Chapter 322 - 19

Chapter 19: Xue Di's Plan and Huo Yuhao's ReturnDai Youheng's heart stirred upon hearing this.A hundred-thousand-year spirit ring? Another hundred-thousand-year spirit ring! And from what Snow Empress said, the skill brought by this spirit ring would be very special?But he immediately calmed down and asked the most crucial question, "A hundred-thousand-year spirit ring? With my current body strength and spirit power level, how can I withstand the energy Impact of a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring? Even with Xiao Bai's help to suppress it, I'm afraid it would be...""Under normal circumstances, unless it's like my sister and I, who willingly perform a soul sacrifice and seal most of our power, it would indeed be impossible for a Spirit Ancestor like you to absorb a hundred-thousand-year spirit ring."Snow Empress affirmed his concerns, but then her tone shifted, "However, with me by your side now, I can help you seal a portion of that spirit ring's power, increasing your chances of successfully absorbing it!""Its characteristics are simply a perfect match for you right now!" Snow Empress's tone was full of confidence.Dai Youheng's curiosity was completely piqued, "Oh? What kind of Spirit Beast is so special?""Don't rush," Snow Empress, for once, played coy, her voice carrying a hint of a smile, "When the time is right, you'll naturally know. Telling you now would just spoil the surprise. The most pressing matter is to reach level forty as soon as possible."Dai Youheng was calm by nature, and seeing that Snow Empress was unwilling to say more, he didn't press further. After all, there was still some distance to level forty, and he had plenty of time.Moreover, he had considerable trust in Snow Empress's judgment."Good," he responded concisely, his mind already listing "reach level forty as soon as possible" and "find a reasonable excuse to go out" as top priorities.Just as his soul conversation with Snow Empress came to an end, he felt Zhou Sichen next to him gently nudge his shoulder with an elbow."Youheng? Youheng! What are you spacing out about? You didn't even notice class was over. How dare you zone out during Old Lady Zhou's class? Luckily she didn't come down to patrol today," Zhou Sichen whispered, reminding him.Dai Youheng suddenly woke up, only then realizing that his classmates were already packing up, preparing to leave the classroom in twos and threes. Zhou Yi's figure was long gone from the podium.It turned out that, without realizing it, he and Snow Empress had discussed for an entire class. As for what Spirit Master theories, combat techniques, or academy rules Zhou Yi had taught in this class... he had no idea.He stood up with a calm expression, beginning to pack up his textbooks, which he hadn't even opened many pages of, as if he had only taken a short nap.Zhou Sichen looked at him like this and couldn't help but mutter, "You're really strange today, but what you told me earlier about the development of my Spirit was so insightful! Thanks, brother!"Dai Youheng noncommittally "hmm"-ed, his gaze already directed out the window, as if looking out at the Extreme North Land, or perhaps planning a path to leave the Academy and journey towards greater power.Classroom knowledge? Trivial matters among classmates—these were no longer important to him.A few days later, on a certain morning, a minor commotion arose at the entrance of Shrek Academy. A dust-covered young man finally appeared in everyone's sight; it was Huo Yuhao, who had been missing for a long time.Wang Dong, who had been waiting anxiously near the entrance, was the first to spot him. She excitedly rushed over, both complaining and delighted, pulling him towards the Academy, afraid he would miss anything else.Dai Youheng stood by the corridor window of the teaching building, watching this scene from afar. His gaze was calm, but his soul perception was like the most precise instrument, carefully scanning Huo Yuhao."Indeed..." he thought to himself, "Although the spirit power fluctuation is only around level twenty, the spirit power is deep and icy cold. His spiritual sea is even more vast; it seems the Ice Jade Empress Scorpion is already in place."This guy currently had a million-year spirit ring, a four-hundred-thousand-year spirit ring, plus a four-hundred-thousand-year torso Spirit Bone. Just the age of his spirit rings alone was nearly double his own.Youheng sighed a little. Since that guy in the Mark of the Sky wanted to throw him over, why couldn't he have thrown him earlier? The Tianmeng Iceworm was one thing, but now even gathering the Snow Empress and Ice Empress had become a luxury.As for Huo Yuhao himself, Dai Youheng honestly felt nothing. He had neither the natural goodwill or sympathy arising from the original plot, nor any excessive feelings of disgust.In his opinion, the early Huo Yuhao was a hardworking, tenacious, somewhat clever, and principled normal person. Although he had a habit of cheating a bit, in a World where the strong prey on the weak, this wasn't a major flaw.Unfortunately, after the Valley of Affection, this guy gradually fell into the meticulously woven net of Tang San. The so-called tempering, the so-called opportunities, and even love and destiny, were all clearly calculated by that high and mighty God King.The dignified Son of Fortune of his generation, who should have had infinite possibilities, ultimately devolved into Tang San's most loyal dog for maintaining family rule and extending the authority of the God Realm. Truly lamentable and pitiable.Just as his thoughts were swirling, the news of Huo Yuhao's return had already alarmed the Academy's higher-ups.As the original plot unfolded, Zhou Yi and Vice Dean Fan Yu of the Soul Tool Department immediately stepped forward, using Huo Yuhao's status as a core disciple of the Soul Tool Department as a reason to protect him from being expelled for tardiness.And this naturally drew strong questioning and difficulties from Zhou Yi's old rival, Class Two homeroom teacher Mu Jin.The two argued endlessly in the Academic Affairs Office, one insisting that rules must be enforced, the other emphasizing the special status of a Soul Tool Department core disciple and Huo Yuhao's value.Although Dai Youheng was not present, he could imagine the tense atmosphere. The feud between Mu Jin and Zhou Yi was no secret in the Academy; there were both emotional entanglements and the old grudge of Zhou Yi expelling Mu Jin's younger brother years ago. The two were almost irreconcilable."Core disciple?" Dai Youheng stroked his chin. He remembered that he seemed to be one of the core disciples as well.This was not surprising. Although Simp Youheng, with his level thirty-plus spirit power at fourteen, couldn't compare to monsters who reached Spirit King at fourteen, fifteen, or sixteen, he was still quite good within the scope of ordinary geniuses.What's more, his Spirit was the Evil Shadow Demonic Tiger, which had undergone a beneficial mutation—a top-tier attack system Beast Spirit with immense potential.In last year's freshman assessment competition, although the bootlicker's individual strength wasn't the absolute top, he had good luck, was assigned decent teammates, and he himself fought with all his might to perform in front of Huo Yuhao, Wang Dong, and others, eventually stumbling his way to the top four and earning the qualification of a core disciple."This identity can be put to good use," a glint flashed in Dai Youheng's eyes. Core disciples not only had the privilege of immunity from expulsion but also enjoyed many conveniences in terms of resource exchange, library access, consulting teachers, and even requesting leave. This provided a good layer of camouflage for his subsequent plans.He watched Huo Yuhao, who was finally surrounded by Wang Dong and Xiao Xiao as he left the Academic Affairs Office and headed to the classroom, his gaze profound."Huo Yuhao's cheat is already in place; I must also speed up. Level forty... I must reach it as soon as possible! That special hundred-thousand-year Spirit Beast Snow Empress spoke of, I am determined to obtain it!"He no longer lingered, turning and walking towards the classroom. The peaceful life at Shrek Academy, for him, was merely a dormant period for accumulating strength and waiting for the opportune moment. The true stage lay in the vast and dangerous World outside the Academy.