Discovered

Having just finished shopping and returned to the academy gates, Xiao Tianyang saw Tang San, with Xiao Wu beside him.

"Little San, heading out so early?"

Xiao Tianyang greeted them.

"Brother Tianyang?"

Tang San turned around and hurried over. "What happened to you? Why didn't you come back all night? Master and I were both worried about you."

"Oh, something held me up, so I stayed outside for the night and didn't come back."

Xiao Tianyang laughed it off. "You weren't going out to look for me, were you?"

"What else did you think?"

Xiao Wu huffed. "Brother Tianyang, you're really unfair. You went out to have fun all by yourself and didn't even take me with you... You made Little San worry all night."

Realizing she had let her true feelings slip, Xiao Wu hurriedly changed her wording.

Xiao Tianyang patted both of them on the shoulders. "This time, it's my fault. How about I treat you two to a big dinner tonight?"

"Really? Where are we eating?"

Xiao Wu's eyes lit up.

She had only said it casually, yet she hadn't expected to score herself a free dinner.

"No need, Brother Tianyang. It isn't easy for you to make money either... I—mmph!"

Tang San had only gotten halfway through his sentence when Xiao Wu covered his mouth.

"Brother Tianyang, you have to remember your promise. I'll come find you after class this afternoon!"

Xiao Wu dragged the struggling Tang San back into the academy.

Xiao Tianyang raised an eyebrow. He found it amusing, but had no intention of disturbing them.

"Youth really is wonderful!"

A voice came from behind him. Xiao Tianyang's face immediately filled with helplessness. "Teacher Miao, can't you stop appearing out of nowhere to scare people?"

"Oh? You've got some nerve, kid. I'm an instructor at this academy, yet you dare disrespect me like this!"

Teacher Miao raised his hand and knocked Xiao Tianyang on the head as he scolded him.

Xiao Tianyang winced in pain, but did not dare resist. He could only smile and say, "I just started school, didn't I? I don't know the rules yet. I'll have to learn them slowly."

Teacher Miao snorted. "Kid, don't think I don't know what you did last night..."

As he spoke, he bent down slightly and lowered his voice. "You can fool those two little ones, but you can't fool me. The scent of blood on you is quite strong... You killed someone, didn't you?"

Xiao Tianyang's pupils contracted as he looked at Teacher Miao, his expression flickering.

"I can tell from that look that it was definitely more than one."

Teacher Miao continued his analysis.

Xiao Tianyang remained silent, wondering what he should do.

Before returning, Xiao Tianyang had thought there was little chance of the matter being exposed, because death and disappearances were simply too common in this world.

Nor did Xiao Tianyang believe that middle-aged man held any particularly important position. Otherwise, there would not have been so few people around him.

That was why Xiao Tianyang had acted so fearlessly, thinking it was no big deal.

But now?

Teacher Miao had discovered him with just one glance?

He was completely screwed now!

However, just as Xiao Tianyang was thinking of an excuse, Teacher Miao said, "Don't worry. I won't interfere with what you did, nor can I be bothered to. I only have one question: who made the first move?"

"They did!"

Xiao Tianyang answered without hesitation, and it was indeed the truth.

"Then that's fine. Come with me. No one will come looking to cause you trouble over this matter."

Teacher Miao returned to normal, waved his hand, and headed outside the academy.

"Where are we going?"

Xiao Tianyang was full of confusion.

"You have Innate Full Soul Power. The academy's instructors can help you obtain your first soul ring, and I've taken this task."

Teacher Miao turned back to see Xiao Tianyang still standing there in a daze, and could not help glaring. "What, do you look down on me?"

"Of course not, but I clearly never applied to the academy!"

Xiao Tianyang could not help taking a step back, chuckling awkwardly.

Xiao Tianyang had not forgotten what his Side Quest was. If someone else got involved, wouldn't that make the reward slip away for nothing?

"I was wondering why you didn't apply too."

Teacher Miao pretended to be puzzled, but then abruptly changed his tone. "But it doesn't matter. Just come with me!"

"Wait, I—ah, help!"

Before Xiao Tianyang could react, a hand grabbed him by the collar and whisked him away!

Soul Hunting Forest.

Teacher Miao stared at Xiao Tianyang in shock. After listening to his explanation, he felt as though the experience he had accumulated over a lifetime was no longer enough.

"You want to hunt Soul Beasts yourself? And you want a soul ring over two thousand years old? Kid, are you out of your mind?"

As he spoke, Teacher Miao reached out and touched Xiao Tianyang's forehead. Only after finding nothing wrong did he say, "Your head isn't even hot. Why are you already talking nonsense?"

"Everything I said is true. If you don't believe me, just watch from behind."

Xiao Tianyang added, "But before that, you'll have to explain the traits of any Soul Beasts we encounter."

"I've seen your Martial Soul. If we come across one that suits you, I'll naturally tell you."

Teacher Miao added sternly, "But can you be sure that what you just said was true?"

"Truer than pure gold!"

Xiao Tianyang grew even more certain.

Xiao Tianyang dared to say such things because he could not sense even the slightest hint of hostility from Teacher Miao.

Even after hearing it, the other man had merely been shocked and showed no intention of probing further.

Still, he found it somewhat strange. After all, this was an old man he had never met before, whose origins were mysterious. Xiao Tianyang was curious, but naturally wary as well.

Why was he being so good to him for no reason?

Could it be pie from the sky... Well, he had indeed been hit by it once, but Xiao Tianyang believed there definitely would not be a second time!

"Very well. I respect your choice, but let me remind you of this: if something goes wrong, I can only save your life. As for you... you'll probably be crippled!"

Teacher Miao kept a straight face, seemingly waiting for Xiao Tianyang's final decision.

Xiao Tianyang merely said, "I won't do anything I'm not confident about."

"Then let's go. I come here often. There aren't many Soul Beasts over two thousand years old that would suit you."

Teacher Miao walked ahead, while Xiao Tianyang hesitated for a moment before following him.

Since he was already here, he might as well make the best of it. Besides, he could not resist anyway, so what else could he do?

Everything had happened too suddenly. Forget preparation—Xiao Tianyang had never even entertained such a possibility.

Teacher Miao himself seemed strange in every way. He felt powerful, and whenever Xiao Tianyang faced him, he always felt as though a blade were pressed against his back.

Yet there was not the slightest trace of this man in Xiao Tianyang's memories. Even the name felt unfamiliar to him.

But what worried Xiao Tianyang most was not the man himself. It was the possibility that Teacher Miao had appeared because of his own appearance. If that was the case, then things would become truly serious!

Xiao Tianyang knew his own situation best. His advantages were the system and the development of the plot.

The latter was closely tied to the former, after all, because it could buy him enough time to grow stronger.

But if the plot changed, where would that leave him?