Work-Study Student vs. Regular Student

Early in the morning, Tang San followed Yu Xiaogang out, as Yu Xiaogang had rented a carriage to take Tang San to the Soul Hunting Forest.

Meanwhile, Jiang Huai, Gu Yue, and Xiao Wu headed to the Nuoding City Spirit Hall Branch to obtain their Spirit Master Handbooks.

Soon, the three of them were personally escorted out by the Soul Elder Ma Xiunuo. Jiang Huai's initial handbook was made of wood, inscribed with his name, martial soul, level, spirit ring color, and age.

Ma Xiunuo informed the three that the Spirit Master Handbook was an item of great importance, second only to spirit rings, spirit bones, and other secrets. If this item fell into the hands of someone with low status, a stranger could potentially use one's name to commit evil deeds.

After the three of them nodded, they returned to the academy. Ever since last night, Jiang Huai had felt as if someone was watching him.

Once the three returned to the academy, they each found a place to begin their cultivation. Jiang Huai, as usual, went to his secluded spot to cultivate.

Jiang Huai took out a burger and looked at it with suspicion, thinking, I noticed something strange when I ate this last time. Could it be?

After finishing his thought, Jiang Huai took a bite and discovered that his soul power was slowly accelerating. He sensed the soul power within his body.

Suddenly, he opened his eyes and exclaimed, "Nice! Comfortable! So comfortable. I haven't felt this good in all these years."

"It seems that eating this martial soul of mine slowly increases my soul power, just like Xuan Zi from the second installment of the Peerless Tang Sect—eating constantly to keep improving."

Having said that, Jiang Huai snapped his fingers and declared, "Eat! I'll keep eating; I'll eat wherever I go."

At this moment in the academy cafeteria, Xiao Wu was completely enraged by Xiao Chenyu's words. She rushed to the second floor and kicked him.

Xiao Chenyu flew backward, knocking over the unfinished meals of several other students. He climbed to his feet, his face dark, and brushed the food off his body before stomping on it.

Xiao Chenyu said coldly, "A pauper dares to hit me? Do you not want to survive in Nuoding City anymore?"

Gu Yue frowned upon hearing this, her eyes flashing with silver soul power. At this, Xiao Wu shouted angrily, "Don't disturb others while they're eating! Do you dare to come to the lawn behind the academy and fight me?"

Xiao Chenyu was so amused by this that he laughed and said, "Fine! Let's go then, who's afraid of who?"

With that, the work-study students and Xiao Chenyu's lackeys—the ordinary students—walked out of the cafeteria. The group arrived at the lawn behind the academy.

Jiang Huai was currently meditating with his eyes closed in his hidden spot and had no idea what was happening. At this moment, Jiang Yi stood on a tree, shaking her head and sighing, "Sigh, they really are just children, not a shred of vigilance."

By now, Tang San had also returned. Having experienced the boost provided by his spirit ring, Tang San believed he was ready and capable of winning a fight against anyone.

Just then, a pebble landed on Jiang Huai's head. His closed eyelids twitched, and seeing this, Jiang Yi hid in a panic.

Jiang Yi stood on a tree branch and patted her chest, saying, "Phew! Almost got caught."

Jiang Huai opened his eyes, his soul power level having reached level fifteen—a full two-level increase.

From a window in the academy, a woman's gaze was fixed firmly on the scene below. She was none other than Ning Fengqi, the elder sister of the Seven Treasure Glazed Tile Sect master.

Jiang Huai checked the changes in his body and found that he had grown a centimeter taller and become much stronger, which he was quite satisfied with.

At this moment, the sounds of fighting outside caught Jiang Huai's attention. He stood up, brushed the dust off his clothes, and finished the rest of his burger in two or three bites.

Jiang Huai even remarked, "Not bad taste."

After saying this, Jiang Huai walked out and was stunned by the scene before him. What were Xiao Wu, Gu Yue, and a group of people doing with the ordinary students?

