Hostility!

Inside the hotel, Feng San still had not recovered from his shock.

Lin Shuguang, whom he had always thought of as just a junior fellow disciple... had turned out to be so strong that Feng San could only look up to him.

"Shuguang, you..." Feng San wanted to ask about Lin Shuguang's strength, but swallowed the words on the tip of his tongue. "Thank goodness you were there tonight, or I really would have died. Shuguang, thank you. Seriously."

Lin Shuguang handed him a glass of water and waited for him to take it before saying, "You helped me so many times before. Why are you standing on ceremony now that it's my turn to help you? Come on."

Feng San froze, staring blankly at Lin Shuguang.

After a long moment, he lowered his head and grinned, taking it in stride.

"I had the wrong idea."

He had thought Lin Shuguang would surely distance himself from him now that he possessed such strength. He had never expected him to speak with the same attitude as before.

Feng San was truly moved.

Eight years of friendship with Xu Wei, and he had been sold out in an instant.

Yet he had known Lin Shuguang for only a few months, and the moment he got into trouble, Lin Shuguang had come charging in alone.

Setting down his glass, he said earnestly, "I won't stand on ceremony with you, then. If there's anything you need me for, just say the word. From now on, you're my brother!"

"We're two grown men. Don't get so sentimental," Lin Shuguang said dismissively.

With that, the two exchanged a smile.

Lin Shuguang asked, "What are your plans now?"

Thinking of his narrow escape from death, Feng San sighed. "I used to think my half-baked skills were enough to let me throw my weight around Huai City. Only now do I realize how small Huai City really is compared with the Martial Artists in the big cities out there... Starting tomorrow, I'm going into seclusion to train! I swear I'll become a Martial Artist, or I'm not a man!"

Lin Shuguang gave him a look that said his courage was commendable.

Feng San suddenly asked, "Shuguang, do you have any advice about Martial Dao?"

Lin Shuguang paused, apparently not expecting the sudden question.

Recovering, he answered without hesitation, "Cut down anyone who refuses to submit!"

Feng San: "..."

Recalling the earlier battle between Lin Shuguang and Chen Xian, he drew another sharp breath.

He really was reckless!

"Right, that woman's name is Chen Xian. She's a member of the Purple Thistle Hunting Group. They're different from the hunting groups here in Huai City. They're one of the stronger hunting groups in the northwest, made up entirely of Martial Artists. Here in Huai City, the Quicksand Hunting Group is one of the better-known groups, but only their leader is a Martial Artist. They can't compare.

"The Purple Thistle Hunting Group is pretty famous in those circles. If you run into them in the future, you'd better be careful."

After what had happened the night before, Feng San stopped going to the Martial Arts Hall and devoted himself to taking up Martial Dao again at home.

As for Lin Shuguang, his assessment was tomorrow, so he still came to school to enjoy one last day of his leisurely, retired-official lifestyle.

What had happened the previous night seemed to have been covered up.

Even Xu Jie knew nothing about it. Otherwise, he would surely have been pestering Lin Shuguang for gossip by now.

"Brother San does have some ability."

Feng San had called people in to clean up the aftermath last night. Lin Shuguang had not expected them to be so thorough.

"Old Lin, Old Lin, I heard from the senior disciples that the Martial Arts Apprentice assessment is tomorrow..."

As Xu Jie spoke, Song Wan walked over.

"Here's last week's homework. I finished all of it for you."

Once again, Song Wan arranged several notebooks in order and placed them in front of Lin Shuguang.

"Thanks."

"No, no. I should be thanking you."

Perhaps because other people were around, Song Wan did not spell it out, but it was enough that she and Lin Shuguang both understood.

Sure enough.

Xu Jie's gaze sharpened on the spot. Like a husky pinning its ears back, he frowned and watched the two with a solemn expression.

What are you two talking about?

You're actually refusing to spell it out!

Afraid I'll understand?

You've actually started keeping little secrets behind my back???

Outrageous!

After exchanging a few words, Lin Shuguang and Song Wan agreed to leave together after school.

