Brother Dao Comes to Collect

Her gaze fell on Ning Chuan, and a sweet smile appeared on her face. "Um... about what happened before, I apologize. You don't have to call me Xiao Wu Jie anymore. Do you think we can discuss something?"

Just then, a teacher in his thirties walked in from outside. "Ning Chuan, come here for a moment."

"Teacher Mo Hen!"

Ning Chuan turned around and saw the familiar dorm supervisor from before—the very Mo Hen from the original story who had delivered bedding to Tang San. At that moment, Mo Hen held a quilt and pillow in one arm and a washbasin filled with toiletries in the other, with a bucket hanging from his wrist.

Mo Hen said, "These are the quilt and bedding the Dean of Instruction prepared for you. There are also some daily necessities."

The bedding looked quite luxurious. The moment Ning Chuan took it, a faint fragrance wafted into his nose. There was also a pillow and some washing supplies. It seemed they had taken into account that he was a Work-Study Student; as soon as he left the Dean of Instruction's office, someone had been told to prepare everything.

After Mo Hen left, Ning Chuan followed the principle that even if he did not take Xiao Wu in, he could not let Tang San benefit. To keep Xiao Wu from sharing a quilt with Tang San as she had in the original story, he said indifferently, "I already have a new one. If you really like this bedding, you can have it."

Xiao Wu did not know what Ning Chuan was thinking. She only thought he was cold on the outside but warm at heart. She had originally wanted to suggest that they share a quilt, but now she was deeply moved, her eyes reddening. Aside from her mother, Da Ming, and Er Ming, Ning Chuan was the first person who had ever treated her so well.

"I'll make your bed for you."

Wiping away her tears, she stepped forward to make Ning Chuan's bed for him, only to be refused.

"No need. I'll do it myself..."

"Then I'll organize these daily necessities for you..."

Ning Chuan watched Xiao Wu eagerly trying to please him and was slightly taken aback. Good grief, did this rabbit misunderstand something?

"By the way, Ning Chuan, I heard that the new Dean of Instruction at our academy is a great beauty. Why is she treating you so well and giving you so many things for no reason?"

"She's my teacher..." In any case, it would not remain a secret in the future.

As Tang San watched the two chatting, he felt an indescribable bitterness in his heart, as though he was drifting farther and farther away from the thing most important to him.

At that moment, he could not have felt more miserable.

When the other students heard that Ning Chuan had become the Dean of Instruction's disciple, they revealed envious expressions. After all, this Dean of Instruction was not even thirty yet and already possessed strength close to that of a Spirit Ancestor. She was truly the second-strongest expert at Notting Academy.

"Little Black, aren't you strong? Come help me move the bed."

Just as Tang San was feeling miserable, Xiao Wu looked over at him.

"My name is Tang San, not Little Black."

"But you're dark to begin with..."

Tang San was speechless, but he simply could not refuse Xiao Wu's request. He obediently stepped forward to help.

But very soon, he felt even more miserable, because the place Xiao Wu wanted the bed moved to was nowhere else but right beside Ning Chuan's.

Ning Chuan paid them no mind. He sat cross-legged on the bed and began meditating to cultivate and improve his spirit power according to Professor Louise's method.

Early the next morning, while most of Notting Academy's teachers and students were still asleep, Ning Chuan had already opened his eyes, exited his cultivation state, and run to the training ground to begin his daily physical training.

Tang San also left the dormitory at the same time. He had arranged to go with Yu Xiaogang that day to obtain his First Spirit Ring.

Yu Xiaogang glanced at Ning Chuan, who was carrying a large boulder on his back while doing push-ups on the training ground, then said earnestly to Tang San:

"Xiao San, you're still young. Don't imitate him. Training like that, risking his life, will only ruin his foundation. Besides, he's just trash with Innate Soul Power Half Level. No matter how hard he cultivates, he'll never be able to break through Level Thirty."

Yu Xiaogang did not say the latter part aloud.

"I understand, Teacher."

Tang San believed Yu Xiaogang's words without the slightest doubt.

As the sun gradually rose in the east, Ning Chuan, who had stopped cultivating, was nearly soaked through with sweat. Yet with Tang Hao as his Power Bank, he did not feel the slightest fatigue. Instead, he remained full of energy.

He took a bath, changed into clean clothes, and began the day's lessons.

There were two classes in the morning: one on cultural knowledge and one on martial souls.

He also meditated on his spirit power during breaks.

At noon, he quickly finished his meal, then spent an hour reading books to learn about the Spirit Beasts of this world and how to determine their age.

In the afternoon, he went to the Academy Back Mountain Grove to practice swordsmanship with Louise.

Louise's teaching method was also simple and brutal. She first had him practice sword swings for two hours, then made him engage in actual combat.

As time passed, Louise became increasingly satisfied with this disciple of hers.

He had an excellent physique, great perseverance, and was unafraid of hardship or injury.

The days passed one after another.

One day, the entrance of Notting Academy became lively.

Several of Brother Dao's underlings from the Underground Casino in Notting City had blocked Tang San at the School Gate. Tang San had just returned from hunting a spirit ring and was preparing to go to Spirit Hall to collect his Spirit Master subsidy. They intended to seize him and take him back to pay off his debt.

Who would have thought that Tang San had already become a Spirit Master? Not only did those underlings fail to catch him, they were instead given a brutal beating.

Now, Brother Dao, humiliated and enraged, had brought over a hundred underlings to seek revenge.

Among them were several Spirit Masters, while Brother Dao himself, capable of becoming the head of the Underground Casino, was a Level Forty-Three Battle Spirit Ancestor.

Such a huge commotion naturally drew the attention of the Dean of Notting Academy, Dean of Instruction Louise, and the other teachers.

At that moment, the two sides were locked in a standoff. Although Brother Dao's side had the numerical advantage, Notting Academy had more than ten Soul Masters, including the Dean and the Dean of Instruction, so they did not dare make any rash moves.

Jeno, the Dean of Notting Academy, demanded, "Old Dao, why have you brought so many people to my Notting Academy?"

Brother Dao adjusted his Gold Thread Glasses and looked at them with mocking amusement.

"What do you think I'm here for? Tang San from your academy owes me money and refuses to pay it back. He even injured my underlings. Do you think they call me 'Life Ender Three Thousand' for nothing?"

One white, two yellow, and one purple Soul Ring slowly rose from beneath his feet. A snow-white curved blade appeared in Brother Dao's hand.

"You're talking nonsense! Since when did my disciple owe you money?"

Yu Xiaogang squeezed out from the crowd. He had also been drawn over by the commotion, but after being poisoned by the Mandala Snake while hunting a Soul Ring for Tang San, his body was still somewhat weak.