Chapter 34.2: Taking on an Impossible Challenge
Ning Tian had already given voice to her doubts about Huo Yuhao’s extraordinary abilities once before, and after their recent battle, she’d reaffirmed her belief. That, in addition to the final fusion skill they’d unleashed, resulted in everyone unanimously agreeing that Wang Dong’s skill had knocked Ning Tian unconscious; it was impossible for Huo Yuhao to have done it. Furthermore, the obvious conclusion was that Huo Yuhao’s martial soul fusion with Wang Dong was the only reason he’d been able to join the champion team.
Plus, Ning Tian’s team had been eliminated after they lost to Huo Yuhao’s team. The resentment she held from losing that match was why she’d immediately protested Huo Yuhao’s nomination.
Her words were immediately met with agreement, especially from students who were a part of the Control System. Because of her, the entire class’ emotions had been stirred up.
Wang Yan furrowed his brow and replied sternly, “Huo Yuhao was part of the freshmen assessment’s champion team alongside Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao; they all have their own strong points. I’ve personally experienced his soul skill, and I can say that, within the same rank, there are very few control-type soul masters capable of comparing to him. The people I’ve nominated were all based off of the freshmen assessment rankings as well as their individual strengths.”
However, Wu Feng wasn’t willing to give up. “Teacher Wang, you’ve just stated what I have wrong with him. ‘Within the same rank, his soul skill is good.’ However, what rank is he again? He’s only a one-ringed Soul Master! Our class doesn’t lack two-ringed Soul Grandmasters—we even have three-ringed Soul Elders! What right does a one-ringed soul master have to participate in the election for class monitor? Can you even convince our class to listen to him?”
“Bang!” Wang Dong suddenly slammed his hands on his table and stood up. He turned towards Wu Feng and spat angrily, “Don’t go too far! Are you angry because you were eliminated by us last time? If you have the ability to, beat us fair and square during an assessment!”
Wu Feng replied angrily, “I’m still unhappy about our loss, but so what? Aren’t control-type soul masters supposed to have an advantage against assault-type soul masters? If he’s strong enough to beat me, I’ll admit that he has the qualifications to be nominated as a candidate for class monitor.”
“You’re full of shit. I’ll fight with you. If you dare, come with me to the Soul Duelling Arena.” Wang Dong’s clear eyes glared daggers at Wu Feng. The soul power in his body had already begun to stir.
“Enough.” Wang Yan’s imposing voice suddenly rang out, accompanied by a strong undulation of soul power. This forced the two to immediately shut up.
“Sit down.”
Only after Wang Yan interfered, did Wu Feng and Wang Dong unwillingly sit back down.
Wang Yan sternly said, “Since it seems like there are those with objections, let’s put it to a vote. If the number of students who disagree with Huo Yuhao being nominated exceeds half the class, I’ll rub his name off. Students who disagree, please raise your hands.”
Zhou Yi definitely wouldn’t have handled the matter like this. Instead, she would’ve stood her ground, or might have even directly appointed Huo Yuhao as the class monitor. If someone wasn’t happy with her decisions, she would’ve punished them with an iron fist.
However, Wang Yan was different. He was a gentle scholar who excelled in theory, but he was much worse than Zhou Yi when it came to dealing with students.
Regardless of whether it was jealousy that the one-ringed Huo Yuhao had been able to become part of the champion team, or if it was due to the influence of Wu Feng’s words, two-thirds of the class ended up raising their hands once Wang Yan had finished speaking. Only the students originally from Class 1 and a few moderate students hadn’t raised their hands.
Anyone that had entered Shrek Academy could be considered chosen; this could be seen from the optimum combination of soul rings that most students had before the four-ringed rank. Of the students within Shrek Academy, how many of them weren’t proud and arrogant? How could they not be resentful and envious after they were forced to agree to a Soul Master, one who only had a ten year soul ring, being appointed as their class monitor?
Wang Yan had clearly never expected a situation like this to happen. He was left somewhat dazed for a brief moment.
In a fit of anger, Wang Dong nearly stood up again. However, he was stopped by Huo Yuhao.
Somewhat satisfied, Wu Feng said, “Teacher Wang, over half the students in the class have disagreed. Please rub his name off the blackboard.”
Wang Yan had truly been put into a difficult situation. He’d taught many students in the past, but this was the first time he’d encountered a situation like this. Furthermore, he’d already given his word earlier. It was impossible for him to take back his word now. He could only look towards Huo Yuhao apologetically.
Just as he was about to remove Huo Yuhao’s name from those qualified to partake in the election, Huo Yuhao slowly raised his right hand.
On the outside, Huo Yuhao’s mood hadn’t changed at all, even when Wu Feng had started to object. He’d even stopped the enraged Wang Dong. However, was he truly as calm as he appeared on the inside?
Wang Yan said, “Yuhao, you can talk.”
Huo Yuhao slowly stood up without even sparing a glance towards Wu Feng. Using a calm tone, he spoke in a voice that was slightly slower than his usual voice.
“Teacher Wang, I understand Wu Feng’s objections. She’s questioning my qualifications to be chosen as one of the class monitors. Before you rub my name off, I want to say this: I’m willing to accept Wu Feng’s challenge. If I can beat her in a fight, I’d like everyone to vote again.”
His voice was moderate, but the originally clamorous Class 1 instantly turned quiet.
Dai Huabin, Zhu Lu, and even Wu Feng herself were instantly stupefied. They never thought that Huo Yuhao would actually accept Wu Feng’s challenge.
