Mutation

Tang Wuyang quickly took off his shirt.

Then, to his horror, he saw that it was not just his palm that had changed, but his entire right arm.

Starting from where the Light Dragon Dagger had pierced him and extending all the way to his palm, it was completely covered in Golden Scales.

Tang Wuyang felt that this arm contained an unimaginable amount of power.

He subconsciously swung it forward. Boom!

His right fist struck the air, and a mass of Golden Light surged out, vaguely taking the shape of a dragon's head in midair.

The Golden Light shot out a full meter, and even Tang Wuyang was startled by its imposing aura.

Just as he was puzzled by the changes in his right arm, Xing Yu's previously swollen body on his shoulder gradually shrank, while the golden scales on his arm and palm rapidly faded away.

In just a few breaths, his entire arm and hand had returned to normal.

What followed was an irresistible wave of exhaustion. Tang Wuyang's vision went dark, and he fainted.

But what he did not know was that the golden net-like lines that had appeared several times before surfaced once more across his exposed skin, especially along his spine, where they looked particularly distinct.

After an unknown amount of time, Xie Xie woke amid the jolting. His mind was still somewhat muddled, and the scenery around him slowly moved backward.

He instinctively looked up and saw a familiar face.

Looking up again, the gates of Eastsea Academy came into view.

By now, it was already dark. The four words "Eastsea Academy" stood out especially clearly under the lights.

"Wuwu..."

Xie Xie wanted to speak, but discovered that only strange sounds came from his mouth.

Tang Wuyang frowned slightly and asked Xie Xie, who was on his older brother's back, "What did you say?"

"Wha' happened?" Xie Xie's voice was still muffled and indistinct.

As his mind gradually cleared, he realized that Tang Wulin was carrying him on his back.

He instinctively raised a hand to touch his face and felt swelling as puffy as bread.

Xie Xie knew that he had lost again!

If he had lost to Tang Wuyang the first time because he had been careless...

Then what about this second time?

Xie Xie only felt that he had lost for no apparent reason. He did not even know what had happened before he was defeated just like that.

He stared at Tang Wuyang's shoulder beside him. The tear in his clothes was still there, but the wound had vanished.

There was a secret. This guy definitely had a secret!

"What was that Golden Light?"

After Xie Xie adjusted himself, the Brothers finally managed to understand him.

"Golden Light? What Golden Light?" Tang Wuyang looked at Xie Xie with a baffled expression.

"Stop playing dumb. That Golden Light on your body earlier!" Xie Xie said angrily.

This guy had not only humiliated his body, but was even insulting his IQ. It was simply intolerable!

Tang Wulin, who had not said a word while carrying Xie Xie, could not help but look at his younger brother with concern in his eyes.

He had woken before Xie Xie. The moment he figured out what had happened, he asked his younger brother about the Strange Phenomenon from before, after Tang Wuyang had put his shirt back on.

The result only made Tang Wulin even more worried.

Tang Wuyang gave a Wry Smile. "Would you believe me if I said I don't know either?"

Xie Xie snorted coldly, making his attitude clear.

When they returned to the Dormitory, Zhou Changxi stared wide-eyed as Tang Wulin took Xie Xie off his back and placed him on the lower bunk.

Zhou Changxi said frankly, "He wanted to beat up your younger brother, and you still carried him back?"

Xie Xie's severely swollen cheeks had already made the outcome of the fight abundantly clear.

Hadn't he said during introductions this morning that this guy had Eighteenth Rank Soul Power?

Tang Wuyang answered first, "He paid for it!"

He rubbed his empty stomach. "Ge, let's go have dinner. I'm starving!"

Tang Wulin Nodded, then asked Zhou Changxi, "Has dinner time ended yet?"

Zhou Changxi checked the time. "Not yet, but it should be ending soon."

The moment he finished speaking, he saw the Brothers vanish from the dormitory like the wind.

"Hey, you lost again?" Zhou Changxi asked Xie Xie.

Xie Xie glared fiercely at him. "I was just careless. Next time, I'll definitely win!"

As he spoke, he struggled to climb out of bed.

With his face swollen like this, how could he not get treated? He absolutely could not be disfigured!

When Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin went to the C Meal window and ordered their sixteenth and twelfth bowls of Noodles respectively, the chef at the window could not help asking, "You two kids didn't come this late on purpose because you were afraid of being seen, did you? We're about to get off work."

Tang Wulin lowered his head somewhat shyly. "Sorry, Chef Uncle. We were delayed by something today, so we came late."

Tang Wuyang also said apologetically, "Chef Uncle, sorry. We won't do it again next time. Then I'll have one more bowl, and I won't eat anymore."

The chef smiled. "Eating is no problem. The academy's C Meal is free anyway, and there's no limit, as long as you don't waste food."

