Yun Ze's five stood opposite Tang Wulin's five, their gazes naturally fixed on their opponents.
Among Shrek Academy's five, almost all eyes were on Yun Ze. Because of his age, it was impossible not to notice him.
Their faces darkened with anger. What did Sun-Moon Royal Academy think they were doing? Did they really look down on Shrek Academy?
Sending a mere six- or seven-year-old child to humiliate them was far too much—completely intolerable.
"What do you mean by this?" Tang Wulin looked up at the elder, his voice low and questioning. His dissatisfaction and anger were clear from his tone.
"This is the super genius of our academy. Only if you can defeat him would you be considered capable," the elder said with a smile, hands clasped behind his back.
It seemed he was deliberately trying to humiliate and annoy Tang Wulin and his companions, but it wasn't false—objectively, Yun Ze truly was a super genius of Sun-Moon Royal Academy. Among students under fifteen or even eighteen, except for Gu Yue'na, no one could really challenge him one-on-one. Saying that only beating him proves capability was not an exaggeration.
Yet to the audience and to Tang Wulin's group, those words were highly insulting.
The conversation could be heard outside, amplified by Spirit Vision devices, and despite the energy shield, the elder's voice carried clearly.
The audience laughed out loud, echoing each other, eager to watch the spectacle unfold.
Tang Wulin clenched his fists, his gaze icy. Xie Xie, Ye Xinglan, Xu Lizhi, and Xu Xiaoyan beside him all wore angry expressions.
"I hope your so-called super genius doesn't cry when we hit him," Tang Wulin said coldly, glancing at Yun Ze.
"Exactly! Kid, we're powerful. If you're afraid of pain, better get off the stage now and have someone else fight," Xie Xie taunted Yun Ze, pretending to be fierce, trying to scare the child.
"Haha, right! Kid, look at my fists—they're like sandbags! One punch, and you'll feel the pain for a long time," Xu Lizhi added with a laugh.
He was chubby, and his fists were indeed like little sandbags.
Xu Xiaoyan covered her mouth to giggle lightly, while Ye Xinglan's lips curved into a teasing smile.
The other side was using a six- or seven-year-old to insult them, so they could return the insult. In a war of words, they were fearless.
The tension on stage skyrocketed with their mockery.
Gu Yue'na's expression turned icy; elemental fluctuations in the air intensified, as if they were about to spiral out of control.
The opponents' words stirred murderous intent within her.
Xue Liushuang and the other two also looked displeased. These words weren't just insulting Yun Ze—they were an insult to all of Sun-Moon Royal Academy.
Even the elder hovering in the air furrowed his brow. But Yun Ze, the target of the insults, remained calm.
He showed no change in expression, as if the words hadn't been spoken to him. There was not a hint of displeasure or anger. His calmness was frightening.
"I hope you can make me cry later," Yun Ze said nonchalantly, utterly indifferent.
"Asking to be beaten? That's a new one. Little brother, that's not a healthy habit—you should correct it," Xie Xie said in a lecturing tone.
He was utterly unrestrained in his mockery, unaware that he was flirting dangerously with his own demise.
Yun Ze merely gave him a cold glance. That glance sent a chill down Xie Xie's spine, as if a deathly gaze had fixed on him.
He ignored Xie Xie; he had no habit of arguing with people. To him, the three speaking were already half-dead.
Though circumstances prevented him from killing them now, in the future, these three would have only one path: death.
He didn't verbally respond to the taunts and said to the four beside him: "You all step down. I'll handle them alone."
His tone was calm yet left no room for doubt. Hearing this, Snow Liushuang and the other two immediately moved to exit the stage.
Even Gu Yue'na couldn't refuse—his words seemed to carry a strange compulsion.
Snow Liushuang and the others were unsure; instinct told them to step down, yet reason made them hesitate.
"Are you sure you can handle it?" Gu Yue'na had wanted to stay on stage to help, but the words that came out were only these four.
"Five of them? That's more than enough," Yun Ze replied.
Xue Liushuang, Weng Daimin, and Jian Mocheng exchanged glances, indecisive. Go or stay—either choice seemed wrong.
The elder hovering above, strong in his own right, heard Yun Ze's conversation and looked surprised. With a flash, he appeared before the five.
"Yun Ze, are you serious?" he asked, referring to Yun Ze's command for Gu Yue'na and the others to step down.
"Is there anything more humiliating than a six-year-old single-handedly defeating five first-year Shrek Academy students?" Yun Ze replied.
"Let them step down. If I lose, I take full responsibility," he said.
The elder hesitated, but Yun Ze's words stirred him. He even felt a strange, inexplicable trust in the boy.
He knew Yun Ze's background and his ancient connections; if the match were lost, Yun Ze could genuinely shoulder the responsibility.
After rapid internal deliberation, the elder bit his teeth and decided, telling Gu Yue'na and the others: "All of you step down first."
Hearing this, Snow Liushuang and the others didn't hesitate and left the stage.
"Be careful," Gu Yue'na said with concern. After receiving a nod in response, she followed the others off.
Their departure shocked many in the stands, and discussion erupted.
The live stream chat was full of question marks. Were they really not going to fight?
Xu Lin and other Sun-Moon Royal Academy leaders frowned, completely confused.
"What are they doing?" Xie Xie muttered.
"Are they scared?" Xu Xiaoyan asked.
"Let's wait and see," Tang Wulin said grimly, noticing that the six-year-old remained on stage.
The elder returned to mid-air and, looking beyond the transparent Spirit Vision shield, announced loudly:
"At the students' request, the 5v5 match is now changed to a 1v5 match: Sun-Moon Royal Academy's Yun Ze will face five first-year students from Shrek Academy."
"The match will begin in one minute. Both sides, please prepare."
The crowd erupted in shock. Many stood in disbelief, questioning if they had heard correctly.
The live stream chat exploded with question marks. Even Sun-Moon Royal Academy, confident as they were, shouldn't be this reckless. Could this six-year-old really take on five?
"Ridiculous," a senior academy member fumed, about to object, but Xu Lin waved him off.
"It's come to this. We'll just watch and see. Any complaints can wait until after the match," Xu Lin said.
Reluctantly, the other senior leaders suppressed their displeasure and turned their eyes toward the battlefield.
(End of Chapter)