Xiao Wu Is the Stake

Nuoding Academy, Dormitory Seven.

Xiao Wu's two fluffy rabbit ears twitched slightly as she cautiously stepped forward and placed a slender finger beneath her opponent's nose, only to find that he seemed to have stopped breathing.

"No way, did I beat him to death?"

Xiao Wu murmured to herself, but then she heard that same voice from before say, "You've already beaten him to death. Why are you so concerned?"

Xiao Wu sprang to her feet and looked around, her eyes filled with vigilance.

Suddenly, she spun around in shock and discovered that Ye Buqun, who had been lying on the ground, was standing where he had fallen.

"You... weren't you—?"

Xiao Wu had clearly checked his breathing with her finger just now, and there had been none.

Of course, Ye Buqun had merely used a little trick to tease her.

"Those work-study students only seem to be in fifth grade, right? Yet they call themselves Sister Xiao Wu and Third Brother, acting as if it were real. Today, they've really provoked someone they shouldn't have."

"I heard that long ago, they defeated Xiao Chenyu, the son of Nuoding City's lord, and became the nominal big sister and big brother. Ever since then, they haven't known their place. Well, this time they've finally run into someone tough."

"What you're saying isn't entirely wrong. Others have challenged them before because they refused to accept them, but they were all defeated. To be honest, they do have some skill."

"Isn't that beside the point? Don't you know why Lei Dalang started this trouble?"

"Haha, I know, I know. Lei Dalang has taken a liking to Sister Xiao Wu. He declared war on Dormitory Seven and said that if he won, she would become his woman."

"Damn, that stake sounds pretty exciting."

"Forget that for now. I heard they're at the back mountain. Let's hurry over and watch—the show's about to begin!"

"I'm coming too, I'm coming too!"

While Xiao Wu and Ye Buqun were locked in a standoff inside Dormitory Seven, a group of students passed through the corridor outside, loudly discussing something that seemed to concern them. Xiao Wu was originally a soul beast, so her hearing, sense of smell, and other senses were naturally far sharper than a human's. She heard everything.

"Oh no, Third Brother and the others are in trouble." Xiao Wu murmured, then ignored Ye Buqun and turned to run toward the academy's back mountain mentioned last.

"That girl really is impatient." Ye Buqun spoke softly, then flashed out of sight—

At the back mountain, on a small hill behind Nuoding Academy, two groups faced each other in the forest. On one side were fewer than ten friends from Dormitory Seven; on the other were the sixth-grade students who had come looking for trouble, numbering more than twenty. There were also students who had come specifically to watch the excitement after hearing the news.

At the front of Dormitory Seven stood someone in a neat school uniform, already over 1.65 meters tall. Around his waist was a belt inlaid with twenty-four gemstones. His black hair fell past his shoulders, and his face carried a faint heroic air. Facing the fierce-looking sixth-grade students before him, his expression remained calm.

There was no need to say more. One look at the Twenty-Four Bridges Moonlight Night around his waist was enough to identify him as Tang San.

The leader of the sixth-graders also wore a crisp school uniform. He was tall and broad, though his appearance still retained some youthful immaturity. This was Lei Dalang, the one shouting that Xiao Wu would become his woman.

When Ye Buqun arrived, Xiao Wu had not yet appeared. However, he did not immediately step forward to lend support. Instead, he hid in the shadows and quietly observed.

"So you're that brat? That Tang San or whatever? You actually dare call yourself the academy's big brother?"

At that moment, one of Lei Dalang's lackeys stepped out and began shouting provocatively.

"Cut the crap! When our big sister and boss defeated sixth-grade students, you didn't even know where you were! You're only one grade above us, yet you dare come here and bark?" Wang Sheng, standing beside Tang San, stepped forward and snapped back at him.

Lei Dalang smiled indifferently. "You're Wang Sheng, right? You're nothing more than a little follower of Xiao Wu and Tang San. You're not qualified to speak to me. Enough nonsense. I came to see little sister Xiao Wu, not you."

Wang Sheng refused to accept that and said again, "What right do you have to see our big sister? We don't need our big sister to deal with trash like you. We're enough!"

Tang San and Xiao Wu had previously defeated quite a few older students, and Wang Sheng had gained a little reputation following them. He had seen this kind of scene countless times, so he was not afraid at all.

Lei Dalang snorted. "Hmph! So you're determined to fight, huh? Fine. Don't say I'm bullying the weak or using numbers against you. You decide how we fight. I'm a fair man."

Lei Dalang had long prepared for this. He believed that, with his strength, winning Xiao Wu was inevitable. His goal was to beat these fifth-grade students until they were completely convinced, so that he could leave a good impression on Xiao Wu afterward.

Lei Dalang had not originally attended Nuoding Academy. He had been ordered to withdraw after injuring a soul master three ranks above him at his former school, which was why he had transferred to Nuoding Academy. If he had been here earlier, this battle would likely have happened long ago.

For beginner soul masters, even being one rank higher gave an absolute advantage, let alone defeating a soul master three ranks above oneself. This showed that Lei Dalang possessed considerable strength.

At last, Tang San spoke. He seemed somewhat angry. "Xiao Wu is not a stake. I will never agree to such a rude demand. Even if you kill me, I will not let you hurt Xiao Wu. But if you want to fight us, we'll accompany you anytime."

"Oh ho! You've got quite the spirit. Your words moved me so much I'm about to cry. Since you refuse to submit, we'll beat you until you do. Xiao Wu will be mine sooner or later anyway. How about this? So you can't say we're bullying you, each side sends out five people. We fight until one side is completely defeated."

"Fine, we'll do as you say!" Although he would never treat Xiao Wu as a stake, Tang San accepted the challenge directly. His repeated victories over older students had given him quite a bit of confidence.

"You've got guts. Wen Jun, you go first!" Lei Dalang ordered a student from his own grade behind him to step forward.

Upon hearing this, the student stepped out. He looked refined and bookish, and he was not particularly tall. He did not look like a combat-type soul master at all; instead, he resembled a well-read young scholar.

"Boss, I'll go."

Wang Sheng took the initiative to say this to Tang San. Tang San nodded in agreement.

"Wang Sheng, you're looking to die again? Haven't you been beaten enough before?" Wen Jun seemed to know Wang Sheng. When he saw him step out, his tone was full of contempt—