Chapter 10: The Goddess of Light Butterfly

"No, I must keep going. I absolutely cannot be eliminated." Huo Yuhao gritted his teeth and quickened his pace once more. To clear his weary mind, he even activated his soul power, releasing a soul shock on himself. The intense pain in his brain stimulated his physical functions, and his speed indeed increased. He surpassed the last few people in the group.

Zhou Yi stood there quietly, not paying attention to the students who had already completed their laps, but instead focusing on those who had yet to finish.

Among these students, Huo Yuhao looked the most exhausted, his school uniform drenched in sweat. Yet, he gritted his teeth and struggled to keep going.

Time flew by, and Huo Yuhao managed to run another eight laps. By then, only five minutes remained before the hour was up. Along with Huo Yuhao, seven others had not finished. However, they were only three to five laps away from completing the task and were already pushing themselves to the limit. There was still a chance for them to finish. Huo Yuhao, however, was still twelve laps away!

Just then, a figure suddenly ran out from the Shrek Square and landed behind Huo Yuhao. In just a few steps, he caught up to Huo Yuhao, and then an astonishing scene unfolded.

A pair of blue butterfly wings instantly unfurled from the back of the person who had caught up to Huo Yuhao. The colors at the ends of the forewings changed from deep blue to azure and then to light blue, the entire wing surface resembling a blue sky embedded with a series of bright halos in a V-shape, bringing light to the world. The shape and colors were incomparably and flawlessly beautiful.

"Ah—" The sudden appearance of such magnificent wings was so shocking that almost all the students, regardless of gender, let out exclamations of surprise.

The wings were truly beautiful, the entire wing surface resembling a vast blue sea with white waves, the colors and patterns spectacular, a deep blue that sometimes turned azure and then light blue. The white light patterns on the wings were like embedded jewels, shimmering and captivating.

Despite being just an illusion of light, the wings, under the sunlight, created a mesmerizing effect, even for Zhou Yi, the teacher.

After the butterfly wings were released, the figure moved close to Huo Yuhao, his hands passing under Huo Yuhao's armpits. With a sudden flap of the wings, he lifted Huo Yuhao off the ground.

Huo Yuhao was startled and instinctively turned his head to see Wang Dong's handsome face.

"You..."

"What are you talking about? Hurry up and circulate your soul power to make your body lighter." As Wang Dong spoke, he flapped his magnificent wings and accelerated, carrying Huo Yuhao around the Shrek Square at high speed.

Huo Yuhao was also stunned by Wang Dong's wings. They were so beautiful, truly breathtaking! This must be his soul beast. Huo Yuhao could even feel the V-shaped light patterns on Wang Dong's wings absorbing the sun's warmth. Not to mention, a soul beast that could fly was already a powerful existence. Moreover, in nature, the more beautiful something was, the more powerful it usually was!

A hint of surprise and satisfaction appeared in Zhou Yi's eyes as she muttered to herself, "The Goddess of Light Butterfly? The most beautiful butterfly soul beast on the continent. Good, very good. At least not all of them have disappointed me."

Wang Dong's flying speed was fast, and twelve laps in five minutes was no longer an impossible task. When he carried Huo Yuhao to complete the final lap and they both landed, they stumbled. Huo Yuhao quickly turned around and grabbed Wang Dong's shoulder, while he himself fell backward. Wang Dong ended up on top of him.

Although Wang Dong's cultivation was not weak among his peers, he was still just a child! After carrying Huo Yuhao for over three thousand meters, his soul power was somewhat depleted. As soon as they landed, the magnificent wings on his back disappeared, and his face turned pale.

Huo Yuhao, lying beneath him, smiled, "Thank you. Last time I was on top of you, this time it's your turn."

Wang Dong got up with a look of disgust, "You stink. Do you think I want to be on top of you?"

Huo Yuhao was not angry and followed him, gasping for breath and giving him a thumbs-up.

Wang Dong was taken aback, then nodded and gave him a thumbs-up in return. Subsequently, both of them couldn't help but smile. The previous grudges were all gone in that moment.

All the students completed the one hundred laps within the specified time and stood loosely in the Shrek Square.

Zhou Yi turned to the students with a blank expression and said coolly, "Those whose names I call, step forward: Cheng Cheng, Qiu Jianrang, Tang Dao, Shangguan Chentian, Lin Zeyu, Zhuge Yun, Tai Long, Tang Ling, Yun Xiaopiao."

A total of nine people were called out. The students were clearly surprised that Zhou Yi could casually call out nine of their names, even though they had not introduced themselves.

The called students walked out slowly.

Zhou Yi said coolly, "You nine can go back and pack your things and leave the academy. From this moment on, you are no longer students of Shrek Academy."

"Ah?" The nine students, who were still tired from running, were shocked, and the other students were in an uproar.

"Teacher, why?" A tall boy named Tai Long stood up with a look of anger. Among the students who had completed the laps, he was in the first group, one of the earliest to finish.