Wu Feng had the Red Dragon martial soul. In terms of quality, it was slightly inferior to Dai Huabin’s White Tiger and Wang Dong’s Radiant Butterfly Goddess, but there was only an extremely tiny gap between them. Moreover, she also had the most optimum combination of two hundred year soul rings. That, in addition to her tyrannical combat power, as well as her Rank 25 cultivation, made it so that she exceeded Huo Yuhao in all aspects! This could be seen from how she’d been able to become a core disciple, despite the fact that she didn’t have a high ranking in the freshmen assessment. Even Shrek Academy’s picky teachers had recognised Wu Feng’s relatively large amount of talent.
Even though Huo Yuhao was a spiritual-attribute control-type soul master, he was still only a one-ringed Soul Master, and his only soul ring was that of the ten year rank. No matter which angle you looked at it from, nobody believed that he’d be able to contend against Wu Feng.
And yet, Huo Yuhao had expressed his willingness to accept Wu Feng’s challenge. In addition to that, his calm voice didn’t seem impetuous in the least. Furthermore, the determination in his voice had surprised everyone.
Wang Yan’s pupils contracted slightly. Seeing the calm gaze in Huo Yuhao’s eyes, he became silent for a few seconds. Afterwards, he took a deep breath, then nodded. “Fine. Since that’s the case, I’ll allow you two to have a match in the Soul Duelling Arena. However, we’ll change the bets to make it fair—if Wu Feng can defeat Huo Yuhao, he’ll be stripped of his qualifications to participate in the election. Conversely, Wu Feng will also be stripped of her qualifications if she loses to Huo Yuhao.”
Wu Feng didn’t raise any objections to the conditions of the bet. Either way, she was unlikely to be chosen as one of the class monitors, due to the presence of Dai Huabin and Wang Dong. At the same time, what were the chances of her losing to Huo Yuhao, who only had a ten year soul ring?
After being astonished for a brief moment, Wu Feng’s face became filled with disdain and contempt. As the other students from Class 1 left the class one-by-one, Wu Feng walked over to Huo Yuhao and whispered, “I’m gonna beat you to the point that you won’t even be able to take care of yourself.”
Huo Yuhao glanced coldly at the tomboyish Wu Feng, then took large strides out of the classroom.
He’d experienced a great deal of things today. He understood that, if he gave up like a gutless coward and lost his qualifications to become a class monitor, he’d never be able to hold his head up high in the class. An adverse effect on his mental state far surpassed the pain he’d receive from any physical damage to his body, so he chose to fight. Even if he’d definitely lose, he still had to accept Wu Feng’s challenge. Even if he lost, he had to lose like a man. If he didn’t even have the guts to accept Wu Feng’s challenge, how would he obtain his revenge in the future?
After the students of Class 1 had arrived in the Soul Duelling Area, Wang Yan helped them pay the entrance fee. This was a Soul Duel where no one other than the students of Class 1 could spectate. In addition to that, this was the first Soul Duel that Huo Yuhao was participating in since he’d entered Shrek Academy.
Wang Dong had walked to the Soul Duelling Area alongside Huo Yuhao, but he hadn’t said anything to him. He could understand how Huo Yuhao was feeling today; not only had he not been chosen as a core disciple, he’d even been called into question like this. Now, it seemed that Huo Yuhao could no longer endure things silently. Instead, he’d chosen to prove himself through a method such as this.
Xiao Xiao didn’t utter a word either. However, she silently fixed her gaze on Huo Yuhao’s body. In her mind, her companion was no longer a mere youth; he was a man, a man who’d had the courage to take on a challenge. Not everyone had the courage to face an opponent who was clearly stronger than them. How many people could take on a challenge like this while fully knowing that it was impossible?
“Let’s bet, let’s bet! I’ll be the banker, does anyone wanna bet? Huo Yuhao’s odds will be 1 to 10, while Wu Feng’s odds will be 10 to 1.” Zhou Sichen stood and shouted. Teacher Wang Yan had accompanied Huo Yuhao and Wu Feng to the Soul Duelling Arena, but naturally didn’t bother to care about the other students.
“I’ll bet a hundred gold soul coins on Wu Feng.” Dai Huabin was the first person to approach Zhou Sichen. He handed him a heavy coin pouch.
Zhou Sichen’s facial muscles immediately twitched. “You don’t have to be this cruel.”
Dai Huabin replied disdainfully, “If you want to be a banker, you should have the guts to take a bet. If you don’t, you should keep your thoughts to yourself.”
Stirred up by Dai Huabin’s arrogant words, Zhou Sichen immediately spat out angrily, “I’ll take it! I’m just scared that you won’t give it to me. Even if you win, I’ll only owe you ten gold soul coins. I’ll take any bets.”
However, Zhou Sichen wanted to cry after the following scene unfolded. A large number of students ran towards him, with practically all of them betting on Wu Feng. The disparity in strength between both parties was simply too great, to the extent that nobody was optimistic towards Huo Yuhao’s chances. Betting on Huo Yuhao would give an extremely high payout, but nobody was willing to bet on him.
Zhou Yi’s expression was becoming uglier and uglier, but it was too late for him to take back what he’d said. Instantly, his expression had become as dark as the bottom of a pot.
At that moment, a voice that caused Zhou Sichen to become overjoyed rang out, “I’ll bet a thousand gold soul coins on Huo Yuhao.”
The person who walked up and handed him an exquisitely made gold banknote was precisely Wang Dong.
Immediately after Wang Dong handed his banknote to Zhou Sichen, Xiao Xiao also took out a golden banknote. “I’ll bet a thousand as well.”