Xiao Wu, Is Your Tail Real?

After Tang San had completely absorbed the Soul Ring's energy, dawn was already breaking. Absorbing a single Soul Ring had actually taken two or three shichen. Wu Liang was speechless. Fortunately, he had gone back to the tent halfway through to sleep.

By the time Wu Liang came out, Tang San had only just finished. Looking at the master, who had stood guard for Tang San all night, Wu Liang could not help but feel admiration. This was what it meant to be a teacher.

Seeing that the sky was already growing light, Wu Liang began to make a fire. After a night of fighting, the Soul Beasts in this forest had probably returned to their dens to rest. Soul Beasts that came out at night were dangerous, while those that hunted during the day were relatively safe outside the depths of the forest. Their camp was not yet deep in the forest, so he was not too worried.

Wu Liang boiled a pot of water and made some porridge. The master and Tang San had also finished discussing the changes in his martial soul. Everyone gathered around and ate breakfast with dried meat, then prepared to return to the academy. Their purpose in coming out had been accomplished, and a forest was still a forest. Every extra moment spent here meant more danger.

On the way back, Wu Liang hunted another Blazing Cat Demon that was over four hundred years old and added a Soul Ring to his other martial soul as well. The master had wanted to say something, but Wu Liang did not want him to misunderstand, so he could only explain, "Teacher, I know what you want to say, but my martial soul doesn't consume Soul Rings. I think I mentioned it to you before—my martial soul only adds Soul Rings to increase the power of its skills. It doesn't benefit from the age increase. If a bunch of white Soul Rings didn't look so bad, I'd have wanted all ten-year Soul Rings."

After hearing that, the master said nothing more. He merely shook his head and continued on.

They had spent three days coming out, but less than two days returning. Wu Liang had not seen Kanna for so long. He wondered how she was doing at the academy and whether she had gotten used to it.

After returning to the academy, Wu Liang and Tang San parted ways with the master.

When they returned to the dormitory, they saw Kanna surrounded by a group of little boys, while Kanna kept stuffing snacks into her mouth.

When Kanna saw Wu Liang and Tang San return, she tossed aside her snacks, pushed through the crowd, and ran to Wu Liang. Wu Liang picked her up. Seeing the burning look in her eyes, he shook his head and took out some Delicious Cookie. "All you know is how to eat. Here, take it."

The moment Kanna saw Wu Liang take out the little cookies, she grabbed them and stuffed them into her mouth. As she ate, she even made blissful humming sounds. Ah.

Meanwhile, when Xiao Wu saw Tang San return, she walked over and asked, "How was it? Did everything go smoothly?"

Tang San looked toward Wu Liang, who was playing around with Kanna. "Yes. A Liang played a crucial role in helping me obtain a Soul Ring suited to my martial soul this time. And only now do I realize just how powerful A Liang's martial soul is."

Xiao Wu tilted her head toward Wu Liang as well. No matter how she looked at him, she could not see what was so powerful about him. Seeing how slovenly he looked, it was really hard to imagine. "You really can't tell. But Kanna, that little girl, really is powerful. She's only been enrolled for a few days, and her Soul Power has already gone up a level. What a genius."

Tang San knew that Xiao Wu probably did not believe him. There was nothing he could do about it. When they had first entered the dormitory, Wu Liang and Kanna had not joined the fight over who would be dorm leader, so Xiao Wu had never seen Wu Liang's true strength. If he had not gone with him to obtain Soul Rings, Tang San would not have had much of an understanding of Wu Liang's strength either.

On Wu Liang's side, seeing Xiao Wu and Tang San both looking at him, he walked over with Kanna and asked, "What is it? Is there a problem?"

Hearing Wu Liang ask, Xiao Wu answered directly, "Little San says your martial soul is very powerful, but I don't really believe it."

Wu Liang scratched his head awkwardly. "Forget you, I don't believe it myself. Look at me, I'm like a salted fish. How strong could I possibly be? Oh, right, Xiao Wu. There's something I've wondered about for a long time. Can you answer it for me?"

Xiao Wu said generously, "Ask whatever you want."

"Then I'll ask."

With an expression like his scheme had succeeded, Wu Liang said, "Xiao Wu, I've always been curious. Is your tail real, or is it just decoration?"

Xiao Wu immediately blushed furiously. "It's real! Of course it's real! My martial soul is a rabbit. What's wrong with having a rabbit tail?"

Watching them trade questions and answers, Kanna spoke up too. "Kanna has a tail too. Look."

As soon as Kanna finished speaking, a small tail appeared behind her bottom. Its tip even had a fluffy little tuft, making it look unbelievably adorable.

Seeing Kanna's move, Wu Liang silently hailed her as divine support. Still, he was curious why Kanna had let her tail out. Her martial soul had awakened long ago, yet he had never seen her reveal it before.

However, seeing Kanna show her tail, Xiao Wu was speechless. That's something she was born with, okay? It's not something you can just bring out whenever you want.

