Chapter 132. Class Stand-off
“Teacher Zhou.” Huo Yuhao arrived before Zhou Yi and bowed to her respectfully.
It had been more than three months since they had left the academy. Zhou Yi looked at Huo Yuhao and the two others. The suffering that they had endured over the past three months had clearly made them calmer, and it even felt like they had grown taller. The determined look in their eyes astonished Zhou Yi even more – that was an expression of unwavering faith and unshakable belief! She had only seen this kind of look from inner courtyard disciples before.
Her amazement was amplified because they were familiar. Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao seemed to have transformed in Zhou Yi’s eyes. They had shed their youth and inexperience, and they had truly become restrained and mature. Even though they were only children who were not even thirteen years of age, Zhou Yi could see the embryonic shadows of top-ranked soul masters in them.
“Glad to see everyone back.” Zhou Yi realized that her voice was a little shaky when she said these words. Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and Xiao Xiao had been the most outstanding students she had ever mentored since she became a teacher in Shrek’s outer courtyard. Zhou Yi placed a lot of hope and faith on the three of them – but greater hope meant greater disappointment. Zhou Yi was far too worried during the three months that they weren’t around, but her position inside the academy was not high enough, and she couldn’t possibly know too many secrets.
She only heard about their bewildering performance from Fan Yu after the Continental Advanced Soul Master Academy Soul Dueling Tournament’s conclusion. She was filled with pride – she was one who had taught them, and they were her students! She longed for their return, and even the thought that the academy could take them into the inner courtyard crossed her mind.
The three of them had finally returned. When Fan Yu told Zhou Yi that Elder Xuan had decided to let the three of them continue learning in the outer courtyard, Zhou Yi was so excited that she didn’t sleep for the whole night. However, their subsequent closed-door cultivation would take nearly two months. The relationship between Zhou Yi and the three of them wasn’t just a normal teacher-student relationship anymore; there was a special emotional attachment involved. She felt as if she were a mother watching her children grow up.
Zhou Yi was exhilarated, but Mu Jin’s expression was a little dark. The initially proud look in her eyes had clearly changed. She could tell that Huo Yuhao and the two others’ personalities and demeanors were quite different from before, and her confidence in absolute victory immediately took a hit.
Dai Huabin stepped forward and whispered in her ear, “We will definitely emerge victorious, Teacher Mu. We will win even if we have to sacrifice everything.”
Mu Jin’s eyes sparkled as she glanced at him, and Dai Huabin nodded his head forcefully. Mu Jin could see roaring flames in his eyes – how incredible was that fighting spirit?