Too Weak to Take a Beating

Zhu Zhuqing was ruthless and sparing with words. She opened with a resounding slap, the sound once again echoing across the training grounds.

"This slap is to teach you to keep your eyes in check! Keep looking around, and next time it won't just be a slap!"

Ma Hongjun felt like dying right then and there.

If he had known this would happen, he never would have run his mouth and ogled them! If he had known watching the show would bring trouble down on his own head, he would never have gone looking for pain.

Compared to Dai Mubai, Ma Hongjun was even less able to withstand a beating.

He barely held out for a few moves before he was beaten until he cried for his parents and begged for mercy again and again.

"Enough!"

Hulande finally could not bear to watch any longer and shouted for them to stop.

"They're no match for you. Will you only be satisfied after beating them half to death?"

Hearing that, Zhu Zhuqing did stop.

This dead fatso really could not take a beating. It was boring, and he was utterly useless as a sparring partner.

"Hmph. I'll count you as too weak to take a beating!" she said coldly.

For the first time in his life, Ma Hongjun felt fortunate to be weak.

Yet beneath his lowered gaze flashed a trace of malice that was hard to detect.

He would remember this grudge!

He was already scheming in his head. One day, he would find an opportunity to bring Dai Laoda along and ruin these two bitches...

Just not now.

Zhu Zhuqing was clearly still not satisfied. She turned her gaze toward the silent Tang San. "Do you want to have a match too?"

Xiao Wu immediately rushed to answer, shaking her head like a rattle-drum. "No more, no more! No fighting today!"

She tried desperately to stop Tang San, afraid that if he really made a move, it would harm the harmony between them.

She was even more afraid that, if Tang San were pushed too far and used those special methods, injuring them, that terrifying man would never let the matter rest!

After all, her secret was still in that man's grasp!

"Xiao Wu, why have you been stopping me?" Tang San asked in a low voice, confused.

"Third Brother, she, she's already fought two matches in a row. Even if you went up and won now, it would still be an unfair victory..."

Xiao Wu quickly searched for an excuse. If she could delay it for one day, then one day it would be.

Zhu Zhuqing knew Xiao Wu was someone the teacher paid special attention to. Seeing how hard she tried to stop it, Zhu Zhuqing did not press the matter further, giving her some face.

She did not look at Tang San again. In her eyes, only her teacher was now worthy of holding her gaze.

But in Tang San's eyes, it was contempt toward him.

Zhu Zhuqing remained expressionless as she coldly swept her gaze over the Shilaike students, suddenly finding them rather boring.

Not a single one of them could fight, yet they called themselves Monster Academy. How dull.

She was just about to call Ning Rongrong and leave.

But Ning Rongrong's eyes darted about, and she suddenly turned to Xiao Wu with a bright smile. "Xiao Wu, do you want to come out and stroll around with us?"

Xiao Wu looked up in surprise and pointed at herself. "Are you asking me to go shopping with you?"

To be honest, she was tempted.

Trapped in this academy full of rough men, with herself as the only girl, she had been bored out of her mind.

Other than Tang San, she did not even have anyone with whom she could share her heartfelt thoughts.

Besides, she could tell that Zhu Zhuqing and Ning Rongrong bore her no ill will.

"Of course I mean you! Is there another Xiao Wu here?"

Ning Rongrong smiled like a sly little fox. "Well? We're planning to go into the city to buy new clothes! If you come with us, this young miss will cover all your expenses today!"

She patted her chest, looking every bit like a rich and overbearing big sister.

Xiao Wu was even more tempted. She looked conflictedly at Tang San's displeased expression, then secretly glanced at Hulande beside them.

Hulande immediately turned his head in the other direction without batting an eye, pretending to study the clouds in the sky.

It was not that he did not want to maintain the dignity of a headmaster. It was just that, compared to being slapped in public, he chose to strategically ignore things.

He could not afford to provoke that lord's disciples, nor did he want to.

"Xiao Wu, don't listen to them!"

Tang San frowned and tried to stop her. "Besides, we're in class right now."

"Third Brother..."

Xiao Wu tugged at his sleeve, her voice pleading. "I want to go. It's been so, so long since I bought new clothes. Look, my clothes are already pilling..."

Tang San was left speechless.

Over the years, Xiao Wu had mostly eaten what he ate and used what he used.

It was not as if he had never thought of buying things for her, but his funds were tight too!

Apart from being busy cultivating all day, researching concealed weapons was also no small expense.

It seemed he had truly overlooked the fact that Xiao Wu was also a girl. Girls naturally loved beauty.

Looking at the other girls, all dressed so brightly and beautifully, while Xiao Wu had worn the same outfit until it pilled without being willing to replace it, a wave of guilt rose in his heart.

The small Spirit Master allowance Xiao Wu received was barely enough to spend on feminine necessities and snacks.

Although she had always regarded Tang San as her closest family, Tang San was not a wealthy man either.

Their lives over the years had not been impoverished, but they certainly could not be called comfortable.

"Xiao Wu, I'm sorry. I neglected you."

Tang San's tone softened. "How about this? Once I'm done with this busy period, I'll definitely take you shopping..."

But Xiao Wu gently interrupted him. "Third Brother, we've both grown up. Besides, I need to buy some intimate clothing. It wouldn't be very convenient for you to come along, understand?"

Unknowingly, Xiao Wu's feelings toward Tang San were quietly changing. She had begun to care about the boundaries between men and women.

Of course Tang San understood Xiao Wu's unspoken meaning.

Those were private matters for girls. For him, a man, to insist on coming along would indeed seem tactless and lacking in boundaries.

At that thought, Tang San understood that Xiao Wu was determined to go out with them.

He could not help feeling angry, thinking Xiao Wu was becoming less and less obedient.

He flicked his sleeve and said in feigned anger, "I'm done caring about you. Go wherever you want! You insisted on coming to this academy yourself anyway. It's not like I forced you!"

He thought those petulant words would make Xiao Wu soften and turn back.

Yet Xiao Wu seemed not to hear him at all. A liberated smile appeared on her face as she happily stepped forward, grabbing Ning Rongrong with one hand and Zhu Zhuqing with the other before running out of the academy with a giggle.

Tang San stood frozen in place, watching Xiao Wu's retreating figure leave without the slightest reluctance, feeling an emptiness in his heart.

It was as though something incomparably important was quietly slipping away, yet he could not grasp it.

Only after the three of them had completely disappeared did Hulande cough twice and put on the dignity of a headmaster once more.

"What are you all still looking at? Help those two off the ground and get them treated! Then, all of you, go run laps! No food until you've finished twenty laps!"

He had already said everything that needed to be said. Now he only felt humiliated, secretly deciding that he would let the other teachers handle classes as much as possible from now on.

Yes, it was better for him to quietly remain a headmaster in name only.

Since that scourge had moved in across the street, perhaps it was time to reopen his shop in Suotuo City for the sake of making a living.

In Suotuo City

Three beautiful women of distinctly different styles, yet equally eye-catching, walked down the street, chattering away without pause and forming a lovely sight.