestor's pressure pressed down on him without any concealment. "It's just a meal, why are you putting on airs? Do you really think that just because you've improved a bit recently, you can be my equal?"

"Don't forget, you're just a country bumpkin from a small place like Eastsea City. If you hadn't been lucky enough to get into Shrek Academy, you'd probably still be playing in the mud in some remote mountain village."

"You think you're worthy to give me attitude?"

Despite the oppressive aura pressing down on him, Hu Yuxiu remained seated and unmoved.

He slowly raised his eyes, his amber pupils suddenly contracting, like a cheetah revealing its claws, a sharp glint flashing across them.

"Whether I'm good enough or not, do you want to give it a try?"

The voice wasn't loud, but it carried a sharpness that had been tempered by blood.

The moment he finished speaking, a cyan vortex suddenly exploded around him. The Gale Leopard Martial Soul instantly possessed him, dark green wind patterns appeared on his arms, and semi-transparent claw blades faintly emerged.

Four purple Soul Ring slowly rose from beneath his feet, one after another, their Soul Power fluctuations spreading steadily, showing faint signs of breaking through to level forty-four.

A month ago, he was just Soul Ancestor who had just entered the fourth ring, with a weak foundation.

But during that month, he trained like a madman with the mindset of certain death, engraving the domineering will he felt in front of Sea Tiger into his very bones. As a result, his cultivation level was actually stabilized at the peak of level 43, not much worse than Yu Lin's.

Their actual combat strength has increased by more than one level.

The atmosphere between the two instantly became tense.

The cyan wind and blue-white lightning collided between the two, producing a soft hissing sound, and even the air itself seemed to distort slightly.

The students who had been playing around instantly fell silent, all turning to look at them, even holding their breath.

Ye Xinglan turned her head slightly, her large blue eyes sweeping over the two of them before slowly turning back, seemingly uninterested. She subconsciously gathered a tiny spark of starlight at her fingertips, swirling it around.

Xu Lizhi, on the contrary, was somewhat frightened. He paused in his act of eating the steamed bun, looked at Hu Yuxiu with his round eyes, and then at Yu Lin. His mouth was stuffed full, and he forgot to chew.

Several third-year students also raised their eyes, leaned back on the sofa with their arms crossed, and looked on with a playful expression, clearly enjoying the drama.

Two Soul Ancestor from the fourth grade are going to clash; this is going to be interesting.

"Alright."

Shen Yi spoke softly, his voice low, yet it felt like a bucket of cold water being poured over their heads.

The lightning on Yu Lin's body paused for a moment, and the vortex of energy around Hu Yuxiu also slowly subsided.

"We're all classmates, why are you arguing?"

Shen Yi's gaze swept over the two of them, his tone calm yet carrying an undeniable authority, "This exhibition match represents the face of Shrek. Put aside internal conflicts, and don't embarrass yourselves in public."

She paused, then tapped the sofa armrest lightly with her fingertips. "If you want to fight, there will be plenty of opportunities for you back at the academy."

At the Shrek Academy, such conflicts and antagonisms between students have been commonplace in the school's 20,000-year history; one could even say that Shrek Academy was happy to have been built.

As Flender, the founder of the Shrek Academy, once said, "A person who is afraid of causing trouble is mediocre."

Therefore, Shrek Academy has adhered to this founding principle for the past 20,000 years.

Yu Lin gritted his teeth, glared fiercely at Hu Yuxiu, and withdrew his oppressive aura.

"I'm giving Teacher Shen face."

He uttered a single sentence, turned and left, his steps heavy, clearly seething with anger.

Hu Yuxiu watched his retreating figure and suddenly chuckled softly.

The laughter was low, tinged with a casual mockery, as if watching some childish farce.

He couldn't be bothered to pay attention, nor could he be bothered to explain.

I was once just like Yu Lin.

At that time, he had just received Shrek's acceptance letter, and the entire Eastsea City was in an uproar. Everyone was surrounding him, calling him a "genius" and saying that he had a "promising future." Even the old master of the Hu Clan personally came forward to give him, a member of a collateral branch of the Hu Clan, the highest level of treatment.

At that time, he also felt that Shrek Academy was the holy land of the Soul Master World. Being able to step into it was equivalent to having one foot in the ranks of the strong. He regarded everything about Shrek as divine, and thought that the instructors and students there were all high and mighty figures.

Until he actually went inside.

It wasn't until he witnessed the monstrous students of the Outer Court, the instructors' nonchalant contempt, and the fact that this place teemed with geniuses, that he realized he was nothing more than a bottom-tier nobody.

At that time, he was anxious, resentful, and jealous, like a madman with bloodshot eyes. He practiced desperately every day, wanting to catch up with the people in front of him and to prove that he deserved that dark green school uniform.

He thought that was the path the strong should take.