"But how much more can you two eat?"

Tang Wulin touched his stomach. "I'm about eighty percent full. I feel like I can still eat another five or six bowls."

Tang Wuyang scratched the Back of the head awkwardly. "I think I can still eat quite a lot."

After all, he had not eaten lunch, and he was especially hungry today.

The chef said, "Coming late has its benefits too. There's still a little left over at the B Meal side. No one is buying it anyway, so I'll give it all to you. Better than wasting it."

Two large basins of Noodles, each topped with half a basin of stewed meat, were brought over to the Brothers.

The Brothers had never been able to resist food. After thanking the chef, they each began eating heartily.

The moment the meat entered his mouth, Tang Wuyang chewed a few times and could not help but have his eyes light up.

Seeing Tang Wulin's equally delighted expression beside him, Tang Wuyang knew that his older brother had felt the same thing.

They did not know what kind of meat this B Meal used, but it was very chewy. The flavor was merely average, yet after eating it, their stomachs felt warm, and the strength they had spent during the day visibly recovered faster.

So B Meal was this good. What about Meal A?

Tang Wuyang swallowed and glanced at the Meal A window, but quickly shook his head. That was not something he could afford.

Once he started taking jobs at the Forging Master Association, he would see if he could earn more money.

However, the Brothers had already discussed it. They needed to save the money they earned to buy the Soul Spirits they needed.

One million Federation Coin could buy a yellow Century Soul Spirit. That was their current goal.

After each earning Ten Thousand from the Forging Master Association, the Brothers had set their next Soul Spirit's age at the century level.

After eating and drinking their fill, the Brothers returned to the Dormitory together.

When they opened the dormitory door, they found that Xie Xie was gone.

Tang Wuyang did not think much of it. That guy might be arrogant and overbearing, but he still had some sense of propriety. Tang Wuyang could tell from the fact that when Xie Xie attacked him at the end of their spar today, he had first chosen to use the dagger's hilt.

Tang Wulin had an even worse impression of Xie Xie than he did of Zhou Changxi! Who told Xie Xie to keep wanting to challenge Wuyang? He had even injured him today, resulting in the still-unexplainable Strange Phenomenon on his body.

Unable to figure out what had happened, Tang Wulin climbed onto his upper bunk. The only thing he could do now was cultivate diligently. Only by becoming strong would he be able to help Wuyang if anything happened to him.

Zhou Changxi had just been about to enter Meditation when he saw them return. He immediately poked his head down from the upper bunk. "Tang Wuyang, isn't Xie Xie an Eighteenth Rank Soul Master? How did you beat him?"

He was becoming more and more curious about this roommate, whose strength seemed to surpass even his own.

Tang Wuyang said helplessly, "Actually, I don't know either."

He truly did not know. How was he supposed to explain something like scales appearing on his body?

After waking from his fainting spell, his body had completely returned to normal. Yet no matter what method he tried, he could not make those scales appear again.

He only vaguely remembered that his entire body had been very hot at the time. Then, his scale-covered right arm had filled with violent power. Even his mind had become somewhat muddled, giving him the feeling that he could barely control his body. Violent emotions had even accompanied it.

If his Willpower had not been strong enough, someone might have been in danger.

But what exactly were those Golden Scales? Could they really have been caused by a Martial Soul Mutation?

Although his Qilin Martial Soul could also enhance his physical strength, it was far inferior to those inexplicably appearing Golden Scales.

Besides, in Tang Wuyang's perception, his Qilin Martial Soul should have been more inclined toward elemental attributes, just as Teacher Mang Tian had said before.

Where had those Golden Scales come from? Could it be that they would only appear when he was injured?

With that thought, Tang Wuyang directly rummaged through the daily necessities he had brought and found a sewing needle, then pricked his finger.

It hurt so much!

A drop of blood appeared on his Fingertips, accompanied by intense pain.

He was bleeding, but...

The Golden Scales did not appear.

Tang Wuyang blinked his beautiful eyes twice, unwilling to accept it.

Had he pricked himself too lightly? Thinking so, he did it again.

The result...

There was still no change at all.

Should he try Meditation?

He sat cross-legged on the bed, Concentrated and calmed down, circulating his Soul Power in an attempt to find that warmth from before.

The Meditation Technique he and Tang Wulin had learned was only the most basic kind, with an extremely simple Soul Power circulation route.

Very quickly, he completed one circulation, yet there was still not the slightest change in his body.

Everything was normal, no different from his usual cultivation.

This really was strange.

Tang Wuyang released his Martial Soul again. After fusing with it, he looked at the tail behind him, then touched the small pair of horns on his forehead.

Without any clue, Tang Wuyang could only suppress the doubts in his heart, dispel the fusion state, and begin meditating as usual.

