Early that morning, Tang San left with Yu Xiaogang. Yu Xiaogang rented a carriage and took Tang San to the Soul Hunting Forest.
Meanwhile, Jiang Huai, Gu Yue, and Xiao Wu headed to the Spirit Hall Branch in Nuoding City to obtain their Spirit Master Handbooks.
Before long, Ma Xiunuo, the Soul Elder there, personally escorted the three of them out. Jiang Huai's handbook was made of wood, with his name, Martial Soul, level, Soul Ring colors, and age carved into it.
Ma Xiunuo told them that a Spirit Master Handbook was an important possession, second only to Soul Rings, Soul Bones, and other secrets. If it fell into the hands of someone of a lower level, a stranger might use their name to commit misdeeds.
Jiang Huai and the others nodded, then returned to school. Ever since the previous night, Jiang Huai had felt as if someone was watching him.
After they got back, the three of them each found a place to cultivate. Jiang Huai went back to the secluded spot he had used before.
Jiang Huai took out a hamburger and said in confusion, "I noticed something strange the last time I ate one of these. Could it be...?"
He took a bite, and discovered that his Soul Power was gradually accelerating. He focused on the Soul Power within his body.
His eyes flew open. "Oh, yeah! That feels good! So good! I haven't felt this good in years."
"Looks like eating this Martial Soul slowly increases my Soul Power, just like Xuan Zi in Peerless Tang Sect, the second Douluo book. The more he eats, the stronger he gets."
With that, Jiang Huai snapped his fingers. "Eat! I'll keep eating wherever I go."
Back at the school Dining Hall, Xiao Wu had been thoroughly enraged by Xiao Chenyu's words. She charged up to the second floor and kicked him.
Xiao Chenyu flew across the room, knocking over the half-eaten meals of several students. He got to his feet, his expression dark, and brushed the food off himself. Then he threw it to the ground and stepped on it.
Xiao Chenyu said coldly, "You poor brat, you dare hit me? You don't want to live in Nuoding City anymore?"
Gu Yue furrowed her brows, and silver Soul Power flashed in her eyes. Xiao Wu shouted, "Don't disturb everyone while they're eating! Are you willing to come fight me on the lawn behind the school?"
Xiao Chenyu was so furious that he laughed. "Fine! Let's go. Who's afraid of you?"
The work-study students and Xiao Chenyu's lackeys, the regular students, left the Dining Hall. They headed to the lawn behind the school.
Jiang Huai was meditating with his eyes closed in his secluded spot and had no idea what was happening. Jiang Yi stood on a tree branch, shook her head, and sighed. "Honestly, they're just kids. They don't have a shred of vigilance."
Tang San had returned as well. After the boost from his Soul Ring, he thought he was ready to take on Jiang Huai—and win.
A pebble struck Jiang Huai on the head. His eyelids twitched, and Jiang Yi hurriedly ducked out of sight.
Standing on the branch, Jiang Yi patted her chest. "Phew! That was close. He almost spotted me."
Jiang Huai opened his eyes. His Soul Power Level had reached fifteen—a full two-level increase.
At a window in the academy, a woman stared intently below. She was Ning Fengqi, the older sister of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect's leader.
Jiang Huai looked over the changes in his body. He had grown a centimeter taller and become noticeably stronger, which pleased him.
The sounds of fighting outside caught Jiang Huai's attention. He stood up, dusted himself off, and quickly finished the hamburger he had left uneaten.
Jiang Huai even remarked, "Tastes good."
He walked out and froze at the scene before him. What were Xiao Wu and Gu Yue doing here with a group of work-study students and regular students?
Jiang Huai walked over to Xiao Wu and asked what was going on. Xiao Wu shouted, "Xiao Huai, these people are bullying us! They even used their bodies to hit my feet!"
The corners of Xiao Chenyu's group's mouths twitched, as did Jiang Yi's, where she was perched in a tree, her expression dark. Jiang Huai's expression darkened too. Just as he was about to step in and have a go, Gu Yue grabbed his hand.
Jiang Huai turned back and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"
Gu Yue glared at Xiao Wu, then said, "First of all, they provoked us. And Xiao Wu struck first—she kicked that Xiao...something-yu."
Xiao Chenyu, who had heard Gu Yue say his name, scowled. "My name is Xiao Chenyu, not Xiao-something-yu."
Xiao Wu blushed at Gu Yue's words. She grabbed Jiang Huai's hand and shook it as she said, "Xiao Huai, can you bear to let them insult us work-study students?"
Jiang Huai thought for a moment. "No."
Gu Yue covered her forehead with her right hand and turned away. Seeing this, Jiang Huai asked, "Gu Yue, are you feeling unwell?"
Standing behind the work-study students, Gu Yue replied, "I'm fine. You guys talk."
Impatient with their dithering, Xiao Chenyu asked arrogantly, "Hey, you poor kids! Are we fighting or not?"
Jiang Huai's eyes instantly turned into vertical pupils. Gu Yue grabbed his hand tightly. "Don't rush. Let one of our own test them first."
Jiang Huai nodded. "Wang Sheng, you're up."
Wang Sheng rubbed his wrists. "Got it, boss. Liu Yun, let's fight."
Liu Yun, standing behind Xiao Chenyu, sneered. "Oh? A defeated loser's grown a backbone. But you're still going to lose to me."
Wang Sheng stamped his foot. A gray wolf appeared behind him, and he shouted, "Gray Wolf Possession!"
Liu Yun put his left hand behind his back and turned his right wrist. "Golden Pattern Staff!"
The two began to fight, and Wang Sheng lunged straight at Liu Yun.
Liu Yun barely managed to withstand Wang Sheng's fierce lunge. Under Wang Sheng's relentless assault, he was on the verge of defeat.
At that moment, Liu Yun spotted an opening in Wang Sheng's defense and swung his staff at him. Wang Sheng had expected it and caught the staff, but Liu Yun's mouth curled into a smirk as the staff turned intangible and struck Wang Sheng in the abdomen.
Wang Sheng flew backward toward the group of work-study students. Jiang Huai reached out and easily caught him.
Wang Sheng felt relieved to be brought to a stop and thanked Jiang Huai. Jiang Huai dusted him off. "It's fine. You just don't have a Soul Ring. If you did, his Martial Soul might have shattered."
Liu Yun sneered. "Would my Martial Soul shatter, or would his wolf claws break? Hahaha!"
After Liu Yun spoke, Xiao Chenyu and the others behind him burst into laughter. Jiang Huai calmly walked forward and beckoned with a finger.
Clearly, Jiang Huai was stepping into the fight himself. The work-study students shouted, "Go, boss!"
Seeing the work-study students' leader step forward, Xiao Chenyu stopped laughing and fixed his gaze on Jiang Huai.
Liu Yun also saw the other side's leader step up, and didn't dare take him lightly. He frowned, searching for an opening in Jiang Huai's defense.
Suddenly, Jiang Huai took an iron sword from the Soul Tool at his waist. He had bought it at the blacksmith's shop not long ago. Gripping the sword in his right hand, he rushed up to Liu Yun and swung.
Liu Yun saw him disappear and hurriedly raised his staff to block. Jiang Huai's sword struck Liu Yun's staff, then he appeared behind him in an instant and kicked Liu Yun in the back, catching him completely off guard.
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