Teacher Miao

Seeing Tang San's stunned expression, Xiao Tianyang could not help shaking his head as he thought to himself, That familiar plot is about to begin.

However, Xiao Tianyang had no interest in it. He looked up at Tang San and Master and said, "You two talk first. I'll take a stroll around the area and come back later."

With that, he turned and left without waiting for either of them to respond.

As for Master, he merely watched Xiao Tianyang's retreating figure, lost in thought.

But Tang San soon called out to him, and their conversation returned to the main topic.

Originally, Master had been leading them toward the Academic Affairs Office, and there was not much scenery worth seeing in Notting Academy itself. Left with no other choice, Xiao Tianyang could only wander around nearby.

However, while distracted, he reached another corner. The person on the other side was not paying attention either, and they collided head-on.

Unsurprisingly, Xiao Tianyang was not the one who got knocked down.

With the Nine Yang Divine Skill protecting his body and his exceptional physique, how could he possibly be knocked over by a mere collision?

"Don't you watch where you're going?"

The one who had been knocked down was also a child, dressed in a school uniform. Judging by his height and build, he should have been a second-year student.

"Sorry, I didn't notice you just now."

Xiao Tianyang awkwardly reached out and pulled the student to his feet.

"Are you a new student?"

Seeing Xiao Tianyang's sincere attitude and hearing his apology, the student found it difficult to make an issue of it.

"I came to register today. You should be a second-year senior, right?"

Xiao Tianyang asked.

"That's right, I'm a second-year."

The student nodded, then asked curiously, "But if you're a new student, why aren't you registering at the Academic Affairs Office? What are you doing here?"

"What, is there something special about this place?"

Xiao Tianyang sensed something unusual and asked.

"It's not particularly special. Anyone can come in, but..."

The student hesitated before lowering his voice. "A teacher with a very strange temper lives here. Unless they have something important to do, even upperclassmen usually won't come here..."

"That teacher wouldn't happen to be Master, would it?"

Xiao Tianyang tilted his head curiously.

"Master? Who's that?"

This student clearly did not know of Master's existence, though that was only natural.

After all, Master held no official position at this academy. He was merely something like a guest advisor.

"Just a very knowledgeable scholar."

Xiao Tianyang said casually, then continued, "But even if he has a strange temper, that shouldn't be enough to make the students here so afraid, right?"

"Could it be that this teacher is conducting some strange experiment?"

"Brat, what did you say?!"

A shout rang out behind Xiao Tianyang, startling him.

But this time, acting on instinct, Xiao Tianyang did not strike back.

It was simple—he knew that he might not be able to defeat the person behind him.

He turned and took several quick leaps backward, putting distance between himself and the owner of that voice.

His swift reaction left the student beside him unable to process what had happened.

But when the student looked at the person who had spoken, he could not help trembling.

It was an old man with messy hair and a face full of beard.

"Hello, Teacher Miao!"

The student awkwardly greeted him, then turned to flee.

"You dared to badmouth me behind my back and now you want to run? I'll give you a hand!"

Teacher Miao stepped forward and kicked the student in the backside.

With an "Ouch!" the student flew away, plunging headfirst into the bushes.

"Brat, your reaction is pretty good."

Teacher Miao brushed aside the messy hair in front of his eyes and scrutinized Xiao Tianyang as though he had discovered some rare treasure.

"Th-this teacher, you wouldn't happen to have some special fetish, would you?"

Xiao Tianyang swallowed, his expression somewhat unnatural.

Xiao Tianyang could sense that the old man before him was extremely strong, perhaps far more than just a Soul Elder.

But how could a place like Notting Academy have such an expert hidden away here?

This was different from how it had been described in the novel!

But Xiao Tianyang failed to consider that Douluo Continent was vast. Great hermits hid in the city, lesser hermits hid in the wilderness—there were surely more than hundreds or thousands of hidden experts.

Besides, who on this continent could have imagined that a student from a shabby mountain village would one day rise from obscurity under the name of Shrek's Seven Devils, inherit divinity, and become a god?

"Good brat, you actually dare speak to me like that!"

Teacher Miao's pair of ill-intentioned eyes shifted, and he immediately stepped forward, reaching out as though to grab Xiao Tianyang.

Xiao Tianyang had never been someone who liked to sit and wait for death.

Besides, although the old man before him was dangerous, he had no killing intent. With such an opportunity before him, how could he not seize it to test his own strength?

Thus, not only did Xiao Tianyang have no intention of dodging, he instead stepped forward and struck with a plain, straightforward palm!

Bang!

Teacher Miao's body jolted from the force of the palm, and his brows rose.

"What a marvelous palm technique... Not only that, there's an unusual force within it—both fierce and powerful, yet rich and steady!"

Teacher Miao looked up, his gaze growing even more fervent.

The next moment, he appeared behind Xiao Tianyang at a speed Xiao Tianyang could not even track. He grabbed his ankle and lifted him upside down.

"Kid, what is your Martial Soul?"

"Why are you asking that?"

Xiao Tianyang was taken aback by the question, even forgetting his current predicament.

"Enough nonsense, tell me!"

Teacher Miao seemed unable to wait any longer.

Xiao Tianyang paused, but since he saw no reason to hide it, he said, "A green flame."

"That's not right. So young, yet so strong, with such excellent bone structure..."

Teacher Miao began muttering to himself as though possessed. As he spoke, his hands roamed all over Xiao Tianyang, rubbing here and pinching there, making Xiao Tianyang feel uncomfortable all over.

"Release your Martial Soul!"

Teacher Miao suddenly said.

Unable to sense any malice, Xiao Tianyang could only pull a miserable face and raise his right hand, releasing his Spirit of the Flame.

Teacher Miao closed his eyes, seemingly sensing the strength of the Martial Soul.

Then he frowned again and muttered, "Highly active and possesses a certain degree of vitality, but it has no offensive capability. An auxiliary Martial Soul?"

But then Teacher Miao opened his eyes, his face filled with shock. "You have Innate Full Soul Power?"

"Yeah, but what about it?"

Xiao Tianyang looked utterly confused.

Just what was Teacher Miao trying to do?

After hesitating for a long time, Teacher Miao finally set Xiao Tianyang back on the ground. He remained silent for a while before finally saying, "If you encounter any problems in the future—especially changes to your body—you can come find me!"

With that, he turned and left, clean and decisive, completely unlike before.

Xiao Tianyang wore an expression that said, 'Who am I? Where am I? What am I doing?'

Feeling someone nudge him at his side, Xiao Tianyang turned around and realized it was Bubu.

His face darkened. Xiao Tianyang grabbed its ear and said, "Where were you when I was getting beaten up just now?"

Bubu: "..."