Jiang Huai walked up to Xiao Wu and asked what was wrong. Xiao Wu said loudly, "Xiao Huai, this group of people is being too overbearing, and they even used their bodies to hit my foot."

Upon hearing this, Xiao Chenyu's group and Jiang Yi, who was sulking in the tree, all twitched their lips. Jiang Huai's expression darkened. Just as he was about to step up for a spar, Gu Yue grabbed Jiang Huai's hand.

Jiang Huai turned his head and asked in confusion, "What's wrong?"

Gu Yue glared at Xiao Wu before saying, "First of all, they were the ones who provoked us, and secondly, Xiao Wu was the one who struck first by kicking that Xiao-whatever-Yu."

Xiao Chenyu, hearing Gu Yue say his name, turned dark in the face and said, "My name is Xiao Chenyu, not Xiao-whatever-Yu."

Xiao Wu, hearing what Gu Yue said, blushed and grabbed Jiang Huai's hand, shaking it as she said, "Xiao Huai, can you bear to see us work-study students being verbally insulted?"

Jiang Huai pondered for a moment and said, "No."

Gu Yue covered her forehead with her right hand and turned away. Seeing this, Jiang Huai asked, "Gu Yue, are you not feeling well?"

Gu Yue stood behind the work-study students and said, "I'm fine, you guys talk."

Seeing them dawdling, Xiao Chenyu asked arrogantly, "Hey! Are you paupers going to fight or not?"

Hearing this, Jiang Huai's eyes instantly turned into vertical pupils. Seeing this, Gu Yue reached out and gripped Jiang Huai's hand, saying, "Don't be rash, let our own people test their bottom line first."

Jiang Huai nodded and said, "Wang Sheng, you go."

Wang Sheng rubbed his wrists and said, "Got it, Boss. Liu Yun, let's have a fight."

Liu Yun, standing behind Xiao Chenyu, sneered and said, "Oh ho! The loser is acting tough now? But in my hands, you'll still be a loser."

At this, Wang Sheng stomped his foot, and a Gray Wolf appeared behind him as he shouted, "Gray Wolf Possession!"

Liu Yun placed his left hand behind his back and rotated his right hand, saying, "Golden Pattern Staff."

With that, the two began to fight. Wang Sheng lunged fiercely at Liu Yun.

Liu Yun barely managed to block the fierce lunge. Under Wang Sheng's intense offensive, Liu Yun was on the verge of defeat.

At this critical moment, Liu Yun found an opening in Wang Sheng's defense and struck with his staff. Wang Sheng had anticipated this and grabbed the staff, but Liu Yun curled his lip, and the staff turned intangible, striking Wang Sheng in the abdomen.

Wang Sheng flew backward, crashing into the group of work-study students. Jiang Huai reached out and easily caught the flying Wang Sheng.

Wang Sheng felt relieved after being caught and thanked him. Jiang Huai brushed the dust off him and said, "It's fine, you just don't have a spirit ring. If you had one, his martial soul might have shattered directly."

Liu Yun sneered, "Would it be my martial soul that shattered, or his wolf claws that broke? Hahaha."

After Liu Yun finished speaking, Xiao Chenyu and his group began to roar with laughter. Jiang Huai, hearing this, walked up calmly and beckoned with his finger.

It was clear that Jiang Huai had entered the fray himself, and the work-study students shouted, "Go, Boss!"

Seeing that the leader of the work-study students had stepped up, Xiao Chenyu stopped smiling, his gaze locked firmly onto Jiang Huai.

Liu Yun did not dare to be careless now that the opposing leader had joined the fight; he frowned, searching for a flaw in Jiang Huai's defense.

Suddenly, Jiang Huai pulled an iron sword he had recently purchased from a blacksmith shop out of the Soul Tool at his waist, took a vigorous step forward, and appeared before Liu Yun, slashing out with the blade.

Seeing his opponent vanish, Liu Yun instinctively blocked in front of himself with his staff, but after Jiang Huai's sword struck the staff, he instantly appeared behind him and kicked Liu Yun squarely in the back, catching him completely off guard.