Xiao Wu truly could not stand these two any longer. She grabbed Tang San and said, "Let's go, Little San. Show me what Soul Ring skill you gained and how much stronger you've become."

Tang San was helpless and could only let Xiao Wu drag him out of the dormitory.

After seeing them leave, Kanna tugged on Wu Liang's sleeve. "A Liang, I want juice."

"Okay."

Wu Liang was speechless. It seemed little Kanna was going farther and farther down the path of being a foodie, the kind that could never be pulled back. He could only take out a bottle of Mana Juice for her. After receiving the Mana Juice, Kanna quietly returned to sit by her bed and drank it. To her, only delicious food and A Liang mattered. She did not care about anything else.

Tang San and Xiao Wu, meanwhile, headed toward the back mountain.

The academy's so-called back mountain was not inside Notting Academy, but rather a small hill outside the academy's back gate.

The woods were quiet, but that did not mean they were peaceful. Instead, the atmosphere was tense, as though swords had been drawn and bows bent.

Apart from Tang San and Xiao Wu, all the Work-Study Students stood together in the distance. Facing them was a group of more than twenty upperclassmen.

Tang San and Xiao Wu were surprised. Hadn't they just been in the dormitory currying favor with Kanna? How had they come to the back mountain for a group fight in less than a moment?

The person at the front wore the uniform of Notting Junior Spirit Master Academy. He was tall and straight. Though his face still held traces of childishness, he already looked somewhat grown-up. He was at least half a head taller than Xiao Wu and Tang San, and his looks could be considered handsome. However, the contempt and disdain on his face ruined the effect.

When he saw Xiao Wu and Tang San, he said, "Oh, two more have come."

Xiao Wu and Tang San ignored him and walked straight to the Work-Study Students. "What are you doing? Why did you come here for a group fight in the blink of an eye?"

After Wang Sheng explained, Tang San finally understood. It was still Xiao Wu's mess. While he and A Liang had gone to obtain Soul Rings, the Work-Study Students and upperclassmen had clashed in the cafeteria. He could only look at Xiao Wu speechlessly.

Tang San looked at Xiao Wu, wanting to say something, but he held it back.

Seeing his hesitant expression, Xiao Wu asked, "What? Are you going to say I was impulsive again?"

Tang San shook his head. "We Work-Study Students can't always let ourselves be bullied. Settling things through a duel with the student leader can be considered a permanent solution. You did the right thing."

The leader on the other side looked at Xiao Wu and Tang San with disdain. "Little girl, you're finally here. It's not too late for you to regret this. Of course, I wouldn't mind having one more pet rabbit. Your martial soul is a rabbit, right?"

Xiao Wu did not lose to him in expression at all. Her face was equally full of disdain, though on her delicate little face, it only made her look somewhat adorably fierce. She pointed at him and said, "Boss Xiao, are you scared? If you are, then be my little brother from now on."

"Ha ha." Boss Xiao laughed in a deliberately carefree manner. "Me, scared? Say, Wang Sheng, have all you Work-Study Students gotten water in your brains? You actually chose a little girl like this as your leader. How laughable. Little girl, you should ask around and find out who Boss Xiao is. In Notting City, even if I walked sideways, no one would dare stop me, much less in this academy."

Xiao Wu was clearly becoming impatient. "Enough nonsense. Let's begin. You tell me, how are we fighting?"

Boss Xiao's eyes shifted, revealing a somewhat sinister look. "Don't worry, I won't bully you either. Aren't there eleven of you? Then we'll only send out eleven people as well. We'll take turns. As long as the person who comes out wins, they can continue fighting the next opponent, until everyone on one side has been defeated."

Being the leader among the students, Boss Xiao was not a reckless person. On the contrary, he was very clever. On the surface, Xiao Wu did not seem threatening. But Boss Xiao had been beating up Wang Sheng for more than a day or two, and he understood Wang Sheng's character very well. If this little girl did not have some ability, why would Wang Sheng so readily acknowledge her as the representative of the Work-Study Students?

So what if this girl was strong? Everyone on his side was an upperclassman, and every one of them was fairly capable. Among the Work-Study Students, only Wang Sheng had any real ability, and with this little girl added in, there were at most two of them. His brothers could wear them all down to death. He might not even need to make a move before this battle was won. This duel looked fair, but was it really fair?

Wang Sheng naturally saw through Boss Xiao's plan as well, but before he could speak, Xiao Wu had already agreed readily. "Fine, it's settled then. Come on. Who's your first? Step out."

At this point, it was already too late for Wang Sheng to stop Xiao Wu from agreeing.

Boss Xiao gestured with his chin toward his followers behind him, and a tall upperclassman immediately stepped forward.

Wang Sheng gritted his teeth. "Sister Xiao Wu, let me go first." Naturally, he knew this upperclassman. They were in the same class, and Wang Sheng had challenged him to one-on-one fights many times before. Every time, the result had been miserable. This student's martial soul was a staff—but not an ordinary staff.

Xiao Wu carried herself like a proper big sister. She nodded and agreed to Wang Sheng's request.