"Wake up, wake up," Su Yan said, lightly patting the little girl's face.
The little boy hurried out as well. "Boss Xiao, this student's new here. He doesn't know the rules yet."
Xiao Rumei kicked the little boy to the ground and walked over to Su Yan. "You little brat, are you trying to go against me?"
"I wouldn't put it that way," Su Yan said. "I'm just helping a classmate up."
"Helping her up means going against me!" Xiao Rumei shouted. Wolf fur suddenly sprouted all over her body. "Wolf, possess me!"
She swiftly swung a claw at Su Yan's head.
Su Yan didn't dodge. He didn't even need to summon his Martial Soul. He raised a hand and blocked her wolf claw, then stepped forward and drove his other hand into Xiao Rumei's stomach. Turning, he swept her legs out from under her, knocking her to the ground and leaving her unconscious.
The entire class seemed to have rehearsed it. They all sucked in a sharp breath at the same time.
"You'd better ask for leave and go home," the chubby little boy said hurriedly as he got back up.
"Yeah, yeah. You should go home right away."
"You even dared to hit Boss Xiao. I respect you, man. I'll burn extra offerings for you next year."
Su Yan was a little confused. He'd only taught an ill-mannered brat a lesson. How had that turned into a death sentence?
"Hurry up and go." The little boy grabbed Su Yan and tried to lead him out.
"Where do you think you're going?" Xiao Chenyu charged into the classroom. "You hit my sister, and you still think you can leave?"
The moment he stepped inside, everyone covered their noses. Several students even fled the classroom.
Su Yan wasn't afraid in the slightest. Xiao Chenyu only had Soul Power Level 12, and just one extra Soul Ring Skill.
"You're the one who hit my sister?" Xiao Chenyu pointed at Su Yan and shouted.
The little boy hurriedly stepped between them again. "Brother Xiao, it's a misunderstanding, a misunderstanding."
Before the little boy could finish, Su Yan said directly, "That's right. I hit her."
The little boy stared at him in shock.
Xiao Chenyu suddenly kicked the little boy aside again and growled, "Wolf, possess me!"
A yellow ring of light slowly rose into the air.
Su Yan was about to summon his Martial Soul when a hammer flew in from outside and landed in front of him.
"First Soul Skill, Thunderquake Wave!" Tang Chi's voice came from beyond the doorway. The Thunderclap Hammer released dazzling blue-white lightning that spread in every direction.
Xiao Chenyu wasn't the only one affected. Everyone within two meters felt their bodies go numb.
Groans rang out all around them.
Xiao Chenyu was hit the hardest, second only to the Thunderclap Hammer itself. His Wolf Soul had barely possessed him when he collapsed to the floor, foaming at the mouth, wetting himself, and unable to move.
As for Su Yan, who was closest to the hammer, the instant he heard Tang Chi's voice, he leaped into the air and dodged most of the lightning.
Everyone's eyes were fixed on the Thunderclap Hammer, but they kept their hands firmly over their noses. Even in their excitement, they didn't let up for a moment.
Su Yan was no exception. He flipped out the window and escaped the blast.
Outside, Tang Chi stood frozen. He'd never expected his First Soul Skill to be so powerful that it would electrocute someone unconscious on the spot.
"Tang Chi, what are you doing here?" Su Yan asked.
"I heard them say they were going to teach a new student a lesson. I guessed it was you, so I came to check. I didn't expect it really would be you," Tang Chi said. "Silencer's a Beast Martial Soul Soul Master, too. I was worried you wouldn't be able to handle him."
"Thanks." Su Yan patted Tang Chi on the shoulder.
A group of people rushed into the classroom.
"Big brother! Big brother!"
"How are you, big brother?"
"Wake up, big brother!"
"Who did this to you?!"
After the crowd shook him around, Xiao Chenyu finally came to. Ignoring the stench covering him, he sprang to his feet and glared viciously at Su Yan. "Sneak attack! How despicable! If you've got the guts, fight me one-on-one!"
After just one exchange, he'd realized how much stronger the boy who'd arrived later was than him.
So naturally, he'd picked on the weaker one.
Pointing at Su Yan, he taunted him again. "What, are you too scared? You useless piece of trash. All you can do is get other people to launch sneak attacks for you."
Su Yan couldn't help laughing in disbelief.
If Silencer knew when to back off, Su Yan wouldn't hold it against him.
But if he didn't, Su Yan didn't mind teaching him how.
He curled his lips slightly, raised his arm, and crooked his index finger again and again. "You. Come here!"
"You!" Xiao Chenyu had dominated the academy for years, and this was the first time anyone had dared to provoke him like this.
Fury surged through him. Didn't this kid know who was backing him?
The Lord of Notting City!
What could a little brat possibly do against him?
Quite a few students had already gathered outside to watch. As soon as they heard Silencer had been beaten, they all rushed over to get a look at the brave soul who'd done it.
Xiao Chenyu knew perfectly well that they were there to watch him make a fool of himself.
Fine. He'd make an example of someone, then. They'd see who the real spectacle was!
About ten minutes later.
Su Yan and Xiao Chenyu stood on the Soul Battle Platform the academy used for Soul Fighting.
Students packed the area around it. Everyone who'd heard the news, from the upper grades to the lower, had come.
At the very back, Director Su entered through the school gate with several middle-aged men wearing robes embroidered with the characters "Suotuo." The sight of the dense crowd stopped them in surprise.
"Director Su, are we late?" one of them teased.
Director Su pointed toward the middle of the crowd and smiled. "That's our academy's Soul Battle Platform. Students often fight there. Would you gentlemen like to watch?"
"Splendid," one of the middle-aged men replied. "Practical combat is the only way to assess a promising student."
"Well said."
Beside the Soul Battle Platform, Tang Chi looked at Su Yan with worry. "Su Yan, if you can't handle him, just surrender. Don't push yourself."
"You know him?" the chubby little boy asked. "What's his Soul Power Level? Silencer's a Level 12 Battle Soul Master, and he's been at the top of the school's combat rankings for years."
"Su Yan only has Soul Power Level 10, and he hasn't even got a Soul Ring yet. He's at a huge disadvantage," Tang Chi said, unable to hide his anxiety.
The little boy was worried, too. "Silencer won't go easy on him. This is dangerous."
On the Soul Battle Platform, Xiao Chenyu looked at Su Yan with contempt. "If you admit defeat now and kneel to kowtow three times, I'll go easier on you."
Su Yan said nothing. He only smiled, narrowing his eyes slightly. With his arms crossed over his chest, he stood with his feet shoulder-width apart, one foot in front of the other.
Xiao Chenyu felt insulted all over again. He charged at Su Yan with a shout. "You'll regret this! Wolf, possess me!"
His body abruptly swelled, wolf fur covering him from head to toe. He bared his teeth and roared, his sharp fangs and claws gleaming with a cold white light.
A yellow Soul Ring floated beside his waist.
"Lord Xiao, that must be your son. His very first Soul Ring is a Century Soul Ring!"
Lord Xiao smiled. "That's right. My son, Xiao Chenyu, has already reached Soul Power Level 12. I imagine he's the strongest student in this academy."
"Your son's talent is impressive. He has the makings of a Soul Saint. He'll have no trouble getting into Suotuo City's Intermediate Soul Master Academy."
Lord Xiao chuckled, clearly in a good mood.
Director Su, standing nearby, wasn't in such good spirits.
She recognized the boy facing Xiao Chenyu: Su Yan, the child personally brought over by Hallmaster Ma Xiunuo. What would she do if anything happened to him?
The two opponents were already on the brink of fighting. Director Su hurried forward, preparing to stop the match.
Lord Xiao shouted toward the Soul Battle Platform, "Chenyu, it's just a sparring match. Know when to stop."
Xiao Chenyu glanced over and saw his father and the teachers from Suotuo City's academy. His excitement grew.
Not only would he make an example of someone, he'd make a scene and secure his place at Suotuo City's Intermediate Soul Master Academy in one fell swoop.
He stomped hard and lunged at Su Yan.
Su Yan lowered his arms, crouched slightly, and shouted, "Fire Wolf, possess me!"
Flames surged into the sky as Su Yan's body suddenly expanded. Fiery fur covered him from head to toe.
He crossed his arms, ready to take Xiao Chenyu's full-force punch head-on.
"Know your place! First Soul Skill, Wolf Soul!"
Xiao Chenyu grew a little larger in an instant. His heavy punch landed squarely on Su Yan's crossed arms.
The force of the blow sent a gust of wind howling, sweeping Su Yan's black hair aside.
Dust filled the air, obscuring both of them.
Almost everyone shut their eyes. They'd thought he was a brave soul, but it turned out he was a dead man walking.
A punch delivered with such force, after a full-speed charge, was more than someone without a First Soul Ring could withstand.
Tang Chi hefted the Thunderclap Hammer, ready to rush onto the platform and give that guy another taste of lightning.
"That's it?"
Su Yan's disappointed voice came from within the dust cloud.
He caught Xiao Chenyu's wrist with his other hand, turned, and slammed him down.
Bang! A layer of the Soul Battle Platform cracked. Xiao Chenyu lay unconscious in the crater, foaming at the mouth once again.
The dust hadn't settled, but the stench arrived first. Silencer certainly lived up to his name.
Su Yan covered his nose and jumped to the edge of the platform.
When the dust finally cleared, no one could believe their eyes.
Su Yan, without a Soul Ring, had easily defeated Xiao Chenyu, who had one.
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