Morning.

When Tang Wuyang finished meditating, he saw Xie Xie meditating across from him as well. He did not know when Xie Xie had returned.

The swelling on Xie Xie's face had subsided considerably, though his expression still did not look very good. It was hard to say whether it was from being beaten or from anger.

After all, paying money to get beaten up was never a pleasant experience...

"Fight me again!"

Xie Xie chased after Tang Wuyang, repeating those words countless times.

Tang Wuyang did not even want to acknowledge him and headed toward the Canteen with Tang Wulin.

"I didn't perform well yesterday! If you won't fight me, believe it or not, I'll tell everyone your secret!" Xie Xie said viciously.

"Do whatever you want." Tang Wuyang did not care in the slightest.

Even he himself did not know what was going on with the Golden Scales. Why would he be afraid of Xie Xie talking about them?

"You!"

"Don't Influence me and Ge while we're eating."

Tang Wuyang brushed Xie Xie aside as though swatting away a fly, then walked with Tang Wulin toward the C Meal window.

"Hey, fight me, and I'll treat you and Tang Wulin to Meal A!" An idea struck Xie Xie, and he shouted at the Brothers' backs.

Tang Wuyang, who had been walking forward, stopped as if someone had grabbed him from behind. Without turning around, he pulled Tang Wulin back several steps and returned to Xie Xie's side.

"Really?" Tang Wuyang was still looking forward to Meal A.

Especially after eating B Meal last night, he could clearly feel that more nutritious food was very beneficial to his body.

When he woke this morning, Tang Wuyang distinctly felt refreshed all over, as though every muscle in his body had become active.

After asking Tang Wulin, who had also eaten B Meal, and learning that he felt the same way, Tang Wuyang developed an even stronger desire for B Meal and the more expensive, more nutritious Meal A.

"Of course!" Xie Xie said proudly.

"As much as we can eat?" Tang Wulin, who was only half involved in the matter, asked expectantly.

Tang Wuyang's eyes gradually lit up as he looked at Xie Xie.

"Eat as much as you want. Didn't they say you two Brothers can both eat a lot?"

"If you've got the ability, eat the Meal A window empty." Xie Xie curled his lip.

"Deal!"

Faced with the temptation of Meal A, Tang Wuyang decisively agreed to Xie Xie's request.

After all, who would ever pick a fight with food?

Half an hour later, Xie Xie began to regret it.

"Are you two even human? Tang Wulin alone ate eighteen Phoenix Turtle Eggs, and Tang Wuyang, you're even more of a freak—you ate thirty outright, and you're still not full?"

One B Meal cost three hundred Federation Coin, while one Meal A cost a full One thousand Federation Coin!

Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin did not know that figure, but by now they had already eaten fifteen and nine servings respectively, and both still looked eager to continue.

The Brothers looked at each other and, seeing the empty plates continuously piling up before them, felt a little embarrassed.

Tang Wulin put down the half-eaten food in his hand. "How about we stop? We won't eat anymore."

Tang Wuyang Nodded beside him, showing his agreement.

Although they did not know how much one Meal A cost, they had each eaten so much that it probably was not cheap.

Seeing that they were about to head back toward the C Meal area, Xie Xie hurriedly grabbed one of each of them and said viciously, "Eat. Why stop eating?"

"Tang Wuyang has already humiliated my body. I absolutely cannot let you Brothers humiliate my dignity too."

"I'll definitely do what I promised."

Meal A truly felt different to Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin. They had never eaten anything so delicious before.

Although B Meal was nutritious, it was not nearly as tasty.

But Meal A was different. Not only did it taste good, but after eating it, their stomachs felt warm and indescribably comfortable.

That warmth continuously spread through their Limbs and Bones, making the Brothers' entire bodies heat up with indescribable comfort.

Tang Wuyang felt as if there were a force Inside Body that was lightly pulsing.

Only after the two of them had eaten twenty-four and sixteen servings respectively did Tang Wuyang and Tang Wulin finally sigh in satisfaction.

Needless to say, the larger amount of twenty-four servings had naturally been eaten by Tang Wuyang.

"Thank you."

Facing the Brothers speaking with one voice, Xie Xie rolled his eyes. "What? You two full already?"

As if they had only just realized it, the Brothers laughed, then Tang Wuyang said, "I forgot your name is Xie Xie. We meant thank you."

This time, Xie Xie finally understood. He snorted and said to Tang Wuyang, "Remember to keep your promise."

Looking at the two stacks of unevenly piled dinner plates, his heart ached. His family might be rich, but his pocket money was still limited.

Over twenty thousand yesterday, and another forty thousand today.

Most tragically, Xie Xie could not be sure whether, like before, he had once again paid money to buy himself a beating...