Wu Zhangkong, the Brainless One

Because he had already decided that Su Mo was a member of the Body Sect, Wang Ling returned to his work after checking on Su Mo's condition.

After Wang Ling and the others dispersed, Wu Zhangkong stepped forward and looked Su Mo up and down curiously. "Su Mo, what was that swordsmanship you used just now?"

Wu Zhangkong, also a swordsman, was extremely curious about the swordsmanship Su Mo had just displayed.

Clearly, Su Mo's swordsmanship seemed to have no particular form or pattern, yet it somehow gave off a clean, decisive feeling, without a single unnecessary movement.

Moreover, during Su Mo's fight with the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear, Wu Zhangkong had noticed something unusual about his swordsmanship.

Several times, Su Mo's blade had clearly been avoided by the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear, yet the beast had still been injured.

Su Mo did not answer. Instead, he looked at Wu Zhangkong as though he were an idiot.

Asking about someone else's secret the moment he came up—Wu Zhangkong really was brainless. What a waste of that cold, handsome face.

Feeling Su Mo's strange gaze, Wu Zhangkong also realized that he had been somewhat abrupt.

However, not only did Wu Zhangkong show no remorse, he even began to resent Su Mo for failing to appreciate his kindness.

As Su Mo's teacher, wasn't it perfectly normal for him to ask about Su Mo's soul skill?

In Wu Zhangkong's eyes, as Su Mo's teacher, he was entitled to Su Mo's unconditional obedience, even if his orders were wrong.

If Tang Wulin had not needed to use Su Mo's spot to enter the Spirit Ascension Platform, then even with Yu Zhen, the principal of Eastsea Academy, personally asking him to look after Su Mo, he would still have kicked Su Mo out of Class Zero.

Students who refused to submit to their teachers' discipline were unworthy of receiving his instruction. That was the pride Wu Zhangkong possessed as a disciple of Shrek and the Tang Sect.

After being rebuffed by Su Mo, Wu Zhangkong snorted coldly, turned away, and continued watching Tang Wulin and the others.

Inside the Spirit Ascension Platform, after Tang Wulin's group successfully defeated the Man Faced Demon Spider, they encountered the Xu siblings, Xu Xiaoyu and Xu Xiaoyan.

To seize the Soul Power halos Tang Wulin's group had obtained from their prey, the Xu siblings fought fiercely against Tang Wulin's group.

However, the Xu siblings appeared to have badly underestimated Tang Wulin's group's combat strength and were easily eliminated.

After eliminating the Xu siblings, Tang Wulin's group did not encounter the fleeing Flame Lion pack, since the Dark-Gold Terrorclaw Bear had not interfered.

After symbolically hunting a few more hundred-year Soul Beasts, Tang Wulin's group was forcibly teleported out when their time ran out.

"Teacher Wu!!!"

The moment he emerged from the Simulation Pod, Tang Wulin could not wait to share the good news with Wu Zhangkong.

This time, not only had they made a huge haul in the Spirit Ascension Platform, they had also survived until the end.

Seeing Tang Wulin happily reporting their success, Wu Zhangkong's cold expression finally softened slightly.

"You did well this time. You have all passed the final assessment."

Wu Zhangkong's praise filled Tang Wulin and the others with joy. This was the first time they had received Wu Zhangkong's approval since following him.

Even Gu Yue, who had always been aloof, could not help but let the corners of her lips curl upward slightly after hearing Wu Zhangkong's praise.

Watching Wu Zhangkong and Tang Wulin's group looking so harmonious, Su Mo sneered inwardly.

Whether Wu Zhangkong had done it deliberately or unconsciously, Su Mo had to admit that his tactic of suppressing them first and praising them afterward was indeed highly effective.

Just look at the Silver Dragon King, who bore the hopes of all Soul Beasts' future. A single costless compliment from him had made her so happy.

Su Mo yawned, intending to go back and sleep. He had no interest in staying here to watch Tang Wulin and Wu Zhangkong put on a display of deep teacher-student affection.

