Book 2: Academy of Monsters
Chapter 9.1: Radiant Butterfly Goddess
“No, I must persevere. I can’t get disqualified.” Huo Yuhao clenched his teeth tightly and sped up his footsteps again. For the sake of clearing up his tired mind, he even activated his soulforce and released a Spirit Shock that was aimed towards himself. The intense pain in his mind also stimulated his bodily functions, and sure enough, his speed increased by a bit once again, allowing him to overtake the few people at the very back of the group.
Zhou Yi quietly stood there. She didn’t pay attention to the students who’d already finished their laps. Instead, her gaze fell upon the students who hadn’t completed their laps.
Out of these students, the one who had the most tired expression was Huo Yuhao. His uniform, which had already been soaked with sweat, wasn’t something that could be faked! However, he clenched his teeth tightly as he strenuously persevered.
Time rapidly passed, and Huo Yuhao persevered for another eight laps. At this moment, there was only five minutes left until the end of the two hours. Along with Huo Yuhao, there were seven other people who hadn’t finished running. However, they seemed to only have three to five laps left. Furthermore, they’d already started to use all of their strength to increase their speed. There was still a chance that they’d finish on time. However, Huo Yuhao still needed to twelve more laps!
At that moment, a figure suddenly rushed out from the middle of Shrek Plaza. It landed behind Huo Yuhao, and caught up to him in just a few steps. Following that, a scene which stunned everyone present appeared.
A pair of blue butterfly wings suddenly spread out from the back of the person that was chasing after Huo Yuhao. The tips of each wing unceasingly changed between deep blue, azure, and light blue, while the surface of each wing was similar to a bright, V-shaped halo that had been embedded within the blue sky that in turn brought light to the human realm. Its shape and colour were incomparably and flawlessly beautiful.
“Ah—” When such a gorgeous pair of wings suddenly appeared, the shock that it brought to everyone was simply too great. Practically all of the students, regardless of whether they were boys or girls, let out a cry.
That pair of wings was simply too beautiful. Its surface resembled white spouts surging from the azure ocean. The patterns on it, as well as its colour, were extremely magnificent. When it was azure, the entire surface of the wing resembled a bright halo embedded within the blue sky. It occasionally turned deep blue, azure, and then light blue. The white patterns of light on both wings were like pearls that had been embedded within them; they had a bright luster that was extremely enchanting.
Although the wings were only an illusory shadow, it caused everyone present to have a stunned and dazzled feeling under their illumination. Even Zhou Yi, who was a teacher, felt the same.
After the figure had released its butterfly wings, it stuck to Huo Yuhao from behind. It hugged Huo Yuhao underneath his armpits, and the wings on its back suddenly began to flap. Just like that, it actually brought them both into the sky.
Huo Yuhao was also shocked. He unconsciously turned around to see who it was, allowing him to see Wang Dong’s handsome face.
“You…”
“You what? Why haven’t you circulated your soulforce to make your body lighter?” Wang Dong flapped his pair of beautiful wings as he spoke, causing them to suddenly speed up. He then took Huo Yuhao with him as he flew around Shrek Plaza at high speed.
Huo Yuhao was also stunned by the pair of wings on Wang Dong’s back. Too beautiful, they were really too beautiful! Was this his martial soul? Huo Yuhao could even sense the V-shaped patterns on Wang Dong’s wings absorbing the warmth of the sunlight. Without mentioning this, just a martial soul that had the ability to fly was already a considerably strong existence. Furthermore, there was a saying in the natural world: beautiful martial souls were always stronger!
A trace of satisfaction was apparent inside of Zhou Yi’s astonishment as she spoke to herself, “Radiant Butterfly Goddess? The continent’s most beautiful butterfly martial soul? Good, very good. At least not all of them have disappointed me.”
Wang Dong’s flying speed was very fast. With his speed, completing twelve laps within five minutes wasn’t an impossible task anymore. When the two simultaneously landed after finishing Huo Yuhao’s last lap, they couldn’t help but stumble. Huo Yuhao hurriedly turned around and supported Wang Dong. However, he also fell backwards, causing Wang Dong to fall on top of him.
Although Wang Dong’s cultivation couldn’t be considered weak amongst his peers, he was still a child! After over three thousand metres whilst carrying Huo Yuhao, his soulforce had been slightly overdrafted. Once he landed, the pair of dazzling wings on his back were withdrawn into his body. His expression had also become pale.
Huo Yuhao was crushed under Wang Dong’s body, but the trace of a smile still appeared on his face. “Thanks. I crushed you last time, and you crushed me back this time.”
Wang Dong crawled back up with a look of revulsion on his face. “You stinking brat, do you think I want to be on top of you?”
Huo Yuhao wasn’t angered by what Wang Dong said as he crawled up along with him. Whilst panting heavily, he gave Wang Dong a thumbs-up.
Wang Dong was stunned for a moment. Then, he nodded his head and gave him a thumbs-up in reply. Following that, the two people couldn’t help but smile. Their previous grudges had also completely disappeared at this moment.
All of the students had completed a hundred laps within the stipulated time. They were now standing in the middle of Shrek Plaza, resting.
Zhou Yi expressionlessly turned towards the students as she indifferently said, “The people whose names I call, step forward. Cheng Cheng, Qiu Jianrao, Tang Dao, Shangguan Chentian, Lin Zeyu, Zhuge Yun, Tai Long, Tang Ling, and Yun Xiaopiao.”
A total of nine students were called out by her. The students had clearly never expected Zhou Yi to be able to actually call out the names of nine students, even though they hadn’t given any self-introductions.
The students who were called out slowly stepped forward.
Zhou Yi indifferently said, “You nine can go pack your luggage and leave the academy. From this moment forth, you’re no longer students of Shrek Academy.”
“Ah?” The nine students who were still tired from running were immediately astonished, while the other students erupted into an uproar.
“Teacher, why?” The tall youth named Tai Long stepped forward with an angry look on his face. Out of the students who’d completed their hundred laps, he’d been in the first group of people; he was one of the first people that had finished.
Zhou Yi coldly replied, “Shrek Academy doesn’t need students who’re full of tricks. If we cultivate a person like you, who has strength but not a good and upright attitude, the only thing you’ll bring to any country is catastrophe, not help. Tai Long, say it yourself, did you run the full hundred laps just now?”
“I naturally ran enough.” Tai Long protested.
Zhou Yi laughed. “You ran enough? If my memory serves me right, when everyone started running, you unhurriedly walked two laps due to the fact that I hadn’t arrived at Shrek Plaza yet. You only started to catch up when the leading group were on their fifth laps. Because of this, you didn’t run a full one hundred laps, but ninety-seven. I believe that I’m not the only person who saw your laziness in the beginning.”
“I…” Tai Long’s face immediately turned bright red. He never thought that Zhou Yi, who hadn’t come out to the field at the beginning, would be able to reveal his crafty tricks as if she’d seen them personally. “But, just because I ran a few laps less... you can’t expel me because of this!”
Zhou Yi snorted disdainfully. “I’ve already explained the reason why I’m expelling you. You’re not suitable to be called a student of Shrek Academy. Pack your bags and screw off.”