"What in the world was that..."
Tang Wulin wondered helplessly. How could something like that happen? Was it just his imagination?
At that moment, he had no idea that red light was already flickering in his once-bright black eyes.
Just as Tang Wulin's thoughts were in turmoil, a golden flash exploded in his mind. In the next instant, an overwhelming wave of dizziness knocked him unconscious, and he toppled toward the ground.
"Tang Wulin? Tang Wulin!"
"You—"
"Are you sure he's really okay?"
Xie Xie's eyes widened. He instinctively caught Tang Wulin, and with Wei Xiaofeng's help, managed to keep him on his feet. He gritted his teeth.
Damn it, you jerk!
And Tang Wulin, you really need to lose some weight!
"Let's go!"
"We need to find a teacher. Teacher Lu Li doesn't seem to live on campus, so I guess we'll have to find Teacher Wu..."
Xie Xie swiftly hoisted Tang Wulin onto his back and looked at the others. The five of them headed toward the teaching building together. Zhang Yangzi and the others followed close behind. They would face whatever came together.
But soon, Xie Xie stopped in his tracks.
"What's up? Why'd you stop?"
Wei Xiaofeng asked, confused.
"He's kind of heavy."
"..."
Teachers' apartments.
"Phew..."
"Today, I'm definitely breaking through to Soul Saint!"
Wu Changkong's face was stern as he clenched his fists. Thinking of how powerful Lu Li had become filled him with a profound sense of helplessness, but that feeling soon gave way to a surge of fervor.
He couldn't go on like this!
His former rival was already a Four-Word Battle Armor Master, while he was still a good-for-nothing who hadn't even attained a Martial Soul Avatar. If Bing'er were still alive, would she still love him like this?
He knew she would.
But he couldn't keep wallowing in despair. He had to find his old self again. Today, as he broke through the bottleneck at the peak of Soul Emperor...
A spark of determination lit Wu Changkong's face. He sat cross-legged on the sofa and was just about to begin cultivating when a loud knocking sounded at the door:
"Knock, knock, knock—"
"Teacher Wu! Teacher Wu! Something terrible's happened!"
Xie Xie and the others' voices came from outside. Wei Xiaofeng was the loudest, as if he were worried the soundproofing in Wu Changkong's apartment was too good.
And among them, Tang Wulin's voice was conspicuously absent.
"..."
A thoughtful look crossed Wu Changkong's face. The kids sure have good timing. He immediately sprang to his feet.
He opened the door and saw that Wei Xiaofeng was carrying the unconscious Tang Wulin on his back. The boy's weight had left him panting and utterly exhausted.
"Why did Tang Wulin pass out?"
"Tell me what happened."
Wu Changkong frowned, stepped forward, and lifted Tang Wulin onto the bed. Only then did they notice how pale Tang Wulin was, his brow tightly furrowed.
This child...
What on earth had happened to him?
"Teacher Wu, we don't know either. We were on our way back to the dorms. Tang Wulin was fine one moment, then suddenly collapsed the next."
Xie Xie looked utterly bewildered. But seeing his best friend's pale face, his own expression turned grave. What kind of terror was Tang Wulin experiencing?
"Yeah!"
"I thought he was just fooling around..."
Wei Xiaofeng looked up, panting. He wasn't good at explaining things, but he clearly didn't understand what had happened either.
"All right, I understand. I'll take him in for a checkup. You should head back—"
"Teacher, we want to stay here with Tang Wulin."
Before Wu Changkong could finish, the four of them spoke up together, their expressions resolute.
They hadn't known Tang Wulin for long, but they had watched him go from having a weak, innate third-rank talent to where he was now. He was a companion they had accepted.
They...
Would take good care of him, too.
They knew Tang Wulin was the weakest among them, but that was no reason to bully him. It meant he deserved even more care and protection from everyone, because...
They were companions.
"Oh? You're quite a close-knit group."
Seeing their worried faces, Wu Changkong's calm expression softened into a faint smile. His eyes held a trace of warmth.
