SWNOVELXO Chapter 166: I challenge you
Qin Ming couldn't answer Yu Feng's question.
He had indeed let down the Heaven Dou Royal Academy and his students who had followed him.
Qin Ming was well aware of this.
Since he couldn't answer the question, he decided to change the topic—to "take control."
Since Yu Feng accused Shrek of having double standards and even called him, Qin Ming, an ingrate…
No, actually, he said that everyone in Shrek was an ingrate!
On second thought, that wasn't entirely wrong.
Since he couldn't refute it, he wouldn't. Instead, he would throw the question back to Yu Feng.
Standing on the moral high ground, he asked Yu Feng, "Is this respecting teachers and honoring traditions?"
Although Qin Ming wasn't exactly Yu Feng's teacher, he had taught Yu Feng before, so he could be considered a half-teacher.
If he could establish that Yu Feng's behavior showed disrespect for teachers and traditions, the boy would be scorned by everyone!
Upon hearing this, Yu Feng was stunned.
As if realizing something, he let a slight smirk show on his lips.
Who among those studying at the Heaven Dou Royal Academy wasn't of noble birth?
Even if they weren't nobles, they were still from powerful clans!
With Qin Ming's little mind games, Yu Feng only had to think for a moment before he saw right through them.
"Qin Ming, you still have the nerve to say that?"
Yu Feng's expression instantly shifted to anger, as if flipping a page.
"Being taught by you is the greatest shame for my entire Heaven Dou Royal Team!"
"Is this how you teach your students?"
"You're the ones from Shrek who spout nonsense about how not daring to cause trouble makes one a coward. Only people from your academy could glorify bullying the weak like that!"
Qin Ming's teaching style, naturally, was much like Shrek Academy's.
Of course, he didn't require Yu Tianheng and the others to go through physical training.
Heaven Dou Royal Academy and Shrek Academy were worlds apart. Making nobles run while carrying weights? That would be a "death sentence" to them.
Nobles ought to have a noble way of cultivating.
Yu Tianheng, Yu Feng, Dugu Yan—who among them didn't have their own family training methods?
Qin Ming, a self-made man, how could he possibly teach these descendants of great families?
Could his personal experience compare with the methods perfected over generations or even dozens of generations?
The audience collectively gasped. What a line—"Not daring to cause trouble is cowardice"!
No wonder, no wonder Shrek Academy dared to cause a scene at a Soul Douluo's disciple ceremony.
They truly practiced what they preached.
"Qin Ming, any teacher with a shred of integrity would never wish for their disciples or students to lose in battle!"
"If it were a life-or-death struggle, it could cost us our lives!"
Yu Feng paused, then continued, "But you, Qin Ming, actually hoped we'd lose to Shrek Academy."
"Just because you came from Shrek Academy, right?"
"If you're Shrek Academy's dog, why didn't you just stay there and die instead of coming here to ruin things for us?!"
By this point, Yu Feng was almost shouting himself hoarse.
For Qin Ming, who was only a team leader, winning or losing didn't mean much to him. Even if they lost, no one would remember him.
But for them, how many people were watching and waiting to mock them?
To lose to the Shrek team, who had overall lower strength?
This time, they simply wanted to reclaim the honor they'd once lost.
Yet Tang San actually wanted to fight them to the death!
Fine, but after losing, they still had the nerve to boast!
They were all living people—why should they let Shrek walk all over them?!
Tang San: "…"
Actually, it wasn't his first time being alive.
Hearing this, some nobles nodded in agreement.
To them, no matter how much Qin Ming had risen, he was still just a "peasant" at heart.
They, the nobility, were different.
"Sigh…"
Suddenly, Meng Shenji in the VIP section let out a sigh and stood up.
The already quiet crowd quickly took notice of his movements and voice.
"Yu Feng, enough," he said.
"It was the blindness of us three old men that led us to foster this ingrate!"
"Because of him, we even made an exception to allow Flender and his people into Heaven Dou Royal Academy…"
At this point, Meng Shenji turned to glance at Prince Xue Xing and Fourth Prince Xue Beng beside him.
"Thankfully, Fourth Prince and Prince Xue Xing saw through them and chased those ingrates out, preventing the empire and the academy from suffering even greater losses."
With those words, the expressions of everyone present became colorful.
Especially Xue Beng and Xue Xing—their original intention had merely been to get rid of Shrek's group to weaken the Crown Prince, Xue Qinghe's, influence.
They had never expected things to work out so perfectly.
The two exchanged a glance, twitching slightly at the corners of their eyes, their expressions increasingly strange.
With Meng Shenji, the head teaching committee member of Heaven Dou Royal Academy, personally stepping in, this had transcended personal disputes—it was now an issue between two academies!
Zhongli watched the "farce" unfolding before him and shook his head. Ultimately, it all boiled down to the law of the strong.
Had Shrek Academy won this match, none of this would be happening.
But they had lost.
The resentment Heaven Dou Royal Academy had accumulated was ready to explode at the slightest provocation, especially against a weaker opponent.
If Shrek Academy had a more powerful backer, Heaven Dou Royal Academy might have endured it.
But for a weaker opponent? Why tolerate it?
This wasn't a scenario from a Female channel novel where a Nascent Soul cultivator would endure slander from a Foundation Establishment cultivator just to prove a point…
If this weren't the arena, if this weren't the opening ceremony, then fists would have already become the ultimate argument here.
"Yes, Dean Meng!"
"Don't get angry, he's not worth it!"
Yu Feng shot a sidelong glance at Qin Ming below, clearly signaling exactly what he meant.
At that moment, Qin Ming's fists were clenched, his jaw practically grinding.
This Yu Feng had actually called him…
Qin Ming's whole body trembled with rage. He wanted nothing more than to tear Yu Feng and Meng Shenji apart, but he knew he was no match for Meng Shenji at this point!
Even if the entire Shrek Academy joined forces, they couldn't compete with Heaven Dou Royal Academy.
"Meng Shenji! Today you publicly insult me and my Academy!"
With red eyes, Qin Ming continued, "Do you dare give me ten years? In ten years, I'll return to Heaven Dou Royal Academy and settle this with you in a life-and-death duel!"
"As for you, Yu Feng…"
"When I finish off this old man, you'd better pray that we never meet again!"
As soon as Qin Ming's words fell, the crowd collectively gasped again, their eyes wide with shock.
Had Qin Ming lost his mind?
To say such things in public!
Was this… was this what it meant to be one of Shrek Academy's "brave generals"?
Zhongli, who was sipping tea, nearly spat it out.
Was he for real?
With his "ten-year challenge," Meng Shenji could end him right now!
And then he'd finish off Meng Shenji and Yu Feng?
That would mean offending Yu Feng's entire family as well!
No wonder this was Douluo Continent—where even the so-called "righteous" characters lacked any sense.
And the "villains" had none either.
"Outrageous! Qin Ming, you insolent dog!"
"Such arrogance! Who are you to challenge the head committee member?"