Feng Piaoling casually asked, "Which class are Dai Huabin and Wang Dong'er in?"
After a day of gossip, the stories of Feng Piaoling with Dai Huabin and Wang Dong'er, and of Feng Piaoling with Xu Sanshi and Jiang Nannan, had already spread throughout the entire Outer Courtyard.
His roommate naturally knew about it too. He secretly gave his benefactor a thumbs-up and answered, "Dai Huabin and Wang Dong'er are both in Class One."
Feng Piaoling nodded to himself. He vaguely remembered that, in the original story, Dai Huabin and Zhu Lu had been in Class Five. It seemed that the undercover agent had been putting in work.
When adjusting Dai Huabin's dorm assignment, they had changed his class as well, just to avoid leaving a trace, and transferred him to Old Lady Zhou's class.
As a result, other classes had likely undergone a few subtle changes too.
Just then, Dai Huabin's roar rang out from outside the dormitory building. "Feng Piaoling, get out here! Come with me to the Soul Fighting Arena for a match!"
Feng Piaoling stepped out of his room and saw Dai Huabin standing alone below the dormitory building, shouting. Amplified by his Soul Power, his voice rang throughout the entire dormitory area.
Everyone heard him.
If it had been an ordinary freshman match, even one between Soul Elders, it probably wouldn't have caused much of a stir.
But this involved the Outer Courtyard's former and current most beautiful women, as well as its handsomest man. That was a different matter.
Yes, there were former and current most beautiful women. Once Wang Dong'er had revealed her true appearance, she had taken Jiang Nannan's place as the Outer Courtyard's most beautiful woman.
Of course, Jiang Nannan, as the former Outer Courtyard's most beautiful woman, remained extremely popular and was no less admired than the new holder of the title, Wang Dong'er.
And the Outer Courtyard's handsomest man was naturally Feng Piaoling.
There hadn't been any such title before, but after he displayed Soul Elder strength at the freshman entrance ceremony—and even a thousand-year second ring—his outstanding looks had won him the adoration of many female freshmen.
Most importantly, when Xu Sanshi had challenged him, Feng Piaoling had said, "If you truly like someone, you shouldn't use her as a wager." After that, a great many girls among the second- through sixth-year students had become his admirers too.
That was how the title of the Outer Courtyard's handsomest man came about.
So, when everyone heard that someone planned to challenge Feng Piaoling—the Outer Courtyard's handsomest man, who had arranged a match with Xu Sanshi on behalf of Jiang Nannan, the former most beautiful woman—and that he was doing it for Wang Dong'er, the new most beautiful woman, nearly everyone rushed out of their dorms, from the freshmen all the way up to the fifth- and sixth-year students.
Xu Sanshi, Bei Bei, Tang Ya, Jiang Nannan, and Wang Dong'er were naturally among them.
Jiang Nannan and Tang Ya shared a dorm room.
When she saw someone challenging Feng Piaoling, Tang Ya hurriedly said, "Nannan, Nannan, come out quick! Someone's challenging your sweetheart!"
Ever since meeting Feng Piaoling, Jiang Nannan had stayed in her dorm to cultivate. At those words, she immediately ran out, her face flushing red.
"Xiao Ya, d-don't get the wrong idea. My benefactor and I aren't that kind of—"
Tang Ya's lively eyes sized her up, and she chose to see through it without saying so. "Yes, yes, you two aren't that kind of—"
"But you'd better hurry. I heard that the new girl, Wang Dong'er—the one who took your title as the Outer Courtyard's most beautiful woman—was exposed by one of our teachers for disguising herself as a boy. It seems she's taken an interest in your benefactor. That young master from the White Tiger Duke's family came to challenge him because he's pursuing Wang Dong'er."
"That woman is using my benefactor." After hearing Tang Ya out, Jiang Nannan looked furious. She wasn't sure whether she was indignant on Feng Piaoling's behalf or jealous.
"Yes, yes... But your little man isn't one to take a loss. When that young master challenged him, he immediately set a Soul Ascension Pill as the wager. If the young master loses, he'll have to hand it over."
At this, Tang Ya suddenly changed tack and looked at Jiang Nannan with a knowing smile. "If your little man loses, he'll have to leave the academy."
"How can he do that..." Jiang Nannan could no longer sit still.
"Alright, alright, I'm just teasing you. With your little man's strength, forget that young master—Xu Sanshi wouldn't be a match for him either. Just watch."
Tang Ya had seen Feng Piaoling's strength with her own eyes. With two casual swings of his swords, he had slain a thousand-year Datura Snake that Bei Bei had struggled to deal with.
It was true that he had relied on a Level 4 Soul Tool, but he himself had absorbed the Spirit Ring of a five-thousand-year-old Dark Gold Terrorclaw Bear. His strength was far beyond anything that young master Dai Huabin could hope to match.
Meanwhile, outside another dorm room, Wang Dong'er stood with a petite girl who wasn't very tall. She wasn't especially beautiful, but she had a fresh, pretty look that was easy on the eyes.
"Wow, Dong'er, look! Dai Huabin is actually challenging the handsomest man in our Outer Courtyard for your sake!" the petite girl exclaimed.
"He's just a fickle, spoiled young master. And Xiao Xiao, Feng Piaoling isn't the Outer Courtyard's handsomest man either. At best, he's a spiteful, insufferable jerk."
Wang Dong'er thought little of Dai Huabin, but Feng Piaoling made her grit her teeth in anger. Other boys had been completely captivated after seeing her reveal that she was a girl.
Only this guy had actually laughed at her with a gleeful expression. If she weren't still outside the Tang Sect, he would already have earned his death sentence.
Similar scenes were unfolding in many places.
Only Huo Yuhao hadn't left the dorm. He had already made Dai Huabin's bed and was now working hard at cultivating the Mysterious Heaven Skill in his room. He had entered meditation.
No one had called him, so he knew nothing about what was happening outside.
Under everyone's watchful eyes, Feng Piaoling walked out of the dormitory building and stopped in front of Dai Huabin. "Well? Have you got the Soul Ascension Pill ready?"
"Of course. But I doubt you'll live to enjoy it. Just wait until you're expelled." Dai Huabin knew Feng Piaoling wouldn't fight him unless he showed him the Soul Ascension Pill.
So he took out the brocade box Dai Yueheng had given him. Inside lay a jade-green pill about the size of a walnut.
A halo flowed across its surface. It was translucent and brimming with life energy—undoubtedly a Soul Ascension Pill.
As for the other one, he had already refined it on the spot.
That was why he had waited until evening to come challenge Feng Piaoling.
Although his Soul Power was still at rank thirty-one, he was already very close to rank thirty-two.
And with the White Tiger Martial Soul passed down through the Dai Family for generations, he was brimming with confidence about this fight.
Seeing that it really was a Soul Ascension Pill, Feng Piaoling nodded and slowly said two words. "Lead the way."
Feng Piaoling's condescending attitude only made Dai Huabin angrier. Let's see how arrogant you are in a moment. He glared viciously at Feng Piaoling, then turned and headed for the Soul Fighting Arena.
Before you continue