A Crimson Marble

"Ahhh! How dare you ignore your Grandpa Zhao! Take this!" After Martial Soul Possession, Zhao Qian looked even more burly. Hearing the discussion from across the room, his face flushed red with rage.

Without another word, he recklessly unleashed a soul skill. "First Soul Skill, Crimson Charge!"

A white Spirit Ring descended, and Zhao Qian, wrapped in dark red light, charged forward with his head down. The tables and chairs around him were swept over and scattered across the floor.

"Third Brother, take him downstairs. He's too destructive!" Xue Qingxi watched the charging man and swiftly stepped aside, letting him barrel straight toward the window.

"Alright." Tang San nodded and summoned his Martial Soul. "Five Elements Faceless Disc!"

A black disc gleaming with gold appeared and floated before Tang San. He reached out and grabbed it. The next instant, a golden whip lashed out and tightly bound Zhao Qian. Then, following Zhao Qian's momentum, Tang San fell toward the ground below.

"Gyrfalcon!" Seeing this, Xue Qingxi summoned his Martial Soul and leaped after them, grabbing Tang San to slow their descent.

Fortunately, although the cafeteria had two floors, it was not built very high, and there was grass below.

Thus, Zhao Qian was not seriously hurt by the fall. He merely shook himself free, then pounced at Tang San, who had just regained his footing nearby.

"Heh, what a vicious nature!" Seeing that Zhao Qian showed no hesitation in causing more trouble, Tang San swiftly retreated, raised his hand to withdraw the whip, and assumed the posture of drawing a bow. "First Soul Skill, Eagle-Eye Tracking."

A golden arrow, accompanied by an eagle's cry, shot toward Zhao Qian. It pierced through his calf and nailed him firmly to the grass some distance away.

"Ah!" Zhao Qian roared as he fell to the ground, yet he still struggled to rise.

"You refuse to submit?" Tang San held an invisible bow loosely in his hand and demanded coldly.

"You're nothing but a work-study student. How dare you treat me like this? When I get home, I'll have my father cut off the funding he gives the academy!" Zhao Qian dragged his immobile left leg and glared fiercely at Tang San, his face full of rage.

"Do all the academy's work-study students spend the Zhao Clan's money?" Tang San frowned and rebuked him sharply.

"Of course! Afraid now?" Zhao Qian smugly shook his head, raised his nostrils toward the sky, and shouted, "If you kowtow to me right now, I'll tell my father not to withdraw the funding! Otherwise, I'll have someone throw you all out!"

"Looks like you haven't been beaten into obedience yet." Tang San was so enraged that he laughed. He waved away the bow and arrow, raised the whip, and sent it whistling through the air.

Three cracks rang out as the whip struck. Zhao Qian was beaten flat onto the ground, unable to get up.

Seeing this, Tang San put away the whip and shouted, "One arrow and three lashes, neither too harsh nor too light. Besides, you deserved it. With that attitude of yours, who knows how many people you've bullied!"

With that, Tang San turned and left.

"Third Brother!" Xue Qingxi, standing to one side, suddenly called out.

Tang San immediately stepped aside. A Crimson Marble whistled past him and hurtled toward the distant crowd.

Tang San's eyes widened. He used Ghost Shadow Perplexing Track to dash forward, then, before the marble hit the ground, circulated Mystic Jade Hand, grabbed it, and tossed it into the sky.

"Qingxi!" Tang San shouted at the person behind him as he looked at the marble brimming with immense power.

"Coming!" Xue Qingxi rushed over. His Martial Soul stirred up a gust of wind that blew the marble even higher.

Boom!

As the marble fell, it exploded in midair. The onlookers erupted in shock, all staring blankly at the red mist in the sky.

"You actually threw it into the air? How is that possible? How is that possible?!" Zhao Qian, who had just been wearing a vicious grin, stared at the red mist overhead and roared furiously.

"Where did you learn that move?" Tang Ling descended from upstairs with a grave expression and landed before Zhao Qian, examining him closely.

"None of your business! Why didn't it blow you all to death?!" Zhao Qian glared at her and cursed viciously.

Seeing his face becoming increasingly bloodshot, Tang Ling swiftly sent a trace of Soul Power into him. The next second, Zhao Qian's face returned to its normal color, and he fainted.

"Ersui, come carry him to the principal's office. Jiu Kong, you come too. Tell Nolan to invite the Zhao Clan head here!" Tang Ling stood and waved to Tang Ersui and Jiu Kong, issuing her orders sternly.

"Yes!" The two bowed in response, then swiftly carried Zhao Qian away together.

After watching them leave, Tang Ling turned and walked toward Tang San. Once she confirmed that neither of them was injured, she immediately looked toward the crowd.

"Everyone! The academy does not prohibit private fights, but it was improper for student Zhao Qian to attack without waiting for us to summon our Martial Souls.

"Moreover, he used a wide-area weapon against the crowd. That was truly vicious.