Zhou Yi said coldly, "Shrek Academy does not need students who cheat. Having strength but lacking a good and correct attitude, even if they become talented, they will only bring disaster, not help, to any country. Tai Long, did you run a hundred laps just now?"

Tai Long protested, "Of course I did."

Zhou Yi smiled, "A hundred laps? If I remember correctly, at the beginning of the run, because I had not yet arrived at the Shrek Square, you walked slowly for two laps. When the leaders reached the fifth lap, you only started to follow. Therefore, you ran not a hundred laps, but ninety-seven. I believe more than one person saw your initial laziness."

"I..." Tai Long's face turned red. He never expected that Zhou Yi, who had not been on the square at the beginning, would describe his cheating as if she had seen it with her own eyes, "But even if I ran a few laps less, you can't expel me for that!"

Zhou Yi snorted disdainfully, "I already gave the reason. You are not worthy of being a student at Shrek Academy. Pack your things and get out."

"You..." Tai Long was completely stunned. In fact, with his strength, running a hundred laps was no problem, and among all the first-year Class One students, his cultivation was among the best. He never expected to be eliminated like this.

Zhou Yi looked at the other students and said coolly, "Although I have a bad temper, I always keep my word. The nine people I pointed out all cheated during the run and did not complete the hundred laps. If you are not convinced, you can go to the administration office to complain, but for now, you can leave."

"Teacher Zhou, I am not convinced. He didn't run a hundred laps either; he only completed it with someone's help. Why wasn't he eliminated?" Another student who was eliminated, named Lin Zeyu, said indignantly, pointing at Huo Yuhao.

Zhou Yi smiled, "Not convinced? His name is Huo Yuhao. If he hadn't completed a hundred laps, he would also be in your group, and I would not change my words. However, he completed a hundred laps. I did not say that mutual help was not allowed. Wang Dong helped him voluntarily. If someone was willing to help you during the run, you could have been helped too. But did anyone help you? I don't care about the process, only the result. The result is that Huo Yuhao completed a hundred laps, and you did not. Get out, or I will destroy your soul beast if you make me angry."

Under Zhou Yi's powerful presence, the nine students who were called out left in a hurry. They were not going to pack their things but to the administration office to complain. It was only the first day of school! How could they be satisfied?

Huo Yuhao was sweating even more, watching Zhou Yi impartially dismiss nine students. He was not nervous at all. If it weren't for Wang Dong's help, he would probably be among them! Thinking of this, he couldn't help but look at Wang Dong with gratitude.

The other students who remained now had completely changed expressions, looking at Zhou Yi without daring to breathe. In just an hour, Zhou Yi had established absolute authority in the first-year Class One.

"Go back to your dormitories and change your clothes, then come to the classroom for class. I will give you fifteen minutes." After saying this, Zhou Yi turned and went back to the teaching building.

This time, no one dared to delay, dispersing in a hurry, almost all running to their dormitories at full speed.

"This old woman is too harsh." Wang Dong said as he and Huo Yuhao hurried back to the dormitory.

Huo Yuhao said, "Thanks, if it weren't for you, I would probably have been..."

Wang Dong snorted, "Don't thank me. If you hadn't fought with me, you could have completed it yourself. Go in and change first. I didn't sweat much."

Huo Yuhao was taken aback, "Aren't you going to hurry and change too?"

Wang Dong said, "Did you forget the five rules I told you that day? I don't like looking at other people's bodies; I'm afraid of getting eye sores. Hurry up."

Huo Yuhao didn't say anything more and hurried back to the room, taking off his sweat-soaked clothes, wiping his body with a clean cloth, and changing into another school uniform. The dirty one would have to be washed after class today.

Leaving the room, it was Wang Dong's turn to go back and change. Huo Yuhao was still a bit out of breath. The image of Wang Dong's wings from earlier appeared in his mind again.

So beautiful, truly so beautiful! What kind of soul beast is this? Others might not have noticed the wings, but Huo Yuhao clearly saw that when Wang Dong released his soul beast, his soul rings also appeared. There were two of them. What shocked him even more was that Wang Dong's two soul rings were one yellow and one purple, meaning his second soul ring was a thousand-year level. This already exceeded the normal range of soul masters.

No wonder he was so proud; he indeed had the capital to be proud! In terms of strength, he was far inferior to Wang Dong.

While he was thinking, Wang Dong also came out of the room. The two of them didn't dare to delay and quickly returned to the classroom.

Zhou Yi had given them fifteen minutes to change, but in fact, all the students were already sitting neatly in the classroom in less than ten minutes. Looking at the nine empty seats, the fear in their eyes had not yet dissipated.

Everyone had heard the saying that it was easy to enter Shrek Academy but hard to leave, but only when it happened to them did they feel the intense crisis. No one dared to have any thoughts of cheating anymore.

