Douluo Continent: Thunder Roar

Both sides, supporting and opposing the dismissal, held their own opinions and neither could convince the other, but the argument only grew more heated.

Several senior officials who were neutral or had not yet expressed their opinions frowned and exchanged glances, clearly feeling that the situation was also quite difficult.

All eyes, whether openly or subtly, turned once again to the old man at the end of the long table, who had remained silent throughout.

Moon remained seated there quietly, like an unchanging rock. The raging waves outside seemed to have no effect on him whatsoever.

After a long while, when the arguing subsided temporarily due to exhaustion, Moon finally slowly opened his eyes.

He didn't look at Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er, who were arguing heatedly, nor at Xuanzi, who looked troubled. His gaze swept over each of the elders indifferently, and finally landed on the light and shadow cast by the window, as if he were gazing at something distant.

Then, he spoke in that aged, slow, yet strangely resolute voice.

"Rules are inanimate."

The very first sentence made everyone hold their breath.

"Zhou Yi, uphold the rules in your heart. Ling Yu, challenge those rules." Mu En spoke slowly, as if stating a fact unrelated to himself. "Shao Zhe must uphold the authority of the rules. Lin'er sees possibilities beyond the rules."

He paused, his gaze finally sweeping over Yan Shaozhe and Xian Lin'er. There was no blame or support in his eyes, only a deep and unfathomable calm.

"What you're arguing about is 'whether or not to be punished,' and 'how to punish them.'"

"But have you ever thought about...?"

Moon's voice rose slightly, though it remained calm, it struck everyone's heart like a heavy hammer:

"Why would a freshman on his first day of school risk expulsion to bang his head against Zhou Yi's wall in the most drastic way?"

"Why were his words able to silence Fan Yu, and to leave all one hundred freshmen present speechless?"

"Firing him is easy. A piece of paper, a stamp."

Moon shook his head slightly, a movement so subtle it was almost invisible.

"But expelling him will erase what he said and did today? Will it make those hundred new students pretend they saw and heard nothing?"

"Does that prove Zhou Yi is right? Does it uphold the academy's authority?"

"So that we old folks can... comfortably continue to follow the old 'rules' and pretend the problem doesn't exist?"

He asked a series of questions, which were not heated, but they made the ministers, who had just been arguing, feel a sudden sinking feeling in their hearts.

"The rules in people's hearts are much harder to change than the rules on paper." Moon's gaze turned to the window again, his tone carrying an almost ethereal quality, "And they are also much more important."

He withdrew his gaze, looked at everyone present again, and made his decision.

"Ling Yu, don't expel him."

Yan Shaozhe's body trembled, and he opened his mouth to speak.

Moon raised his hand to stop him.

"Let Zhou Yi walk her own path. Wherever she ultimately ends up, it is all her own doing."

This punishment was far too lenient than anyone could have imagined. Ling Yu was not severely punished, and Zhou Yi received virtually no "punishment" either; it was more like being given a way out.

"Elder Mu! How... how can this convince the public?" Yan Shaozhe couldn't help but ask.

Mu En glanced at him, and that glance made Yan Shaozhe's words catch in his throat.

"Win them over?" Mu En said slowly. "Shao Zhe, will you win them over by expelling Ling Yu today? Will the freshmen who have heard him obey? Will the teachers who also have doubts about Zhou Yi's methods obey? Or are you just trying to make them 'afraid'?"

Yan Shaozhe was speechless.

"As for Ling Yu..." Mu En's tone returned to calm, "Since he has his own reasons and the ability to put them into practice, then let him stay in Class One."

"Shrek's podium is not just for teachers."

"The voices of students should also be heard."

"He wants to prove his way, so let him prove it. Prove it in Class One, prove it at Shrek."

"We," Moon's gaze slowly swept across the entire room, including the hesitant Xianlin'er and the silent Xuanzi, "will just watch."

"Let's see if the old wall is harder, or the new fire burns brighter."

"Let's see how far that spark he ignited can illuminate, and how long it can burn."

"Let's also take a look at our ancient academy..."

Moon's voice lowered, becoming almost inaudible, yet it struck everyone's hearts with a powerful resonance:

"...Is it really true that all that's left is a bunch of old walls, the kind that will only leave you with a bloody head if you crash into them?"

After he finished speaking, he closed his eyes again, as if he had exhausted all his strength, or as if he had made a final and unquestionable conclusion about the meeting.

No dismissal, no severe punishment.

Neither support nor interfere.

Just... watching.

Inside the Sea God Pavilion, all was deathly silent.

Yan Shaozhe's expression shifted, eventually settling into a long sigh as he slumped back into his chair.

Xianlin'er opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but seeing Mu En's already closed eyes, she silently sat down, her eyes filled with complex emotions.