"Please rest assured that the principal will certainly punish him. On behalf of those who were implicated and frightened, I offer my apologies." Tang Ling stood with one hand behind her back and spoke gently, yet she naturally exuded the authority of someone in power.

"There's no need to be so polite, classmate. Soul Master duels naturally carry risks, and we came to watch of our own accord." An upperclassman looked around before decisively stepping forward.

"That's right, classmate, there's no need to apologize. You dealt with that villain, which is also a blessing for the academy and for us." Another upperclassman who was a work-study student squeezed out of the crowd and bowed in thanks, his face full of delight.

The others echoed their agreement. Everyone was intelligent. Anyone who could call the principal by name surely came from an extraordinary background. Moreover, Zhao Qian had committed evil for a long time and had already incurred public outrage.

"Then I will accept your thanks. Rest assured, after today, everyone will certainly receive compensation!" Tang Ling smiled at the gathered crowd and spoke solemnly.

"Alright! Then we'll wait for your good news, classmate! Hahaha!" A playful voice came from a lowerclassman at the back, making the people in the square laugh along.

In an instant, the panic from moments before was wiped away.

Once the crowd dispersed, Tang Ling immediately led the two toward the teaching building.

"Is A-Xuan alright?" Tang Ling's eyes were full of concern as she stared intently at Tang San.

"I'm fine, Senior Sister. There wasn't any Soul Power on the marble's outer shell. I wasn't hurt at all." Tang San held out both hands before Tang Ling and let her inspect him.

"That's good. We'll discuss the rest when we get back. Right now, we need to deal with the Zhao Clan." Tang Ling's expression eased slightly before her face darkened and she spoke coldly.

"Is this about that marble?" Xue Qingxi moved slightly closer to Tang Ling and asked in a low voice.

"That wasn't a marble. It was a type of evil technique. I once seized some in the outskirts of Barak City." Tang Ling nodded. Recalling the scene from back then, a trace of killing intent flashed through her eyes.

"Was that during those three days?" Tang San had been watching her expression without pause. Naturally noticing her killing intent, he quickly recalled the one time she had left without saying goodbye and returned only in the middle of the night.

"Yes. There was a report from below that a Blood Pool had been found in a cave halfway up the mountain, but no corpses were discovered. I sensed something was wrong, so I went to take a look. Sure enough, I found several torn pages and an array in the pool." Tang Ling did not deny it and coldly revealed what had happened that time.

"Then was this a provocation, or was it unintentional?" Xue Qingxi's gaze darkened, a hint of anger in his voice.

"I don't know. We'll find out once we meet the Zhao Clan head." Tang Ling shook her head and hurried toward the principal's office on the top floor.

Before they could push open the door, they heard arguing inside.

"Sir Nolan, sorry for troubling you. Let me speak with the Zhao Clan head next." Tang Ling pushed open the door, glanced sideways at the two people tied to chairs, and smiled at Principal Nolan.

"Please, Princess. Shall I excuse myself first?" Nolan stood with a smile and saluted, then asked tentatively.

"Not yet." Tang Ling waved with a smile. Seeing the chair Tang Ersui had brought over, she sat down and looked at the two men, who had fallen silent.

Seeing this, Nolan quickly walked to Tang San's side and stood behind Tang Ling with the two of them.

"Clan Head Zhao, your son said that you hold the lifeline of Notting Academy's work-study students, and that if anyone provokes him, you will cut off the funding. Is that true?" Tang Ling wore a gentle smile as she asked calmly.

Zhao Fu shook his head frantically, trembling all over. "No, no. My unworthy son was talking nonsense. Please do not take it seriously, Your Highness!"

"Good. Then we'll treat it as nonsense. In that case, how about providing some money so that everyone in the academy receives an additional living allowance?" Tang Ling nodded with a smile and gently asked for his opinion.

"Good, of course! I'll arrange it as soon as I return!" Zhao Fu nodded repeatedly, smiling obsequiously.

"No rush. Hand over your token and let Principal Nolan handle it. I would like to discuss some other matters with Clan Head Zhao." Tang Ling's face was full of smiles, but her order allowed no refusal.

Zhao Fu opened his mouth, then obediently handed over his token. Nolan stepped forward to receive it and bowed. "Thank you for your generosity, Princess."

"Mhm, there's no need to be polite, Sir Nolan. Consider this money for the principal to use in reassuring the students." Tang Ling smiled at him, then pointed at Tang Ersui. "Have Ersui accompany you. Go take care of it quickly."

"Yes!" Nolan saluted with delight on his face, then led Tang Ersui out.

Tang Ling watched them leave, then her face darkened as she looked at Zhao Fu. "Now that the trivial matters have been settled, Clan Head Zhao, let's discuss the cultivation technique. For example, the Crimson Marble your son used!"

Zhao Fu, who had only been nervous moments ago, immediately went pale. Without hesitation, he decisively bit down on his own tongue.