Chapter 168: Hahaha, Chicken Soup is Ready!

Upon hearing Elder Xuan's words, Huo Yuhao didn't react much. Instead, he calmly walked over to the conference table and picked up a bowl of chicken soup that the hotel staff had prepared earlier.

"Hahaha, enjoying chicken soup is such a delight! Smack smack, it's neither too salty nor too bland, just perfect."

Watching Huo Yuhao leisurely sipping his chicken soup, as if he didn't even acknowledge his presence, Elder Xuan instantly became furious.

"You little brat, I'm talking to you! Did you hear me? What was that Sea God's Light you just released?"

Huo Yuhao took another sip of his soup, shrugged, and replied, "It's just a simulation ability. With your sharp eyes, Elder Xuan, how could you not see through such a little trick?"

"I…" Elder Xuan nearly choked in anger. "Do you really think you can fool me with a mere simulation? Do you expect me to believe that your Sea God's Light can cover the entire Star Luo City? Do you take me for a fool? Tell me, how did you do it?"

"I don't know? I've simulated the Sea God's Light in front of you before. How is this time any different from the last?" Huo Yuhao remained casual, indifferent.

Elder Xuan was furious but felt helpless against Huo Yuhao. Du Bushi was now treating Huo Yuhao like a treasure, even more dearly than his own son.

If Elder Xuan tried to use any force against Huo Yuhao, Du Bushi would certainly retaliate. As long as Du Bushi didn't directly attack Shrek Academy, not even Elder Mu would be able to protect Elder Xuan, and Du Bushi would surely give him a severe beating.

"No matter what, you must stay at Shrek Academy in the future. Now that you've used the Sea God's Light in front of everyone on the continent, you've essentially announced that you're the next successor of the Sea God Pavilion. You're bound to Shrek Academy!" Elder Xuan insisted.

"But during the pre-match announcement, it was already stated that I'm a dual-enrolled senior student of both the Body Sect and Shrek Academy, with the Body Sect ranked before Shrek Academy," Huo Yuhao replied with a grin. "So, it's inevitable that I'll leave Shrek in the future. Elder Xuan, it's impossible for you to keep me here."

"Yuhao, why would you leave Shrek Academy?" Wang Yan asked in shock. "Has the Academy not treated you well?"

"Teacher Wang, even you can't finish that sentence, right?" Huo Yuhao laughed heartily, clapping his hands.

"I'm not one to dwell on the past, but my memory is still sharp. After the freshman assessment, neither the Martial Soul Department nor the Soul Tool Department was willing to accept me as a core disciple. It was the Body Sect that came for me and took me into their ranks."

"At that time, I said, 'Thirty years east, thirty years west, don't look down on a poor youth!' For that, I gave up the so-called core disciple treatment, not to prove how amazing I was, but to hold onto my pride!"

"And now, Elder Xuan, let me ask you, is there any core disciple in the outer courtyard who can stand against me?"

Elder Xuan's face stiffened. The decision not to let Huo Yuhao become a core disciple had been his own, and it had caused quite a dispute between him and Wang Yan. But now, Huo Yuhao was using that very issue to point out that Shrek Academy had never invested any resources in him, so they had no right to demand anything from him. It was entirely fair and reasonable.

"Huo Yuhao, though the Academy may have misjudged you in the past, now that you've demonstrated your talent, you deserve to be nurtured by the Academy," Ling Luochen hesitated but tried to persuade him.

"Countless young soul masters across the Douluo Continent dream of becoming inner courtyard disciples of Shrek Academy. Now that this opportunity is before you, you should cherish it!"

"The inner courtyard?!" Huo Yuhao sneered, turning to look at Ling Luochen. "Senior Sister Ling, let me ask you, since you entered the inner courtyard, have you ever attended a single class?"

"Uh…" Ling Luochen thought for a moment and shook her head. "No."

"Have you received any special resources from the Academy, such as a superior training environment, supplemental medicines, or one-on-one guidance from a Title Douluo?" Huo Yuhao asked again.

"None," Ling Luochen admitted, even under Elder Xuan's stern gaze.

"So, what have you been doing since joining the inner courtyard?" Huo Yuhao asked.

"Most of my time has been spent on external surveillance missions. I've rarely been at the Academy," Ling Luochen replied.

"Exactly! If the inner courtyard's teaching environment is no different from the outer courtyard, with no additional resources or teaching advantages, why should I join the inner courtyard? To risk my life on these so-called missions across the continent?" Huo Yuhao sneered.

"That's enough! Huo Yuhao, no matter what you say, I won't get angry, but you shouldn't insult the young people who've died for the surveillance missions! They represent the honor of Shrek!" Elder Xuan shouted angrily.

"The honor of Shrek, is that right?" Huo Yuhao clapped his hands and pointed to the bowls of chicken soup on the table.

These bowls of soup were clear and light, with a slightly white tint, exuding a fragrant aroma that filled the room.

Since entering, Elder Xuan had smelled this aroma and had been tempted, though he'd resisted to maintain his image.

"Elder Xuan, you might find the ingredients for this soup familiar," Huo Yuhao said with a faint smile, while Elder Xuan's face turned pale as if he'd just realized something.

"Yes, these soups were made from the Lanchu Chickens I captured in the Mingdou Mountain Range. Smells good, doesn't it? But what was the price we paid to catch those chickens?"

Huo Yuhao's expression suddenly turned serious, his eyes locking onto Elder Xuan's evasive gaze.

"I could've carried out that mission with the inner courtyard surveillance team, with my senior classmates. With my Spiritual Detection Sharing, they could've sensed the soul king's attack in advance, and there wouldn't have been so many casualties."

"Or, if they had followed my method, perhaps no one would have been injured at all. We wouldn't be facing this crisis of having no one left to deploy, and Shrek Academy's thousand-year honor wouldn't have been tarnished."

"But under the wrong leadership, we made the most fatal mistake. And to catch a few chickens, we lost five inner courtyard disciples—five members of the current generation of the Shrek Seven Monsters!"

"In ancient times, a single cannon caused the death of three sages. Today, Elder Xuan, two chickens have led to the deaths of five of the Shrek Seven! With such leadership, can my safety ever be guaranteed on these missions?"

"Remember, I paid tuition to enter Shrek Academy to learn about soul masters, not to become a weapon for others, and certainly not to die for nothing!"

"If you want to talk to me about Shrek's honor, then let's do it!"

Huo Yuhao stood up, picking up the remaining bowls of chicken soup and handing them to the people at the table.

"This one's for Gongyang Mo!"

"This one's for Xixi!"

"This one's for Yao Haoxuan!"

"This one's for Chen Zifeng!"

"And this one's for Ma Xiaotao!"

"Eat it, why aren't you eating?! Eat!"