Douluo Continent: Thunder Roar

Shrek Square.

The sunlight was just right, making the wide stone slabs of the square almost dazzling.

The students of Class 1 quickly gathered at the edge of the square, and with a command, hundreds of them began to run along the edge of the square.

The sound of footsteps rustling together filled the air.

At first, the line managed to maintain its shape, and although the students complained, they dared not slow down.

But after just over thirty laps, the gap began to show mercilessly.

Wang Dong'er was running at the front. She was light and agile, and her dark blue short hair bounced in the sunlight. She seemed to be in complete control, and even had a hint of deliberately showing off her strength. She quickly left the main group far behind.

Following her were several other students who were also physically strong and had solid cultivation.

Ling Yu was running in the middle to slightly ahead of the group.

He wasn't the fastest, nor did he try to show off; he simply maintained a steady and even rhythm, each step he took feeling solid.

At the very back of the group, almost from the very beginning, was Huo Yuhao.

His physical fitness was clearly the weakest in the class. After running less than fifty laps, his breathing was already heavy like a bellows, his face began to turn pale, and his school uniform was soaked with sweat.

He gritted his teeth, trying hard to keep up with the students in front of him, but his legs felt like they were filled with lead, getting heavier and heavier, and the distance between them kept widening.

Time passed by, second by second.

Zhou Yi stood quietly by the square, her hands behind her back.

She didn't unleash her soul power as she had in the morning, nor did she shout at them; she simply glanced calmly at each running figure.

But this silent gaze, combined with the strength she had previously displayed and her opening remarks, created an invisible pressure that enveloped the hearts of every student.

Wang Dong'er, who was in the lead, had already completed 100 laps and was the first to cross the finish line.

She stopped, braced herself on her knees, and took a few breaths. Although her face was also sweaty, she was in much better shape than the others. She straightened up and glanced with a hint of pride at the classmates still running behind her, especially Ling Yu.

Finally, as the deadline was approaching, Huo Yuhao staggered and scrambled across the finish line, almost with the last vestiges of his blurred consciousness.

As soon as he crossed the line, his legs gave way and he fell forward, crashing heavily onto the grass. He lay there motionless, his chest rising and falling weakly and rapidly, his violent coughing coming in fits and starts. He didn't even have the strength to lift a finger, and his consciousness had slipped into a semi-conscious state.

The other students, who had already finished, were either sitting or lying down, exhausted. Seeing Huo Yuhao's miserable state, many of them showed expressions of sympathy.

Zhou Yi strode up to the group of students who were staggering and panting heavily.

"Stand up." Her voice wasn't loud, but it made everyone's hearts tighten.

The students struggled and swayed as they got up from the ground, barely managing to form a crooked and uneven line. Many of them were still panting heavily and their bodies were trembling slightly.

Zhou Yi's gaze slowly swept from the left to the right of the group, her calm phoenix eyes seemingly scrutinizing everyone.

"Cheng Cheng... Zhuge Yun, Tai Long... Yun Xiaopiao." She began, her voice steady as she announced the nine names without a pause. "Step forward."

The nine people whose names were called were visibly stunned for a moment, and their expressions changed instantly.

They exchanged glances, hesitated, and slowly stepped out of the line to stand at the front.

The other students looked at them with confusion, wondering why Teacher Zhou had suddenly called them out alone.

Zhou Yi's gaze fell on them, her tone remaining calm: "Tell me yourselves, were those one hundred laps enough?"

A hint of panic flashed across the faces of the nine people.

Tailong, steeling himself, puffed out his chest and said loudly, "Of course we ran enough! Teacher Zhou, we finished on time!"

"Really?" Zhou Yi looked at him. "If I remember correctly, when you first started running, you walked slowly for two laps, and only started catching up when the leaders had run five laps. So, did you run one hundred laps, or ninety-eight?"

Tailong's face turned bright red. He opened his mouth to retort, but when he saw Zhou Yi's eyes, which seemed to see through everything, the words stuck in his throat and he couldn't say them.

Zhou Yi then looked at the others: "Qiu Jianrao, when you reached the thirty-seventh lap, you used the excuse of tying your shoelaces and squatted down for almost a minute. Tang Dao, after the sixtieth lap, you basically walked for five of them. Lin Zeyu..."

For each name she called out, she would describe the specific details of the person who had slacked off, including the time and number of laps.

The student whose name was called grew paler and paler, breaking out in a cold sweat.

After all nine people had been called, the entire square fell silent.

All the trainees were stunned. They hadn't expected Zhou Yi to be so observant, remembering exactly who had slacked off and how much.

"If you lack strength, you can practice; if your will is weak, you can work on it." Zhou Yi's voice turned cold. "But cheating and deceiving your teachers are matters of character. All nine of you, you get zero marks for your performance in class today."

She paused, giving no one a chance to interrupt: "Now, go clean Training Ground Number One. You must finish by the end of the day. You are not allowed to leave until you have finished, nor are you allowed to eat or rest. If you do it again," her gaze was sharp as a knife, "I will suggest that the Academic Affairs Office re-examine your admission qualifications. Now, go immediately."

The nine men's faces turned ashen, and they instinctively looked at Ling Yu with pleading eyes.

They knew that Ling Yu had just fought with Zhou Yi that morning; he was strong and his words carried weight.

Zhou Yi would definitely be afraid of him as soon as he opened his mouth.

Ling Yu met their gazes, a cold smile curving his lips. He said nothing and simply turned his head to the side.

Those who resort to trickery and deceit should be severely punished.

Isn't that what teachers do?

If teachers aren't allowed to do this, what other methods can they use against students?

With their last hope dashed, the nine men could only slink away from the square and head towards the training ground.

After dealing with the nine people, Zhou Yi looked at the remaining students, her tone slightly softening: "You all saw that? What I want is your attitude of giving it your all, not your clever tricks. On the path of a Soul Master, the laziness you slack off today may cost you your life in the future."

Her gaze swept over the crowd, lingering for a moment on the faces of several students who, despite their difficulty, had clearly given their all, and there seemed to be a hint of approval in her eyes.

"As for those who truly gave it their all, even if they came in last, as long as they didn't give up, there's nothing shameful about it." Her voice was clear. "At least you dared to face your shortcomings."

"Go back to your dorms and change your clothes. We'll meet in the classroom in fifteen minutes for a theory class." With that, Zhou Yi turned and went back to the teaching building.

This time, no one dared to delay even a moment, and they all rushed to the dormitory at top speed.

Only a few students remained in the square, still recovering from the shock.

Wang Dong'er walked to Ling Yu's side, looked at Huo Yuhao who was slumped on the ground not far away, and curled her lips: "This guy is so weak, I really don't know how he got in."

Ling Yu didn't reply, and turned to walk towards Huo Yuhao.

Huo Yuhao lay on the grass, his eyes closed, his face pale, his lips chapped, his breathing weak and rapid, and his body still twitching unconsciously.

Ling Yu squatted down beside him, reaching out and hovering his hand above his chest.

A faint green light emanated from his palm, gentle and warm, slowly seeping into Huo Yuhao's body.

Soon, Huo Yuhao's tightly furrowed brows relaxed, his face regained some color, and his breathing became much more steady.

After a while, his eyelashes fluttered, he opened his eyes, saw it was Ling Yu, and said in a hoarse voice, "Th...thank you..."

"You're welcome," Ling Yu said, withdrawing his hand. "We're neighbors, aren't we?"

He stood up, said nothing more, and turned to walk towards the dormitory.

Huo Yuhao watched his departing figure, feeling the warm power within his body, his eyes filled with complex emotions.