Tang San Was Disliked by Xiao Wu

But Ning Chuan did not care about any of that. He wished he could owe even more. "Thank you, Brother Dao, thank you. But Brother Dao, it's not that I don't trust you. Look at this Gold Card—if a kid like me is holding one, that master probably won't believe it either. Since I already have a Soul Tool, how about exchanging this Gold Card for cash?"

"You little rascal. Fine, Brother Dao will grant your wish."

Brother Dao had someone carry over a huge chest of Gold Soul Coins.

Thus, with both sides feeling they had made a killing, Ning Chuan signed an Indentured Servitude Contract for one hundred thousand, agreeing to repay the money within seven days. In the end, he left the Underground Casino with a Soul Tool Ring containing ten thousand Gold Soul Coins.

After getting the money, Ning Chuan immediately bought a batch of daily necessities, then treated himself to a hearty meal before returning to the academy.

When he returned to the dormitory, it was already completely empty. Ning Chuan guessed that the others had gone to eat dinner.

He did not pay it any mind.

It was just as well, since he did not want to expose his Soul Tool either.

So he decisively took out a new cotton quilt from the Soul Tool and spread it over his bed. Then he found a rope, hung the Soul Tool Ring around his neck, and tucked it beneath his collar.

Finally, he left the Seventh Dormitory and headed to the Dean of Instruction's office.

The Dean of Instruction's office was in the center of the teaching building. It was not large, only around thirty square meters, and its furnishings were simple. The only thing that caught Ning Chuan's attention was a display case occupying two walls, filled with all sorts of treasured swords.

Louise was just about to look over the new student files Director Su had sent over. When she saw Ning Chuan enter, she asked in surprise, "You're that little brother from noon, aren't you? What brings you here?"

"Yes. Sister, I want you to teach me swordsmanship."

Ning Chuan stated his purpose.

Swordsmanship? Louise was somewhat surprised. She neither agreed nor refused outright, instead saying, "Summon your spirit and let me take a look."

Without any needless words, Ning Chuan raised his right hand and summoned his spirit, the Green Bamboo Bee Cloud Sword. Then he gripped it with both hands. By now, he could barely lift this 180-jin sword with both hands, though swinging it was still difficult.

"What a gorgeous sword."

Louise looked even more shocked than Su Yuntao had been.

"What's your name?"

"Ning Chuan!"

Hearing that, Louise hurriedly searched through the files and quickly found Ning Chuan's information.

Yet the contents made her frown.

Any Soul Master above level thirty could sense fluctuations in soul power.

Judging from the soul power fluctuations Ning Chuan displayed, he was definitely far beyond level half.

She did not believe that a child with only half a level of Innate Soul Power could raise his soul power from half a level to this extent in just three months.

And his spirit did not look like some bamboo sword. Rather, it seemed like an extremely powerful tool spirit.

Before this tool spirit, the Hidden Fragrance Sword within her body actually felt faint pressure.

This was something that only happened when a lower-ranked spirit faced a higher-ranked spirit.

"Why does your Spirit Certificate say your spirit is a bamboo sword and that you only have half a level of Innate Soul Power?"

Ning Chuan had expected this. After all, there was no such thing as kindness without reason in this world. If he did not display talent, no one would value him.

"I don't know what happened either. Back when Master Su Yuntao from Spirit Hall awakened my spirit, the second time I summoned it, I felt that my spirit had become much heavier."

Louise nodded. It seemed to be a mutated spirit, and one that had mutated after awakening. Such cases were rare, but not unheard of.

"Then let's test your soul power again."

As she spoke, she took a crystal ball used for testing soul power from a drawer.

Ning Chuan raised his hand and lightly touched the crystal ball. The crystal ball immediately lit up halfway.

"Level five Innate Soul Power." Louise showed an expression of understanding. When she looked at Ning Chuan again, there was a little more appreciation in her gaze. "It seems your spirit has undergone a beneficial mutation."

"Then can I come to you to practice swordsmanship from now on?" Ning Chuan asked, feigning excitement.

"Of course. From now on, I can set aside time in the afternoons to guide your cultivation. But before that, I want to ask you a question. Are you willing to take me as your master?"

A gentle smile appeared on Louise's face. Though he could not compare to those peerless geniuses, level five Innate Soul Power already made him a minor genius at Notting Academy. His talent was even a little better than hers had been.

"This disciple greets Master."

Ning Chuan clasped his hands in salute.

He did not dislike the idea of taking a master, nor did he care about Douluo Continent's bullshit rule that a person could only acknowledge one teacher in their lifetime.

Because he was destined to have many teachers in the future.

If he truly faced any condemnation, he could simply transfer the Side Effect to that little bastard when the time came.

Or once he became powerful, who would dare gossip about him?

"Very good. From this day onward, you are my, Louise's, disciple. Now I will formally teach you how to meditate and increase your soul power. This is the Soul Power Meditation Method that my Hidden Fragrance Sword Family spent hundreds of years researching and refining. It is extremely suited to the cultivation of Sword Spirit Soul Masters. And this Storage Soul Tool belt is for you as well. Each of the three Space Gems embedded in it has three cubic meters of storage space..."

Louise presented her gift for their first meeting.

This instead made Ning Chuan, who had touched her buttocks earlier, feel a little embarrassed.

After leaving the Dean of Instruction's office, Ning Chuan went straight back to the dormitory.

Everyone else had already returned, including Xiao Wu and Tang San.

What surprised Ning Chuan was that perhaps because Tang Buddha had become Tang Black Charcoal, and his physique was gradually transforming toward Wu Dalang's under Ning Chuan's relentless training, Tang San had grown close to Xiao Wu but had not pushed their beds together, much less shared a blanket with her.

Instead, Xiao Wu had commandeered Ning Chuan's blanket.

"What do you mean?" Ning Chuan raised an eyebrow.

"This bedding is yours?" Xiao Wu held the blanket in her arms, a trace of embarrassment in her eyes.

Ning Chuan said, "What do you think?"

Xiao Wu looked Ning Chuan up and down. Although this guy's temper was annoying and he had even injured her face, when it came to looks, physique, and bearing alone, she had to admit that among all the boys in Seventh Dormitory—even all of Notting Academy—he was the most pleasing to the eye she had seen.

Tang San, on the bed opposite, froze for a moment. He understood that Xiao Wu had probably taken a liking to Ning Chuan's bedding. Not wanting to put a girl like Xiao Wu in an awkward position, he hurriedly said, "Xiao Wu, why don't you use mine instead? I'll go ask my teacher and see if he can help me figure something out."

The other quick-witted students, eager to curry favor with Xiao Wu, also hurriedly said, "Xiao Wu Jie, take mine. We can make do sharing a bed."

Xiao Wu looked at the work-study students' bedding. While it was not exactly filthy, most of it was tattered and worn. As for Tang San, although his blanket was new, seeing his face and his vaguely disproportionate build, the thought of sleeping on bedding that such an ugly person had lain on made her uncomfortable, even though he gave off an exceptionally strong sense of warmth and affinity.

But in terms of looks, he was still rather harsh on the eyes. Major points deducted.