"Student Su Mo..."

Just as Su Mo was about to leave, Tang Wulin called out to him.

"What is it?"

Su Mo turned around expressionlessly and replied in an indifferent tone.

Although he knew that Tang Wulin would be his enemy in the future, Su Mo did not mind becoming close friends with Tang Wulin before they openly turned against each other.

Hearing Su Mo's indifferent tone, the joyful smile on Tang Wulin's face stiffened slightly, and he felt an inexplicable sense of frustration.

From childhood until now, this was the first time Tang Wulin had encountered someone like Su Mo, someone who treated him with such disregard. Xie Xie had also been arrogant before, but he had never ignored Tang Wulin's existence.

Su Mo's tone was calm—so calm that Tang Wulin felt like he was nothing more than a dispensable presence before him. Having grown used to being the center of everyone's attention, Tang Wulin found this somewhat uncomfortable.

Seeing that Tang Wulin remained silent, Su Mo urged him in the same indifferent tone, "If there's nothing else, I'm going back!"

"Wait..."

Seeing that Su Mo was about to step out the door, Tang Wulin stopped overthinking and hurriedly took out the Cloud Titanium Vest he had made.

Since he had been using Su Mo's spot to enter the Spirit Ascension Platform, Tang Wulin had specifically made one for Su Mo while crafting the Cloud Titanium Vests.

Tang Wulin had originally intended to give it to Su Mo before entering the Spirit Ascension Platform, but after seeing Su Mo's cold attitude toward Wu Zhangkong, he had inexplicably dismissed the thought.

"Student Su Mo, I specially made this vest for you."

"With it, when you act alone in the Spirit Ascension Platform in the future..."

"No need. This thing is useless to me!"

Looking at the vest Tang Wulin offered him, Su Mo waved his hand and refused without even glancing at it.

Tang Wulin had clearly not expected Su Mo to reject him. For a moment, he stood there at a loss.

Su Mo's cold refusal made Xie Xie, Tang Wulin's close friend, unable to stand it any longer. He jumped out and accused him, "What's with you? Why are you so ungrateful?"

"Wulin is giving it to you, so just take it. It's not like he's charging you."

Wang Jinxi and Zhang Yangzi nodded in agreement. Even Gu Yue frowned slightly, feeling that Su Mo's refusal was somewhat excessive.

After looking around and taking in everyone's attitudes, Su Mo replied unhurriedly, "Just because he gives me something doesn't mean I have to accept it."

"Unsolicited favors usually hide ulterior motives. Surely I don't need to remind you of that."

"You..."

Su Mo's words left Xie Xie speechless, and the atmosphere in the room immediately turned serious.

Aside from Wang Ling and the staff, who looked delighted to watch the drama unfold, Tang Wulin's group had all been rendered speechless by Su Mo's retort.

"And..."

Su Mo swept his gaze across the group again and said in a deep voice, "This little toy is truly of no use to me. Even if I accepted it, it would only gather dust in a corner. You might as well save it for someone who needs it more."

The tense atmosphere eased considerably the moment Su Mo said this. Tang Wulin widened his eyes, never expecting that this was why Su Mo had refused him.

Although Su Mo's tone was still as cold as before, Tang Wulin and the others could clearly sense that it had softened.

At Su Mo's explanation, Xie Xie turned his head aside, curled his lips disdainfully, and said, "Tch! You're only a Soul Grandmaster, and you didn't even last in there as long as us Soul Masters. How dare you say something like that?"

As one of the first people to use it, Xie Xie had every right to speak about how useful Tang Wulin's Cloud Titanium Vest was.

During their earlier fight with the Man Faced Demon Spider, the Cloud Titanium Vest Tang Wulin had given him had blocked several fatal attacks for him.

Without that vest, they might not have defeated the Man Faced Demon Spider so easily.

Yet now Su Mo, someone who had not even lasted in the Spirit Ascension Platform as long as he had, was claiming that the Cloud Titanium Vest Wulin made was useless to him. How could Xie Xie not be angry?