Defeat

A group of them then left the dining hall and came to an open area outside.

Such a large commotion drew many other students over to watch, in addition to the work-study students, Xiao Chenyu, and his lackeys.

Wang Xian stood before Xiao Chenyu just as the two were at each other's throats, about to begin fighting.

He suddenly smiled and said, "I wonder if Boss Xiao dares to make the stakes a little higher?"

"What do you mean?" Xiao Chenyu frowned.

Wang Xian thought for a moment and said, "It's simple. If you win, you can bully the work-study students however you like from now on, and I won't say a word. But if I win..."

He paused and looked Xiao Chenyu in the eyes.

"You will not be allowed to bully any work-study student again. And all the work the work-study students do to support themselves will be handled by you and your people."

"What?" One of Xiao Chenyu's followers immediately exploded. "Why should we do your work for you?"

Wang Xian ignored him and merely looked at Xiao Chenyu. "Looks like your lackey doesn't have much faith in you."

Xiao Chenyu turned and shot his follower a vicious glare, then gritted his teeth. "Fine, I accept."

Once the terms were settled, the two each stepped back several paces and put some distance between them.

The watching crowd automatically spread out into a large circle, murmurs rising and falling without end.

"Who's that kid? He actually dares to challenge Boss Xiao?"

"I heard he's a newly arrived work-study student. He only got here yesterday."

"Isn't he courting death? Boss Xiao is a level-nine Soul Master. I heard he'll break through level ten soon."

Wang Sheng stood at the front of the crowd, his palms drenched in sweat. The other work-study students were just as nervous, each of them clenching their fists as they stared at the center of the field.

Xiao Chenyu rolled his shoulders, a disdainful smile hanging from the corner of his mouth.

"Kid, I'll broaden your horizons today and show you what a real Soul Master is."

As soon as he finished speaking, a layer of cyan light emerged from his body.

The cyan light was not dazzling, but it carried a wild aura.

Xiao Chenyu's figure grew slightly taller within the cyan light. His shoulders broadened, and the muscles in his arms swelled, stretching the sleeves of his uniform taut.

His eyes turned pale green, and his pupils became vertical slits, like those of a cat at night.

He slowly raised both arms. The nails on his ten fingers abruptly grew half an inch longer, grayish-white and slightly curved, gleaming coldly in the morning light.

Xiao Chenyu licked his lips, formed claws with both hands, and slashed them across each other before his chest, stirring up two gusts of wind.

"Come on."

Without hesitation, Wang Xian spread his right hand, and dark teal light surged from his palm.

Blue Silver Grass shot out along the ground—not one or two blades, but a dense mass of it.

Like a sea of grass that had suddenly grown from the earth, it silently spread toward Xiao Chenyu.

Xiao Chenyu snorted coldly, pushed off with his feet, and charged forward two steps. His claws slashed left and right at the first Blue Silver Grass approaching him.

His grayish-white nails scraped across the blades, producing a series of harsh rubbing sounds, like blades scraping against cowhide.

The grass blades were struck inward, then bounced back. They swayed a few times, without even a single cut left behind.

Xiao Chenyu froze for a moment, then unwilling to believe it, slashed twice more. This time, he used all his strength. The places his nails passed over only showed several faint white marks, which vanished in the blink of an eye.

His expression changed, but Wang Xian gave him no chance to react.

As he activated his Soul Power, even more Blue Silver Grass swept in from both sides, rapidly extending along the ground.

Xiao Chenyu looked down and saw that several loops of dark teal vines had already wrapped around his ankles.

Before he could struggle, the vines suddenly tightened, and a tremendous pulling force came from beneath his feet.

"What?!"

Before he could finish, his entire body was yanked forward. With a bang, he crashed face-first onto the ground, his mouth full of dirt.

Xiao Chenyu planted both hands on the ground and tried to rise, but the Blue Silver Grass had already wound up from his calves to his knees, loop after loop, tightening more and more.

He clawed at it, but his nails only produced a few dull thuds against the grass blades. He could not tear them apart at all.

The vines seemed to have grown from his body, clamping down on him tightly without budging in the slightest.

He twisted several times in the mud, trying to roll over, but the Blue Silver Grass had bound him too tightly. Even turning over took effort.

His legs seemed nailed to the ground. No matter how he kicked, he could not break free.

"Detected that the host has defeated a Martial Soul possessor. Martial Soul: Wolf (E-Rank). Capture?"

"Capture," Wang Xian commanded.

The watching crowd fell silent.

Wang Sheng's mouth hung open, his eyes nearly popping out of their sockets.

Though he had been defeated in the same way yesterday, Xiao Chenyu's Soul Power was a full two levels higher than his.

Yet he had also been defeated so easily. Was Wang Xian's Martial Soul really Blue Silver Grass?

How could it be so powerful?

Xiao Chenyu struggled a few more times on the ground, his nails scraping several marks into the dirt. His face was flushed red, and he panted heavily, but he still could not break free.

He raised his head, his face covered in mud and his hair disheveled. None of his earlier arrogance remained.

"Let me go!" he roared, his voice already tinged with humiliation and fury.

Wang Xian stood where he was and watched him without moving.

"Once you admit defeat, I'll naturally let you go," Wang Xian said calmly from beside him.

Nearly everyone at Notting Academy witnessed Xiao Chenyu's miserable appearance.

Those burning stares filled him with unbearable shame, and he said indignantly, "I admit defeat!"

With a thought from Wang Xian, the Blue Silver Grass binding Xiao Chenyu tightly quickly withdrew.

Xiao Chenyu scrambled to his feet at once, his eyes fixed fiercely on Wang Xian, filled with unwillingness.

"This time, I lost. But next time, I'll definitely beat you!"

Before long, he would be able to fuse with his First Soul Ring. By then, Wang Xian would definitely be no match for him.

After delivering his threat, Xiao Chenyu turned and left.

Wang Sheng rushed forward at that moment and shouted, "Don't forget to do our work!"

Xiao Chenyu staggered. If his lackeys had not caught him, he might have fallen to the ground again.

The group did not even eat breakfast and fled directly from the dining hall.

"Wang Xian, you're incredible! You actually defeated Xiao Chenyu!" Wang Sheng said excitedly.

At that moment, all the other work-study students gathered around as well, every face wearing an excited smile.

In the past, they had always been bullied by students led by Xiao Chenyu. Wherever they went, they were mocked and sometimes even beaten.

Those days had been incredibly stifling.

Now, their new boss had not only defeated Xiao Chenyu, but also exempted them from all their work.

How could they not be excited?

Wang Xian smiled as well, because defeating Xiao Chenyu not only meant he no longer had to waste time working, but also earned him an E-Rank Martial Soul.

As for Xiao Chenyu returning for revenge after obtaining his First Soul Ring, Wang Xian was not worried. Even with a First Soul Ring, Xiao Chenyu could not possibly be his opponent.

"Alright, let's go eat breakfast first," Wang Xian said to everyone with a smile.

"Okay!"