Xiao Wu Appears

"Apparently, the teachers never taught you this—those who can fight might not be able to eat, but those who can eat are usually very good at fighting."

Lin Xuan set down his bowl and chopsticks, then turned toward the window seats on the second floor, where Liu Long and the others were staring at them with provocative looks.

He crooked a finger, his tone calm yet carrying unquestionable authority. "If you've got the guts, come outside. Fighting in the cafeteria might break something. We'll settle this out there."

With that, he took the lead and headed out of the cafeteria.

"That's right, come outside if you've got the guts!" Wang Sheng and the others were fired up as well. They put down their unfinished meals and followed Lin Xuan out of the cafeteria in a grand procession, each of them rubbing their fists and brimming with fighting spirit.

Liu Long on the second floor was instantly dumbfounded.

Lin Xuan's words, "those who can eat are good at fighting," somehow made him nervous. Thinking about the Soul Beast World, those massive creatures with terrifying appetites were indeed none to be trifled with. Had he really kicked an iron plate this time?

"What else can you do? Boss Xiao went out to hunt for a Soul Ring. If you back down now, you'll be in for it when he gets back!"

Ling Feng urged him from the side, his voice full of impatience. If he had known Lin Xuan would be this tough, he never would have provoked him so casually.

"Who's backing down?!" Liu Long forced himself to act tough, slammed his hand on the table, and stood up. "Come with me! Today, we'll show these work-study students how formidable us self-funded students are and let them know that we're the ones who feed and clothe them!"

At this point, there was no way back. Liu Long led more than twenty self-funded students out in pursuit, looking fierce as they swore to regain their dignity.

Nuoding Academy's Back Mountain became the battlefield for both sides. The work-study students stood on one side and the self-funded students on the other, their numbers roughly equal.

In truth, most self-funded students bore no hostility toward the work-study students. It was only Xiao Chenyu's faction that had always held deep hostility toward them, and they had been the ones to stir up trouble this time.

"Kid, you're the new leader of the work-study students?" Liu Long looked down at Lin Xuan arrogantly, trying to crush him with sheer presence.

Seeing his childish act, Lin Xuan let out a quiet sigh. "I can't be bothered to reason with you. You don't deserve to hear it."

Before his words had even faded, he shot forward like an arrow loosed from a bow, charging straight at Liu Long and the others.

"Not good!" Liu Long had not expected Lin Xuan to attack without even bothering to trade more threats. He hurriedly summoned his Qi Mei Staff, while Ling Feng activated his Flying Bird Martial Soul at the same time, spreading his wings and preparing for battle.

Lin Xuan deliberately gave them time to react. The instant they assumed defensive stances, his speed suddenly surged.

Like a tiger charging into a flock of sheep, he slapped the Qi Mei Staff from Liu Long's hand, seized the back of his neck, and flung him hard—Liu Long's body, weighing about a hundred jin, was hurled straight at Ling Feng as a "hidden weapon."

Ling Feng did not even have time to react before he was struck solidly. The two crashed to the ground together and could not get back up.

In the blink of an eye, two Level 9 Soul Masters had been dealt with. The remaining self-funded students turned pale with fright, but Lin Xuan gave them no chance to run. Like an autumn wind sweeping away fallen leaves, he took them down one slap at a time, cleanly and decisively.

He held back, merely slapping their faces hard enough to knock them over without striking too heavily—after all, they were only elementary school students. It would be troublesome if anyone was seriously hurt.

Only after Lin Xuan stopped and stood still did the dazed self-funded students finally feel the burning pain in their cheeks. One after another, they began to cry.

"Shut up, all of you!" Lin Xuan barked, and the crying instantly stopped.

He slowly walked over to Liu Long. Seeing him approach, Liu Long's entire body went limp, his eyes filled with fear. The red handprint on his cheek was plain to see, painful and humiliating.

"Don't be too arrogant." Lin Xuan patted his cheek, his tone icy. "You should be grateful this is a school. Keep quiet whenever you see me from now on. If you dare provoke me again, I'll kill you."

With that, he turned and led the work-study students down the mountain. Behind them came the suppressed sobs of the self-funded students. The work-study students cheered jubilantly. This was the first time they had won so thoroughly, and the way they looked at Lin Xuan was full of fervent admiration.

"Boss, you were so cool! Those slaps were incredible!" Along the way, everyone crowded around Lin Xuan, excitedly discussing the fight.

"Enough. Go back and cultivate." Lin Xuan waved a hand. "I have something to do. I'm heading out."

He needed to find a Blacksmith Shop in Nuoding City for a part-time job. Tang San had latched onto Yu Xiaogang, so he would most likely never have to worry about money again and would not be going to the Blacksmith Shop anymore. Unexpectedly, Lin Xuan had ended up taking Tang San's original path after all. Fate really played tricks.

There was only one Blacksmith Shop in Nuoding City. With his Innate Divine Strength and the Forging Skills inherited from the Tang Wulin Template, Lin Xuan smoothly got the job.

The boss greatly appreciated his Dual Hammers forging method and gave him special treatment—he could work every afternoon and on weekends, earning three Silver Soul Coins a month.

Together with the one Silver Soul Coin subsidy the academy gave work-study students, Lin Xuan could earn four Silver Soul Coins a month. His food problem was completely solved, and he could even save some money. Delighted, he headed back toward the academy.

When Lin Xuan returned to the Seventh Dormitory and pushed open the door, he froze.

Inside the room, a young girl in a pink dress with a scorpion-tail braid stood before his bed, hands on her hips and looking fiercely indignant.

Wang Sheng and the others had gathered around the bed, staring at her warily, their faces full of grievance—clearly, they had suffered at her hands.

It was Xiao Wu!

The original work's female lead, Tang San's girlfriend, the biological mother of Tang Wulin, whose template he possessed, and the sole target of his mission here.

Xiao Wu had only recently taken human form. Her strength was merely that of a Tenth-Rank Soul Master, and she was still an ignorant little rookie.

Lin Xuan was somewhat bewildered. His bedding was not some fragrant, soft carrot quilt from those other fanfiction novels.

He had even deliberately avoided every ingredient related to carrots when making jerky, so how had he still attracted Xiao Wu?

"You're their boss?" Before Wang Sheng could speak, Xiao Wu noticed Lin Xuan. Her eyes instantly brightened, and she quickly walked over to him.

"What?" Lin Xuan instinctively took a step back, watching her warily. His plans were already underway, and Tang San's plot had long since diverged from the original work. He was in no hurry to get close to Xiao Wu; he only needed to ensure that she did not die.

"Boss!" Wang Sheng seemed to have spotted a savior and immediately complained, "She insisted on sleeping in your bed. We wouldn't let her, so she beat us up!"

They had given it everything they had, yet still failed to keep Xiao Wu from "defiling" their boss's bed.

Their boss had stood up for them without ever bullying them. He was simply the best boss in the world, and they had to protect all of his interests.

Even if this Xiao Wu was beautiful and adorable, there was absolutely no way they would let her tarnish their boss's bed!

"My name is Xiao Wu. Wu as in dancing."

Xiao Wu completely ignored Wang Sheng. With a quick step, she rushed before Lin Xuan, narrowed her eyes slightly, and took a deep breath. A look of fascination appeared on her face, as though she had caught the scent of something irresistibly delicious.

"How about we become friends?"