Playing the Victim

"Benefactor, isn't this too expensive?" Jiang Nannan looked at the lavish food on the tray, unable to bring herself to take a bite no matter how she looked at it.

The truth was that these items were simply too costly; a single meal had already cost over forty Gold Soul Coins.

"They are merely soul beast meats. Compared to the ability to increase cultivation speed, this is nothing. Just eat to your heart's content. Once that young master of the Mysterious Underworld Sect, Xu Sanshi, settles his tab, we'll have enough to eat for half a year."

Feng Piaoling was truly unaccustomed to eating while standing. It was one thing that the Shrek Academy canteen lacked tables, but they didn't even provide chairs, and they forbade taking food out of the canteen.

They claimed it was a form of training for the students.

He couldn't tell if they were just stingy or if they were truly like this.

It seems I'll have to prepare my own set of table and chairs next time... Feng Piaoling muttered inwardly.

"If that Xu Sanshi knew you were using him as an ATM, I fear he would be so enraged he'd faint on the spot."

Jiang Nannan smiled sweetly, finally letting her guard down to enjoy the rare delicacy, feeling a sense of sweetness in her heart.

She hadn't expected that by simply using the excuse of asking Feng Piaoling for cultivation advice to get closer to him, she would be invited along by Feng Piaoling, who had been planning to head to the canteen anyway.

If it had been Xu Sanshi inviting her, she wouldn't have even spared him a glance.

But being invited by her benefactor, her white moonlight... her heart's desire, was a completely different matter.

The meal was finished quickly.

During the process, Jiang Nannan did indeed ask Feng Piaoling some questions regarding her cultivation.

Feng Piaoling, having a favorable impression of this young girl, gave her guidance without reservation.

Before him, an expert in soul power control, the areas Jiang Nannan previously found obscure—such as how to release soul skills faster—were clarified.

How to increase the efficiency of soul power absorption during meditation.

Where her physical techniques were lacking.

Feng Piaoling provided corrections one by one based on her combat style and the soul power meditation method she mastered.

This left Jiang Nannan benefiting greatly.

And Feng Piaoling, naturally, wasn't helping her for nothing.

He needed Jiang Nannan to act as his sparring partner to help him perfect his 'Clone Shadow'.

Especially her third soul skill, Teleportation.

If he could use the Heaven-Reaching Demon Eye to observe and analyze the basic principles of her teleportation and integrate them into his Clone Shadow, it would surely greatly enhance the speed and evasion capabilities of this movement technique.

Just as they placed their trays in the designated area and prepared to leave the canteen, a familiar, crisp voice caught their attention.

"What happened? Little Yuhao, how did you get beaten up like this? Who is it? Who dares to bully someone from our Tang Sect? Tell me, and Bei Bei and I will go get justice for you."

"Teacher Tang Ya, I'm fine. I will resolve this matter myself."

Feng Piaoling and Jiang Nannan looked over simultaneously to see Huo Yuhao standing before Tang Ya and Bei Bei, looking aggrieved, his eyes red and tears welling up in their corners.

A night had passed, and under the repair of soul power, although the swelling on Huo Yuhao's face had mostly subsided, that beaten eye was still difficult to open, and his face was covered in blue and purple bruises—a truly miserable sight.

It seems this Huo Dog got beaten pretty badly by that fellow Dai Huabin... Seeing Huo Yuhao's current state, a mischievous smile couldn't help but curl the corners of Feng Piaoling's mouth.

"That seems to be the special student Tang Ya brought yesterday. How did he get beaten like this? Could he have had a conflict with his roommate?"

At Shrek Academy, fighting was prohibited everywhere except for the Soul Fighting Arena.

However, there was one exception: the dormitories.

Usually, as long as it didn't result in death, the academy would turn a blind eye to fights between roommates, and some teachers even encouraged conflict between students.

"That must be it. Though, this kid's ability to act pitiful is becoming increasingly masterful," Feng Piaoling remarked.

"Acting pitiful?" Jiang Nannan was stunned.

Feng Piaoling nodded, not hiding anything, and recounted the events: how he had passed by the White Tiger Duke Mansion while heading to the Star Dou Great Forest to hunt for a soul ring, learned of Huo Yuhao's experiences from the chatter of wicked servants, felt pity, and provided him with help when he encountered him on the road.

Only for Huo Yuhao to sever ties with him the moment he joined the Tang Sect.

He told the story exactly as it happened.

After hearing Feng Piaoling's words, Jiang Nannan immediately felt indignant on his behalf, saying righteously:

"Hmph, nothing good ever comes out of the White Tiger Duke Mansion. That Dai Huabin is like that, and this Huo Yuhao is the same."

"It was clearly his own choice to absorb a ten-year Wind Baboon soul ring. Benefactor even kindly tried to dissuade him at the time, but he insisted on it himself."

"And yet, after joining the Tang Sect and thinking he had found a backer, he returned kindness with enmity. He is simply a despicable person; he deserves to be beaten to death."

As someone who had also received help from Feng Piaoling.

Jiang Nannan considered herself deeply indebted to him; she would even be willing to die for him.

Yet Huo Yuhao had acted like such an ingrate.

At this moment, Jiang Nannan, who had initially felt a bit of pity for Huo Yuhao upon seeing him beaten, reached the peak of her dissatisfaction and disgust toward him—the kind that could never be undone.

"It's fine. When I first helped him, I never expected any return. Since he chose this path, let him walk it himself. Besides, I didn't lose anything." On the contrary, he had gained a massive profit by obtaining the great assistance of Electrolux.

They say a woman in love has zero IQ. Seeing Feng Piaoling speak this way, Jiang Nannan felt even more revulsion toward Huo Yuhao, while her respect and admiration for Feng Piaoling grew even deeper.

Only her benefactor could possess such a broad and magnanimous heart.

"Alright, let's go. There's nothing left to see here." Feng Piaoling couldn't be bothered to look at Huo Yuhao's nauseating, pitiful display.

He led Jiang Nannan out of the cafeteria. As they passed by Tang Ya, she tried to greet Jiang Nannan, but Jiang Nannan, seemingly displeased that she had invited someone like Huo Yuhao to join the Tang Sect, deliberately pretended not to see her and ignored her entirely.

"Strange, what's wrong with Nannan today? Did she eat gunpowder or something? I don't recall doing anything to provoke her."

Tang Ya was left confused.

Bei Bei spoke up from the side, "It's likely because of Feng Piaoling. Xiao Ya, you should have noticed by now that Jiang Nannan doesn't just hold a sense of gratitude toward him."

Hearing this, Tang Ya let out a long sigh, looking at the retreating backs of Jiang Nannan and Feng Piaoling with a thoughtful expression.

Suddenly, as if something had occurred to her, her eyes widened, and she looked at Huo Yuhao with a strange expression, asking, "You weren't beaten into this state by Feng Piaoling, were you?"

Huo Yuhao shook his head, "It wasn't him..."

Just as he had finished playing the victim and was about to reveal the identity of his assailant, Tang Ya let out a sigh of relief and said:

"That's good. Although that guy is quite unlikable, I have to admit that his strength is truly formidable. Yesterday, that second-generation heir from the White Tiger Duke Mansion—your half-brother Dai Huabin—fought him in a soul duel, and he only lasted a single round before being defeated. If the referee hadn't intervened, he would have been dead."