Douluo Dalu 2: Reincarnated as the Auspicious Beast

Wang Dong reluctantly stood up.

He could tell at a glance that this old witch was simply looking for trouble.

When Zhou Yi had angrily demanded to know who had fought earlier, neither he nor An Wen had answered.

For one, his relationship with An Wen had somewhat improved after the events of the previous night. When Wang Dong, having lost their bet, started cleaning their dorm, An Wen's attitude had softened significantly.

Wang Dong wasn't very skilled at chores, so he spent most of the night struggling with the task. Eventually, An Wen lent him a hand to finish up—even though she wasn't great at it either. Together, they managed to clean up more efficiently.

In the end, they shared the snacks Wang Rui had brought back, putting their previous conflict behind them. That fight might as well have never happened.

Wang Dong reluctantly admitted that his roommate wasn't all that bad.

Second, it was obvious that student fights were not allowed. From Zhou Yi's aggressive questioning, it was clear she intended to punish someone. Soul masters sparring was normal—only a fool would voluntarily admit to it under such circumstances.

Wang Dong had grown up in the Haotian Sect, where he had witnessed the strength of true powerhouses, including his two uncles—Niu Tian and Tai Tan. Both were among the most formidable experts of their time. Zhou Yi's abilities didn't impress him in the slightest.

Even his uncles had never spoken to him in such a condescending tone. What gave Zhou Yi the right?

Naturally, Wang Dong wasn't inclined to show her respect.

But a peculiar thought kept surfacing in his mind—teachers should be respected, no matter their attitude.

Wang Dong stared at Zhou Yi's aged face, a wave of inexplicable annoyance washing over him.

"I know you and that boy had a duel. There's a record in the dueling grounds," Zhou Yi said coldly. "I thought you two were different from those cowards."

The other freshmen in Class One glared at her in anger.

"I was going to commend your courage—but you turned out to be such a coward, unable to even admit to a fight. I'm very disappointed in you. Get out and run two hundred laps. If you can't finish, you're expelled as well."

Why?

Wang Dong was furious and wanted to retort, but the words wouldn't come out.

What confused him even more was the strange sensation growing within—a peculiar respect for Zhou Yi. Not for her as a person, but for her status as a teacher.

What was going on?!

Wang Dong couldn't understand it. What was there to respect about this old hag?

"One," Zhou Yi began to count.

Annoying, annoying, annoying!

The foreign awareness in Wang Dong's mind grew louder, amplifying his irritation. He felt his anger toward Zhou Yi slipping away, replaced by an overwhelming compulsion to comply.

He was about to surrender to it.

That foreign consciousness seemed to echo a message he had never heard before: "A teacher for a day is akin to a father for life."

"Two."

The compulsion grew stronger. Wang Dong felt his mind being consumed by it, as if he were losing control over himself.

The unfamiliar voice reverberated like a temple bell, making his head throb.

A sliver of fear crept into him.

"Three. Are you running or leaving?" Zhou Yi issued her final ultimatum.

Struggling against the throbbing pain in his head, Wang Dong finally gave Zhou Yi a fierce glare before dashing out of the classroom.

Only then did the pain begin to subside slightly.

The other freshmen, who had hoped Wang Dong would resist to the end, looked on with a tinge of disappointment.

"What about the rest of you? Run or leave?" Zhou Yi glared at the remaining students in Class One.

Seeing their classmates forced to yield, the rest of the first-year students reluctantly filed out to the field, their faces filled with indignation.

As they began their punishment laps, Zhou Yi's lifeless, wrinkled face betrayed no emotion, though her younger-looking eyes revealed a glimmer of satisfaction.

Zhou Yi's voice, grating and loud like a broken gong, echoed through the dilapidated building.

The sound carried clearly into the classrooms of the other first-year classes. Nearly every student in Class Nine was peeking out the windows, watching their peers in Class One being punished.

The children, all around eleven or twelve years old, began whispering among themselves.

"Do you think our teacher will be that scary too?"

"Ugh… What's the point of running? I don't want to run. I'd rather spend the time cultivating."

"Running a hundred laps? Not everyone can do that. People have different physiques!" Wu Feng grumbled, clearly worried about Ning Tian.

The room buzzed with chatter. Huo Yuqing tugged at Wang Rui's sleeve and asked quietly, "An Wen got expelled… Will she be okay?"

Wang Rui dismissed the concern with a casual wave. "Don't worry. Even if that teacher downstairs gets expelled, An Wen won't."

For one, there was Long Xiaoyao's connection. And then there was Elder Mu, who had already identified An Wen's ultimate attribute. There was no way she'd get expelled unless Elder Mu had lost his mind.

So, he wasn't the least bit concerned.

"Don't worry, everyone," a gentle voice suddenly chimed in.

At the front of the classroom, near the window, stood a woman in her thirties. She wore a light green dress and blended in with the students as she looked out the window, her face alight with glee.

She looked as if she were celebrating an early holiday, practically writing the words "served her right" across her face.

This was Mu Jin, the homeroom teacher of Class Nine—a traditional member of the Soul Guidance Department and one corner of a melodramatic teacher love triangle. She had ultimately lost to Zhou Yi in that drama.

Naturally, seeing Zhou Yi suffer gave Mu Jin immense satisfaction.