"Enough, Yu Xian, stop talking. You're too agitated."
A male student was about to grab her arm, but Yu Xian violently shook him off. Her voice was filled with grief, like someone crying blood.
"Why can't I speak!? Why can't I be agitated!? My brother, my brother..."
Recalling the moment when her Spirit Saint-level brother pushed her away, Yu Xian's lips trembled, her knees buckled, and she collapsed onto the ground, her tears uncontrollably streaming down.
Xuan Zi did not speak immediately but turned to the side and asked in a low voice.
"Tell me, what exactly happened?"
One of the male disciples hesitated for a moment before recounting their encounter with the Blood-Eroding Dragon Lizard. As for what happened after it was lured away, he could only retell what Zhang Lexuan had described.
After listening, Xuan Zi couldn't help but glance at Huo Yuhao but said nothing.
Even if Huo Yuhao saved them, luck played a significant part. Zhang Lexuan had already given him the blood and flesh of the Blood-Eroding Dragon Lizard as compensation, which was more than enough.
He took a deep breath, looked at everyone again, and spoke in a heavy tone.
"I'm sorry. The blame for this incident rests entirely on me. I failed in my duty as a team leader, causing the loss of six inner court disciples. When we return, I will resign from my position in the Supervisory Council and leave the Sea God Pavilion."
After speaking, he looked at Zhang Lexuan. "Lexuan, go ahead and absorb the spirit ring and spirit bone."
As soon as he finished speaking, a crisp sound caught everyone's attention. They instinctively turned their heads to see Yu Xian tear off the ring symbolizing her status in the Shrek Supervisory Council and throw it to the ground.
Xuan Zi's expression changed. "Yu Xian, what are you doing?"
"What am I doing? Isn't it obvious?"
Yu Xian's expression was icy, and her tone indifferent. "From this moment on, I voluntarily leave Shrek Academy."
"Are you insane?!" Xuan Zi furrowed his brows.
"Though this incident was my fault, as inner court disciples of Shrek, encountering unexpected situations is unavoidable. To become a true powerhouse, one must endure life-and-death trials. And yet, you are leaving the academy because of this?"
At those words, everyone, including Zhang Lexuan, frowned. Even Huo Yuhao's face turned cold.
Listening to those words, so similar to what he had heard in his previous life, Huo Yuhao couldn't help but laugh in anger.
So, before the Grim Reaper incident in his past life, Xuan Zi had already caused the deaths of inner court disciples due to his negligence.
What was worse, this old fool had learned nothing from the experience. A few years later, he shamelessly used his own failure as an example to teach them!
"And you call yourself a teacher?"
The cold voice made Xuan Zi furrow his brow as he slightly turned his head, his murky eyes locking onto Huo Yuhao, exerting an invisible pressure on him.
"What did you say?"
Zhang Lexuan's face showed anxiety, but before she could act, Huo Yuhao's voice rang out again.
"I said—"
Huo Yuhao took a deep breath, his voice carrying a bone-chilling coldness, instantly dispersing the pressure around him.
"—Who the hell do you think you are to call yourself a teacher!?"
"You say that unexpected events are unavoidable. So was this event unavoidable? Did you face some unforeseeable situation that made it impossible for you to assist them?"
Xuan Zi's expression froze, but before he could respond, Huo Yuhao continued his mocking tirade.
"Is your so-called life-and-death trial just sending them to their deaths? Then why not send them to the core zone to face ten-thousand-year spirit beasts when they only have a single ring? After all, you could just say it was unavoidable, couldn't you?"
"If losing six is not enough, then send sixty. If sixty isn't enough, then send six hundred!"
"And in the end, if even one survives, wouldn't that be the 'genius' you were looking for? Wouldn't that be to your liking!?"
As he observed Xuan Zi's darkening expression, Huo Yuhao gradually calmed down.
"If you truly feel as guilty as you say—"
Not wanting to look at Xuan Zi any longer, Huo Yuhao turned toward the edge of the forest, his cold voice ringing in everyone's ears.
"Then just resign. Spare others from your mistakes in the future."
Silence.
No one spoke. The only thing left was the occasional strange glances directed at Xuan Zi, cutting him like knives.
It seemed Huo Yuhao's outburst had also stabilized Yu Xian's emotions somewhat. She bowed deeply toward Zhang Lexuan.
"Sister Lexuan, I will forever be grateful for you saving my life. If we meet again in the future, I will repay you tenfold."
After speaking, she turned to face Xuan Zi, her voice hoarse as she spoke.
"I can accept a strict teacher. I can even accept a teacher with unconventional methods of teaching."
"But I cannot accept an irresponsible teacher, because I belong to the number one academy on the continent."
"As that young man said, you are unworthy of being a teacher."
It wasn't until Huo Yuhao left the mixed zone of the Star Dou Forest that he relaxed slightly.
There was no helping it; having used both the Pride Sin and Fate's Judgment, he was now in an extremely weakened state. Fortunately, his spirit power had not been greatly affected, allowing him to continue using Spiritual Detection to avoid dangerous spirit beasts.
Now that the perilous mixed zone had been safely passed, he no longer needed to remain so tense. But as he walked, he suddenly stopped, looked in a certain direction, and spoke in an enigmatic tone.
"Greetings, senior."
With those words, it was as though the entire world froze, falling into an eerie silence without the slightest sound.
From the direction Huo Yuhao was looking, a white figure slowly stepped out from behind the trees. The ethereal voice carried a trace of surprise.
"You recognize me?"
It was a girl who appeared to be around his age. Sunlight fell on her silver-white hair, shimmering like golden ripples on a lake. Her exposed skin was pale, almost blending into the pure white dress she wore. Just by standing there, she exuded an aura of fragility that made one want to protect her.
Even though Huo Yuhao had detected her presence with Spiritual Detection earlier, when he finally saw her in person, he was still momentarily stunned. He hadn't expected her humanoid form to look so young.
Before now, of all the beings he had encountered, the Snow Empress had been the undisputed most beautiful. But the girl before him was in no way inferior.
Both possessed unparalleled beauty and noble bearing, but there was still a distinct difference. While the Snow Empress radiated a cold aloofness that kept others at a distance, the girl before him emanated an ethereal purity, untethered to the mundane world.
"I've heard a bit about the Sovereign of Spirit Beasts. May I ask why you seek me?"
He didn't actually know the Silver Dragon King. In his past life, he had only heard the Snow Empress mention that the Star Dou Forest had a leader stronger than Di Tian. Although Di Tian was known as the Beast God, he was merely the Sovereign's representative. Yet even as a representative, the Snow Empress had told him that as long as Di Tian commanded it, the soul beasts of the Extreme North would have to obey.
As for the identity of the Sovereign, the Snow Empress had speculated that it was either the Golden Dragon King or the Silver Dragon King. Having already encountered the Golden Dragon King in the God Realm, Huo Yuhao now believed that the one before him was most likely the Silver Dragon King.
(End of Chapter)