How wonderful.
A team like this, full of care and concern, was what true companionship looked like. They were friends who could walk together into the future.
"But there are too many of you. You'll disturb Tang Wulin. Go back, all of you. Do you really want to bother him?"
In the next instant, his expression turned cool again, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"But..."
"Yes, Teacher Wu!"
The others hesitated, then nodded, understanding his point, and quickly left.
But on the way back to the dorms, Wei Xiaofeng couldn't help glancing at the other three.
"Is something wrong with my eyes, or did Teacher Wu just..."
"Smile?"
"..."
"Teacher Wu, there's nothing wrong with the child's body. All his physical functions are completely normal."
"Even his spiritual power hasn't fluctuated much. But judging from his expression, he seems to be enduring some tremendous terror. In a situation like this, we can't forcibly wake him up."
"If he ends up a fool, that'd be a disaster."
"We're afraid there's nothing more we can do here. In this situation, we can only wait and see. All I can do is monitor him as closely as possible..."
In the academy infirmary, Doctor Su Yuntao spoke gravely.
He had never seen anything like this before: someone passing out for no apparent reason despite being physically fine, and looking as though he were having a nightmare!
"..."
Wu Changkong's expression was frighteningly grim.
Why would a child of just nine have his mind invaded like this? How could he possibly endure it?
He could guess that this genius, who had become a blacksmith with his Blue Silver Grass Martial Soul, had secrets no one knew about. But no matter who he was—even if he was the son of Sea God Tang San...
He was still just a little child!
"Doctor Su, thank you."
"I'm going to contact a friend in another field. I'll leave Tang Wulin in your care."
Wu Changkong glanced at the doctor, gritted his teeth, and spoke. He didn't know what to do about this, but there was one person who would know...
Brother Lu Li!
Couldn't the Four-Word Battle Armor wait?
Our child matters more!
"Why thank me, Teacher Wu?"
"You know my ancestor helped Ancestor Tang San awaken his Martial Soul. I've got this covered!"
"With me here, I'll make sure he's all right!"
Su Yuntao smiled and shook his head. As it happened, that ancestor of his had the same name as he did!
But right then, an unforeseen change occurred.
Tang Wulin's previously steady heart rate suddenly stopped for a moment, then began fluctuating wildly and irregularly.
"?"
Wu Changkong and Su Yuntao exchanged a silent glance. The latter trembled as he spoke:
"Um... should we start preparing for the funeral?"
"..."
Meanwhile.
Inside Tang Wulin's consciousness.
"Where am I? What is this place...?"
In a pitch-black void, Tang Wulin stood frozen with fear written all over his face.
"Xie Xie, Wei Xiaofeng, Zhang Yangzi, Wang Jinxi, have you come here too? Or..."
"Is this darkness meant for me alone?"
He didn't know that this was his own consciousness. At his age, with his limited experience, he couldn't possibly have figured that out.
He instinctively called out to his companions, who had been by his side, but all he got in return was the echo of his own voice. It repeated again and again, each time more chilling than before.
Even this brave boy couldn't help trembling, his eyes reddening like a frightened rabbit as tears began to well up.
He was scared.
But even so, he forced himself to stand his ground, silently encouraging himself: Dad had said that real men didn't cry. He wouldn't cry...
Several minutes passed before Tang Wulin finally calmed down. He took a deep breath, steeled himself, and began walking forward one step at a time.
Deep in his subconscious, a golden light guided him in the right direction. One step, two steps, three steps...
Tang Wulin had no idea how long he walked. He only knew that he kept following the golden light until...
He saw an enormous creature.
"I..."
"Am I going to die?"
At that moment, all the light left Tang Wulin's eyes. He stared blankly at the thing before him and swallowed hard.
Because...
It looked like a dragon.
A dragon at least several hundred meters tall. It looked incredibly powerful, yet it was tightly sealed away, with not a trace of life left in it. A...
Dead dragon!
"..."
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