Xuanzi scratched his head, muttered "That little bastard got off easy," and took another swig of wine.

The other senior officials were either deep in thought, furrowed brows, or showed expressions of understanding.

They suddenly understood Moon's intention.

He neither expressed support for either side, nor did he directly change any rules.

He left Ling Yu, this "variable," on the chessboard and in the most basic soil of Shrek Academy.

Let the collisions happen naturally, let the ideas clash on their own, and let change... slowly permeate from the smallest details, from the bottom up.

This is a far more profound and dangerous strategy than any swift and decisive action.

Because no one can predict the outcome.

And Moon, this seemingly exhausted old man, is using his last moments and prestige to stake an immeasurable future for Shrek Academy and for the continent.

……

Before we knew it, it was afternoon.

Wang Dong'er slowly woke up, a hangover-like heaviness still lingering between her brows.

She blinked, looking at the blanket that covered her so snugly, then subconsciously touched her forehead, where a reassuring warmth still lingered. Turning to look at Ling Yu on the opposite bed, who was sitting cross-legged with his eyes closed, breathing calmly, her gaze was extremely complex.

Shock, embarrassment, confusion... and a hint of fear at having her secret forcibly exposed, as well as a sense of dependence on Ling Yu's words, "You're not that kind of person," which she herself had not yet fully understood.

He saw through her, but instead of belittling her or publicizing it, he gave her crucial guidance and...treatment when she was most at a loss.

She bit her lip, propped herself up, and said in a slightly hoarse voice, as if she had just woken up, with a hint of awkwardness: "Feed... Ling Yu."

Ling Yu opened his eyes and looked at her.

"Um... thank you." Wang Dong'er's gaze flickered for a moment before finally settling on his face, her voice softening, "Help me... and also, what you said before."

Ling Yu remained calm, only nodding slightly: "It's good that you're awake. Get ready, we're going to class."

His attitude remained indifferent, but this indifference strangely reassured Wang Dong'er at that moment.

This consistent and nonchalant attitude greatly alleviated her inner turmoil.

"Oh... okay." Wang Dong'er responded, this time without arguing or acting up, and her movements were even more nimble than usual.

Upon arriving at the classroom of Class 1 of freshmen, even before entering, one could hear a cacophony of voices buzzing inside, all revolving around the earth-shattering duel that morning.

When Ling Yu and Wang Dong'er walked into the classroom one after the other, all the sounds suddenly fell silent, and countless eyes were cast at them. Curiosity, inquiry, awe, doubt... all sorts of emotions intertwined, with the vast majority focused on Ling Yu.

Ling Yu seemed oblivious and walked straight to the empty seat.

Following behind him, Wang Dong'er felt the focused gazes, but instead of feeling uncomfortable, she subconsciously raised her chin slightly.

Hmph, what are you looking at?

That's my roommate!

Although he's an annoying, taciturn guy, he's actually quite capable.

A subtle sense of pride welled up inside her, and she even took a half-step closer to Ling Yu, as if she could share in the "focus" of everyone's attention.

Just then—

"Tap, tap, tap..."

A clear and rhythmic sound of high heels clicking on the floor came from the corridor, approaching from afar. It was unhurried but carried a strange penetrating power, instantly silencing the last whispers in the classroom.

Everyone held their breath, looking towards the classroom door with curiosity and doubt.

Everyone is speculating which new teacher the college will send to take over Class One after what happened this morning.

The sound of high heels was clearly not that of Teacher Wang Yan from this morning.

Teacher Wang Yan doesn't wear high heels.

It seems we won't be seeing that infamous teacher, Zhou Yi, anytime soon.

The footsteps stopped at the door.

The door was pushed open.

A female teacher walked in.

She was completely different from any teacher anyone would have imagined.

She looked to be in the prime of her life, tall and voluptuous, exuding the unique charm of a mature woman.

Her long, jet-black hair cascaded over her shoulders, adorned only with a simple pearl hair clip at her temple.

She wore a meticulously tailored deep purple long dress, over which she wore a matching suit jacket, exuding elegance, grace, and nobility. Her skin was fair, and her features were striking and captivating, especially her phoenix eyes, which shone with a calm and profound light.

She stood quietly behind the podium, not speaking immediately, but slowly and steadily looking at each student in the classroom with her calm phoenix eyes.

Her gaze finally fell on the window seat, where it met Ling Yu's calmly raised eyes.

Eyes facing each other.

The entire classroom was completely silent; you could hear a pin drop.

All the students, including Wang Dong'er who had just been a little smug, were completely stunned, staring blankly at the unfamiliar and beautiful female teacher on the podium.

Who is this?

Is this a new homeroom teacher?

She looks...so young, so beautiful, and has such a unique aura.

This doesn't seem like the kind of behavior that can keep such a troublesome class in check at all.

Why would the college send a teacher like this?