Xu Jie's eyes grew even more aggrieved.

"Old Lin, Old Lin, take me along."

Lin Shuguang and Song Wan both looked over.

Unlike Lin Shuguang's surprise, Song Wan narrowed her eyes, her gaze inscrutable.

Xu Jie's heart gave an inexplicable shudder. Before Lin Shuguang could speak, he gave a dry laugh. "Uh, never mind. I have to go to the Martial Arts Hall tonight. We're not going the same way. Ahem... ahem... Next time. I'll join you next time."

Lin Shuguang and Song Wan both looked away and resumed their lively conversation.

Xu Jie covered his mouth and curled up in the corner... silently gazing at the sky through the window beside him.

His eyes brimmed with tears.

In the end, in the end, I still had to bear it all alone.

The Storm Martial Arts School.

Shouts rang out across the Training Ground as the members worked up a sweat.

As always, Peng Chao served as Ye Tianhao's sparring partner.

Meanwhile, in Song Shi's room.

A man wearing a demon mask respectfully knelt on one knee. "My lord."

On his back were two Tang sabers with black cloth wrapped around their hilts. Dressed entirely in black, he was in the shadows like a ghost. Had he not spoken, perhaps no one would have noticed his presence.

Song Shi watered his plants without a change in expression. "The agreed five years aren't up yet."

The ghostlike man bowed his head and said quietly, "The marshal ordered me to find you and ask you to come."

"Get out!"

An overwhelming aura erupted in an instant.

The ghostlike man grunted, then vanished from the spot in the blink of an eye.

Song Shi remained silent for a long while before setting down the watering can and turning toward the door.

"Hello, Teacher!"

"Hello, Teacher!"

The students stopped one after another and looked respectfully at Song Shi.

With his hands behind his back, Song Shi smiled at them. "Keep going. Don't mind me... Yifan, don't raise your arms so high... Minyuan, you need to work on your lower-body strength... Litong, do that move again... You brat, where are you chopping? Trying to kill me...

"Where's that brat Feng San? Hmm..."

After making a round of giving pointers, Song Shi stood at the entrance and watched everyone on the Training Ground.

He had called out the name of every person here...

The setting sun slanted down, and a little sunlight spilling past the tiled wall fell on Song Shi. A few streaks of light shone brilliantly like shooting stars, vanishing in an instant.

Riiing-

The day's classes had ended, and Lin Shuguang was slumped over his desk.

Xu Jie nudged him. "Old Lin, stop sleeping. School's over."

Lin Shuguang slowly raised his head, turned to look at him, and corrected him. "I wasn't sleeping. I was cultivating."

"..." The corner of Xu Jie's mouth twitched, and he gave him a thumbs-up. "Now that's impressive. A true master of cutting class!"

Lin Shuguang: "...I really was cultivating."

Xu Jie was about to say something when he suddenly saw Song Wan approaching. He immediately raised his head stubbornly and strode past them with his chin held high, without saying goodbye.

"What's wrong with him?" Song Wan glanced questioningly at Xu Jie's retreating figure, then turned to Lin Shuguang.

Lin Shuguang rubbed his eyes. "Who knows? Probably having another episode."

"An episode? Then why isn't he going to the hospital?"

"..." After a brief silence, Lin Shuguang decisively changed the subject. "How has your cultivation been going lately?"

They chatted as they walked. As they neared the gate, Song Wan suddenly paused. "Dad?"

Song Wan's father looked at the two of them with a cheerful smile.

Song Wan happily introduced her father to Lin Shuguang, then formally introduced Lin Shuguang to her father.

"Thank you for your efforts lately," her father said with a gentle smile.

Lin Shuguang's expression remained unchanged. "You're too kind, sir."

Through a kind of male instinct, he vaguely sensed some hostility.

It was hidden somewhere nearby!

PS [Thanks to readers 8616, 2928, Star Chart Pangu Clan, WFZ-9702, Primary Key Foreign Key, copya, Waiting and Searching, and our friends on Book City, Wang Lin, (..), and Morning Quiet, for your tips and support.]