When the fifteen minutes were up, Zhou Yi arrived in the classroom on time. Seeing that all ninety-one students were present, she nodded and said, "We will start the class now. The test just now was basically satisfactory. Most of you completed the simple running test. Huo Yuhao, stand up."

"Teacher Zhou." Huo Yuhao quickly stood up, his back straight.

Zhou Yi said coldly, "Report your soul power level."

"Yes. My soul power is level eleven." Huo Yuhao said respectfully. From the moment Zhou Yi called out their names, he knew that this teacher, though seemingly unapproachable, actually knew them very well. His cultivation probably couldn't be hidden from her either.

When they heard "level eleven," the students in the classroom all showed a look of doubt, and Wang Dong even covered his eyes with his hand.

Embarrassing, too embarrassing, to lose to someone with level eleven cultivation. Wait, how is his soul power only level eleven? Isn't the admission requirement for Shrek Academy level fifteen? Thinking of this, Wang Dong couldn't help but look at Huo Yuhao in surprise.

"Not bad, Huo Yuhao's soul power is only level eleven, and I know you are all curious about why he could pass the academy's test and become a freshman. I will only say this once. As long as he is not eliminated, no one can ask him about this. He is a special student invited by the academy. When he entered the academy, he did not need to pass the test. However, this is the only exception for special students. If he cannot complete the learning tasks assigned by the academy, he will also be eliminated. Now, Huo Yuhao, you can sit down."

"Thank you, teacher." Huo Yuhao sat down again, but he was surprised. This teacher Zhou Yi was clearly protecting him! By explaining his situation of being admitted despite insufficient soul power, no one would bring it up again in the future.

Zhou Yi seemed to not care about the students' reactions, turned to the blackboard, and wrote two large characters: Attack, Defense.

After writing, she faced the students again, "I know that most of you are dissatisfied with my making you run laps and expelling nine people. You are just afraid to show it because of my pressure. I have no need to explain to you. Those with insight will understand in the future, and those who are foolish will remain foolish. We will start the class now."

"The two characters I wrote on the blackboard, you should all recognize: Attack, Defense. Today's first lesson, I will talk about the attack and defense strategies of soul masters. Throughout history, soul masters have been divided into many categories based on the abilities of their soul beasts, such as strong attack, agile attack, support, food, control, and defense. Some soul masters develop in one direction to the extreme, while others develop in a balanced way. There are various cultivation methods. Wang Dong, answer this: Among the different categories of soul masters, who is more skilled in attack, and who should focus more on defense and support?"

This question was as simple as it could be. Wang Dong stood up without hesitation and answered, "Naturally, the strong attack, agile attack, and control categories are more inclined towards attack, while the support, food, and defense categories are more inclined towards defense."

Zhou Yi said bluntly, "That's a foolish answer."

Wang Dong was taken aback, "Teacher Zhou, my answer...?"

"Sit down." Zhou Yi interrupted him, waving her hand, and a strong soul power surge suppressed his words, making him sit back down.

"If we were talking about the time before the collision of the Sun Moon Continent and our Douluo Continent over four thousand years ago, Wang Dong's answer would be correct. But in today's context, his answer is completely wrong. Huo Yuhao, tell me why?"

Huo Yuhao thought, this teacher Zhou Yi is really picking on him and Wang Dong today, but at least he wasn't expelled. After a moment's thought, he had the answer and stood up, "Because of soul conductors."

Zhou Yi's stern expression softened slightly, "You're not too stupid, no wonder you were chosen as a special student. Yes, it is precisely because of the appearance of soul conductors that the distinction between attack and defense has become blurred. This is the topic I will discuss today. Sit down."

"I believe everyone is well aware that in the past few thousand years, soul conductors have developed rapidly. The Sun Moon Continent brought more rare materials and the basic methods of making soul conducters. After thousands of years of development, the production of soul conductors has become increasingly refined, and their power has become increasingly strong. This has led to a situation where even a food-type soul master, holding a sufficiently powerful soul conductor, can unleash an attack force comparable to a strong attack-type soul master, and sometimes even surpass it. An agile attack-type soul master, holding a powerful defensive soul conductor, can temporarily assume the role of a defensive soul master."

"In short, the appearance of soul conductors has greatly changed the direction and status of soul master cultivation. In fact, what has been weakened is the role of soul rings. As long as there is enough soul power, one can rely on soul conductors to make up for the lack of soul ring power. This has led many people to ignore the role of soul rings, resulting in the current situation where soul masters in the four major empires all focus on pursuing soul power in their cultivation."

"Undoubtedly, this cultivation method is effective in the short term, especially for soul masters below level fifty, where the effect is very significant. However, I want to tell you that our Shrek Academy does not cultivate such soul masters. Because after level fifty, they are all useless."

"Confused, right? Let me give you an example. If you are a soul master and have cultivated to level fifty, and I am an agile attack-type soul master who has also cultivated to level fifty. You have a soul conductor that can threaten my life, and I have no soul conductor. Who wins in this battle?"

"The answer is simple: