Chapter 8 The First Lesson of the School Year: Zhou Yi's Show of Force
On the first day of freshman enrollment at Shrek Academy, there was no grand opening ceremony or dean's speech as imagined; instead, there was only a simple and brutal placement test and an even simpler and more brutal curriculum.
When Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, along with two other roommates who had just moved into Dormitory 108, walked into the Freshman Class One classroom, they immediately felt a suppressed and tense atmosphere.
The classroom was already filled with nearly a hundred freshmen, each sitting upright with a hint of apprehension on their faces. Standing on the podium at the front of the classroom was a middle-aged female teacher of average build and plain appearance.
She looked unremarkable, the kind that would be lost in a crowd, but Huo Yuhao's Spiritual Detection keenly caught that within this woman, there was a vast and volatile spirit power, like a dormant volcano.
At least a six-ring Spirit Emperor level.
Moreover, her mental force was exceptionally condensed, clearly indicating she was a battle-hardened veteran who had experienced countless fights.
This should be Teacher Zhou Yi, the 'perverted' teacher known for her strictness and harshness in the original work.
Indeed, the moment the class bell rang, Zhou Yi's originally unremarkable eyes suddenly opened wide, and two substantial beams of light swept across the room. A cold and powerful Divine Might instantly enveloped the entire classroom.
"My name is Zhou Yi. From today onwards, I am your homeroom teacher for Freshman Class One."
Her voice was not loud, but it carried a metallic quality, clearly reaching everyone's ears.
"Here, there are no Geniuses, only students. No matter what your previous identity was, what Family you came from, or how powerful your Spirit is, once you are here, everything resets to zero. You only have three things to do: obey, obey, and obey!"
"Now, everyone, immediately gather in the plaza outside! Run there! The last ten will be directly expelled!"
Before her words finished, she had already vanished from the podium like Gui Mei.
The entire classroom fell into a deathly silence, then suddenly erupted into chaos.
"What?!"
"Run there? The last ten get expelled?"
"This is too unreasonable!"
Most of the freshmen were stunned; they hadn't expected the first class at Shrek Academy to be such a sudden show of force.
But a few reacted extremely quickly. The moment Zhou Yi's words fell, they had already transformed into streaks of afterimages, rushing out of the classroom.
Wang Dong was one of them.
He didn't even glance at Huo Yuhao. With a flicker of his figure, the illusory wings of the Light Goddess Butterfly flashed behind him, and he shot out like an arrow released from a bowstring, with astonishing speed.
Huo Yuhao did not move.
He remained seated in his spot, even tidying his desk unhurriedly.
"Hey, Huo Yuhao, what are you spacing out for! Run!" A robust, flat-topped young man, one of his roommates sitting next to him, urged anxiously. His name was Cao Jinxuan, and his Spirit was the Plate Armored Rhinoceros, a standard attack system Battle Spirit Master.
Huo Yuhao looked up, smiled at him, and said, "No rush."
"No rush? If you don't run now, you'll be expelled!" Cao Jinxuan stomped his foot in a hurry, but seeing most people had already rushed out, he couldn't bother with Huo Yuhao anymore. He roared and took big strides to catch up.
In a blink of an eye, the previously full classroom was left with only Huo Yuhao.
He still unhurriedly stood up, stretched, and then leisurely walked towards the door.
His Spiritual Detection had long covered the entire plaza.
He could "see" Zhou Yi standing in the center of the plaza, arms crossed, expressionlessly watching the freshmen rushing over like headless flies.
He could also "see" Wang Dong leading the pack, far ahead, with undisguised smugness and pride on his handsome face.
And he could further "see" that at the end of the line, several students with lower spirit power or slower reactions were far behind, their faces etched with despair.
Expulsion?
Huo Yuhao sneered inwardly.
This was merely a screening, a psychological battle.
Zhou Yi's goal was not to expel the last ten, but to use this method of extreme pressure to select the most top-notch talents in Heart-Nature, willpower, and reaction speed. At the same time, it was also to establish her authority, making everyone understand that at Shrek, her words were absolute commands.
A truly excellent teacher would never use such a crude method to eliminate students.
Therefore, this so-called "elimination round" was fake from the start.
Of course, if you truly believed it and truly ran last, then perhaps... you might actually be expelled.
After all, Shrek doesn't need fools who can't even see through the teacher's intentions.
Huo Yuhao strolled to the classroom door, watching the chaotic scene in the plaza as if it were an interesting play.
He didn't run, not even a fast walk.
He walked towards Zhou Yi in the center of the plaza at a leisurely pace, like taking a stroll.
His behavior, in the eyes of those desperately running students, was undoubtedly an anomaly, a madman.
"Who is that guy? Is he crazy?"
"He seems to be from our Class One too. He actually dares to walk?"
"He's done for, he's definitely the first one to be expelled!"
Even Wang Dong, who was leading the pack, noticed Huo Yuhao's "eccentricity." He looked back, a flicker of surprise in his pink-blue eyes, which was then replaced by deep disdain and schadenfreude.
"Fool." He let out a soft snort from his nose, and his speed increased.
In his opinion, Huo Yuhao's behavior was either foolishness or extreme arrogance, and either way, he was destined to be mercilessly crushed by Teacher Zhou Yi.
Finally, Huo Yuhao reached the center of the plaza, stopping less than ten meters from Zhou Yi.
By this time, most students had already passed him, with only the last dozen or so still struggling behind him.
He was firmly stuck in the "to be expelled" zone.
Zhou Yi's gaze finally fell upon him.
What kind of eyes were those?
Cold, sharp, as if they could pierce through one's heart. The Wrath contained within them was almost ready to erupt.
"You, what is your name?" Zhou Yi's voice was three degrees colder than it had been in the classroom.
A powerful mental force Divine Might surged towards Huo Yuhao like a tide. Any ordinary freshman would likely have their legs turn to jelly and cold sweat stream down their back at that instant.
But Huo Yuhao seemed completely unaffected.
He even offered Zhou Yi a polite smile.
"Reporting, Teacher, my name is Huo Yuhao."
"Huo Yuhao?" Zhou Yi's gaze grew even colder. "Very well. You, why aren't you running?"
"Reporting, Teacher," Huo Yuhao's voice was not loud, but it clearly echoed across the entire plaza, even overriding the noisy gasps and footsteps, "Because I believe that Shrek Academy, as the continent's number one academy, its admission standards should not merely depend on how fast a student can run."
Upon hearing this, the entire plaza was astonished.
The students who had already reached the finish line stopped in their tracks, looking at Huo Yuhao as if he were a monster.
This guy... he actually dared to question Teacher Zhou Yi to her face?!
Wang Dong also stopped. He turned around, looking incredulously at the slender but straight-backed young man standing before Zhou Yi. He suddenly felt that he had never truly known this "Grilled Fish Guy."
For the first time, an expression appeared on Zhou Yi's face.
She narrowed her eyes, and an even more terrifying Aura rose from her.
"Oh? Then tell me, what should Shrek's standards be?"
Everyone held their breath for Huo Yuhao. They felt as if they could already see that in the next second, this ignorant young man would be slapped away by the Wrathful Teacher Zhou Yi.
However, Huo Yuhao remained smiling and composed.
"I believe Shrek's standards should be based on a student's observation skills, judgment, and... the wisdom to see through the essence of things."
He paused, meeting Zhou Yi's almost murderous gaze, and said each word distinctly:
"Teacher, you asked us to run, which seems to test our speed and spirit power, but in reality, it tests our obedience and reaction ability. And eliminating the last ten is more like a psychological game, aiming to filter out those students with weak willpower, who are easily crushed by pressure, or... those with simple minds."
"Therefore, the essence of this test is not running, but seeing who can first understand your true intention, Teacher."
"I believe I have understood. So, I don't need to run."
"Because I am not participating in the test with my legs, but with my mind."
His words were powerful and resonant.
The entire plaza fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone was completely stunned by Huo Yuhao's shocking remarks.
Zhou Yi stared fixedly at Huo Yuhao, the Wrath in her eyes gradually replaced by an unspeakable shock and... appreciation.
After a long while, her tightly pursed lips actually curved upwards into an almost imperceptible arc.
"You, are very good."
She spoke slowly, her voice returning to calm.
"Huo Yuhao, is it? I will remember you."
"Now, fall in."
After speaking, she no longer looked at Huo Yuhao but turned her gaze to the students who had just crossed the finish line and were still panting heavily, her voice turning cold again.
"As for you..."
"A bunch of fools who only know how to use brute force!"
"All of you, run a hundred laps around the plaza! Those who don't finish, get out of Shrek!Chapter 9 Freshman Assessment: The Wonderful Use of Mental Detection
Teacher Zhou Yi's "hundred laps" punishment ultimately didn't make everyone complete it.
The harsh physical training only ended when most students were exhausted like dead dogs, lying on the ground unable to move.
In the end, seven students were mercilessly expelled from Shrek Academy on the spot by Teacher Zhou Yi for giving up midway or cheating by using Spirit Abilities.
Iron-blooded tactics, terrifying indeed.
No one in the entire Freshman Class One dared to show even a hint of disdain towards this seemingly ordinary-looking teacher anymore.
And Huo Yuhao, as the only one who wasn't punished, but instead earned Teacher Zhou Yi's special regard due to his "wisdom," undoubtedly became the most unique existence in the class.
He received countless gazes mixed with Jealousy, awe, curiosity, and disdain.
Among them, the most complex and scorching gaze came from his roommate, Wang Dong.
Wang Dong couldn't understand, he absolutely couldn't understand, why this rustic "Grilled Fish Guy" could always do something unexpected yet surprisingly effective.
Yesterday it was the crushing power of mental force, today it was "opportunism" in wisdom.
Was this guy really just an ordinary commoner Spirit Master?
For the first time, his beautiful pink-blue eyes developed another emotion towards Huo Yuhao besides disgust—a strong desire for exploration.
Huo Yuhao was well aware of all this, but he didn't care.
What he wanted was precisely this "specialness."
He needed to display "potential" sufficient to gain the attention of the academy's higher-ups, yet not expose his million-year spirit ring and second Spirit too early. Packaging himself with "wisdom" was undoubtedly the best choice.
A clever mind is far more thought-provoking and harder to see through than a powerful Spirit.
After a brief reorganization, Teacher Zhou Yi announced the official start of the freshman assessment.
"This year's freshman assessment, the rules are very simple."
Teacher Zhou Yi's voice was still cold as she pointed towards the direction of the academy's back mountain and said, "The assessment location is the academy's'Simulated Spirit Beast Zone.' You will form four-person teams based on your dormitories and enter it. Your goal is to hunt as many 'Spirit Beasts' as possible before dark."
"Note, the Spirit Beasts here are all simulated by the academy's teachers using spirit power, and they won't truly die. The wristwatches on your hands will automatically record the years and quantity of Spirit Beasts your team kills, and convert them into points."
"Ultimately, only the teams ranked in the top fifty percent by points will officially become students of Shrek Academy. As for the remaining half… go back to where you came from."
The cruel rules once again made the hearts of all freshmen leap into their throats.
A fifty percent elimination rate!
This meant that after today, half of the more than one hundred freshmen present would have to leave here dejectedly.
"Now, all teams check your equipment. In fifteen minutes, depart on time!"
As Teacher Zhou Yi gave the order, the teams from each dormitory quickly gathered, discussing strategies in a tense atmosphere.
The four members of Dormitory 108 naturally stood together.
Besides Huo Yuhao and Wang Dong, the other two roommates were Cao Jinxuan, the sturdy young man who had previously warned Huo Yuhao, whose Spirit was the Plate Armor Rhinoceros, a twelfth-level, one-ring attack system Battle Spirit Master.
The other was a short, dark-skinned, somewhat taciturn young man named Lan Luoluo, whose Spirit was the Star Luo Chessboard, a thirteenth-level, one-ring control system Tool Spirit Master.
"We… what do we do?" Cao Jinxuan looked at the three of them nervously. Although he was an attack system, he clearly had no opinion in this kind of team assessment.
Lan Luoluo adjusted his black-rimmed glasses and calmly analyzed, "The key to this assessment is efficiency and teamwork. Wang Dong's Spirit is the Light Goddess Butterfly, and his speed and attack power are top-notch, so he should be our main attacker. Cao Jinxuan's Plate Armor Rhinoceros has astonishing defense, so he can be responsible for frontal pressure. My Star Luo Chessboard can perform area control and weakening. As for Huo Yuhao…"
At this point, he glanced at Huo Yuhao, his eyes a little hesitant.
What use could a Spiritual Eye Martial Soul have in a direct combat?
Everyone's gaze was focused on Huo Yuhao.
Wang Dong, even more impolitely, curled his lip and snorted, "Him? What can he do? Watch from behind with his eyes? Or is he going to give Teacher Zhou Yi another long lecture and have her directly give us points?"
His words were full of undisguised mockery.
Cao Jinxuan and Lan Luoluo were both a little embarrassed and didn't dare to respond.
Huo Yuhao, however, smiled.
He looked at Wang Dong and slowly said, "My role is to let the three of you get first place, even with your eyes closed."
"What did you say?!" Wang Dong's eyebrows instantly shot up, his handsome face filled with anger, "Boastful!"
"Whether it's boastful or not, you'll know soon enough." Huo Yuhao didn't bother to argue with him further and turned to Cao Jinxuan and Lan Luoluo, saying, "For this assessment, I'll be the commander. Do you have any objections?"
Cao Jinxuan was stunned for a moment, glanced at the powerful Wang Dong next to him, then looked at Huo Yuhao, who, despite his low spirit power, had unusually confident eyes. He hesitated for a moment, but finally nodded: "I… I have no objections."
He had been convinced by Huo Yuhao's "wisdom theory" that morning and subconsciously felt that following him might indeed yield unexpected results.
Lan Luoluo was even more direct. He pushed up his glasses and said, "Whoever can lead the team to victory, I'll listen to them. I agree to let you try commanding first."
"You!" Wang Dong's face turned green with anger. He hadn't expected these two newly acquainted roommates to choose to trust a "Grilled Fish Guy" rather than him, a descendant of the Clear Sky Sect with a top-tier Spirit.
"Good, very good!" Wang Dong laughed in extreme anger. "I'd like to see how you, this glib fellow, are going to make us get first place! If you can't do it, then get out of Dormitory 108 obediently!"
"It's a deal," Huo Yuhao said calmly, as if stating a trivial matter.
Fifteen minutes passed quickly.
With Teacher Zhou Yi's command, all the teams surged into the simulated Spirit Beast Zone in the back mountain like a tide.
As soon as they entered the forest, Wang Dong couldn't wait to rush out and display his strength.
"Stop."
Huo Yuhao's voice, like a freezing spell, made him stop dead in his tracks.
"What are you doing?!" Wang Dong turned back, glaring at him angrily.
"Shh." Huo Yuhao made a shushing gesture, then closed his eyes.
The next second, an invisible spiritual fluctuation, centered on him, spread out silently like ripples on water.
Spiritual Detection, activated!
Everything within a five-hundred-meter radius instantly formed an incredibly clear, 3D holographic map in his mind.
The texture of the trees, the ants on the ground, the rustling of leaves in the wind, even the energy fluctuations of the simulated Spirit Beasts hidden in the shadows… nothing could escape his perception.
Cao Jinxuan and Lan Luoluo both looked curiously at Huo Yuhao, who had his eyes closed and remained silent, not knowing what he was up to.
Only Wang Dong, upon feeling that familiar spiritual fluctuation, suddenly changed his expression.
This feeling again!
It was exactly the same as when he was completely suppressed yesterday!
How strong was this guy's mental force, really?!
Just as he was in shock, Huo Yuhao opened his eyes, a glint flashing within them.
"Thirty-seven meters to the front-left, in the treetop, there's a ten-year cultivation Ghost Face devil spider. Its energy fluctuation is very weak, it should be a trap."
"Eighty-two meters to the back-right, underground, a hundred-year cultivation Pangolin is lurking, approaching us."
"One hundred and fifty meters directly ahead, at three o'clock, a four-person team is entangled with a hundred-year cultivation Blazing Fire Wolf, both sides are injured."
"And to our direct east, two hundred and ten meters away, there's a lone, newly 'refreshed' five-hundred-year cultivation Earth Bear. It hasn't been discovered by any team yet."
Huo Yuhao spoke very fast, but his pronunciation was exceptionally clear.
Cao Jinxuan and Lan Luoluo were dumbfounded.
This… what kind of ability is this? Precognition?
Wang Dong's mind was even more shaken. He subconsciously looked in the directions Huo Yuhao mentioned, but could only see a dense forest, unable to discover anything at all.
"Don't just stand there." Huo Yuhao's voice pulled them back from their shock.
"Our target is that Earth Bear. Now, everyone listen to my command."
"Cao Jinxuan, you go first, pay attention to concealing your Qi, and be ready to activate your Spirit's defense at any time."
"Lan Luoluo, you follow behind, have your Star Luo Chessboard ready. Once we enter combat, immediately release'Slow' and 'Armor Break' Domains."
"Wang Dong," Huo Yuhao looked at him, his gaze more serious than ever, "Your speed is the fastest. Circle around to the side-rear of the Earth Bear. Wait for my signal, and use your strongest single-target attack to strike its back neck."
"As for me," Huo Yuhao smiled slightly, "I will clear all obstacles for you and provide the most precise battlefield information."
"Now, move out!"
Under Huo Yuhao's precise commands, Team 108 moved like a silent scalpel, perfectly avoiding all traps and unnecessary battles, quietly approaching the location of the five-hundred-year Earth Bear.
Although Wang Dong was still unconvinced in his heart, in the face of Huo Yuhao's undeniable command and almost miraculous "predictions," he still, inexplicably, chose to obey.
Soon, they arrived at their destination.
A giant bear, over three meters tall, covered in thick earthy-yellow fur, was dozing behind a rock. The spirit power fluctuations emanating from it were far stronger than any Spirit Beast they had encountered before.
"Now! Attack!"
With Huo Yuhao's command, the battle instantly erupted
The moment Huo Yuhao gave the attack command, the entire Team 108, like a precisely wound clockwork machine, began a seamless and perfectly coordinated operation.
"Roar!"
Cao Jinxuan was the first to act. He roared, his robust body instantly swelling. A thick layer of cuticles appeared on his dark skin, and his first spirit ring shone. His entire being transformed into an indestructible mobile fortress, crashing fiercely into the Earth Bear, which had just been startled awake.
"First Spirit Ability, Rhino Charge!"
The Earth Bear stumbled from the sudden attack, its massive body falling backward, letting out a thunderous roar. It couldn't understand how it had been found so precisely and ambushed, despite being so well hidden.
Just as it was about to get up and counterattack, a large net woven from black and white light descended from the sky, precisely enveloping its body.
"Star Luo Chessboard, First Spirit Ability, Heavenly Core Seal!"
Lan Luoluo calmly manipulated her Chessboard Spirit from the rear. The "Heavenly Core" position on the chessboard shone brightly, transforming into invisible shackles that slowed the Earth Bear's movements immensely. At the same time, a strange fluctuation spread, seemingly weakening the defensive power of the Earth Bear's thick, earthy-yellow fur.
"Well done!"
Huo Yuhao's calm voice resounded in everyone's minds. This was his "battlefield local area network" established through spiritual sharing for his teammates, allowing for zero-delay tactical communication.
"The Earth Bear is about to use 'Earth Roar'! Cao Jinxuan, full defense! Wang Dong, now!"
Almost simultaneously with Huo Yuhao's words, the Earth Bear suddenly opened its gaping maw, and a visible earthy-yellow shockwave, mixed with rubble and dust, erupted!
Cao Jinxuan's eyes widened in fury, pouring all his spirit power into his plate armor, firmly holding the front line against the shockwave.
Boom—!
Amidst the violent roar, Cao Jinxuan was shaken back repeatedly, a trace of blood spilling from the corner of his mouth. Yet, he stood firm like a nail, steadfastly defending his line, preventing the shockwave's aftereffects from reaching his teammates behind him.
And in that instant, a dazzling blue-gold figure, like a bolt of lightning in the dark night, silently appeared behind the Earth Bear.
It was Wang Dong!
He had already moved to the optimal attack position according to Huo Yuhao's instructions. At this moment, his pink-blue eyes no longer held their usual arrogance and disdain, replaced by an unprecedented focus and sharpness.
"First Spirit Ability, Butterfly God's Light!"
Without the slightest hesitation, the magnificent Light Goddess Butterfly wings on his back vibrated fiercely. Countless blue-gold light points gathered at his fingertips, forming an indestructible, brilliant light sword. With an incredibly tricky angle, it fiercely stabbed towards the Earth Bear's defenseless hind neck!
Pfft!
The sound of the light sword piercing flesh was clearly audible.
Ouch—!
The Earth Bear let out an extremely mournful howl. Its body, simulated by spirit power, began to rapidly become illusory and transparent under the erosion of the Butterfly God's Light.
With just one strike, this powerful five-hundred-year Spirit Beast had already suffered a fatal blow!
"It's not over yet!"
A glint flashed in Wang Dong's eyes. With a flick of his wrist, the Butterfly God's Light instantly burst forth with an even more dazzling radiance.
"Light's Neon Clothes!"
Countless tiny blue-gold light blades, like a storm, furiously sliced at the Earth Bear's wound, completely severing its last trace of vitality.
With a crash, the Earth Bear's massive body finally transformed into countless light points, dissipating into the air.
The battle ended.
From Cao Jinxuan's charge to Wang Dong's decisive kill, the entire process took no more than ten seconds.
This was a perfect team battle, worthy of being called textbook-level.
Cao Jinxuan and Lan Luoluo were stunned. They stared blankly at their hands, then at the lingering energy ripples on the ground, as if they couldn't believe they had so easily dealt with a five-hundred-year Spirit Beast.
Wang Dong slowly landed, his chest rising and falling slightly, fine beads of sweat on his forehead. Clearly, that last strike had consumed a lot of his energy. But he didn't look at the results of his battle. Instead, he suddenly turned his head, staring intently with an extremely complex gaze at the young man who had stood in place, not moving a single step, from beginning to end.
Huo Yuhao.
At this moment, Wang Dong's heart was already in turmoil.
He finally understood that Huo Yuhao's phrase, "I can get first place with my eyes closed," was not arrogance, but... a fact.
His uncanny battlefield perception, his grasp of battle opportunities precise to the second, his terrifyingly calm on-the-spot command, and that mysterious ability that allowed his teammates to communicate without hindrance... All of this far exceeded Wang Dong's understanding of a "support system" Spirit Master.
This guy... what kind of monster is he?
"Don't just stand there," Huo Yuhao's voice broke everyone's thoughts. "The points on the wristwatches have been credited. We're very efficient. Now, let's continue to find our next target."
He still maintained his nonchalant demeanor, as if the perfect victory just now was merely an insignificant trifle.
After speaking, he closed his eyes again.
"Northwest, three hundred meters, there are two hundred-year-level Wind Baboons. They are very fast, but their defense is weak, suitable for Wang Dong to finish quickly."
"South, one hundred eighty meters, a team is surrounded by three hundred-year Nether Wolves. We can go be 'fishermen' this time."
"..."
Under the guidance of Huo Yuhao, this "human radar," Team 108 transformed into the most efficient killing machine in the simulated Spirit Beast area.
They could always precisely find isolated Spirit Beasts or those fighting among themselves; they could always perfectly avoid powerful or trap-laden dangerous areas; they could always exchange the smallest consumption for the greatest results.
Cao Jinxuan's defense, Lan Luoluo's control, and Wang Dong's strong attack were perfectly integrated into a whole under Huo Yuhao's command.
Wang Dong spoke less and less, but his eyes grew brighter and brighter. His gaze towards Huo Yuhao gradually changed from initial hostility and disdain to seriousness, surprise, and even... a hint of conviction that he himself hadn't noticed.
For the first time, he realized that battle could be like this... When dusk fell and the bell signaling the end of the assessment rang, all the new students emerged from the back mountain, dragging their tired bodies.
Most teams were disheveled, some even seriously injured, all looking dejected, clearly having achieved poor results.
Only Team 108, though also somewhat tired, was exceptionally energetic, especially Wang Dong. A hint of lingering excitement even showed on his handsome face.
Teacher Zhou Yi stood in the center of the square, expressionlessly watching the returning students. Behind her, a huge soul tool display screen was erected, showing the real-time ranking of all teams' points.
"The assessment is over. Now, the final results will be announced."
Everyone's eyes were fixed on that screen.
The rankings on the screen flickered for a moment, then finally settled.
First place: Team 108, points: 3560.
Second place: Team 203, points: 1890.
Third place: Team 112, points: 1750...
The moment the final rankings appeared, the entire square fell into a deathly silence.
Everyone's eyes were wide like brass bells, staring intently at the name at the top of the list, which had crushed the second-place team with an overwhelming advantage.
Team 108!
3560 points?!
How was this possible!
One must know that a ten-year Spirit Beast was only 10 points, a hundred-year Spirit Beast 100 points, and a thousand-year Spirit Beast was as high as 1000 points. But thousand-year Spirit Beasts were so powerful that they were simply not something these one-ring new students could deal with.
3560 points, this was almost equivalent to them hunting more than thirty hundred-year Spirit Beasts!
This was simply a fantasy!
"Cheating! They must have cheated!" Someone in the crowd let out a sharp, piercing cry.
"Right! It must be cheating!"
"Otherwise, how could they be almost double the second place!"
Questions rose one after another.
Even Teacher Zhou Yi, whose icy face had been unchanging for years, showed a hint of obvious emotion and... doubt for the first time.
She turned her head, her sharp gaze, like a keen sword, shot directly towards Huo Yuhao, who stood calmly in the crowd.
And Huo Yuhao merely smiled slightly, meeting everyone's gaze.
He knew that from today onwards, he, this "dark horse," had truly made a name for himself at Shrek.
And this was only the beginning
The air on the square seemed to freeze, and all eyes focused on Team 108 like searchlights, filled with doubt, Jealousy, and undisguised hostility.
"Cheating!"
"Yes! It must be cheating! Otherwise, how could they score almost double the second-place team?!"
The harsh clamor surged like a tide, almost drowning Huo Yuhao and the other three.
Cao Jinxuan and Lan Luoluo's faces flushed. Although they were equally shocked by the result, they would never allow others to tarnish the honor they had fought so hard for, and they were about to retort.
Wang Dong was an even more proud person; how could he endure such slander? His brow furrowed, and the Light Goddess Butterfly Spirit instantly attached to him, a sharp spirit power fluctuation about to erupt.
However, a hand gently pressed on his shoulder.
"Don't rush."
Huo Yuhao's voice was not loud, but it carried a strange power to calm people's hearts, clearly entering the minds of his three teammates through Spiritual Detection, "Let them speak, the louder the better. The higher they jump, the harder they will fall."
Wang Dong was stunned and subconsciously looked at Huo Yuhao. He saw that Huo Yuhao still had a calm and composed demeanor, with even a faint smile on his lips, as if the scene of a thousand fingers pointing at him was nothing more than a farce unrelated to him.
This guy... For some reason, the anger that was about to erupt in Wang Dong's heart miraculously subsided. He chose to trust Huo Yuhao, reined in his spirit power, and watched coldly.
On the high platform, Teacher Zhou Yi's gaze was as sharp as an eagle, locked tightly on Huo Yuhao. She also didn't believe the score was real; Shrek Academy's assessment System was designed by top-tier Soul Engineers, theoretically making cheating impossible. But Team 108's points were simply too outrageous, exceeding the scope of common sense.
"Huo Yuhao." Teacher Zhou Yi's voice was as cold as iron, "You need an explanation. An explanation that can convince everyone, including me."
It finally came.
Huo Yuhao chuckled inwardly, this was exactly the effect he wanted. What he wanted was not just first place, but an undeniable, complete victory that would establish his status as a "leader"!
He met Teacher Zhou Yi's gaze, took a step forward neither subservient nor arrogant, and said loudly, "Reporting, Teacher Zhou Yi, our results have no problems. As for why they are so high, the reason is very simple."
He paused, scanned the entire field, and clearly spoke four words.
"Because, efficiency."
"Efficiency?" Teacher Zhou Yi frowned.
"Exactly, efficiency." Huo Yuhao's voice was not loud, but it clearly spread throughout the square, "From the first second of the assessment to the last second, our team wasted almost no time searching for Spirit Beast and avoiding risks. We always found the most suitable targets for us to tackle at the first opportunity, resolved them at the fastest speed, and then immediately rushed to the next location."
"How is that possible!" Someone immediately retorted, "The back mountain is so big, and Spirit Beast are distributed randomly. How could you find your targets every time?"
"Good question." Huo Yuhao smiled slightly, his gaze turning to the student who asked the question, "This classmate, what is your Spirit?"
The student was stunned for a moment and subconsciously replied, "It's... it's a Wind Wolf."
"Very good, Wind Wolf Spirit, good at speed and tracking." Huo Yuhao nodded and continued to ask, "Then during the assessment, have you ever encountered a situation like this: you clearly felt spirit power fluctuations in a certain direction, but when you rushed there, you found it was a powerful Spirit Beast you couldn't defeat at all, or simply a trap?"
The student's face instantly became somewhat unsightly, stammering and unable to speak. Clearly, Huo Yuhao had hit a sore spot.
Huo Yuhao ignored him and raised his voice, addressing everyone: "I think this is not just his problem, but a problem faced by most teams. You spent a lot of time and spirit power, but did a lot of useless work. And we, avoided all of that."
His gaze finally landed on Teacher Zhou Yi, and he said calmly, "Because I possess the ability of Spiritual Detection. Within my detection range, the location, strength, and type of all Spirit Beast are revealed. I can plan an optimized hunting route for my teammates, allowing them to use every bit of spirit power effectively."
"This..."
As soon as these words came out, the entire audience was in an uproar!
