"Alright, young man, admit defeat. If this were outside, you'd already be dead."
Just as the tension between the two boys reached its peak, a gentle force suddenly appeared, separating Bai Zhou and Huo Yuhao. At the same time, it untied Wang Dong, who was still dangling in mid-air.
The one who intervened was Mu En, who had been watching the drama unfold from the side.
Normally, this wouldn't have been Mu En's concern, but today was registration day, and the Shrek Academy teachers were busy. The dormitory area usually had only one teacher on duty, but that teacher had left to help with registration, leaving these young troublemakers to run wild...
Mu En had come to Shrek to retire, but today he found himself acting as a referee.
"I... I'll never bow to him!" Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth, his jaw clenched tight.
Bai Zhou's arrogant and overbearing attitude was simply infuriating. No matter what, Huo Yuhao refused to yield to him!
Huo Yuhao hated nothing more in this life than bullies like Bai Zhou!
"If you're truly capable, then earn your place at Shrek Academy through fair means. Don't take shortcuts. And even if you do, at least have the guts to play the game! I can't understand how someone like you even got into Shrek in the first place."
Bai Zhou sneered from the side.
It wasn't that he was deliberately targeting Huo Yuhao. It was just that the kid was as stubborn as a mule, refusing to admit defeat no matter what. Bai Zhou couldn't even legitimately claim Huo Yuhao's dorm room, which was incredibly frustrating.
If Huo Yuhao would just swallow his pride and admit defeat, Bai Zhou wouldn't make things difficult for him.
Moreover, Bai Zhou felt he was doing Huo Yuhao a favor. By separating him from Wang Dong, Huo Yuhao wouldn't become someone's lapdog in the future, wouldn't be chained up and suffer countless hardships. He could live a peaceful life, free from 99% of the suffering he would otherwise endure.
"Exactly! If you can't handle losing, don't play."
"Only one white Soul Ring? This kid must have cheated his way in. What the hell? Can you even bribe your way into Shrek?"
"Shhh, don't talk so loud. He might have some crazy connections that made Shrek compromise."
"Right, right. If a white Soul Ring can get you into Shrek, he's probably some big shot's illegitimate son..."
"..."
The surrounding students, who had been watching the drama unfold, were now buzzing with gossip, all pointing and sneering at Huo Yuhao.
After all, every one of them had worked their asses off to get into Shrek. While some might have paid for their cultivation, they hadn't paid a single copper to get into the academy. You couldn't bribe your way in. You needed real talent to pass the entrance exam.
Now, suddenly, a cheater had appeared, and no one there was willing to accept it.
"I... I..."
Huo Yuhao felt his mental state crumbling under the barrage of criticism. If it weren't for his burning desire to grow stronger, he might have already dropped out.
"Can't you shut up for a moment?" Mu En glared at Bai Zhou, utterly speechless. This kid was still stirring the pot even now, trying to force Huo Yuhao to drop out!
He knew Huo Yuhao had gotten in through connections with the Tang Sect, but he couldn't reveal that. It would reflect poorly on both the Tang Sect and Shrek Academy, making a direct answer impossible.
He was on Tang Ya and Bei Bei's side. If Huo Yuhao was forced to withdraw under his watch, Bei Bei would undoubtedly throw a tantrum and make a huge scene...
Mu En was utterly exasperated.
While Shrek Academy didn't forbid combat, Bai Zhou's actions were clearly bullying the weaker Huo Yuhao. However, Mu En also saw that Bai Zhou had no malicious intent, let alone murderous intent. All that was needed was for Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao to admit defeat.
But no one expected Wang Dong and Huo Yuhao to be so stubborn. They were beaten mercilessly, and Huo Yuhao's stubbornness only intensified, leading to this awkward situation...
"Old Man, I just want the other party to fulfill the bet. I think their dorm is pretty nice, and I want to switch rooms. What's wrong with that?" Bai Zhou spread his hands and started spouting nonsense.
"What you're really thinking, do you think I don't know?" Mu En was speechless. He then turned to Wang Dong and asked, "What's going on between you two? Why did you start fighting?"
Wang Dong was about to complain, but Bai Zhou cut him off. He glared at Wang Dong and whispered a warning: "If this sudden newcomer can't handle the game, that's fine. But Wang Dong, don't be a sore loser and go tattling! Don't make me look down on you!"
Hearing Bai Zhou's warning, Wang Dong immediately recalled the scene of being spanked. His face paled instantly.
But he had his pride. He'd lost, so he'd just win it back later. If he really tattled, who would want to play with him in the future?
"It's nothing. We were just sparring," Wang Dong said sullenly, rubbing his burning buttocks. He didn't reveal the real reason for the fight.
"Alright..." Mu En's lips twitched slightly, but he could only sigh. After all, he didn't have a habit of eavesdropping and truly didn't know what had happened in the dorm.
"Hmph, if you want my dorm, take it!" Huo Yuhao finally spoke.
Though he'd made a bet, Huo Yuhao never actually said the words "I concede," clinging to the last shred of his dignity.
"If that's the case, let's all disperse," Mu En said, visibly relieved, his smile benevolent.
After all, he held high hopes for all three combatants. He'd feel pained to see any of them harmed.
The one with the Blue Silver Emperor possessed terrifying physical strength and a top-tier Martial Soul. If not for Bei Bei, he'd have been actively encouraging Bai Zhou and Tang Ya to get together...
The young woman with the Light Goddess Butterfly, though he couldn't fathom why she was cross-dressing, also held boundless potential with such a supreme Martial Soul.
Only Huo Yuhao remained an enigma to him. He could only discern an indomitable spirit and an unyielding belief. Tang Ya must have recognized Huo Yuhao's potential when she brought him here—it couldn't have been just for a meal...
Seeing this, the crowd dispersed, but many students' respect for Mu En deepened.
Mu En hadn't intervened in years, leading everyone to believe he was just an ordinary old man. But today's intervention revealed that the old man was actually a hidden powerhouse...
Bai Zhou, Wang Dong, and Huo Yuhao entered the dormitory. Bai Zhou tossed his dormitory key to Huo Yuhao.
Huo Yuhao tossed his key to dormitory 108 to Bai Zhou in return. Without a word, he began moving his bedding out.
As he was leaving, he glanced at Wang Dong and said in a flat tone, "I won't save you again."
Huo Yuhao's heart was utterly broken. His long-held beliefs had been completely shattered. He had risked his life to save someone, received no thanks, and was even cursed for it. This Wang Dong was utterly ungrateful and unreasonable!
"Who the hell are you? Did I ask you to save me? Did I beg you for help? This is my own business! Who told you to butt in, you trash? Don't you know how weak you are? You couldn't even block one of my fingers! What right do you have to save me? Just stay out of my way, and I'll thank your whole family!!"
Wang Dong, too, had a fiery temper and immediately erupted in a tirade.
Huo Yuhao's sudden intervention had only deepened his shame and humiliation.
"You... you're being completely unreasonable!"
Huo Yuhao was stunned by the outburst. He stood there for a long moment, his face flushing red, before finally spitting out a sentence and storming off.
Bai Zhou remained silent, quietly enjoying the spectacle of the protagonist and female lead tearing each other apart.
In truth, the misunderstanding stemmed not from Bai Zhou's instigation, but from the vast difference in status between Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong.
Wang Dong was the aloof young sect master of the Clear Sky Sect, born a princess and showered with attention since birth. Her exceptional talent had allowed her to look down on her peers from a young age, never considering any of them her equal.
She had an innate disdain for the weak.
Because Huo Yuhao's strength was so low, he was, in Wang Dong's eyes, nothing more than a beggar on the roadside.
Losing to Bai Zhou was one thing—a matter of skill. But being saved by a beggar was more humiliating than death itself. This was the reason for Wang Dong's extreme reaction.
If Huo Yuhao had been even slightly stronger, or if he'd managed to exchange a few blows with Bai Zhou, this situation would never have arisen.
(End of Chapter)