Spiritual Detection?
Wasn't that an ability only possessed by extremely rare spiritual Spirit Master? And, judging by his tone, the detection range seemed to be astonishingly large!
"Impossible!" The previous doubter shrieked again, "You're only a one-ring Spirit Master, even if you have Spiritual Detection, how big can its range be? Can it cover the entire back mountain? Boasting!"
"Covering the entire back mountain is certainly impossible." Huo Yuhao admitted frankly, then changed the subject, a glint of wisdom flashing in his eyes, "But who said I needed to detect the entire back mountain?"
He extended a finger and slowly drew a circle in the air.
"The topographic map of the assessment area is in the appendix of the enrollment manual. I just spent a little time beforehand memorizing it."
"Based on the topographic map, I divided the entire back mountain into thirty-six areas. After entering the examination venue, I first spent five minutes performing a fan-shaped scan of our central area, marking the twelve areas with the most concentrated spirit power fluctuations."
"Then, based on the habits of Spirit Beast, I prioritized these twelve areas. For example, Spirit Beast are bound to gather near water sources, sunny slopes are more likely to have fire-attribute Spirit Beast, and deep forests mostly contain plant-type or insect-type Spirit Beast..."
"Our team's target for the first hour was to clear out three hundred-year-old Ironhide Rhinos near the water source. Then, we immediately moved to the sunny slope in Area Two, where there were five ten-year-old Fire Crows. After dealing with them, we even had time to intercept a hundred-year-old Netherwolf that another team was besieging..."
Huo Yuhao spoke eloquently. His pace was not fast, but his logic was clear and well-organized. He described his team's entire day's movements, the types and numbers of Spirit Beast encountered, and even the time spent on battles, all with precise detail.
On the square, it gradually became silent.
Everyone was shocked by Huo Yuhao's terrifyingly meticulous tactical planning.
This... could this really be something an eleven-year-old boy could come up with?
This was no longer a simple battle; this was war! It was a precise plan that treated the entire back mountain as a battlefield and all Spirit Beast as spoils of war!
Wang Dong, Cao Jinxuan, and Lan Luoluo were even more dumbfounded. Although they were participants, hearing Huo Yuhao's debriefing now made them realize that their actions throughout the day had been under such terrifying calculation.
It turned out that in places they couldn't see, Huo Yuhao's brain had already been operating at this level!
In Wang Dong's heart, a stormy sea was raging. He looked at the young man who remained calm and composed under everyone's gaze, and for the first time, he felt something called "disparity."
This disparity had nothing to do with Spirit, nothing to do with spirit power, but rather with wisdom, with vision.
He suddenly remembered that Huo Yuhao always seemed to "guide" him inadvertently. Whether it was the choice of dormitory or battle decisions, he always seemed to unconsciously follow his ideas.
This feeling... it was as if his life was being arranged by him.
As soon as this thought appeared, Wang Dong suddenly shivered, and an inexplicable chill rose from the bottom of his heart. He subconsciously shook his head, wanting to drive this absurd idea away.
How could it be? He was... how could he be arranged by a Mortal?
It must be an illusion!
On the high platform, Teacher Zhou Yi's expression had gradually shifted from initial coldness and doubt to astonishment, and finally, to an undisguised... shock and admiration!
As an experienced Spirit Emperor-level powerhouse, she knew better than anyone the value contained in Huo Yuhao's words just now!
That was no longer just talent; that was the quality of a commander! A commander who could strategize from within and win battles a thousand miles away!
Shrek Academy never lacked Genius. But a "wise Genius" like Huo Yuhao, who possessed such terrifying wisdom and tactical mind, was as rare as a Phoenix feather!
"Teacher, all assessment processes should be recorded by soul tool cameras, right?" Huo Yuhao's voice pulled Teacher Zhou Yi back from her shock, "Whether it is or not, a look at the footage will tell."
This was his final blow.
He knew that the Academy definitely had surveillance. The reason he debriefed in such detail was to let everyone know that his victory was an overt strategy, a crushing victory of wisdom, beyond any doubt!
Teacher Zhou Yi took a deep breath, forcefully suppressing the excitement in her heart. On her icy face, a hint of a smile jappeared for the first time; although a bit stiff, it was heartfelt.
"No need."
She looked at Huo Yuhao and said, word by word, "I believe you."
"From today onwards, you, Huo Yuhao, are the class monitor of Freshman Class One